The West Brom Headquarters - Associated Architects

Project Value:

£15m

Client:

Completion:

2016

Key Facts

6,500sq.m

Accommodates 700 staff

A new start

In 2013, the West Bromwich Building Society (AKA The West Brom) appointed us to design and deliver their new headquarters home on a site at Providence Place in West Bromwich. The project received planning in the summer of 2013 and was completed in the spring of 2016.

With over 700 staff to accommodate the project kicked-off with an extensive consultation exercise that defined departmental needs and adjacencies, possible workplace settings and support spaces such as training rooms. This process determined the need for a 6,500sq.m building of five levels of open-plan floorplates set around a central atrium.

Exemplary workspace

The atrium is the heart of the building and The West Brom. Key spaces such as the staff restaurant and training suite are located around the base of the atrium, which is a vibrant forum space used for staff meetings and by visiting branch staff, who can to feel part of the business.

Flooded with natural daylight, the atrium contains a feature stair that rises to link all the floor plates and encourage interdepartmental collaboration.

As an owner-occupier, The West Brom asked us to specify low energy and low maintenance solutions and materials. An underfloor displacement ventilation system uses the free cooling provided by the exposed mass of the concrete floor soffits.

Externally the facades are articulated using a grid of light grey and charcoal slim format terracotta cladding and full-height composite windows to maximise daylight penetration.

Our new head office building needed to be designed to a standard that would meet the needs of the business now, but also allow flexibility for us to adapt our working patterns and incorporate new technology in the future. Associated Architects has achieved this.

Jonathan Westhoff, Chief Executive

Confident future

The new building is a flexible, modern and exciting new home for the staff of the Society and allow The West Brom to approach the coming years with confidence, knowing that they have an attractive and efficient new home from which they can continue to serve the best interests of their members.