AstraZeneca: Bringing Sustainability and Human-Centered Design to the Workplace

Customer Profile

AstraZeneca is a global leader in biopharmaceuticals, committed to advancing innovative medicines in key therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory & immunology diseases. While fulfilling its healthcare mission, the company has embedded sustainability into its organizational strategy, aiming to create long-term value across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions.

Project Profile

In this context, AstraZeneca has partnered with NOVAH to upgrade its office spaces, creating a modern work environment aligned with the concept of "carbon-neutral offices." Through integrated design, the project incorporates sustainable materials, human-centered functionality, and expressions of organizational culture, reflecting the evolution of office spaces into comprehensive ecological ecosystems.

Human-centered design philosophy: 

integrated throughout the spatial functional layout

NOVAH applied a human-centered design approach throughout the project, emphasizing the long-term impact of the office environment on employee well-being and productivity.

The open-plan work areas are equipped with Dyna2 desks, supporting alternating sitting and standing postures. This promotes better musculoskeletal health, enhances focus, and improves overall physical comfort during the workday.

To address acoustic distractions inherent in open layouts, the project incorporates Nobius soundproof phone booths in non-core zones. These provide employees with private spaces for focused work or confidential conversations, improving both acoustic quality and psychological comfort.

The Morph Smart Lockers introduce a shared storage system that replaces under-desk cabinets, reducing the number of individual storage units per person and thereby lowering material consumption and manufacturing energy. This design increases space efficiency while indirectly supporting the company’s low-carbon operational goals, demonstrating how sustainability is implemented through thoughtful, detail-oriented solutions.

Community-Oriented Spaces: 

Fostering Informal Interaction and Organizational Cohesion

Beyond fulfilling basic functional needs, the project emphasizes the creation of a community-oriented atmosphere that encourages employee interaction and collaboration. The pantry and collaboration zone is designed as a multi-functional space integrating informal meetings, team exchanges, and relaxation, supporting diverse modes of interaction. Through flexible furniture arrangements and the use of natural materials, this area fosters a relaxed ambiance that helps reduce psychological stress and enhances employees’ sense of belonging within the workplace.

The project introduces self-powered exercise bikes that generate electricity through cycling, enabling wireless charging for mobile devices. This feature encourages healthy behaviors and active participation in carbon reduction, creating a tangible connection between individual actions and the company’s sustainability goals.

These design elements not only support employee well-being but also strengthen alignment with organizational values. For early-career employees, such informal interaction spaces help compensate for the potential loss of knowledge sharing and social connectivity in remote work settings, contributing positively to organizational cohesion.

Sustainable Materials and Customized Solutions: 

Translating Brand Values into Spatial Design

To align with AstraZenica’s sustainability strategy, NOVAH implemented a systematic approach to material selection and solution design. Bamboo composite panels are used for smart locker doors, while solid wood is applied in desks, meeting tables, and seating furniture, with all wood sourced from certified sustainably managed forests. These materials offer strong carbon sequestration properties and are processed and transported following low-energy principles, helping to minimize carbon emissions across the product lifecycle.

The spatial design language is harmonized with the corporate brand identity. AstraZeneca’s visual elements are seamlessly integrated into the environment through color, graphics, and curated details, ensuring the brand’s values are authentically extended into the physical space. This integration is thoughtfully executed based on functional requirements and user experience, avoiding superficial branding and ensuring a cohesive balance between aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability objectives.

The AstraZeneca Carbon-Neutral Office project reflects a maturing philosophy in workplace design: space is no longer viewed merely as a physical container, but as a convergence point for organizational culture, employee experience, and sustainability goals.

Leveraging cross-disciplinary integration, NOVAH combined furniture systems, material technologies, and behavioral insights to deliver a solution that balances functionality, environmental responsibility, and human-centric care.

The project demonstrates a deeper corporate understanding of the workplace—evolving from a cost-driven asset to a strategic enabler of employee well-being, collaboration, and social responsibility. This approach offers a practical and scalable model for the sustainable transformation of office environments in the era of hybrid work.