Living Offices|S05E01| PHC Software
Oeiras, Portugal [Go to PT Version]
Office File
Company: PHC Software
Location: Oeiras, Portugal
Total Area: 8000 m2
Year: 2020
Capacity: 160 people
Industry: Management Software
Office Design: Open Book (architecture) + PHC Software (decoration)
PHC Software is a Portuguese multinational company dedicated to the development of management software. The company motto is better management for better people. With offices in Porto, Madrid, Lima, Luanda and Maputo, PHC opens its new facilities in their first building built in Lisbon: House of Digital Business.
For the foundation of the new building there is a new concept: best experience at work. This reinforces the vision built over time, of focus on productivity and happiness.
The Building
Arriving at the new House of Digital Business building is an impactful experience. When we enter the 5 floor building, we immediately become aware that the experience for visitors and for those who work in this new space, is thought in detail from the reception to the top of the building.
Passing through the reception, we enter the heart of the building, the PHC Square. It’s a large foyer with a central staircase that connects with the floors above and serves as an auditorium for various events.
We look around and are drawn to observe the two gallery floors developing from the central staircase. Harmoniously, natural light meets artificial light, color meets natural materials like wood, and comfort meets the solid concrete of the building.
Workspaces
The teams are distributed in three floors with open spaces organized into islands. The colors used in the office (green, blue, yellow, and coral) cheer up the space and make it easy to locate the different work areas. We will find these colors in each of the four quadrants of the building.
With fixed workstations, a clean desk policy persists. To store personal belongings, each person can use one of the lockers nearby.
The materials chosen, such as carpeting and acoustic panels on the ceiling, emphasize the feeling of comfort. The natural light and the ergonomic furniture boosts the spaces to a place where everyone feels good.
From time to time, open spaces are divided into into zones which have different purposes. Group presentations happen in the pitch space, focused work, or calls in the phone booths. One of the internal gardens may be the perfect spot to make a short break, and to exchange a few words with a colleague you bump into.
Depending on the mood, people can move around the office by foot, scooter or hoverboard, stopping occasionally at the barber shop or the cinema to rest, chat or make a call.
Meeting rooms
The office design and decoration of the rooms change according to the floor they are at. There is always a connection between the name of the rooms and all its decoration details, from the vinyl on the glass walls, to the interior design.
The themes we find are linked to nature and technology. Rooms on the lower floor have a connection to the idea that everything begins with what is below or inside. This is why we find the theme of roots, plant seeds, or the inner core of a computer, are on floor 1. As we make our way to the upper floors, we see represented in the decoration, the idea of what is on top or outside. On the third floor we see clouds, treetops or the binary code of a computer program.
Each room is designed with a specific function and have the all the equipment adapted to it. Flexible and removable furniture, or informal furniture such as poufs, are in example, used to make it easy to organize the space for demonstration meetings.
Sound comfort is one of the main concerns, influencing the choice of materials, such as carpeting, acoustic ceilings, and double-glazed partitions. These are a constant in all rooms throughout the office.
Other spaces
We are also surprised by rooms dedicated to receiving start-up companies in the incubation phase.
For events or moments when it’s needed to gather more people in a room, there is the auditorium. With capacity for 100 people, it can have different dimensions and be divided by making use of a movable wall.
These spaces serve the PHC community, and also the partners who wish to hold events here.
Social areas
Pure relaxation is having a good Nespresso coffee in the lounge, listening to music or playing a jam session with colleagues. For those who prefer other ways to relax, they can choose the sofa and play video games on the TV or laptop. There is nothing missing to prevent anyone from playing a good game of ping pong, or invest a few minutes in the mythical machine games.
In contrast to the more colorful and busy spaces, there are other spaces for people who prefer other ways to relax. With softer colors and noise proof, you can revitalize yourself with a power nap in the X-cape, a room with bunk beds to rest for a few minutes.
For the option of gaining energy we find BoxE, an equipped gym space, and a spa treatment room.
Those who prefer to read or take a few minutes to study can always go to X-Files, a library equipped with kindles with access to many books.
Meal areas
Collaborators are invited to use all the leisure areas, prepared for longer breaks throughout the workday: for lunch, coffee or just to relax for a while.
Equipped with pantry, refrigerators, microwaves, there is also available some fruit, coffee and vending machines. BEaT space is also prepared for those who bring their meals from home or for those who prefer to choose their meal on the spot.
Lunch with a sea view is an option for sunny days in the outdoor terrace located on a continuous balcony to the dining area. For a more private meal with a client, there’s a space offering a completely different experience, joining the beauty of the view with the comfort and decoration.
For company events, parties or to relax at the end of the day, the large terrace is the main space for people to gather and enjoy the sun or the sunset.
Here, the MegaBeat, Lisbon’s famous tram was specially designed for PHC, and the wall painted representing the mythical figure of António Variações, made by graffiti artist Styler, stand out and brighten the space with their vibrant colors.
PHC Culture
Throughout our toured visit, we constantly find written messages celebrating what defines the work culture. On a featured wall in the central area, on the stairs to the garage, or around the corner when turning into another area of the office.
The decoration style and the colors, are constant elements that connect the different spaces and make the experience of working in this building, unique.
PHC’s dedication to content production also led to the creation of a digital room. Sound and video recording studios for high quality content. Multimedia content is permanently available online or through the corporate TV system. This is highlighted on the large screen in PHC Square, visible from almost anywhere in the office.
The content is a living showcase of the work that is done in the company. Highlighting birthday messages, the Thank You’s, which are public compliments between collaborators, reinforcing the feeling of belonging and unity between everyone.
Office Sounds
“The impact of coming to this space is being very positive. This office makes people want to come here. I think it’s a super dynamic office and there are always new possibilities for PHC to yet surprise us about what they do with this space.” Vasco Morgado
“…the evolution (of the office) always though about the collaborators, and the path was made in this direction. Everything was made for us, to make us feel good, happy and comfortable. This has been a constant. And the culmination were these installations that are a dream.” Carla Matias
