Musical space of the new Universal Music Polska office in the housing-industrial design by The Design Group architects
The new office of Universal Music Polska music label in Warsaw delights with an unusual blend of loft elements and cozy, home-sweet-home vibe, elegance, and cutting-edge technology at top level. This is the space for everyone – you simply want to stay, work and create there.
Universal Music Polska is part of global music corporation Universal Music Group, whose stars include Madonna and U2. The new UMP headquarters, located in the X20 office building in Warsaw’s Lower Mokotów district, was designed to be consistent with other Universal headquarters around the world.
„Already at the beginning of our collaboration, the management of the Polish music label stressed that they would like the office to be primarily tailored to the needs of employees and support their daily work. At the same time, the aim was the interiors of the new office to convey a clear message to the artists – to reflect the relaxed atmosphere of entertainment yet underline the professional approach of Universal Music Polska. This is where the idea came from: to create an elegant space, in dark colors lending it a particular flair, but also inspiring, stimulating creativity and evoking a sense of home.” – Ewelina Mężyńska, architect responsible for the concept of the UMP office.
„We wanted to create a workplace that meets the highest standards, while also ensuring that the solutions used meet the needs of our employees and the specifics of our work. We felt that right from the entrance you should recognize the nature of the company, who we are, who we work with, what our values are.” – Monika Wasilewska, HR & Administration Director at Universal Music Polska.
The 5th Level – the Representative Level
The main part of the Warsaw headquarters of Universal Music Polska is located on the fifth floor. This is where the reception area, the main conference room, the kitchen integrated with the terrace, the open space with separate themed rooms, the video studio, and the executive offices are located. In the reception area there will be a wall of fame presenting artists collaborating with Universal and their achievements.
The conference room features a 5-metre wooden table, comfortable leather armchairs, two 75-inch monitors, and a natural oak floor. The huge kitchen for all employees was designed in English bar style with a touch of industrial feel, with a checkered floor and a massive wooden table with industrial lamps suspended over the beam.
On this floor, a special zone with multi-level tribunes was also designed – serving both for creative meetings and individual work in less formal conditions. The zone stands out with warm, ambient lighting in the shape of a starry sky.
„The tribunes are the office’s chillout zone, which features a very good sound system and a centrally placed monitor in addition to ambient lighting. This is a creative corner for all the employees, intended for casual meetings, relaxation, but also for presenting music video premieres.” – Ewelina Mężyńska.
Space for Independent Creation
The second, more intimate part of the office – about 300 m2 – is located on the fourth floor and is the seat of the Polish branch of the iconic Def Jam label. This space has a less formal character, with a lot of soft furnishings, a small open kitchen with a neon sign, a Loud VIP Room, and a distinctive open space connected to the stage.
The Loud VIP Room is a purpose-designed space focused on acoustics, in which you can listen to music in optimal conditions on the highest quality professional equipment. The room is designed as a soundproof „box-in-box” with double walls and floors, making it soundproof up to 55 db.
The elements that make the space of the Warsaw office stand out are classic neon signs ordered to measure. The special selfie mirror placed in the passage to the video studio bears the neon sign with the slogan „no music no life” – just right for the place.
