ADT Workplace has created a post pandemic workplace for leading business and financial adviser, Grant Thornton UK LLP in the heart of Manchester. The company selected a 13,219sq.ft space located in the centre of the city’s thriving business district, in the prestigious BREEAM Excellent Landmark Building at St Peter’s Square. Following a competitive tender process, the team selected ADT Workplace as its partner to design and build its new office, which was completed in late October.
Our team provided a wide scope of services including workplace consultancy, conceptual design, detailed and architectural design, mechanical and electrical design, cost and project management, and aftercare, to help Grant Thornton create a workplace fit for its present and future requirements.
The vision
Having acknowledged the accelerant in workplace culture brought about due to the pandemic, Grant Thornton was looking to create a contemporary space which would allow its 350-strong Manchester-based team to adopt to a new flexible way of working. The space needed to reflect the company’s best-in-class positioning and inspire collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing among the team, while also ensuring it delivered a great experience for visitors.
The transformation
The open plan floor plates at Landmark allowed our team to tailor the design to Grant Thornton’s specific requirements and unique vision, delivering a timeless and elegant space. One which recognises the changing environment of corporate workplaces and provides an engaging workplace where people can thrive and the next generation of workers will be inspired.
Opting against a traditional reception area, people are welcomed into a relaxed breakout space where colleagues and visitors can gather informally in a comfortable setting. With striking lighting, opulent furniture and fittings and contemporary design, the office delivers the wow factor from the offset. Further into the space, the design offers a wide variety of workplace settings including traditional desks, collaboration areas, private working pods, quiet rooms and creative breakout spaces, supporting an open culture and encouraging productivity, creativity and motivation.
Creating a sustainable and intelligent environment which supports the health and wellbeing of employees was also a key project driver. By applying our eight ADT Wellspace principles at the design and scoping stage of the project, our team was able to ensure Grant Thornton will not only provide a truly healthy workplace environment for its people, but one that will deliver real business benefits as well, from increased productivity, concentration and memory retention, to less absenteeism and improved talent attraction and retention.
As well as a range of amenities to support employee wellbeing, including the ‘Newloves’ social and event area and a multi-faith room, the impressive space also benefits from a panoramic roof terrace, which has been transformed into an outdoor haven where the team can take time out to relax overlooking the bustling city below.
The abundance of natural light owing to the floor-to-ceiling windows is supported by high-efficiency lighting systems, while the use of sustainable materials and biophilic elements enhance the feeling of being closer to nature. The use of high quality materials, whether sumptuous soft furnishings, partitions made of absorbing fabrics and finishes, or high-performance ceiling panels, all support in enhancing acoustic comfort and ensure noise pollution is not an issue within the open plan space.