Microsoft Italia’s new headquarters has officially opened its doors in the Porta Volta district (Viale Pasubio 21 to be precise) in Milan. A working space but also open to the public, which spreads over 6 floors for a total of 7,500 square meters and 832 windows, by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & De Meuron for the Fondazione Feltrinelli.
Smart working is one of the ideas behind Microsoft Italia’s move to its new headquarters in Milan’s Porta Volta district. During the two weeks of moving to the new location and with the old one already closed, the activity of the Italian headquarter did not stop, with employees who, with a view to “agile” work, continued their activities from home. A philosophy that is carried on inside the building itself: in the three floors dedicated to Microsoft employees and collaborators, open spaces are the master with strictly unassigned workstations, aesthetically different according to operational functions (seven types of workstations from open space desks to transparent ateliers to creative gardens with wooden structures) and divided into more collaborative areas and reserved areas, creating an overall working space, variously functional and undoubtedly stimulating creativity. In the areas dedicated to employees, three thematic hubs dedicated to Sport, City and Nature have also been set up: these are environments with a kitchen for lunch or a coffee break, but also for activities and meetings.
As for the areas open to the public, they go from the Loft on the top floor, designed to host important events, to the lower floors (ground floor and second floor) where the Showroom and the Microsoft Technology Center are located respectively. The Showroom, created in collaboration with Intel, is open daily from 10am to 7pm and allows visitors to come into direct contact with Microsoft technologies and innovative solutions of its partners, as well as a space dedicated to gaming enthusiasts with Xbox stations and Windows 10 devices. The Showroom is also equipped with a Wi-Fi Lounge area and a Digital Class, that is a multimedia environment designed to welcome students and teachers in order to make them discover and experience the new frontiers of teaching from the perspective of digital culture. The Microsoft Technology Center is instead a space dedicated to companies, start-ups, professionals, equipped with a conference room and simulations and an auditorium with 80 seats. A place to make guests understand how technology can generate concrete business advantages.