It had always been something of a dream for our branding agency to have its own base. We’ve longed for a home we can proudly host our clients in, a creative studio that would help our team thrive and a space that would reflect us as a company.

In our 4 years of business to date, we’ve had your typical small business experience of leaching off coffee shop Wifi or working from a desk in the corner of the living room. We made it work, steadily working towards our goal of owning something unique and something that would help us grow to the next level.

The acquisition of Arobase HQ was a real bright spot in a bizarre and challenging year. Having outgrown our shared office setup, we’d been on the look out for a new place to call home for some time. One random afternoon we discovered ‘The Former Chapel’ amongst a quiet residential area in Patchway.

Pictures of the office space from our first visit and mid way through the renovation. We got stuck in with the painting and quickly got rid of the blue and yellow walls

We were instantly drawn to the building's character and potential as a unique working space. We booked the initial viewing on a whim, never really expecting to fall in love with the place. Following a couple more visits the vision was clear and our minds were made up - we were ready to seize the opportunity and start the next chapter of our business.

There was one small issue to overcome. Our contracts were finalised in March, slap bang in the middle of a global pandemic and with a national lockdown looming. Our business could have ceased within weeks, but our optimism wouldn't be overshadowed. This felt like an opportunity and a chance to build something positive in the midst of strange times. So we persevered with the decision.

Like any good Arobase project we planned it properly from the start. Using the floor plans, we created a 3D model of the space and played house with the furniture arrangement and decor.

In hindsight, we made the right call. Our business survived and has since thrived as we write this 6 months on, celebrating our fourth birthday in our fully furnished and renovated working space. This isn't a pat on the back for us but a massive thanks to our clients who are the lifeblood of our business and ensured that we made it through the other side.

Let’s show you around.

The main studio is a great open space blending work benches with relaxing breakout spaces. With plenty of natural light and greenery

You enter Arobase Creative through the small foyer and into the main ‘studio’ space - currently fitted for two desks and a cosy breakout space opposite the kitchenette. The studio walls and shelves offer a myriad of inspiration with artwork, figurines, collectibles and knick-knacks from a range of cultures and time periods.

Some of the bits and bobs we have collected along the way including our name in letterpress characters which we found while rummaging in a vintage warehouse

We've got it all: Polish movie posters, mid-century packaging, war memorabilia, local artists and the piece de resistance - our vibrant collection of cans. Accumulated over 4 years and stashed away in hope they would one day be dusted off and displayed proudly on our office walls.

A celebration of packaging design - This is just a section of our can collection.

In the adjoining room we have our meeting area. This space was designed with one thing in mind - hosting our client brand workshops (and the odd wine tasting). A darker room by design, creates a cosy working space in the evenings, illuminated by the industrial lamp above and the glare of our oversized presentation screen.

We love the new meeting space and look forward to hosting many workshops and events when humans can interact again

At the other end of the building we have our purpose built photography studio. The bespoke bench provides an ideal working space and the perfect backdrop for the product photo shoots that we carry out for our clients. This new facility is a game changer for our photography output as it opens doors for a more creative setup and creates space for our lighting equipment.

When the photography studio is not used for shoots we have an additional work area available

With our home in place our focus is on growing the Arobase Creative family. We are currently in discussions with local universities about student internships and placements in the hope that the next generation of design and branding specialists can help us do better and get bigger.

Retro camera equipment and vintage packaging passed down through the family now takes pride of place on our shelves. Love the detail on the new meeting room pendant light.

A final shoutout to all the people who helped pull the space together over the last 6 months. From the generosity of our partners who were duped into painting our hallway white to the high quality of service we received from various trades. We will credit all below as its paramount that we support small businesses and recognise the quality in our local community:

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Thanks to our clients, colleagues, friends and family for helping us achieve four years in business and here's to the future. #4MoreYears