In our own image: seven self-designed workplaces

Agile working in Roar’s Dubai warehouse

Outgrowing its previous location, Roar marked its tenth anniversary by relocating to a warehouse in Alserkal, a vibrant creative neighbourhood in Dubai. Designing two levels within the warehouse space, creative director Pallavi Dean paired a sleek, metal-clad aesthetic with an intentionally neutral palette so as not to distract from the studio’s vibrant projects.

Incorporating a variety of spaces to suit employees’ individual work styles, work zones include an informal standing meeting room, private offices and a shared pantry, as well as more experimental spaces like a music room and even a nap space inspired by studies on the benefits of quick breaks at work.

Read more

Conran and Partners’ Clerkenwell headquarters

Moving from their previous home of 30 years, Conran and Partners sought a new premises as part of a wider recalibration for the practice, following the effects of the pandemic and a period of rapid evolution. In order to accommodate a marked change in working styles, the acoustics of the space were designed to be only somewhat muted, allowing a creative sense of energy to be present without being overbearing.

The practice also aimed to encourage fluidity by including as few impenetrable barriers as possible. Stylish meeting spaces were therefore formed out of large, fluted and antiqued mirror glass panels, with wide full height sliding doors to maintain the sightlines through the depth of the spaces when open, while appearing as translucent screens when closed.

Read more

Oktra’s inspiring showroom workspace

After outgrowing its existing HQ in the design hub of Clerkenwell, Oktra set out on multi-disciplinary design journey to create an environment where team members could innovate, collaborate and ultimately thrive. Despite being leaders in office design and build themselves, the studio’s design team chose to look outward and draw from working spaces beyond the world of office design, with influences ranging from Hackney City Farm to Triumph Motorcycle Factory, even taking notes on flexibility and adaptability from a selection of more clinical hospital spaces.

Read more

IA Interior Architects’ intimate London studio

The IA team was drawn to Harella House, once home to a UK clothing exporter in the 1930s, during their site selection process. Now upgraded, the building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating and a significant reduction in carbon emissions, and so the structure’s fourth floor (complete with  pitched roof, huge open area, large windows, mezzanine, terrace, and architectural features of wood and brick) seemed ideal for their new London studio.

The concept behind Harella House was based on the premise that work is an activity, not a place. With additional, carefully considered spaces such as the Haven – which can be used a second breakout space, a smaller, more intimate place for meditation or a mothers’ room – Harella House aims to inspire innovation and enables interpersonal experiences for employees that can only happen face-to-face, all within the casual comfort and ambience of home.

Showcasing the process with Universal Design Studio

Also relocating to Clerkenwell, Universal Design Studio redesigned its own office space – alongside that of its sister company Map Project Office – in hopes of flipping the script on the ‘traditional office’. Steering clear of siloed private offices and underused communal spaces, both companies now share an open-plan space of 1,020 sqm, that aims to offer more transparent views of their working process.

Production-oriented features include a reception area that doubles as an exhibition space, two new workshops with a rapid prototyping facility and a materials library, alongside a choice of communal areas to encourage collaborative work when needed. Keeping décor minimal and considered, the studio opted for open plywood units and left industrial pipework exposed.

Sustainability and inclusivity at Gensler, San Fransisco

Re-establishing itself in downtown San Francisco, global architecture, design and planning firm Gensler has taken flexible working in its stride. Based in the historic Mills Building – a stone’s throw from where Gensler was originally founded in 1965 – the redesign strived to make this workplace a destination and not an obligation, which also serves the diverse needs of all its employees. Collaborative workstations were therefore complemented by over 12 seating postures to accommodate all physical abilities.

Also underpinning the design was a sincere focus on sustainability and a drastic reduction in the firm’s carbon footprint. In pursuit of this, Gensler retrofitted the space to run on all-electric utilities and utilised a range of innovative, environmentally conscious building materials, including reclaimed farmhouse wood from Napa and flooring made from acoustic-absorbing biopolymer.