Best Overall
Office Security Room
Protection and amenities
Best Early
Office Elevator Room
Safety and central travel
Best Midgame
Aquarium Offices
Space, water and tram
Best Late game
Power Services
A complete living space
Ranked locations
Choose by progression stage
The best location is the one that matches your current routes, equipment and group size.
Office Security Room
Office Sector
A secure, amenity-rich base that can remain useful for the entire game. Repairing the shutter controller creates an exceptionally strong physical barrier.
Advantages
- Repairable powered shutters
- Several outlets and an indoor charging station
- Bathroom, lockers, coffee and nearby shooting range
- Zipline access toward Manufacturing
Limitations
- Unavailable before Hacker Tier 1
- More walking than the central lobby
- Shutters do not replace Portal Storm suppression
Requirement: Keypad Hacker Tier 1
How to find it: From the Office Sector elevator area, continue toward the Security Office and hack the entrance.
Aquarium Offices
Cascade Laboratories
One of the largest practical bases in the game, with fishing, water, tram access and enough room for advanced crafting or a full multiplayer team.
Advantages
- Huge upper floor with expansion offices
- Aquarium supplies fish and tainted water
- Bathrooms nearby
- Labs tram connects back to the Office Plaza
Limitations
- Initial Pests must be cleared
- Containment Bot requires traps or caution
- Bathrooms are downstairs
Requirement: Reach the Laboratories
How to find it: At the aquarium, find the stairs across from the nearby bathrooms and Containment Bot area. The large upper floor is the recommended build space.
Power Services Living Area
Reactors
A late-game base that already feels like a home, with bedrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, farming space, water and a tram connection.
Advantages
- Dedicated kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms
- Infinite tainted-water source
- Outdoor growing area
- Tram and portal access
Limitations
- Only a few sockets, so Plug Strips matter
- Portal assaults approach through the tram area
- Limited for a very large group
Requirement: Reach Power Services
How to find it: Explore the home-like living section in Power Services near its tram area and central structure.
Office Elevator Room
Office Sector
An elevated base close to the central facility routes. Most ordinary enemies cannot reach it, making it especially comfortable for solo players.
Advantages
- Enemies struggle with ladder access
- Close to the Main Lobby
- Several outlets and generous room
- Charging station and Biolabs nearby
Limitations
- Requires Hacker Tier 1
- Ladder access is awkward for furniture
- Portal assaults can still occur
Requirement: Keypad Hacker Tier 1
How to find it: Face the Office Sector elevator used for Silo 3, continue left, unlock the room and climb into the elevated space.
Waterfall Apartments
Hydroplant
A huge, comfortable complex with specialized rooms, a full kitchen and renewable water. Late-game teleporters eliminate most of its travel disadvantage.
Advantages
- Multiple floors and rooms
- Large kitchen with many stovetops
- Bathrooms, sinks and a water fountain
- Excellent room for portals and decoration
Limitations
- Deep, initially complicated route
- Excessive space for some solo players
- Best only after fast travel improves
Requirement: Reach Hydroplant apartments
How to find it: Progress through Hydroplant until reaching the apartment complex around the waterfall and residential gym.
Cafeteria
Office Sector
The easiest place to establish your first bed and Crafting Bench. It offers cooking, bathrooms, vending machines and an early route to the Anvil.
Advantages
- Available immediately
- Built-in stove, pan and vending machines
- Bathrooms and refillable sinks
- Night vent route leads to an Anvil
Limitations
- Only one built-in stovetop
- Open layout
- Less convenient as progression moves outward
Requirement: None
How to find it: Build directly in the opening cafeteria or use the smaller Security Room beside its kitchen.
Office Gym
Office Sector
A simple first-night location with a defensible approach, nearby bathroom and immediate access to the pool for water.
Advantages
- Mostly one approach to defend
- Pool provides fishing and tainted water
- Bathroom and sinks downstairs
- Good Office Sector access
Limitations
- Limited building space
- More exposed than locked offices
- Better locations open after Hacker Tier 1
Requirement: Enter the Office Sector
How to find it: From the Office Sector entrance, pass the kitchenette and locker room, then climb the stairs above the gym.
Manufacturing Tram Station
Manufacturing West
The most useful Manufacturing home, combining tram travel, a bathroom and renewable Train supplies in one defensible logistics hub.
Advantages
- Tram back to the Office Plaza
- The Train portal nearby
- Bathroom access
- Two outlets can support overlapping benches
Limitations
- Requires progression and a Tram Station Key
- Industrial rather than comfortable
- Needs careful Bench placement
Requirement: Unlock the tram station
How to find it: Use the Manufacturing tram line leading near The Train portal and claim the station interior.
Main Lobby Tram Platform
Office Sector
A small logistics base positioned beside the facility's major tram routes. It trades living space for exceptional convenience.
Advantages
- Immediate tram access
- Central facility position
- Close to cafeteria amenities
- Easy to revisit throughout progression
Limitations
- Only one socket
- Small build area
- Exposed and lacking built-in rooms
Requirement: None
How to find it: Cross to the far side of the tram platform beside the Main Lobby and build around the available socket.
Labs Turret Area
Cascade Laboratories
Reconfigured turrets fire on hostile targets, creating a uniquely defended base zone with several possible building areas.
Advantages
- Automated turret protection
- Large choice of build spaces
- Excellent assault defense
- Central to Labs progression
Limitations
- Requires story progression
- Uncomfortable environment and corpses
- Exact safety depends on turret coverage
Requirement: Reconfigure the defensive turrets
How to find it: Claim part of the Laboratories combat area after completing the objective that reconfigures its turrets.
Resource network
Forward bases and Portal World outposts
These locations work best as small staging areas with a Crafting Bench, storage and eventually a Personal Teleporter. Leave before a scheduled Portal World reset so its native resources can refresh.
Optional DLC location
Torii Home World
Torii is the safest purpose-built home available through the Supporter’s Pack. It has no native enemies, the Leyak does not appear, traveling traders can visit, and assault events can be mitigated with Crafting Bench suppression. Only the host needs the DLC in multiplayer.
Before moving in
What makes a good base?
Power
Count sockets and bring Batteries and Plug Strips.
Water
Prefer refillable sinks, pools, fountains or filter access.
Travel
Trams and teleporters matter more as the facility expands.
Safety
Power the Bench and control approaches with shutters or traps.
Cooking
Look for stovetops or reserve room for a dedicated kitchen.
Food
Fishing and renewable creature spawns improve sustainability.
Amenities
Bathrooms, charging stations and storage reduce routine travel.
Respawns
Bench suppression does not stop every robot or special assault.
Our recommendation
Use the Cafeteria or Office Gym for your first night, move into the Office Elevator Room or Security Room after Hacker Tier 1, then decide whether the Aquarium Offices, Waterfall Apartments or Power Services justify a late-game move. Build small resource outposts rather than hauling your entire base between sectors.