Woodhouse was commissioned by easyJet to provide a dedicated home for its rapidly-growing holiday division. The refurbished 53,000-square-foot workspace would need to serve as a hub that brings its people together from both sides of the business over two floors, all the while embodying easyJet’s ‘Orange Spirit’. The facility at 800 Capability Green operates 24/7, and is equipped with the latest technology that keeps both businesses running smoothly.
easyJet had three main objectives:
– To provide a dedicated home for the fast-growing holidays business
– To bring the brand to life and create a workspace fit for the next five years
– To ensure an effective workspace for the 24/7 key operating teams, equipped with all technology required
With these in mind, they looked to relocate to a new premises in Luton: a first HQ for the Holidays team, and also to house a division of the easyJet Airlines team. Woodhouse was commissioned to undertake the full refurbishment of this 53,000ft2 building. To understand the unique needs and arrive at an accurate brief for both easyJet Airlines and easyJet Holidays, Woodhouse carried out a full Workspace Strategy study before working on a design for the space, and delivering it.
easyJet had three main objectives:
– To provide a dedicated home for the fast-growing holidays business
– To bring the brand to life and create a workspace fit for the next five years
– To ensure an effective workspace for the 24/7 key operating teams, equipped with all technology required
With these in mind, they looked to relocate to a new premises in Luton: a first HQ for the Holidays team, and also to house a division of the easyJet Airlines team. Woodhouse was commissioned to undertake the full refurbishment of this 53,000ft2 building. To understand the unique needs and arrive at an accurate brief for both easyJet Airlines and easyJet Holidays, Woodhouse carried out a full Workspace Strategy study before working on a design for the space, and delivering it.
A strong demand for smaller meeting rooms and phone booths was identified, due to the previous workspace being heavily orientated towards larger meeting rooms. One stand-out requirement was for project spaces, where teams could come together and collaborate in a stimulating environment. There was also a need for digital displays, to facilitate more collaboration and improve internal communication.
In the strategy process we undertook a series of in-depth interviews and surveys to get an accurate overall picture of their needs. These included: leadership team visioning workshops, focus group workshops and interviews, a review of the facilities needed, their culture and wellbeing, and design workshops.
A strong demand for smaller meeting rooms and phone booths was identified, due to the previous workspace being heavily orientated towards larger meeting rooms. One stand-out requirement was for project spaces, where teams could come together and collaborate in a stimulating environment. There was also a need for digital displays, to facilitate more collaboration and improve internal communication.
The biggest challenge was blending two very different aesthetics together. The design vision for easyJet Holidays was to enable the employees to live and breathe the brand as much as possible through the use of vibrant colour schemes and graphics, and provide 'instagram moments' in the office where employees would feel compelled to take snaps of the very cool space. By contrast, the Airlines team was looking to achieve calmer, focus-driven spaces.
Woodhouse established a cohesive design which the easyJet teams reviewed in detail to ensure the space would facilitate a cultural hub for all its people.
Guided by the initial strategy work, we begin designing the new space, with a focus on flexibility and functionality to accommodate both easyJet Airlines and easyJet Holidays teams. The design incorporated key elements identified in the strategic phase, focusing on creating a range of collaborative spaces, smaller meeting rooms, project areas equipped with whiteboards, better technology, and breakout zones to encourage interaction.
The objective was to enable easyJet employees to work dynamically, with a particular emphasis on integrating technology throughout the workplace to streamline communication and information access.
The biggest challenge was blending two very different aesthetics together. The design vision for easyJet Holidays was to enable the employees to live and breathe the brand as much as possible through the use of vibrant colour schemes and graphics, and provide 'instagram moments' in the office where employees would feel compelled to take snaps of the very cool space. By contrast, the Airlines team was looking to achieve calmer, focus-driven spaces.
Woodhouse established a cohesive design which the easyJet teams reviewed in detail to ensure the space would facilitate a cultural hub for all its people.
All meeting rooms are themed around specific holiday destinations, helping the staff to resonate with the brand further. The next circle focuses on collaboration spaces that connect both wings through an open breakout and tea point, containing secluded booths. The outer circle is an open and flexible space dedicated to focus areas and the working office area, with a mix of desking styles including round and star-shaped configurations. These creative formations are aimed at fostering collaboration and teamwork, making the space less rigid and better connected.
The second floor is exclusively for easyJet airlines, and features a state-of-the-art control centre, as well as a secure zone for confidential operations and quiet working. Woodhouse recognised the particular requirement of this team to work in a controlled zone where lighting can be independently adjusted for individual needs of the occupier. Darker finishes were carefully selected to minimise glare and create comfortable environment. Taking into consideration that teams would be working all hours, Woodhouse created dedicated rest areas with comfortable recliners where employees can take a break.
A new entrance lobby was installed to enhance the sense of arrival for both Airlines and Holidays. The reception was designed to provide a fantastic welcome experience; the five-star hotel ambience creates a holiday destination feel rather than a typical office. This aligns employees and visitors alike with the organisations purpose and ethos.
Directly accessed from the reception is a large multi-functional breakout space called "The Beach Hut", containing a servery, staff kitchen and a coffee point. It is designed as a working café space that caters for large groups during lunch, and two training rooms within it can be opened up to create a large space for town hall meetings. The remainder of the space on the ground floor is taken by Holidays, including a 24/7 access centre with a self-contained tea point, crisis room and rest area.
The first floor is occupied by easyJet Holidays, made up of two identical wings that have been designed as a mirror image. Using the principle of concentric circles, the meeting rooms are positioned around the central atrium, flooding them with natural light.
All meeting rooms are themed around specific holiday destinations, helping the staff to resonate with the brand further. The next circle focuses on collaboration spaces that connect both wings through an open breakout and tea point, containing secluded booths. The outer circle is an open and flexible space dedicated to focus areas and the working office area, with a mix of desking styles including round and star-shaped configurations. These creative formations are aimed at fostering collaboration and teamwork, making the space less rigid and better connected.
The second floor is exclusively for easyJet airlines, and features a state-of-the-art control centre, as well as a secure zone for confidential operations and quiet working. Woodhouse recognised the particular requirement of this team to work in a controlled zone where lighting can be independently adjusted for individual needs of the occupier. Darker finishes were carefully selected to minimise glare and create comfortable environment. Taking into consideration that teams would be working all hours, Woodhouse created dedicated rest areas with comfortable recliners where employees can take a break.
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Balancing the needs and preferences of two separate organisations required a tailored approach to provide everything necessary to suit the different operational requirements and cultures. The project had a tight timescale, requiring a phased delivery approach and the design and operations team working in tandem to ensure maximum time efficiencies.
Furthermore, the building was live 24/7, adding complexity and requiring expert management of the project phases to minimise disruption to the existing tenants and services.
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Overall, the easyJet workplace transformation project successfully delivered a vibrant, functional, and brand-aligned environment that meets the distinct needs of both the Airlines and Holidays teams. By focusing on flexible design, strategic space planning, and integrating fantastic digital equipment, the project has set a new standard for easyJet's workspaces, creating a cohesive and inspiring atmosphere that enhances productivity and wellbeing.
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