Size

16,800 sq ft

Location

London

Activity

Property & Coworking

Duration

16 weeks

When Techspace secured an exceptional opportunity on a 1970s office building at 9-13 St Andrew Street, London, we transformed it into their seventh location - a contemporary flexible workspace that embodies their distinctive brand and offers a  high-quality working environment tailored to the needs of tech-led businesses.

Through considered layouts, detailed finishes, and integrated technology, the building was repositioned as an attractive destination for innovative companies seeking a dynamic and future-focused workplace. 

We delivered a comprehensive transformation that turned a long-vacant building into a vibrant tech hub, implementing Techspace's “Distinctly Techspace” design language whilst celebrating the building's original architectural character and heritage. 

Play video

Completed during a challenging 16-week programme with incoming tenants moving in during the final weeks, this project demonstrates how strategic design thinking and collaborative problem-solving can unlock the potential of unconventional spaces 

Formed in 2012 in the heart of Old Street's technology ecosystem, Techspace has evolved from a small fledgling community of startups into a dynamic European community for the world’s pioneering technology businesses. Based in London and Berlin, Techspace now includes 4,500+ members, 125+ forward thinking teams, nine locations and 55+ Techspace team members. 

Making every square foot count: The brief

The vision was to create Techspace's newest London location in a building that didn't fit their typical profile - proving that great flexible workspaces can emerge from unexpected places. 

We needed to transform a 1970s office building into a space that felt unmistakably Techspace. 

The challenge was multifaceted: accommodate 274 workstations whilst maintaining the spacious, quality environment Techspace is known for, implement their evolving “Distinctly Techspace” design standards to create immediate brand recognition, maximise capacity through strategic space planning, and deliver everything within a 16-week deadline with members moving in immediately upon completion. 

From dated offices to dynamic tech hub

The new St Andrew Street location successfully transforms a compact building into a thriving flexible workspace destination, creating a unified home for Techspace's tech community across the lower ground, ground and office floors 1 to 6.  

Reclaiming the ground floor

The heart of the transformation lies on the ground floor, where we completely reimagined the layout. An oversized original staircase had dominated the space, consuming valuable floor area without delivering proportional benefit. Removing this and installing a more compact replacement unlocked the entire floor's potential. 

This reclaimed space allowed us to create what every Techspace location needs as the community focal point: a central café bar that becomes the social heart of the building. As well as being visible from the street through floor to ceiling glass windows, its central position draws people throughout the day, naturally encouraging the networking and collaboration that defines the Techspace experience. 

Creating the social hub

The coffee bar centres the ground floor, with a feature mesh screen backdrop creating visual interest whilst defining the preparation area. Beyond the bar, a tucked-away seating corner offers a surprisingly quiet retreat despite the activity around it - consistently occupied throughout the day as members work and connect. 

The ground floor offers distinct zones for different working styles. The cosy corner features comfortable sofas for informal meetings or relaxed working and collaboration, whilst the front area lends itself to more direct 1:1 or singular use.  Adjacent to the cafe is the upper mezzanine level, the space has a lower ceiling height but the design uses this to its advantage,  a large library style table placed centrally sets the tone for a more focused working atmosphere with meeting rooms and a calm room easily accessible. This area maintains a visual connection to the buzz of the cafe, strengthening the sense of community Techspace cultivates.

The challenge was to transform a dated building into a recognisable Techspace hub that exceeded expectations. Working within tight spatial constraints required us to think differently about every element of the layout, not only to ensure capacity for 274 workstations but create a space that met with the members expectations. The entrance experience and café bar placement was crucial; by reclaiming that space from the oversized staircase, we created the social heart the building needed.

Alannah Laud, Senior Designer

Revealing character through design

The design consolidates elements from Techspace's other locations to create immediate brand recognition whilst respecting this building's unique character. 

The approach centred on revealing original features that would give the space warmth and authenticity. Exposing the ceiling revealed distinctive warm red terracotta tiles throughout, giving the space character and becoming a defining feature across all floors. 

On the ground floor, the structural pillars were stripped back through seven layers of material to reveal their original form. The result delivers visual interest and architectural honesty that anchors the space. 

Artwork throughout the building features their signature style whilst highlighting diverse achievers in the tech industry -informational moments that celebrate innovation and inclusion without overwhelming the environment. 

Maximising workspace without compromise

Floors one through five presented the challenge of maximising workspace capacity whilst maintaining a spacious and comfortable environment. By creating an innovative circulation route of each floor, the breakout areas feel spacious and have a source of natural light which was a real design win. 

Strategic space planning 

Strategic space planning maximised capacity through careful layout development. Each floor features a generous breakout space with kitchen facilities, mixed seating - café-style tables for lunch and more relaxed furniture with integrated power for flexible working. The phone booths positioned in these communal areas address the compact nature of individual offices, providing essential private calling facilities whilst preserving valuable office floor area. 

Meeting room distribution

Meeting room provision follows strategic distribution throughout the building. The basement houses a suite of five meeting rooms serving the entire building -a significant achievement given the spatial constraints and coordination required during the staircase replacement. Dedicated meeting rooms are staggard across floors one through five creating consistent amenities across the workspace floors.  

Our partnership with Techspace has been built on mutual understanding and collaboration. Throughout this project, we worked closely with their in-house design team to implement their 'Distinctly Techspace' standards whilst adapting to the unique challenges of this building. This flexibility and collaborative approach is what makes our relationship work, we're designing with them, not just for them.

Stephen Parsons, Group Managing Director

The sixth floor: Premium space, premium experience

The sixth floor presented a unique opportunity, with spectacular panoramic views across London as its defining feature. 

A custom island tea point was designed and positioned adjacent to the terrace doors. Inspired by the building's distinctive Toblerone-shaped footprint and echoing iconic tower buildings such as New York's Flatiron, the feature island offers coffee preparation on one side and lunch facilities on the other, whilst also functioning as collaborative workspace. This bespoke installation provides multiple amenities whilst emphasising the premium character of the floor and allows the terrace area to integrate as part of the breakout space. 

Creating atmosphere and identity

Lighting design establishes the building's character and supports different work modes. Feature lighting along the ground floor café windows transforms the building's street presence, creating a warm, inviting glow that draws the eye. This welcoming atmosphere extends to the breakout areas, where a mix of LED lighting beneath kitchen units, feature ceiling mounted pendants and soft glow wall mounted lights create a relaxing ambience for breaks and informal collaboration. In contrast the meeting rooms feature both soft pendant lighting and LED strip lights they can be independently switched and are dimmable which offers choice to the different users of the space and can set the tone for meeting styles. These carefully considered lighting choices create distinct atmospheres throughout the space whilst maintaining Techspace's signature approach to their workspaces. 

Sustainability through smart choices

Sustainability considerations informed design decisions throughout the project, reducing environmental impact whilst maintaining design quality. 

All existing glazing was reused on site, avoiding waste and demonstrating how thoughtful material management delivers both environmental and practical benefits. The exposed ceiling tiles, stripped pillars, and treated lobby finishes represent sustainable choices - working with existing materials rather than covering or replacing them. 

Following the successful delivery of Worship Street and Luke Street, this marks our third Techspace project, reinforcing our ongoing partnership and our track record in creating distinctive coworking environments for London's tech community. 

Their vision. Our expertise. A powerful partnership. 

OP have once again delivered a distinctive look and feel for Techspace. The transformation has created a high-quality workspace within a building that presented genuine challenges. Throughout the project, the team worked collaboratively with us through periods of change and pressure, resolving issues as they arose and maintaining momentum on site. When we secured a fourth-floor tenant mid-construction, they adapted the design seamlessly to meet our needs. We’re delighted to see the space come to life, and it has been very well received by our members.

Paul Sandilands, Property Director at Techspace

Ready to transform your workspace

Get in touch for advice on your project

Download brochure Get in touch

Related Services

View all
Coworking Space Design

The demand for inspiring, coworking space is bigger than ever.
Office Interior Design

Craft an environment where your employees are inspired to succeed.
Office Fit Out

Create a workplace that reflect your brand and promotes productivity.
Office Refurbishment

Transform your office space with solutions that benefit your business.
Office Design and Build

Designing and constructing commercial offices across the country.
Office Furniture

A well-designed workplace isn’t complete without the office furniture.
View all