© Eric Laignel
Equinix Paris open lounge space with pool table and windows.
Equinix Paris office nook and meeting room.
A room with tables and chairs.
Equinix Paris cafe seating.
Equinix Paris lounge seating.
Equinix Paris meeting room.
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Equinix Paris

Paris, France

Equinix Paris

Paris, France

Equinix’s goal was to re-enchant its employees with the workplace by creating an office its people would want to return to post-pandemic — a destination with soul, atmosphere, and a diversity of different work settings. Equinix partnered with Gensler to create an elegant yet homely space designed for real-life exchanges and collaboration. The office design takes cues from its Parisian context, with local references incorporated through its finishes and material palette, including French moulding, and coloured metro tiles. The workspace is further enhanced and characterised by the use of unique found objects.

To smooth the transition between home and office, Gensler created a “home away from home” workplace experience, engaging employees early on to appropriate the workplace and make it their own. Workers were asked to identify their “madeleine de Proust” — a selected object evoking memories and associations. These antique and repurposed objects were then carefully sourced and curated around the office, bestowing warmth and character. The reuse of existing objects also implements the principle of the circular economy, thereby helping Equinix meet its CSR commitments. The workplace’s carbon footprint was further reduced by using locally sourced objects.

Le but d’Equinix était de réimaginer leur bureau et de le transformer en un espace où leurs employés voudraient revenir après la pandémie. Ainsi, nous avons développé un concept pour redonner de la magie au lieu de travail et créer une destination avec une âme et une atmosphère; un lieu élégant et familial, qui favorise la collaboration et les rencontres. L’environnement de travail devait fonctionner comme un second chez soi, un endroit pour passer un bon moment. Afin de créer ce sentiment de légèreté et d’intimité, nous nous sommes inspirés du contexte parisien, avec des références locales comme les moulures et les carreaux de métro colorés. L’espace est embelli d’objets et d’accessoires chinés et recyclés; ceux-ci soigneusement séléctionné pour évoquer des souvenirs, une nostalgie familiale et pour donner vie à l’espace.