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Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners
Airbnb, Gensler | International Design Awards Winners

Airbnb

CompanyGensler
Lead DesignersDominique Price
ClientDominique Price
Prize(s)Honorable Mention
Entry Description

The project team was given a challenge from the
founders to create a home for Airbnb that would express
the unique culture, values and brand that belong to
Airbnb alone. Important considerations were connections
to the local site and its history over time, connections to
the local San Francisco community, sustainability in the
design and construction of the space, the importance of
the kitchen and food as a means of providing a “hearth”
gathering experience, and the opportunity to create
choices for workers in their work day by providing
collaborative spaces that captured the look and feel of
favorite Airbnb listings around the world. These literal
translations were done by a partnering design firm to
bring the listings to life in the new space.

Other collaboration spaces include more functional project
rooms, but the nod to the culture and values of the
founders is expressed by the inclusion of elements such
as floors, wall panels and even furniture that were
donated to the project by RISD from actual rooms on the
their campus. The entire space has been planned to be
open and “authentic,” with open ceilings and exposed
ductwork. A series of existing skylights have been left in
place to provide access to daylight throughout the space.

Finally, special function rooms are distributed throughout
the space, including a production room for building items
of any sort, a theater, a circular board room, a library
room, and a game room. The top of the building houses
the “All Hands Room,” which is actually a complex of
rooms, including a full service kitchen that provides
breakfast and lunch for all Airbnb employees, storage
rooms for the kitchen services, and a large dining area
that has a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline.