Project name: Square Enix
Company name: Oktra
Location: London SE, United Kingdom
Year of completion: 2020
Area: 24,152 sq ft
Photographer: Oliver Pohlmann
One of the world’s leading providers of digital entertainment and creators of games including Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider, Square Enix are a fast-growing company who needed a new studio to support their growth and ways of working. Having outgrown their previous space, the gaming company wanted a workplace with more desk space and agile workspace for their creatives.
This was the second time Oktra delivered workspace for Square Enix, meaning their team had total confidence in Oktra’s direction from the start. Oktra’s team conducted a requirements survey to gain a deeper understanding of everything Square Enix needed their workspace to do. The new studio was to remain playful while reflecting the dark and moody aesthetic of some of their most popular games.
It also needed to facilitate communication and connectivity between the two-floor layout, with added flexibility to accommodate future growth. In the interest of keeping the space as sustainable as possible, all of the finishes have high environmental ratings and 50% of the open plan carpet tiles, over 70% of the furniture and around 60% of the existing internal partitions are repurposed.
Square Enix’s London office boasts a deep colour palette with hints of bright hues and dense greenery that pays homage to the sense of adventure inherent in their games. The studio houses a mix of quiet spaces for focused work, formal and informal work areas and plenty of space for creative collaboration and gaming. The flexible teapoint and breakout space act as the studio’s focal point. Flowing between the two floors and connected by an internal staircase, the area is multi-functional and can be used for agile working or gaming, as a welcome area for guests or as a town hall space.
