DBS JoySpace

As hybrid work reshapes the global workplace, major organizations are rethinking how offices can drive culture and performance. DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, pioneered its activity-based “JoySpace” concept in 2016 to break from fixed desks and cultivate a startup mindset. By 2018, DBS Corporate Real Estate, Strategy, and Administration (CRESA) needed to scale this vision across three key Singapore locations. DBS needed a change management partner to guide employees through the transition and place them at the center of the design process.

Gensler partnered with DBS to co-create JoySpace, embedding design and change management into one seamless program. Open workspaces, meeting pods, and social hubs encourage collaboration, choice, and community. To reduce waste, the team incorporated sustainable materials, including reclaimed wood, restored furniture, and demountable panels. Change champions drove adoption through gamified engagements, while a custom dashboard streamlined data analysis.

JoySpace transformed DBS offices into collaborative, sustainable environments that employees helped shape and now proudly showcase. The Hong Lim JoySpace won the CoreNet Singapore Flourishing Greenprint Award for circular design and reclaimed materials. Post-occupancy surveys revealed improved collaboration, brighter aesthetics, and increased meeting space availability. A scalable JoySpace Playbook now accelerates rollout across global projects, saving time and costs. Together, these employee-driven solutions reflect DBS’ start-up culture and reinforce its reputation as an innovative, future-ready bank.