Client File
Robert McLean, leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ workplace & capital projects team, tells us what he looks for when commissioning out design projects.
Words by Pamela Buxton
What does your role entail?
My task is to create exciting and vibrant PwC workspaces of the future. It's a great role where I get to work with hugely talented people in the quest to understand how our people will be working in the years to come, and what this means for the role of the office.
We have 30 or so leasehold locations around the UK, ranging in size from 100 persons to more than 6,000 at our More London office. The team looks at how we plan and design these buildings, how we engage with our local business, and how we can refresh our portfolio by bringing on board new buildings when required.
Do you have a design background?
I studied interior design at the Polytechnic of North London and worked as a designer in the Far East delivering commercial office fit-outs before returning to the UK in 1998 and joining what was then Coopers & Lybrand. The opportunity to work on the client side particularly appealed to me because of the chance to build relationships within the firm and with designers over long periods of time.
For PwC's Bristol offices BDP was commissioned
How many different design projects do you generally commission a year?
We currently have five new offices in the pipeline -- one in Leeds, Southampton and Aberdeen will be ready this year, with Manchester and Birmingham to follow in the coming years. All of these were prompted by existing leases due to expire. When this happens, we generally take the opportunity to move to a more modern, sustainable, fit-for-purpose property. This is usually a multi-tenanted building rather than one that is just for us, so that we can benefit from the very large floor plates and shared amenities.
For PwC's Bristol offices BDP was commissioned. Photos: David Barbour
How do you go about commissioning designers and architects?
We generally draw up a longlist then invite a shortlist to pitch. We selected tp bennett to work with us on the refurbishment of Embankment Place and more recently appointed BDP for our Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham offices. We've worked extensively with BDP over many years and it has built up a very useful body of knowledge of our business, which is great for continuity.
For PwC's Bristol offices BDP was commissioned.Photos: David Barbour
What qualities do you generally look for?
We're looking for inspiration, innovation and challenge, for someone who's speaking a language similar to ours and who will help us move our workplace thinking forward.
What are the design priorities for PwC offices?
PwC recognises the impact that good office design can have on the success of the business. We're a people business and so it's key to use the office design to help deliver visibility, interaction and communication.
The majority of our people don't have to come into the office every day but we actively encourage them to come in and work closely together. If you create a good-quality office environment with a vibrancy and a feel good factor, people will feel more valued and are more likely to want to come into the office.
For PwC's Bristol offices BDP was commissioned.Photos: David Barbour
Even small things, such as the right coffee machines, can make a big difference.
A few years ago we started thinking about the idea of the 'office hotel' in terms of everything from how you're welcomed when you arrive at the office to the provision of a choice of different work settings to suit all ages and styles. Concierge floor hosts on each floor assist with workplace queries. People don't have their own desks any more, but have a wide choice of different settings across the building.
Each of our offices is slightly different as our approach is ever-evolving to meet current and future needs. If we're at the end of a lease my preference is that we move to a more modern, sustainable location.
Robert McLean
There are exceptions -- at Southampton, because the location is so good, we've opted to move out temporarily while the building is refurbished and then move back in. And at our Embankment Place office in London, a few years ago we negotiated to stay on when the lease came up. With the landlord investing in the base building we took the building back to shell & core to do a complete refurbishment.
This included introducing a highly visible open staircase through one of the atria to link all the nine floors, which has made a huge difference. Before that the office had been quite tired and unloved, but we've brought new life back to an old building and it's much more effective and productive as a workplace.
What projects do you feel have turned out particularly successfully?
It's always the one that we've just finished. Bristol was the most recent, where we created a different sort of space to anything we'd done before on the top floor -- it's a bit 'Manhattan loft'. Before that it was Edinburgh, where the move to a single floorplate has transformed the way the business operates. And before that the refurbishment of Embankment Place truly transformed an ageing building into an amazing workspace.
In Edinburgh too BDP was engaged.Photos: David Barbour
What is the most challenging part of your job as a design client?
Understanding the brief. A new office can be so much more than just a building project -- it's about understanding what the business is trying to achieve, what it means to its people, its clients, its links with the community and about grasping that opportunity. It's a once-in -a-generation/25-year opportunity. Investing time upfront to build strong local ownership is the key; once trust is achieved we can really start to have fun and experiment.
What is the most rewarding part of your job as a design client?
Seeing the progress and innovation from one project to the next and witnessing the pride the whole team takes in delivering really exciting workplaces.
Are there any examples of workplaces that you take particular inspiration from?
I love the beauty and calmness of cathedrals and the vibrancy and energy of railway stations. My perfect workspace would have a little bit of both and everything in between.
