The increased demand from Amazon for high caliber technical and sales staff has created a need for high volume recruitment centres. CPT10 is a new space in Cape Town, which will potentially become a prototype for similar centres globally. The challenge of the project was to fit all required spaces including assessment area, five interview rooms and all supportive spaces into a small site, but also plan a layout that would allow the constant high volume of people smoothly navigate through all the necessary steps.
The space becomes the face of Amazon and is the first impression of the company for the candidates and visitors. Since it offers a mutual opportunity for candidates to show off their skills, and for Amazon to express its culture and history, a concept was developed around the theme ‘REVEAL’. This concept creates a unique spatial experience from the entry to the waiting area, thus one’s first impression.
The key element of the design become the feature wall with integrated arches, which is a welcoming threshold into Amazon, an iconic gesture that symbolises greatness while still being simple. Besides the archways, the wall houses a walk-up reception counter, bench seatings for waiting area as well as illuminated graphics that tell stories of Amazon and its culture. Moreover the wall with the arches and the directional floor treatment act as the organising and way-finding elements for the site.
SIZE: 640 sqm
LOCATION: Cape Town, South Africa
MY ROLE: Interior Architect
THE STORY
As an assessment and recruiting site, CPT10 takes on the role of being a bricks and mortar face for Amazon in Cape Town. As the first interaction candidates have with the company, it was important that we illustrate who and what Amazon is. This programmatic use and function of the space influenced the project concept of ‘Reveal.’
The concept divides the space into two clearly different parts, a very exciting and revealing front, the face of Amazon, acting as the wow factor and a much simpler back of house where the focus is on the individuals.
THE JOURNEY
The layout is designed to support a high volume of footfall traffic, with the waiting area running the full width of the entrance. A feature wall supports queuing, seating and interactive graphics, while enclosing reception and locker facilities for visitors. A dynamic floor treatment and complimentary feature ceiling leads into an assessment room supporting 83 candidates. Those successful enough to continue, move through a post-assessment waiting area supported by large-scale graphics. A series of arched openings leads successful candidates private interview rooms in smaller groups for induction and training.
