As part of a UK-wide workplace transformation programme, international telecommunications company, BT, required a unique design concept for its new office space located on 2nd floor of the iconic Plaza building in the heart of Liverpool city centre. Working with The Instant Group, which matches businesses with their perfect flexible office space, ADT Workplace designed and delivered a transformational new workplace for the team, which if proved successful, BT could then roll out across its campus-style multi-building hubs across the UK.

Completing on 15th May, the project was delivered in just 11 weeks, including a brief break due to Covid-19 while our health and safety team worked quickly to ensure the site was able to continue to operate in a Covid-secure environment.

The vision

BT was looking to create an inclusive space with employee health and wellbeing at the very core. The company wanted to provide each employee with their own personal route to wellbeing by offering a wide variety of work settings, from traditional desk settings to quiet rooms, stand up meeting spaces and informal meeting areas, as well as areas for collaborative working, private meetings, relaxation and socialising. Despite having a very clear end goal in mind, both Instant and BT gave the ADT Workplace team the design freedom to bring the company’s cutting edge vision to life.

The transformation

By working in true partnership with the teams at BT and Instant over a period of six months, we were able to understand the needs and culture of the business and as such, design an inspiring and cutting edge space which is tailored to the organisation’s long term workplace strategy. This partnership approach also meant that all M&E systems were specified in line with BT’s clear procedures and policies, with particular importance given to ensuring the highest level of data security. For example, in order to meet BT’s strict security requirements, new data cabling and fibre connections were fitted throughout the new space.

The 39,688 sq.ft office comprises a number of BT ‘neighbourhoods’, each including a variety of work settings and breakout areas to suit individual personal needs of employees. And with no directional signage, the space has been cleverly designed so that employees are naturally directed around the space, to the different work settings.

While BT branding and associated colour palettes are used throughout, employees can also make use of lounge areas which have been created without links to the corporate branding, to encourage colleagues to take time out from work and unwind. Again, refreshment points throughout the office are designed independently to help the team take a break and relax out of the workplace environment.

Commenting on the project, the senior project manager at The Instant Group, said: “The ADT Workplace team was brilliant to work with and the space delivered far beyond our expectations. I’m confident that the new workspace will be transformational for the business in terms of improved employee wellbeing and office culture, as well increased productivity and talent attraction and retention.”

To view more images of the transformation, please view our projects page