Virgin Media O2 Island, Manchester
Location
Manchester
Status
Completed 2025
Sector
Commercial
Client
Virgin Media O2
A 50,000 sq. ft workplace across five floors at Island, designed for performance, wellbeing and a strong sense of place.
Virgin Media O2’s new Manchester North West HQ occupies floors five to nine of Island on John Dalton Street. The nearly 50,000 sq ft workplace brings together multi-skilled customer service operations and corporate teams in one connected home, with colleagues moving in at the end of 2025.
The relocation represents a major investment in Virgin Media O2’s Manchester presence, moving from the existing Wythenshawe office into Island, a new 10-storey, 100,000 sq ft net zero carbon workspace in Manchester’s central business district. Following the signing of the tenancy agreement in October 2024, SpaceInvader was appointed for the fit-out project.
With end-users at the heart of the scheme, SpaceInvader began with co-creation workshops with the Wythenshawe team to pinpoint design priorities and identify what worked and what didn’t in the previous workplace.
The project then followed a strict ideation schedule before a 22-week construction programme by lead contractor Overbury, hitting milestones ahead of occupation.
“SpaceInvader was selected for its outstanding creativity and deep understanding of the culture of the city of Manchester.”
Virgin Media O2’s brief set clear priorities, create a high-performing Manchester HQ that supports hybrid working and day-to-day operational needs, while providing amenity and lifestyle services that support employees’ daily lives.
The workplace also needed to reflect Mancunian culture and promote the local community, alongside ambitions to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum accreditations and embody a focus on sustainability and wellness.
“It’s been a genuine pleasure working in partnership with SpaceInvader throughout this scheme. The result is a new workplace that not only meets our needs today, but will support the wellbeing, collaboration and success of our people for many years to come.”
Co-creation that shaped the plan
SpaceInvader’s process started with co-creation workshops with the Wythenshawe team, ensuring the scheme responded to day-to-day needs and priorities identified by end users.
Manchester-led identity, expressed through design
To create a true sense of place, SpaceInvader asked employees what best defines Manchester. The top five responses, sport, science and industry, pop culture, music, and venues, became the themes that determined materials, colour palettes, shapes and forms on each floor, supporting clear identity and subtle wayfinding throughout the workplace.
“From beginning to end, this project had its end-users at its heart.”
Wellbeing and choice
A core idea behind the scheme is the “Ribbon of Oxygen”, a continuous biophilic element woven through open-plan working areas. Integrating planting in expected and unexpected locations, the ribbon guides occupiers towards spaces for focus, collaboration and restoration, supporting productivity, wellbeing and neurodiverse needs through a range of settings.
Vertical connection and shared moments
A feature bleacher staircase serves all teams, functioning as a venue for gatherings and town halls and doubling as a working lounge when not in use. It enhances vertical connectivity and encourages movement, supporting collaboration between teams across multiple floors.
Accessibility
A key part of the brief was to ensure as many spaces as possible were fully accessible to all users. The introduction of curved partitions became pivotal in resolving fire strategy, DDA compliance and headcount requirements, and accessibility was embedded throughout the scheme as part of the wider wellbeing identity.
“Sustainable materials were used across all floors, and we sought to specify manufacturers who run take-back schemes for their products or similar.”
Sustainability and wellbeing performance
Quality and longevity were fundamental to the project’s sustainability and operational strategy. Every material and product was assessed for durability and long-term performance, ensuring that lower embodied carbon did not come at the expense of build quality or maintainability.
The approach combined retention with responsible specification. Cat A general lighting was retained throughout the Cat B fit-out, and ventilation and MEP equipment were retained where possible. Sustainable materials were used across all floors, supported by a streamlined supply chain and a focus on manufacturers offering take-back schemes or similar circular practices. Material choices were guided by whole-life value, including durable, long-life finishes and recycled-content products used in key areas.
Wellbeing performance was supported through both design strategy and building operation.
The building is equipped with air quality sensors that notify users when windows should be opened, supporting the WELL and BREEAM strategies.
In addition, Island’s base build VAV HVAC operates alongside relocated wall-mounted CO₂ sensors and Cat B sensors via the BMS to enable demand-controlled ventilation, boosting fresh air when CO₂ levels rise and modulating back as conditions normalise, maintaining comfort while minimising energy use.
Project Team: Overbury I CBRE I Turner & Townsend Ltd I BPD
Photography: Andrew Smith at SG Photography