Inclusivity was a key focus, with a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) consultant involved in the design process to ensure the space meets a wide range of needs. Employees are empowered to choose environments that best support their work style, creating a more adaptable and accessible workplace for all.

Across the six floors, employees can choose from a broad range of work areas, offering a total of 1,650 work settings. This includes 50 single-person pods, 340 formal desks, and a significantly increased number of meeting rooms - four times the amount found in the previous office at Hammersmith. The layout is designed to offer flexibility and choice, with a 4:10 desk-to-person ratio, ensuring that employees can easily find the space that suits their needs. While VMO2’s flexible working policy means many employees may not be in the office every day, this layout encourages interaction and helps people come together. “The aim at Paddington was to create the most amazing workspace to allow our people to excel when they come to the office,” says Barbara Johnston, Head of Project Management Office and Workplace Strategy at Virgin Media O2.

Spacestor’s HotLockers were carefully selected to provide the essential personal storage needed in a dynamic, flexible working environment. With employees frequently moving between different workspaces rather than having designated desks, these lockers offer a practical and convenient solution. Designed for seamless integration, they are fully customizable to complement surrounding furniture perfectly, ensuring a cohesive and polished aesthetic.

Designed by Gensler to unite the bold brand palettes of both companies, without making it a branded office, there are highlights of both brand colors throughout the space blended in with features and furniture pieces. “There was a strong desire in the focus groups we did with staff to move away from having red and blue everywhere,” says Gensler design director Megan Dobstaff, so Virgin Media’s vibrant red and O2’s signature blue are toned down to integrate with the warm, domestic tones throughout the work environment.

Working with day2, Spacestor’s products were able to fit in perfectly with this due to their ultimate customizability. The Spacestor Railway Carriage brings people together in a culture of team work, as well as being the ideal solution for a built-in look, amply customizable to the materials and colors of the area.

Below image taken from video.

Residence Connect, Spacestor’s video-conferencing pod, also fit in seamlessly with the aesthetic, built in rows against the wall. Both the accessible and standard options were fitted here, demonstrating the thought put into individual furniture pieces. Choosing the accessible version means the pods have a push-button door, step-free access and an independently height-adjustable desk and monitor, ensuring that the user can refine the space ergonomics to suit them personally.

Features throughout the space are designed to strengthen company culture and make the office a place where employees genuinely want to work. Among these is a café on the 9th floor, complemented by a dedicated dining and social space that fosters connection and relaxation. Additionally, a 130-capacity event studio enables the company to host large meetings and in-person events, further enhancing opportunities for synergy and bringing people together.

The cohesive brand styling flows through the space, with each level of the office themed reflecting the entertainment services that Virgin Media O2 provide, in different forms. For example, the sports-themed floor includes a carpet with a grass-like pattern, bleacher-style seating and a feature lighting system designed in lines reminiscent of sports field markings. Following the same imaginative approach, the music floor showcases black and white furniture, influenced by piano keys, whilst on the gaming floor, the carpet has a pattern taking cues from pixels! These fun elements are also carried through into finer details such as wayfinding graphics, as seen on the toilet roll icon on the WC doors.

Gensler have truly brought Virgin Media O2’s vision to life, creating a vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic headquarters in Paddington. Designed to unite employees and spark connection, the space blends flexible work areas, bold brand-inspired themes, and thoughtful touches like communal hubs and creative breakout zones. This is a destination where culture, collaboration, and energy come together seamlessly.

Photography credits: Gareth Gardner
Video: BW Workplace Experts