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Banking Circle

Location: London

Project Size: 9,815 sqft

Matching the world-class dynamism at the heart of its culture and vision is Banking Circle’s impressive new location at 68 King William Street, a landmark building wrapped in a grand façade in the capital’s commercial epicentre, standing in full view of London Bridge.

At a time of exciting growth, the company wanted the relocation and redesign of its office to serve as a reinvention of sorts, where the space would further fortify Banking Circle’s values as a knowledge-exchange hub, breaking down barriers, cultivating trust and empowering its users.

Woodalls set about harnessing the beauty of the space, boosting its striking features to their full potential, also while converting the architectural setbacks and challenges into strengths for a rejuvenated space that would nurture new client relationships. The intention was to create a fluid experience to improve productivity, creativity and overall wellbeing, exhibited by the playful circular design which embodies Banking Circle’s synergetic brand values.

A strategically-placed open-plan office benefits from the immense natural light of injecting energy into the workstation area. This timeless space is finished with warm, neutral colours and accents of burnt orange, light green walnut wood, concrete effect and textures, and vibrant greenery for a home-away-from-home atmosphere, all in order to promote an open and communicative culture where cross-functional collaboration is encouraged.

A social hub space was designed to break new ground and nurture spontaneous encounters, inviting staff to build meaningful relationships, in turn cultivating a welcoming culture that promotes a sense of inclusivity, community and diversity. Here, Woodalls incorporated a variety of settings and seating areas that stylishly tessellate and boost the community feel. This includes a feature curved bar, cafe tables, all-hands area, and booths adding a layer of privacy filled with sophisticated soft furnishings, greenery, artwork and an exposed ceiling.

In areas with restricted views and artificial light, or facing architectural challenges such as intrusive columns, Woodalls seamlessly incorporated these elements into the design for the client-facing meeting rooms, creating a room that connects the boardroom and touchdown in the open plan with artificial plants behind reeded glass in order to give the illusion of natural light and craft a comfortable and collaborative atmosphere with a focus on connection with nature.

Making the most of the more serene views at the back of the building, Woodalls installed a library space here, imbued with a darker colour palette, soft furnishings and homely décor such as books and rugs – a cocoon-like zone for people to recharge and relax.

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Services

Space Planning
Workplace Consultancy
Interior Design
Project Management
Architecture