Taking advantage of the strengths of the real world, we will create an office where on-off integration creates new forms of communication

XICA opened a new office at Roppongi T-Cube on March 2023, 3. The floor space has more than doubled, and all 20 members can now meet on one floor.

As remote work has become commonplace due to the effects of COVID-19, many companies are downsizing their offices and shifting to fully remote work. So why did XICA decide to relocate its office?

Why move offices now?

Since 2020, the COVID-2017 pandemic has spread rapidly around the world. Despite this, XICA has steadily grown its business, and the number of employees has grown from 1 in January 30 when it moved into its previous office to 2023 as of March 3.

XICA has been trying out various ways of working amid the COVID-2022 pandemic. Until now, we have mainly worked fully remotely, but since the end of XNUMX, we have been able to create opportunities for face-to-face communication.

Working from home. Working at the office. Thinking alone. Thinking together. Through various working styles,The value of new ideas and collaboration that arise when everyone gathers in the same place and discusses thingsI began to feel this way once again.

XICA is Improving the working environment for our members is the core of EX (employee experience)That's why we believe that relocating our office is the biggest investment we can make to improve EX.

From now on,An optimized office that combines online and offline work styles and integrates on-offBy doing so, we aim to increase member satisfaction, stimulate communication, and create a place where more ideas and collaborations are born.

The concept of the new office is "XICAsuru Office"

The office before the move was 241 square meters, but after the move it will be 522 square meters, approximately 2.2 times larger.

The new location, Roppongi T-Cube, was originally a co-working space, but we took over that floor and renovated it to create a new office. We enhanced not only the work space but also the public space, with a design that promotes active communication.

The concept of the new office is"XICAsuru Office""XICA Office" means "an office where talent can blossom," which is also XICA's philosophy.

When designing the concept for the new office, the board members of XICA shared a strong desire to "help our members blossom." Assuming that the office will grow with its members, the office expresses this blossoming of talent through the growth of plants and an expandable design.

A system that promotes collaboration and generates ideas

Creating a XICA-like way of working

When we focus on "talent development," it is important to make it easy for members to work, to make them feel comfortable, and to stimulate their creativity."Office beyond home"We have incorporated many ingenious ideas to make it as easy as possible.

In the office space, we have installed not only regular desks but also high tables so that everyone can gather and communicate quickly.

The public spaces that are open to guests not only include meeting rooms, but also plenty of communication spaces where everyone can gather. The space was designed with the hope that new ideas and collaborations will be born from spontaneous conversations, with a tatami room modeled after a teahouse, a room with round tables and rainbow-colored chairs, a space where you can work while relaxing, a party space, and a bar.

In order to realize an optimal work style by integrating on-off time, the original coworking space structure has been used as is, and 17 online conference booths have been added. Even if you come to the office, there are plenty of places where you can concentrate on your work alone.

This environment will help everyone develop their talents,I want to prove that "coming to the office and working produces results."I think.

The embodiment of "reliability + innovation"

In addition, "Creating a fair world where talent can flourish"This is XICA's vision, and"Bringing insights to all data"The mission and the code of conduct to achieve it"XICA WAY'As an expression of"Trust" "Advanced"These points were also incorporated into the design.

The words "trust" and "advanced" seem to be polar opposites at first glance.

XICA is an IT company, but our company name is derived from the Japanese word "XICA," which means "talent blossoming." Following this, we use traditional Japanese materials and things found in nature, just like "wa" (harmony) and "nature" (nature) without flashy decoration.Expressing "reliability" by incorporating elements that give people a sense of securityI did. ThereExpressing "advanced" spirit by incorporating elements of "data science" and cutting-edge technologies from Japan and abroaddoing.

The Japanese name XICA represents our intention to go out into the world and become a company representing Japan, and we have pursued the uniqueness of XICA by combining reliability and innovation.

The entrance is modeled after the torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine.

One of the things that expresses the concept of "reliability + innovation" is the entrance, which was made using thinned wood from the Oshika Peninsula in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, and was modeled after the torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine. Beyond the entrance, the building is designed to offer views of the Metropolitan Expressway Central Circular Route, the National Diet Building, and the Marunouchi area.

The issue of thinning timber is a major challenge for Japan's forestry industry. Although maintaining the mountains is important, not much is being done. If we stop using domestic timber, not only will forestry decline, but the mountains will become barren, and trees that naturally grow there will not grow, and if the mountains become polluted, the sea will also become polluted, and fish will not be able to be caught.

Not only did we create a cool design, but we also expressed our intention to fulfill our social responsibility by using thinned wood as the material for the entrance. We also asked local forestry workers to cut and saw the wood, and we asked local carpenters to process and install the wood. We believe that it is also socially significant in the sense that we can see the faces of the producers.

A symbolic tree where the talents of its members blossom

Just beyond the entrance is a symbolic tree that represents the blossoming of talent. By placing a real tree that grows little by little in the center of the office, we expressed our strong desire for the talents of our employees to blossom.

XICA Monument combines natural stone with cutting-edge technology

Members and customers are welcomed in front of the symbolic tree by a counter made of natural stone and wood, and a monument in the shape of the "XICA" logo.

The dynamism of nature, with a two-meter wooden plank supported on one side by a large stone, and the cutting-edge technology used in the "XICA" logo, which remains visible even when transparent, combine to create an object that is surprising, entertaining, and a space that can only be found here.

A teahouse that expresses the highest level of hospitality in a XICA style

The tea room at the entrance represents the "highest level of hospitality." Tea rooms are normally enclosed spaces, but we deliberately made the surrounding walls clear to make it blend into the rest of the space, expressing a progressive spirit.

This tea room has an objet d'art element, but can also be used for actual meetings.

A Japanese garden that combines reliability and innovation

The area behind the teahouse was designed with a Japanese garden image in mind. Karesansui, which was born under the influence of Zen Buddhism during the Muromachi period, is a more abstract version of the Japanese garden, and is said to use rocks and sand to represent nature and the universe that lies beyond.

XICA's Japanese garden was inspired by dry landscape gardens and uses digital art to express the message of "delivering suggestions to all data."

The flow of data received by the light spreads from there to the entire garden. Our hope is that by using data to provide insights, we can show our customers and the industry the direction they should take.

We have created a one-of-a-kind space that fuses digital and cutting-edge technology with nature and harmony. We hope that you will feel excited about the future here.

Office design is also a part of "social manufacturing"

In this renovation,While being eco-conscious and pursuing economic rationality, we also focused on fulfilling our social responsibilities as a company.Therefore, we aim to express the uniqueness of XICA by changing the way the space is perceived, without changing the existing form.

The recycling rate of the furniture is over 80%, and most of the structural parts such as the walls are also reused. In addition, by using the furniture in the current office and the original furniture, the burden on the environment was further reduced. Environmentally friendly materials were also used for the protection, reducing waste and realizing a renovation that did not destroy anything unnecessarily.

XICA hopes to continue to welcome new members and grow even more. Now is the only time we can all gather together on one floor. That is why,We want the new office to create stronger connections between people and to be able to continue those connections even as the company grows.I think.

And the office has a real strength that remote work doesn't have. By gathering together in a place and becoming one, the company's unique culture is built.

In this age where you can work anywhere, we want people to come to the office for an extraordinary experience. We want to create an environment where everyone can work comfortably. We want everyone's talents to blossom along with the office.

With this wish in mind, we would like to continue growing as a company, centered around our new office.