JetBrains St. Petersburg campus to include large, vertically stepped indoor atrium

JetBrains, an international software development company, is set to receive a new green work campus overlooking the Gulf of Finland where health and connectivity are at the core of the design.

Central to the building’s design is a large, vertically stepped indoor atrium. This open space connects to an outdoor courtyard and outdoor terraces and will provide clear views of the Gulf of Finland. The atrium forms the core of the new JetBrains community. The ample open space will contrast with the office floors, which are based on team and individual focus instead of an open-plan approach. 

Central meeting rooms, breakout spaces, auditoriums, and the central restaurant will be organized along the stepped atrium. Bridges will span the large open areas while carefully designed and intertwined biophilia forms the natural backdrop for all indoor activities. A lobby space will create the first views towards the atrium upon entering the building and include cloakroom facilities, showers, and exercise spaces. A courtyard at podium level will provide outdoor overflow space.

A highly transparent stable zigzag glazed facade was chosen for the large atrium, spanning as many as five floors in some areas. The facade design blocks heat gain while still providing daylight. A soft acoustic shading device on the inside of the glazed skin and cantilevers shade the facade. The lower and upper volumes use a rational grid facade, composed of unitised elements. Protruding glazed ceramic elements provide shading, reflect light, and create a tactility and reflection that will play with the constantly changing light of the skies over St. Petersburg and the Gulf.