Photobox Group, Europe’s leading digital consumer service for personalised products and gifts, and parent of the Photobox, Moonpig, Hofmann and posterXXL brands has opened its new state-of-the-art headquarters at Herbal House in Clerkenwell, London.
Working with London-based design and build firm Oktra, the personalisation group has converted the historic former printworks and artists studios into a landmark 37,000 sq ft office at the heart of London’s creative and digital centre -a firm commitment to the UK as a technology and business hub by the Group, whose four brands operate across fifteen markets.
Built for agile
Oktra and Photobox Group developed the office around an analysis of the company culture and ethos, planning an environment that supports collaborative and agile ways of working across the 400 employees located there.
Clustered around the numerous cross-functional squads that work autonomously across the brands, the four-storey, completely open-plan HQ moves beyond a traditional desk environment, offering each squad a variety of flexible work, daily stand-up and collaboration spaces.
Print heritage
Photobox Group opted to maintain and showcase the industrial roots of the site, with exposed original concrete walls, pillars, ceilings and an original crane hanging over the reception, contrasting with the clean, modern and colourful design and furnishings throughout.
The four floors are colour-coded using the CMYK formula at the foundation of all print shops. These floors surround a vast industrial atrium – a dedicated events space viewable from anywhere in the HQ, which will be used for all-company meetings, knowledge-sharing events and meet-ups for the tech and creative industries in London.
“Our new HQ directly reflects our ambition to deliver amazing experiences for our customers as well as our teams” said Jody Ford, CEO of Photobox Group.
“Designing our new space around collaboration and agile-working gives employees the freedom to innovate for our customers and have impact at scale for the business and for their careers. It’s also a new London venue where we hope to share, collaborate and learn with like-minded tech companies and talent.”
“We worked with Photobox Group to create a workspace that embodies their company culture and ethos. It was important that the design supported various work styles and provided different places to retreat to, whilst enabling collaboration and the sharing of ideas” said Dominic Dugan, senior designer at Oktra.
