Solving Complexity with Clarity: Large Scale Design Management
16th October 2025
When a global professional services firm set out to create their new London headquarters, they weren’t looking for just another office. They wanted a destination workplace that reconnected their people, celebrated sustainable design, and supported a collaborative way of working.
Delivering that vision meant managing scale, complexity, and ambition — all at once. BW’s Design Management Director, Sachin Monahan, shares how the delivery team turned one of London’s most intricate Cat B fit outs into a masterclass in problem-solving.
Balancing ambition with buildability
Spanning seven floors and 102,000 square feet, this flagship project combined every element of a modern workplace from feature staircases and conference suites to a greenhouse garden and fully catered restaurant. The challenge: keeping design intent intact while navigating a live base build and a compressed programme.
“This project reflects BW’s ability to balance design ambition with technical delivery,” says Sachin. “We coordinated more than 260 finishes and 60 bespoke light fittings without compromising programme or quality. Every challenge was resolved collaboratively through workshops that brought design and delivery together.”
Testing before building
When every detail matters, there’s no room for assumptions. BW adopted a mock-up-led approach, testing materials and methods before a single component went to site.
“The most complex challenge was delivering cranked-head partition details that maintained acoustic performance across varied finishes,” Sachin explains. “Through prototyping and workshops with consultants and specialists, we aligned buildability with design intent.”
BW’s offsite studio became a creative lab. “We trialled unconventional materials including cardboard, Tyvek, timber, and mesh to see how they performed acoustically and structurally. For a project of this scale, that level of testing was a first.”
Mock-up spaces aren’t just for testing, they’re where ideas take shape. These environments bring clients, designers, and delivery teams together to explore materials, evaluate detailing, and make confident, informed decisions before build. They bridge the gap between design ambition and delivery certainty.
Collaboration without compromise
The project’s three major staircases — timber-clad steel, pre-cast concrete, and dual spirals — demanded precision across disciplines.
“Architectural, structural, and MEP teams worked hand-in-hand to coordinate load paths, fire compliance, and services routing,” says Sachin. “Intensive design workshops ensured we achieved seamless architecture without sacrificing technical integrity.”
That spirit of collaboration extended to site. At its peak, over 350 operatives worked in coordination with live base build activities. “Our strength lies in managing large, design-driven fit-outs under pressure,” Sachin adds. “Clarity and communication are what keep complexity under control.”
Turning complexity into clarity
A project of this detail demands relentless coordination. Every change to services or finishes had knock-on effects for design, acoustics, and programme.
“The coordination of finishes and services required constant dialogue,” says Sachin. “Our detailed finish schedules and milestone-based workshops kept everyone aligned and the project moving.”
For clients chasing bold ideas
Projects like this prove that creative ambition and commercial certainty can coexist, if you have the right partner.
“Engage early. Collaborate often. Test everything,” Sachin advises. “That’s how bold ideas stay buildable and programmes stay protected.”
The takeaway
This landmark workplace is more than a fit out. It’s a statement. Bold, sustainable, and delivered with precision. It’s proof that clarity and collaboration aren’t just buzzwords — they’re the foundation of every successful project.
