Architect and Builder February/March 2019 | Page 78

RCL FOODS INTERIOR DESIGN: NOVOSPACE I | 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. 78 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