Woods Bagot has developed a new office space for Warner Music UK located in London which brings together a variety of record labels under the same roof.

A major refurbishment and fit out for Warner Music UK has enabled the company to consolidate its London operations from across six buildings to three—including a new HQ building in a phased construction program. With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music is the world’s third-largest recorded music business. It is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Atlantic, East West, Parlophone, Rhino, Warner Bros., Warner Classics and leading music publishers Warner/Chappell Music.

The design approach seeks to optimise the consolidation of Warner Music’s property portfolio into three buildings in West London, bringing its key music labels under one roof in the new ‘HQ Music House’, 27 Wrights Lane. This property strategy allows the key functions of the business—the record labels, the publishing arm and the back-of-house functions—to operate more efficiently and within close proximity of one another.

The space seeks to express the brand and identity of each label, whilst still making a clear statement that the Wrights Lane building is the company’s London headquarters. Lighting levels are subdued, ceilings are exposed, retained timber floors are stained black and black-painted window frames are surrounded by a distinctive deep green finish running along the perimeter of each floor. No floor plate of the tenancy is of a similar configuration, thus providing the impetus for some innovative and unique uses to ensure the space delivered the efficiencies required not only to house 500 staff but also to allow flexibility for future expansion.

The atrium area provides a vibrant hub at the heart of the building for staff to come together throughout the day. All the furniture—apart from a fixed bar counter—is modular (on castors) and can be removed and/or repositioned to hold events such as dinner parties, town hall gatherings, live gigs and other social gatherings. The same concept has been applied to the reception waiting area where small live gigs take place, activating the glass façade. The design delivers high quality interiors that offer recording artists an attractive and comfortable environment—far from a conventional office design—in which to interact with Warner Music executives, as well as creating an exciting and enjoyable workplace for staff.

Design: Woods Bagot / Emma Smith / Natasha Bonugli / Greta Kriovaite / Nicholas Byok / Chris Columbus / Lisa Humphries / Davinder Ranu / Phoebe Settle
Photography: Gareth Gardner Photography & Journalism

via Office Snapshots