NBBJ | 與寵物一起上班，哥倫布Bark辦公室-設計風向

成立於2012年，以創造狗玩具和零食的公司Bark的全新辦公室，位於哥倫布市一個大型的混合用途開發項目的其中兩層樓。為了該公司最重要的資產：200名員工與他們精力充沛的寵物，並符合Bark品牌精神，辦公室設計重點之一為“抵禦肮髒的爪子和意外事故”。

The Bark office is located in the Ohio city’s Franklinton neighbourhood, a deprived district that is now being revitalised.Spread across two floors, the office is situated within a large, mixed-use development that was also designed by NBBJ, a Seattle-based firm with offices around the globe.Founded in 2012, Bark is a New York-based company that produces toys and treats for canines. The Columbus office houses its Barkbox division, which mails out boxes of dog goodies to monthly subscribers.NBBJ set out to create a pleasant work environment that aligned with the company’s mission and branding. Because employees are allowed to bring their pups to work, the office needed to “withstand dirty paws and unplanned accidents”.

辦公室空間占地2044平方米，包含各種工作、社交和娛樂區域。整個空間使用耐用、符合成本的材料，以適應寵物不可預測的行為和有限的預算。員工並沒有固定的辦公桌，可以根據工作需求和個人喜好轉移到不同的區域（或是依照寵物的當日心情），像是轉移陣地到站式辦公桌。

Encompassing 2,044 square-metres, the office contains a variety of areas for working, socialising and playing. Durable, cost-conscious materials were used throughout the space to accommodate the pets’ unpredictable behaviour and a limited budget.There are no assigned desks in the office. Instead, employees shift around to different areas, depending upon their work needs and personal preferences. Among the offerings are sit-to-stand desks and work stations with built-in areas for dogs.

另外還設有許多非傳統的工作空間，包括類似雙層床的“舒適酒吧”。膠合板式組合打造出各種不同大小的工作和休閑角落，以及用於存放牽引繩和背包的區域。為了營造更加活潑的氛圍，員工可以在“工作和娛樂休息室”露營，在那裏毛孩子們可以盡情坡道奔跑玩耍，跟主人玩抓迷藏，當然，還有在堆滿狗玩具的開放區裏釋放他們的正常能量！若今天的工作需要安靜的氛圍，辦公室亦設有許多休息室，讓員工在室內植物和舒適的座位的陪伴下，不受打擾得完成工作進度。

The office also features a number of unconventional workspaces, including “amenity bars” that resemble bunk beds. The plywood units have various-sized nooks for working and lounging, along with areas for stashing leashes and backpacks.Cushions are upholstered with faux leather, while pillows are covered in Carnegie Fabrics’ Xorel, a bio-based upholstery that can be cleaned with bleach.For a livelier atmosphere, employees can camp out in the “work-and-play lounge”, where their pups can run up and down a ramp, slip into a hiding spot, and frolic in an open area with toys.For those seeking a quieter atmosphere, the office has a number of lounges fitted with house plants and comfy seating, including rocking chairs from JSI Furniture.

為了考慮寵物們的「辦公環境」，在所有流通和開放工作區，混凝土地板與橡膠地板被大量使用，並且嚴格避免使用傳統地毯。清潔方麵，靠墊采用人造皮革裝飾，而枕頭則采用一種生物基質得室內裝飾卡內基麵料（Carnegie Fabrics）的Xorel，可使用漂白劑清潔。當寵物們感到焦慮時，他們可以前往庭院和屋頂露台，彷佛一個戶外狗公園的存在，在那裏放鬆身心。飲食方麵，辦公室備有兩個廚房，彩色楓木砧板式台麵與淡藍色櫥櫃形成鮮明對比，廚房為員工和毛孩子提供了多種食品及飲料。會議室采用玻璃牆和俏皮圖案，仿照Bark最暢銷的玩具。在入口區域，展示架上一字排開了Bark寵物公司的設計產品。

The office has two kitchens with food and beverage options for both employees and their pets. Stained-maple butcher-block-style countertops contrast with pale blue cabinetry finished with a plastic laminate by Octolam.Conference rooms feature glazed walls with playful graphics that are modelled after Bark’s top-selling toys. The graphics were created by the company’s in-house designer.For the entrance area, the team designed a shelving unit with a chevron pattern that alludes to tick marks in the Bark logo. The fold-down display showcases products by the pet company.Other elements in the office include LED lighting and exposed ceilings, which were painted white. In all circulation and open-work zones, the team used concrete flooring. For other areas, traditional carpet was strictly avoided.