Akamai, the world’s leading provider of Content Delivery Network (CDN) services, partnered with us to create a purposeful and well-designed workplace for their agile team in Amsterdam. With previous successful projects in Milan and Paris, we were tasked with developing a space covering 6000 sq ft that catered to the team’s needs.

To achieve this, we peeled back layers of material in the existing site to uncover a long floorplate featuring 3.4 metre high concrete coffered ceilings, exposed pipework, and polished concrete floors. We transformed these elements into a raw, industrial backdrop that celebrated the building’s architectural authenticity while maintaining branding integrity and ownership of space for Akamai.

Our concept design was refined and clear, subtly paying homage to the local Dutch culture through orange-toned copper accents and Delft-inspired blue accents from Moooi, while incorporating Akamai’s brand identity. We relocated meeting spaces to the interior of the floorplate to maximize the 7th floor views and create a ‘floating’ think-lab within the space that could adapt into an ‘all-hands’ event zone and multiple open collaboration areas. To reinforce this, we added 30m2 of dry erase wall surface, perfect for the dynamic and collaborative nature of the office.

We made conscious efforts to use sustainable materials in the space, such as cradle-to-cradle carpet tiles, recycled content roller shades, and perforated acoustic tiles. We also incorporated hydro grain-fed biophilia and quartz worktops to keep the environment in mind.

Overall, the resulting fit-out provided the Akamai team with a thoughtful and well-designed workplace that catered to their needs, while celebrating the building’s architectural authenticity and incorporating sustainable design elements.