Gain Capital Offices – London
Kinetic Workplace Limited was trusted by Gain Capital design their new offices, a US-based provider of online trading services, located in London, England.
Gain Capital were looking to relocate from the City of London to a Thames riverside location and in doing so wanted to change the way the staff worked by decreasing the desk based working and increasing the casual smart working with a larger amount of space given over to lounge, breakout and collaboration work / meeting spaces making the most of the river location views.
The project design brief evolved and incorporated Post CoVid working world in terms of how the new office would be utilised as the build took place during and between UK pandemic lockdowns 1& 2. This was particularly evident in the reduction of desk based working in the office. Post lockdown, staff predominantly had been working from home. It was felt that staff would no longer be working in the office 5 days a week, nor did they want to work at home 5 days a week in the new ways of working. So a 2-3 day per week in the office would mean that staff would tend to work collaboratively in the office when they did come in, re establishing social links when meeting face to face rather than desk based individual activity.
To meet this brief the design incorporated, mixed lower and higher floor levels, with black mesh balustrades to suit the base build warehouse style. Lower levels for carpeted lounge areas, raised plinth areas for meeting space and trading areas. The warehouse theme again continued through the Crittal style black transom glazed partitioning to Conference calling rooms. The large kitchen breakout overlooks the sun terrace above the river with a huge central bar island unit, copper lighting above suspended from industrial mesh black steel gantry. The Island side panels and rear wall of kitchen is adourned with Patina Copper feature tiles.
Other features include the circular hot desk room with chain suspended surfaces leading via spiral staircase to the turret room overlooking Tower Bridge and the Shard in distance.
Such a variety of places to work within the office that are away from the conventional desk, mixing comfort, relaxation, team / collaboration working in an environment that staff want to leave home for.
Design: Kinetic Workplace Limited
Photography: San Vid
