WiseHQ

HLW’s design draws on the energy and visual character of the surrounding area, using color, artwork and material contrast to create a workplace that feels closely connected to its location. Across the five floors, open work settings are supported by meeting rooms, collaborative areas and specialist spaces for research and innovation.

The glazing becomes part of this broader interior language. Shoreditch Edition framing introduces a stronger graphic rhythm in selected areas, while clear glazed elevations maintain views between shared and enclosed spaces. Rather than applying one repeated solution, the specification changes in response to the use and character of each room.

Revolution 54 Plus and Revolution 100 double-glazed systems were used where greater acoustic separation was required, while Optima 117 Plus provided a lighter single-glazed treatment in areas where visual connection was the priority. Sliding doors were incorporated where space and patterns of use called for a more flexible threshold.

Optima worked with HLW from the early design stages through to technical detailing, coordinating the systems around the acoustic, visual and operational requirements of each space. This project-specific approach allowed the different glazed elements to sit within one coherent architectural composition across the headquarters.

Sustainability formed part of the wider design and specification strategy. The aluminum framing was manufactured using lower-carbon aluminum sourced through Optima’s approved supply partners. The material contains a minimum of 75% post-consumer recycled content and has an embodied carbon value of less than 1.9kg CO₂e per kilogram of aluminum, supported by independently verified environmental data.

The use of lower-carbon aluminum across the partitioning package contributed to a reported embodied carbon reduction of 11 tonnes. The demountable construction of the systems also allows partitions and doors to be dismantled, relocated or potentially reused as workplace requirements change, reducing the need for complete replacement.

Together, the glazing, material palette and planning create a workplace that balances visual energy with acoustic control and longer-term adaptability. Within a building developed around ambitious environmental objectives, the partitioning contributes both to the architectural identity of the interior and to its measured carbon strategy.