Architect and Builder February/March 2019 | Page 78

RCL FOODS
INTERIOR DESIGN: NOVOSPACE
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PHOTOGRAPHY: MAXINE ELPHICK
nterior design facilitates the way we live our lives and how we
function in different spaces. The layout of an office environment
significantly influences our ability to collaborate with staff
members and clients, and the ability to share ideas, communicate
and utilise resources to their best potential. Engaging an interior
designer from the outset of any corporate project is vital to
achieve this, particularly considering that thoughtful office design
can drastically boost staff productivity and efficiency.
Interior Designers, novospace, were required to create a head
office work environment for client RCL Foods that promoted
collaboration and connectivity in a truly African space. Based in
Westville near Durban, the 12,000m 2 head office accommodates
up to 650 employees across various business divisions.
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It was clear that a well-designed office layout would be
essential for a large, differentiated business, and that the space
needed to cultivate smooth work flow and attract and retain RCL’s
very large human resource base. These demands provoked the
need to design spaces for various tasks. A series of different
workstation types, collaborative spaces, meeting rooms and
break-out areas became essential components, which took
various shapes and forms depending on frequency of use and
specific functional requirements.
Space Planning
There were numerous project team meetings to create a space
planning solution that would encourage staff collaboration. An
RCL Foods