Gresham, a technology and software company needed an office as a result of accelerating expansion and to provide their staff with an office that can bring everyone together. The tech company’s previous office in Latteridge, based on a farm, was bursting at the seams. Teams were separated by individual barns which did not aid collaboration or cohesion between departments.

The Brew House in Bristol was found, a grade II listed building in a more central, bustling area and able to meet the needs of their rapid expansion. Gresham wanted the office space to attract talent, support retention, increase bonds and ultimately showcase the company.

With a focus on the staff, Interaction designed a space that would flow throughout the day. Analysing how different parts of the office are utilised at different stages in the working day, the office design was adapted to reflect this flow. Gresham really wanted a great place to work, which meant a place where everyone could get together for multiple purposes, such as; meetings, coffee breaks, private space to work and socialising after work.

The energetic and vibrant colours highlight the fun and fast-paced environment that Gresham represent. The largely open plan office encourages employees to collaborate and work together, not just within but across different departments. There is also more focused work areas adjacent to the open plan space in order for people to have the choice and flexibility to be able to concentrate.

Interaction decided upon a contemporary office design to suit the modern and innovate company, but the Brew House is an old building with a lot of stunning original features that had to be accentuated. The beautiful original windows and brickwork wrap around the contemporary core of the workplace. The high ceilings and curved brickwork are immediately striking and you are reminded of the heritage of the building.

It was important to Gresham for Interaction to introduce design features that can enable employees to work in a different way, and use space differently. A tiered seating area was introduced which transformed Gresham’s idea of what they wanted from a meeting room, creating a flexible and colourful room that is now one of the most used areas in the office. The area is used for standing meetings, training, meetings and video conferences. Interaction also hand built a bespoke trophy unit so Gresham can showcase and celebrate the success of their Bristol office.

A highlight of the project is the striking tea point, not only striking because of the buoyant colours, but also for the impressive and large wooden feature that flows from the floor up the wall and across the top of the tea point. Reinforcing the theme of an office design with a purposeful flow, this feature emphases the fact that the tea point is a hub to gather and socialise. In keeping with a
quirky and modern office design the eclectic mix of colours and furniture adds to the uniqueness of the space. Representing also the uniqueness of Gresham’s employees and showing that despite their differences, coming together just works.

The result, after just 6 weeks on site – is a playful energetic space that was delivered snag free. The client was delighted and realised early on the huge potential and impact the new workplace could have on the business. Since moving into the innovation labs Gresham has filled all its vacant positions in Bristol in just a few months; something they have been trying for 2 years!

“We were looking for a new space to house our growing tech talent in Bristol and wanted an environment that would reflect our creative forward thinking culture and development philosophy. This new space at the Brew House, designed by Interaction, is perfectly set up to allow the sort of exciting collaborations that really make the technology fly and showcases Gresham as a modern employer with the wow factor.”
– Neil Vernon, CTO, Gresham

The quality and delivery of our office was never in doubt with Interaction. Their enthusiastic, honest and collaborative approach meant that we could easily trust that the project would be delivered on time and on budget. But the team went beyond this, creating a workspace we could never have imagined with their creative and forward thinking design.”
– Kim Atkinson, HR Recruitment Manager, Gresham

Photography by Rebecca Faith