It’s been a year now since it was “business-as-usual” at the Microsoft campus. Forced to quickly adapt to remote work practices, the tech giant has found itself unexpectedly well-suited to the change. In fact, the change has gone over so well that Microsoft is now including flexible work options as the new standard for almost all employees — allowing them to work with their supervisors to create hybrid or fully remote schedules as they see fit.
With this new model of work permanently in place, many have speculated as to the outcome of Microsoft’s massive renovation of its main campus in Redmond. The new project was set to add 18 new buildings to the campus, 2.5 million square feet of space and capacity for up to 8,000 new employees.
While the company has certainly been successful with its remote model — with a 30% increase in profits year-over-year in the final quarter of 2020 for a total of $13.9 billion — spokespeople and CEO Satya Nadella have expressed the importance of keeping in-person space available for employees, should they choose to use it.
Nadella in particular notes the fatiguing effects of video calls, and seems to want to keep options open for employees, especially those utilizing hybrid or flexible work models.
The new renovations will also expand the physical capacity of Microsoft for activities beyond work, adding a 2-acre plaza that can accommodate anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 people, sports fields and underground parking.
Currently, the Microsoft campus totals 15 million feet of office space across 125 buildings on 500 acres. Much of the planned renovation will be replacing some of the original buildings on the campus when the company first acquired its then 88-acre property.
The one thing the project won’t touch is “Lake Bill,” a small pond on the original campus named after the company’s founder.
Microsoft isn’t alone in its continued investment in physical office space. Amazon has continued to lease and develop new projects in Bellevue, and Facebook recently acquired the new and never-used former REI headquarters.
While many employees are likely to continue to take advantage of remote and flexible work options, for those that do choose to return to the office, there are brand new facilities waiting to welcome them back.
