Much like the stylish and sophisticated V&A Silo District, the East City Precinct of the Cape Town CBD has become one of the trendiest districts to work, live and play in.
In the past few years, the area has been experiencing exponential growth and a makeover of sorts with the recent development of several residential, retail and commercial projects. One such development, The Harrington, situated off Roeland Street covers a block on Harrington, Barrack and Buitenkant streets. The area is home to a host of retail and commercial establishments such as Truth, Haas, Charly’s Bakery and now The Publicis Group.
The groups fourteen specialist agencies that include Arc, Digitas Liquorice, Prodigious, and Saatchi & Saatchi under one roof with the aim of encouraging collaboration and open source thinking.
The new office at The Harrington was designed by Collaboration Concept Design Reality on an area just above 4000 square metres. Interior architects were tasked with creating an office with spatial equality and designing a space that allows collaboration.
The end product features state-of-the-art photography, sound and editing suites, two coffee shops, a canteen, auditorium and boardroom facilities which are themed around space and planets.
Publicis Groupe Africa Chief Operations Officer Miles Murphy said, ‘The working areas of our employees have been made into an open space format. There are no offices but rather numerous informal ‘destinations’ or communal areas throughout the agency with comfortable sofas, pods and interesting, quirky lighting to encourage collaboration amongst our people and through these gathering places we drive movement in the agency.’
‘Importantly, each agency has its own distinct brand personality within the areas in which they operate, each agency will maintain its culture and secure space. We’re very positive about the opportunities our new migration brings, and as a communications company look forward to an environment that encourages collaborative ways of working.’
Photography: Supplied