Autotrader Manchester: A Connected HQ at Scale

Autotrader Manchester: A Connected Workplace at Scale

Manchester M1 / Technology / 130,000 sq ft / 33 weeks

Designed around movement and experience

Autotrader’s new Manchester headquarters brings together 130,000 sq ft across eight floors at No.3 Circle Square, creating a workplace defined by movement, identity and connection. The project responds to an ambition to translate a digital marketplace built on automotive culture into a physical environment, without relying on conventional branding.

The concept centres on journey – a spatial narrative that unfolds as people move through the building. Architecture, circulation and carefully placed landmarks work together to guide that experience, creating a sequence of moments rather than a static office.

From a dedicated arrival space defined by suspended vehicles, to three sculptural staircases formed from retained structural voids, the design embeds identity within the fabric of the building. Each working floor carries its own character, while a diverse range of environments supports how Autotrader’s people collaborate, focus and connect.

The headquarters operates as both a workplace and statement, in that it’s an environment that reflects how Autotrader works today and signals where it is heading next.

Journey through the space

While the design is shaped through a series of carefully considered moments, the full story of Autotrader’s Manchester headquarters is best understood in motion.

Our short film captures the scale, complexity and craft behind the Autotrader project — from the technical installation of suspended vehicles to the transformation of the space from shell to a fully realised workplace. It brings together the voices, decisions and details that sit behind what you see. You can explore the full story in more depth here.

Balancing the new with the familiar

The brief set a clear direction. Autotrader wanted a workplace that felt new, and – more specifically – presented something they hadn’t seen before. But they wanted to balance this with the sense of familiarity that defines their culture. It needed to push boundaries, while still feeling recognisably Autotrader.

That ambition shaped the early stages of the project, with the task of balancing originality with something intuitive and grounded underpinning the initial design concepts. The space needed to feel immediate and understandable, even as it introduced something unexpected.

Translating journey through design

The workplace explores the broader idea of journey, translating Autotrader’s purpose into a spatial experience that unfolds as people move through the building. This idea is supported narratively by ‘fuel’ and ‘landmark’ as design concepts.

Fuel represents the energy behind the organisation. The workplace is designed to power Autotrader’s people, supporting different modes of work across the day. Spaces allow employees to shift between focus, collaboration and social interaction, reflecting the pace and dynamism of a digital technology company.

Landmark introduces moments of identity within that journey. Signature features act as memorable anchors within the workplace, referencing Autotrader’s automotive heritage while creating distinctive architectural moments.

Journey ties the experience together. Rather than functioning as a series of disconnected rooms, the workplace comes together as a sequence of spaces that guide employees through moments of energy, collaboration and quieter focus.

Finding identity in the structure

The project included the transformation of existing structural crane openings within the building, which were repurposed to create three sculptural internal staircases that link the eight-floor workplace. Each staircase – directional, spiral and social – has a distinct character and function. One moves people quickly, one encourages people to slow down, while the other draws people together.

This strategy fundamentally reshaped how the workplace operates. Instead of teams feeling isolated across multiple floors, the staircases promote chance encounters, spontaneous collaboration and a stronger sense of organisational connection.

A workplace that keeps moving

This is a workplace that reflects how Autotrader thinks, works and grows. Movement isn’t just a concept here. It’s embedded into how people use the space every day, from the routes they take to the conversations that happen along the way.

For us, this project is a clear example of what happens when design moves beyond aesthetics and becomes part of how a business operates. A workplace that doesn’t just support people, but actively shapes how they connect, collaborate and move forward.

“It was really important to find a partner that wasn’t just about big, splashy design, but understood that every room has to work, every detail matters – and Oktra delivered that.“

Alison Ross MBE

Chief People & Operations Officer at Autotrader

Autotrader Manchester: A Connected Workplace at Scale