Google's new APAC headquarters in Singapore is a blend of office building and tech campus
The company that redefined what a modern work space should look like is adding to its portfolio with the official opening of its new Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore.
When Google set up shop in Singapore in 2007, it had just 24 employees. Today, it has more than 1,000.
Its new space -- which will also house employees from a number of its portfolio products such as YouTube --- is a blend between a campus and an office building, with high ceilings, open lounges and an abundance of natural lighting.
In addition to its main cafeteria which offers free food, the office boasts various coffee and snack bars where employees are encouraged to gather and as one person said, have plenty of bump-in encounters with others from different departments.
The open office environment has gained wild popularity over recent years, but come under question from critics who question productivity in such an environment. In Google's new office, many employees no longer even have a permanent desk, but instead get a locker where they can keep their belongings. Depending on their tasks and schedules of the day, with their laptop in hand, they can choose to work at a desk station, large conference table, couch, or private office.
"Googlers can choose the workspace that best suits their style or the tasks they need to focus on just for that moment," a Google spokesperson told CNBC. "There are spaces that are wide open for collaboration, spots to have informal meetings and also corners and nooks for quiet work."