GALLERY | Inside Pinsent Masons’ No1 St Michaels office
Featuring stunning views of Manchester city centre, the global law firm’s 26,400 sq ft office takes up the seventh and part of the eighth floors at the Relentless Developments and KKR tower.
Pinsent Masons was one of the first to sign a lease for space at No1 St Michael’s, whose official opening ceremony was held in November last year. The law firm made headlines for breaking Manchester’s headline rent in 2024, paying £43/sq ft. That record was later broken two further times by other tenants of No1 St Michael’s – S&P Global (£44/sq ft) and Channel Four (believed to be around £45/sq ft).
SpaceInvader was behind the interior designs for the Pinsent Masons space, with the Manchester-headquartered firm overseeing law firm’s office transformation from a red-and-white branded space at Spinningfields to a more modern, corporate look at No1 St Michael’s.
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Bright colours were used sparingly in the office to reflect the professionalism of the law firm. Credit: Andrew Smith of SG Photography
The designer described the brief it received as “very precise” with “a strong accent on functional elegance”.
Sarah Dabbs, the studio operations director, said: “Pinsent Masons’ changes in requirements had two clear roots.
“First of all, technology, which meant both that more call and video-meeting rooms were a requirement, but also spatial arrangements that were partly a reaction to the post-Covid period of hybrid working.”
This meant there was a need for many different kinds of work spaces, from focus areas, to open-plan desk zones, to a 24-person boardroom. The firm also had to factor in the need for quiet in the midst of a bustling space – a theme it has seen over several projects. SpaceInvader credits this shift towards sound sensitivity to working from home, which is often naturally quieter than an office.
Dabbs continued: “Acoustically-sealed rooms on this scheme for focused working or one-to-one meeting rooms have therefore been integrated at a ratio of one room per nine desks and at a ratio of one-to-20 for small group rooms.
“This set-up also prevents the wasteful practice of larger meeting rooms being used for sole or dual occupants only.”
Social hubs provide a space to eat and relax at the law firm’s Manchester office. Credit: Andrew Smith of SG Photography
In addition to the workspaces themselves, there are also multi-faith and contemplation spaces, a lockable, returning parent room with a privacy curtain, and several social hubs.
These social hubs have sinks and a flex seating offer with the main hub on the eighth floor also boasting a chilled cook-it-yourself vending machine as well as bean-to-cup coffee.
The social hub opens out to the gem of the office – the balcony with its impressive views overlooking Manchester town hall.
Another of the office’s most notable features is the seventh-floor ceiling curve, made of suspended timber dowels. These dowels move noiselessly in reaction to air conditioning. Below the ceiling curve on sits a bespoke joinery reception desk of treated ash veneer.
The ceiling feature moves silently in a reaction to air conditioning. Credit: Andrew Smith of SG Photography
Pinsent Masons praised the team at SpaceInvader, with the company saying it was “absolutely delighted” with the interior designer’s work on the office.
“From our initial discussions with SpaceInvader, it was clear that they understood our vision and concept for the space and their modern design and clear focus on quality of finish really reflected this,” the law firm said in a statement.
“The space has a relaxed corporate feel, it is calming yet at the same time vibrant and it has felt like home since day one.”
Pinsent Masons continued: “The brief was to build a modern, truly agile, tech-led workplace that enabled greater flexibility and collaboration between teams. SpaceInvader truly understood the brief and this made the working relationship extremely collaborative and interactive.
“They listened to our needs and were quick to accommodate and push through changes to the design, even at the very last minute. By working so successfully together we have delivered an exceptional project that works perfectly for our Manchester team and is a project that everyone is immensely proud of.”
Other SpaceInvader projects in Manchester and Salford include Bruntwood SciTech’s Renold Building, the amenity spaces at ECF’s Eden, and Legal & General Investment Management’s Piccadilly Gardens Pavilion.
The office features some of the best views of Manchester city centre from its balcony. Credit: Andrew Smith of SG Photography
In addition to SpaceInvader, the Pinsent Masons office project team included project and cost manager Gleeds, M&E engineer and acoustics expert WSP, building control surveyor SOCOTEC Building Control, and contractor Overbury.
The list of suppliers includes
- Acoustic Baffles/Panels Autex
- Suspended Ceiling SAS Ceilings
- Ceiling Tiles Zentia
- Painted Plasterboard Dulux Paints
- Laminates Oberflex / Formica / Egger
- Curtains and Tracks Premier Voile / Vescom
- Blinds Décor Systems
- Tiles Solus
- Carpet Tiles Tarkett / Milliken
- Vinyl Floor Forbo
- Vinyl Tile Amtico
- Raised Access Floor System Access Floors Distribution (AFD)
- Decorative Lighting Muuto / Atrium /
- Upholstery Sunbury Design / Vescom – Foster /
- Solid Surfaces Cosentino
- Recycled Timber Surface Foresso
- Zip Tap Billi
- Handles / Bins Hafele
- Inset Sinks Franke / Tap Warehouse
- Clay Lime Plaster Armourcoat
Click any image to launch gallery. All photos by Andrew Smith of SG Photography and provided by SpaceInvader.
Oh wow. Really good
By Anonymous
Great looking fit out, working environment and supplier list, pity that you couldn’t find time to mention the key sub-contractors like the MEP, maybe next time .
By Russell P