An Office Design So Livable You Might Just Move In

Most of us spend at least half of our waking hours at work, but we don't usually think of the office as a "living" space--life is something that happens after work. Attempts to make an office space better, like a ping-pong table or two, tend to be added to conventional buildings. But architects for a new office in Austria tried to build livability into the design from scratch.

Inside the lobby, there's a three-story climbing wall, and spaces to relax are embedded throughout the office. There's an on-site gym, a space to cook next to an outdoor terrace, a swimming pool in back, and even sleeping bunks if anyone needs to take a nap.

"From the beginning the concept of quality of life and leisure culture took a mayor part in the planning," say the architects, from Vienna-based Heri & Sally. "The traditional aspect of 'going to work' therefore has received minor consideration."

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