Xero
Relocating from Milton Keynes to Devonshire Square gave Xero the opportunity to create a new central London workplace that reflected its evolving culture.
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Location
London
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Sectors
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Services
A new London hub for Xero
Xero’s move to Devonshire Square created an opportunity to establish a new central London hub for the global technology business, transforming a 12,000 sq ft Cat A space into a workplace designed around connection, collaboration and the way its people work. Providing cloud-based accounting software to small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers around the world, Xero wanted its new workplace to reflect the innovative, collaborative culture of the business while creating an engaging destination for its people and clients.
AIS developed and delivered a multifunctional environment that combines individual work settings with meeting and collaboration spaces distributed throughout the floorplate, creating opportunities for teams to connect naturally as they move through the workplace. Curved forms, bespoke joinery and a varied approach to ceilings give the space its own architectural identity, while exposed services, mesh detailing and acoustic treatments introduce character, texture and contrast.
Delivered in just 14 weeks, the project was also the first fit-out within Block 7. AIS worked through emerging base-build challenges, restricted access and tightly controlled logistics, adapting the design and coordinating delivery to maintain the schedule. The result is a distinctive new London base that feels established from day one, while giving Xero the flexibility to support its people and business as they continue to evolve.
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Size
12,000 sq ft
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Completed
2025
Curves, contrast and character
A strong architectural language gives Xero’s workplace its identity, with curved forms creating a softer counterpoint to the more industrial qualities of the Cat A space.
Signature curved glazing is used alongside bespoke joinery and a mesh-secured entrance lobby, while changes overhead help distinguish different environments. Exposed ceilings sit alongside mesh and acoustic treatments, creating variation across the floorplate while supporting the acoustic requirements of a busy workplace.
The material palette continues this contrast between raw and refined. Industrial elements and exposed services are balanced by more tactile finishes, softer furnishings and carefully detailed joinery, creating an environment that feels contemporary without becoming overly corporate.
Meeting spaces and collaboration zones are distributed throughout, with different furniture configurations supporting formal meetings, informal conversations and spontaneous interaction between colleagues. Together, the architectural and interior elements create a workplace with a distinctive character while remaining practical and adaptable for everyday use.
14 weeks, one complex City site
Delivering Xero’s new workplace within 14 weeks required careful coordination from the outset. As the first contractor delivering a fit-out within Block 7 at Devonshire Square, AIS encountered a number of base-build issues that needed to be identified and resolved as work progressed. The team adapted elements of the design in response, coordinating technical requirements while maintaining quality and protecting the completion date.
The City of London location added another layer of complexity. Restricted access and tightly controlled delivery times required detailed logistics planning, with waste removal limited to weekends. Daily team briefings kept contractors and project partners aligned, allowing issues to be identified and addressed quickly throughout the delivery period.
Particular attention was also required to realise some of the project’s more technically demanding design elements, including the curved components integrated into the glazing system and mesh-secured lobby. Through close coordination and responsive problem-solving, AIS delivered the workplace on time while maintaining tenant-readiness and accessibility requirements.
Creating choice throughout the workplace
Furniture supports the varied mix of environments across Xero’s new London hub, helping different parts of the floorplate shift between focused work, meetings and collaboration. Rather than relying on a uniform workplace setting, different configurations give people greater choice throughout the day. Traditional workstations are complemented by informal seating, collaborative settings and meeting environments, creating more opportunities for people to work together away from their desks. Furniture also provides a softer layer against the more architectural elements of the scheme. Upholstered pieces, tactile finishes and relaxed settings balance the exposed ceilings, mesh details and glazing, helping create a workplace that feels comfortable and welcoming as well as contemporary.
A new base for connection
Xero’s move to Devonshire Square created a central London workplace that brings together the energy of a global technology business with the character of its new surroundings. Designed to support how its people work and connect today while providing flexibility for what comes next, the new hub gives Xero a workplace that can evolve alongside its teams and ambitions. It creates a strong foundation for the business’s continued presence and growth in London.
