In many ways, language-learning app Duolingo’s new NYC office in New York City doesn’t look like an office at all. Instead of a lobby, there’s a white-wall art gallery exhibiting 6-foot-tall digital paintings of the app’s characters (each language has its own avatar) and a sculpture of Duo, its owl mascot, elevated on a plinth in the center of the room. This creative, open environment immediately establishes a departure from the typical corporate office setup, embracing innovation and artistic flair from the moment you step inside.
Walk through the gallery, and you’re in a minimalist coffee bar with an emerald-green banquette and dozens of pothos plants cascading from the ceiling like chandeliers. The layout and design continue to surprise as you move through various spaces, each offering a unique experience. Upstairs, there’s a tranquil, university-like reading room complete with study carrels that block out distractions. It’s a space designed for focus and clarity, where employees can retreat from the bustle of the office to concentrate fully on their work. And, of course, there are conference rooms of all sizes, phone booths, and desks aplenty, each carefully planned to enhance productivity and collaboration.
“It’s about giving as much optionality to folks as possible,” says Sean Devlin, Duolingo’s VP of workplace and real estate, about the array of spaces available. “We want to allow them to do the best work of their lives. What do you need on a certain day to be effective? It’s different on different days.” This sentiment encapsulates the core philosophy behind Duolingo’s approach to office design, which places flexibility at the heart of its workplace culture.
From Duolingo’s perspective, an inclusive workspace starts with accommodating the neurodiversity of its employees. So the company collaborated with Rapt Studio to create an office that centers sensory experience. Today there’s a growing recognition that architecture should accommodate the neurodiversity within our population. It’s a particular concern for offices, considering how much of our time we spend in them. Gone are the adult playgrounds (remember Google’s obsession with slides or GitHub’s faux Oval Office?) of the aughts and 2010s; in their place are designs informed by research in cognitive neuroscience, neuroaesthetics, and environmental psychology. It turns out that people don’t want a gimmick; they want a place that truly supports their well-being at work. “Leading up to, and certainly coming out of the pandemic, it started to become really important to acknowledge that an office is not one size fits all,” says David Galullo, chief creative officer of Rapt Studio. “Two people may be doing the same function but need completely different environments to really bring out their best selves.”
The result of this shift is an office space that supports various work styles, moods, and sensory preferences. What distinguishes the myriad spaces available to workers in Duolingo’s office is their atmosphere. They range from extremely quiet (like the aforementioned library) to highly energetic, like the cafeteria, which resembles a midcentury diner thanks to its big booths and glass-brick walls. The varying atmospheres cater to the diverse needs of employees, ensuring that everyone can find a setting that helps them perform at their best. There are conference rooms that are meant for a three- or four-person meeting with colleagues in remote offices, and larger lounge-like rooms that are comfortable for an hours-long in-person brainstorm. The layout allows for seamless transitions between different work styles, ensuring comfort and focus for every individual. You can find a dimly lit nook in a less-trafficked hallway and desks bathed in natural light, providing a sense of calm amid the dynamic office environment.
Part of making the office comfortable was making it easy to navigate, too. Some of the wayfinding devices like alphabetized conference room names and different paint colors for the different quadrants in the building help to better orient the 200-plus people who are based in the office. Clear signage and thoughtful design choices allow employees to feel comfortable and confident navigating the space.
“It’s not just designing space, but designing around rituals for individuals,” Galullo says. “We’re thinking about how people plug into work in different ways. It’s a much more interesting conversation than how many ping-pong tables you put in this space.” This shift in focus reflects a broader trend toward designing for functionality and well-being, rather than solely for entertainment or novelty. Attracting talented employees was an important reason why Duolingo shaped its workspaces through the lens of neurodiversity. For starters, leading universities that tech companies tend to recruit from—like UC Berkeley, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon—have already been doing this on their campuses. Devlin believes it’s important to keep ahead of that trend. “The next wave of recruited talent is used to those spaces in a college environment,” he says. “If we don’t provide that optionality, why would they join our company? They’re going to go somewhere that provides that diversity of space.”
Still, the office is a calling card for the brand, and so there are subtle surprises throughout the workspace that tell the story of Duolingo. The artwork in the gallery is one place where that happens; eventually, the paintings will be interactive, allowing workers and visitors to have a conversation with the characters depicted. This type of engagement not only brings Duolingo’s mission to life, but also adds an element of fun and excitement to the office. Meanwhile, Duo the owl has a habit of showing up in places where you least expect him—like a sculpture of him crashing through a wall in the dining area or intently typing on a laptop in the café—offering moments of levity and delight. The integration of Duo’s whimsical presence across the office adds a playful touch to the environment, making it more inviting and approachable. In a room Devlin has dubbed “The Stacks,” there are shelves stocked with Duolingo merchandise, company awards, and employee resource group and club materials. The Stacks reflect the heart of Duolingo’s workplace culture, celebrating both the company’s successes and its commitment to fostering community.
“We always say the workplace has to support the individual, it has to support the team, and it has to support the organization as a whole,” Galullo says. The Duolingo office exemplifies this philosophy, creating a space that is flexible, inclusive, and ultimately designed to support the well-being and success of everyone who works there.
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