Open-plan office with rows of bench desks fitted with computer monitors and black task chairs. Large windows run along the left side of the space, bringing in natural light and views of a neighbouring building. Suspended acoustic baffles in alternating grey and white tones hang from the exposed ceiling, which features visible ductwork, cable trays and services. Large planters filled with greenery divide sections of desks, while grey carpet flooring extends throughout the workspace. Enclosed meeting booth within an open-plan office, featuring glass and ribbed translucent partitions framed in black metal. Upholstered bench seating in a muted orange tone wraps around a small round table beneath a black pendant light. The surrounding space has exposed ductwork, cable trays and services visible across the ceiling. Blue upholstered seating sits nearby, while three grey waste and recycling bins are positioned in the foreground. Light timber flooring runs throughout the area, with office desks and large windows visible in the background. Large training space with square timber tables and blue and white chairs arranged throughout the room. Blue acoustic ceiling baffles are suspended in a wave pattern beneath an exposed ceiling with visible ductwork, cable trays and lighting. One wall is finished with blue panels featuring a subtle curved line pattern. Floor-to-ceiling windows run along the left side of the space, while a large display screen is positioned at the far end. Grey carpet covers the floor throughout. Boardroom with a long rectangular conference table surrounded by orange upholstered chairs. A large wall-mounted display screen and video conferencing camera are positioned at one end of the room. Blue acoustic wall panels with a curved line pattern run along both sides, while recessed circular lights are set into a suspended ceiling with metal mesh panels. A small meeting control panel sits on the table, and a potted plant is placed in the corner beside the display screen. Small room with a two-seat blue sofa, two wooden-framed lounge chairs with matching footstools and a compact kitchenette with a sink and storage cupboards. Two framed photographs are mounted on the wall above the sofa, and a tall potted plant stands in the corner. Dark curtains hang along the left side of the room, while acoustic ceiling panels and recessed circular lights are installed overhead. The walls are finished in two tones, with pale green above and dark grey below, and the floor is covered with grey carpet. Office corridor with light timber flooring and exposed ceiling services, including visible ductwork, cable trays and suspended linear lights. A series of recessed booth seating areas with arched openings line the left side of the space, each fitted with blue upholstered bench seating and a small table. A kitchenette area with cupboards and a worktop is positioned between the booths. On the right, a long row of glass-fronted meeting rooms extends into the distance, alongside a bank of storage cupboards and coat hooks. Large planters filled with greenery are visible further along the corridor. Meeting room with a long rectangular conference table surrounded by orange upholstered chairs with black metal frames. A large wall-mounted display screen and video conferencing camera are positioned on the far wall, which is finished with blue acoustic panels featuring a curved line pattern. Floor-to-ceiling glazing and a glass door line one side of the room, providing views into the surrounding office. The ceiling is finished in black with recessed circular lights and exposed services above, while grey patterned carpet covers most of the floor. A built-in storage unit and a potted plant are positioned beneath and beside the display screen. Reception area with a curved blue reception desk positioned in front of a large Thames Water logo mounted on a blue feature wall. A circular orange upholstered sofa sits in the foreground on a patterned rug. To the right, a refreshment area includes base and wall cabinets, a sink and a speckled splashback. Timber flooring runs throughout the space, while the ceiling features tan acoustic panels with black cylindrical light fittings. Planters with greenery are positioned around the reception desk, and a glazed doorway leads to adjoining office spaces in the background. View into a glass-fronted meeting room from an adjacent office corridor. The room contains a long rectangular conference table surrounded by orange upholstered chairs and faces a wall-mounted display screen with a video conferencing camera. Floor-to-ceiling windows along one side overlook a neighbouring office building. The ceiling is finished in black with recessed circular lights and exposed services above, while grey patterned carpet covers the meeting area. In the corridor, light timber flooring, exposed cable trays and ductwork are visible, along with planters and open-plan desk areas further down the workspace. Small meeting room with a square white table surrounded by four orange upholstered chairs with black metal frames. A wall-mounted display screen and video conferencing unit are fixed to a blue acoustic feature wall with a curved line pattern. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap around two sides of the room, overlooking neighbouring office buildings and a street below. A meeting room booking panel is mounted beside the glass entrance door, while grey carpet covers the floor and black mesh ceiling panels with recessed circular lights are installed overhead.
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Home Case studies Thames Water

Smarter uses of space in Swindon

Thames Water's move to Newbridge Square represents a major investment in its people and future operations in Swindon. The new workplace gives its contact centre teams a modern, high quality environment suited to hybrid working, while contributing to the town's wider regeneration plans.

Project partners

  • AWW Architects
  • DRB Environmental
  • GSB
  • RJS Development Management
  • TCQ Surveyors

Key features

  • Flexible hybrid office
  • High levels of acoustic control 
  • Low carbon and energy efficient solutions
  • 97% of project waste recycled

As hybrid working changed how the organisation used its office space, Thames Water relocated its Swindon call centre to a more central home. Fewer desks were being used, so the move meant they could rethink how the workspace could provide a better experience for employees. Working alongside specialist subcontractors, we brought AWW's design to life, making the most of the new floorplate and retaining the strong sense of culture built in the previous office.

Sound solutions

By its nature, a contact centre can be a noisy place. To combat this, the open plan work areas have acoustic rafts, wall panels and specialist finishes to manage noise levels for people on calls. Pods and focus areas provide extra space for when privacy and concentration are needed. A large town hall space doubles as a training room, with a folding wall further adding to its flexibility. 

Reducing landfill

Increasing sustainability was another driver behind Thames Water’s move. The space’s existing raised access flooring and fan coil units have been retained wherever possible, and new fittings are low carbon and energy efficient. During the fit out, 97% of the site waste was recycled. 

A busy city centre location meant we had to think smart about how to replace major M&E systems without closing roads and disrupting local businesses. Drawing on past experiences, our detailed planning meant we knew the best way was to dismantle the large mechanical and electrical equipment to bring it into the building without cranes or road closures. This meant less disruption in Swindon town centre and helped keep the fit out on track.

Smooth sailing in Swindon

By rethinking how space is used, Thames Water now has a workplace that delivers a bigger impact from a smaller space. Flexible, efficient and built around the realities of contact centre work, it provides a strong foundation for the team's next chapter in Swindon.

  • Swindon
  • 35,000 sq ft
  • 25 weeks

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