TELENOR BULGARIA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS - RECONSTRUCTION

One of the fundamental elements of the change from GLOBUL to Telenor is the transformation of the company headquarters. The ambitious work environment project turned the building into a successful example of applying innovative concepts and design, while serving as physical emanation of the principles and values of the company.

Since its construction in 2007, Building 6 in Business Park Sofia has been serving as corporate headquarters for the second Bulgarian mobile operator. After Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile EAD was acquired by Norwegian-based Telenor Group, the company started a process of aligning the existing in Bulgarian corporate environment with the designed in Norway office environment concept, which turned the telecom’s office into an even more contemporary and technologically equipped work environment.

The basis for this transformation is the new philosophy for contemporary hi-tech workplace, reflecting the current trends in the development of technology, mobility, business relationship dynamics between the people and their ability to manage the environment according to their needs and to take advantage of it the most convenient and effective for them manner. The new concept shatters the stereotypes in Bulgaria for constructing office space, offering innovative approach that turns the direction of its development – from a strictly fixed and dependent on the stiff realities of the assigned space, towards dynamic and dependent on the person and the business processes.

The separate workplace is viewed as freely definable space within different options, depending on the specific business process, team formation, special equipment needs etc. Each workstation is undefined and can be occupied by any company employee. It is highly ergonomic and offers a desk top with adjustable height, depending on the work habits of the person.

This new approach towards the workplace aims to inspire creativity in the business process, to stimulate interaction between the separate teams and employees, to increase productivity and satisfaction with the work environment. It also sets the foundation for high effectiveness of operational expenses and investments in reconstructions, related to the dynamic company development.

To achieve all this a large-scale reconstruction of the whole building was undertook, including the areas around the building. The only elements not affected are the façade and the supporting structure.

All the technical building systems/installations have been rebuilt: air–conditioning, ventilation, electric installation, telecommunications, and elevators included. This way higher microclimate parameters have been set, and higher energy efficiency will be achieved in the long-run.
Every single floor in the building has been reconstructed, setting up work zones, meeting rooms, silent rooms, multi rooms, zones for preservation of personal belongings, stationary zones. All the floors have a plenty of defined leisure places, working space, as well as zones for exhibiting art.
The ground floor hosts training rooms. These rooms can be re-configured with movable walls so to become bigger and accommodate more people. There is also a recreational area for informal meetings. New sanitary units for persons with disabilities will be provided, as well as changing rooms and shower rooms for employees ride their bicycles to work. The front staircase was transformed with an art installation, in order to stimulate all employees to use it more often.

The entrance area was reconstructed, along with a new reception desk, new building entrances, waiting areas, new access control facilities, corporate visual symbols, multimedia and decorative lighting.
The area surrounding the building has also been changed. There are plenty of architectural urban design elements: benches, pot holders, leisure places, new corporate symbols, new flagging and decorative lightings.