The new VMware office
The high-tech company VMware chose for its employees the second office building from the multifunctional complex Garitage Park – one of the landmark projects of SGI. The total office area exceeds 30,000 square meters, which will house more than 1,400 workplaces. The realization of this site is an example of first-class performance with input materials and products of the highest class. The conceptual design is the work of architect Bulent Dundar from the architectural company Swanke Hayden Connell Architects and the SGI team performed technical coordination and adaptation of the project.
VMware’s office in Sofia is a major hub for the company, which develops software for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The healthy environment in the offices in Garitage Park is ensured by the Excellent certificate for the sustainability of BREEAM in the category of Communities International Technical Standard, which no more than 20 companies in Europe can boast of. The layout of the spaces is open-space, but organized in a non-standard way, providing individuality and maximum comfort to employees. Workplaces are organized on the periphery to make the most of natural sunlight. The meeting rooms, cafeterias, collaboration areas, and technical rooms are concentrated in the center of the floor plan. The project is consistent with local cultural features and is characterized by the priority use of wood and a modern mix of ornaments and graphic design.
The office offers:
• 30,000 sq.m total area
• Over 2400 jobs
• 860 parking spaces
• Terraces and seating areas
• Business electric cars and charging stations
• Electric bicycles
• Solar panels
• Building management system integrated with VMware’s IoT platform
Our colleague arch. Nezabravka Tushina was the head for the execution of the project. She described for “Gradat” magazine what were the biggest challenges and goals for the project:
What were your goals in adapting the Aukett Swanke project?
N.T.: Аs with any project, our main goal was to meet the client’s expectations. In this case, that meant to assure the maximum quality of execution. Here I must say that thanks to the high requirements of VMware we had the opportunity to work with extremely good specialists, both in design and implementation. Of course, as in any process, there were some difficulties. But from the very beginning, I had the confidence that as a team we would reach a solution to any problem.
“The most important was the communication between all parties involved in the project.”
What were the challenges you faced in the process of work?
N.T.: Through the work process, moving from a concept phase of the project to technical and working design, we often encounter circumstances that require some changes. However, it is important that these changes would not affect the overall concept of the final product. The challenge here was to realize the idea of the colleagues from Aukett Swanke as accurately as possible. The greatest importance for this to happen had the active and conductive communication between all parties involved in the project.
Photograph: Alexandar Todorov
Where To Next?
- Article
Pandemic and Architecture: SGI Answers
Did the architectural business manage to adapt to the changes since the Coronavirus pandemic? Read in the article on our Blog.
31 August 2020 - Article
SGI In Partnership With TEDxVitosha
Stephen George International is a proud sponsor of TEDxVitosha for the upcoming event in Sofia, Bulgaria. The guests will be presented with an exclusive screening of selected talks from TED2020: Uncharted as well as inspiring live speakers.
9 July 2020
