Contributors
International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has relocated its 120-strong staff into a new office designed with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind nearby the historic Tower Bridge.
The firm has moved floors at 4 More London Place to a newly designed office space that accommodates for a range of working styles and requirements of a modern office at the heart of the City. The move reinforces the firm's commitment to environmental efficiency and boosts its positioning of London as a key office for the international firm.
Alongside state-of-the-art mechanical and lighting systems installed with energy efficiency and comfort in mind, the office includes open plan work areas, dedicated quiet work spaces, social spaces, and internal meeting areas to ensure that clients and workers can make use of as many facilities as possible.
A wellbeing room complete with Wudu facilities and adjustable comfort settings has also been installed, with a new social space designed for collaboration, informal meetings and drop-in workspaces allowing staff to work flexibly in a strategically designed space.
As part of the firm's commitment to sustainability, furniture such as meeting room chairs, desks, and cabinets which were no longer required as part of the move will be refurbished and used in other offices across the firm's UK network or donated to be re-used where possible.
Nicola Giddens, head of WBD's London office, said:
"Our team is thrilled to move into a brand new space which strikes a fine balance between providing a sustainable, long-term, and flexible workspace for our ever-changing workforce, as well as creating an office which can act as a truly modern hub for client support and service.
"The move reinforces the office as a key location for our international firm. With a stunning view of Tower Bridge and the heart of London, the office has been designed from the ground up to be complement our key strategic aims of future growth and continued high quality service for all our clients. This collaborative and cutting-edge environment will allow for that as well as meet the many different needs and requirements faced by a modern law firm."
In addition to redesigned systems and spaces, the office's technology has also undergone an overhaul, with a complete AV redesign taking place to allow larger rooms to benefit from up to six AI-driven cameras during conference calls and meetings to provide better framing and a more immersive and collaborative experience.
The office also includes a fully redesigned and refreshed client area, focusing on the firm's view out onto the River Thames and Tower Bridge to maximise its connection to the city, with a newly designed upscale lounge and entertainment area allowing for flexible hosting of large scale events as required.
The new office has already been recognised for the commitment to sustainability in the London Bridge area, with Team London Bridge – an organisation working to increase innovation and sustainability along the specific section of the River Thames – recognising the firm for its investment and transition to LED lighting to boost environmental efficiency in its most recent 'A Great Place to Work' Awards.
The refurbishment was designed and delivered by ADT, creating the design of the office space in collaboration with a working group from the firm. A team from JLL assisted in the securing of the lease for the property, with 3-Sphere also providing QS and project management support.
