How Lego put the colour play of toy bricks into its Singapore workspace

SINGAPORE – Vibrant and versatile, Lego bricks fuel the imagination through multisensory play.

When The Lego Group recently expanded its Singapore office, it translated the tactile, Technicolor spirit of creative play into the workspace.

Every room has a tingkat box filled with Lego bricks. Other local elements? Look out for a dragon playground and an otter too.

The company has occupied parts of Levels 13 and 14 at South Beach Tower since 2015. Now, it has taken up space in Level 15 and expanded its footprint on Level 14.

Today, the office takes up 7,000 sq m, having added 2,500 sq m in its expansion. More than 500 employees work in the Singapore office, covering the Asia-Pacific region excluding China.

The new Level 15 features Scandinavian design’s signature warm neutrals on its floor and walls, but the tactile colour explosion of Lego comes into play. Collaboration and breakout areas are furnished with brown speckled cork stools, plush red-orange sofas, yellow door frames and even a green felted grid to conceal industrial ducting in the ceiling.

Lego itself is unmissable in the decor. Doors and walls are frequently emblazoned with fun illustrations of “minifig” Lego people at play or spouting inspirational quotes. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” declares a minifig Albert Einstein.

Ms Line Ornstrup, vice-president of workplace experience at The Lego Group, says of the new look: “Across all Lego locations, a workplace should be more than just an office or a factory. It’s where colleagues come together to create experiences that inspire the world to play.”

She adds that the design team’s goal was to create “a strong sense of colour, openness and movement throughout the space”.

Design work commenced in January 2025. Renovations began a few months later – Ms Ornstrup declines to state the cost – and were completed by the end of the year. Staff started working in the enlarged hub in mid-January.

The Lego Group offices use hot-desking. Employees are currently required to be in the office at least three days a week.

Across the new Level 15 and the augmented Level 14 spaces, there are around 320 workstations, 29 meeting rooms, 22 built-in focus rooms and phone booths, and three pantries. These are split across four colour-coded zones: pink, blue, orange and yellow.

A Lego “minifig” of physicist Albert Einstein lines a wall in the yellow zone.

PHOTO: THE LEGO GROUP

Every meeting and breakout area has been uniquely designed and furnished as colourfully as any Lego build. Comfortable yellow armchairs by the window brighten one area, for instance. Picnic-style high tables with stylish perches embellish another.

Just like how every Lego brick has versatile uses, these breakout areas can also be booked for meetings. Likewise, the pantries are designed with portable seating, so teams can reconfigure them for anything from casual lunches to larger town halls.

A notable inclusion in every room is a tingkat box filled with Lego bricks, so employees have something to toy with during discussions – whether just for play or to spark creativity.

“It’s a reflection of the company’s belief that creativity happens through experimentation, participation and shared experiences – and, of course, adds an element of play into every meeting,” says Ms Ornstrup. “The tingkat also connect us to local Singapore culture.”

Other Singapore touches include a wall where the dragon playground of Toa Payoh is recreated in Lego mural format. The Tampines watermelon playground decorates another wall.

Also standing guard over the pantry in the yellow zone is a life-size Lego otter, in homage to the marine mammals that have established themselves as Singapore denizens in recent decades.

“Our Singapore hub has its own unique personality reflecting its home country. Yet, it’s instantly recognisable as a Lego office. That’s part of what makes our workspaces unique. In many ways, it reminds me of the endless opportunities for creativity and learning Lego bricks offer,” says Ms Ornstrup.

Her favourite part of the expansion is the thoughtfully designed collaboration spaces.

“It’s not just about having more room, but also having the right kinds of spaces that support different types of conversations – from spontaneous catch-ups to focused team discussions. The open spaces make it easier for ideas to flow naturally, rather than feeling confined to formal meeting rooms.”

While the expansion celebrates collaboration, it also carves out sanctuaries for staff who need to trade creative buzz for deep-focus work.

Besides enclosed phone booths, there are focus rooms and a “quiet zone” library. These spaces use biophilic elements and timber accents to create a calm environment.

Meeting rooms are also dressed with curtains to reduce visual stimulation.

“We aimed to create a workplace where colleagues can do their best work, feel inspired, and thrive both individually and collectively,” says Ms Ornstrup.

The main challenge during the renovation process was minimising disruption to the existing office space, she adds. “We wanted the transition to feel as seamless as possible and ensure that day-to-day operations continued without interruption.”

Employees seem to be enjoying the results. “There’s definitely a sense of excitement around the new space. It draws people in, whether it’s for the vibrant design, the collaborative areas or simply the energy of being somewhere new,” she says.

The new space includes sanctuaries for staff who need a spot for deep-focus work.

PHOTO: THE LEGO GROUP

“This floor brings together our core workplace principles: flexibility, collaboration and inclusivity. As our teams across Asia-Pacific continue to grow, the space has evolved alongside them while staying true to who we are as a brand.”

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