Biogen aims to foster collaboration with new Cambridge HQ

Biogen aims to foster collaboration with new Cambridge HQ

Last month, we blogged about how corporate culture is changing, thanks to the influence of a new generation of employees. It turns out millennials are not the only ones in favor of centralized locations and “open space” office designs. Leadership at companies such as Biogen Idec recognized the merits of this new layout and have already revamped office architecture, in hopes of fostering more collaboration.

The largest biotechnology company in Massachusetts, Biogen’s new headquarters have been under construction for nearly two years. Last week, the company began shifting employees from its Kendall Square R&D center to one of the new buildings. By November, executives from the current HQ in Weston, Mass. will relocate to Building 9, a 305K-square-foot complex in Kendall Square, marking the company’s return to its East Cambridge roots.

Biogen’s new office consists of the aforementioned “open space” design, a drastic change from the conventional “cube farm” layout. There are no private offices, instead individually designed workstations called “I-Spaces.” Also featured in the new office are “huddle rooms”, some of which have writable walls and are meant to encourage unplanned meetings. “Its a new way of working. A lot of ideas can come out of these informal discussions,” says CEO George Scangos. (Boston Globe)

 Featured in the new Biogen Idec buildings will be huddle rooms that officials hope will encourage unplanned meetings.

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