The client’s Head of Infrastructure Technology and Business
Services - EMEA, commented on the project: ‘Our objective
here was not to just fit-out the space in line with the rest of the
building, but to use people-centred design to challenge our
thinking and create a number of new inspiring spaces. We aim
to create and manage high performance work environments and
client spaces that are a consistent representation of our global
brand and our spaces are managed to the highest possible
standard, reflecting our culture and aspirations.’ scheme also encompassed a number of private working booths,
as well as a more relaxed work/meeting area on the storey above,
on the building’s 9th floor.
FULL SCOPE OF WORK: WORKING WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING:
The scope of work mostly covered the building’s 8th floor, where
general workspaces are located, along with a staff kitchen/
pantry; a large presentation and townhall space (which can
also be used for other purposes, eg yoga classes); five meeting
rooms and a large breakout area with an indoor-outdoor feel
(‘The Terrace’). The multi-use presentation area was deemed
particularly important to the success of the project and is able to
be combined with The Terrace area, with a folding wall between
the two, in order to allow large-scale events to be held there. The The existing building has a strong statement core, including a
red feature staircase created by the scheme’s original architects.
This new design project needed to acknowledge and talk to
this dominant feature. This was achieved via the occasional and
well-judged uses of red throughout - from red lines, for example,
within a grey carpet from Shaws Carpets used in corridor areas,
that also echo the staircase’s angled geometry, with Fegerhold
lights directly above further matching the carpet insert angle.
‘The 8th floor space really was a blank canvas when we took the
project on, in spite of most of the building having been fitted out
for several years already’, Gurvinder Khurana, align Director and
Co-founder, commented. ‘The spaces were effectively concrete
shells and so could be designed to serve the required functions
perfectly.’
THE EXISTING BUILDING HAS A STRONG
STATEMENT CORE, INCLUDING A RED
FEATURE STAIRCASE CREATED BY THE
SCHEME’S ORIGINAL ARCHITECTS