As a result of the acquisition of the startup Blip (Information Technology company) by the multinational Betfair (now merged with Paddy Power ) begins an ambitious growth process for the company. Our architects were contacted to implement the new offices where the programming work is carried out and the maximum conditions of comfort and productivity for the employees are guaranteed. Most of the área is used in spaces of informal, social and playful use. A considerable part is in the zone of formation and laboratory and another one destined to the programming work. The results are in sight and in the years immediately after construction this I.T. company was considered the best company to work in Portugal.
Blip Office
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The Blip office in Porto
It was necessary to design open and functional facilities for programmers. There was also a need to promote teamwork. At the same time, leisure spaces had to accompany all work programs. We had tight construction deadlines and a tight budget.
The architects’ strategy
The client therefore contacted Utopia’s architects to implement the new Blip offices. The client asked for maximum comfort and productivity conditions for employees when developing their programming work. We had to develop not only the architectural project but also the various engineering specialties: thermal, mechanical, telecommunications, water and stability. At the same time, and as a consequence of the tight deadlines, it was necessary to carry out a construction competition in record time as well as practically daily monitoring of the work. In short, we ended up doing project management. At the same time, we ended up creating a team and a work process that we will later use in other projects for programming companies.
An effective architectural project
The architectural project seeks above all to promote the creativity of computer engineers. We thus organized most of the area into spaces for informal, social and recreational use. The most considerable part is in the training and laboratory area. Another is dedicated to programming work itself. The results are visible and in the year immediately after construction the company was considered the 4th best company to work for in Portugal.
Blip’s offices in Porto thus became a case study of architecture within offices for IT (information technology) companies.
