Game development studio Electric Square previously had their teams split between two properties and wanted to consolidate their workforce into one office space to form a united team. With the rise of hybrid working, the gaming studio opted to take half the amount of space they were originally looking for and focused on creating a flexible workspace that offered the needed social space to bring all their staff together, taking two floors of a newly built property on Circus Street.
Electric Square wanted to provide more communal areas for their staff to make the most of as a way of encouraging their people back into the office and bringing their teams together in the wake of the pandemic. The large breakout area marks a significant improvement from their last offices, providing both event space and a place staff to break away from their workstations with a gaming arcade area which also provides opportunity for employees to relax and interact in an informal setting.
The floorplate of the lower floor is split into two halves to create distinct working areas for different project teams. This is enabled by flexible furniture such as mobile partitions which can be utilised to help define the teams’ working spaces, and desking which can be split into different team sizes depending on their project needs. Additional meeting rooms and support spaces provide extra workspaces as and when they are required by staff, complete with the necessary technology for those working from home to connect to the office.
In order for the business to uphold the confidentiality of their projects, their staff work areas are reserved for the lower floor whilst the upper floor comprises workspaces for support functions which do not have to take client privacy considerations into account. This enables Electric Square to host visitors freely on the upper floor, which is designed as a client-facing space holding different sized meeting rooms, a large boardroom and a breakout area with views of Brighton for guests to enjoy.
The fit out of Electric Square’s office was designed to make the space feel a part of the building, which has an industrial aesthetic that is already in-keeping with their brand. We opted to leave the raised access floor exposed to create more a natural feel that remained consistent with the concrete columns. To complement this, a micro-cement concrete worktop was poured on-site whilst the walls were painted a similar colour to concrete. Light fittings were also re-used from the existing base build and only supplemented by a couple of feature lights made of steel or brass, all contributing to an urban impression and identity that speaks to their brand.
The office space is infused with the Electric Square brand, having introduced their electric blue brand colour into the teapoint and wall features of blue backlit artwork of their various titles which were carried over from their previous workspace. The combination of branded graphics and industrial finishes accurately communicates Electric Square’s personality and delivers a working environment that they can be proud of.
Team:
Architect: Oktra
Photography: Oliver Pohlmann
