Offices IT-companies / Office "VKontakte"

Business center "Zinger House" is located on the main avenue in the heart of the cultural capital - a luxury representative building with large windows, storefronts, granite facing and decorative brass ornaments. The building of the business center has a rich history - beginning in the 20th century, it was built for the manufacturing of the American company "Singer", known worldwide for its sewing machines. In fact, this building was the first business center in the country's history of urban development. Since 1919, the building housed the large publishing houses - "Education", "Lenizdat", "Fiction" and "Art". At the end of 2006 over the restoration of the lower floors of the building, after which there is again located Book House - center bookstore. Just recently, on the top two floors of the building housed the company "VKontakte".





Opposite the building is the Kazan Cathedral - another place, past which no "say cheese" does not pass any tourist. And just down the road, with the Griboyedov Canal, is the Savior on Spilled Blood.



Where else can walk the guests who came to Peter, but to no Nevsky? It was there that we met by chance and Vlad invladis Tsyplukhin, head of the press service of the famous social network. Time was still before departure, so we decided to go to the office, which the company recently moved from a small rented apartment.



- What other companies are located in this building? - We asked Vlad, going to the gold-plated elevator.
- "Gazprom-Media", "Bank of Moscow" was recently ... here's "VKontakte" we stopped! - Told us a strange woman who have come with us to the elevator.
We smiled at each other :)



Receptionist company looks quite bleak, but modern:



However, for some reason, first of all, Vlad took us through it, and through the second input, one of the key premises in which a meeting room ... :) On the one hand - gloomy, on the other - damn unusual and therefore interesting - every day is issued the opportunity to plunge a couple of ages ago, in the Middle Ages:









Wandering around the office floors, I counted at least another half a dozen conference rooms, executed in the much more traditional styles. At first, I was not surprised so many peregovorok - I thought that in such a large project, at least, there is always something to discuss a working team. But it turned out that these "gatherings" contrary not - work separately managers, programmers, too - nobody does not hinder anybody. So this is just the rooms there was no active application - except for meetings of the many guests (including foreign) of all sizes.

This room in the office called "Lenin", though, as for me, this is a real hookah :) It is worth to pay tribute to the company's management for taking care of employees - it is all for a healthy lifestyle, therefore smoking and alcohol forbidden even corporate parties .



Place of Execution for system administrators and other negotiations:



Habitat office manager of the project:







Table with extruded logotpipom Company:







The usual working places look a little easier. For example, "factory", where "forge code" programmers - its equipment to keep pace with the times, but still feel the atmosphere of a workshop for the production of sewing machines:



A typical workplace employee. Surprisingly, in the "Macs" almost no one does not work - in many offices if they only pray here around the office of only three pieces. One of the staff lives at work, he has a bed and all-all-all :)



But the room - a kind of educational initiative "VKontakte". It 'main geeks "of lectures tadantlivym students-mathematicians and students of primary schools. Moreover - there is even a team of young programmers who sponsor and sent to the World Championships in programming. Similarly, models of Dell Monitors difficult to define, but most likely it 2408WPF or U2410 - lovely monitors IPS-matrix, approve :)



By the way, the company takes only the "most-most" - those who studied with honors, with him also graduated from the prestigious universities and in the business is a professional - the whole team is made up of standouts and medalists, winners of Olympiads and other competitions. Remuneration, I think, appropriate:

Workplace Vlad:



As for Pavel Durov ... he's at least there :) This is not a fictional character, as many think. While I understand that after what he saw, perhaps, creator of the project appears to no less than Count Dracula, making their black affairs in the prison on the roof of the castle. I was surprised when I learned that the way it is all much simpler - Paul works in the usual office in one of the office floors, along with other staff members. And in the blue helicopter moved Paul - Paul is much more pleasant to ride on the subway, so I understand his desire to remain "in the shadows." You go on the subway, and so you think to yourself, "Of course ... but like neee, Pavel Durov can not go on the subway, and even one."

Actually, before I met Paul I represented a serious strict uncle in all black, which with the "mere mortals" will not even talk. However, one and a half hours, we only have not discussed! Moreover - he even joined the official group Habrahabr on your site :) It is a pity that our audience still continues to discriminate against this social network, because technically they have so many things to share with us. And on many controversial situations certainly would not want to guess, but just listen to the opinion leaders of the project ... But where's this all will be taken, even if Vlad "the principle of" merged karma and make it impossible to answer the questions. Not beautiful.

So you see Paul's office on the photo? No? Well, here he is, with the door ajar.



For the Director General has a separate place, but it now works CTO. In general, more recently, Paul was working in the next room, which was not even a window. Who made the place a sort of "museum".



Yes, the staff of "VKontakte" is so severe that the website design design elements on walls:



In the inner courtyard of the building there is a hall for receptions - the situation is very reminded me of my former work of the CEC. Decorative initials of the company, which built the building - in principle, if the green color in a couple of bricks, you get quite "in vkontaktovski» :)





One floor is a room for sports - trainers, dumbbells, table tennis and an insatiable muzzle. I could not keep myself in the hands of a couple of times did not deny himself the pleasure :)





Almost everywhere there is a place to sit - all sofas rather peculiar. What a cow, then, as in the photo, as Pacman:



Almost all the doors fastened black metal plate, which was originally nothing written. Text appends the employees themselves, placing magnetic letters in the correct order:













Power supply - due to the company in any of the places far away from the office. The nearest place to dine - on the second floor of the business center, the restaurant "House of Books". Or, alternatively, you can look for something on the floor of the office - fresh juices, cookies there any fruit ...



Among the employees listed even a girl florist, which carefully monitors all plants - when the office has a green, it's always nice.



Apparently, during a tour of the office, I missed something - where did the horse, I do not remember) I remember as soon as Paul and Vlad decided to get her a breath of fresh air from the Nevsky Prospekt: ​​



The comments suggest that dream (no mat) on the theme of what I wanted to tell the animal at the moment:



Well, I almost forgot to tell you about the most interesting. In the office of the office manager of the project there is a spiral staircase that leads to the roof of the building:









As you may have noticed - the roof of the building on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal adorned with a huge glass globe. The company "Singer" wanted to show that the global scope of the company, but in fact it turned out to be a clever ploy, eliminating the need for a ban on the construction of houses in St. Petersburg over the Winter Palace. Formally, without violating the prohibition to limit the height of buildings, the company has built a sort of skyscraper, significantly above the roofs of the Nevsky Prospekt. From the dome of the city center can be seen at a glance:



But we can go even higher - at the "Globe».





From there you can see more, but not so well - only because the cleaner has not yet dared to climb to the top of the career ladder :)



What kind of a roof with? Unbelievable!



Who is familiar with the building, certainly knows about one of his lack of - lack of parking spaces for cars. Therefore, some employees prefer to get to work ... on a boat on the channel Griboyedov!

Excellent office - as if I was in another world. As far as I know, in the heart of Peter's difficult to find something even better and, of course, even rent such premises worth a lot. But, first, the company can afford it, and secondly, is unlikely to rent office in the center was a matter of image and ambitions - most likely it's just a selection of the best places for long-term further development of the project.

Once again reviewed all the photos ... something tells me that not all of the shown above was made "with their hands" - very much time would be needed for such a project. Most likely, such as an office rented out initially, and only some part of themselves after being finished. Whatever it was, the place is almost perfect - in the heart, no one interferes, has an excellent layout, a lot of space and a quiet relaxed atmosphere. This probably wanted to work if not every, many ...)



Oh, airships and giant mushrooms on Nevsky ?! I would not be surprised if it all appears :)

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