Rolls-Royce wanted their new Head Office to be an informal, non-hierarchical workplace. A place that supports greater team collaboration, is the perfect meeting place for visitors and the Board, and strongly reflects the corporate brand image.
King’s Cross was a strategic location choice to improve the transport links between the London hub and locations across the UK. The challenge was to create a meeting and workplace that would feel vibrant with the usual day-to-day population of 40 and support double that number on busy days—without feeling overcrowded.
When Unispace presented initial design concepts to the Rolls-Royce team, discussions revealed a clear alignment between our approach and the client’s
ambitions. We had understood their ‘direction of travel’ and were quickly appointed as Lead Designer.
Our design overcame challenges like the need to ensure high standards of security while still creating an open and welcoming reception area. Two elements were introduced to achieve this: a seating bench acts as a discreet barrier between reception and the conference suite while ‘open’ security gates, positioned between reception and the office space, close only when visitors fail to present a pass.
Rolls-Royce’s iconic logo is located proudly in the reception area and their new brand pattern suffuses throughout the front of house and shared areas.
Lighting in the reception area mimics the landing strip lights on a runway, as a nod to the aviation business. A dynamic digital artwork creates intrigue and a digital bust of Karl Maybach complements the 20th century bronze busts of the founders.
The footprint for the new workplace is smaller than the previous office, so space is at a premium. All large meeting rooms in the front-of-house area are capable of doubling up to create larger, more flexible spaces.
