Leading Financial Data Analysis Company

Workplace Design Manchester

Location

Manchester

Status

Completed 2025

Sector

Commercial Workplace

Client

Leading financial data analysis company

A workplace design in Manchester shaped by the pulse of data, designed to energise connection, clarity and performance.

SpaceInvader has delivered a workplace design in Manchester for a leading financial data analysis company, translating the movement and intensity of data into a highly connected, people-focused environment.

Interior of a modern recreational space featuring a bar with high chairs, hanging pendant lights, green plants, and an ice hockey table in the foreground.

Relocating from a co-working space into No.1 St Michael’s, the project marks a significant step in the company’s growth, creating a permanent home that balances performance with experience. Designed to feel open, energetic and distinctly non-corporate, the workplace supports collaboration, focus and long-term flexibility.

Located within one of Manchester’s most high-profile commercial developments, designed by Hodder + Partners and developed by Relentless Developments, the space reflects the city’s evolving business landscape and demand for high-quality office fit-outs in central locations.

Workplace design Manchester exterior No.1 St Michael’s office building
Modern indoor lounge with tiered seating, cushions, and potted plants, featuring curved design and large windows providing natural light.

The 1,837 sq m office fit-out in Manchester was designed to support over 120 workstations alongside a diverse range of collaborative, social and focus spaces.

These include a central town hall, meeting rooms, breakout areas and dedicated wellbeing facilities, supporting both individual and team-based working.

A modern conference room with a large wooden table surrounded by six burgundy office chairs. There are glass sliding doors with gold handles. In the background, a large screen is mounted on a beige wall, with a soundbar below it. The room has built-in shelves with decorative items and books, illuminated with warm lighting.

“A workplace that reflects the rhythm, speed and clarity of data.”

Modern cafe or restaurant interior with a bar counter, seating area, green plants hanging from the ceiling, and large windows

SpaceInvader’s concept draws directly from the movement and visualisation of data, grounded in Manchester’s legacy of innovation through Alan Turing and early computing.

This thinking is expressed through a unifying idea, The Pulse, a spatial narrative that reflects how data surges, slows and connects. Inspired by early computing, the concept translates abstract behaviours into a physical workplace experience, shaping an environment that intuitively supports different modes of working.

Across the floorplate, environments shift naturally between high-energy collaboration spaces and quieter, more focused work settings, creating a rhythm that mirrors the flow of information within the organisation.

Modern living room with a brick wall partition, indoor plants, circular wall art, and stylish furniture including a white lounge chair, beige sofa, and side tables with decorative vases.

“Creating a space where collaboration is visible and accessible to all.”

Modern indoor lounge area with circular and rectangular tables, gray and upholstered chairs, built-in bench seating with cushions, hanging plants, and a large circular light fixture with greenery on a high ceiling.

“A workplace shaped by the rhythm and movement of data.”

The layout is deliberately open and legible, with minimal visual barriers and clear sightlines across the workplace. This approach enhances visibility and accessibility, ensuring all employees feel connected to the wider team and workspace.

At the heart of the design, a multi-functional social hub anchors the floorplate, acting as both a daily meeting point and a flexible space for larger gatherings and events.

Modern office with large windows, potted plants, a conference table with green chairs, and cityscape view including a clock tower.

“Data made visible, embedded into the workplace experience.”

A modern indoor seating area with curved tiered black seating, beige cushions, and colorful throw pillows. There are plants and greenery along the back wall and hanging pot plants above. The ceiling has large white panels, a projector, and industrial elements. The floor is light wood, and subtle LED lighting accents the edges of the seating area.

A full-height data screen installation brings the concept to life in real time, allowing live information to become part of the workplace environment. This feature reinforces the organisation’s identity as a data-driven business while enhancing engagement across the space.

This integration of technology is carefully balanced with a human-centred design approach, ensuring the workplace remains intuitive, comfortable and engaging.

Modern office lounge with round pink table, beige curved seating, gray chairs, a potted plant, large glass windows, and a meeting area with people working at desks in the background.

The design reflects both the client’s global outlook and Manchester’s distinct cultural and industrial heritage. Bespoke artwork, graphics and wayfinding reference local pioneers and innovation, embedding a strong sense of place within the commercial interior design.

Bespoke artwork explores the idea of differing perceptions, revealing a bigger picture through coding and dot-based graphics.

This layered storytelling approach extends to graphic interventions that reveal different meanings at different scales, reinforcing the relationship between detail, data and the bigger picture.

Close-up of a digital screen displaying a stylized black and white illustration of a person's face, with glasses and a beard, seen through a textured glass surface with reflections of inside lights.

Drawing on the intricacies of Turing’s Bombe machine, the design language is expressed through repetition, rhythm and detail.

Circular forms, layered textures and rich tonal contrasts create a workplace aesthetic that feels both technical and human.

Feature lighting and bespoke joinery elements echo the idea of movement and connectivity, creating visual interest while reinforcing the overarching concept.

People sitting at a booth labeled '4 Person Booth' in a modern office or restaurant space, with a woman standing nearby.

A diverse range of flexible work settings supports hybrid working and evolving workplace needs. From collaborative zones to quiet focus areas and informal breakout spaces, the design enables employees to choose how and where they work throughout the day.

This approach enhances productivity, wellbeing and inclusivity, demonstrating how effective workplace design can support both business performance and employee experience.

Modern office conference room with a long white table, six red chairs, large windows with cityscape views, and a ceiling with a grid pattern and hanging lights.

Sustainability was embedded throughout this office fit-out project, with a focus on long-term performance and responsible material selection. Existing building elements were retained where possible, reducing waste and embodied carbon, while new materials were selected for durability, recyclability and environmental performance.

This ensures the workplace not only meets current operational needs but also supports future adaptability and sustainability goals.

Close-up of a beige upholstered chair, black round table with white speckles, and gray carpeted floor.

The project reflects SpaceInvader’s approach to commercial interior design, combining strategic thinking with strong concept-led design to deliver high-performing workplaces. By aligning spatial design with business objectives, the scheme supports collaboration, innovation and long-term growth.

As part of Manchester’s evolving commercial landscape, the workplace demonstrates how considered office design can enhance both organisational performance and employee experience, creating environments that are as functional as they are engaging.

The result is a future-ready workplace that balances performance with experience, translating complex ideas into a clear, engaging and highly usable environment.

Modern interior with a ceiling light fixture that has a continuous white LED loop design, hanging from a gold rod in front of large floor-to-ceiling windows showing city buildings outside.

Project Team: CBRE I Turner & Townsend Ltd I AVI-SPL

Photography: Andrew Smith at SG Photography