Thirdway's new workspace for Butternut Box supports humans and dogs alike.

The notion of 'putting the customer first' formed an important part of the brief for Butternut Box's new London HQ by commercial interior design firm, Thirdway.

The ambition by Butternut Box was to create ‘the best place you’ve ever worked’ for their people, while ensuring that a plethora of dog-friendly elements would enhance rather than compromise the employee experience.

Inspired by the joyful experience of taking a dog for a walk in the park, the office features bright, bold engagement zones alongside serene collaboration areas. This thoughtful design seeks to promote productivity and wellbeing, with curves and natural finishes throughout the space that mimic the organic flow of a park. The integration of dog-friendly features enhances the workspace for all employees, including those without pets.

With research indicating that pet-inclusive workplaces can boost employee morale, alleviate stress, and enhance teamwork, with pets serving as a shared interest among colleagues, helping to build relationships and cultivate a cohesive work environment, Thirdway's approach was very much underpinned by wellness.

Some of the key design features include acoustic glass to maintain a peaceful working environment, ergonomic and organic elements such as curves and natural finishes that mimic the organic flow of a park, integrating ergonomic design principles, obscured glass partitions to reduce potential distractions, lead hooks, dog bowls and beds, and The Park Events Hub - an area encouraging social interaction and collaboration among employees and their pets.

“Much like Butternut Box’s brand, the project intent has been to pair a deeply human playfulness with elevated, premium design. We are driven by our client’s inspiring vision to create ‘the greatest place you’ve ever worked’, and together we’ve crafted a joyful space which can bring out the best in all users, whether they be two or four legged.” — Caitlin Westgate, head of creative at Thirdway

“Dogs are at the heart of all the decisions we make, so it only felt right to incorporate elements that hero our furry friends. After all, we wouldn't exist without them.

"Alongside this we wanted to create a space that our team would truly love to come to. As our brand is so playful and vibrant, we wanted a palette that reflected this whilst translating them to a more sophisticated execution. Our yellow is softer and features throughout.

"The checkerboard tiling in the kitchen refers back to our stacked brand boxes. Our cardboard box becomes warm wood tones and panelling across the walls and other colours like our bold red has become rusty velvet seating.” — Christy McCormick, brand & creative director at Butternut Box