LOM created a modern office by transforming a London building into a flexible, sustainable, and future-proof workspace for NatWest.

When London-based practice LOM architecture and design began designing retail banking company NatWest?s new head office, it didn?t anticipate that a global pandemic would eventually shift the way we would work in the foreseeable future. Over the course of the multi-year refurbishment project, LOM adapted to the new needs of the modern office and transformed an old building at the edge of London into a flexible, sustainable, and future-proof workspace.

After deciding to consolidate their London offices from six buildings to two, NatWest’s new head office now sits at 250 Bishopsgate, a sharp landmark designed by EPR Architects in 1998. The multi-phase renovation transpired before and during the pandemic, so LOM was simultaneously learning about the future of the workplace and designing it. There are a number of key features including a new 300-seat conference center on the ground floor, a new bank branch, meeting rooms, an atrium garden and cafe, a roof terrace, and a hyper-flexible co-working hub.
This co-working center offers a variety of spaces designed for collaboration, different modes of working, and socialization. Areas have been configured for casual meetings and the stadium seating style can be used for larger gatherings or individual work powered by plentiful outlets. The calming green and neutral color palette, with...