For the design of its new Belgian subsidiary in Zaventem, the worldwide software and internet technology market leader Microsoft faced the international real estate consulting company AOS Studley with particular requirements: The new Microsoft building should be less a place of individual work in the conventional sense but mainly an extraordinary business world characterised by the communicative principle of meeting and cooperation.
As leading developer of mobile communication technologies, Microsoft consistently implements the philosophy of mobile, independent and flexible working in its own working environment: in many aspects the personal work station is no longer needed, since many tasks may also be realised by employees outside the office. Instead, more space of the four-storey building was dedicated to the functions of communication and meeting, with a remarkable focus: 244 offices versus 52 communication-meeting points for about 300 employees.
A special mix of Bene products proved to be the ideal completion for this unconventionally and highly flexible structured working environment: Beside the classical Bene T-workstations, which are used for stationary work, Bene T-meeting stand-up tables as well as the innovative lounge set Bene Coffice were chosen.