MACH Architektur

Before Novartis launches a new product, the pharmaceutical pioneer embarks on up to ten years of research, development and constant team work. Our challenge was to create a work space at the company’s HQ that would energise and inspire its world class talent during this painstaking process.

Taking inspiration from our favourite city districts around the world, we transformed an existing 1,300 sqm open plan area into seven ‘neighbourhoods’. Spread across two wings, each neighbourhood looks similar but is also unique thanks to its relative position to two distinct ‘landmarks’: an upbeat coffee bar in one wing and a more relaxed tea bar in the other. To promote the dynamic entrepreneurial spirit Novartis encourages in its staff, we made the space feel more like an energetic start-up than a global giant. For example, we installed special ‘writing walls’ so teams can write down rough ideas then ponder, refine and erase them over many months. For brainstorms and private moments, we also created little ‘bubbles’ where people can go to think and escape.

When everyone’s had a chance to enjoy their new home, we look forward to putting more ‘Novartis Neighbourhoods’ on the map.