The Sara

MEETING ROOM:
Fail, fail again, fail better. The American Sara Blakely (Florida, 1971) often failed to realize her plans. Until, that is, she hit on her million-dollar idea. She worked for a year at Disney World clipping tickets and sold fax machines as a door-to-door salesperson. In the evenings she worked comedy clubs as a stand-up comedian. Nothing was really working for her until, at age 29, she decided to invest all her savings ($5,000) in the development of body-shaping underwear: Spanx. Six months later, Oprah Winfrey mentioned Spanx in one of her famous Favourite Things episodes. In 2012, at age 41, Blakely became the youngest self-made billionaire in the world.

The distinctive black cube on the Johan Huizingalaan (next to the A4 and A10 ringway) was originally built as IBM’s headquarters. The adjacent hall served as a typewriter factory. After IBM left its premises, several developers prepared large-scale area development with offices as its main focus. The plan was to build an “extension of the Zuidas” (major business district along the ringway A10) in this spot.

Founders Guus, Ricardo and Bas decided to take action. The office building, with her excesses – large floors, accessibility, and robustness – afforded an opportunity to do things differently. Today, it is the lively center of B. where innovative entrepreneurs meet. ‘B.1’ houses 350 pioneering companies, rooftop restaurant Bureau, a rooftop park, coffee lounges, a cinema and gym.