Avast, a global leader in digital security and privacy, is opening its remodeled offices in Prague, the Czech Republic. The Prague offices have been closed since March 2020 as a measure against the growing pandemic of COVID-19. The company has used that time to adapt the space to better suit the new hybrid working model introduced in January this year. The aim of the seven-month redevelopment led by CAPEXUS was to offer employees flexible and welcoming spaces for focused activity, team collaboration, idea generation and innovation, while supporting meetings.

“The new type of workplace must be as flexible as possible and have the ability to adapt to the needs of each team and individual," says Ondrej Vlcek, CEO at Avast. "The spaces are divided into several sections, depending on the type of activity people are going to perform. We have small quiet areas for work that requires calm and focus, more spacious zones for team brainstorming sessions and cooperation, and larger studios for collaboration across teams. And since casual conversations in a hallway or over coffee often spark great ideas, there's also plenty of space for relaxation and informal moments."

The newly rebuilt 12,800-square-foot workplace in the Enterprise building serves about six hundred employees who have chosen to work in the office and about three hundred who have preferred a hybrid "work from anywhere" model. On six floors, a total of 24 meeting rooms – 14 formal and 10 informal – as well as eight soundproof “microoffices” have been added. There are also 10 silent zones for staff and teams who need to work in quiet environment. Rooms for yoga, massage, and educational activities for children were also created, and an extension of the children's corner was added to include a place for babies.

“The design concept is based on the urbanism principles – the layout of the interior, the placement of functional zones and supporting environment for meetings are reminiscent of urban units. It was essential to create spaces for so-called agile working, which we achieved together with Avast with a help of flexible furniture, sit-stand desks on wheels or variable spaces for hybrid meetings. For convenience, Avast introduced reservations in quiet workstations as well as entire zones bookings, such as in workshop studios,” says Martin Zidek, architect at CAPEXUS.

The seventh floor, which used to be the canteen and breakout area, has been transformed into a multifunctional space where employees can prepare their own food, and meet up. There is also a kitchenette on each floor, where a selection of sandwiches, sweet pastries, yoghurt and fruit are available free of charge, in addition to hot and cold drinks.

Avast currently employs nearly 2,000 people in 12 locations around the world. The offices in Brno and London are due for further office refurbishments.