Just like video games, office design is a high stakes adventure where collaboration and creativity gets you across the finish line. For Kinzo Architekten, this end goal is the successful completion of an office space for game developer and publisher KRAFTON and its PUBG Studios – the team responsible for the popular online game Battlegrounds. By translating their fictional game layout into a functional workplace in Seoul, Kinzo has not only captured the essence of PUBG Studios’ design and aesthetic, but also created an immersive environment that fosters teamwork and innovation among its occupants.
Partnering with interior design firm Dawon & Company to implement the planning and manage the construction, Kinzo mirrors the gameplay of PUBG by turning office floors into maps, complete with iconic monuments and interconnected pathways. This spatial layout encourages exploration and interaction among employees reminiscent of how players maneuver through play. The main staircase, inspired by the game’s “battle royale” mechanics, serves as a striking focal point and leads employees to areas for relaxation, like the tea kitchens and recreation rooms. Adjacent to the staircase are lounge spaces, casual standing areas, and meeting rooms that support chance encounters and impromptu exchanges.
Similar to how cooperation is the key to success in multi-player games, the collaborative workspaces, strategically placed meeting rooms, and shared workstations foster this sense of camaraderie and synergy within the office environment.
Mood and aesthetic were carefully considered to accurately capture the essence of the game, as well as ensure a comfortable and conducive work environment for the game’s programmers who prefer darker spaces to focus. From this underground level, the staircase eventually leads to the roof terrace, which boasts panoramic views of Gangnam, the heart of Seoul.
With the completion of this project, Kinzo effectively translates PUBG Studios’ fantastical narratives into a working office design for an immersive environment that fully reflects the virtual worlds the employees build.
To see more of the firm’s work visit kinzo-berlin.de.
Images courtesy of KRAFTON.
