by Eleanor Halls: I magine an office in which health and happiness are at the core of everyday life.
Wellbeing comes first, work comes second. Only one office of this kind exists in the world and it belongs to the brains behind Headspace – the meditation app dubbed “a gym membership for the mind”. Headspace, along with its 80 employees, has now found some office space of its own – in the new happiness-orientated HQ in Santa Monica, Los Angeles.
Headspace was born from co-founder Rich Pierson’s encounter with Andy Puddicombe, a Buddhist monk who taught Pierson how to meditate. Now, the app has over six million users in over 190 countries. The Headspace office, designed by Kelly Robinson, is a physical embodiment of the brand, mirroring its healthy, mindful ethos and building itself on its founding pillars of authenticity, kindness and creativity as well as sustainability. “I wanted the building to feel like home to its employees,” says Robinson, who prepared the design concept by taking inspiration from the streets, restaurants and furniture in London – Headspace’s birthplace.
Robinson designed the layout of the office to encourage regular movement and to make meditation the core of office life rather than an afterthought. Andy’s “Lab”, where all the Headspace material is recorded, sits in the centre of the building, and specially recorded two-minute meditation exercises (one for creativity and one for focus) play at the start of every meeting. A wall of community quotes reminds staff of Headspace’s focus on kindness, and innovative sustainability corners encourage staff to make recycling a part of daily office life. “The Headspace vision is to improve the health and happiness of the world,” says Robinson. “Every design decision is connected to sustainability, health and wellness.”
The Silent Room
What’s special? It’s a tech-free zone, so people can unplug from the modern world and think in silence. The room can be used to meditate alone or with a group in complete quiet, or for listening to soothing music.
Design features: Comfortable seating with cushions for optimum physical relaxation and good natural light to improve positivity.
Mindfulness advantage? Headspace says: “Disconnecting from your phone allows you to approach problems from a clearer and sometimes different perspective.”
Apply this to your office… By installing a tech-free room in the office – no phones.
Meditation pods
What’s special? Designed by Oyler Wu, these pods almost make meditation – something intangible – tangible.
Design features: Inspired by natural geological formations, the curvilinear seating pod is created from multiple layers of machine-cut wood. The internal screen creates a peaceful, immersive experience, without complete isolation.
Mindfulness advantage? Headspace says: “Guided through a meditation session by Headspace co-founder, Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe, in a fun, private cocoon, we provide staff ergonomic comfort and a calm sense of focus.”
Apply this to your office… Buy several of these pods for your office directly from Headspace.
The boardroom
What’s special? The boardroom is purposefully designed to be the polar opposite of traditional boardrooms.
Design features: Instead of having one large table with several chairs, multiple seating arrangements encourage flow and dialogue among smaller groups as well as one large group.
Mindfulness advantage? Headspace says: “If you are in the same room all day having varied seating encourages people to move around and engage with others.”
Apply this to your office… By adding different types of seating in your meeting room, ranging from high stools to sofas, armchairs and floor cushions – some clustered, some spaced apart.
The Kitchen
What’s special? This is the only office spot where food is shared, music is played and large gatherings can naturally occur. The kitchen is the focus of the space to encourage sociability.
Design features: Designed for comfort and movement, the space allows people to stand around the kitchen nook, stretch out on the amphitheatre seating, sit at café tables, lounge on the floor cushions, or even lie down – all in the same space.
Mindfulness advantage? Headspace says: “This relaxed atmosphere enables short conversations and more in-depth spontaneous meetings. Interruptions are allowed in a space like this, so collaboration is more impulsive and free flowing.”
Apply this to your office… By making the office kitchen a more sociable zone by making it a larger space and adding comfortable seating and floor cushions.
For more information on Headspace or to buy the meditation pods, visit Headspace.com
