Confidential Financial Services Client

This new workplace is designed to inspire pride, connection, and performance. Set within a reimagined building across from St Paul’s Cathedral, the space brings together the firm’s global ambition and local identity.

Inspired by London’s iconic institutions — the gravitas of St Paul’s, the innovation of the Tate, and the energy of the Stock Exchange — the design fuses local storytelling with a global brand lens. A rich, tactile palette of moody tones, organic textures, and neutral hues creates a calm, understated luxury, punctuated by vibrant cobalt and cognac accents for moments of character and contrast. Natural materials — including timber handles and soft, curved planters — bring a sense of warmth and bespoke craft to everyday touchpoints.

The layout orients users toward St Paul’s, with panoramic views framed by brick-lined internal ‘streets’ and a central green spine that channels the adjacent park into the heart of the floorplate. Private offices have been positioned away from the perimeter to allow natural light to be shared equitably, interspersed with a continuous amenity-rich ribbon — combining reception, quiet library, café, lounge, and flexible meeting spaces. The client suite is positioned as a distinct zone, designed flexibly with operable walls that can close off for privacy or open and merge seamlessly with the lounge and café areas for larger gatherings, town halls, or social events.

Rooted in a deep relationship between this financial services client and Gensler’s design team, the project embodies the firm’s commitment to sustainability, well-being, and design excellence. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) revealed three key specification changes that delivered a 44% reduction in embodied carbon.