Gleeds

The Brief: 

After spending over a decade at their previous office location, our client Gleeds – a global property and construction consultancy – secured the tenancy for the last remaining vacant suite within the recently regenerated Hodge House building in central Cardiff.

It quite quickly became apparent that the previous premises lacked space. Hodge House offered flexibility and creativity in abundance – as well as an extra 2,000 sq.ft of contemporary workspace for our successful client with big aspirations.

The aim of the new 5,000 sq.ft workspace for Gleeds in Cardiff was to bring people together – somewhere accessible and full of character, to enable growth and offer state-of-the-art facilities for teams to meet, greet, collaborate, and thrive.

The Solution:

Critical to the design was the requirement that everyone could communicate easily, and without barriers, whilst also being supported by plenty of additional areas to encourage people to move away from desks.

Despite already being used to working in an open plan environment at their previous location, through meticulous planning we accommodated everything the team needed for an agile, future-proof office layout.

Paying homage to the old v new design theme throughout the iconic building, Gleeds’ new workspace now includes a large cafe-style break out space, a 16-seater boardroom, wellbeing zone, as well as plenty of open and closed meeting areas varying in size throughout the open plan.

By introducing a more hybrid working style, staff would no longer be allocated individual workstations but given autonomy with regards to how best they work and for the task in hand.

Throughout any open plan environment, sound levels and acoustics need consideration, and our extensive knowledge of the Grade II listed building made us aware that to counteract the levels of noise reverberation, acoustic treatment to both walls and ceilings was essential. To satisfy the open and transparent element of the brief, we used sectional furniture pieces and acoustic rafts between the work area and adjacent social space, resulting in a more efficient workplace that effortlessly flows and allows teams to perform better.

A special feature as part of the design is their projects map artwork, using Polaroid photographs. Taking inspiration from the contour lines that feature within Gleeds’ brand, we created a 3D effect piece of artwork using 2D recycled PET material. Positioned in a prime spot at meet and greet, this creates a real talking point for clients and visitors alike.

Following the 10-week programme, we are delighted to have created a high-end, destination space that’s uplifting and dynamic, and where staff feel inspired. The thoughtful design options encourage positive interactions between teams, and we’ve no doubt will facilitate growth for our client here in Wales.

More Case Studies