Jam Session

With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music is the world’s third-largest recorded music business. It is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Atlantic, East West, Parlophone, Rhino, Warner Bros., Warner Classics and leading music publishers Warner/Chappell Music.

The design approach seeks to optimise the consolidation of Warner Music’s property portfolio into three buildings in West London, bringing its key music labels under one roof in the new ‘HQ Music House’, 27 Wrights Lane. This property strategy allows the key functions of the business—the record labels, the publishing arm and the back-of-house functions—to operate more efficiently and within close proximity of one another.

The space seeks to express the brand and identity of each label, whilst still making a clear statement that the Wrights Lane building is the company’s London headquarters. Lighting levels are subdued, ceilings are exposed, retained timber floors are stained black and black-painted window frames are surrounded by a distinctive deep green finish running along the perimeter of each floor. No floor plate of the tenancy is of a similar configuration, thus providing the impetus for some innovative and unique uses to ensure the space delivered the efficiencies required not only to house 500 staff but also to allow flexibility for future expansion.