"Whenever we approach an office project, it’s not just about changing the space,” says Christopher Crawford, senior associate at Gensler Europe on its reimagining of the Hearst publishing house. “It’s about embracing, establishing, refreshing or facilitating the company’s mindset and a working culture. And, for Hearst, this was an exercise in breaking down barriers and creating a shared sense of home for all the brands in their world renowned portfolio.”

The shift has come with both a new name “House of Hearst” and a prestigious new location for the company. Spanning five floors and totalling 6,588sq m, the building sees the leading publisher, formerly housed over two Soho-based offices, being consolidated into the new LSQ London development in Leicester Square. The space now brings together multiple media brands, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Esquire under one roof for the first time.

“It was a big move for them in many ways,” explains Crawford. “For Hearst, it was seen as a real statement and there was of course some concern – like with any big change, that it would lose the familiarity of its Carnaby Street location and everything that had been built around that so far, as well as how all these big players would exist in one place. But at the same time it was a great chance to actually eliminate the slight feeling of hierarchy between the existing buildings, while somehow giving all of the brands space to spread their wings further together.

“For us, we decided to look at the House of Hearst like a real home; the shared spaces would be accessible to and be representative of all the family as a whole. The space would then branch off into brand ‘neighbourhoods’, comparable to bedrooms in a home, which were the publications’ own and a place they could put their own stamp.”

This new ideation of a House of Hearst as an all-encompassing identity was also a chance for the company to push forward its latest venture into existence as a lifestyle brand. So the name would not just be synonymous with printed media but also of a Hearst “experience”, shown in its own events and how its brand was represented externally. Therefore the space needed to promote a feeling of stepping in and being welcomed into Hearst’s world.

For that reason, these shared spaces and the overall feel of the scheme takes its cue from a high-end residential property. And let’s not forget that some of the most influential interiors magazines are brought to life within the Hearst walls – so referencing this style-savvy and trend-aware, if not trend-producing, platform could not go amiss.