eBay Offices

Auction giant eBay recently cemented its 2011 acquisition of the Turkish ecommerce site GittiGidiyor with the unveiling of new offices in the trendy Istanbul suburb of Atasehir. Designed by Turkish firm OSO Architecture, the office exists within the modern open office paradigm, but adds bold pops of color and form to keep things from getting too stuffy.

Style and hospitality abound in the new space. A three-dimensional wooden pergola hovers over the entrance hall and invites visitors in, while the red-hued social area located just inside keeps them entertained with a strikingly angular café-bar, library, online music, television, projector and Playstation games. A light-filled terrace anchored off of the social area provides a place for employees and guests to kick back and relax, surrounded by plant life and natural light.

Inside the office area, glass-fronted meeting rooms—named for famed locations around the country, including Efes, Nemrut and Galata—mix with rows of open benching for easy collaboration, while a chaotic arrangement of acoustic ceiling tiles and linear lighting breaks up the furniture arrangement. The result is a casual but highly productive work environment.

“All members of the place, either from the top management or the employees, always mention that they are fond of the interior ambiance,” says OSO Architecture Partner Ozan Bayik. “They say that the atmosphere affects the psychology of the personnel in a very positive way, in parallel with the selected colors and the light. Although the employees felt out of the open office design at the very beginning, they’ve adapted quite well.”

OSO Architecture
+90 212 260 13 53
www.osomimarlik.com

Editor's Thoughts:
“We all know that design is global, but it’s projects like this that really drive the point home. A mix of Turkish hospitality and
modern workplace, this project proves that the future is open.”
—Adam Moore