SPACEINVADER
The riverside location was also key to the design . Views of the river from Riverside House and the river ’ s effect on the surrounding city are at the heart of the concept . Not only does the river affect people , but also the built environment , with natural materials which make up the riverbed influencing the surrounding city . The fit-out also makes reference to that , by keeping an underlining industrial aesthetic throughout . The project was about celebrating Salford as well as showing what the company can do for its own tenants , whilst the water outside , its movement , colours and the wildlife it attracts , particularly kingfishers , informed the colour scheme . The designers looked to the various strata of the riverbed to create a sense of horizontal layering , using tones of red from the local sandstone bed , combined with industrial textures to ensure a unique and sophisticated finish .
THE FINAL DESIGN
SpaceInvader liaised with the building ’ s refurbishment architects to ensure the design reduced waste as well as rendering the perfect space plan . For example , chilled beams and lighting units were moved to suit the meeting room layout and floor grilles moved to suit desk layouts . This minimised cost , disruption and also waste . There were also some specific enhancements requested by Muse to allow the CAT A design to blend seamlessly with the fit-out design . The wall linings were uplifted in a number of locations and a slatted timber finish created for the perimeter walls to the open plan floor plate , lending a domestic feel to the finishes palette , whilst arched window linings help frame views out towards Salford .
The internal space planning of Muse ’ s two floors – the second and the third - was thoroughly considered . The areas that captured the best views were reserved for the most active environments , such as shared desk space , the project room and staff kitchen . Alongside this , the floors were addressed differently in terms of function and atmosphere , with the second floor providing an open plan workspace with its adjoining alternative settings and the third floor providing the visitor / client experience .
ARCHETECH - PAGE 32