A New Way to Work
With a pandemic disrupting our working habits, London communications agency Zetteler has returned to the office with a bang, creating a space that doubles as a hub for community, charity, and creativity
Upon first impressions, the new Hackney headquarters of PR agency Zetteler feels more like a contemporary East London apartment with delightful colour combinations, a plush seating area and a kitchen in which one could imagine a feast of treats being served. However, as I delve into the design in further detail, the mindfulness behind every decision makes me fall in love with the space even more.
Designed by Studio Rhonda, the space has taken into consideration the input of each staff member. “I asked everyone in the team what they wanted from the space so I could be sure it actually met their needs,” explains Sabine Zetteler, the agency’s founder, as she describes the leading factors behind the brief she created. “Wellness is a critical factor if you want a happy and effective team,” she continues. “Especially when operating remotely. A lot of businesses still think it’s just a box to tick with discounted gym memberships and a team-building away day.” This approach is what sets Zetteler apart in creating a space which reflects the workforce, with the interior selections being entirely vegan and it also being a deaf-friendly environment. While pulling these aspects together required extra attention, interior designer Rhonda Drakeford, relished the challenge. “My residential design experience really helped as I’m used to working with the myriad functions that a home has to incorporate,” she states. “I approached the project with a more residential rigour, focusing on comfort, ambience and flexibility.”
Now we can come together again, we have a beautiful base to escape our homes, and can spend time together and experience the joys of personal interaction that Zoom can never hope to emulate
Positioned on the seventh floor of Regent Studios, just off Broadway Market, the space is divided into three zones: a dedicated workspace with library shelving, a more relaxed seating area with a corner sofa, and the kitchen area created by Zetteler’s client and neighbour HØLTE. A dedicated meeting space is also incorporated into the design, separated by walls of Valchromat and translucent glass bricks. Such details, along with hues of duck egg blue and peach, elevate the space providing a refreshing antidote to generic office design. “The space includes site-specific and bespoke decorative artwork and an eclectic and surprising palette of materials,” Drakeford continues. “These elements are designed to be stimulating and uplifting, ultimately creating a positive place to work.”
While the space itself allows the team to be as flexible as possible, it’s also bringing a new dynamic to the local area. Offering the space to Zetteler’s community of creatives, start-ups, and charities, to use for meetings and events, is another example of how it presents a renewed vision for workspaces today. “It is already bringing freelancers, press and clients to our door in a way that it never did before,” says Zetteler. “Our relationships are shifting as a result which is wonderful. I hope the community use of the space continues and evolves as it needs to be useful for more people than our team alone.” And, after two years of remote working, this couldn’t have taken shape at a better time Zetteler concludes. “Now we can come together again, we have a beautiful base to escape our homes, and can spend time together and experience the joys of personal interaction that Zoom can never hope to emulate!”