Coffey Architects’ new headquarters for construction firm Nexus Infrastructure has been designed to reflect the personalities of the business’ three work strands – and nudge staff towards healthier behaviours.

The 4,100sq m building near Braintree, in Essex, can accommodate 300 staff. Coffey said the 1.8ha brownfield plot where it is situated represented “both challenge and opportunity”, because there was no urban guidance or townscape to inform its design.

Instead, the practice was able to work directly with orientation towards the sun and surrounding landscape to create a distinctive head office.

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