Overview

During the pandemic, Airbnb made the decision to consolidate their San Francisco real estate footprint due to uncertain future office needs. Their initial ask was one of consolidation and masterplanning:

How might Airbnb consolidate the key operational functions that were displaced (security center, media studios, ux labs) into the remaining campus footprint? 

Challenge

As soon as research began, the challenge emerged, reframing the initial ask.

How can real estate decisions be made without knowing how and when employees will use offices in the future?

Construction is expensive and takes time.

To navigate this challenge, the initial ask transformed into a scenario building exercise. To test and evaluate different dimensions of the challenge, several viable future states were constructed around the codependence of:

space — the physical footprint occupied,
behavior — how and why people will use offices,
and operations — the policy that supports supports and clarifies

Each scenario reflected research and insight into the Airbnb brand, the evolution of office design and use over time, and the rising tide of future of work trends. 

Outcomes

Following the scenario planning exercise, Airbnb further engaged Rapt to transform select ideas into live experiments to test hypotheses in low cost, measurable environments.

Emotional yet actionable storytelling throughout presentation material was pivotal for effective communication and decision making.

Role

As strategy co-lead from start to finish, I worked closely with a design director to develop our approach and create presentation materials

• Research lead: I audited client materials, conducted desk research, and developed discussion guides for interviews and focus groups

• Project lead: I planned and maintained internal processes

• Client point of contact: I established trust and transparency with the client

  Completed at Rapt Studio