Designed by Allied Works Architecture, the new headquarters of Fast Retailing–Uniqlo’s parent company–features open-plan office spaces, lounges done up with plants to resemble outdoor gardens, a library filled with books and magazines from around the world, and a room with stadium seating where all 1,200 employees can gather for company functions. While it bears the hallmarks of what we expect creative offices to look like in the West, it’s actually a first for corporate Japan.
The Silicon Valley-style office–open-plan work spaces, food on-site, communal lounge areas–has become common in many industries. It has also been exported to Westernized countries around the world as companies believe this type of design encourages its employees to become more creative, more productive, and happier. One holdout? Japan, which maintains a traditional work culture at the corporate level.
