Location
Edinburgh
Size
11,152 sq ft
Sector
Financial
Rathbones Group has been providing wealth management services for private clients, charities, trustees and professional partners since 1912, and has fourteen offices throughout the UK and Jersey.
Changes in working practices, and an end-of-lease event, presented the perfect opportunity to relocate their Edinburgh office, and Form Design Consultants was appointed as Lead Designer.
After establishing an outline accommodation brief, Form conducted a feasibility study, encompassing 14 office suites, to establish the most suitable building for their business needs. The newly refurbished 10 George Street proved to be the best building, and Rathbones secured a lease of the entire third floor.
Form worked closely with Rathbones to develop the strategic brief, the interior design and spatial requirements. The front of house required the reception, community space and client-facing meeting rooms to reflect the Rathbones’ brand and create a warm, inviting, sophisticated, yet understated, feel.
This was achieved using a muted palette of warm grey textures and dark blue wall paneling suited with walnut veneers and highlights of brushed brass. The quality of the interior was embedded by Form’s attention to detail and carefully curated joinery pieces.
The meeting rooms and large community space are designed to take advantage of the George Street elevation, and fabric-clad folding walls between spaces enable the office to be used for large corporate events.
The office needed to provide a flexible, contemporary workplace for Rathbones’ people, supporting their wellbeing and sustainable values, and the office space has also been designed to support Rathbones' hybrid working model.
Furniture items, including meeting pods and high-backed booths, offer a variety of workplace settings and provide future flexibility.
A contemporary look and feel to the office area was achieved with an uplifting natural palette of blues, greens, blush pinks and planting. A central zone, with a tea-point and lockers, creates a space to meet informally with colleagues.
Lockers have been personalised with an Edinburgh-inspired graphic, all representing the company's previous locations.
