Leading South Yorkshire law firm Taylor Emmet has moved into the historic Isaacs Building as part of its continued investment in Sheffield, its people and clients.
The 14,885 sq ft office, which provides space for 150 desks and 16 meeting rooms, has been designed to create a modern, collaborative and people focused working environment while providing an enhanced experience for clients.
The move sees Taylor Emmet relocate into one of Sheffield’s most distinctive buildings, bringing together the character and heritage of the Isaacs Building with a contemporary workspace designed around the way people work today.
The Isaacs story
The seven storey Edwardian building on Charles Street was originally constructed between 1904 and 1905 by wallpaper merchant David Isaacs. Its historic Victorian brick and terracotta façade on Pinstone Street has been retained as part of the building’s redevelopment through Sheffield’s Heart of the City masterplan.
Taylor Emmet’s new office represents a more efficient use of space for the firm, reducing its overall office footprint by 7,040 sq ft while providing a flexible environment designed to support collaboration, communication and employee wellbeing.
Steve Hinshelwood, chief executive of Taylor Emmet, said: “Moving into the Isaacs Building is an important milestone for Taylor Emmet and represents our confidence in the future of Sheffield and our own continued growth. We wanted to create more than simply a new office.
We have designed a space that reflects how our people work today, somewhere that encourages collaboration, communication and connection, while also providing an excellent environment in which to welcome and support our clients.
The Isaacs Building gives us a fantastic combination of history, character and modern sustainability, right in the heart of the city. It feels like the perfect home for the next chapter of Taylor Emmet.”
Designed around our people
Inside, the office has been designed with a warm, contemporary aesthetic, incorporating natural wood, dark timber, plants and soft furnishings alongside large windows and skylights that maximise natural light.
Flexible working areas include open plan desks, meeting rooms, informal seating and breakout spaces, encouraging employees to move around the office, collaborate and connect throughout the working day.
Clara Hinshelwood, Interior Designer on the project, explains: Working on the Isaacs Building for Taylor Emmet was a real pleasure. The building itself has such an interesting history, and as we reimagined the interior, it was important to us to weave elements of that past into the new space rather than simply erase what came before.
The building’s former use as a wallpaper merchants became a key source of inspiration. Behind reception, for example, the signage takes the form of rolls of wallpaper crafted from stainless steel, a subtle nod to the building’s history, while also celebrating Sheffield’s renowned steel industry through its materiality.Taylor Emmet as a client, had a very clear vision for how they wanted both clients and employees to experience the space.
It was important that people felt comfortable, welcomed and at ease. In contrast to the traditional legal office, which can often feel austere, formal and serious, this workplace was conceived as a space of hospitality, somewhere clients and the team can genuinely feel at home.
The result is a high-end approach to the contemporary workspace, balancing professionalism with warmth and comfort. The design encourages interaction and connection, while also providing quieter spaces for moments of peace, focus and reflection. The aim was to create an environment that feels considered and sophisticated, but never intimidating , a workplace that reflects Taylor Emmet’s identity while putting people and their experience of the space at its heart.
David Baldwin, CEO and Founder, Ovo Spaces says: “We delivered an outstanding 15,000 sq ft workplace for Taylor Emmet at the landmark Isaacs Building, completing the 8-month project. Designed for 145 staff and developed from a concept (developed by Clara Hinshelwood), the scheme blends open-plan working with private offices, bronze crittall glazing compliments the sophisticated meeting and collaborative spaces.
Originally built by ‘paperhangings’ merchant David Isaacs in 1904–05, the beautifully restored and vastly extended building now forms part of Sheffield City Council’s flagship £470 million ‘’Heart of the City’’ regeneration. Tim Bottrill of Colloco,acting for SCC was instrumental in securing Taylor Emmet’s move.
The move forms part of Taylor Emmet’s wider investment in its people, services and client experience as the firm continues to grow across South Yorkshire and beyond. The new headquarters also provides a central, accessible base for the firm’s teams and clients, placing Taylor Emmet at the heart of Sheffield’s evolving city centre.
