Architect and Builder February/March 2019 | Page 72

This Page:
Boogertman + Partners
Interior
External Architectural Materials
Externally, the material and colour palette is
carried through from Phase 1. The palette is
monochromatic in the use of mainly black for the
podium and basement façades, with a rendered
finish. The upper levels are treated in white
plaster and paint for crisp, clean lines and are
highlighted with warmer timber tile accent strips
on buildings D and E, to follow on from the other
buildings. The timber tile ‘boxes’ are a recurring
design element, knitting the development identity
together. Darker performance glazing contrasts
with the white façades. The B+P building is slightly
different in having black facebrick at podium level,
complimented by a vertical design black balustrade
for a subtle difference.
Interior Concept, Space Planning & Materials
B+P’s new Head Office is an architectural
‘experience’ as visitors are warmly welcomed into
the world of design creativity.
A 5 -Star Interior Rating was achieved on
Round 1, boasting various innovative green
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design features, sustainable materials, upcycling
and creative resources. B+P Architects’ Interior
Designers worked closely with Solid Green
Consulting to ensure the most sustainable material
choices were made for the new office space.
Materials such as FSC sustainable wood
and flooring containing post-consumer recycled
content were specified and the existing furniture
from the previous B+P office was re-used. A birch-
ply grand staircase is what first greets you as you
step into the new offices.
The staircase was originally designed to form
a multi-functional space, bridging the ground
floor collaborative spaces with the first floor
workspaces and doubles as a grand seating
space for presentations on a 3x5m LED screen.
During presentations or events, an acoustic curtain
envelopes the space for privacy to form a multi-
purpose auditorium.
The multi-volume upper floor allows for
individual work stations with smaller breakout
areas for quiet brainstorming or quiet focused
work, while the lower level fosters a shared area
of maker and assembly space, meeting rooms and
a fully equipped kitchen.
The staff culture required a social space which
meets an office space and today the space is
designed to embody that. This is achieved with a
collaborative café which can function as a bustling
coffee meeting space on smaller tables, a harvest
table where staff can rearrange the space and have
lunch together, a bar where the bar stools come
out and the ‘participate’ neon light doesn’t turn off.
The building is designed to ensure maximum
daylight enters the space, while minimising solar
heat gains. This allowed for reduced electrical
lighting requirements resulting in decreased energy
bills. The large expanses of glazing utilised in the
design creates a feeling of direct connection to
the outdoor environment and with the inclusion
of various indoor plants the biophilic nature of the
space comes alive.
The Main Straight