Location: Birmingham, UK
Size: 23,110 sqft / 2,147 sqm
Sector: Legal Services
Scope: Workplace Strategy & Design
Hogan Lovells
This project challenged the traditional law firm model to create a more open, inclusive workplace that supports talent retention, collaboration, and long-term flexibility.
A New Blueprint for Legal Work
Hogan Lovells’ Birmingham office had outgrown its closed-door layout, where lawyers and associates worked in private offices. During early workshops, staff described the workplace as isolating, with few opportunities for spontaneous connection. Through a collaborative design process that included leadership input, staff workshops, prototyping, and ongoing feedback, we shaped a new way of working tailored to the firm’s needs.
The resulting layout is open and inclusive. Everyone, including the managing partner, now sits in the open plan. Privacy is supported by enclosed focus rooms, one-to-one spaces, and modular furniture. In some areas, privacy screens were added to ease the transition. Just weeks after move-in, teams embraced the new layout and asked for the screens to be removed.
Flexibility with a Clear Framework
To support long-term adaptability, the workplace was planned around a modular 3x3 metre grid. This framework allowed for a clear, consistent layout that can flex over time, making it easier to reconfigure work zones, meeting rooms, and social areas. Building services were aligned to this grid to enable future changes with minimal disruption.
Shared amenities and informal lounges are distributed across the floorplate to encourage movement and interaction. A variety of spaces, from quiet booths and one-to-one rooms to larger social settings, supports different ways of working. Window-facing benches and acoustic-lined booths offer places for impromptu meetings and cross-team collaboration. Recreation areas, including a putting green and games zone, help foster a sense of community.
A Refined Global Identity
Natural textures, soft materials, and muted tones create a calm, professional atmosphere. Touches of green and timber reflect the firm’s brand identity, while a warm reception space with sculptural lighting and global signage reinforces Hogan Lovells’ international presence.
The result is a future-focused legal workplace that balances privacy, connectivity, and flexibility in a way that reflects Hogan Lovells’ evolving culture.
