Waterstones is the UK’s leading specialist bookseller, and its Nottingham superstore was designed to include many features seen in its flagship buildings. The brief was to provide a welcoming and enjoyable environment. The layout includes specialist floors concentrating on fiction, academic genres and children’s books, ( among many other subjects,) and is a great resource for booklovers everywhere.

The top floor provides a welcoming coffee bar and a dedicated gallery promoting the work of local artists. The Sillitoe Room, named after one of Nottingham’s leading writers, hosts book signings, lectures and corporate events. This striking Edwardian building occupies a prominent site close to the city centre, and was substantially modified to combine multi-occupancy areas, including a major reconstruction at the rear, featuring a glazed wall.

Combining project management and architectural services, we worked closely with the landlord developer to integrate the major fitting-out programme with the shell development.