Last year, Conan O’Brian visited Intel’s offices in Santa Clara, California. He was, uh, not impressed by the endless maze of gray fabric cubicles, accented by gray walls and gray carpet. You can watch his bit on YouTube here (apparently NBC made YouTube pull the clip, so here it is from Clipstr). It’s pretty funny, and yes, it is an accurate depiction of life at Intel.
Apparently, that started some wheels turning. I’m sure there were a lot of other factors, but soon afterwards, there was an announcement made that Intel was going to be undertaking a pilot program to update our workspaces. Feedback was solicited, other companies were studied (I think Google, Adobe, and Microsoft were among the influencers). Three sites were chosen: Santa Clara, Folsom (I think) Chandler, AZ, and our very own Jones Farm 1 building here in Oregon. And people from my group, Software and Solutions Group (SSG) were chosen to move into “the workplace of the future” when it was finished. 
Jones Farm 1 (JF1) is one of the oldest buildings among the several Intel campuses in Hillsboro. It was kind of dated, but really not much different from the rest of the JF buildings. Last October, they tore it down to the studs, and rebuilt it, with all new layout, furniture, and features like a living room area, lots of TVs, more and smaller conference rooms, and lower cube walls. Last Friday, there was an Open House for employees and press to check out the new spaces. I went with Brent Logan (we even ended up on TV - see below!), and took lots of pictures.
I’m packing up my old cube this week, and moving in to the new space shortly after I get back from my trip to SXSW in Austin. Here’s what will be awaiting me!
My new cube:
I’m double-lucky - not only do I get my own assigned/dedicated cube, but it’s on the end of a row facing the big windows overlooking a courtyard. Nice view, but I’m a little nervous about having the sun backlighting my monitor all the time, making it hard to see. The Daystar and I don’t get along all that well.
Some shots of my old cube and neighborhood, to give you an idea of what things are like now (if you didn’t watch the Conan video):
There are lots of open community spaces, and nice big LCD flatscreen TVs hanging all over the place:
Not everyone has their own assigned cube - one of the big changes in the new space is that lots of people are considered “mobile” or “tweeners”, meaning they’re not expected to be in the office all the time, so lots of the cubes are “first come first served”, and there are lockers for these mobile folks to store their stuff (I was lucky enough to get my own dedicated/assigned cube):
The cube walls are lower, to “facilitate collaboration”, but there are a lot of glass-walled conference rooms, for either 4 people or 1 person when privacy and confidentiality are needed:
There are a couple of these magic computerized hand-driven whiteboards around, which are kind of cool:
I counted only three “regular” style large conference rooms, and only two of those that I saw had a projector. This could be a problem for people who are used to having them in every room:
There’s a kitchen with free fountain soda, coffee, pastries, etc. It’s right by my new cube - diabetes here I come! 
The lobby has a couple of soft chairs, and big TVs with an Xbox 360 and a Nintendo Wii - Guitar Hero and Wii Tennis for everyone!
That’s most of the photos. You can view the whole set of 34 pictures in this photoset on Flickr. And expect more reporting on the new office spaces after I move in. I’m going to do some video - you’ve got to see the cool power height-adjusting desks to believe them!
For now, I’ll leave you with this video clip from one of the local TV news stations, KOIN, who were there reporting on the new offices. You can see me and Brent Logan at the 0:20 mark. Thanks to my coworker Aaron for grabbing and posting this clip.
Let me know if you have any questions about the new space!
TinyScreenfuls Feed (this blog)
Hi Josh, well I worked for about four years of my Intel tenure on the second floor of JF1 just down the aisle from where your cube-to-be is. Looks like a nice revamp and they’ve finally done something “productive” with the old JF1 cafeteria space. Also the free soda is a nice touch — formerly only available if you worked on the CO campus so very cool. It’s nice to see that Intel is doing something to modernize the institutional-type gray, drab environment. It will go a long way toward achieving better GPTW ratings
-Gerry
Folsom was not one of the sites chosen.
I think Chandler is the other one.
I am happy to see Intel deliver on this project because it will certainly make being at work more enjoyable to be at vs. the old grey cubes (Conan hit it spot on!).
COLOR! ON THE WALLS!!
The addition of color alone is enough to launch a wave of creativity. I suppose the second-floor back corner of JF1, where I toiled in dingy, unwindowed internment over the loading docks for 3-4 of my 10 Intel years, won’t see this change for some years, but hope springs eternal for whoever is working there now. I always wondered how the little people–sorry, altitude-challenged, under 5′9″–could handle working in an endless gray environment, and I appreciated being able to walk anywhere seeing over those cubicle walls.
I also suppose my stand-up desk set-up would no longer be acceptable with these shorter walls….but the free-er flow of light from the shorter walls can probably make up for some of that (although my back would be complaining at the end of a day of sitting).
You owe us a follow-up in a month on the noise, the use of the open spaces, etc. I hope this breathes fresh life into the atmosphere.
Wow! I remember working in the old JF1, and this is way cooler.
Really nice digs. It feels a lot like the Jive offices. I’m really surprised to see Intel considering more than just the number of people it can cram into square footage.
I hate you.
Awesome awesome workspace. Thank god Conan O’Brian came by for a visit eh?
It’s fabulous. I was in JF1 for a week earlier this month and was really impressed with this space. I honestly could not work in the gray walls in the other areas. I would be miserable. But this new space is really invigorating and, I would think, makes you feel appreciated. And I’m sure if you’re not happy with your desk by the windows that someone would trade with you!
Congrats!!