Sopra Steria

Designed by Workplace, Sopra Steria’s new headquarters exemplifies a modern approach to workplace design. Spanning 4,000 m², the office has been created to meet the needs of a rapidly growing global leader in the technology sector. HOOF’s scope of work involved the comprehensive furnishing of this impressive space with movable furniture.

Located across two floors of the Grundmanna Office Park complex in Katowice, Sopra Steria’s new office space meets the dynamic needs of a technology organisation, fostering both concentration and teamwork. We are proud to have comprehensively furnished this space with movable furniture – from workstations, through meeting areas, to social spaces.

The design, developed by Workplace, was created with 1,000 employees working in a hybrid model in mind. Sopra Steria’s aim was to create one of the most attractive workplaces in the IT sector in Poland, which simultaneously supports various activities – from individual work requiring concentration to informal collaboration and project work. One of the design challenges facing Workplace was to create a space that encourages people to return to the office and remains flexible as the organisation grows and changes.

As a result, the office features 300 workstations, 16 meeting rooms, 8 focus rooms and 12 soundproof booths. An employee survey and research conducted by Workplace also showed that the team needs spaces conducive to mental and physical regeneration during the day, such as relaxation zones or areas for active recreation, which were also incorporated into the design.

An extremely important design element was ensuring acoustic comfort, which was sometimes lacking in the previous space. Modern solutions were implemented, including acoustic booths, to ensure acoustic comfort and the ability to work in concentration.

Comprehensive office fit-out

As part of the project, we supplied the client with a full range of office furniture, including:

• ergonomic workstations (desks and office chairs),
• acoustic booths to aid concentration,
• conference rooms equipped with tables, media ports and conference chairs,
• dining areas with chairs, tables and bar stools,
• the Client’s  Conference Room with a bespoke Plana table and Sandie chairs in a leather finish.

Each element has been selected to support different working styles and ensure maximum comfort for users.

A variety of brands and designs

The project stands out for the wide range of brands used, which has enabled the creation of a space that is both cohesive and aesthetically diverse. The project utilised products from renowned Polish and international manufacturers, such as: Bejot, Bla Station, B&T, EL-TEAM, HAG, Haworth, Interstuhl, Mara, Narbutas, Noti, Pedrali, Profim, Prostoria, Scan Sorlie, Softline, Trebord, True Design. Such a wide range of solutions made it possible to tailor the furnishings to the character of individual zones, whilst maintaining the high quality and consistency of the entire working environment.

Design local context

The design had to reflect the local context, which is inextricably linked to the mining industry. The textures and materials therefore reference minerals and geological strata. Elements such as hammered metal panels, ceramic wall finishes and compositions of tectonic tiles evoke Silesia’s industrial heritage, whilst creating a sophisticated interior atmosphere. The space also features numerous references to Katowice, including Spodek and the Silesian Planetarium. This distinctive visual identity forms an integral part of the workplace.

Functionality and user experience

The Sopra Steria office design responds to the contemporary challenges of hybrid working and the changing expectations of employees regarding office space, which is intended to support collaboration, social relations and employee wellbeing.

We would like to thank Sopra Steria for their trust and for the opportunity to co-create this modern space. It is a pleasure to come to an office like this!