Bonkers offices tend to spring up like so many expensive mushrooms during boom time, especially in the tech world. But it turns out that average companies are investing in great design too—at least according to the shortlist of great offices chosen by the World Festival of Interiors this year.
The Festival is an annual awards program that honors great interior design, and it's a super fun glimpse into a part of architecture that many of us don't pay enough attention to. This year, the jury chose the following 13 offices, from all over the world, as representative of the best interior design being done for companies. From a factory in Vietnam to a bank in New Zealand, they're a diverse bunch.
Sahibinden.com is a bit like the Craigslist of Turkey. Erginoğlu&Çalışlar Architecture designed this massive headquarters for the 15-year-old company.
Images: Emre Dörter
Park + Associates designed this architect's office in Singapore.
The UK-based Haptic Architects designed this Oslo office for the corporate finance firm Arkwright—its organic curves are meant to evoke a rugged Nordic landscape.
You probably remember this NYC office for the ad agency The Barbarian Group, designed by Clive Wilkinson Architects, for its so-called "superdesk," which curves around the entire office:
HUB&SCL, designed by Hyunjoon Yoo Architects, in Seoul, South Korea.
Images: Jihye Choi.
DonorsChoose.org, which allows people to donate money to specific areas or topics within public education, commissioned this headquarters from architects Eight Inc.
Images: SGM Photography.
Here's the headquarters for New Zealand bank ASB North Wharf, designed by BVN Donovan Hill in association with Jasmax, in Aukland.
Images: John Gollings
Another bank, ANZ, commissioned this somber interior by HASSELL in Syndey, Australia.
Images: Earl Carter.
A third bank, National Australia Bank, was the client for this Melbourne building designed by Woods Bagot.
The creative agency Flamingo, based in Shanghai, commissioned this spare space by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office.
Images: Dirk Weiblen
This workshop and factory in Vietnam produces outdoor gear for cold climates—Vo Trong Nghia Architects designed an adjoining office and factory floor for the company.
Images: Hiroyuki Oki
The winners will be announced in October. Check out the rest of the shortlist here.