Page 34 - RC19 RealcommEDGE 2019 Fall Issue

Redmond Campus Experience

This is exactly the concept we use building to allow holes in walls, running What types of devices are needed?
for the modernization of Microsoft’s cables, adding devices and sensors, How do we collect and analyze
East Redmond campus, one of the etc. The building may not have enough device data? How is it processed and
major projects I worked on in the last power or infrastructure to host those stored? How is privacy enabled? Can
year. The 72-acre project will facilitate systems. For a connected campus with we weave together all the indepen-
the addition of 17 new buildings, 2.5 the ability to grow, we should make the dent building subsystems to create a
million square feet of new workspace building smart even before construc- unified experience? It was critical to
and 500,000 square feet of amenities tion begins. provision for infrastructure with build-
which will accommodate 12,000 peo- ings, as they last for over 20 years—
ple when complete. To bring up these We also determined that a smart so that any type of future technology
17 buildings, we are deconstructing 14 building is only smart if people get could be easily integrated.
buildings. I am in a unique position on value for the services the building
the project; as part of a One Microsoft provides. It must be smart for any- It’s a balance trying to future proof
approach, I partner with the real estate one it serves: employees, visitors, things. It’s a challenge we debate
group to lead a cross group team guests, service providers, contract every day. You don’t want to build
that helps define the digital trans- staff. There’s always been this huge something in such a way that you
formation strategy for the campus, idea that anything could be done with never use to full capacity. Our goal
which involves reinventing the space technology. There’s a risk in that idea, is optimizing the design to draw that
from the shell and core to the tenant and we consciously put user experi- fine line between how much we need,
improvement phases of a building. ence first. What we wouldn’t want to and the room needed for growth.
This will give us the ability to make happen is to have this great technol-
our buildings smart from the ground ogy showcase which nobody wants What will the campus look
up allowing for improved experiences, to use—because it doesn’t speak like in the future?
adapted to the needs of the tenants. highly to the user experience. Our aspirational vision for digital
transformation was to create an intel-
Adding technology to an existing As we identified the type of experi- ligent and intuitive workplace that
building not only limits the amount of ences people want, we knew they harnesses the power of digital. Once
services you can provide—because had to be connected, accessible, the campus opens, the goal is pro-
it does not have the scale and scope sustainable, secure, and scalable. As viding the best employee experience
required—but it is also an expensive you build out this experiential aspect, that would make people feel amazed
task, because it requires retrofitting the what is the underlying technology? to work at Microsoft.

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