After 10 years in the same Leiden office, Atterbury Europe felt it was time for a change. Not a move. Not a bigger address. But a thoughtful reimagining of the space it already called home.

The result is a warm, contemporary and highly personal office that reflects the business Atterbury Europe is today: international in outlook, rooted in strong relationships, and deeply focused on creating places people want to spend time.

Designed by Creneau International, the revamped 170 sqm office has been transformed into a more flexible, collaborative and welcoming environment for the team. When the Atterbury Europe team first walked back in, the reaction said it all: “Is this the same space? Or did you make it bigger?”

It was the same footprint. Every metre had simply been reconsidered. A home base for an international team. Atterbury Europe’s team works across different jurisdictions and travels frequently between markets. That makes the Leiden office more than just a place to sit at a desk. It needed to become a true home base.

The brief was clear: create a space that supports focused work, informal conversations, team lunches, after-work drinks and the kind of spontaneous collaboration that helps a close-knit team stay connected. Rather than a traditional corporate office, the new space has a softer, more personal feel. It is professional without being cold. Comfortable without losing its sense of purpose. Stylish without trying too hard.

“The entire design of the office is centred around our team and creating a true ‘home away from home’ environment,” says the Atterbury Europe team. “We wanted a space that brings people together and supports a strong sense of culture and community.”

“The same 170 sqm — reimagined around the way the team actually works.”

Designed around the way people actually work

Before finalising the design, Creneau International spent time understanding the team, their working habits and what they needed from the office. That insight shaped a more activity-based layout, with workstations moved closer to natural light and meeting spaces placed towards the back for greater privacy. The ceiling was opened up to give the office more air and an understated industrial character.

At the centre of the office is a multi-functional lounge, kitchen and bar area built around a communal table. This has become the heart of the space: a place for coffee, lunch, conversation, informal meetings and Friday afternoon drinks. Additional breakout areas allow the team to work together more naturally throughout the day, while a smaller boardroom supports informal team discussions. A phone booth and quiet room offer privacy for focused work and calls, a simple but important addition in an open-plan environment. For Martin Olivier, this is one of the most practical and appreciated features of the revamp: a private space to take a call without disrupting the rest of the team in the open plan office.

Personal touches with a South African soul

While the office is firmly based in Leiden, its personality carries Atterbury Europe’s South African roots. The meeting rooms have been named after special South African holiday destinations: Springerbaai (main boardroom), Struisbaai (smaller meeting room), and Stilbaai for the phone booth.

South African art by Jeremy Rose and Andel Olivier brings character to the boardrooms, while the bar is stocked with selected South African wines. A family photo wall in the phone booth adds warmth and reinforces the sense of community within the team. There are also Dutch references, natural materials and carefully chosen details throughout the space, creating an office that feels both local and international.

For the design team, preserving Atterbury Europe’s DNA was the most important part of the process.

“We never copy-paste,” says Elisabeth Petermans, Key Account Manager at Creneau International. “We dived into the identity and culture of Atterbury Europe, a small, close team of people who do not just come to the office to work, but also to connect.”

“The new office is a home base for a team that works across borders.”

A space that now lives beyond the workday

Perhaps the best measure of the project’s success is how naturally the team has started using the space.

The kitchen and lounge area has encouraged more shared lunches, coffee breaks and informal conversations. Team events that may have once happened elsewhere are now often hosted in the office, from drinks after work to dinners and game nights.

The space has also started to draw people in beyond Atterbury Europe’s own team. Other tenants in the building have already stopped by for Friday afternoon drinks. According to Creneau, that is where the design comes full circle. Atterbury Europe’s wider business is about creating places that bring people together. Its renewed Leiden office does exactly that, on a smaller and more personal scale.

As Roux Gerber puts it, the new interior is “a statement of an innovative, fresh, modern and vibrant designed workspace”, bringing together years of experience in creating better places for Atterbury Europe’s own employees.

Favourite corners

Ask the team to choose a favourite element, and the answers are varied — which may be the strongest sign that the space is working.

For Marelize, it is the flow of the office and the calm, welcoming atmosphere created by the open-plan kitchen and lounge area.

For Hans-Peter, it is the use of colour, especially the bold red cabinetry in the kitchen and bar area, which adds warmth and personality.

For Bingle, the lounge is the standout: a comfortable space for coffee breaks, casual catch-ups and moments between meetings.

For others, the reward is simply seeing the office come to life in exactly the way it was intended.

A refreshed office with a clear purpose

The Leiden revamp is more than an interior update. It is a reflection of culture, confidence and long-term thinking. It shows how a carefully designed office can support better ways of working, strengthen relationships and make people feel more connected to the business and to one another.

For Atterbury Europe, the renewed office is not just where work happens. It is where the team meets, shares, plans, celebrates and feels at home.

“Creating better places starts at home.”