First look: EY first firm in at Two St Peter’s Square

As Big Four accountancy firm EY’s staff prepare to move into their new home at Two St Peter’s Square on Monday, we are giving you a first sneaky peak inside.

The firm has taken 42,000 sq ft over the top three floors floors on a 15-year lease.

The open plan fit-out was undertaken by Overbury, while the interior was designed by Perkins+Will, following a Manchester centric theme of industry, particularly taking inspiration from the city’s history in the textile industry.

The firm, which employs around 600 staff in the North West, says the flexible space has been designed with future headcount growth in mind.

It is part of the global EY@Work office programme, which so far has been rolled out to around 100 offices across the globe, and is about designing the space around collaboration and how our people work, not where they sit.

It has a ‘clear desk’ policy, with lockers for all staff and hotdesks, which are all adjustable to standing position, and while staff can sit wherever they choose there are team zones where people from the same division can easily get together.

Features on the client facing 10th floor include an impressive balcony which runs the length of the office and an event space that can hold up to 90 seated or 120 standing.

There are also meeting rooms where all of the technology – including mics for conference calling – is hidden in the ceiling and controlled via a digital panel.

Bob Ward, North West senior partner at EY, told TheBusinessDesk: “It’s a fabulous new building in a superb location which the team is really excited about. However it’s much more than just having a new physical space in which to work – though we have made it as modern and inspiring as possible.

“It’s about enabling a different way of working. We have created a space that allows our people to work at their best, focusing not on where they work, but how they work. It’s a flexible and fluid space using state of the art design and technology to allow people to plug in to the type of work environment they need at that moment – whether that is collaborating with their team, finding private space for confidential work, connecting with clients and colleagues across the globe easily and quickly or taking five for a well-earned rest.

“Our working day is not static so our working environment shouldn’t be either. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved with the new office and I look forward to welcoming my colleagues and clients to share that with us.”

Take a look below at our  pictures taken as the finishing touches were being made.