The best way to find an office space that fits your brand culture is to choose a workplace whose layout, design, location and atmosphere reflect how your business works and what it stands for. An office should be more than a place for desks; it should support your people, communicate your identity and create an environment where your culture can grow.
Pilcher London specialises in office lettings in London – and with the help of our dedicated team of agents, we can help you find the right office space for your brand culture. Whether you are a creative company, startup, tech business or offering professional services and looking for a more bright and inspiring workplace, we can connect you with the perfect fit in areas across Central London including Soho, Camden, Mayfair, Fitzrovia and Old Street.
What is brand culture for a business and why is it important?
Brand culture is the combination of your company’s values, personality, behaviours and working style. It is how your business feels to employees, clients and visitors, from the way people communicate to the environment they work in.
A creative agency, for example, may value collaboration, flexibility and new ideas. A traditional professional services firm may place greater importance on privacy, formality and client-facing spaces. The office space you choose should support these differences rather than work against them.
Brand culture matters because it helps create a sense of belonging and gives employees a clearer connection to the organisation. Research from London Business School highlights that aesthetics, spatial layout and ambience can influence employees’ health, attitudes and motivation.
How can brand culture be reflected in finding an office space?
- Layout – Choose a layout that reflects how your team works, whether that means open-plan collaboration or private offices.
- Design – Consider whether the space feels modern, traditional, creative or professional to match your brand.
- Ceiling height – High ceilings can create an open, spacious and creative atmosphere.
- Natural light – Large windows and good natural light can create a brighter, more welcoming workplace.
- Meeting spaces – Include meeting rooms and breakout areas that support collaboration, client meetings and informal conversations.
- Social areas – Kitchens, lounges and communal spaces can encourage employees to connect and build relationships.
- Location – Choose an area that reflects your brand image and is convenient for employees and clients.
- Accessibility – Good transport links can support an inclusive culture and make the office easier to reach.
- Building character – Period features, contemporary architecture or a distinctive building can reinforce your brand personality.
- Furniture – The style, quality and flexibility of furniture can reflect your company’s personality and working style.
- Lighting – Lighting can influence the atmosphere and help create a workplace that feels welcoming and on-brand.
- Materials – Wood, glass, metal and other finishes can help communicate whether your brand is traditional, modern or creative.
- Branding – Look for opportunities to introduce brand colours, artwork, signage and graphics into the space.
- Wellbeing – Natural light, quiet areas, outdoor space and comfortable facilities can support a culture that values employees.
- Flexibility – Choose a space that can adapt to changing team sizes, hybrid working and the future needs of your business.
- Amenities – Nearby cafés, restaurants, shops, gyms and green spaces can contribute to employee experience.
How can having the right office space impact brand culture?
The right office can help establish, shape and maintain brand values for your business – and how it relays this brand message to employees, clients and other stakeholders.
For instance, a creative company should indeed have a creative work space to consolidate its brand image and position.
A collaborative layout can encourage conversation and teamwork, while dedicated social spaces can create opportunities for informal interaction.
Office spaces can also influence how clients and potential employees see your business. Your office is often one of the most tangible expressions of your brand, particularly when welcoming clients for meetings or candidates for interviews.
What branding can you add to an office space?
There are several branding elements that you can bring to an office space including the colours of walls and floors, lightning, furniture, arcade games, wall graphics, merchandise, signage, artwork and more.
All these elements can influence the branding of your office space.
However, remember that changes to an office may require landlord approval. Before installing signage, changing lighting, painting walls or making alterations, check what is permitted under the lease and obtain the necessary consent.
Examples of office spaces with a clear brand culture featured by Pilcher London
1 Rawstorne Place Clerkenwell
Perfect for a young, creative company or startup
55-61 Brewery Road Office Space, Old Street
Ideal for any company in finance, professional services, startup or tech
The Hive – Garden Studios – West London
Perfect for podcasters and influencers
Examples of office spaces with a clear brand culture
There are companies that might come to mind that demonstrate clear brand culture within their office workspace, and they become almost well-known because of their office space too.
Google is well known for using its offices to express its playful, innovative and creative brand culture. Its London offices have included brightly coloured glass, colourful carpets, write-on walls and unusual features, while other Google workplaces have used slides, nap pods and themed breakout areas. These choices make the office feel less corporate and more aligned with Google’s reputation for creativity and experimentation.
Airbnb
Airbnb is a strong example of branding through the overall experience of an office rather than simply adding logos to walls. Its offices are designed around its “Belong Anywhere” ethos, with meeting rooms inspired by real Airbnb properties and spaces influenced by the culture of different cities. At its San Francisco headquarters, for example, different floors reflect cities such as Buenos Aires, Kyoto, Jaipur and Amsterdam through colours, patterns and materials.
Nike
Nike is a strong example of a company using its office space to make its brand culture part of the everyday working environment. At its Beaverton headquarters, the design reflects Nike’s focus on sport, movement, creativity and innovation, with buildings named after famous athletes and spaces designed around collaboration and activity.
Branding is also incorporated directly into the interiors through murals, artwork, graphics and materials inspired by Nike’s history and product archive. In some workplaces, Nike has used athlete photography, running imagery and branded colour to create distinctive areas, showing how an office can communicate a company’s story without relying only on logos.
The Serena Williams Building is another example, with its design specifically created to capture the ethos of sport, Nike’s heritage and Serena Williams’ influence. The building provides spaces for collaboration, design and innovation, demonstrating how branding can influence not just the appearance of an office, but also how employees use and experience the space.
How can Pilcher London help you find the right office for your brand culture?
Pilcher London takes a design-led approach to finding office space in London, looking beyond simple requirements such as size and budget. Its team works with businesses to understand their needs and find spaces that fit their culture, ambitions and way of working.
Pilcher London combines London market knowledge with architectural and design expertise. Acting as a tenant representation agency, our team can source offices, negotiate terms and help maximise the potential of a chosen space, bringing tenants, landlords, architects and designers together where needed.
Ultimately, the right office should feel like a natural extension of your brand. When the location, architecture, layout and design all support the way your business works, your office can become an important part of your culture rather than simply somewhere your employees come to work.
