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BDG Architecture + Design (BDG) has completed the retrofit of the former Financial Times HQ into a new campus for its parent company WPP

The One Southwark Bridge scheme has reworked and upgraded the 1980s building with a new lightweight, thermally-efficient façade developed with Squire & Partners.

The project creates a new campus for WPP, the marketing and communications giant of which BDG is a wholly-owned subsidiary.

The building, which has stood empty since the Financial Times vacated it in 2019, has been reworked both internally and externally, significantly upgrading its environmental performance and improving the surrounding public realm.

Externally, the outdated façades were removed and the building stripped back to its concrete and steel structure before a new lightweight, thermally-efficient façade was installed, developed in partnership with architect Squire & Partners.

The lower levels are clad in textured glass reinforced concrete (GRC) panels inspired by the stony, silty deposits left on the Thames riverbank at low tide. Further up the building, dark bronze, perforated aluminium fins respond to the orientation of the building, bringing different levels of solar shade across each elevation. A blue sawtooth roof crowns the building, inspired by a printworks that once stood on the site, and concealing all the M&E plant, which was relocated from street level.

The landscape around the building has been redesigned to improve the public realm, making it fully accessible and reconnecting it to the surrounding streets. As part of this, the north elevation of the existing building has been cut back at ground level to widen the river path and accommodate a new public café.

Internally the new workplace offers hospitality-led amenities for around 3,000 employees with general office space, meeting rooms, collaboration spaces and various shared areas for social activities and hosting clients.

The building’s usable area has been increased by approximately 50 per cent by extending existing floor plates, adding a new level and the moving of the mechanical plant to the roof. The scheme has seen almost 75 per cent of the original structure retained, saving approximately 60 per cent embodied carbon compared with demolition and rebuild, and has achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating.

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USM London is the one-stop shop in the city for all your modular furniture needs

There isn't a storage need that USM doesn't have a solution for: its modern, colourful offering is now on view to discover at the Swiss company's new London showroom

By Rosa Bertoli

USM just opened its new London outpost, located in Marylebone and offering a panoramic view of the Swiss company's impressive modular furniture portfolio.

This is a strategic move for USM, which has traditionally been based in Clerkenwell, in the heart of the contract furniture district. Moving to Marylebone is an opportunity for the brand to showcase its offering in a more domestic-led environment, expanding its reach to the city's residential market and showing the possibilities of its modular furniture.

The mood in the new outpost is decidedly intimate, with large expanses of shelving and office-oriented furniture displayed alongside home-like vignettes.

The showroom was created by multidisciplinary studio ForEveryday.Life, who designed a space based on USM's 350x350mm Haller grid, creating an environment that is in itself a response to and a reflection of its modular structures.

As you journey through the showroom, you'll discover something for every space, from shoe storage in the hallway to floor-to-ceiling kitchen storage, and units designed to hold plant pots.

The ingenious versatility of USM furniture is further exemplified by some bespoke hacks, such as the theatre room created in collaboration with Leica, featuring a high-performance projector built into a storage unit.

A space for temporary art and design showcases a debut display by ceramic artist Abid Javed, with future plans including a rotating series of exhibitions of emerging and established creatives.

Descending into the lower ground floor through a glass-flanked central staircase, guests find themselves in a listening lounge and bar area, furnished with a pair of Utrecht Armchairs by Gerrit Rietveld, part of the Cassina I Maestri collection.

Elsewhere on this floor, the modular furniture complements a bedroom set, its minimal white frames serving as perfect wardrobe-like storage—and even doubling as a laundry basket.

It is a space that offers a lot to be discovered, whether you're in the market for a full storage solution for your home or want to address a specific need. And the timeless nature of the USM structures (having been around, and unchanged, since 1965) means you are in incredibly good hands.

USM London, Marylebone Square, 12 Cramer Street, W1U 4DA

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USM moves to Marylebone: A new era of luxury modular living

While office environments have been incorporating domestic aesthetics for some time now, furniture typically associated with the workplace has also been finding a place in our homes. So much so that USM, the Swiss manufacturer of slick modular units, has made a call to move its London showroom from Clerkenwell to Marylebone. “Already considered a classic piece of furniture throughout Europe, in the UK we are now seeing a greater demand for steel furniture in private homes. Moving forward, USM aims to introduce its brand to a broader audience and challenge the perception that it is solely for office spaces,” says Mirko Müller, CEO of USM UK.

For 60 years, USM has been synonymous with modular innovation. Launched in 1965 the modular system, based on a chrome-plated steel tube framework with metal panels quickly gained popularity in corporate offices around the world. Its minimalist aesthetic, durability and flexibility made it a favourite in modern workspaces. In the 1990s USM furniture began to attract interest beyond offices, appealing to design-conscious consumers.

The new Marylebone shop redefines the showroom as a curated journey through the possibilities of modular living. Set within a thoughtfully composed, residential-inspired interior, the space has been crafted as a living showcase of USM’s precision-engineered furniture – demonstrating how its signature system can adapt to a range of domestic settings.

Visitors are welcomed by a low, understated credenza – an elegant hallway solution that hints at the brand’s blend of form and function. From there, the layout flows into a beautifully composed kitchen zone, anchored by a striking floor-to-ceiling installation that effortlessly displays glassware and kitchen essentials. Here, USM’s World of Plants collection adds a verdant twist, integrating herbs and greenery in a way that’s as visually engaging as it is practical.

In the living room, USM’s modular system is reimagined as a sleek home cinema, developed in collaboration with Leica. Nearby, a bold display features sculptural works by Abid Javed, part of a rotating art programme set to spotlight a range of creatives throughout the year.

A central staircase descends to the lower ground floor, where the mood turns more intimate. A refined bar and listening lounge feature a sleek media unit with a curated vinyl collection, while a serene bedroom setting highlights USM’s wardrobe capabilities. A dedicated workspace and training area round out the brand’s vision for adaptable, multi-functional living.

Designed by ForEveryday.Life, the store concept echoes USM’s iconic 350 x 350mm Haller grid, turning the floorplan into a modular reflection of the product – flexible, versatile, and scalable. The move from Clerkenwell to Marylebone signals USM’s evolving vision. As demand grows for sustainable, adaptable furniture, the USM system offers seamless solutions – from striking shelving and bespoke media consoles to fully customised home offices – tailored to modern living.

The new Marylebone store offers an immersive experience, allowing visitors to explore curated residential settings and discover exclusive collaborations with like-minded brands.

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Renowned for its iconic modular furniture system, Swiss manufacturer USM has embarked on a new chapter, moving its London showroom from the heart of Clerkenwell and to a vibrant new luxury retail and residential development in Marylebone. Offering homeowners the chance to reside in a new luxury apartment block in the centre of London, Marylebone Square is home to 54 apartments with the ground floor spaces being tenanted by carefully chosen boutiques and restaurants. USM became the first to open its doors two weeks ago.

For USM, this relocation reflects the growing popularity of its system within residential spaces, a shift they have seen take hold more rapidly in recent years after expanding into the residential sector in the 1990s. With Clerkenwell being a design hub for the contract sectors, the location has served the company well allowing them to build close relationships with neighbouring commercial interior design and architectural studios. The system has become a staple in offices and workspaces since its conception 60 years ago by USM and Swiss architect Fritz Haller, largely due to its practical functionality and superior quality. However, as homeowners today seek out multi-functional, design-led furniture that can easily adapt and evolve as needs and requirements change, its benefits are translating well into modern homes as conscious consumers are intentionally investing into a design classic while prioritising values of longevity and circularity.

Helping homeowners and designers to visualise the multiple configuration possibilities that a USM system offers, the new store guides visitors through different room sets, from a kitchen, living room, home office and even a home cinema area designed in collaboration with Leica that shows how a projector can be discreetly housed within the system. Awash with colour, thanks to USM’s growing selection of vibrant finish options, the window display features the USM Haller World of Plants furniture with tonal houseplants integrated into the system. 

Alongside the central staircase that leads to the lower ground floor, the sculptural ceramics of Abid Javed are displayed within a large-scale wall unit. This area will become a rotating presentation zone with different artists being featured throughout the year. Downstairs, the room sets continue with a central bar unit situated alongside a sophisticated listening lounge. With modular wardrobes also on display, both floors capture the versatility of the system and the diverse arrangements it can offer. 

Developed by design studio ForEveryday.Life, the store concept also nods to the components of the USM system with each zone and level being defined using a 350x350mm Haller grid. Reflecting the adaptability of the system directly, this new space presents USM in a renewed light that fully celebrates its timeless allure and relevance within contemporary homes, especially across London where bespoke configurations are often needed for more compact layouts. ‘Our move to Marylebone marks an exciting new chapter for USM in the UK,” says Mirko Mueller, the company’s UK CEO. “As demand grows for USM in the home, our new store allows us to express the full versatility of the system in a context that speaks to contemporary lifestyles and design culture.”

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USM has unveiled its latest London location, moving from Clerkenwell to the mixed-use development of Marylebone Square. Having mainly served commercial clients since its founding in 1965, this strategic move is fueled by the Swiss furniture manufacturer’s growing residential clientele.

Defined by their sleek, polished chrome frames and “candy-colored” panels, USM Modular Furniture boasts an industrial character; however, in recent years, a cultural affinity for office-coded aesthetics and mid-century design has given the brand new relevance with rising generations.

To showcase its attention to the high-end residential market, the two-story space is divided into zones reminiscent of a lived-in space, complete with entryway storage welcoming visitors. The store concept, headed by the firm ForEveryday.Life, makes efficient use of the 350x350mm Haller grid to define the space.

The store features new integrations like the USM Haller World of Plants displays and a home theater designed with Leica, containing a discreet high-performance projector. Elsewhere, a living room adorned by an art display is joined by a bar area and vinyl listening lounge, and finally, a serene sleeping quarters features modular wardrobes and a dedicated office.

See the gallery above for a closer look at the new USM London showroom and find the showroom address below.

USM Marylebone Square
12 Cramer Street
London W1U 4DA

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Fashion, sports, wine, and spirits often have separate worlds, but for NBA icon and entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony, they intertwine seamlessly within his endeavors. In an industry increasingly defined by cultural diversity and multi-disciplinary creativity, Anthony has embraced his multifaceted interests to create a lifestyle brand [StayMe7o] that transcends interests and cultural boundaries.

The community lies within brands and with the help of harness-inspired brand Siegelman Stable, and founder Max Siegelman, Anthony celebrated his and business partner Asani Swann’s wine estate brand VII(N) The Seventh Estate, at an intimate dinner in New York City at the Siegelman Stable’s Holiday pop-up shop at 10 Greene Street. The night hosted influential names like BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester, marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, NBA stylist Chantelle Thach, and Bravo TV reality television star Jordan Emmanuel, to name a few, with the space designed by architectual firm For Everyday Life.

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Siegelman Stable has had a busy 2024 — collaborating with everyone from the New York Knicks to the American Red Cross and releasing several seasonal collections — and now the brand is set to put a bow on its most eventful year yet with a month-long pop-up. Located in New York City’s Soho neighborhood, the pop-up will feature the brand’s full Winter 2024 range, shop-exclusive releases and even restocks of hats and garments from past seasons plus a full-service coffee bar in partnership with Bluestone Lane.

Aesthetically, the pop-up uses a rich “Dock Blue” shade, one of Siegelman Stable’s signature tones. Velvet and suede are used on curtains, seating and more for a feeling of luxury that aligns with the brand’s ethos and evolves the brand’s in-person vision from its previous weekend-long pop-ups.

“This is our biggest opportunity yet to show who we are as a brand in person for a significant amount of time, at the best time of the year,” said brand founder Max Siegelman. “[Our Sprint '24 pop-up] reopened our eyes to why it is so important for an e-comm-founded brand to bring our story and clothing to life.”

The Siegelman Stable holiday pop-up will be open from Friday, November 29 through Friday, December 20. It’s located at 10 Greene St, New York, New York, 10013 — pieces will range in price from $38-$2,200 USD.

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During ICON’s official SXSW 2024 event yesterday, DOMUS EX MACHINA, ICON announced the phase I winners of Initiative 99, the global architecture competition to reimagine affordable housing that can be built for $99,000 or less. Joining ICON’s Melodie Yashar, VP of Building Design and Performance on stage to present the winners was Darlene Goins, president of the Wells Fargo Foundation who was the lead sponsor of the competition. As part of the announcement, Goins announced that the Wells Fargo Foundation is committing $500,000 in grant funding to Austin-based nonprofit Mobile Loaves & Fishes to help bring to life Initiative 99-designed homes and see multiple homes built at Community First! Village to serve the underhoused community.

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United Kingdom-based office For Everyday.Life (FEL) is one of the three selected winners for the Open Category of ICON’s Initiative 99, an open competition aiming to promote affordable home designs that can be built for under $99,000 employing ICON’s 3D printing technologies. FEL’s project, titled “Housing Salinas,” focuses on community living while applying principles of long-term sustainability, and social and environmental responsibility.

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For Everyday.Life (FE.L) presents its award winning design ‘Housing Salinas’ during London Design Week at the Material Matters Fair for the first time since it was presented at SXSW in March 2024. ‘Housing Salinas‘ is one of the winners of Initiative 99, a global architecture competition to design affordable housing for under $99,000, launched by ICON the pioneering construction technology company based in Austin, Texas.

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Design studio For Everyday Life presents its Housing Salinas project at design fair Material Matters during London Design Festival 2024.

The project, which won an Initiative 99 award, is an affordable housing project incorporating 3D-printing technology by construction technology firm Icon and mortar-based concrete CarbonX.

Designed in response to displacement caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, the houses aim to be socially and environmentally conscious, with construction costs at US$99,000 (£75,843) per home.

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FE.L Debuts Award-Winning ‘Housing Salinas’ at London Design Week: A Vision for Sustainable, Affordable Housing

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Winning the award for Best Project up to 2,500m2, the Quad O2, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is a small building with powerful solutions for sustainable, inclusive design. The judges were particularly impressed by the integration of technology, including wellbeing sensors and high-efficiency MEP systems. Despite its modest size, the project stood out to the judges for its significant reduction in energy demand and small carbon footprint, achieved through a ‘fabric first’ approach, due to the selection of materials which strengthen the building envelope. The project also incorporates elements of biophilic design and natural lighting to create an inclusive environment, catered to diversity and accessibility needs.

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BDG architecture + design completed a 39,300 square-foot WPP office in Atlanta, focusing on a post-pandemic design with warm tones, natural materials, and local sourcing for a welcoming space.

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DG unites 12 creative agencies at WPP’s Atlanta Campus

The vision of BDG architecture + design, the LEED Gold-certified fit-out is the latest addition to the Beltline, an urban renewal project transforming Atlanta’s disused railroads.

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Search engine company Google has purchased the Renzo Piano-designed Central Saint Giles development in London for £730 million, as it commits to a future of physical office working.

The technology giant has agreed to buy Central Saint Giles, where it has rented office space since 2012, from the Legal & General Group and Mitsubishi Estate.

Google intends for the building complex – located in London's West End near Oxford Street, an area hard-hit by the exodus of office workers during the pandemic – to continue to serve as one of its London headquarters.

Designed by Piano, the complex has a bright facade in tiled blocks of red, yellow, lime green and orange, not dissimilar to Google's own logo. It contains around 38,000 square metres of office space, which is currently shared between Google and other tenants.

Move represents "continued confidence in the office"

In a post on Google's blog, UK & Ireland vice-president and managing director Ronan Harris said that the purchase signalled the company's confidence that workers would return to physical offices at the end of the pandemic.

"Based in London's thriving West End, our investment in this striking Renzo Piano-designed development represents our continued confidence in the office as a place for in-person collaboration and connection," said Harris.

Harris said that Google would accommodate employee preference to remain working remotely some of the time.

"Whilst the majority of our UK employees want to be on-site some of the time, they also want the flexibility of working from home a couple of days a week," he said. "Some of our people will want to be fully remote. Our future UK workplace has room for all of those possibilities."

Building to be refurbished

Google also announced that it would be giving its spaces at Central Saint Giles a multimillion-pound refurbishment over the next few years.

The refurbishment will focus on creating spaces that support Google's vision of the future of work, with an emphasis on collaboration, flexibility and wellbeing.

Renderings of the interiors by BDG Architects show spaces such as a "quiet zone" with nooks for individual-focused work and a wellness-orientated overhead art installation that provides "a window to the passing clouds".

There will also be "team pods", which Harris describes as "flexible new space types that can be reconfigured in multiple ways" depending on need – whether it's for focused work, collaboration or a mixture of both.

Covered outdoor workspaces will allow employees to work in the fresh air, while a feature staircase will encourage the movement of people across the building and open out to a lounge area on each floor.

Google creating King's Cross campus

Google now has 6,400 employees in the UK and will have capacity for 10,000 across its sites countrywide once its King's Cross campus, which was designed by BIG and Thomas Heatherwick, is complete.

The campus represents the company's first wholly owned and designed building outside of the US. It will comprise more than 92,900 square metres of office space, of which Google will occupy approximately two-thirds.

Central Saint Giles was Piano's first work in the UK, completed ahead of the Shard. Located at 1 Saint Giles High Street, its mid-rise buildings are arranged around a public courtyard with shops and restaurants.

When Google first unveiled its offices there a decade ago, the focus was on social and fitness spaces, balcony gardens that enabled staff to grow their own vegetables, and bright colours that included giant Union Jacks.

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Aug.2017

BDG architecture + design worked closely with all WPP companies in Hamburg, evaluating their requirements in order to develop the strategic architectural brief. This included utilisation and accommodation analysis, observational studies and senior level workshops, results of which defined and formed the workplace strategy for a consolidated working environment.

Aug.2017

BDG architecture + design worked closely with all WPP companies in Hamburg, evaluating their requirements in order to develop the strategic architectural brief. This included utilisation and accommodation analysis, observational studies and senior level workshops, results of which defined and formed the workplace strategy for a consolidated working environment.

July.2017

BDG’s design for the new Maxus office in the Alphabeta development in central London was based around choice, flexibility, change, efficiency and collaboration.

May.2017

Sky's the limit for latest theory in office design.

A revamp allowed the UK broadcaster to redefine the way staff collaborate and work.

Sea Containers, by BDG architecture + design, is crowned the most Innovative office in the UK 2017.

April.2017

Judges were unanimous in awarding the Sky Digital Centre of Excellence the BCO Innovation Award. The judges said the project reused and transformed an empty retail unit, incorporating a new mezzanine floor, into a vibrant and successful workplace. There was a high degree of risk taking as the incorporation of a mezzanine was especially hard, but the judges added that this has created a highly appealing work environment, able to help attract and retain the best staff in a very competitive market.

Mar.2017

Ogilvy gives us an insight into its stylish workplace by BDG at Sea Containers House on the South Bank in a new feature called ‘The Way we Work’.

Jan.2017

Case study of the Maxus London HQ in the award winning Alphabeta building in central London.

"Once a dilapidated and unloved building, the judges were impressed with the transformation of Sea Containers House into a dynamic and creative workspace for Ogilvy & Mather and their associated businesses. Innovative changes to the structure have created a series of double height spaces that connect the floors, but also take maximum advantage of the dramatic external environment of the Thames which sits immediately adjacent. Flooded with daylight, the judges highlighted how these spaces define the building and have become natural hubs for staff interaction, allowing the creativity of the business to flourish."

SKY Digital Centre of Excellence, BCO winner in the Innovation category:

"The judges were impressed by the display of skill and creativity displayed by the winner’s whole scale transformation of a previously empty retail unit, into a vibrant and successful workplace.
The judges were unanimous in their decision to award the first North of England, North Wales and Northern Ireland Innovation trophy to the Sky Digital Centre of Excellence, Leeds."

Dec.2016

The Times - Racontuer

The artificial intelligence revolution is well underway and soon it will not just be the simplest tasks being done routinely by machines, but some carried out by bankers, lawyers and doctors as pattern-learning programs are developed to extract meaning, take decisions and compose sentences. This Future of Work Special Report, published in The Times, examines the rise of machines in the workplace, how virtual personal assistants will change everyday lives and warns that cyber gangs could take control of the robots. The report also reveals how real-time tech translators promise to knock down language barriers.

Oct.2016

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BDG architecture + design has developed the new digital hub of Global telecom company Sky located in Leeds.

Oct.2016

BDG architecture + design was appointed by Maxus, a global media planning and buying agency, to design their new 2,880 m² offices in the recently refurbished Alphabeta building in Worship Street London.

Oct.2016

WRK / LDN: How and where Londoners will work in the future.

In October 2016, NLA launched WRK / LDN, a major Insight Study, exhibition and events programme examining the changing nature of work in London, and its impact on future offices and spaces of the city - featuring BDG and their innovative work at Sea Containers on the Southbank.

Sep.2016

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Sea Containers, has undergone a major refurbishment to provide a new office and hotel building, with Ogilvy and MEC the office tenants. 50% of their space has been taken from Shell + Core to enable the design team to influence the space in a more cost effective and architectural manner

Aug.2016

Neil Usher, Workplace Director at Sky says:

“The simple, striking and vibrant space right on the waterfront is a natural fit with the building and its surroundings, and sets Sky apart as a fantastic place to work in Leeds. It’s up there with the most inspiring tech innovation spaces you’ll find anywhere right now.”

Sea Containers, by BDG architecture + design, Office Interior of the Year

Mix Interiors, SKY Digital Centre of Excellence by BDG architecture + design

Aug.2016

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The new landmark headquarters for Ogilvy Group UK have been completed, designed in an innovative collaborative venture between BDG and Matheson Whiteley to deliver a truly unique response to a client brief, the end result is a fresh vision for workplace architecture of the future. The 20,000 sq m workplace, located within Sea Containers, occupies a prominent location on the river Thames in London, between Tate Modern and the Oxo Tower.

Sea Containers by BDG architecture + design

Aug.2016

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BDG architecture + design was engaged by Sky in February 2015 to create the ‘Digital Centre of Excellence’ northern hub for Sky creating a new workspace platform.

July.2016

Sea Containers House, Office Life . . . . . but not as we know it.

Converting a landmark 1970s building into a central London HQ is one thing, but designing it to deliver radical new ways of working takes the challenge to a whole new level, as Ray Philpott dicovers.

June.2016

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Revamped Sea Containers House features offices designed to encourage interaction.

Mar.2016

Giant Steps for BDG

We bring you a first look at the new headquarters for Ogilvy & Mather Group UK. It has a superb vantage point overlooking the Thames and it’s a small wonder any of the staff get any work done in their new Sea Containers home, watching the boats sail past and the traffic pour over Blackfriars bridge.

Our cover star, BDG Architecture + Design’s creative director Colin Macgadie, is understandably buoyant about the project, especially as it has given the company the option to grow by 30% and still have enough space for everyone. An impressive futureproofing stat and no mistake.

Jan.2016

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BDG architecture + design has designed the new offices of global media planning company Maxus, located in London, England.

Aug.2015

Grey moved to the Johnson Building, Hatton Garden in 2007 and over the last 8 years the business has evolved and grown significantly. Grey recognised that they needed to re-examine the way they utilised their workspace in order to continue to support the business and truly reflect its brand. The leadership team required an environment that would represent Grey as the world class agency that they are, and were very open to radical ideas to transform the space.

Oct.2015

Grey moved to the Johnson Building, Hatton Garden in 2007 and over the last 8 years the business has evolved and grown significantly. Grey recognised that they needed to re-examine the way they utilised their workspace in order to continue to support the business and truly reflect its brand. The leadership team required an environment that would represent Grey as the world class agency that they are, and were very open to radical ideas to transform the space.

Aug.2015

WPP, the world’s leading advertising and marketing services group, is to create a new home for its operating companies in Madrid.

Apr.2015

There are very few pockets of our beloved Clerkenwell that remain untouched and undeveloped, but 6 Brewhouse Yard had, unbelievably, lain empty for five years. Perhaps it was the disconnected nature of the building, with its bland entrance that had resulted in it remaining untouched for so long? However, in the skilled and experienced hands of BDG architecture + design, this complex 30,000 sq ft development has been transformed into a vibrant media-hub that is home to an array of some leading creative agencies.

Judges Comments on Brand Union by BDG architecture + design:

"Intelligent planning of the spaces and the addition of innovative features have created a welcoming atmosphere and inventive workspace at this previously redundant building. The creative design has improved access and opened up the building to maximise use of lower ground space."

Feb. 2015

Whilst walking through many a new workplace project we often think to ourselves that our greatest challenge is going to be how we do real justice to the scheme in what is a relatively short number of words. And size really doesn’t matter with the smallest of projects also bringing innovation and interest.

However, today we’re visiting a project that is as big as it is impressive, full of innovation and interest. The new landmark headquarters for Ogilvy Group UK has been designed, in a collaborative venture between BDG and Matheson Whiteley, to deliver a truly unique response to the client brief.

April 2014

Recently, the working environments of advertising and media companies have been synonymous with slides that link floors, meetings in caravans and Astroturf in the reception.

Such elements of design, whilst fun and attention grabbing, belie what is a very mature and established business sector, with heritage and luminaries to rival the most traditional sector of law and finance.

It is just this that we are reminded of as we enter the floors of GroupM, WPP’s consolidated media investment management operation, serving as the parent company to a number of agencies including Maxus, MEC, MediaCom, Mindshare, Catalyst and Xaxis. It is the global number one media investment management group (RECMA July, 2012).

March 2014

Sea Containers House on the South Bank was chosen to house all the businesses and all 1,700 employees from both London offices. Something had to give – 1,100 people are squeezed into Ogilvy East and the canteen at lunchtime resembles a scene from Oliver Twist, says CEO Paul O’Donnell.

The South Bank, he says, is a “fantastic location” for a creative business and the building is very “democratic” as all the floors are the same – so there will be no tussles with business unit heads complaining that they have been stuck in a dark corner with low ceilings.

https://www.ft.com/content/2b9a77dc-a579-11e3-a7b4-00144feab7de

Jan. 2014

https://officesnapshots.com/2015/08/17/brand-union-london-offices/

June 2013

Feb. 2013

'Possible', shortlisted for the small to medium commercial interiors project of the year award at the MIX Interiors Awards.

Jan.2013

Feb. 2013

Nov. 2012

Issued by British Council for Offices · Apr 2012.

The BCO Scottish Judges commented on the design:

"The result is a truly inspiring office space, which is a welcome departure from traditional banking offices."