As design briefs go, Cleo AI’s was one that inspired us from the outset. With the client wanting a space that felt like a “luxurious, mid-century penthouse,” we created a space that is not just an office, but an experience. One where cutting-edge technology meets sophisticated design, and where employees feel both inspired and at ease. One where the future of AI-driven banking is crafted within a setting of timeless elegance.

Curated, Sourced, Considered

Inspired by Hugo Toro and Frank Lloyd Wright, our design for Cleo reveals a thoughtful blend of high-impact materials, paired with a sophisticated application. The aesthetic is deliberately warm, balanced and comfortable through intentional interplay and contrast of softness, bold colours and striking textures. This is seen most evidently with the layered approach to materiality throughout the space. With a generous application of warm timbers, alongside metal accents and a considered injection of colour, the space feels more like a well-curated residential space than a standard workspace. One key area where this is most apparent is the kitchen breakout, where the antiqued brass countertop is paired with vibrant red bar stools. Alongside this, rich and bold details of the joinery choices, such as the plum tiles in the bar area, and checkerboard carpeting in one of the many collaboration zones, blend a classic elegance with contemporary flair. This eclectic mix of materiality, colour and texture provides a sense of tactile luxury – creating a distinctive edge from the corporate landscape that Cleo occupies.

One central element of the design, which coincided with Cleo moving into their new space,e was the launch of their new branding and mature identity. It was imperative for this new branding to be implemented into the space, to reflect this new era of Cleo – in achieving this, we wove the feel of their new look into the space in subtle ways, with warmer, more sophisticated tones and moments of vibrant colours to reflect the graphic design language.  

Elevated Functionality

With the goal of this new space being a vessel for Cleo to thrive even further as a business, our fitout of the space not only had to meet their aesthetic goals, but also their functional needs. From intimate work nooks to spaces that encourage exchange, collaboration and creativity, we ensured that the spatial design of the floor felt bespoke to Cleo’s people, and a physical embodiment of Cleo’s brand evolution. In practice, this was achieved through designing the space to be like a gradient from left to right of spaces for ‘extroverts’ (a space to chat and mingle), to spaces for focus with quiet nooks and hideaway zones. This was amplified through varying finishes demarcating each zone, subtly signifying the varying spaces and their use. As well as this, we designed these zones with neurodiversity, accessibility and inclusion in mind, which comes to life in the range of work settings, which offers a real curation of energies. The result is a refined and sensorially rich environment, balancing both beautiful design and seamless functionality.