Redefining workspace design with Ecosurety
Ecosurety – the UK’s leading sustainable packaging compliance scheme – set out to create a headquarters that would act as a physical expression of their values: innovative, transparent, and deeply sustainable. With sustainability firmly under the microscope, the brief demanded more than a good-looking office. It needed to demonstrate circular economy thinking, minimise environmental impact, and support a progressive, people-focused culture.
Located on the second floor of 4 Colston Avenue, the project formed part of a wider refurbishment and sustainable retrofit of the building. The ambition extended beyond Ecosurety’s own workspace, contributing to the long-term performance and environmental quality of Bristol’s city centre.
The result is a 7,000 sqft workplace that blends circular design, wellbeing, and character – a space designed to connect people with nature, with each other, and with the city around them.
The team is thrilled about the new office, which is a physical demonstration of our ethos. We highly value our employees’ wellbeing and wanted to offer them a great place to work, whilst meeting high sustainability standards aligned with our purpose.
Steph Housty
Head of Sustainability and Marketing at Ecosurety
Every detail considered
Sustainability at the heart
Circular economy principles guided the project from the outset. Rather than defaulting to new, 99% of Ecosurety’s existing furniture was repurposed, restored, or reupholstered – an outcome rarely achieved at this scale. Key heritage pieces were also retained, including the oak boardroom table, which was carefully refinished with one corner intentionally left worn to celebrate the company’s history.
Reusing materials was key. We repurposed 99% of the furniture from Ecosurety’s old office, opting to reupholster and refresh items to give them new life. Circular economy principles guided every design decision, including the end-of-life impact of every product used. Tube lighting made from compostable hemp and a sofa constructed from leftover wine corks further demonstrate this commitment.
The same thinking applied to the building fabric. While replacing the windows may have offered incremental performance improvements, the associated embodied carbon impact outweighed the benefit. Ecosurety’s NED, James Piper, also engaged directly with suppliers to encourage clearer disposal and afterlife guidance, reinforcing circular economy thinking beyond the immediate fit-out.
Resourcefulness extended to the smallest details. Offcuts from terrazzo kitchen counters (made from recycled white goods) were reused as room panels. Laser-cut signage was cleverly designed to use both the cut-out and what was left behind. QR codes placed throughout the office explain these thoughtful sustainability touches, allowing employees to learn more about the eco-friendly choices behind their workspace.
It’s no surprise that workspace achieved SKA Gold, recognising the depth and consistency of its environmental performance.
Unique biomes
A connection with nature
Inspired by the natural world, the workspace is organised into three distinct ‘biomes’ – Rainforest, Marine, and Savannah – each shaped around different tasks, energy levels, and working styles.
The Rainforest biome provides an open, collaborative setting rich with greenery, colour, and movement. The Marine biome introduces cooler tones and a calmer atmosphere suited to focused, productive work. The Savannah biome offers a quieter, more restorative environment designed for concentration and reflection.
The biomes are echoed in the materiality choices – fabric made from recycled fishing nets features in the Marine area, and acoustic panelling made from natural cork is in the Savannah zone.
Beyond aesthetics, the zoning plays an important functional role. Clear visual and sensory cues improve wayfinding, support neurodiversity, and give employees genuine choice over how and where they work throughout the day. The space balances open collaboration with privacy, incorporating focus rooms, shared tables, and a generous breakout area that acts as the social heart of the office. A multi-use wellbeing room further supports inclusivity, doubling as a space for prayer or breastfeeding.
Design Features
Details that matter.
Rose Vickers, whose intricate pieces crafted from recycled school rulers symbolise the connection between precision, creativity and sustainability. Different colours and materiality separate the three different areas – known as biomes, and allow easy wayfinding around the space. Meeting rooms named after plants found in each biome’s habitat can be booked using the integrated Smart app.
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