The Finished Article

High above the hum of Leicester Square, Hearst Magazines sought to breathe new life into their London headquarters – a space shared by the editorial voices behind Elle, Esquire, Good Housekeeping and more. Each brand distinct, each team dynamic, yet all now working fluidly and flexibly in a post-pandemic world where fixed desks or siloed zones of ownership are no longer appropriate.

The brief? Create a home that reflects the complexity and cohesion of Hearst’s many identities. A place where every title feels seen, where creativity can thrive in shared air and where the spirit of the brand lives not only on the page but in the very walls around it.

Motive stepped into this challenge with curiosity and intent, beginning with a series of workshops, collaborating with the editors themselves. What emerged wasn’t a single vision, but a constellation of values: Britishness with a wink, a reverence for quality, a celebration of fashion, feminism, fun, and inclusivity; always layered, always evolving.

Could all of this be distilled into one coherent design language? One that honoured individuality, but pulled everything into the same gravitational field?

To anchor the experience, Motive drew inspiration from the likes of irreverent art galleries, homely members clubs and the legendary figures Hearst’s titles spotlight. The result is a workplace charged with subtle glamour and playfulness, elevated by meaning.

You enter the space and meet the ‘Hearsties’ – a bespoke collection of hanging totems, each individual feature inspired by a page torn from one of Hearst’s magazines. Quirky and textured, these almost-sentient beings set the tone for the floor’s imaginative energy.
As you move through the doughnut-shaped plan, you’re flanked by commissioned and curated artworks that each speak to the brand’s identity, from burgeoning local artists, to the more established, there’s even a piece by one of Hearst’s own editors.

One showstopping moment comes in the form of Hearst Wonderland, a 15-metre mural by photo-montage artist Maxine Gregson. Evoking nostalgia and futurism in equal measure, the piece gathers familiar faces from Hearst’s archives and places them in a surreal, utopian landscape that echoes the free and feel good notion of the company.

In quieter contrast, a forest green, leafy retreat sits tucked in a corner of the floor, a pause from the buzz, where a canvas by Connor Doyle reimagines a scene from Country Living, using a palette knife to transform the moment into something both grounded and dreamlike.

Meeting rooms are wired for spontaneity and collaboration, while the office perimeter walls pay homage to Hearst’s heritage, with historic covers and shoots mounted on bespoke joinery. A standout display celebrates Harper’s Bazaar’s iconic ‘Women of the Year’ feature, reminding the team daily of the power of story and platform.

Today, Hearst’s London home is more than just flexible—it’s expressive. It’s a canvas for the people who shape its stories and the voices who fill its pages. It’s a space that embraces legacy while inviting invention, alive with the colour, pride and a cultural richness that defines Hearst itself.