commentEversheds Law Offices
BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards Winner
Eversheds is a global law firm with its sights set on the 21st century. Accordingly, when creating the fit-out for the relocation of its London headquarters to a new eight-story, 165,000-square-foot building, senior partner Cornelius Medvei worked with the interior design team at Woods Bagot to develop a facility that would attract the best young talent and respond to an evolving workplace in terms of culture, technology, and the environment.
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Rather than basing the design on a preconceived notion of what a legal office should be, the designers conducted extensive research culminating in a closely monitored, 9-month trial at Eversheds’ existing premises. This effort was essential to the scheme. “It made sure we got it right before we spent money,” says Simon Pole, Woods Bagot project director. It also informed and involved the company’s 720 employees — a factor in the eventual, seamless move.
The resulting contemporary space, deemed a new benchmark for the legal profession, is a radical shift from the typical cellular office plan. Flexible “hybrid studios” around the open, daylight-filled attorneys’ floors consist of modular furniture systems that foster collaboration and communication among lawyers and support staff. Glass partitions and acoustical masking minimize distractions, while a central information desk reduces filing by 57 percent and the number of printers by 63 percent. A future-ready technology infrastructure allows for mobility on- or off-site. As for amenities, there are client business lounges, plus improved dining venues, showers, bicycle storage, and sleeping accommodations.
Sustainability, notes Pole, was critical to the success of the project, which achieved an Excellent rating under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) due to such features as an active chilled beam system, daylight controls and shading, a comprehensive recycling program, and a green roof.
As intended, this savvy approach has raised the bar at Eversheds. An October 2008 postoccupancy report indicates that 96 percent of the staff is more motivated to work due to the design of the new workplace. According to Medvei, “The project has had outstanding results,” which he attributes to a host of factors, most notably the architects’ willingness to include employees in the design process from start to finish.
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