Bacardi’s ideal workplace is a “home away from home”
Bacardi’s previous office in Gouda was 20 years old and had not been updated to reflect the company’s evolution. They brought in Unispace to lead the strategy, design and construction of their new workplace in the Delftse Poort building on Rotterdam.
Through our integrated approach, we worked with Bacardi to define their goals for this new location, including:
- A space for everyone
- A space that is social and informal, a “home away from home”
- A space that stands the test of time without a big budget
- A space that creates awareness and visibility of the Bacardi brand, company history, and culture
- A dynamic experience for all staff members and visitors that aligns the workspace with the aspirational elements of Bacardi’s corporate identity to bring the Bacardi brand to life
Manifesting the Bacardi “family” vision
Bacardi affectionally calls their staff “primos” after the Spanish word for cousin. We worked closely with their primos throughout the strategy phase to understand their needs and align the workplace to their brand vision.
The visioning and strategy process included a session to define the project drivers and vision, nine interviews with key stakeholders to understand leadership’s requirements and team workstyles, and an online workplace survey to capture work activities and department adjacencies and workplace inefficiencies. Our team analysed the data and developed test fits and recommendations for the new space.
Building on the strategy phase, our design team created a bespoke design solution that works for all their “primos”.
An enduring workplace that fits within Bacardi’s budget
The design respects Bacardi’s history, including all their brands and heritage—balancing their legacy with their future aspirations. One example of this is a bar we design located at the heart of the workplace to bring people together to socialise, try new products, and build better relationships. The design also needed to stand the test of time on a limited budget, so our Unispace team found creative ways to deliver on the vision while adhering to scope and price requirements.
Delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic, our teams acted quickly and constantly communicated to ensure sure the site was safe, secure, and in line with government guidelines.
The outcome is dynamic, elegant and playful – creating spaces for everyone.
