Vubiquity Future-Proofed Workspace for the Digital Age

The Challenge

As a premium broadcast and digital content provider, Vubiquity wanted to create a market-leading working environment that encouraged social interaction between teams, as well as creating a studio experience for visitors and staff. The key need was to consolidate employees from sites across London into a single contemporary office environment that better reflected the Vubiquity global brand. The office needed to be flexible enough to accommodate an expanding workforce in the future, as well as to attract and retain the best staff and global corporate client organisations.

The Design Solution

Through a process of workplace strategy sessions, several drivers were translated into a progressive spatial design that maximised daylight and views across the River Thames for staff working areas. Operational functions were positioned in the centre of the plan in direct proximity to the relevant services. Client-facing functions, such as the boardroom, were also positioned away from the river views to afford staff the highest quality spaces. Our research has shown that while employees spend about 5 percent of their work day socialising, they rank this activity of equal importance to collaboration and heads-down working. To address this, three river-facing breakout areas were designed for staff to enjoy daily. The interior space captures the creative, technology-driven nature of the managed services business, whilst brokering the gap between production and media services. There is a focus throughout on interesting design features and fully integrated technology. The look and feel reflects the nature of the film industry, calling on raw and natural materials, such as; concrete, wood and metal; juxtaposed against the glass box nature of the original base build. A wide variety of settings and furniture types allow users more choice over how and where they work. Open areas for collaboration promote social interaction between teams. These work alongside individual spaces for more focused work and private phone call booths.

The Design Impact

Post-occupancy feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Younger employees report a new atmosphere in the office from increased levels of informal collaboration; staff talk to each other more than they did in the past. This re-energised atmosphere is thought to be one of many effective barriers against staff leaving the company.