Member News
People-first games studio to enhance employee experience and set a new focal point for game developers in North East England.
Full-service developer and publisher Double Eleven proudly announces the completion of Boho X, its new flagship headquarters built in close proximity to their current offices in Middlesbrough, England. The building has been designed to enhance the well-being of the studio’s employees and support the growth of the business, whilst also acting as a central hub facilitating regular meetups for games professionals in the region and beyond. Employees will be moving in this month, before an official opening later this year.
The cutting-edge facility marks a significant achievement in Double Eleven's journey. After 14 years in locations ranging from lofts to shared office spaces, the company will be the sole occupant of a seven-story, multi-purpose building designed to bring all the studio’s UK teams under one roof and support employee wellbeing.
Double Eleven’s fitout of the work spaces is the result of years of meticulous planning and execution, taking into consideration modern design principles and the need for staff to access top-tier technology in a supportive environment. Boho X provides plenty of break-out spaces incorporating natural elements, and new amenities, including a classroom, an auditorium, a market hall providing healthy, subsidised food and a fully-equipped staff gym.
“We've experienced remarkable growth, expanding from just over 100 employees to nearly 400 within the past three years, with the majority of our workforce based right here in the centre of Middlesbrough”, highlights Kimberley Turner, CFO of Double Eleven. “We’re proud to have been able to retain many of the local talents in the region and support their growth over the years.”
Mark South, the company’s COO, who has been overseeing the design, fit-out and transition to the new headquarters, explains: “Boho X is a remarkable addition to Teesside. It’s a testament to Andy Preston and Ben Houchen’s proactive leadership in creating an office to the high standard that local technology companies need to both recruit and retain highly skilled people locally, nationally and internationally. This building embodies the ambitious vision of the Tees Valley Combined Authority and Middlesbrough Council, who have demonstrated their commitment to elevating the region's office infrastructure by setting a new benchmark for excellence.
Starting from a new, empty shell allowed us to design and build our space from scratch, and transform it into something that exemplifies our continual investment in our people and our culture. We’ve combined our experiences in incredible offices all over the world with best practices for modern working environments in the context of hybrid working. This has resulted in a contemporary design that focuses on fresh air, a mix of well-lit and dark areas, open spaces, all featuring significant greenery, with a specific focus on healthy living and most importantly, building human connections.
To bring it all to life, we’ve looked holistically at the people and supporting services required for our new headquarters. As a result, we’ve decided to create new roles, and our own hospitality, cleaning and security teams, leveraging the strengths of our parent company, Pneuma Group, allowing us to have full ownership of our employee experience.
More than just wanting a great quality of working life for our people; our new headquarters aspires to be a vibrant hub for developers, students, and professionals in the region. As well as providing spaces to work and collaborate, it also houses a classroom and an auditorium. Infrastructure that will support our ambition to host industry events, educational programmes and relevant local initiatives as a force for good. Our move into and fit-out of Boho X represents a significant investment and underscores our commitment to becoming an integral part of the local landscape, driving positive change and fostering growth in Middlesbrough and the wider region."
The landmark Boho X development was supported with £21m in funding from the Tees Valley Mayor and Tees Valley Combined Authority. Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Double Eleven are a fantastic example of the innovative and forward-looking companies we want to support across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool and which are providing the highly skilled, well-paid jobs our economy needs. We want these companies to be able to expand and attract the best talent, but to do that we need to have the right offices and developments. We are proud to have supported Boho X, which will continue to help the growth of Middlesbrough’s thriving community of digital and creative businesses.”
