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Area Designs 40,000 sq ft Brand-Led Headquarters for Poeticgem in Watford
Area has unveiled a 40,000 sq ft headquarters and showroom for fashion supplier Poeticgem in Watford, combining collaborative workspaces, immersive brand experiences, and sustainable design. Featuring a hospitality-style breakout area, biophilic elements, and flexible zones, the headquarters enhances employee well-being and collaboration.
Leading workplace design and fit-out specialists, Area, have completed a transformative 40,000 sq ft headquarters and showroom for fashion supplier Poeticgem in Watford.
The purpose-built facility combines collaborative workspaces, immersive brand experiences, and sustainable design, reflecting Poeticgem’s creative identity while enhancing employee wellbeing.
A workplace shaped around people
Area’s design philosophy prioritises people over traditional desk layouts, creating spaces where staff can work, relax, and collaborate in comfort. To ensure the headquarters met the needs of its users, Area ran extensive workshops with Poeticgem employees, allowing them to actively contribute to the design process.
A key feature of the new headquarters is the fourth-floor breakout space, designed with the feel of a hospitality venue rather than a conventional office. The area includes bar seating, leather booths, and flexible tables, providing informal settings for meetings and cross-team collaboration.
Lisa Dormer, Facilities Manager at Poeticgem, comments: “Having different areas for our people to step away from their desks has been amazing. In our previous office, people tended to stay within their own departments. Now, we’ve seen teams mixing and collaborating in ways they wouldn’t have before.”
Biophilic design elements, including indoor planting and natural wood finishes, are incorporated throughout the headquarters, supporting employee wellbeing and fostering a connection with nature. The layout provides a balance of quiet zones for focused work and collaborative areas, offering staff choice and control over how they work.
An immersive brand experience
Beyond its function as a workplace, the headquarters serves as a brand hub for Poeticgem. Visitors are welcomed into a striking reception area before exploring dedicated showrooms for men’s, women’s, and children’s collections. This approach allows the company to present its fashion lines clearly and effectively, enhancing the experience for buyers.
Anuj Banaik, Managing Director at Poeticgem, explains: “This was a major transformation for Poeticgem, not just in terms of space, but how we work and collaborate. When people spend so much of their time in the office, we want them to feel happy and energised throughout the day, so they can collaborate effectively and give their best in the right environment.”
Sustainability integrated throughout
Sustainability forms a central part of the project, reflecting Poeticgem’s long-standing commitment to ethical and responsible practices. All materials meet SKA Rating compliance, ensuring minimal environmental impact without compromising design quality.
Recycled and upcycled materials are used extensively, including:
- Polygood tabletops created from repurposed plastic chopping boards.
- Upcycled fabrics repurposed as decorative features.
- A boardroom ceiling installation from Stansons, crafted from recycled textiles to provide both acoustic performance and visual interest.
Kathryn O’Callaghan Mills, Design Director at Area, states: “Every material and finish in the building was carefully selected with environmental impact in mind. Our goal was to deliver a space that goes beyond the traditional office, acting as both a high-performing workplace and a showcase for Poeticgem’s collections. By aligning design with brand identity, we’ve created an environment that sets a new benchmark for supplier showrooms in the fashion industry.”
Area’s continued track record in Watford
The Poeticgem headquarters builds on Area’s extensive experience in designing landmark workplaces on Clarendon Road, including FIS’s 16,000 sq ft office and Allwyn’s 63,000 sq ft UK headquarters, completed in 2025. Area’s sister company, Sketch Studios, also contributed to TJX’s award-winning 422,000 sq ft European campus.
By delivering this project, Area continues to transform Watford’s business district into a centre for innovative and sustainable workplaces.
About Poeticgem
Poeticgem is a well-established fashion supplier, working with leading global retailers. As part of PDS Limited, the company is known for its design capabilities, ethical sourcing practices, and commitment to sustainability.
About Area
Area specialises in workplace design and office fit-outs, creating future-ready, sustainable workspaces that enhance business performance. A certified B Corp, Area integrates low-carbon solutions, responsibly sourced materials, and circular economy principles into every project. Their expertise spans workplace consultancy, fit-out, and refurbishment, with clients including Canon, Amazon, Jaguar, Land Rover, LVMH, Vodafone, Lenovo, and Adobe.
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