CBRE, Birmingham

3 Chamberlain Square is a brand new, architectural landmark development that has quickly become one of the most talked-about buildings in Birmingham's commercial real estate market. Clad in rich red terracotta tiles - designed and manufactured in Portugal - the façade draws on the architectural heritage of the surrounding area, referencing the distinctive OGEE arches of the lower building and the fluting of the Town Hall directly opposite.

It was clear that the architectural narrative of the building needed to continue on the inside. Bringing them in became one of the central threads of our entire design narrative - terracotta tones, arched details, and textural references that make the interior feel like a natural continuation of the building's story, rather than a space that simply sits within it.

Establishing a genuine sense of place was the foundation of our design approach - creating a workspace that feels as much a part of Birmingham as it does a reflection of CBRE. Equally, we were committed to designing for longevity; every material, finish, and furniture selection was made with timelessness in mind and sustainability, with an enduring quality that would stand the test of time.

This approach extended to the furniture palette, which was curated so that pieces could be repositioned across different zones without disrupting the overall aesthetic - giving CBRE the freedom to adapt the space as their ways of working evolve. A single carpet tile runs throughout the entire workspace and meeting rooms, with a considered feature colour reserved for the boardroom alone. The result is a cohesive, unified environment that feels calm, considered, and complete.

CBRE's meeting suite comprises nine rooms in total - six within a connected meeting village, and three more intimate colleague facing rooms - alongside three two-person focus rooms and eight call pods. Rather than theming the rooms with storytelling graphics or bold branding, we let the finishes and materials do the talking.

Each meeting room features bespoke acoustic panels with patterns drawn from the geometry of Birmingham's landmark buildings, paired with artwork of those same buildings commissioned in collaboration with Brumhaus, a born-and-bred Birmingham artist. It is a subtle but meaningful nod to the city that ties the rooms together and reinforces that sense of place throughout. The result is a meeting suite that feels like a genuine extension of the wider workspace, rather than a series of disconnected, corporate rooms.

As part of CBRE's commitment to WELL Building Standard accreditation, wellbeing runs through every layer of the design. The flow of the space, the selection of textures and materials, the management of light and acoustics: all of it has been shaped by a genuine desire to support the people who use it every day.

Dedicated wellbeing spaces include a thoughtfully designed Parents' Room, complete with lighting, toys, and changing facilities. A separate wellness room provides space for prayer, meditation, yoga, and first aid, ensuring that the workspace genuinely serves every employee.

The building itself holds BREEAM Excellent and WELL certifications and is the first in Birmingham to achieve a NABERS UK 5 Star Design Reviewed Target Rating - and every decision we made was in service of strengthening rather than compromising those ratings.