Michelin was relocating from a 24,000 sq ft, three-floor building to a new 10,000 sq ft single-floor space in Keele, prompted by the introduction of hybrid working and a reduced need for permanent desks. The brief was to create a versatile working hub that would support both focused individual work and collaborative team activity, with technology playing a key role in enabling seamless remote meetings and agile working.
The new workspace also needed to reflect Michelin’s brand, values, and heritage, bringing their story to life through design, artwork, and thoughtful use of colour. Sustainability and cost efficiency were important, with a clear requirement to reuse as much existing furniture as possible while ensuring the final result felt fresh, cohesive, and fit for purpose.
We supported Michelin with our full range of services, including a full Cat B fit-out, design, furniture, and move management, helping them create a modern, flexible workspace tailored to their new way of working.
Design & Space Planning: The layout was developed to balance focus and collaboration, with two open-plan work zones joined by a centralised flow-through area that houses breakout, dining, and social spaces. We designed a variety of meeting rooms to support internal use and client visits, while quiet zones and hot desk areas offer flexibility for hybrid teams.
Brand-Led Design: To reflect Michelin’s identity, we incorporated their corporate colours and graphics into the social and collaborative areas, including a branded history wall to showcase their legacy. Elsewhere in the open plan, muted greens and biophilic design elements—including indoor planting and access to natural light—help to create a calm, neutral palette that supports wellbeing and focus.
Sustainable Furniture: Working within budget and sustainability goals, we reused and refurbished a large portion of Michelin’s existing furniture, including reupholstering items to give them a new lease of life. This was complemented with carefully selected quality used furniture to complete the scheme without compromising on look or function.
End-to-End Delivery: As well as the design and planning work, we delivered the full installation, move management, and M&E works, ensuring a smooth transition to the new space with minimal disruption.
The team’s response to the tender was pitched exactly right. They had clearly taken time to understand Michelin and what we were asking for. Their expertise meant they could take our ideas and develop them into a solution that was both creative and suitable for our needs, addressing every point we laid out in the tender. The team approached the challenge by proposing innovative solutions to meet the brief. The best example of this was opening up the central kitchen space to help foster a more open and collaborative office environment.
When it came to things that we absolutely needed to get right, the team were quick to recognise the issues and bring in the right people. They kept in constant communication with us to make sure decisions were made in a timely manner. They often recognised problems before they became problems. The whole relocation was fully managed by the team. We had constant touchpoints throughout, and it was all handled really smoothly by the project manager. That took away a lot of potential pain in what was a complex project, and the additional follow-ups afterwards were really appreciated.
Lucy Natalello & Carl Forster
Michelin
Unit 1, Doctors Garden,
Higher Union Road,
Kingsbridge
TQ7 1EQ
Tower 42,
25 Old Broad Street,
London
EC2N 1HN
