Design Challenge and Design Ideas

From the very outset, it was clear the Pinterest EMEA Headquarters in Dublin would be a special project. As the most recognisable online inspiration platform, they strive for their offices to be a reflection of their business. Each Pinterest office is unique with a strong individual identity and a close connection to their location.
Pinterest team wanted the office to be full of delightful surprises, points of discovery and layers of design references; a simulation of using the online platform itself. Thus, the design challenge was to deliver a design packed with show-stopping, innovative spaces drawing inspiration from Ireland while giving Pinterest’s 300 Dublin-based employees an inclusive, collaborative hub in which to meet, engage and socialise.
We were delighted to take part in delivering a space that epitomised the spirit of inspiration, Irishness and craftsmanship through the sheer joy of design.

How the brief was fulfilled

Our team brainstormed ways to infuse local colour into the design while steering clear of clichés. We refined a broad array of ideas into core themes that could be clearly communicated and allow for a touch of whimsy.
The design story is a journey through the landscape, culture and mythology of Ireland. It begins in the urban zone of Reception and continues through Dublin’s Botanical Gardens, and neighbouring Trinity College, then onwards through a myriad of Irish landscapes. We travel through the countryside encountering Manor House inspirations, Celtic Forest, Sandy Dunes and Stormy Seas, each theme brought to life with specific finishes, textures, and custom design elements, while collectively contributing to the overarching theme of an Irish adventure.

The Dublin office adopts Pinterest’s “Pinflex” work model, granting employees the freedom to work flexibly. The open-plan office features 60 traditional workstations, with the remaining space allocated to various workpoints, meeting areas, and collaboration zones. Employees can choose from a myriad of areas with different styles and privacy levels to suit their preferences and needs.

One of the key innovations was creating a truly multi-sensory experience throughout the space. The design engages multiple senses and creates a truly biophilic experience. Rich planting schemes match each zone’s inspiration while organic shapes and meandering paths mimic natural environments. Textures and smells are brought through materials like cedar shingles and pressed wildflower wallpapers while ambient sounds of birdsong, rain and wind within Celtic Forest are synchronised with the weather outside.

The office includes diverse social spaces, such as a Restaurant, All-Hands and Training Area inspired by Irish Country Manor Houses, St Stephen’s Bean coffee stop, and ‘an Síbín,’ a traditional pub that serves as a social hub and event space.

The principal design challenge was managing the complexity of the project, requiring meticulous attention to detail in joinery, graphics, artwork, and planting to maintain a unified feel. Delivery was equally complex, involving coordination with over 127 specialist vendors delivering elements like a glass-floored fairy farmyard, a 5-meter Connemara marble library table, bespoke mosaics, stained-glass, and multiple artworks, all requiring precise multi-trade coordination and M&E integration.