south32 is a base metal and coal mining company based in perth , western australia .

it was spun out of bhp billiton on 25 may 2015 .

the company is listed on the australian securities exchange with secondary listings on the johannesburg bourse and the london market .

south32

south32 : to buy remaining 83 % of arizona mining for $ 1 . 75b
south32 : to buy remaining 83 % arizona mining stake for $ 1 . 3bn
south32 : arizona mining shares up on takeover offer by australian company south . .
south32 ( souhy ) presents at bank of america merrill lynch 35th annual global . .
south32 said it was
committed
to south africa ' s
transformation agenda
.
south32 debuts as australia ' s third - biggest miner with market value of $ 11 . 3b
south32 ' s trading debut fell within aberdeen ' s expectations . but given the commodity market , south32 investors had to be
prepared for volatility in the share price
, ms lopez said .
platts put all of these assertions to south32 and asked questions about the nature of the agency agreement , including the nature of the remuneration and other incentives for djj , and south32 declined to comment .
south32 has previously said its analysis of the new charter suggests historical transactions will continue to be recognised .
bad weather and challenging conditions at various operations impacted south32’s performance over the 2016 / 17 financial year .
in previous years , djj had an offtake agreement with south32 and its predecessor bhp billiton , along with trading house medima , which market sources said , gave buyers a choice of suppliers for south32 ' s products .
“we subsequently confirmed that there was no gas exceedance or breach of gas limits , ” the south32 asx statement said .
he said south32 would be culturally different from bhp billiton , primarily because it was smaller so it could be more nimble .
the latest incident was reported to the regulator about 7am on thursday , with south32 saying there were “no elevated gas levels” .
south32 missed its annual production guidance for worsley alumina , south african energy coal , australian manganese ore , silver and lead .
workers at south32’s appin mine have been evacuated again over gas problems , prompting the regulator to express concern about operating practices there .
shares in south32 were 8¢ , or 2 . 82 per cent , lower at $ 2 . 76 at 10 . 45am .
on monday , south32 said a review of the operation’s systems and operating practices were currently being undertaken to ensure its ongoing safety and reliability .
no re - entry to the mine can occur until the resources regulator is satisfied south32 has implemented revised control measures to ensure worker safety .
we are looking more at where south32 trades at from book value point of view – rather than its net present value ,
she said .
south32 was in the main a cost - out story and there was much new management could do internally before looking to m & a , she said .
south32 australia is committed to building strong relationships with our suppliers locally , domestically and globally to seek innovative solutions with a focus on safety , quality and cost .
the mine was most recently suspended in late june and remains suspended as south32 conducts a safety review , which analysts have said could take up to three months .
south32’s colliery has been slapped with another prohibition notice after the gas incident , which has been described by the company as “an issue with the gas extraction system” .
graham kerr , ceo - elect of south32 , says the company will be culturally different from bhp billiton , primarily because it is smaller and could be more nimble .
there has been intense speculation that south32 could be a takeover target for mining deal makers mick davis of venture fund x2 , and ivan glasenberg of trading giant glencore .
south32 highlighted a 2 per cent increase in total aluminium production for the year , driven by record performance at mozal aluminium , during a resurgence in the aluminium price .
gas has been an ongoing problem for south32 at appin , with methane buildups causing operations to be shut down in may , as well as in october last year .
south32’s june quarterly production report showed that aluminium annual production for fiscal 2017 rose 2 per cent and manganese ore production lifted by 5 per cent compared to fiscal 2016 .
michelle lopez , senior investment management at aberdeen asset management , says south32 ' s book valuation is attractive and it has no current plans to sell down the new vehicle .
local procurement is a key focus area for south32 . we believe in empowering our local communities to be able to provide for as much of our supply chain as possible .
appin and the neighbouring dendrobium colliery generated a $ 471 million ( $ 363 million ) , or about 12 percent of south32’s revenue , in the first half of 2017 .
while bhp had argued spinning off south32 would unlock value in bhp by making it a more streamlined company , investors didn ' t appear to agree on monday ; bhp shares fell 7 . 3 per cent , or $ 2 . 36 , to $ 30 . 13 . bhp shareholders were gifted one south32 share for every share in bhp they own .
south32 withdrew staff from the mine on june 28 as a precautionary measure after a fault with the mine’s gas extraction system , the company said in a statement emailed to reuters .
bhp billiton was given a lukewarm reception from the market after spinning off south32 on monday , but investor says they will sit tight before making any big calls on the new company .
south32 has fallen just short of its full - year production guidance for all but three of its operations after forewarning a strong end to the year was needed to meet its targets .
cortexia ' s own human factors and safety diagnostic was used to assist south32 in one of their major australian coal mines to identify areas of both strengths and weaknesses relative to other high reliability industries . cortexia ' s diagnostic model was tailored to south32 ' s requirements and a series of over 35 intensive interviews were run with staff from management to the front line .
south32 ended monday with a market capitalisation of $ 10 . 9 billion after making its debut in perth at $ 2 . 13 a share , before closing at $ 2 . 05 .
johannesburg - diversified metals and mining company , south32 , said on monday that underground operations at the appin colliery , which forms part of its broader illawarra metallurgical coal operation , remained suspended .
south32 previously suspended operations at the mine last october , and again in may , owing to elevated gas concentrations and said in may that the stoppage would immediately hit sales because of low inventory levels .
given the scope of this review , an extended outage is now anticipated before production at illawarra metallurgical coal and be restored to historic levels . the dendrobium mine continues to operate ,
south32 said .
south32 said adverse weather affected development of new mining areas at the wolvekrans - middelburg complex in south africa , which led to a 9 per cent fall in the annual production of south african energy coal .
june 30 ( reuters ) - australian miner south32 ltd said on friday it has suspended operations at its appin coal mine on the order of a government regulator due to concerns over high gas levels in the mine .
“the regulator then issued a prohibition notice and expressed broader concern regarding the recent gas exceedance events and the operating practices of the illawarra metallurgical coal operation , ” south32 said in a statement to the australian securities exchange .
“while we didn’t achieve the level of consistency that we expect from our broader portfolio , our alumina , nickel and manganese operations finished the year on a strong note , ” south32 chief executive graham kerr said in a statement .
one of bhp billiton ' s biggest shareholders , aberdeen asset management , says it will hold south32 , and is unfazed by the fall in bhp ' s share price in its first day of trade post the spin - off .
rbc capital markets analyst paul hissey said south32’s year had been marred by operational issues at illawarra and at the cannington silver , lead and zinc mine in queensland , with assets tending to fall short of guidance provided 12 months ago .
south32 warned the issues affecting production at illawarra , cannington and south african energy coal would continue to weigh on performance in the 2018 financial year . the company will provide guidance when it releases its full - year financial results in august .
south32 will produce aluminium , manganese , silver , zinc , lead , nickel , coking coal and thermal coal across a suite of assets , mainly in south africa and australia . its shares are likely to be heavily influenced by movements in commodity prices .
this comes after elevated gas concentrations were recorded at area 7 of south32 ' s appin mine in the southern coalfields of new south wales , australia , forcing the company to evacuate workers from an underground pit and suspend operations indefinitely pending the completion of an investigation .
as a result , south32 said the amount of production in its illawarra metallurgical coal sector – which is made up of appin and dendrobium mines – would be 10 percent below earlier expectations of 7 . 9 million metric tonnes of coal in the year through june .
from south32 ' s perspective , the only thing i can think of is they get the biggest consumer of manganese alloys [ in north america ] on a plate , but at the risk of much lower prices than they would otherwise get ,
said the second trader .
a detailed assessment report was prepared highlighting the strengths and areas for improvement , along with a series of recommended strategic initiatives . a number of known and unknown issues were identified , with south32 now in a position to best target their initiatives in a cost effective and impactful manner with the support of cortexia .
a proposed exclusive agency agreement between australian manganese ore and alloys producer south32 and us - based david j . joseph & company , the raw materials arm of steelmaker nucor , has left many participants in the us ferroalloys market with a sense of consternation over what they believe creates significant conflicts of interest in the market .
south32 , which had $ us1 . 5 billion ( $ 1 . 9 billion ) cash at the end of march , kicked off a $ us500 million buyback on april 19 and said as of june 30 it had spent $ us211 million purchasing shares at an average price of $ 2 . 66 per share .
we remain committed to the country ' s transformation agenda , with broad - based black economic empowerment entities having a 26 per cent equity interest in our south africa manganese mines and an 8 per cent equity interest in our south africa energy coal mines , which increases significantly when historic asset transactions are taken into account ,
south32 said .
sources said a steelmaker the size of nucor would want to keep all of its supply options open and not go with just one supplier .
even with the agency , if anything happens to south32 ' s production , they ' d be foolish to put all their eggs in one basket , so they ' re keeping their options open ,
said a second trader .
the agency would cover high - medium - and low - carbon ferromanganese and silicomanganese in north america , according to sources familiar with the matter . while south32 is one of the world ' s largest manganese alloys producers , djj ' s parent company nucor is the biggest consumer of these alloys in the us and north america , but djj also resells alloys and other raw materials to third - party steel mills .
most of us use the metals and minerals we mine every day , no matter who we are , or where we live . we play a big part in people’s everyday lives . our commodities
playing a key part in how the modern world works , we mine and produce commodities in a safe and sustainable way .
we invest in high - quality operations and have a significant presence in each commodity we produce . we are the world’s largest producer of manganese ore , a top producer of silver and one of the world’s largest ferronickel producers .
they power our homes , start our cars , build our roads , bridges , skyscrapers and hospitals and even make our coins and jewellery .
as part of our exploration activities we look to partner with junior explorers to allow us access to attractive opportunities . last year we entered into an agreement with tsx listed trilogy metals , to fund exploration of their high - grade copper resources in northwest alaska , collectively known as the upper kobuk mineral projects ( ukmp ) . we will invest up to us $ 30 million over three years to explore , expand and advance the ukmp , and in particular to test the extension of the existing bornite deposit , with an option to form a 50 / 50 joint venture .
we continue to look for new opportunities to expand our horizons . we invest in exploration inside and outside of our portfolio , but making sure they match our capabilities . our exploration activities are carefully selected to have a high chance of success and are spread around the world , including places we have not operated in before .
we have a central marketing team that works across all our operations . marketing is managed out of singapore with support offices in london , south africa , and australia .
the marketing team works closely with our regions to make decisions on how to get our resource to market and is also responsible for commodity sales , purchasing of strategic raw materials and managing the delivery of commodities to customers .
however , it is understood bhp was pleased with trading on the day , given heavy falls across the resources sector and a 1 . 33 per cent fall in the wider market .
today ' s [ share price ] moves have not concerned us at all – we still think the long - term strategy is sound .
we plan to hold it for a while , there is quite a lot of upside .
the company , led by former bhp chief financial officer graham kerr , instantly became australia ' s third - largest miner by market value and sits in the top 50 companies by market capitalisation , behind its parent and rio tinto .
given how far commodity prices have already fallen , if valuations remain at this level , it looks reasonably attractive .
the cost - out story is what is going to drive it in the short term . longer - term we will be looking at how they can convert resources to reserves .
mr kerr said he wasn ' t
too focused
on the new company ' s share price .
what i will focus on is the things i can control – the safety , the volume , the costs , telling the investors the story , and the investors will put the appropriate price on the stock ,
mr kerr said .
i wouldn ' t say i am unhappy but i am not really focused too much on it to be honest .
he laughed off questions about whether xstrata chief executive mick davis had been on the phone to talk about a deal .

i haven ' t got my phone on me , but no ,
mr kerry said .
i think on all these things we will concentrate on what we can control . it sounds boring but the safety , the volume , the costs , the financial performance ,
mr kerr said .
we have spent a lot of time talking to our investors about the value proposition and i think it has been well received . you look at the vote for the demerger and the stock today is out there trading , so the market will make their assessment .
however , mr kerr has said the new company will be looking at its own opportunistic deals as it breaks away from its parent company .
we looked at the value when we did the demerger , we talked about it being about 10 per cent of the value , so you have to be a smaller , more nimble company .
the spin - off will be more diversified than bhp , with chief executive andrew mackenzie determined to simplify the business back to what he describes as its four
pillar
commodities of iron ore , petroleum , copper and coal , with a possible fifth pillar in potash .
our purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources , improving people’s lives now and for generations to come . we are trusted by our owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources .
we are socially and environmentally responsible and through our actions we are creating a better future for our communities .
we base every decision on our values of care , trust , togetherness and excellence to meet the needs of today , without compromising the future .
we are delivering sector - leading value for our shareholders . our securities are listed and trade on the london stock exchange ( lse ) australian securities exchange ( asx ) and the johannesburg stock exchange ( jse ) .
our people are fundamental to our success . we ' re creating a workplace where everyone is able to perform to their full potential every day .
we attract people with exceptional skills , who share our values and want to make a difference with the work they do .
as part of our team you will be brave enough to challenge yourself to be the best in what you do . we will help you stretch your capabilities , challenging you to constantly seek better ways to do things and taking advantage of every opportunity to let your career flourish .
we are a global resources company , producing products that are used in nearly every aspect of our daily lives .
our purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources , improving people ' s lives now and for generations to come . we are trusted by our owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources .
by investing in high - quality assets and maintaining financial discipline , we are unlocking value for our shareholders and global partners . we will constantly strive to improve our performance , through well - designed work and continuous learning .
we ' re a global company , listed on three continents and with operations across five countries .
our leadership team reflects our international footprint , with directors based in africa and australia , and with decades of combined experience in resources , finance and corporate governance .
our operating model will guide us to deliver on our strategy and purpose , and to be a different kind of resources company .
we know we are as only as good as the people we hire . which is why our people are encouraged and supported to challenge the status quo and seek out smarter ways to do things .
we try to do things in a simpler , more sustainable way , with a relentless focus on improving the ways we work .
our people live and work in some of the world’s most unique and dynamic surrounds , but wherever they’re working we have put the right people in the right roles so they can carefully carry out their responsibility as custodians of community assets .
we believe in good corporate governance . to us this means promoting fairness , transparency and accountability across our company , and by setting out the rights and responsibilities of our board and management .
as part of our team you will be brave enough to challenge yourself and others to be the best in what matters . you will be a team player and be able to listen and learn from others .
on our side , we will encourage you to take advantage of every opportunity and let your career flourish .
we want to attract people who share our values and want to make a difference with the work they do .
our enterprise development programme provides selected local entrepreneurs with the necessary infrastructure and skill sets to develop into viable enterprises , who should be able to feed into our supply chain .
our supplier development programme grooms key local suppliers to meet our supply chain demand , while continuing to provide quality products and services .
. our buyers regularly access this portal to advertise opportunities and find new companies to supply us .
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raw materials buyers at steel mills outside of nucor have told s & p global platts they would either not buy from djj , or would do so reluctantly , because they fear purchasing agents within nucor would get to see how much third - party mills were paying for ferroalloys .
we have not bought ferroalloys from djj since it was acquired by nucor , because we view nucor as a competitor in several areas in which we operate and we do not want nucor to see what we are paying for raw materials - - period ,
said the purchasing agent at an alloy / specialty steelmaker .
this agency makes it worse because djj will have much more control over the alloys .
a second purchasing agent at a carbon steel producer echoed the view .
we ' ve told them we ' re not happy about this agreement and , ever since nucor bought djj , we ' ve been reluctant to do business with them , because we ' re not satisfied that nucor won ' t see the prices we ' re paying for alloys ,
the buyer said .
but a third purchasing agent for a steelmaker said he had no views
one way or the other
on the agency , or djj ' s relationship with nucor .
we do buy from djj from time to time when they ' re the lowest offer out there ; sometimes they are , sometimes they ' re not ,
the buyer said .
once i ' ve made a purchase decision , it ' s done and time to move on , so long as what i ' ve bought arrives when we need it and it matches the spec we agreed to .
a fourth purchasing agent for a steelmaker with large flat - rolled operations in the us said he was not concerned by the agency because
i have no exposure to djj .
purchasing agents told platts that djj had first approached them during the summer months , saying it was considering taking on an agency , and some said they expressed concerns to the company at the time .
then we heard nothing until the conference [ cru ryan ' s notes , last week of october ] and they told us they had got the agency , which was a surprise after we told them we didn ' t view it favorably ,
the second purchasing agent said .
nucor acquired djj in 2008 for $ 1 . 44 billion . ferroalloys is only one part of djj ' s operations , which include ferrous scrap broking and scrap processing . it also operates in nonferrous scrap markets , including copper and aluminum .
on the supply side , manganese alloys producers and suppliers believe the agency makes an existing conflict of interest worse .
you ' ve got the largest consumer of ferromanganese and silicomanganese in the country taking an agency with a vested interest in driving prices [ of manganese alloys ] down , when an agency is supposed to be about obtaining the highest price ,
said a representative from an overseas manganese alloys producer .
platts put this assertion and several other questions to djj , but in an emailed response , the company declined to comment .
so if we sell to nucor , djj gets to see the price - - and we know they do because djj issues the purchase order - - which means djj can then go and undercut me on a sale to another mill ,
the producer source added .
copies of purchase orders obtained by platts support this assertion . the pos are for transactions of different manganese alloys within the last six months to different nucor mills . the pos were issued by djj , showing details of the commodity , quantity , chemistry , delivery instructions to the nucor mill and the price agreed .
in one case , an internal nucor po was issued between a nucor mill and djj and a separate po was issued by djj to the trader for the same truckload of material , even though the trader said he dealt directly with the mill in negotiating the sale and at no time with djj .
in the other cases , the suppliers also said they never dealt with djj in the negotiations , only with the raw materials buyer at the nucor mill involved .
everyone ' s worked around the conflict for the last few years , but with an agency , it changes ,
said a ferroalloys trader .
so if . . . i sell to a nucor mill , the pos come from djj with the quantities and prices on them . they know exactly what ' s going on here ; there are no chinese walls .
despite the agency agreement nucor put out requests for quotes last week for its 2017 annual requirements for high - medium - and low - carbon ferromanganese and silicomanganese .
the largest requirement is for nearly 99 , 000 st of silicomanganese for 16 of nucor ' s mills .
on high - carbon ferromanganese , the requirement is for just over 34 , 000 mt for 13 of nucor ' s mills .
the rfq for medium - carbon ferromanganese was for just over 15 , 000 st for nine of its mills and the rfq for low - carbon ferromanganese covered just over 10 , 500 st for seven mills .
none of the rfqs contained line item allocations for djj for resale . however , according to supply - side sales , previous long - term rfqs from nucor have contained such line items . all offers on the latest manganese alloys rfqs are due on november 28 .
the trader also said , before the agency agreement ,
we took the view when nucor acquired djj . . . we would not offer . . . to nucor and we ' ve stuck to that , because we didn ' t want djj reselling . . . and competing with us .
but another producer source said whether producers and suppliers offered to nucor would depend on market conditions .
it will be interesting to see . . . . now the market is turning and prices are moving higher , whether the other suppliers and producers hold their resolve and don ' t offer [ to ] nucor , or else will only offer at inflated prices ,
the source said .
offering at inflated prices , the source suggested , could prevent djj from undercutting suppliers in competing for sales to steel mills outside of the nucor group .
platts also sought comment from nucor on these issues and , in particular , regarding the potential for conflicts of interest arising from the largest consumer of manganese alloys in north america entering into an agency agreement with one of the world ' s biggest producers , and nucor failed to answer emailed questions or return phone calls seeking comment .
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the perth - based miner , which was spun out of bhp billiton in 2015 , beat its guidance for its brazil alumina and cerro matoso nickel operations by 1 per cent and delivered on revised guidance for its troubled illawarra metallurgical coal operation .
but it fell just shy of guidance for its worsley alumina and australia manganese operations as well as revised guidance for its south africa energy coal and cannington silver , lead and zinc operations .
while we didn ' t achieve the level of consistency that we expect from our broader portfolio , our alumina , nickel and manganese operations finished the year on a strong note ,
chief executive graham kerr said .
the miner warned in its march quarter report it required a strong final quarter from its suite of assets to meet its full - year cost guidance , after operational problems and wet weather hampered production in the march quarter .
the biggest slips in 2017 production compared to a year ago were silver and lead production , which fell 27 and 24 per cent respectively , and metallurgical coal , which fell 19 per cent year - on - year .
the reduction in metallurgical coal volumes was driven by ongoing operational issues at the illawarra operation in nsw .
work was suspended at the appin underground coal mine multiple times due to challenging ground conditions and elevated gas levels .
rbc capital markets analyst paul hissey said the full - year result was
marred
by the operational problems .
this result caps a year which was marred in some respects by operational issues at illawarra and cannington , with assets tending to fall short of guidance provided 12 months ago ( in some cases , revised ) ,
mr hissey said .
notwithstanding prices have been able to offset slightly lower volumes to deliver what should be a sound financial result .
mr hissey also suggested investors should
remain engaged given the balance sheet strength
and the potential for additional capital management .
the company said it would continue buying shares at a similar rate this financial year
assuming the on - market option remains an efficient mechanism
to return excess capital to shareholders .
south africa wants to increase the black ownership requirement for mining assets in the country to 30 per cent , from 26 per cent . but the move has been suspended following legal action by the country ' s mining lobby .
in some cases , black investors have exited their investments in south african mining assets . under the previous rule , once the 26 per cent threshold had been met , selling down was not problematic but it remains unclear whether the old
once empowered , always empowered
principle will continue to apply .
it is the third suspension at the mine since last october over gas concerns , and the regulator said the colliery would remain closed until it was satisfied that it was safe .
it later found gas levels to be within safe limits and notified the new south wales department of planning and environment .
“whilst fy17 production should remain relatively unaffected ( given the timing ) , this suspension will likely roll into fy18 , ” royal bank of canada analyst paul hissey said in a research note .
it also cited difficulties with gas in the mine as the reason for a fall in output for the first half of 2017 .
the department said the mine was the subject of targeted regulatory attention “as a result of ongoing safety and compliance concerns” and the suspension would hold until any safety issues had been remedied .
the dendrobium colliery is still operating , the company said . ( $ 1 = 1 . 2990 australian dollars ) ( reporting by anusha ravindranath in bengaluru and tom westbrook in sydney ; editing by richard pullin )
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illawarra metallurgical coal produces premium - quality , hard coking coal for steelmaking , with small amounts of energy coal as a by - product , from the bulli and wongawilli coal seams .
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but the resources regulator has said spoken out clearly , saying “ongoing safety and compliance concerns” meant that the colliery was the “subject of a targeted regulatory intervention” .
the company told the australian securities exchange that that operations had been suspended once again that day “as a precautionary measure” .
“the regulator then issued a prohibition notice and expressed broader concern regarding the recent gas exceedance events and the operating practices of the illawarra metallurgical coal operation . ”
a spokesman for the resources regulator said the incident related to “gas drainage plant failures” and “workers were withdrawn from underground in accordance with their ‘trigger action response plan’” .
“the prohibition notice will remain in place until mine safety inspectors are provided the procedures and conditions under which any re - entry will occur . . . and are satisfied additional and appropriate risk controls have been put into place to ensure workers at the mine are not exposed to risk , ” he said .
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cortexia is an australian human factors and safety consultancy delivering operational and bottom - line improvements for high - risk and high - reliability industries .
shares in south 32 have fallen after the diversified miner’s annual production of many commodities , including coal , dropped and the company missed its full - year production guidance on some of them .
but output for energy coal fell 8 per cent , metallurgical coal dropped 19 per cent , and manganese alloy was down 2 per cent .
nickel production fell one per cent , silver decreased by 27 per cent , lead was down 24 per cent , and zinc dropped 11 per cent .
on a quarterly basis , fourth - quarter production in all commodities lifted or was flat except for silver , lead and zinc , which were lower .
mr kerr said production at the appin metallurgical coal colliery in nsw’s illawarra region remains suspended while operations there are reviewed so that the mine can be restarted safely and reliably .
the nsw department of planning and environment has expressed concerns over gas levels and operating practices at the illawarra metallurgical coal operation .
but production of australian manganese ore fell because of heavy rainfall and tropical cyclone alfred .
the mozal aluminium smelter in mozambique achieved a record performance for the year , lifting production by 2 per cent .
“notwithstanding , prices have been able to offset slightly lower volumes to deliver what should be a sound financial result , ” mr hissey said in a research note .
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in october 2014 , digital kitchen merged with seattle-based communications design firm methodologie .

on june 2 , 2015 digital kitchen was acquired by kyu , the strategic operating unit of hakuhodo dy holdings , which is currently headed by ceo michael birkin .

digital kitchen

glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it ' s like to work at digital kitchen , including salaries , reviews , office photos , and more . this is the digital kitchen company profile . all content is posted anonymously by employees working at digital kitchen .
digital kitchen’s client roster has included at & t ; , hbo , netflix and microsoft .
“we have admired digital kitchen for some time , ” said michael birkin , kyu’s chief executive .
this digital kitchen scale combines a high degree of functionality and precision with a minimalist design language .
us based creative agency , digital kitchen , has been acquired by kyu , the strategic operating unit of hakuhodo dy holdings .
creative content and experience company digital kitchen has named anthony vitagliano as president and chief creative officer , a new position at the company .
i applied online . the process took 2 weeks . i interviewed at digital kitchen ( los angeles , ca ) in july 2015 .
how much do digital kitchen employees make ? glassdoor has salaries , wages , tips , bonuses , and hourly pay based upon employee reports and estimates .
it was a mashup of trying to create a physical and digital creation ,
david mikula , digital kitchen ' s creative director , told abc news .
we wanted to create something in the maker spirit of all of seattle .
the ella’s kitchen ® campaign emphasized target’s commitment to offering natural and organic products by promoting the brand’s made - for - target exclusive products , including natural remedies for upset tummies . working with iced media , ella’s kitchen’s agency of record , one epiphany helped create ella’s kitchen farmacy , an engaging , informative digital experience designed to immerse visitors in a quest to customize their own ella’s kitchen ® flavor from a vast array of organic ingredients .
riverside investment & development enlisted the help of mccann systems , digital kitchen and leviathan to bring a vibrant , generative video art installation ,
150 media stream ,
to life in chicago .
on july 14 , digital kitchen ceo anthony vitagliano will join digital experts from gensler and leviathan for the 2017 segd xplorer event in chicago . we had a chance to speak with anthony about his career , his inspiration and his session , “design for belonging . ” here’s what he had to say .
but the out - of - home category has exploded in the last few years with the growing sophistication of digital technologies , especially mobile , social , and location - based apps . outdoor is where the rubber of digital meets the road , of , well , the road–outdoor ads bring digital to the streets .
“our digital business has grown tremendously since last year’s newfronts presentation , ” ceo bonnie kintzer told adweek . “we’ve created new video initiatives across our digital properties , developed new partnerships with industry - leading agencies and continue to add some of the brightest and most talented people in the business to our digital team . ”
one epiphany helps organizations solve business problems using digital or online marketing solutions . some of our services include social media strategy , website audits , and search engine optimization . nerissa marbury is founder & chief digital marketer of one epiphany llc .
lexington , ky . ( monday , january 4 , 2016 ) – the national thoroughbred racing association ( ntra ) , daily racing form and the national turf writers and broadcasters ( ntwab ) today announced that digital kitchen’s production of “ironman perry [ . . . ]
digital kitchen is a creative experience company with offices in seattle , chicago , and los angeles . founded in 1995 , the award - winning agency is a collective of artists and producers that focus on transforming businesses through creative experiences in the form of environments . . .
the piano has a whole library of midi songs and those are stored locally in the machine ,
said ben chaykin of digital kitchen . the midi interface sends all the data to a hardware controller linked to the keys of the piano . then it starts to play .
in july 2011 , out - of - home agency kinetic worldwide released a global digital out - of - home study that suggested that “with the rise of smartphones and tablets , mobile consumers have an increased appetite for engagement and interactivity with digital out - of - home . ”
while the shift in marketing budgets from traditional media to digital has generally represented a loss for the former , out - of - home advertising has been one “traditional” medium that’s grown–creatively and to some extent financially–along with digital . now that the digital ad world is evolving further , with emphasis shifting from the web to mobile ( see : facebook’s $ 1 billion acquisition of instagram ) , the outdoor space has become an even richer creative landscape for brands .
shiny statues are not what bring us into the kitchen every day—but we have to admit , we’re proud that our work is uniquely recognized for effectiveness , artistry and innovation .
old spice followed up with 186 related videos in which mustafa directly responded to digital queries from bloggers and celebrities including perez hilton , ellen degeneres , and alyssa milano .
digital is the future and so are you—so combine the two and get your career and studio moving forward faster at the 2017 segd xplorer event , july 13–14 in chicago .
taste of home’s everyday gorgeous food and styling video series aims to inspire audiences to make everyday table and food experiences into moments of beauty with quick tips to transform meals . the kitchen inspiration continued with taste of home’s other series , test kitchen shorts . these quick and easy - to - consume videos share interesting shortcuts , tricks and ideas that will excite any curious , enthusiastic home cook .
what it is : created out of digital kitchen , chicago , the effort makes use of multiple screens embedded in the architecture and interiors of the cosmopolitan hotel in las vegas to create a unique experience for guests . among the components include eight screen - wrapped columns that welcome guests in the lobby . each column features works of photography ; 3d and 2d animation ; and film that helps to engulf visitors in the hotel ' s narrative while challenging them to rethink the idea of architecture , interiors and physical space . the digital assets within the experience can be curated and tailored for specific seasons and events .
created by digital kitchen , a creative agency in seattle , the project is going to debut this weekend at the city ' s 2012 capitol hill block party . anyone on twitter will be able to tweet at stanley with the name of a song and watch a live stream of the piano to see if it plays your request . the live stream starts at urltoken at 3 : 00 p . m . pdt today .
“on monday , we’ll be unveiling details about seven fantastic original digital video series , as well as some eye - opening research for attendees , ” said kintzer . “our presentation truly highlights our company’s commitment to digital innovation , multi - channel delivery and brand trust for our marketing partners and consumer audience . home does truly start here at tmbi for our advertising partners , as well as our devoted , loyal audience . ”
among tmbi’s achievements this past year is a partnership with j . m . smucker’s hungry jack on taste of home’s fun with food series , a food crafting series hosted by taste of home test kitchen experts mark hagen and lauren knoelke .
launching the samsung wave . samsung and marketing agency jack morton developed a live and digital event to take place at barcelona ' s mobile world congress in february 2010 . for the live portion , a massive room was created , surrounded by a 360 - degree digital cube . thirty - two hd projectors illuminated the walls to demonstrate the graphics available on the new smartphones , and live entertainers also participated to help engage the crowd and build excitement .
the timing is also good because the brand has a new brewery in north carolina to bulk up in the east coast market . the chico , calif . - based brewer tapped the seattle office of digital kitchen to develop a new site that includes a film about the brand . the four - minute documentary - style film ( voiceover by founder ken grossman ) details the 30 - year - old brand ' s position , values , and history . the effort also includes in - store elements .
during its first newfronts , tmbi spoke about its transformation from a venerable print publisher of lifestyle content , anchored by reader’s digest , into a digital - focused content company . roughly 12 months later , the move seems to be paying dividends .
given this year ' s design grand prix winner , hopefully what happens in vegas won ' t stay in vegas . the cannes international festival of creativity design jury bestowed the category ' s top honor this year to
the cosmopolitan digital experience ,
a multimedia digital effort that weaves storytelling into the exterior and interiors of a new sin city hotel , an effort that the jury said sets a new standard for hotel and retail experiences - - as well as integrated brand building on a broader level .
reveal is the fourth of six videos that were recently shown on ifc and the sundance channel . the videos are two - minute documentaries featuring the cosmopolitan of las vegas and they provide a behind - the - scenes look into the personalities and inspiration behind the cosmopolitan . reveal features digital kitchen executive creative director anthony vitagliano and the unique and dynamic digital art installations that are exhibited on the cosmopolitan ' s eight lobby columns . the cosmopolitan of las vegas is a place for the curious who crave real experiences , embrace the unexpected , revel in discovery and appreciate the inspiration behind the cultivated and curated elements that the cosmopolitan offers . for more information or to book a room , visit : urltoken find the cosmopolitan on . . . twitter : @ cosmopolitan _ lv urltoken facebook : urltoken flickr : urltoken video produced by ifc urltoken
after all that inspiration , are you ready to supercharge your company’s 2016 marketing strategy ? download the dawn of the digital marketer e - book now . it ' s filled with more real - life examples of successful marketing campaigns for every stage of the customer lifecycle .
let’s get ready for the new school year ! planning and execution canon cares about students , and wants to help them and their families get ready for school , as well as enjoying printing with pixma . kitchen created a set of fun online banners to show how canon cares about kids . online banners →
let’s get ready for formula e 2016 . planning and execution canon hong kong is a proud partner of formula e 2016 and kitchen developed a key visual and online banners under the tagline “be the first” – announcing that this is the first time for formula e be held in hong kong , and that canon →
we asked several of the most tech - savvy experts within the segd community for their picks of the most recent and influential experiential graphic design using digital technology . the main criteria informing their choices were : shows significant innovation , inspiration and has raised the bar for experiential graphic design .
“it was an immaculately run kitchen , ” coe said . “one day , i was tasting something and accidentally put the spoon in my pocket . the ship later went on lockdown when a royal spoon turned up missing . i got in a bit of trouble when it turned out it was in my back pocket . ”
an interactive art installation that brings a hand - draw map to life , allows audience to explore streets and alleys of central by just a wave of hand . planning & execution another unique experience presented by kitchen team , combining technology with stunning illustration from local artist , flyingpig , we invite audience to virtually visit some favourite hotspots in →
to celebrate xmas with an interactive light show at the lobby of st . george’s building , which put a smile to everybody’s face during this graceful season . planning & execution with the use of motion sensors and projectors , elves from kitchen brought an interactive experience to st . george’s building . by just a touch on the wall , →
this year coca - cola is launching a new look . to celebrate this happy event , we worked with mccann & spencer to create an interactive vending machine to encourage coke lovers to dress in red . planning & execution kitchen transformed three traditional coca - cola vending machines into smart kiosks that can detect how ‘red’ you dress and gave →
create an interactive game to demonstrate how durex air is the best gear to help men deliver unforgettable pleasure to their partners . planning and execution kitchen has created a through - the - line campaign with tvcs , outdoor and online channels . the goal is show men the 5 features of durex air using an immersive virtual training course to →
a stunning new media installation illuminates chicago’s west loop . 150 media stream is a multi - faceted achievement in art , architecture and technology that celebrates the transformative power of art as a collective experience . this digital art installation explores the interplay of art , space and viewership in both public and private contexts .
eric oldrin , managing director of digital kitchen seattle , tells marketing daily that the brand needed a web - based forum for its brand story .
when they started in 30 years ago , they were one of the first craft beers ; now there are thousands .
he notes that the brewer began expanding into more seasonal beers and variants a few years ago , which has helped grow sales .
our research showed that people see sierra as synonymous with quality and consistency ,
he says .
but that sense of perfection can feel stodgy . we wanted to make sure we helped the voice reflect the daring part of what they are doing .
to showcase rimowa as a much - loved brand that people are proud of , we inspired owners to unleash their art and creativity by customising their own rimowa . planning and execution kitchen helped rimowa create their yearly regional campaign – “show your rimowa 2016” – with local singer / songwriter jason chan , film director adam wong , and cross - media artist →
helping fwd launch a new money - saving life insurance product . planning and execution fwd wants everyone to “enjoy the moment , ” which is why it created provie , a new insurance plan that enables customers to save their money , yet withdraw it anytime , so they can play hard anytime . kitchen created a user - friendly responsive site to help potential →
speaking of her role in building such vibrant and engaging campaigns for these notable products , nerissa marbury , founder and ceo of one epiphany , said , “it was great to take the digital production lead on two fun and creative projects , as well as work with a team as committed as those at iced media . ”
a digital art installation called “the cube” hovers in the lobby of building 16 , emitting a warm techno - hum . the cube changes hues like a mood ring throughout the day , from green to pink to blue . “when it gets to be dark purple , you know it’s time to go home , ” one building resident joked .
you can’t shape culture from a cubicle . so in 1995 , we moved to the kitchen . conversation and ideas seem to flow more freely in kitchens . there’s no pretense : just one big table that brings everyone together—creative , strategy , production , and client—to talk , to work , to pass things around . it’s okay if things get messy , because the collaboration is priceless .
now , advertising age is updating this list with 15 of the best ad campaigns of the 21st century . in the last 15 years , advertising and marketing , and the media it used to get out its messages , has experienced an incredible upheaval as digital media and interactivity changed the dynamics of how consumers see and pay attention brand messages .
all in all , trusted media brands is currently serving monthly digital content to 53 . 8 million consumers , which is a 55 percent increase in audience growth since 2014 . the company also boasts 63 . 2 million active social users across its portfolio . on social and mobile , tmbi reaches 21 million adult millennials ( 25 - 39 years old ) .
founded in 2010 by nerissa marbury , one epiphany llc is a digital marketing firm specializing in online marketing strategies , website development , social media , and search engine optimization . the firm serves a diverse mix of clients in industries that include advertising , consumer products , entertainment , retail , beauty and travel , as well as the non - profit sector .
new york , ny : one epiphany llc earned a shorty awards honorable mention for its contributions to the hain celestial’s tyson’s pro tips ® project in the category of “best in health and fitness . ” one epiphany also received recognition in the shorty awards “best in family and parenting” category for the company’s collaborative work on a campaign that promoted ella’s kitchen ® , a premium organic baby food brand for target .
to demonstrate and promote corelle ’s ( a product of world kitchen ) chip - resistant dinnerware ( its unique selling point ) , ad agency grey china placed the unprotected plates in a custom made vending machine in targeted areas . passersby were able to purchase a plate of their choosing and then watch as it dropped , delivered without cracks or chips . the campaign resulted in a 10 % sales increase in one month . ( source : design taxi )
a sliding mechanism , which can be used intuitively , switches this scale on and off . sliding open the 18 / 10 stainless steel weighing surface reveals a black plastic body with a white lcd display . the kitchen scale can determine weights up to 5 kg accurate to the gramme while a tare function facilitates the preparation of the food . in addition , the display can be set to different measurement units , allowing users to try their hand at international recipes .
tourism british columbia placed a giant , 14 - foot tall , 10 - foot wide vending machine in justin herman plaza in san francisco for a few days , opening the locals up to a whole new world of british columbia holiday experiences . those who interacted with “the bc moments machine” were rewarded with highly valuable mementos from british columbia , including real kayaks , mountain bikes , golf clubs and surf boards . ( source : the inspiration room , digital buzz blog )
in the age of social media , marketeers have used this evolution in recent years to create innovative , interactive , engaging digital ( gifting ) campaigns / activations / experiences with enhanced ‘social’ vending machines to catch the consumers’ attention . from the simba ghost pops vending machine campaign in 2007 ( see video ) , the coca cola happiness vending machine in early 2010 to the delite - o - matic vending machine in the summer of 2012 , below an overview of 20 notable campaigns involving vending machines :
for this south korean marketing experiment , the soda behemoth utilized microsoft’s kinect technology in its vending machine to engage with customers and building brand love through digital + physical experiences . the coke dance vending machine challenged people to replicate dance moves from the korean boy band 2pm being played on the machine in exchange for soda . the built in sensors and webcams recognize human interaction . the better they dance , the more bottles of coke they are rewarded with . ( source : the fire wire , singularityhub )
in april 2011 pepsico announced the launch of its social vending system , a state - of - the - art networked unit that features full touch screen interactive vending technology , enabling consumers to better connect with pepsico brands right at the point of purchase . using digital technology , pepsico’s social vending system enables any user to gift a friend by selecting a beverage and entering the recipient’s name , mobile number and a personalized text message or short video recorded message right at the machine . ( source : pepsico )
argentina is the country with most football fans in the world . but in the north , in the salta province everybody loves rugby . to give rugby fans a unique experience salta beer and ogilvy buenos aires introduced the rugbeer machine , an unique vending machine that runs on tackles , not coins . in order to dispense one cold salta beer one needs to ram the machine . rugbeer was so successful that it toured the region , leading to 25 % more beers sales in the bars that it visited . ( source : ads of the world , digital buzz blog )
cleaning up the city with mrs . meyer ' s . mrs . meyer ' s wanted to do good , give out samples , and use kitchen sink imagery . that ' s where mono , an agency based in minneapolis , stepped in . it turned a fountain in san francisco ' s ghirardelli square into a super - sized washbasin , complete with cup , saucer , sponge , and a huge bottle of mrs . meyer ' s clean day detergent . white balloons suggested soap suds , and passers - by who took one got not only an ( included ) sample , but the knowledge that a $ 2 donation was being made to charity . that ' s good and clean .
in 2011 , google partnered with coca cola in project re : brief to re - imagine and re - create the 1971 iconic ‘hilltop’ commercial for a modern audience in the digital era . fulfilling the promise of the original ad ( “buy the world a coke” ) , the duo made it possible to connect with strangers by sending a coke around the globe to an unsuspecting recipient , making the world feel just a little bit smaller . google technologies coupled with custom - designed coca cola vending machines enabled viewers truly to ‘buy the world a coke’ , with just a few taps on their mobile phones . ( source : cannes lions )
last year nestlé turkey surprised random shoppers in istanbul ( turkey ) with a chocolate treat for the campaign chocolike . wanda digital and nestlé placed a vending machine in the largest shopping mall in turkey’s largest city and connected the machine to its facebook page . every 15 likes on facebook resulted in a free chocolate gift ( tablet consisting of 15 pieces chocolates ) to a lucky person who just happened to be near the vending machine . a hidden camera recorded the reaction of the ‘winners’ . 55 , 433 liked the facebook page during the campaign , which resulted in 3 , 695 chocolike gifts . ( source : adsector , mixx awards )
control shifted from marketers and traditional media timing their messages and forcing consumers to see ads as a trade - off for the content they wanted to see to the consumer wielding remote control and computer mouse . traditional media found itself scrambling to stay relevant as digital media wreaked havoc with the guarantee that consumers were likely to see ad messages . expensive journalism distributed free online amassed audience but not ad dollars and wiped out a whole generation of magazines and newspapers , while dvrs , podcasts , streaming video services like netflix and hulu challenged tv and radio models . out of this massive shift , marketers and agencies got very innovative in turning these new tools to their advantage .
why it won : conor brady , chief creative officer of organic and the only juror who experienced the hotel in person , said the work represents an ethos of multidisciplinary design .
it ' s truly a coming together , in a beautiful , integrated way , all these disciplines of design . what most excited me is that it ' s completely kinetic . they essentially built a publishing platform for art in this digital space . it opens up the ability to do something great .
added juror helen godin , creative director and partner at sid lee , canada :
it was a complete design experience and becomes the new standard for hotels . we all agreed maybe this is something that can be one example for restaurants , hotels and retail .
it represents a trend to
think about having a complete , immersive experience , developing packaging , advertising from the roots of design , thinking in terms of branding first and , after that , spread the design all over the place .
best performance by an actor in a television series - drama michael c . hall
for playing
miguel prado
. for episode
go your own way
.
outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series billy brown jennifer carpenter josh cooke aimee garcia michael c . hall colin hanks desmond harrington rya kihlstedt c . s . lee edward james olmos james remar luna lauren velez david zayas
outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series jennifer carpenter april l . hernandez michael c . hall desmond harrington maria doyle kennedy c . s . lee jonny lee miller james remar julia stiles luna lauren velez peter weller david zayas
outstanding performance by a stunt ensemble in a television series wally crowder shawn crowder deborah l . mazor david st . pierre matthew taylor
outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series preston bailey julie benz jennifer carpenter brando eaton courtney ford michael c . hall desmond harrington c . s . lee john lithgow rick peters james remar christina robinson luna lauren velez david zayas
outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series preston bailey julie benz jennifer carpenter valerie cruz kristin dattilo michael c . hall desmond harrington c . s . lee jason manuel olazabal david ramsey james remar christina robinson jimmy smits luna lauren velez david zayas
dexter places its hands firmly on the throat of expectation and - minute by minute - tightens its . . . more
dexter places its hands firmly on the throat of expectation and - minute by minute - tightens its grip until audiences begin to question their idea of morality . michael c . hall ' s masterfully nuanced performance as dexter breathes humanity into a monster - a killer who murders those he believes have gotten away with murder . the world through dexter ' s dark , droll and wickedly funny gaze , in many ways , defines today ' s era of television - stories that are wildly ambitious , intricately told , and deeply , emotionally engaging .
dexter is a killer show about a serial killer . wildly audacious and original , the show is an . . . more
dexter is a killer show about a serial killer . wildly audacious and original , the show is an incisive new take on several television staples - the medical mystery , vigilante justice and even romantic comedy - mashed together in the bloody grip of a self - doubting sociopath . both creepy and compelling , dexter is the most morally complex show on television , and with that distinction , a true catalyst for a discussion of ethics around the living room .
best music supervision in television gary calamar for true blood , house m . d . and men of a certain age
episode :
dexter : are you . . . ? ( 2012 )
best writing in a drama series james manos jr . jeff lindsay scott buck tim schlattmann lauren gussis karen campbell scott reynolds wendy west manny coto jace richdale
drama series scott buck manny coto charles h . eglee lauren gussis chip johannessen jim leonard clyde phillips scott reynolds melissa rosenberg tim schlattmann wendy west
drama series scott buck charles h . eglee lauren gussis clyde phillips scott reynolds melissa rosenberg tim schlattmann wendy west
dramatic series scott buck daniel cerone charles h . eglee adam fierro lauren gussis clyde phillips scott reynolds melissa rosenberg tim schlattmann
dramatic series scott buck daniel cerone drew z . greenberg lauren gussis kevin maynard clyde phillips melissa rosenberg tim schlattmann
elara hotel ( grand hilton vacation property ) one bedroom suite in las vegas . . . formerly ph towers .
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the jury : designer / architect / branding specialist luciano deos of gad design presided over 15 jurors hailing from 13 countries .
other standouts : the gold lion - winning basisbibel . the effort was a lively rethink of the religious tome , incorporating a range of vibrant colors , a simple white cross on the front and interior pages redesigned to make the text more accessible .
something that was a book now feels like a gift - - we can decide where that gift came from - - was it from up above ? or from the designers themselves ?
said juror leslie smolan , founding partner of carbone smolan agency . the work represented one trend in the entries - - that design can make the old new again .
another notable gold winner was the human rights petition effort for human rights watch , out of jwt , new york . the new york exhibition consisted of 200 photographs of burmese political prisoners . each image was covered in pens to create the illusion of prison bars . visitors could remove the pens and use them to sign a petition so that they could figuratively , and literally , help free the prisoners .
it had a huge impact on freeing prisoners ,
said juror mike mizrahi , creative director at inside out productions , new zealand .
that was an example where an emotional connection was made through design to communicate very powerfully an idea that changed people ' s lives .
total lions : outside of the grand prix , the jury awarded a record 31 gold lions , 27 silver and 27 bronze .
too many golds ? no , said the jury . the winners were selected from a relatively short shortlist . said ms . godin ,
what we considered to be really good only made it onto the shortlist , so once we had a really good shortlist , awarding golds , silver and bronzes became so much easier because we awarded only the cream of the crop .
ann - christine diaz is the creativity editor at ad age . she has been covering the creative world of advertising and marketing for more than a decade . outside of the job , she can be found getting in touch with her own creativity .
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buildings 16 and 17 are two of the biggest at microsoft headquarters – sturdy , brick - and - glass tributes to the practical 1980s , when the company was focused more on manifesting bill gates’ vision to put a computer on every desk and in every home than on the architectural prowess of its campus .
inside , however , is a different story . there is light , air and art . there are new , retooled work spaces and vibrant common areas . once fortresses of winding corridors , fluorescent lighting and private offices , the buildings were recently gutted and radically redesigned not just to be more interesting and modern , but to offer employees an unprecedented range of ways to get things done . in the parlance of the zip code , buildings 16 and 17 have been totally hacked .
after all , it would be a non - starter for microsoft to have the goal of empowering everyone on the planet to achieve more without trying to do the same for its own employees .
the buildings sport all the familiar hallmarks of a modern tech company – the plethora of free beverages , the ping pong and pool tables , the gourmet café , the standing desks . but from there , the offerings get more unusual .
for starters , building 16 and 17 are office - free . designed with the idea that there is no one best way to get work done , there are an unparalleled range of working environments . employees and even executives work together in large , shared rooms called “neighborhoods . ” they roam high - ceilinged hallways and stop for impromptu meetings in angular atriums designed to capture and perpetuate light . they head into large , glass team rooms to collaborate , or into one of the many focus rooms or cozy alcoves for privacy . they yell and whoop in an xbox game room , and take their shoes off to quietly recharge in the company’s first - ever no tech lounge .
“it’s a new look for the new microsoft , ” said jochen liesche , a business manager for the data platform group who helped with the redesign . “i think ultimately the physical space really represents the culture here . it’s almost as if the physical space is a proxy for the company’s mission and its culture , ” he said , cheerfully adding that the inspired employee works much harder than the uninspired employee .
“i remember sitting here in the old lobby of building 16 waiting for my first interview , ” liesche said . “years later i would get to help demolish it so we could create a place where –”
he abruptly stopped talking when , as if on cue , a smiling woman glided by on a razor scooter and disappeared around a corner at the end of a long , polished concrete hallway .
“i didn’t plan that , ” liesche said , laughing . “that was real . ”
buildings 16 and 17 house the cloud and enterprise teams , people who spend each day designing , building and maintaining the microsoft cloud . liesche said the space was designed to make sure employees stay happy , comfortable and inspired to do their best work .
“i think an inspiring work space is absolutely paramount , ” said lowdermilk , a user experience designer for visual studio who works on the ground floor of building 16 . “the colors , the vibrancy , the lighting , the artwork – it all has a profound impact . it has this kind of impressive presence when you walk through . i see visitors come in , mouths agape as they look around . it’s a very healthy reminder of how fortunate i am to get to work here every day . ”
the remodel of buildings 16 and 17 aims to reflect the beauty of the pacific northwest , including the peaks and canyons of its cascades mountain range . this great indoors is “biophilic , ” a kind of design that incorporates natural materials , elements and colors meant to mimic nature . the walls and ceilings are angled . there’s not one shade of green or blue , there are 20 . the walls feature topographical maps . in the light - filled atrium of each building there are slanted and angular walls designed to look like the canyons and peaks of the cascades .
“it’s all part of the evolution of our design , ” said martha clarkson , experience designer for microsoft real estate and facilities . “we very much want our spaces to be a relaxed aesthetic , a warm , intimate environment that’s less corporate feeling . that’s what makes people feel comfortable . it’s all about having variety , about giving people spaces that are tactile and interesting and not just stamped out . ”
a staircase to the second floor takes employees and visitors through the center of the cube . inside , a kinect sensor detects people walking up and down the stairs , and the scene inside the cube changes in response – if one person ascends , a few birds fly around ; if a bigger group descends , a large flock of projected birds swirls around them .
the cube was conceived inside the hive , an 11 , 000 - square foot lab several miles away , where the microsoft real estate and facilities team experiments with new building designs .
“we made a mockup of the cube out of tyvek to make sure we got the big elements right , ” clarkson said . “it’s too expensive to test things in a whole building , so the hive is our playground – our place to fail small and fast and cheap before we find success . ”
for decades , buildings 16 and 17 consisted largely of private offices , but with the remodel , the walls literally came tumbling down . now , everyone works in a neighborhood . essentially , it’s like the student housing at the fictional hogwarts – each team works from its own large , open common room , one they were invited to customize to their liking . each team also has dedicated focus and meeting rooms .
“from the top down , there’s no individual office in building 16 or 17 . even the vice president sits in a neighborhood , ” liesche said . “a lot of people had reservations about the lack of privacy and focus . they were concerned about being interrupted more , and about the lack of one - on - one spaces for private meetings . ”
in the months since the move , the neighborhood format has gained support . headphones or one of the building’s many secluded coves are the new closed door . email traffic is down ; people have quick “pop - up conversations” instead . no one fights over meeting rooms any more .
some neighborhoods look exactly the same as when employees moved back into the remodeled buildings earlier this year . others , like the data platform designers neighborhood , are totally tricked out .
the team took full advantage of the stipend microsoft offered for neighborhood customization . they bought nerf blasters , plants , a disco ball and color - shifting rope lights above the ceiling tiles to give the room an ethereal glow . as you enter the room , a ukulele is poised artfully on a chair . next to shelves full of toys , books and board games , stereo speakers stream gently thumping music . practically every surface in their neighborhood can accommodate doodling , whether markers or chalk , and they even had a team - building event to spray paint plywood to make graffiti - covered modular shelving .
“that’s what makes the building design complete , when users start customizing and putting their own personality on the space . it’s the most important part , ” said susana covarrubias of gensler architects , the project’s design director . “we delivered the space , and the users completed it with their personal stamp . ”
that’s what makes the building design complete , when users start customizing and putting their own personality on the space . it’s the most important part .
“i hardly send emails anymore , maybe just five or six a day . i just get up and talk to people now , ” said michael mccormack , manager of the data platform design team and ringleader of his team’s wickedly cool design . his team creates user interfaces to make sure people ( “not developer people , regular people” ) can easily use data platform software .
though technically they’re all visual designers , his team includes animators , industrial designers , a biologist and someone with a ph . d in psychology . “only three people in this room actually have a proper degree for the stuff we’re doing . we look for diversity of thought , ” mccormack said . “i really want people to think differently . oh yeah , this is probably the part where i should tell you i was a tax auditor . i worked for the oregon department of revenue . i was on the dark side . then i got a master’s degree in information science from the university of washington . ”
a member of mccormack’s team walked by and , overhearing the topic , joined the discussion ( the kind of thing that happens dozens of times a day , now that people aren’t holed up in private offices ) .
mccormack has now been at microsoft for 15 years . he and his team worked hard on the design of their new space because as designers , they need inspiration wherever they can get it . “we need to look for ideas to move us forward , whether those come from watching videos , listening to music , or drawing on stuff . ” or from team pranks , like the time they replaced the buttons on all the ice machines in the building with tiny pictures of rappers ice cube and ice - t .
“we try to be a little unexpected , ” he said with a sly smile .
the massive windows in the data platform design neighborhood look out onto an expansive courtyard checkered with bricks and metal tiles . from far away it looks like some sort of human - scale chessboard , but up close , it’s a time machine . each metal plaque is inscribed with the name and date of products past , a staggering collection of hits ( microsoft word ) , culture ( microsoft wine guide ) , curiosities ( microsoft dangerous creatures ) and a little bit of why - did - this - ever - stop - happening ( microsoft dinosaurs ) .
back inside , a shoeless employee rests in the no tech lounge . what business does one of the world’s largest tech companies have building a designated tech - free area ? plenty .
“if you work and work and work on stuff without being able to have quiet moments , you’ll get to a point where you just explode , ” said covarrubias , who led the redesign . “there’s a purpose behind it , it’s not just , ‘let’s throw in some fun places . ’ playing , resting – they’re very different , but both are helping your mind so you can come back fresh .
the xbox lounge – a spacious room with stadium seating , cabinets full of video games , and two large , flat - screen televisions – is hardly ever empty , and rarely quiet . like the nearby no tech lounge , it’s a place for employees to disconnect — or rather , to disconnect by connecting with the master chief or real madrid to blow off some steam .
“there’s the work itself , and there’s also the long hours and the need to get away from the work . the brain needs to rest so when you come back , you’re smarter . these spaces provide employees with a place to reconnect with themselves and chill during the week so they don’t have to wait for the weekend to disconnect completely , ” said covarrubias .
take a few steps off the trail while hiking through the cascades and you can find a secluded place for reflection or just a nice spot to eat some trail mix . it’s much the same in buildings 16 and 17 , where employees can find private alcoves just off the beaten path . behind a wall made of thick , hanging ropes made to look like vines is a comfortable hangout with high - backed loungers and a hanging basket chair , a place to plug in your phone or laptop , and a place to set your drink . it’s a sweet hideout from which to make a phone call , read or gaze out the window in an unfocused fashion as a brilliant idea materializes in your brain . byo trail mix .
in the second floor atrium of building 16 is one of the crown jewels of the remodel , a pair of fancy espresso machines flanked by a refrigerator full of milk . during peak caffeine hours ( the morning rush , the afternoon crash ) , dozens of employees form two long lines , chatting as they wait to make themselves a latte or cappuccino . the buildings’ inhabitants include employees who are there on call for 24 hours at a time providing technical support for microsoft’s cloud customers .
“the least we can do is buy them a decent cup of coffee to propel them through their day , ” liesche said . “it’s something people feel very passionate about , more than any t - shirt or boat ride we’ve done previously for morale . ”
now that employees are settling into their respective neighborhoods , liesche , the team’s business manager , is looking for ways to get the different neighborhoods to interact with each other – ice cream socials , pizza parties , outdoor puppy visits , and the popular new “samosa thursdays . ”
in the building 16 café , i find executive chef elijah coe supervising a busy mid - week lunch , including a daily special of his own creation : king salmon with preserved lemon souboise , root vegetable hash and fig béarnaise .
café 16 serves several surrounding buildings and features a wide variety of options . there is sushi , pizza , a salad bar , a french bakery that makes nearly everything from scratch , and a number of unique daily dishes .
“we don’t want it to be the typical work cafeteria where people come only because they have no choice , ” said daisy mendes , general manager of café 16 . “we want to make it so good people can’t wait to come back . ”
here , there will be no vats of macaroni and cheese served with an ice scream scoop . the café uses ingredients that are largely local , organic and seasonal , and serves fare that is frequently experimental .
“chef coe is always looking to try new things and inviting others to do so as well . ”
coe teaches weekly afternoon cooking classes where employees can learn to make everything from clam chowder to french macarons .
coe was formerly a chef in the royal navy , where for a time he cooked for the queen of england and her family aboard the royal yacht britannia . coe arrived ready to dazzle the family with his cooking skills and was surprised to find the menus focused on simple , healthy food that was local to wherever they were docked .
coe has cooked for high - profile restaurants and catering clients such as the lincoln center for the performing arts , the guggenheim museum , the academy awards and the grammy awards .
“food is really a way of getting across to people , ” he said . “the people here work so hard . i want it to be great . ”
down the hall , i find travis lowdermilk , the user experience designer for visual studio , sitting in building 16’s user research lab and recording studio .
he and his brother ryan lowdermilk co - host a podcast , the windows developer show , which is currently on hiatus but has attracted up to 40 , 000 listeners a month . five years ago travis and ryan were microsoft “fan boys” who loved the ( then - new ) windows phone 7 so much they decided to launch a podcast to talk about developing apps for it . back then , travis recorded from the quiet of a hall closet at his house , and ryan from a minivan in his garage . the podcast gained popularity and both brothers landed jobs at microsoft .
eventually their rustic podcasting setup transitioned into top - of - the - line equipment , which now lives in building 16’s soundproof booth . employees from all over the company use it to record podcasts on a wide range of topics and to record professional - grade audio for videos , demos or presentations .
“we’re more than happy to see the equipment get used at microsoft more broadly , ” lowdermilk said .
outside the studio door is a world - class user research lab where software makers can test how people use their products . there’s even a “skypebot , ” a sort of robot with a screen at face height for more realistic video conversations and meetings .
remodeling the buildings , much like designing software , means finding a balance between preserving the legacy while also adapting and evolving for the changing way in which people work , clarkson said .