snøhetta designs slack's new york headquarters

in new york, on the top floor of a landmarked lower manhattan building, snøhetta has retrofitted a 12,000 square foot office for workplace software company, ‘slack’. conceived as a versatile, sunlight-filled place of work, the design of the headquarters references the city’s distinctive urban courtyards. within the scheme, bamboo plants serve as natural privacy screens, while four skylights with enlarged, splayed ceilings bring natural light deep into the space.

all images by michael grimm

snøhetta chose a restrained material palette for the project, evocative of an artist’s studio with splashes of color. meanwhile, angled plywood panels and bespoke light fixtures subtly reference slack’s brand identity and imagery. the design caters to a way of work that promotes integration and communication, where employees are encouraged to venture out of the office for coffee and lunch breaks.

stepped wooden bleachers allow for gatherings, meetings, and presentations

upon entry, employees and visitors pass the reception desk and are welcomed into a generous multi-functional space. here, stepped wooden bleachers allow for gatherings, meetings, and presentations, lunch breaks, or informal encounters. an adjacent lounge is also lined with plywood benches to encourage informal social interaction. a corridor then leads to the work space and meeting rooms where the engineering and accounts teams sit in an open, flexible plan.

a restrained material palette has been used throughout

in addition, a wide variety of spaces and breakout rooms — including one and two-person telephone booths — accommodate different working requirements. regularly spaced throughout the office, previously existing skylights have been shaped to welcome soft natural light, while creating varied ceiling heights that suggest the spaciousness of a new york loft.

a lounge is lined with plywood benches to encourage informal social interaction

wide planes of glass offer a visual connection through conference rooms, yet remain are acoustically separated — maximizing productivity and communication for each team. furthermore, the non-symmetrical geometry of the meeting rooms minimizes sound reflection. the new york headquarters intend to offer a simple interface that streamlines workflow and encourages communication. ‘building on slack’s aspirations to revolutionize the virtual workplace, the design of its new physical work space promotes the same values,’ says snøhetta.

the entrance and reception area

greenery is interspersed within meeting rooms

a corridor connects the work space and meeting rooms

bamboo plants serve as natural privacy screens

previously existing skylights have been shaped to welcome soft natural light

the scheme intend to offer a simple interface that streamlines workflow

1/4

snohetta slack headquarters new york city interiors designboom

project info:

design architect: snøhetta
design team: anne-rachel schiffmann, vanessa kassabian, aaron dorf, rikard jaucis, craig dykers
owners rep: gardiner & theobald
construction manager: SPK lewis inc.
MEP engineer: CFS engineering
lighting consultants: kugler ning
acoustic consultants: cerami &associates
structural engineer: robert silman
furniture consultants: benhar interiors
photography: michael grimm