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Project

Clyde & Co

Half the space, double the experience

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Manchester

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71,000

sqft

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Workplace

Manchester

71,000

sqft

Workplace

Outcomes

Challenge

Improved communication, pride, enjoyment, well-being, client experience and communication.

Insight

Significant total occupancy cost saving per annum.

Solution

Achieved Grade A BREEAM ‘Excellent’, which places Two New Bailey Square in the top 10% of UK non-domestic buildings in regard to ESG performance.

People

Improved communication, pride, enjoyment, well-being, client experience and communication.

Place

Significant total occupancy cost saving per annum.

Planet

Achieved Grade A BREEAM ‘Excellent’, which places Two New Bailey Square in the top 10% of UK non-domestic buildings in regard to ESG performance.
Improved communication, pride, enjoyment, well-being, client experience and communication.
Significant total occupancy cost saving per annum.
Achieved Grade A BREEAM ‘Excellent’, which places Two New Bailey Square in the top 10% of UK non-domestic buildings in regard to ESG performance.
One of the breakout spaces in Clyde & Co Manchester office
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Half the space, double the experience.

Global law firm Clyde & Co is, by headcount, the largest legal firm in Manchester.

Clyde & Co sought to understand how well they were supporting their people so they could use this data to guide accommodation decisions.

We conducted a Leesman workplace experience survey, which informed a new workplace strategy for Manchester. This led to a move from two buildings across fourteen floors to one with four floors, dramatically improving their client and user experience.

Moving away from traditional-style offices, large banks of fixed desks have been replaced with a range of tools and settings. Clyde & Co’s new home empowers staff to connect to anyone from anywhere, giving them more choice in how and where they work.

The impact of the pandemic

At the start of the pandemic, we briefly paused to take stock and re-evaluate our initial plans. If anything, it confirmed we were making the right decisions and allowed us to be bolder and braver with our strategy.  

Clyde & Co were already planning on becoming a paper-lite organisation, but the pandemic sped up their digital strategy. Technology would help Clyde & Co to accelerate processes, become more sustainable, and allow their team to connect and communicate from anywhere.  

Delivering this project throughout the pandemic placed even greater importance on effective communication. We ran sessions with Clyde & Co’s Champions’ Group (volunteers from all levels of the business), who shared ideas around what people needed from the space. We carried out visual design walkthroughs and sent out samples so the team could visualise what we were planning. By taking a ‘one team’ approach, we built a fantastic working synergy from the very start.

Smaller spaces. Bigger ideas.

Without large banks of fixed desks, there’s an opportunity to re-think the footprint of the office and do so much more with the space available.  

The new layout encourages the team to work collaboratively. Staff can book a desk within their ‘neighbourhood’ and store their belongings in a locker. All areas of the building are tech-enabled, so employees can take their laptops to the various settings and plug and play.  

Work desks overlooking a meeting booth in the Clyde & Co Manchester office
A coffee point in the Clyde & Co Manchester office

The spaces are designed to support different tasks and needs during a typical working week. There are settings to...

Collaborate

The huddle booths and touch-down tables are ideal for informal meetings and brainstorming sessions.  The workstations are positioned in neighbourhoods, which encourages people to collaborate and work alongside different team members.  

Focus

The focus rooms are designed for independent or focused work.

Meet

The open-plan reception space creates a welcoming atmosphere for when clients and staff first walk in.  There are tech-enabled meeting spaces and lounges for clients, visitors and staff to meet and collaborate.

Relax

Clyde & Co wanted to put a greater focus on the health and wellbeing of their staff, and so we designed a wellbeing room on each floor. Employees can retreat to these areas when they need time out from their busy day. These spaces can be used for yoga, support sessions, multi-faith rooms, and more.  

Socialise

As well as ‘The Garden’ – a social space on the third floor – there is a breakout area on every floor, where clients and staff can catch up over a tea or coffee.  The impressive roof terrace offers panoramic views of the city and is the ideal spot for employee events and client entertainment.

A digital-first firm

Clyde & Co wanted to embed a new flexible approach to work in Manchester, whereby their staff have more choice in how and where they work. To support this, we implemented intuitive and easy-to-use tech such as room booking systems, AV equipment in meeting rooms and collaboration software that enables people to connect and communicate from anywhere.

Transitioning to a paper-lite organisation, using systems such as digital filing, has allowed the team to become more agile. It’s also helped Clyde & Co save space and become a more environmentally friendly organisation. The Two New Bailey development has achieved Grade A BREEAM ‘Excellent’ specification, which supports their commitment to improving long-term sustainability of its operations. Achieving these credentials means Two New Bailey is within the top 10% of UK non-domestic buildings in regards to its environmental, social and economic sustainability performance.

The results

Every last detail of this new Manchester workspace was carefully considered, from the layout to the final finishes. We used industrial-style features and materials that reflect Salford’s heritage and embody the Clyde & Co brand.  

The new office is built with agility and flexibility in mind so the space can adapt and evolve over the years to come.

“We’re incredibly proud to have delivered this project during the pandemic, delivering an environment that supports Clyde & Co’s bold new approach to work. Their new office at Two New Bailey, Manchester, provides the spaces, facilities and tech their people need for a fantastic work experience. It’s an environment that will support them as they continue to grow and develop.”  

“Our colleagues will be able to collaborate effectively, have flexibility in work arrangements, and benefit from enhanced technology and tools in an inclusive and sustainable environment.”

Matthew Harrington, Senior Partner, Clyde & Co

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