PROJECT CASE STUDY

Creating a Destination Workspace for StepStone Group

StepStone Group, Dublin

Project Size: 12’000 Sq ft
Location: Dublin
Activity: Office Design & CAT A & B Fitout, Furniture
Duration: 12 weeks

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - Breakout space booths

PROJECT OVERVIEW

With ambitious goals for growth over the next few years, private markets investment firm, StepStone Group (Nasdaq: STEP), chose to relocate their Irish headquarters to One Haddington Buildings. The new floorplate would better support current ways of working for the team and future proof the workplace.

We set out to create a welcoming, inclusive space that fostered a greater sense of belonging, social connection, and collaboration among teams.

Sustainability was a key focus. Products were selected based on how they were manufactured, their recycled content and the circularity of materials.

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - Two-person booth

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - Open plan office

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - Reception Area

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - breakout space

BUILDING SPEC

Conveniently located on Haddington Road where Dublin 2 meets Dublin 4, One Haddington Buildings is a modern four-storey Grade A office accommodation. StepStone Group leased the top floor to house their full team, which is made up of a largely younger, diverse workforce.

The project brief was to create a space that would earn the commute, improve the employee value proposition, and facilitate current ways of working whilst representing the professional yet relaxed culture of StepStone.

In the initial stages of the project, we developed some test fits for StepStone, to assess how the space could meet their current and future needs. From here, early costings were developed to establish how far the budget could go towards achieving the desired outcome.

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - Open plan office and collaboration area

SPACE PLANNING

The priorities for the space were to foster wellbeing, productivity and connectivity whilst maintaining flexibility, should a reconfiguration be required later.

As the team operate on a hybrid model, various work settings were created, from collaboration areas and tech-enabled meeting rooms of varying sizes, to brainstorm booths, focus pods and lounge areas.

Much of the furniture throughout is modular for ease of rearranging. A multi-purpose wellbeing room was also constructed for team members to take time out during the workday.

A large breakout space was created utilising the floor to ceiling façade at the front of the building to maximise natural light.

The area is multi-functional and fully reconfigurable, featuring various seating styles to accommodate individual preferences, and a screen to facilitate team townhalls and events.

SENSE OF BELONGING

The design concept took inspiration from the locality whilst integrating the brand colour palette to create a sense of belonging among employees. Some key features include the use of silhouettes of the Wicklow mountains, feature walls with brand messaging and meeting rooms named after local parks.

The breakout space is the hub of the office, creating a place for the team to come together and interact with one another. Previously, the team were split across floors and would often not encounter those from the other floor.

Space dressing throughout sought to bring a homely, lived in feel to the space and add a touch of locality, with photos of landmarks, local reads and organic shapes and forms.

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - muti-functional meeting room

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability was a key consideration throughout the design specification process. We considered the manufacturing process, recycled content, and circularity of materials across furniture, flooring, and finishes.

Materials like flax wool and SEQUAL yarn (made from recycled marine plastic) were used on upholstery, acoustics were made from 60% recycled plastic bottles and flooring was made from a minimum 39% recycled content throughout.

We strategically planned around the existing CAT A chilled beam system to avoid further unnecessary works and minimise environmental impact during the construction phase.

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - wellbeing room

WELLBEING AND PRODUCTIVITY

Biophilic design principles were applied, providing areas of refuge for people to switch-off, using preserved planting to eliminate VOCs, natural textures, and maximising natural light throughout the space. Ergonomic furnishings, including 50% sit/stand desking were specified for added flexibility and comfort.

Neurodiversity – sensitivities to sensory stimuli was also taken into account, with an emphasis on visual guidance, accessibility, acoustics, colours, textures and lighting. The various work settings, including a casual meeting room with soft lighting and dedicated semi-private focus areas, provide employees with a choice of how and where they work.

StepStone Group Design and Fitout - casual collaboration space

Acoustics were also key to eliminate noise reverberation, with large decorative panels applied to walls in the open plan workspace and meeting rooms, and class A pods installed.

The outcome – an inclusive workplace that embodies StepStone Group’s people-centric culture and sets them up for success.