Thirdway's HQ

The ambitious refurbishment reinstated a contextually appropriate, materially rich façade and reconfigured the interior across five floors. Acquired in an unoccupied state, the property gave us the opportunity to reshape the entire space without the wasteful removal of an existing fit-out. Originally a factory, 224–232 St John Street was refurbished in the late 1980s with a curtain wall façade and white render. This has now been replaced with a contemporary façade inspired by the building's warehouse heritage, reconnecting it with its historic character while complementing the surrounding Grade II listed buildings.

The design is driven by one key priority: the user experience. Retaining the original front and rear staircases, we introduced a striking new central staircase by cutting through the building's centre—a significant technical undertaking. Beginning with a sculptural curved stair in reception, this intervention improves circulation and strengthens visual and physical connections between the five floors, encouraging movement and interaction. Each floor includes its own tea point, meeting rooms and call pods, while thoughtful space planning balances open-plan workspaces with breakout areas to support different ways of working. Employee wellbeing was also central to the brief, with the ground floor dedicated to a generous social and client hub that forms the heart of the headquarters. 

The project demonstrates how a heritage building can be transformed into a high-performing, future-ready workplace that places equal emphasis on environmental responsibility, accessibility and wellbeing.

Targeting SKA Gold, Fitwel 2 Star and an EPC A rating, the building has been fully decarbonised through the removal of fossil fuels, the installation of air source heat pumps and an all-electric energy strategy powered by a 100% renewable electricity tariff. Intelligent thermal modelling, optimised heating and cooling zones, demand-led ventilation and one of the largest rainwater harvesting systems of its kind further reduce operational impact, while FSC-certified timber, responsibly sourced materials and the reuse of materials from previous projects support a circular approach to design.

Accessibility was a fundamental consideration throughout, with step-free access integrated from arrival through to every floor, including a bespoke entrance lift, passenger lift and DDA-compliant facilities.  Together, these measures create a workplace that not only performs sustainably but enables people to thrive.

Every detail of Thirdway's headquarters reflects both our identity and design expertise. Rich materials, bespoke joinery and a hospitality-inspired approach create a warm, welcoming workplace while demonstrating the quality and creativity we deliver across every project.

The interiors reference the building's industrial heritage through metal detailing, Crittall-style glazing and carefully exposed M&E, all integrated into a refined design language. Brand moments are woven subtly throughout the space, from a light installation that reveals Thirdway's wolf emblem from below, to bespoke floor mosaics in the breakout and passenger lift, inspired by our history and the local area's traditional signage.

The strongest expression of the Thirdway brand is the collection of more than 80 bespoke artworks, all conceived and produced in-house by the Thirdway Creative Team. Inspired by our values and story, the artwork reinforces our all-in-house ethos while giving the workplace a distinct sense of personality. Rather than dominating the interiors, these brand moments complement the material palette and craftsmanship, producing a workplace that feels authentic, memorable and unmistakably Thirdway.