This prestigious project provided new headquarters for the Economist Group – the first time the majority of their Group companies had been located in a single place.

"To help define the boundaries between the departments and also to bring interest and event to the large open plan space, a series of transition points or ’gateways’ were used to mark the passing from one department to the next. These are ‘loose fit’ in that they do not prevent the ebbs and flows of departmental sizes. The gateways also contain practical things like printer/recycling points, offices and meeting rooms."

Karl Taylor - Director

Identity
A flexible layout provides for the functional requirements and individual identity of each of the Group’s different companies while maintaining the overall Economist Group identity. The project was delivered with Barclays Capital and MACE.

Pursuit of Quality
The Economist Group offers insight, analysis and services that are highly valued by its customers. Underpinning its ability to fulfil this objective is an absolute commitment to independence, integrity and the pursuit of quality. It is notable that The Economist Group’s output – the product of many individuals – is delivered as one single authoritative voice.

Many Hands, Single Voice
Our concept took its point of departure from this culture. We articulated the work of ‘many hands’ in the context of one overarching collective voice, akin to the individual colleges that combine to form a University – each possessing an individual character whilst being simultaneously subservient to the University’s overriding ‘umbrella’ identity.

Our proposal employed an overarching framework using consistent design elements, colours and materials. Within this framework, individual departments are encouraged to represent themselves in a way that is more specific to their own dynamics and particular ways of working. In addition to colour and materials (although subservient to the overarching Economist identity), particular desk arrangements, use of media, high or low division screens between desks (for example) could be included.

Gateways
To help define the boundaries between the departments and also to bring interest and event to the large open plan space, a series of transition points or ’gateways’ were used to mark the passing from one department to the next. These are ‘loose fit’ in that they do not prevent the ebbs and flows of departmental sizes. The gateways also contain practical things like printer/recycling points, offices and meeting rooms.

The positioning of respective departments and other supporting accommodation is borne out of site analysis. The peopled departments are positioned to enjoy certain views, whilst support activities that don’t require high degrees of natural daylight are positioned close to the internal cores in the darker areas of the floor plate.