‘More like boutique hotels and private clubs than offices’ — Fora’s design-led approach to flexible workspaces

Fora as we know it today is the product of a 2022 merger between The Office Group (TOG), launched in 2003 by co-founders Charlie Green and Olly Olsen, and Fora, set up by Enrico Sanna and Katrina Larkin in 2016.

At a time when Regus dominated the industry — long before the likes of WeWork, Oneder, and x+why came along — Green and Olsen’s vision for TOG was to shake up the traditional serviced office market. In a (pre-merger) interview with RIBA, Charlie Green stressed the importance of the design of TOG spaces: ‘We realised the design was something we could hang our hat on — an expression of our ethos to the market.’ Journalist Jan-Carlos Kucharek dubbed the buildings ‘more like boutique hotels and private clubs than offices’, and having popped my head into Fora’s stunning Greville Street location (which is just around the corner from our office in Bleeding Heart Yard), I have to agree. ‘More companies than ever are recognising the importance of well-designed workspaces’, said TOG’s then-CEO Enrico Sanna (Jason Blank took over in 2024); ‘our combined portfolio offers well-located, high-quality, creative, and flexible spaces with a range of exceptional services, amenities, events, and wellbeing features’ he added.

Now, Fora has more than 60 locations across the UK and Germany — let’s look at what they have to offer.

• A design-led approach

The success of the TOG and Fora merger largely came down to their shared ethos: an appreciation for the importance of design. Reflecting on the founding of TOG, Charlie Green explained that ‘[across] every other sector — restaurants, hotels, people’s homes — there was more design emphasis. And we just thought, why not take that approach to where people work? Every building is different, so we’re responding to the architecture of the building, the location, its context, and the people who are going to use it. If you have a one-size-fits-all approach to design, then you’re trying to force a round peg into a square hole — what works in Mayfair isn’t going to work in Shoreditch, and vice versa’.

Take a look at some of Fora’s gorgeous London spaces:

Fora Great Eastern Street (Shoreditch)

Fora Greencoat Place (Victoria)

Fora One Lyric Square (Hammersmith)

• Design with the planet in mind

Many of Fora’s spaces are retrofitted, meaning architects take care to upgrade older systems to make them more energy efficient instead of ripping everything out and starting from scratch. This also means the original character of the building is preserved. Where spaces are purpose-built — for example The Black and White Building — this is done as sustainably as possible. The Black and White Building has 37% less embodied carbon than an equivalent concrete structure, and was constructed using responsibly sourced timber. In 2020, Fora made a commitment to reach operational net zero carbon by 2030. Further to this, each of Fora’s spaces is powered by 100% REGO-certified renewable electricity, and care is taken to ensure that no waste goes to landfill.

• A people-first philosophy

Beyond design and sustainability, Fora team members have long stressed the importance of the people who use their spaces. The company’s foundational idea is that ‘everyone works differently’; great pride is taken in embracing ‘each and every workstyle’ so that ‘members can do their best work, in their own way’.

Before leaving the company, former CEO Enrico Sanna commented: ‘I have two hats to wear as CEO: one to ensure we’re fulfilling our commitment to provide an extraordinary experience to our 29,000 members, the other as the leader of a business with more than 600 employees, where my priority is to drive success while fostering a working environment where my teams feel inspired, engaged, and productive.’ According to Fora’s impact report for 2023, the company also puts aside time each year to educate students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and in 2023, Fora donated over £350,000 to charity. They recently published a piece on the importance of neuroinclusive office design, backing up their people-first philosophy.

Now Executive Chairman, Olly Olsen recently shared a post announcing Fora’s King’s Cross space will be opening its doors to A-level students at Easter as part of Project Daisy. During these study weeks, space to revise in, subject tutors, and lunch and snacks will be provided every day from 9:30am to 4:00pm — all for free.

Fora’s spaces

As mentioned above, Fora now has over 60 spaces in the UK and Germany. Outside London, the workspace provider has locations in Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, and Reading, and in Germany, there are Fora offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. Fora’s Cambridge site, for example, is recognised as BREEAM ‘excellent’, meaning sustainability takes centre stage. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light, and there’s a gym, café, and rooftop terrace available for members to use. These come on top of meeting rooms, phone booths, showers, and bike storage. Facilities such as these are available at the majority of Fora spaces, yet each one is unique, responding to the needs of those in the area in which it’s based.

If you’re looking for community, Fora’s Eastcastle Street space in central London is widely regarded as the workspace provider’s friendliest location, with reviews praising the ‘super friendly and helpful’ team there. Another review described the space as ‘one of the most welcoming and charming office spaces of the Fora portfolio’. Fora’s 251 Southwark Bridge Road site — where we placed Apolitical a few years back — is known for its modern facilities, and Fora’s 42 Berners Street location stands out for its Scandinavian-inspired design and colourful furnishings.

Fora’s growth and success stem from a clear vision: blending high-quality design, sustainability, and people-first principles to create workspaces that support the diverse ways people work. Whether it’s through architecturally distinct spaces, strong sustainability commitments, or initiatives like Project Daisy, Fora continues to push the boundaries of what a flexible office provider can offer. With a growing presence in the UK and Germany, it’s clear that Fora is shaping the future of work — one thoughtfully designed space at a time.