Architect relocates head office to former bank

Nottingham-based CPMG Architects has relocated its head office.

Following more than two decades in Warser Gate, the architectural practice will be moving to a new home in St Peters Gate.

The Grade II listed two-storey building, which has had a former life as a bank and more recently a bar, will be completely refurbished.

Overlooking St Peter’s Church, the new office will bring the team together in a single studio environment with newly installed mezzanine, along with subterranean meeting spaces occupying the former bank vaults. The entrance space will incorporate a co-working and coffee area.

Managing director Richard Flisher said: “This move is a vote of confidence in our home city of Nottingham and in the future vitality of the city centre. Everything we do at CPMG is driven by our core values of people, purpose and place – and our move to St Peters Gate is no different.

“As designers we adopt a flexible approach to the workplace and this move gives us the opportunity to instigate new ways of working for our staff, based on choice, and supported by flexible workstyles and cloud-based IT systems.

“In support of CPMG’s commitment to the ‘RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge’ and our drive towards making all our designs zero carbon, we have designed our new offices to eliminate fossil fuel use whilst continuing to offset the remainder of our operational carbon use via Forest Carbon.”

The design team will be revealing key details and progress on the refurbishment of the site over the coming months.

Flisher added: “We have been working towards a more flexible and varied approach to working for a while and there is no doubt that this has been greatly accelerated by the effects of COVID-19. Our existing lease at Warsaw Gate was coming to an end and it has given us the perfect opportunity to look afresh at the way we want to work in the future.

“While we have in recent years opened offices in London, Birmingham and China, Nottingham is where our headquarters will always be. With this office move, we are reaffirming our commitment to a city that is our home and the place where we continue to design key projects across the city.

“Nottingham has been our home for more than two decades, and we’re looking forward to being here for many more years to come.”