What should a contemporary office embody in times when most businesses get increasingly digitized? One could argue that for digitized companies the importance of having an office that reflects and carries out the company identity gets less and less. Surprisingly, the opposite is the case. The tendency in branding is to combine a strong visual and digital identity with a corresponding physical identity. This physical environment not only embodies the image of the product or service provided but also the environment in which this is made / organised by the employees. In other words, a specific work atmosphere which is part of the communicated brand.

This tendency was the starting point for the design of restyling the office of Simyo, the online brand of KPN, the biggest telecommunications company in the Netherlands. Simyo is the young, hyperactive, cheerfull, sweet and a bit strange, little brother of KPN and the requirements specifically asked for this identity to be communicated within the work atmosphere. In the design this is combined with a clear layout which balances between the identity characteristics and needed functionality by zoning areas for working, reception, walking, meetings (formal and informal), scrumming and relaxing. Between all zones the optimum in needed privacy is provided, where possible connecting people and if needed secluded.