When the leases for International Game Technology PLC’s (IGT) three London offices were about to expire in 2016, the company acquired a 17,300 sq ft office at 10 Finsbury Square to create one big central office. Woods Hardwick, one of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary architectural practice, was appointed to maximise the space through creative and efficient design while delivering sound value for money. With the first office having to be relocated by 1 May 2016, and the remaining two planned to move on a phased basis in June 2016, time was of the essence.
The project, predominantly a fit-out scheme, required some sensible creative input; up until April the three offices were part of two separate companies – GTECH, the largest global lottery business, and IGT, the world leader in the gaming equipment space. After merging to create the world’s leading end-to-end gaming company and adopting the IGT name with GTECH’s visual identity, the new office needed to inspire employees and integrate historically different companies and departments.
Visually marrying two brands, as well as combining three offices into one, required some specific design considerations. The environment had to be suitable for HR as well as the more creative gaming/programming division of the company. According to the white paper ‘How to Create a Successful Organisational Culture: Build It – Literally’ [1] by Haworth’s Global Workplace Research department, creating workplace culture is the most important factor to take into account when designing office spaces.
As a new build with all the 17,300 sq ft of space on one floor, the new office building at 10 Finsbury Square did not offer the natural internal character of an older building. Therefore, Woods Hardwick, acting as design team leader, decided to flair into the vast space by using a playful colour palette. The colours were toned down for specific working zones to cater to the diverse needs of the employees, and at the same time, they were used to create unified company spirit.
To meet IGT’s multi-use space requirements consisting of 134 open plan desks, 15 offices, eight meeting rooms and a number of informal meeting spaces as well as support spaces, the architects decided on a holistic colour-led design approach.
The Playful Palette
Engaging office design plays a significant part when merging companies. Informal meeting spaces encourage staff interaction, which in return increases staff morale and, in the best case, leads to the generation of ideas through casual, verbal idea exchange. Creative interiors also allow companies to make a statement. However, the functionality of an interior concept should never be compromised in favour of gimmicky features.
Letting their imagination fly, but not being quirky for the sake of it, Woods Hardwick created spirited and playful communal spaces, using bold contemporary furniture and flashes of colour. The design and vision for the breakout and link spaces tie this playful palette together to ensure that the identity of each space is clearly representative of IGT’s creative aspirations.
Bringing it all together
Open plan offices encourage collaboration and creativity, but they also can be noisy and lack privacy for those employees who prefer a solitary space. While separate offices were kept to a minimum to encourage interaction between staff, the colours for these offices were a muted version of the Playful Palette in order to visually signal that the areas are quiet zones where brainstorms or meetings with e.g. prospective business partners take place, or the more introverted employees can take refuge from the hustle and bustle.
The desk layout was put in place to further guarantee that social interaction among employees happens organically. The differences and shared features of the various departments were taken into consideration to establish common ground and group staff together accordingly. This resulted in a flat hierarchy in terms of seating, with directors and the VP sitting among their team.
In order to maximise employee wellbeing, breakout spaces and communal areas were created around the perimeter of the building to allow for casual mingling and downtime. Because of the building’s structure, open views and plenty of natural light were provided. According to reports from the World Green Building Council, the International Well Building Institute and Human Spaces, daylight has been proven to have a whole heap of benefits for employees, including 46 minutes more sleep a night and increased creativity.[2]
Using the Playful Palette and mindful desk layout, Woods Hardwick were able to transform IGT’s office into a creative hub which merges two brand identities into one. Thus the surroundings are not only fit for purpose and support the employees’ but are also comfortable, visually appealing and welcoming, making the transition that much easier.
