Optima enables curved elegance, acoustic performance and wellbeing at CBRE’s new Glasgow hub

Miller Mathieson, Managing Director of CBRE Scotland, said: “Collaboration amongst our teams to bring the full power of our platform and services to enhance client outcomes is at the heart of our culture. This move will bring [staff] together into one of the best buildings in Glasgow.

“Its fantastic green credentials and wellness facilities underpin our commitment to the ESG agenda and will enhance the workplace experience for our people and help us attract and retain the best talent in the market.

“The building design, fit out and tech credentials will help promote collaboration and agile working, supporting our adoption of hybrid working patterns to improve productivity and efficiency.”

Brief and approach

The workplace needed to:

• Support hybrid, agile working with a mix of open collaboration and quiet focus spaces.

• Prioritise wellbeing and comfort in line with BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) and WELL standards.

• Create a standout first impression for clients and recruits.

Form DC coordinated with CBRE’s design team to align drawings with Scottish building standards while preserving design intent. Optima partnered closely on technical detailing to meet performance and aesthetic goals.

Curve appeal

First impressions count, and a spacious entrance with curved wall panels, a curved reception desk and a circular stand-alone meeting room delivers the wow factor.

Form DC specified a curved Optima 117 Plus screen for the distinctive meeting room. This showcases Optima’s capability to engineer complex partitions that elevate a space. The curved glass – finished with a patterned manifestation that nods to Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Glasgow style – softens the architecture and adds local character.

The single-glazed curved wall uses Optima’s discreet glass-to-glass dry joints to create the impression of continuous, unsupported glass.

Acoustic comfort for collaboration and focus

A kitchenette, visitor focus areas, café seating, private booths and multiple meeting rooms promote wellbeing and teamwork. To meet DDA requirements and maintain a cohesive visual language, the feature manifestation is repeated across selected glazed panels and doors.

To balance openness with privacy, Form DC specified Revolution 100 double-glazed partitions with Edge Symmetry double-glazed doors for meeting rooms and quiet spaces. The system delivers high acoustic performance suited to a busy office while maintaining daylight and sightlines, minimising distractions.

Smart, sustainable base building

177 Bothwell Street pairs generous daylight with energy-efficient systems and an intelligent building management system (BMS). The building targets SmartScore accreditation and holds a Platinum WiredScore, supporting CBRE’s digital and ESG ambitions.

Michael McDowall, Property Director of HFD Property Group, said: “Adding CBRE – one of the world’s top property companies – to 177 Bothwell Street underlines our commitment to delivering a high-quality, occupier-focussed building… we are aiming to show what property can help businesses achieve in Glasgow, Scotland, and beyond, supporting them in the delivery of their own sustainability and wellbeing targets.”

Development context: Bothwell Exchange

Bothwell Exchange gave HFD a rare ‘full island block’ site of 1.3 acres on Glasgow’s commercial high street. The northern half – 177 Bothwell Street – offers around 100 m of frontage and the city-centre business address selected by CBRE. To the south, 122 Waterloo Street delivers a 155,000 sq. ft office building now occupied by Morgan Stanley.

Sustainability credentials

The wider Bothwell scheme is among Glasgow’s most sustainable office developments, with an EPC A rating (targeting sub-8, approximately 45% better than the lowest A threshold). It is BREEAM Excellent, net-zero carbon in operation, and uses 100% green electricity from a locally identifiable source – an HFD-facilitated wind farm in South Lanarkshire.

Outcome

• A memorable curved-glass arrival experience that expresses brand and place.

• Quiet rooms and booths with tailored acoustics – enabling confidential conversations and deep focus work.

• Materials and detailing that support BREEAM and WELL objectives without compromising design intent.

Products used:

• Optima 117 Plus (curved, single-glazed)

• Revolution 100 (double-glazed)

• Edge Symmetry doors (double-glazed)

About the development:

177 Bothwell Street forms part of HFD’s Bothwell Exchange in Glasgow’s central business district – a highly sustainable, technology-enabled workplace cluster.