Maxus Office

BDG architecture + design was appointed by Maxus, a global media planning and buying agency, to design their new 2,880 sq m offices in the recently refurbished Alphabeta building in Worship Street London. On initial consultation with BDG, Maxus shared their aspirations and detailed requirements with the overriding prerequisite being for a stylish, cool and creative space without pretention.

BDG’s design of the new office was based around choice; flexibility; change; efficiency and collaboration. The acclaimed Alphabeta building was the perfect location, recently announced as the national and regional winner for refurbished/recycled workplace at the 2016 BCO Awards, it was praised for its sophisticated design, which created an active and vibrant communal ‘village’.

Although one of the top 10 UK media agencies Maxus has retained much of the personality of their former smaller self and wanted to reflect their informal, friendly and unpretentious nature in their new workplace. The design concept for the space followed Maxus’s key drivers of communication and fun, which links to the statue of the Greek mythological figure Hermes; the messenger to the gods, which sits on top of the building.

Communication and connectivity is incorporated into the design with a feature ceiling in the reception that branches out to all areas within the space, spanning two floors, with an integrated Tannoy system to allow staff to communicate announcements and engage the whole office. Another key element of the brief was the requirement of a large social space, named as the ‘Living Room’ it incorporates a variety of informal meeting and work settings as well as a central social space. The Living Room overlooks Finsbury Square and is a double height space that connects the two floors that Maxus occupy with a helical stair which BDG architecture + design purposely designed.

Other elements within the space such as the communication walls were designed to be multi-functional to support the new agile working and assist with collaboration. The ‘Garden Room’ is a unique meeting space which overlooks the Alphabeta atrium and is visible from most parts of the office and the ground floor main reception. It is a deliberate space to aid creative thinking divided from the Living Room by a see through wall made up of pot plants suspended in a coloured geometric macramé.

Tim Irwin – UK COO, Maxus commented:

“Our people are the most important part of our business and these fantastic offices are part of our best-in-class people and culture offer”.

The new space allows Maxus to reflect a different, newer and fresher impression on its clients and visitors.

BDG architecture + design