Cornerstone is an iconic HQ office in the Stockport Town Hall Conservation Area. It delivers cutting edge customer services, together with smarter ways of working for tenant Stockport Homes Group.

Working with developer Quorum Estates Ltd and future tenant Stockport Homes Group, we were tasked with designing a new office building that would bring together 550 staff members from four remote sites into one location.

A key focus of the design was to promote the integration of these separate groups through a cultural change. The brief requested an agile, modern working environment that eliminated the remote office ‘silos’ and was future-proofed for further growth and adaptation. We were also asked to encourage contact between Stockport Homes’ staff and its customers and to enhance the customer service experience.

Our proposals also needed to address a challenging site. The topography varied wildly and the aesthetic of the building had to consider the Town Hall Conservation Area and be of a sufficient quality to justify the demolition of a locally listed car showroom.

Our team worked closely with internal and external stakeholders to address the brief and mitigate the sites challenges. This was supported by full adoption of BIM to develop proposals, consult on concepts and coordinate the complex building – leading to a successful planning application.

At ground floor, single access entrance doors for both staff and customers, lead through to a 4m high lobby, coffee shop and customer contact centre. This provides a space for staff, customers and the community to mix – providing a light, welcoming space for all.

On the upper floors, the office floor plates provide a variety of work settings and spaces all with external views and vistas. The third floor features a board room and two balconies providing external breakout / meeting space. The new office is designed to feel homely and maximise staff comfort, interaction, socialisation, and overall happiness – with the aim to improve productivity and well-being.

The high efficiency of the building was achieved passively through the specification of concrete cladding to create thermal mass, high performance glass, enhanced u-values and efficient M&E systems. The building achieved an EPC rating A.

Beyond its immediate success, Cornerstone has also helped kick-start the wider regeneration of this area of Stockport