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An office of skylight and highlight and screen
to provide the perfect position for ‘master control’.
It’s an unconventional solution.
It really demonstrates BCM’s capabilities. It was demanding
and BCM was a match for that. The coloured LED lighting
highlights it as unique statement.
It gives the building an impact around the clock, but most
obviously of an evening. There’s full control over that to
change, select and rotate colours. The LEDs are a fairly cost
effective element to source and very cost effective to run.
You achieve a result that stands out for all of the right
reasons in an otherwise dreary estate.
The hope is that the area will regenerate and hopefully this
will be a catalyst. What we simplified in the building form
itself is carried throughout. Internally for instance, you find
an awful lot of detailing within the joinery and many of the
fixtures and fittings, which compliment the overall
architectural language. It's really a holistic approach to an
old school building form.
The overall build cost appears staggeringly economical.
Some of that has been absorbed and incorporated in BCM’s
labour. They also worked with many tried and tested local
contractors keen to participate in a project they realised
would set a benchmark. David Moyle was very selective with
materials and finishes and sourced cost-effective alternative
materials.
Does this type of project reset the agenda from the
production-line mentality of the warehouse as rather chilly,
fluorescent-lit boxes?
Well it certainly demonstrates that there are alternatives.
The main entry foyer is really a feature sculptural element.
Obviously in winter months there's a requirement to also
illuminate/heat the larger back-of-house spaces.
The change from the former offices has left everyone
pretty gob-smacked about how good their new workplace,
offices and storage areas are.
It’s a reward for rolling the dice and trying the
unconventional, yet there's more effort required
to get this kind of result, isn't there?
Yes, absolutely. I have to take my hat off for these
considerable investments, not just financially, but perhaps
more so for the client’s time and effort. When you're
a sole director like David Moyle trying to concentrate on
an emerging business it takes a huge commitment, and
a huge effort to actually pull something like this together
while maintaining business operations.