Bristol’s maritime heritage has provided the inspiration for fit-out, design and build specialist firm Paramount’s new base in the city while also helping revitalise one of its ‘forgotten’ areas.
The company’s design team delved deep into the past of historic Welsh Back, taking a lead from its dockside architecture while on a mission to create Bristol’s most ‘Instagrammable’ office, pictured. 
The interior painstakingly reflects the area’s heritage with weathered-style Corten steel, burnt timber, rope and metalwork all prominent features tying the base to its waterside location.
The focal points include the boardroom, which is hidden behind a slatted door, and a bar area which resembles a boat-shaped below a rusted cage structure, named the Portcullis.
Bristol-based architectural firm AWW was responsible for the creative concept of the building regeneration while the developer and investor was V7.
Paramount hopes its new workplace will become a hub for like-minded businesses from Bristol’s thriving creative sector.
It has already become the new home for Bristol-based BAFTA-nominated natural history filmmaker Offspring, which has relocated from St Nicholas House on High St.
For Cardiff-headquartered Paramount, which has been trading since 1989, new base will be used to target further work in Bristol and across the South West as it aims to grow its turnover by 50% to £50m within three years. The new office will also create up to 20 jobs. 
Paramount senior designer Gareth Davies, who masterminded the project, said: “We are privileged to be able to call Bristol’s famous Floating Harbour the setting for our new office because it’s an area that is steeped in history.
“We’ve gone ‘back to the future’ for inspiration to create a hybrid working environment that celebrates the bygone days of the Welsh Back area.
“A workspace that encourages professional collaboration and helps build team dynamics with a nod to the storied past of Bristol’s docks was our priority and we’ve worked hard to turn that vision into a reality.”
Paramount sales director Kevin Mashford, who will lead the Bristol team, added: “We set out to create Bristol’s most ‘Instagrammable’ office and, thanks to our exceptionally talented design and project team, I am proud to say we have achieved our goal.”
He said with its variety of interconnected spaces, the new office was a prime example of how to take inspiration from ‘community’.
This has created neighbourhoods within the office where the same energy and connection people feel sitting in a coffee shop, or the same level of focus they experience in their own home, can be achieved within one space. 
“These are exciting times for Paramount, and we are proud to play a part in the regeneration of the Welsh Back area, which is forgotten for some people but is now really buzzing and is set to be a brilliant place to do business and socialise,” he added.
Paramount managing director Richard Jones, who led a management buyout of the firm in 2018, said: “Our brilliant new office represents a substantial investment by Paramount which will ensure company growth continues to gather pace across the South West of England.
“The Bristol base is a real statement of intent and demonstrates our confidence. Paramount will strengthen its presence in a vibrant region and build on our proud reputation as a company with an outstanding record of creating places where people want to be.”
Paramount has a strong track record in Bristol’s property sector, having carried out design and fit-out projects in the city for a number of years.
These have included ITV West Country News’ base and the 360 Bristol office building on Marlborough St, formerly known as South Plaza.
