TSK wins Baker Tilly contract

The TSK Group has won a seven-figure contract to design and deliver a new office environment for international firm of chartered accountants and business advisers, Baker Tilly. The win comes as Baker Tilly prepares to move its Manchester team into new premises in the city's prestigious Spinningfields business district and following a competitive tender which saw TSK beat off bids from a number of its closest rivals.

Speaking of the contract, Andrew Burns, joint-Managing Director at TSK said: "What makes this contract win so significant isn't just its value or the calibre of the client - it's also the project's location.

"An exciting new cityscape consisting of over 20 signature buildings, Spinningfields is seen as Manchester's equivalent to London's Canary Wharf and is widely acknowledged for setting new global standards in city centre regeneration. Considering its high-profile position as the destination for financial and professional services companies, it's only natural that Baker Tilly wanted to complement a 'must have' address with an equally impressive office environment."

David Buxton, Partner at Baker Tilly in Manchester cites additional reasons for employing TSK's services: "The nature of what we do at Baker Tilly means intellectual capital is crucial. Our success is very much dependant on our ability to attract - and just as importantly retain - people who through their entrepreneurism, creativity and insight can add value and deliver tangible commercial benefits for our clients. The proposed environment put forward by TSK will certainly assist in making us a highly attractive proposition to the best fee-earners, not just in Manchester, but across the UK."

Work is due to commence on the 17,000 sq ft office space, which is located on the 9th floor of a new building on Hardman Street, in October. The aim is to deliver a high-specification environment which is conducive to ideas generation and that encourages collaboration, communication and agile working.


As part of this, effective space planning will be used together with innovative storage solutions and a desk hotelling system. TSK will also create a sophisticated meeting suite complete with the latest AV technology to allow the Baker Tilly team to make the most of valuable face-to-face time with clients.

In addition, and to ensure the overall look and finish of the new environment fully reflects Baker Tilly's brand values and position in the marketplace, TSK will utilise carefully considered furnishing, fittings, artwork and colour schemes as well as high-quality furniture.

This 'brandscaping' will be particularly evident in the reception area, where the firm's corporate brand will be subtly but effectively incorporated alongside soft lighting and contemporary furniture to create a warm and welcoming, yet dynamic feel. This 'front of house' experience is especially important as once the office is fully functional, Baker Tilly plan to host a number of initiatives for the local business community, such as seminars and networking events.

Summing up, Andrew Burns said: "As a progressive organisation that specialises in best practice business advice, Baker Tilly is fully aware of the commercial benefits offered by intelligently designed working environments, but it was TSK's partnership approach, the quality of our design output and our belief in delivering the ultimate client experience that swung things in our favour. We can't wait to get started and to deliver a world-class environment within a world-class building."

Work is due for completion on the new offices in early January 2009. As part of the project, TSK will not only design and deliver the required environment, but provide value-adding assistance in a number of other areas. This includes helping to relocate over 120 staff from Baker Tilly's existing premises on Manchester's Lincoln Square.