Deep in the misty peaks of Chamonix, France nestled right at the base of the renowned Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, you see an unusual scene. Huddled together trudging through the icy fog across the perilous, cold, and unforgiving terrain is a band of explorers. You hear a distant howl… perhaps animal perhaps human. Then it all makes sense……… it's the Koffeecup Retreat 2022.
“Many were suspicious to be summoned to stand aside coworkers in ice caves and perilously close to vertical drops however, the Chamonix retreat proved to be, in fact, filled with joy and a superb time bringing the team together. We enjoyed stunning surroundings, cheery conversations, and some pretty exceptional food. All in all a great weekend that united & strengthen our troop of Koffeecuppers and barely tested survival skills.”
Emma, Office Manager & Retreat Extraordinaire
But, we’re home now so it’s time to stop playing nice and ask the hard-hitting questions.
Despite working together every day it’s rare for the team at Koffeecup to leap out of our screens and into the real world together. We needed to answer the riddles that could only be answered at the base of the alps' highest peak. Does beer taste better at high altitudes? Is pan-fried sea bass tastier if you've recently fallen arse first out of a ski lift and just exactly what the heck is that lonesome goatherd doing, so high on a hill? So what moments stood out to the Koffeecuppers on our expedition into the unknown?
Memorable moment from the retreat?
Everyone knows a work trip is supposed to build the team and build the mind. But, here at Koffeecup, we do things a little differently. From drawing on paper dogs who are morphed into 3D avatars to sharing language tips with the employee we are convinced secretly moonlights as a voice-over actor. What did the team learn in the winter scape?
Lukasz S, Front-end Developer: “Alpina hotel and the view, glacier hike. Meeting everyone in person and having fun together.”
Kasia, Interactive Developer: Being stuck at the Munich airport, colouring the doggo model and scanning it to a 3D model, stargazing at 1900 meters, and seeing shooting stars.
Charlotte, Head of Production: Excellent presentations, wonderful to meet and learn more about everyone.
Marek, Unity Developer: I cannot choose one. Meet such amazing people, spending time with them talking or joking is something I do not forget
Learn anything cool?
Everyone knows a work trip is supposed to build the team and build the mind. But, here at Koffeecup we do things a little differently. From drawing on paper dogs who are morphed into 3D avatars to sharing language tips with the employee we are convinced secretly moonlights as a voice-over actor. What did the team learn in the winter scape?
Tom, Managing Director: Rob Ford can drop his voice to a very low level.
Ormond: Head of 3D: “Ask what’s in food before ordering. La Ferme de Mont Roc aka Mountain pizza contains potatoes, chestnuts, and lard… it’s an experience”
Lukasz R, Head of Interactive: How to deal with fondue…
Jimmy, Motion Graphics Artist: For a winter ski resort Chamonix has way more canal boats than I would have expected.
Kasia, Interactive Developer:: Some new words for my very limited and very random french vocabulary, like “hot”, “cold” and “the pig” aka “chaude”, “froide” and “le cochon”
Playing devil’s advocate any enjoyable nightmares?
When you receive an email from a colleague asking you to wander into the dark depths of snowy nothings with the suspicious-sounding aim of “enjoyment” and “team bonding” it is indeed hard to not question all the comments you have made to them in the past six months. Is this in fact a thinly veiled kidnapping effort? Well, luring the team to a remote French mountainside under the auspicious guise of a “work retreat” did not in the end require smoke signals and we did bring the whole team back sans wolf bites. We think…
So what are the nightmares that will haunt the team from here on?
Tom, Managing Director: Rob Ford can drop his voice to very low level - and whisper.
Yeni, UX Designer: “The nighttime walk with Benoit & Wojtek… and we lost Benoit.”
Romain, Creative Lead: A bit disappointed about not breaking bones or meeting with sea urchins.
Emma, Office Manager: I’m actually surprised there weren’t any - I had the insurance company on speed dial as I had visions of Romain falling down a crevasse.
The Trip in 5 Words
Everyones five words united across the board. We now know that Cheese and people are vital components of an effectively functioning Koffeecup. And no we did not figure out what the lonely goatherd was up to… and we are content not to ever find out.
Lukasz R. Head of Interactive: People, Presentations, Mountains, Glacier, French Lama
Marek, Unity Developer: Best in the world trip. So far…
Tom, Managing Director: Cheese. Snow. Cheese. Awesome team.
Charlotte, Head of Production: Camaraderie, mountains, beauty, cheese, bliss
So there you have it an adventure like no other, spirits were lifted with cheese and then broken (that pizza) and then lifted once more with cheese. Koffeecup are on the look out for others to join our expeditions, if you would like to come work with use we are currently hiring for a Senior 3D Artist, Senior Project Manager, Technical 3D Artist and 3D Artist.
