6 St Andrew Square

Glenmorangie’s parent company, LVMH, had expressed a desire to move into new offices in three months – when their existing lease expired – but only if the right space could be found and the company’s strong brand image could be upheld in the design of the new premises. 

Despite the short timeline, Form Design delivered a workspace worthy of the Glenmorangie name, both on time and within budget.

From the outset, Form approached the project as a two-month consultancy exercise. “The first part was very much workplace strategy engagement,” explains Morag Dearsley, Director at Form. 

“We met with stakeholders and ran workshops with the teams to find out how they worked, what their needs were, and their plans for future growth. From those conversations, we created what we call a strategic brief and handed that back to the client.”

This strategic brief combined data-driven insights with company culture and brand considerations. An analysis of room booking systems revealed peak office occupancy rarely exceeded 40%, meaning Glenmorangie could right-size its space and re-balance the mix away from formal meeting rooms. 

The recommendation guided the company to a more efficient 12,000 square foot floorplate in the former Aberdeen Standard Investments building at 6 St Andrew Square, in Edinburgh’s bustling city centre.

Form’s design strategy prioritised breakout and common areas over rows of desks and closed meeting rooms. “As a group, Glenmorangie are very collaborative,” says Morag. “There are several marketing and product teams that needed spaces less formal than a traditional meeting room.”

Mollie Beresford, Interior Designer at Form, explains that one of the project’s successes was preserving the scale of the collaborative area. “Quite often, breakout space reduces as projects progress but, in this case, we did a good job of retaining that big breakout space, which gave us scope to create inspiring alternative settings, rather than just a traditional row of desking.”

Alongside the collaborative zones, Form created new facilities to support wellbeing and inclusivity, such as quiet spaces for childcare and prayer, or where HR matters could be discussed discreetly. The result was more diverse work settings than in Glenmorangie’s previous premises.

A major design focus was the experience of guests arriving at the new headquarters, so the Form team looked to create a more memorable experience than simply a lobby with a reception desk.

“We built something that wasn’t a reception as such, but more of a concierge point, like in a hotel,” says Morag. “It’s a striking space that greets visitors with a sense of understated luxury.”

A bespoke display, angled to catch the eye immediately on entry, became the centrepiece – oak to reference whisky casks, with copper accents referencing the stills – and LED lighting shining on a display of Glenmorangie bottles as the main focus.

The in-house bar, a Glenmorangie hallmark, was designed for functionality as well as elegance – fully equipped to cater for hosted events.

“The aesthetics of the bar were driven by the client, who wanted to emulate a five-star hotel experience,” says Morag. “We managed to source the right materials to achieve that look perfectly, while staying within budget.”

As with almost every project, cost was key to the success of the build, but Form fully utilised the high-quality base fit-out as well as Glenmorangie’s existing assets. 

Hardly wasting any materials from the previous space, Form reused doors and glazing, kept most ceilings, and brought over 90% of the furniture. Even Glenmorangie’s ‘Sensory Lab’ tasting area was replicated from the old space, moving cabinets and fixtures across.

Shifting stakeholder needs were fully accommodated as the project progressed. For instance, a member of the management team requested a boardroom with views of Edinburgh Castle mid-project. Form adapted its approach to make sure the client’s expectations were met.

“The project encompassed all our services – from strategy through to workplace design – balancing budget, programme, and brand expectations throughout,” says Morag. 

The Form team also quickly pivoted to a new solution when a plan to combine a bar and community space was re-thought, instead creating a separate back-of-house community area.

[Photography, D Cadzow]