Beyond the Desk, An Office People Want to Use with Liam Spencer — Space by Stansons

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This week on Space by Stansons, Guy continues his tour of Thirdway’s new home with Liam Spencer, exploring how the building has been designed around the way people actually work, meet and connect.

Across the working floors, Liam explains how different teams use the office in different ways, from fixed desks and call pods to informal collaboration areas and quieter spaces away from the main floor. Even the central staircase was a deliberate cultural investment, encouraging people to cross paths, stop for a conversation and stay connected across the business.

The office also doubles as a live showroom for Thirdway’s work. Liam shares how materials, finishes and furniture choices have been used to demonstrate what can be achieved at different price points, showing that thoughtful design is often about clever application rather than simply spending more.

As the tour moves upstairs, the focus shifts towards clients and hospitality. Purpose-built presentation areas, catering spaces and the rooftop terrace allow Thirdway to host different types of meetings, events and conversations without relying on a traditional boardroom for everything. The result is a workplace designed to support both how people work and how relationships are built.

Liam also reflects on the pressure of designing Thirdway’s own home, the difficulty of knowing when to stop chasing perfection and the pride that came with finally seeing people use the space. With flexibility built in for future growth, the office is designed to evolve alongside the business rather than remain fixed in time.

Whether you’re thinking about workplace strategy, company culture or client experience, this episode is a reminder that the most effective offices are not just designed to look good — they are designed around how people actually want to use them.

In this episode:

Designing different working zones around how teams actually use space.
Why circulation and a central staircase can help create culture and connection.
Using the office as a live showroom for materials, finishes and cost-conscious creativity.
Creating client-focused spaces for presentations, hospitality and relationship building.
How the rooftop terrace supports work, wellbeing, events and flexible use.
Why letting go of perfection and designing for evolution can create a workplace people want to use.