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Grant Thornton

International audit, tax, and advisory firm Grant Thornton wanted to give its Liverpool office an overhaul - all while reducing space, introducing flexibility, and improving its environmental performance, too.
Sector Professional Services
Size 7,513
Location Liverpool
Design and Build Workplace Furniture

The Brief

Grant Thornton’s brief had three main goals: the new workspace needed to be sustainable, to get people socially engaged, and to ensure accessibility for all.

Once they decided to stay in the legendary Liver Building (which is Grade I listed), we knew we wanted to honour its historic charm while adding some of Liverpool’s unique and rich culture.

The trick? Creating a workspace that’s both fun and inspiring, all while keeping things green and responsible!

The Design

Who says new offices have to be all about new fittings?

Keeping sustainability front of mind, we used our in-house carbon calculator to determine the carbon impact of our design as we developed it. This allowed us to make informed design tweaks to ensure that the carbon impact remained as low as possible.

Instead of buying new, we refurbished all existing doors and reused 65% of the existing furniture, saving a hefty 6+ tonnes of associated carbon.

We gave Grant Thornton’s old desks a fresh look with new tops from sustainable materials and refurbished legs, while old perch desks have been turned into perfectly sized dining tables for the breakout space.

Through the use of colour, we’ve connected the office with the Liver Building’s amazing waterfront location and the festivals that take place right outside.

 

We chose to zone the workplace, using the well-lit perimeter for high-energy tasks and social interaction and the central spaces for concentration and focused work. We also added a variety of spaces – so employees can enjoy quiet reflection in the retreat, or team training and company-wide gatherings in the town hall.

Determined to use as many existing fittings as possible, we also designed unique ceiling rafts from the building’s old security doors to provide focal points in the social spaces. With added lights, planting, and acoustic solutions, these rafts have purpose and plenty of impact!

A portion of the design was dedicated to Ellie, a young colleague from Grant Thornton who sadly passed away from cancer. In her memory, the company’s previous tuckshop was transformed into a quiet, private corner of the office space, honouring her legacy. Personal touches were added through artwork inspired by Ellie’s creations to make the space even more meaningful.

The Outcome

A shared commitment to all things green, which included upcycling, recycling, and reducing landfill waste at every stage, has achieved an impressive 22.5% carbon saving.

Grant Thornton’s team now has the collaborative, multifunctional and sustainable space its Liverpool team wanted – and the perfect place for its people-first and hybrid culture to thrive!

Destination Office

Explore our ‘Future Flexible’ concept

Download our essential guide to the Destination office, for a full understanding of how the Destination Office came to be, why we need one and who it’s for

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