The super-cool Manchester office comes in a number of varieties, from stripped-back tech to midcentury classic via banquette banal. Nowhere is more of a design hot spot than the breakout space. The British Council for Offices has recognised three Manchester breakout spaces in its Northern Property Awards.

Hilson Moran's fifth floor office at Bruntwood's Neo, Charlotte Street, was winner of the BCO Innovation Award, and was designed by Space Invader. Neo itself took home the BCO Refurbished/Recycled Workplace Award. The building was designed by Bridge Architects. Many initiatives were implemented with a view to improve employee health and wellbeing, such as local adjustment of office temperatures and personal lockers, design features such as green moss walls in the collaboration area, and plants which were carefully selected to help remove pollutants from the air.

Shoosmiths LLP’s 32K SF Manchester office within Allied London's 240K SF XYZ building in Spinningfields triumphed in the Best Fit Out of Workplace category. It was praised by the judges for the variety, quality and flexibility of its workspace. The building, which incorporates 10 different work settings within its fit-out, was described by the judges as providing a seamless working environment that allows people to choose a workspace best suited to the task they are carrying out, enhancing collaboration and creativity.