A Look at the Analog Research Lab, the Source of All of Those Posters in Facebook’s Offices

Global design lead Scott Boms gives the backstories behind some of its work

Artwork has always been a key component of Facebook’s culture going as far back as 2005, when graffiti artist David Choe was hired to paint murals in what was then the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.

As compensation, Choe was given the choice of $60,000 in cash or the same amount in Facebook stock. He wisely chose the latter and ended up netting some $200 million for his efforts.

Artwork for Facebook’s many offices across the globe is now the task of the company’s Analog Research Lab, which was created by former Facebookers Ben Barry and Everett Katigbak in 2010, in the run-up to the company’s F8 2011 developers conference.

Now helmed by global design lead Scott Boms, the Analog Research Lab has come a long way since the days when Barry and Katigbak set up a print shop in an unused corner of Facebook’s headquarters, using their own time and often...

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