Boston Consulting Group HQ

As one of the world’s leading strategy houses, BCG works globally to solve complex societal and business challenges. Within this context of anticipating future change, Piercy&Company was commissioned to create a London HQ for the consulting group that could give both a strong sense of place and the capacity to flex and change over time.

Drawing inspiration from BCG's own practices, we spent six months embedded in their existing offices, working with the deceptively simple question of "where do people do their best work?". Both client and architect recognised that alongside this ran the need to anticipate change; in terms of working practices as well as future responsibilities. The resulting scheme - based around themes of variety, comfort, flexibility and community - responds holistically and extensively to these challenges, pushing the bounds of what’s possible in order to truly reflect the BCG ethos.

The floorplates in 80 Charlotte Street are close to football pitch size – and we recognised early the need to approach the design as more akin to landscape than architecture. Vistas, order, variation and surprise became principles for spatial organisation, encouraging clear lines of sight across spaces. New openings introduced light and visual connection between floors including a dramatic spiral staircase which - as the principal connection between the key social spaces - acts as the cultural heart of the office. 

We sought to ground BCG’s workspace in the local area, focussing on detail that would connect it to its location in Fitzrovia, the home of pioneering furniture makers, Heals and Maple&Co, who championed principles of 'manufactured craft'.  Offices and meeting rooms were designed as a kit of parts in a manner similar to system furniture, allowing them to be rapidly re-configured and adapted to suit future ways of working. 

The success of the project can be seen in the post-occupancy analysis of the employee workplace experience by Leesman, rating higher than any other UK workplace in the 2022 Survey.

The Pavilion

Commissioned to extend BCG’s provision of unique and flexible work settings, the upper terrace is home to a curving, shimmering pavilion for outdoor working, informal meetings and events. Evolving the research-based design approach imbued across the whole scheme, we worked in collaboration with Guan Lee of Material Architecture Lab and the pavilion went through extensive digital optimisation for construction with Format Engineers and fabricators Cake Industries. The pavilion has been lined with raw marine grade aluminium strips to create a warm, soft interior, while the outside shell has been wrapped in thin strips of raw alluminium and capped with Iroko wood to provide a smooth tactile edge. 

Showcasing the meeting of complex geometry and a simple construction technique, the form takes inspiration from seaweed’s anticlastic shape, which maximises surface area by ruffling its edges. Mirroring this movement, the pavilion offers staff a playful and inviting gathering place and connection with nature.