When Sony Music was looking to fit out its new offices in Madrid it called on AECOM’s Strategy Plus team. Our design approach won out for two clear reasons:
• The methodology we proposed in the initial stages of the project to understand Sony’s real needs and how to use their new space to suit those needs.
• Our previous experience in creating innovative spaces that increase productivity and foster collaboration.

Sony Music’s previous Madrid head office was located in a dated 1980s building in a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. No longer in keeping with their brand identity, the age of the site and its outdated interiors were creating operational problems. Space was wasted; there was limited flexibility to accommodate future changes and there were too many enclosed spaces but not enough meeting rooms leading to a lack of open communication and ideas sharing.

The new HQ is located in the heart of Madrid on the Paseo de la Castellana, the most important avenue connecting the business and commercial parts of the city. Our concept was to shift the internal culture away from one of isolated working to a highly collaborative work environment, with music at its heart.

In this new atmosphere, employees could take ownership of the brand and live it. This approach would be led not only by the design of the work spaces but also through a client area featuring an auditorium for events and concerts to be used by artists, the press, client and employees. AECOM’s Strategy Plus team has helped Sony Music create a vibrant, contemporary work space that reflects its brand values and the digital age of music, providing an integrated, flexible space for staff to enjoy, bringing artists and their record label support teams closer together.