A Disappointing Business Hub

After a morning of lectures, I took the train into Manchester city centre to visit Llyods bank. My partner didn't attend so I completed the mission alone. I was apprehensive as I don't know Manchester adequately and was afraid that I would get lost. However, I navigated my way to the bank successfully using Google Maps and my tutor's directions. The facade of Lloyds doesn't appear to be different from any ordinary bank. When I entered, I was greeted by a small cafe and seating area. It was unusual but pleasant to find this facility in a bank. At the back of the space, there was an event area to host talks and workshops. I approached a member of staff to ask where I could find the business hub; he kindly pointed toward the stairs. The first thing I noticed was the hanging light feature. The light was ambient and produced a homely atmosphere. I told an employee about the purpose of my visit and asked if I could photograph the space. They were reluctant at first, but after a little persuasion obliged. I asked for some information about the space. Instead of personally telling me about the business hub, the staff member gave me a leaflet that was irrelevant to my research. I was frustrated as this impacted the amount of information I gathered for my presentation. The space was only small and wasn't an environment I could imagine myself working in. The business hub has nice details such as wireless charging pods on tables, digital screens and a range of flooring types to indicate zones. It is visible that they have attempted to include technology within their scheme. However, the atmosphere doesn't feel inclusive as its targeted towards techy businesses. I would work in a co-working office as I believe they cater to creative people. As the brief is aimed at individuals with similar traits, a co-working office would be a sensible setting to build. Therefore, I will design a co-working space and not a bank.