Bruntwood Works launches wellbeing focused workspace Bloc

Bruntwood Works has launched new workspace Bloc – designed to to improve workplace wellbeing and boost productivity.

The new centre is part of the the group’s £50m Pioneer redevelopment programme.

The re-imagining of the 16-storey office block on Marble Street has introduced a raft of new workspaces, amenities and technology.

Central to the focus on workplace wellbeing is the introduction of RESET, a new state-of-the-art yoga studio by Manchester training brand, FORM. The studio will host a rolling programme of yoga, pilates and wellbeing-based classes to help people blend fitness into the working day.

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Also included is a sleep pod and a pop-up room that will be available for local independent businesses to hire as well as a two story living wall and wildflower roof.

Bloc will also be home to independent bakery Trove taking space on the ground floor and BrewDog set to open a new bar and restaurant, as well as its first hotel, on site later this year.

This provides unrivalled on-site amenity for customers and, alongside the introduction of a new coworking lounge, auditorium and events space, cements Bloc’s position as a place where people can come together and collaborate.

Ciara Keeling, CEO of Bruntwood Works, said: “Bloc’s transition from a corporate office building to a wellbeing-focused workplace is game-changing for Manchester, and we have responded directly to what businesses and their employees expect from a modern workspace.

“We’re seeing increased demand for quality spaces that not only provide a wealth of amenities, but support positive work-life balance and create an environment where people want to spend time – both in and outside of work. Bloc provides all this and more.

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“The increased demand for spaces that support hybrid working and further flexibility has made it clear the office is still so important, just in a new way.

“Through its blend of innovative workspace, lifestyle and retail, Bloc is setting a template for the office of the future.

“We need to create places where people truly want to be, not just a space where they come to work. With the addition of our new wellness suite with FORM, collaborative workspaces and an independent hospitality offering through Trove and BrewDog, we know that Bloc will become a thriving hub at the heart of the community.”

Formerly occupied by NatWest on the Spring Gardens side of Bloc, the Annexe has been totally transformed into three floors of flexible workspace, including 200 desks in a variety of serviced office suites, communal kitchens and lounge areas, with tech-enhanced meeting rooms to suit every need on the ground floor.

RESET by FORM at Bloc

New additions to Bloc also include a coworking studio with 20 desks – which along with the new coworking lounge are available to customers on a flexible Pay As You Go basis.

CubicWorks was the lead contractor on the project.