The Shard: Office design and fit out in London’s most famous skyscraper

Working in high rise buildings is not easy. The building management and quality standards are, understandably, extremely rigorous, and the logistics of moving people and materials through the bottlenecks of the loading bay and elevators are significantly challenging. The Shard is no exception. Designed by Renzo Piano, The Shard encompasses retail spaces, offices, apartments, restaurants, a hotel and a public viewing gallery within its 95 storeys. A true reflection of a vertical city.

 At 310m high, The Shard is one of the tallest buildings in Western Europe and is the tallest in the UK. So it is no surprise that what started as a sketch on a napkin, has not only become one of the most revered buildings in the city of London but also in Europe.

In 2013, we were appointed by Foresight Group to design and fit-out their new offices in The Shard; only the second lease to be signed in the building. When they took occupation in 2014 the effect on their business was immediate and transformative: within six months they were negotiating to take more than twice as much space on a higher floor. 

Beautiful finishes can be found throughout Foresight's space

We completed that project for them only a year after they first took occupation, and since then have added another suite. Foresight is an exemplar of excellent property strategy: they cleverly use location and design to support their business objectives and as a result, have experienced 40% pa compound growth since they moved into The Shard. 

Our work for Foresight and the excellent relationship we developed with the building's management team, turned into many other opportunities. The striking thing is that every business that we have moved into The Shard has prospered as a direct result of being in the building. 

An incredible view of London can be seen from the office boardroom

This is the potential of the location and underlines how office interior design can act as a powerful extension of a company’s brand, and reinforcement of their culture. Matchesfashion.com, for instance, had already undergone explosive growth with their move from traditional to an online retailer, but their physical relocation to The Shard acted to confirm their position in the market and played an important role in their next investment cycle.

Visitors are greeted in style at the stunning new reception area

We are leading workplace consultants, with more than 5000 completed projects spanning office design, fit-out, space planning, visualisation, relocation, refurbishment and furniture procurement. If you’re looking for experts in office design and fit, with expertise in Landmark buildings, get in touch today.