Bloomberg

Curated art spaces and 24-hour free food are just two ways Bloomberg has sought to enliven the reception and public areas of its European headquarters in the City of London.

The global information provider to the financial industry has

just finished extensive rebuilding work to link its existing City Gate House headquarters with the building next door at 50 Finsbury Square.

The interiors by Powell Tuck Associates are designed to encourage interaction between employees and reflect the importance of communication within Bloomberg’s culture, says Powell Tuck director Julian Powell Tuck. A darkened lobby area highlights screens displaying foreign language Bloomberg broadcasts and affords views of its busy television studios on the ground floor.

Adjacent to the first floor reception, reachable from the lobby via escalator, is the ‘pantry’ – the ‘hub of the building’. Here, Bloomberg’s 1800 staff meet throughout the day to eat and drink.

The pantry furniture has been arranged to encourage people-watching, movement and communication among staff, says Powell Tuck.

Curated art spaces have been introduced to each floor of the new office building, curated by exhibition specialist Scarlet Projects. They are designed to provide a constantly changing showcase of work by young artists and designers who may otherwise not get the chance of an exhibition.

Bloomberg’s shared spaces stimulate creativity, says Bloomberg director of real estate Paul Darrah. ‘We try to increase communication between employees who may not otherwise mingle; those from different departments or at different chains of command. It makes employees feel a part of things,’ he says.