Joules - BCO Regional Award Winner

Joules Head Office in Market Harborough is now a BCO Regional ‘Corporate Workplace’ winner!

The new 60,000 sq ft UK Head Office for Joules, based in the brand’s home town of Market Harborough, brings the brand’s head office teams from five separate offices under one roof for the first time, praised by the BCO judging panel for amplifying its distinctive heritage and optimising the site’s semi-rural setting.

“Today’s winner symbolises a landmark in purpose-built offices. It creates a strong sense of place; it embeds the brand’s values and vision across the design; it encourages connections between different teams; it’s a visually exciting and stimulating environment for all who work there. Best of all, it leaves behind sterile working places of the past and heralds a new era in flexible working with technology and wellbeing factors built in. An absolute show-stopper!

Hats off to … Joules Head Office, The Barn, Market Harborough.”

— BCO MIDLAND JUDGES - MAY 2022

Joules time lapse of the journey in full

It consists of a series of new interconnecting ‘barn structures’, each with its own character, which have been specifically designed to enable the company’s move to a more flexible way of working. The space revolves around a central atrium with a structural tree at its centre, which the judges commented created a strong sense of place that respects the natural surroundings of the site. Office and studio spaces are light, airy and open plan, with breakout and specialist collaboration rooms, while the wellbeing of staff is promoted through exercise and nourishment initiatives, ‘sit-stand’ workstations and biophilia.

Boasting sustainability best practise, the EPC A energy-saving envelope strategies include high performance insulation and glazing, optimal window sizing, sun-shading and airtightness. All in all, the judges were incredibly impressed in how the designers had understood, embraced and delivered a building which directly responded to the Joules brand essence, culture and workplace strategy.

The following Monday, we were also notified that The Barn had been shortlisted for a Construction Excellence award.

Hats off indeed to the whole project team for the hard work and commitment to delivering this project. And a massive thank you to Tom Joule and the client team for having faith and following your dreams.

Ground Floor

View from cafe out into communal space. Internal use of the external cladding materials to continue the feeling of ‘evolved over time’. Visual connectivity between all ‘wings’ around a central atrium supported by a single tree structure column.

First Floor

Detail of exposed beams to keep in connection with Joules ‘barn’ feeling.

Ground Floor

View from reception through to meeting room suite and staff entrance via yellow ‘stable doors’.

External

View of interconnecting barns.

Cafe and Servery - (Ground Floor)

Connecting the teams with nature - full height glazing with views to the adjacent farmland.

Atrium Space - (Ground Floor)

Focus booths with display screen above showcasing Joules marketing campaigns.

External

Bug hotel incorporated into the barn.

Cafe and Servery - (Ground Floor)

A ‘country kitchen’ style cafe offers hearty, healthy food options and supports specific dietary requirements; with transparent allergy, nutrient and calorie advice.

Workspace - (1st Floor)

Visual connectivity end-to-end within the long barn, with pin-up review space adjacent to walkway to encourage collaborative conversation between teams.