the environment most conducive to their own productivity and wellbeing .
As part of the WSP rebranding strategy the company moved away from the traditional closed offices to open plan office space . All members of the company sit together in the open plan areas . These areas are supplemented with a vast array of alternative workspaces .
Many of the furniture items in the new office consist of reused and adapted furniture items . This includes workstations ; recycle bins , storage cabinets , soft seating and over 100 table legs .
Biophilic Design Approach In order to inform the department-specific aesthetics and arrangement , the interior designers adopted a biophilic design approach . ‘ Biophilic design acknowledges that humans have an instinctive tendency to seek out connections with nature and other living forms .’
With this in mind they created an ecosystem of spaces through the use of a central spine which connects the alternative workspaces and the various departmental zones . This spatial layout encourages movement , socialisation and collaboration which in turn optimises productivity , increases health and wellbeing , while supporting the company ’ s corporate culture . Facilities such as a Mothers room , multifaith prayer room , cycle & shower facilities and staff restaurant are provided within the workspace .
Visually the circulation spine is accentuated by means of coloured ceilings and matching coloured carpets . The colours of the circulation spine were selected to reflect nature with its green and turquoise hues . The spine moves through the whole building like a colourful ribbon tying all of the parts together into one unified design .
The journey through the interior ecosystem starts in WSP ’ s spacious entrance lobby . Aesthetically , the design echo ’ s natural forms , patterns & textures in various ways . Upon arrival in the lobby one is greeted by the organically shaped ceiling lines , balustrades and reception desk . These biomorphic forms provide an indirect connection with nature , as they are symbolic references to contoured arrangements that persist in nature .
Behind the reception desk the intricate herringbone timber wall cladding creates a material connection with nature . The carefully designed leafpatterned decals imbue the space with rich sensory information . This complexity and order is enhanced by clusters of pendants that sway lightly overhead , highlighting airflow within the lobby to mimic nature in the space . The custom organically shaped carpet grounds the furniture in the space . The carpet pattern is derived from an aerial view and hand-made to be one of a kind .
The colours that were selected were used for the various different functional areas . This included the smaller meeting rooms dotted around the building interior . Here the signage that was incorporated was derived from the herringbone texture found in the reception area . The herringbone pattern is representative of the dense repetition of leaves and vegetation in nature . In order to ensure a unified design intent throughout the interior , the herringbone pattern can also be found in various other spaces . Some examples include fixed timber screens , mobile timber screens with white boards and pin-boards , and sliding textile screens that create flexible spaces of refuge . The partially obscured views through the slatted herringbone screens create a sense of mystery that entices the user to travel deeper into the environment .
In conclusion , WSP ’ s office interiors illustrate the successful implementation of a tailor-fit workspace strategy and biophilic design principles . This design approach not only addresses the aesthetics of the interior but also how it can have a positive impact on emotional , cognitive and physical wellbeing of the user . WSP ’ s new interiors can be seen as a rediscovery of the intuitively obvious .
WSP Knightsbridge 51