Microsoft has also reimagined the future of work by creating a blueprint for productivity, efficiency, accessibility, flexibility and collaboration for organizations in the region.
Media Release:
SINGAPORE — MICROSOFT has opened its first ever Experience Center Asia (ECA) located within the new regional headquarters for Microsoft at Frasers Tower in Singapore.
The ECA showcases a confluence of technology and partners to empower every organization in every industry to digitalize, disrupt, innovate and transform; a blueprint for organizations to adopt the culture, physical spaces and technologies for a future-ready workplace.
Spread across 12,500 sq. meters and six floors, the new Microsoft office brings 1,400 people together in an environment that allows the digital and physical worlds to exist in harmony. Artificial intelligence enabled cameras allow friction-less access to maintain secure spaces.
Employees have seamless movement between the six floors, efficiency driven IT support with Smart Lockers and IT vending machines that streamline the process and complement Microsoft’s IT service desk.
A common request from employees was for an instant replacement for IT peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, headsets, cables and more. The smart vending machine automates the distribution of such products. A quick swipe of the employee badge will log the product, providing convenient inventory tracking.
Employees and staff use Smart Building CampusLink, an application that is fully integrated with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office 365, taking navigation to the next level by enabling employees to find directions, room occupancy and book facilities in real-time. Built on Azure App Services and powered by Azure Data Lake and Office 365 Graph API, Microsoft’s regional headquarters in Asia Pacific (APAC) is the first Microsoft office outside of Redmond, Washington, to implement the Smart Building CampusLink.
“We believe every company will become a software company as digital transformation and tech intensity becomes pervasive in every organization. The Experience Center Asia allows businesses in Asia Pacific to learn about the urgency with which they need to embrace this transformation, and explore our extensive portfolio of industry solutions which showcase what’s immediately available and possible by partnering with Microsoft,” said Andrea Della Mattea, president for Microsoft in APAC.
“Our new regional headquarters is a representation of future workplaces. We provide organizations in the region with a real, working model of what the future of work looks like, based on a foundation of cloud computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence and a culture of transformation.
“I’m excited about going into the office, where our colleagues reinforce our mission every single day by creating a culture of safety, wellness, sustainability, accessibility and comradery,” continued Andrea.
At Microsoft’s new Asia Pacific headquarters there are:
- Nearly 145,000 meters of cabling. That’s about sixteen-and-a-half times as tall as Mount Everest or 1,500 times as long as a soccer pitch.
- Nearly 200 display screens of various sizes in meeting rooms and common spaces.
- More than 30 spaces with sofas for huddles and 50 soundproof pods for small meetings or calls.
- 179 Bluetooth beacons in meeting rooms and 900 sensors for lighting, air quality and temperature with nearly 2100 data points from the Frasers Tower are connected to the cloud on Microsoft Azure. The sensors and telemetry monitor the facilities, energy and utilities usage to optimize space utilization, air conditioning and lighting adjustments.
- In future, these sensors can also monitor the carbon dioxide levels in the air, which can negatively affect work performance and neural activity, noise levels by measuring decibels, and energy usage, which can result in savings of up to 25%, as experienced in Microsoft’s HQ in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft’s footprint in Asia Pacific:
- 2 Microsoft Research Labs
- 17 Azure Regions
- 67 Innovation Centers
- 6 Microsoft Technology Centers
- 5 Cybersecurity Centers
- 2 Transparency Centers
- Over 590 ICT Centers
- Microsoft has been in Asia Pacific for more than 30 years and has a presence across 20 markets with more than 20,000 employees and 100,000 partners. (Microsoft Philippines)