Avison Young Birmingham office goes Live

Same People, less space, more smiles... The Birmingham office of Avison Young was formerly opened this month and it's not only looking good, it's working very well.

"It's like starting a new job"

The successful scheme is the result of a comprehensive review of how the business should be using its space, informing Avison Young how to reduce floor space by 15,000 Sq Ft yet still accommodate the same 380 people and make them all that much happier in the process.

The key to the approach was the importance for the environment to be a foundation for a new work culture. New ways of thinking and unique agile working supporting a 60% agility ratio spread across a number of alternative settings for both work and relaxation.

Embracing these Biophilic characteristics of a modern workplace are further endorsed by the generous use of space for rest and relaxation areas. These afford a variety of settings, offering users substantial choice in how to use them and this fundamental approach to building design will go a long way to ensuring that the staff are not disconnected with colleagues. But aside from the informal aspect of this workplace, Avison Young were keen that the whole office was a showcase for what they do and what they advise their clients. The central feature is the client front of house hub that has been designed to be incredibly versatile to support a variety of events; Formal one-2-one or large meetings, seminars, informal presentations or for staff to simply carry out their daily activities but away from their usual place of work. The approach to work and how it is delivered is a million miles away from any usual pre-set notion of what the workplace should be about. The experience starts with the reception, which itself is not the traditional meet and greet but a more fluid welcoming experience that embodies the very nature of what Avison Young are about and how they want the world to view them.