BDG architecture + design has developed a new office design for Brand Union located in London, England.

6 Brewhouse Yard had lain empty for 5 years. It was a challenging building, with a disconnected layout and bland entrance , However, through a careful attention to the building structure with the developers and hands of BDG architecture + design, this complex 30,000 square foot development has been transformed into a vibrant media-hub that is home to an array of some leading creative agencies.

BDG worked closely with The Brand Union, along with Sudler & Hennessey, Digit London and Lambie Nairn, to deliver an architectural solution for the building. BDG’s initial design investigations identified a number of significant building interventions that were required in order to fully exploit the potential of the building, this gave the new tenants the opportunity to architecturally influence the space so that it could better support their workstyles.

Brand Union required a range of shared facilities for working, meeting and socialising. various facilities needed to reflect the tone of different interactions, from informal get togethers and formal internal meetings to client-facing situations for different types of companies.

The welcome area gives all visitors the desired glimpse of the creative working space on the floors without entering them. The creative industrial look with exposed services and concrete reinforces their culture, as well providing a social space with lockers and coffee points to encourage serendipitous encounters, located alongside a bespoke high bench to support various types of meetings. This bench has wheels so it can be easily removed as required to reconfigure the space for larger team and town hall meetings.

Circulation was another key consideration and the overall design encourages people to flow through the space and to use shared facilities.

On the ground floor, the four breakout boxes have different materials: timber, felt and rough variated timber and zinc, which all add textural interest. Each one is designed to be used in a different way, from booth seating to stand up working to softer seating and individual concentrated working. They are all non-bookable and promote spontaneity of creative thought. Work areas have large expanses of writable, magnetic surfaces with slat wall, movable shelves. These can display work to create project areas and encourage team input, as well as celebrating achievements.

The central amenities are not just ‘places’ but people too, these include the facilities, post, IT teams, receptionists along with the shared ‘spaces’ such as bike store, meeting rooms, quiet room, project rooms, coffee bar, toilets, showers and a terrace.

The breakout spaces on the ground floor range from unupholstered booths, stand up review areas, comfy sit down meeting rooms, individual work and reference/study areas. All are non-bookable and open to everyone.

Design: BDG architecture + design
Photography: Jefferson Smith

via Office Snapshots