Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2015 | Page 78

INTERIOR

Microsoft Head Office
Microsoft is located in Bryanston, off William Nicol. The building
was previously designed and built by GLH Architects
INTERIOR DESIGN: GLH INTERIORS

IMAGES: SUPPLIED BY GLH INTERIORS

T

he interiors brief given to GLH Interiors (GLHi) was to
undertake a complete refurbishment of the first and
second floors. The exterior of the building needed no
changes, but the building envelope of the interior needed a
complete re-design to suit the fundamentals of the Microsoft
Workplace Advantage. All ceilings, partitions and flooring was
completely ripped out and GLHi was given a fresh, clean space
with which to work.
Brief
The brief was to achieve a design that speaks to the international
language of Microsoft’s global brand, whilst referencing our

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African roots. The Workplace Advantage, a worldwide planning
strategy developed by Microsoft, establishes a comprehensive
framework for approaching workspace design, regardless of size
or location. GLHi took this structure as a starting point for the
space planning and building design approach, and emphasised
the principles of creating spaces which inspire and facilitate new
ways of working, accommodate diverse people with changing
needs, and balance this with the financial and environmental
demands of corporate real estate.
Ultimately, the unique design responds to the demands of an
international corporate by interpreting them with a local flavour
that has global reach and relevance. Critical to the design and

Microsoft