Guild Esports

When we started speaking with our clients Guild Esports about a brand new HQ in Shoreditch, it was a unique opportunity we knew we wanted to be involved in. This was to be Guild’s first ever HQ, inclusive of an academy for aspiring esports players backed by David Beckham and a space the whole team could come together under one roof for the first time.

Located on Chance Street, a stone’s throw from Shoreditch High Street station, the building started life as a Synagogue before being repurposed as a studio and home for Young British Artist (YBA) Rachel Whiteread whose signature concrete staircase still sits proudly on the first floor. The brief was to adapt the space to be accessible for all, modernise its current aesthetic and embody a high-tech youthful energy.

The esports players are treated like athletes, with nutrition, mental health and physical wellbeing being at the heart of their practice and the space needed to reflect and support that. To do this, we reconfigured the internal architecture to incorporate a wide range of exciting spaces, including breakout and streaming rooms, a pro lounge, think tank, apparel studio, gym, physio and counselling spaces, board rooms, lifts and a space for merch.

We needed to help create a space that enabled the development of a Best in Class Esports team and with the building itself having tonnes of industrial character, our furniture selection followed suit with metal framework detailing and durable timber elements throughout.

Several pieces we needed to tailor to be fit for purpose, with bespoke gamer desks, content creation areas with specific adaptable tables and modular sofa arrangements to maximise potentials of every corner.

The Guild Academy and HQ is the first of its kind in the world and the vision of developing the esports stars of tomorrow starts today. We blended futuristic modernity with the industrial bones of the building and added Guilds own unique vibe to create a space that would truly inspire and support the individuals who will use this space, both now and in the future.