Delivering Jacobs’ signature look.
We’ve partnered with engineering firm, Jacobs on multiple offices across the UK – from Bristol to Newcastle and Edinburgh – helping bring their consistent design and operational standards to life. For their Reading workspace, Jacobs called on Interaction again, this time to manage the coordination and delivery of the project. Our expertise ensured every technical detail, from acoustics to finishes, met Jacobs’ exacting standards and reflected their familiar workspace DNA.
Open-plan working without the noise
Bringing teams together
Open-plan collaboration is at the heart of Jacobs’ way of working, but privacy and acoustics are equally important. We used an innovative spray-on acoustic treatment on the ceilings to soften the space and prevent sound travelling, while ensuring all partitions were carefully sealed to the rib deck. The result is a workspace that feels open and connected, without compromising confidentiality.
Wayfinding is key for the Jacobs team, so signage and visual cues guide employees through the office. Each team has a designated colour zone, making navigation intuitive. The space offers a wide range of work settings – open-plan desking, focus booths, meeting rooms, and collaboration tables – alongside a large social hub and a separate teapoint to encourage connection between teams. Splashbacks in the teapoint feature sketches of Reading, adding a local touch. We also added a low-sensory area with dimmable lighting and a wellbeing and multi-faith room with Wudu facilities ensures the space is inclusive and supports every employee’s needs.
Perfection at pace
Technical excellence, seamless delivery
Despite the complexities of mechanical and fire services overhead, tight acoustic requirements, and precise partitioning, Interaction delivered the project efficiently and to Jacobs’ exacting standards. Flooring from Shaw, manufactured sustainably in Scotland, ensured clean transitions throughout, and existing lighting was reused wherever possible.
The Reading office now balances collaboration, focus, and wellbeing. Employees can move freely between open-plan areas, social hubs, and quiet zones, enjoying a space that is high-performance, welcoming, and unmistakably Jacobs.
Design Features
Details that matter.
A colourful gallery wall adds personality to the corridor, while bold seating at the collaboration table makes the most of the views over Reading. The wellbeing and multi-faith room includes Wudu facilities, and glass-fronted focus booths provide quiet, focus spaces without feeling closed off.
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