I have been visiting lots of work places recently. Stopped by many desks for a chat. Shared the biscuits - looked at the desk bits and bobs - family photos, gadgets, soft toys, drawings and so much more. Started to occur to me that people make little nests at work - setting up mini homes - and i reallly like it.

It seems very natural that people would want to personalise their space and then quite naturally feel possesive and protective towards it.  

I like the fact that most of the bits and bobs are things from home - and they all look well used - and re-cycled.

So, where is this thought heading you might ask?

Well... A4e is moving into a massive new Head Office this year - and I said I would get involved in the look and the feel of the place. I asked everyone for ideas - people told me many - nothing seemed right. So difficult to find the right thing. It would be so wrong for A4e to end up in something that was flashy, contrived or without soul. In fact anything that looks like a Head Office would be fairly awful. A4e does not do corporate - but then again we don't do trendy young 'marketing agency' look either.

We do A4e - and A4e is the people - and that the people are pretty good at creating their nests without any 'design'!

In fact what they naturally create feels like lots of mini homes. Ecclectic, original, personal, individual, not perfect, timeless, re-cycled, used, loved, messy, easy, comfortable and familiar.

So? The look and feel of the new Head Office - HOME.

Why fight the natural instincts of people - go with their flow i reckon?

Very simple really - the answer was right in front of my nose - the people were telling me - not in words - but in actions.

Our new head office will be filled with things people have brought from home.

A wonderful mixture - a homely environment that reflects the people.

For those that work at A4e what will you bring?

For those that don't work at A4e - what would you bring if you did?