The workplace with all the Buzz for Valentines Day.
With Valentine’s day almost upon us, we wanted to give you a tour of the new ‘hive’ of well-known ‘dating with confidence’ app, Bumble. It’s no secret that they have challenged the dating game by shaking up the outdated gender norms and empowering women with the first move. Therefore, their office needed to live up to their unique approach and uphold their empowering ways. Lead designer Hannah May discusses how she made this possible, the challenges she faced and her experience working with such a creative and collaborative company.
Bumble Bizz
“Bumble were previously situated within Badoo’s office, but due to their continuous growth, they took their own space in the heart of the city. As this was a sublet space, they were faced with various limitations on how they could make it their own. With further projected expansion, and help from our partner, DeVono Cresa, they acquired their own space for them to thrive. With this, they were able to change the space to suit their requirements as well as reflect their unique brand and personality.
It was important to the business that the new space allowed for their projected future growth and business plans. It needed to be functional, flexible, and work as a main hub for them and any visitors. Essentially, they wanted somewhere they could call a ‘home’ and could thrive as a growing brand within their fast paced, competitive industry. Small events and collaborative meetings were key to the running of their business, so it was vital that the space allowed for these as well as gave the right impression to all entering it. The breakout area plays a huge part in meeting this requirement, by allowing people to come together in natural crossovers for interaction and socialization, as well as providing additional working areas for informal meetings in the form of a cosy snug.
The Bumble Brand
Integrating the brand played a massive part within the design process. Bumble have a strong, recognizable and fun-loving image which needed to be represented and upheld within the space.
The Bumble yellow feature wall and neon logo creates serious impact as soon as you step through the door and the same brand colour is echoed throughout with even the most subtle of details, such as the yellow glazing track, packing a punch.
A part of Bumble’s unique approach in what they do involves a lot of cool merchandise, so interchangeable displays were essential. This meant the small footprint of the space had to work hard in order to provide them with the various areas they required, as well as a balance between bold coloured walls and branded graphics to allow the space to breathe. We also made use of any difficult corners in the office to provide for any additional storage in the future.
Challenges Faced
Like with all design projects, the Bumble space had its own challenges to overcome. Keeping some of their existing furniture meant the design concepts and sizes of certain areas were dictated so we had to ensure the new and old items worked together. We achieved this by incorporating the core brand elements and personality where possible to create a sense of connectedness throughout the space.
Like with many growing companies, it was also vital that the space was future proofed for further growth. Creating a flexible and interchangeable floorplate whilst utilizing every area and retaining the building infrastructure means the space can be moved around and changed where necessary, with no hefty price tags.
The Bumble Effect
The reaction and feedback from the team on their new space has been extremely positive. Everyone that enters the space can really feel their energy and unique personality.
As designers, it is our job to gather an extensive understanding of who our clients are and how they operate as a business to allow us to provide a workplace they not only require but deserve. Working with a client like Bumble, where collaboration plays a massive part in who they are, made the journey a smooth and enjoyable one to be a part of.
From the get-go, I was able to really understand the ins and outs of the business by becoming a part of the team, which allowed me to gain an insight into their approach, their core values and the different needs of each department – all which are vital elements to the design of a successful workplace. Working with a creative and enthusiastic team, who were extremely excited about their new home, made what is often mistaken as a daunting process for any business to undergo, a fun and enjoyable one for all involved.”
Take a look at more of our workplace designs here Dthree Projects