Roofing, Cladding & Facades

PROMOTING PRODUCTIVITY AND IMPROVING WELLNESS

LOOKING AT LIGHTING DESIGN AS PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, MARKETA RYPACEK, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT INDUSTVILLE LTD, UNDERSTANDS THAT OFFICE LIGHTING PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN IMPROVING THE EMPLOYEE AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

The past few years have truly transformed what we’ve come to expect from office spaces and their design. As the needs of office workers change, so too must the approach to workplace design. Office interiors still call for functionality at their core, but increasingly, designers are now incorporating more elements of comfort and features that facilitate improved employee wellbeing. With the mood of employees having such a significant impact on the results of a company, it’s not surprising that employers are keen to design offices that motivate and stimulate their workforce. In recent years it has become clear that lighting has a big effect on people’s wellbeing, alertness and productivity at work. In the past, lighting design has often focused on lighting specific tasks, such as reading or looking at computer screens, which has been at the expense of how light affects the person. To strike the right balance, we need to light not just the task, but also the space and the person, so people can feel comfortable when carrying out their work.

I often advise customers to vary the lighting in a room to create little pockets and pools of light.

Our natural circadian rhythm is vital in ensuring general wellbeing, affecting everything from our all-important sleep patterns to the molecular clocks that regulate the timing of our cellular activities. Keeping this rhythm in check, means we not only feel better but also perform better too, hence companies and organisations are keen to ensure they provide the right environment for their workers, with the correct lighting playing a big part in this. Biophilic design is becoming more than a trend; it is a scientifically proven philosophy of our innate connection with nature and natural elements. Modern humans spend about 90% of their time indoors, which has resulted in an outcry for a deeper connection with nature. This has affected the lighting aspect of office space design immensely, demanding greater amounts of natural light, as well as softer lighting, instead of windowless cubicles under fluorescent lighting.

Workplaces must install confidence with social distancing measures and safety guidelines whilst creating a sociable environment in which employees and visitors can relax and enjoy each other’s company once more. The key here is to maintain the brand concept of your company. Lighting should be used to create a welcoming feel, resulting in a place your employees will thrive, and visitors will want to spend time in and return to. To achieve this, lighting should be approached in a layered manner. Embrace the whole range of lighting sources available from pendant lights, recessed lights and chandeliers, to track lighting, lamps and spot lighting. I often advise customers to vary the lighting in a room to create little pockets and pools of light.

REWARDING NORDIC COPPER

TWO IMPORTANT PUBLIC BUILDINGS, DEFINED BY NORDIC COPPER CLADDING, HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED ACCOLADES FOLLOWING PREVIOUS AWARDS

BEST BUILDING IN SCOTLAND

The award-winning Aberdeen Art Gallery has just been named winner of the 2021 Andrew Doolan ‘Best Building in Scotland’ Award. The rejuvenated, listed complex is crowned by a striking contemporary rooftop extension clad in Nordic Brown Light.

The Nordic Brown Light copper rooftop extension contains a suite of environmentally controlled temporary galleries, as well as muchneeded learning and event spaces, providing bold new interiors. The extension was designed as a sculptural element, responding to the proportions and colours of the existing granite frontages.

It is defined by vertical, scalloped panels - including some perforated for transparency – of Nordic Brown Light pre-oxidised copper. It is a thoroughly contemporary design but sharing materiality with the buildings’ classical copper dome. Repairs to the dome itself were carried out using Nordic Green pre-patinated copper, complementing the existing historic patination.