The Brief: Workshop Design Studio was involved from the very beginning of the new HQ project, once J'adore Models had located a potential building to suit their needs. Before the new project could start, however, a certain amount of concentrated focus was needed on the J’adore Models brand by its owners, together with Workshop Design Studio, in order to ensure the execution of the brief would be everything the owners wanted – and more! The core requirements of that brief were to create an environment with a real ‘wow factor’ that would be on a par with the offices of the agency’s international retail clients. Both J’adore Models and Workshop Design Studio considered the move a unique opportunity to create an exceptional space to embody and amplify the brand and its values, as well as being a space people were excited to visit and work in, both enhancing staff wellbeing and helping the agency to continue to recruit the best talent, whether onto its team and onto its books. With the client, Workshop Design Studio looked primarily towards retail environments, rather than other offices or showrooms for inspiration, and this shows in the end result through elements such as: dark wall colours, retail-style track lighting and the inclusion of biophilic and set dressing elements. The client also requested that the back-of-house space should be as high-quality as the front-of-house, so to ensure staff felt truly valued. For the interior aesthetic, the brief called for a spacious and relaxed feel with a New York loft/industrial vibe, punctuated by natural interventions, from planting and timber to natural materials such as wicker and rattan. “We wanted to make sure people fell in love with the place instantly”, Peter Milburn Brown added. “It needed to feel as if you’d arrived at a real destination; a relaxing place where you felt to belong straightaway. We spent many hours talking through, and sketching, potential layouts with the client to understand the processes required for a model agency’s front and back-of-house functions to get that all-important flow right from the outset. Only when the functionality was resolved, did we move onto the aesthetic look and feel.” The front-of-house was designed to be more of a co-working environment and creative café space. The reception was to be high-impact and create a strong impression for visitors on arrival, whilst the space-planning had to incorporate areas to meet potential clients, interview rooms directly adjacent to the arrival and waiting area and an open kitchen as a central hub and to provide refreshments for visitors. Client Quote: "Workshop Design Studio delivered the agency design of our dreams. From the very beginning, they understood our concept and vision to create an exciting, premium destination for our team, talent and clients. We wanted a space that was both dynamic and fresh but with a calming, spacious feel. Workshop Design Studio listened to our concerns, as much as our vision, and took the time to get to know the day-to-day flow of our company culture which has really added to the internal flow in the space now. We felt we could fully trust their eye for quality and know no shortcuts or half measures would be taken - especially in ensuring this was a space equally beautiful for our staff as much as guests. We're beyond happy with the results and every day we're complimented on the space and feel created, which is a brilliant feeling." Jess Ludlam, Director, J’adore Models