Building design a boon for staff
In a new design concept that could change the style of both office and residential buildings for ever, employees sliding their way to post-work freedom is the ambitious plan for Flight Centre Travel Group’s new global headquarters, which today submitted revised plans to the local council to append a 15-storey slide to the exterior of its property in Brisbane.
The slide is one of several proposed additions to a building that already boasts meeting rooms in the shell of planes, trains and cruise ships in the confirmed design.
Flight Centre’s Tom Walley says the new building in Brisbane’s South Bank is due for completion in September and is a physical representation of the company’s ethos.
“We work for an amazing company selling the best product in the world, so why not have a head office that reflects that?”
Efficiency of movement into, out of and within Flight Centre’s new HQ is a key design element, with innovative solutions integrated into the existing and amended building plans
“Our people have been telling us for a while that stairs and lifts are too conventional for their tastes, so we’ve decided to install large-scale trampolines on each level for people to propel themselves up, floor by floor.
“It will take a bit of re-jigging of the floorplan to make it work, but we see it as a necessary addition for workplace happiness, although health and safety regulations state we can’t allow people to use the trampolines when descending between floors,” Walley says.
Similar solutions for efficient movement include personal hover boards for each employee and a new, fast-tracked means of entering the building via a high-velocity, all-glass, outward facing lift directly from the train platform beneath.
“The building straddles South Bank train station and as we have a lot of employees who commute in each day, we wanted a way to ease their transition into work.
“The revised plan means they can step off the train and into the lift to be at their desk in record time.”
Walley confirms officials have indicated early approval of the new design, which will cast a unique shadow on the city skyline.
“The new building is set to be an icon and the added features only enhance the statement it makes, so we’re happy the powers that be are on board with the new design concepts,” he says.
Other additions include airport check-in facilities for first class customers and a helipad on the roof with a Flight Centre helicopter to ferry these customers to the airport, while Level 15 is set to become Brisbane’s hottest rooftop bar.
“We’ll definitely have the cream of the crop of Brisbane’s after-work watering holes with our Level 15 club zone complete with dance floor, booth seating and huge balcony sunlounge with sweeping city views.
“Our people are really into BMX at the moment, so we’re going to reserve the back half of Level 15 for a BMX ramp to host an annual Flight Centre freestyle competition, as well as regular team brainstorm sessions atop our brand new fleet of wheels from 99 Bikes.”
The building is part of the Southpoint development located at the corner of Grey and Vulture Streets in South Bank, Brisbane.
• If you hadn’t already guessed, this rather far-fetched story is actually an April Fool! Happy April 1!!
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