Bursting into Brum
Following our work with flexible office operators Runway East to re-imagine their interior brand in London, we were delighted to be asked to help them direct and design the evolution of their spaces as the business grows across the UK. The first of these: a newly refurbished building, Arca, located in the heart of Birmingham's Central Business District, 19,900 sq ft across the ground and sixth floors, delivered in 18 weeks.
The timing couldn't be better. Birmingham's flexible office market is under serious pressure, average occupancy across the city has hit an all-time high, with demand from professional services firms consistently outpacing available supply. In a market where a functional desk and fast Wi-Fi are no longer differentiators, the quality and character of a space is everything. The operators who win aren't just selling square footage. They're selling a place people actually want to be.
That was the design challenge Runway East brought to us. Develop a sophisticated and professional look and feel that would appeal to a broader base of professional service businesses, without losing a drop of the joyful, playful brand energy their community already loves.
A Hospitable Welcome
Vibrant places to meet and socialise are at the heart of the Runway East ethos and we always try to locate those as close to the entry point of the building as possible. In Birmingham, communal zones blend into the reception area to create a warm, welcoming entrance experience.
This entrance presented two unique challenges. The first was creating the right flow in a very irregular shaped room. The second was generating an appealing atmosphere in a space with no natural daylight.
The answer wasn't to fight those constraints, it was to design around them. We developed a layout that put the kitchen at the centre of the space, flanked by communal and semi-private social areas including a hidden sunken sofa, booths, and banquette seating. A warm, inviting colour and material palette, together with a subdued and intimate lighting scheme, helped to create an atmosphere people want to linger in rather than pass through.
This matters more than it might seem. Research consistently shows that the layout of a workplace has a direct impact on how members interact, collaborate, and feel. Environments designed around natural social 'collision points', a shared kitchen, a well-placed booth, a communal table, generate the kind of spontaneous connection that builds real community. And in the flexible workspace market, community is the retention strategy. Members don't just stay for the desk. They stay because leaving would mean leaving the people.
Panoramic Views
The 6th floor presented a unique opportunity to design a fantastic social space overlooking Birmingham City Centre. Its circular shape lent itself towards a curved two-tier seating and bench structure that maximised the views outward, a great place to stop, reset, and grab a coffee. In a building where every other floor is about doing, this one is about breathing.
The research on natural light and outlook in workplace environments is conclusive. Access to views and daylight is one of the factors most consistently linked to employee wellbeing, energy, and sustained concentration. By anchoring a restorative space at the top of the building, the 6th floor gives the building's residents a space to pause and reflect.
Sweet Meetings
Throughout the building you'll see subtle references to the locality, particularly in the suite of distinctive meeting rooms that support Runway East's flexible studios. These rooms were inspired by Birmingham's chocolate-making history, the city being the birthplace of Cadbury's. From the naming strategy to the colour palettes and curated artwork, each room carries a reference to the city's sweet heritage.
This kind of place-rooted storytelling does something important for a workspace brand expanding into a new city: it signals genuine investment. It says we're not just here, we belong here. For members who are often building their own businesses and reputations locally, that sense of rootedness resonates. Art was an equally important part of the interior throughout the building, we hand picked and curated over 60 artworks and prints to animate common areas, with a strong selection from locally based artists woven throughout the scheme.
Standing Out in a Competitive Market
In a market where Birmingham's flex occupancy has hit historic highs, standing out demands more than a good spec sheet. It demands a space that people choose, not because it's available, but because it's theirs.
That's what the design delivers for Runway East. A building that stretches the brand into new professional territory without losing the warmth and personality that earns loyalty. One where the communal entrance draws people in, the 6th floor terrace gives them a reason to stay longer, and the meeting rooms, named for a city's sweetest history, give them something to talk about.
The result is a workspace that positions Runway East for exactly the kind of professional services demand that's currently driving the Birmingham market: businesses increasingly allocating more of their real estate to flexible space, and looking for operators whose environments reflect their own ambitions.
“Sheila Bird have long been our trusted design partner helping us define and evolve the look and feel of our spaces as we grow into new locations and markets.
The design scheme they have created in Birmingham gives us a truly distinctive offer in a new city for us. The space captures the warm, creative and inclusive social spirit of our brand perfectly, creating fun work environments that our community just love to be in”
Natasha Guerra CEO, Runway East
