Mix Interiors 209 - February 2021 by Mix_Interiors

Mix Interiors 209

February 2021

KLYRO S T Y L I S H . E L E G A N T. I C O N I C .

DESIGNERS & MANUFACTURERS OF WORKSPACE FURNITURE

www.gof.co.uk

Contents INSIGHT 8

UPFRONT The latest news from the world of commercial interior design.

SEVEN Seven ways to delineate the workspace.

WEIRD SCIENCE Steve Gale, Head of Workplace Strategy at M Moser Associates.

PERSPECTIVE We talk with Martin Jepson, founder of Ergo.

DESERT ISLAND DESKS Chris Gibbs, Design Associate, BDP.

MATERIAL MATTERS Ana Rita Barreira Martins, architect at BDG architecture + design, picks four materials that matter to her.

PROPERTY: RETAIL How converting retail space will literally change your world.

NEIL USHER Our new columnist provides an expert view of the issues facing workplace owners, operators, designers and users alike.

34 54

WORKPLACE 34

CASE STUDY: OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS BY TP BENNETT

40 CASE STUDY: KNIGHT FRANK’S GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS BY RESONATE

HOSPITALITY 46

OPENING ROUND: OUR PICK OF HOTELS OPENING THEIR DOORS IN 2021

PROPERTY Middle-of-the-road hospitality and residential schemes will be the big property stories of 2021 and 2022, according to one of the world’s leading investors.

LIVING 54

CASE STUDY: MILLET PLACE/ SOLSTICE APARTMENTS BY DEXTER MOREN ASSOCIATES FOR GRAINGER PLC

CASE STUDY: SHOREDITCH EXCHANGE BY REGAL LONDON

THE FINAL WORD Mike Walley, Senior Director of Global Real Estate & Workplace Strategy at Criteo. Mix 209 February 2021 | 1

WELCOME

A word from Mick

Get in touch

Even though I’ve spent the best part of 20 years spending the majority of my working week from home, I know it’s not for everyone and can be extremely difficult – especially if you have certain little interruptions. I know it feels as though they’re constantly demanding your attention and, however much you love them, you find yourself short-tempered, impatient and unable to focus on anything. You want to do your best for them – and yet they don’t appear to want to do the same for themselves; they’re tetchy too, they don’t want to sit still and get on with their work, they’ve started answering back and they’re spending far too much time on their screens. You only see one of them when you call – and even then they never respond first time. Another is the opposite, whining, needy and forever interrupting. It’s not as though the weather is conducive to either you or them going out for a walk and clearing the mind. Still, you know that they’re missing their friends and are desperate to get out of the house. You know that none of this is their fault. My advice, for what its worth, is to try to set an example, keep smiling (I know it’s tough) and don’t expect too much of them – or yourself. Yep, middle management is having a rough time of things right now. Still, hopefully it won’t be too long before your team is no longer virtually driving you around the twist – they’ll be back to do it in person. So that’s something to look forward to.

EDITOR Mick Jordan mick@mixinteriors.com MANAGING DIRECTOR Marcie Incarico marcie@mixinteriors.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Kate Borastero kate@mixinteriors.com EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE Chloe Petersen Snell chloe@mixinteriors.com

The cover THE LOGO

Inspired by the architectural nature of the cover, Gensler created a logo to reflect the parallel lines which form the walls. The use of bright yellow integrates the logo into the structure and its positioning on the page creates a balanced composition. WWW.GENSLER.COM

THE COVER IMAGE

Calvert is a truly flexible, infinitely scalable space division system. Wall frames, available in three different heights and numerous finishes, can be combined in a multitude of ways to help define social and work zones, whilst the wide range of accessories provide functional touches. Create your perfect layout with the online configurator. COURTESY OF SIXTEEN3

DESIGNER Tammi Bell tamzin@tamzinrosedesigns.com FOUNDING PUBLISHER Henry Pugh CONTRIBUTORS Steve Gale, David Thame Mike Walley, Neil Usher ADDRESS Unit 2, Abito, 85 Greengate, Manchester, M3 7NA TELEPHONE 0161 519 4850 EMAIL editorial@mixinteriors.com WEBSITE www.mixinteriors.com TWITTER @mixinteriors INSTAGRAM @mix.interiors LINKEDIN Mix Interiors

Printed by S&G Print ISSN 1757-2371

Get your own To ensure that a regular copy of Mix Interiors reaches you or to request back issues, call 0161 519 4850 or email lisa@mixinteriors.com ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION CHARGES UK single £45.50, Europe £135 (airmail), Outside Europe £165 (airmail)

2 | Mix 209 February 2021

HEAD OF OPERATIONS Lisa Jackson lisa@mixinteriors.com

Be: Perfect combinations for a connected workspace. Allow productivity to flourish and creativity to flow as we step back into the workplace. An elegant and versatile design, Be Toppers are a multi-purpose zone divider that allows for natural light to pass through the workplace, boosting mood and productivity.

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Helping you work better anywhere

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Mix Interiors

16 September 2021 Evolution, Save theLondon date!

Entries now open! Enter your best projects, products and people at mixinteriors.com

UPFRONT

Judges’ (Re) Call We’re guessing (and certainly hoping) that a good few of you are currently putting thinking hats on and/ or flexing your design muscles as you put your entries together for the Mixology21 awards – which will also feature 2020’s awards in a special (we hope) one-off 2-for-1 ceremony. Seeing as they couldn’t enjoy their well-earned night out last year, we have decided it was only right to retain our fantastic 2020 awards judges. So, here’s a reminder of who your 2021 entries are going to be judged by.

Mark Simpson

Tim Yendell

Katrina Larkin

Principal BDP

Global Head of Workplace Transformation BP

Co-founder & Head of Experience Fora

A designer with extensive experience gained from over 30 years in the design industry, Mark began his professional career at BDP in 1985 before co-founding Amalgam in 2003, Mark returned to BDP in 2011 and was appointed to the BDP board in 2017. He is the Chair of BDP’s Design profession and Head of Workplace. Mark writes regularly for the design press and has chaired the judging panel for the Mixology awards since their inception in 2005. He was awarded the Mixology Henry Pugh Outstanding Contribution Award in 2018. BDP was awarded Design Practice of the Year at the Mixology Awards 2019.

Tim is Vice President of Workplace Transformation at BP, where he is leading the global transformation of its workplaces and ways of working to support its ambition to pivot from being an international oil company focused on producing resources to an integrated energy company focused on delivering solutions for customers. He is responsible for real estate, capital projects, shared services and workplace transformation and design globally, and is passionate about delivering creative inclusive and dynamic working experiences for people. Tim holds a BA Honours degree in Interior Design from the Edinburgh College of Art.

Katrina is the Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Fora; leaders of the workspace revolution. Since launching in 2017, Fora has opened 13 workspaces across London and Reading, which are used by companies including Nike, Sony, and Dropbox, and is targeting an increase in the use of flexible space as the UK emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, with the opening of a new site in the West End this summer and six further spaces in the pipeline, as well as plans to expand internationally. A pioneer in the festival world, Katrina co-founded The Big Chill Festival, bars and record label.

Jonathan Huckstep

Alison Wring

Colin Wood

Partner Cushman & Wakefield

Director Aecom

Director Colliers UK

Jonathan Huckstep joined Cushman & Wakefield in 1984. He specialises in Tenant Rep Office Agency across Central London giving advice to a wide range of occupiers. Jonathan is a Member of the RICS City Branch and a steward for Lionheart (RICS Benevolent Fund). Jonathan has been involved in some of the most significant workplace activity in recent years including: Norton Rose Fulbright, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Simmons & Simmons, Allen & Overy, Macfarlanes.

Alison is a Director at AECOM, with extensive experience of the property life cycle, from strategic vision, through to planning, delivery, handover, operation and disposal, with a particular talent for engaging the client with the very opportunity that meets their needs. Her passion is creating destinations and paying attention to how we can be more efficient, effective, sustainable and transformational for those using the asset. Her long-term big picture thinking really focuses attention on the workplace/placemaking environment as a positive legacy.

Colin has over 20 years’ experience working in the commercial office sector, helping to deliver innovative and functional spaces where people can thrive. He is a cost management specialist and enjoys being part of the creative design process. As the Head of Occupier Cost Management for Colliers UK, he is helping to deliver great workspaces for clients that inspire their people to do great things.

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Sarah Lodge Strategic FM Lead Cornwall Council Sarah started her FM journey in the record industry many years ago, and has a successful track record in a variety of sectors, from higher education to aviation. In the past decade, Sarah has led project teams delivering HQ relocations for Yahoo, Warner Media and easyJet. Having recently moved to Cornwall, Sarah is now enjoying a change of pace as FM Strategic Lead for Cornwall Council.

Steve Fitch Managing Director Office Furniture London Steve has been in the furniture industry for over 33 years and has extensive industry knowledge. He has worked for the world’s largest furniture manufacturers as well as top London furniture dealerships, and this has given him an incredible insight into the whole furniture supply process.

Nick Threlfall Director of Design Regal London Nick is Design Director at Regal London, a leading residential-led, mixed-use property developer. His role is to ensure design quality and consistency across interiors, brand, architecture and public realm. He has previously held senior positions with some of London’s foremost architecture and design firms

London Showroom 25 Bastwick Street, Clerkenwell, EC1V 3PS

sixteen3.co.uk

UPFRONT

TOG Rating OG (The Office Group) has collaborated with Note Design Studio to imagine how the workspace of the future looks in the reinvention of Douglas House – a new six-floor office building on London’s Great Titchfield Street. Setting out to create a stimulating work environment to inspire productivity in its users, TOG strived to fill every inch of Douglas House with personality. The design teams wanted to create a workspace that surprises from the moment of entry, with touches of the unpredictable throughout, to administer what they call a ‘gentle punch’ to all who step in off the street. ‘We wanted to create somewhere that suited a variety of work space styles, that broke with the conformity often associated with the office, and which conveyed a sense of journey and discovery,’ says Nasim Koerting, Head of Design at TOG. The most striking feature of the design is a curvilinear wall of glass blocks that runs the entire length of the ground floor.

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As well as creating a physical passage between the rooms at the rear, the wall also connects them visually, with the material intensity and unexpectedly fluid forms echoed in the custom-made lighting rafts. ‘This was a way for us to be disruptive and to challenge the standards of an average refurbishment – to create a space within a space, a world of its own within the old building,’ explains Johannes Karlstrom, Co-founder of Note Design Studio The glass wall also delineates the interior colour palette; warm woody neutrals and desert shades define the communal spaces and breakout areas, while cooler, softer blues are used in the meeting rooms and working areas where concentration and focus are required. Pops of primary colour come in the form of vivid ultramarine Marenco armchairs and Arflex sofas, with Muller van Severen hanging lamps and powder-coated stools in bold red and blue. Despite working with a building with extensive wear and tear, TOG and Note

agreed, wherever possible, to retain existing materials from the original design. Remarkably, they were able to salvage the building’s existing parquet floors in their entirety, lifting, renovating and replacing every last block. In keeping with its ‘gentle punch’ and ‘breaking the grid’ concepts, the design teams aimed for a striking contrast between the exterior and interior. Outside, the building’s facade is repetitive and grid-like; inside is an altogether richer, more fluid experience. Alongside the expected features of a modern workplace – gym, roof terrace and 20 meeting rooms, which comprise 10 informal, collaborative spaces and a traditional boardroom – Douglas House also includes a number of more innovative additions, including a ‘recharge room’ for breakout moments during the working day, a plant-filled ‘oxygen room’ in which to reset and reconnect with nature, a flexible workspace with a café, and a dedicated room for nursing mothers.w

MAKING SPACES INTO SMART PLACES www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/flotexplanks

creating better environments

UPFRONT

Virtual Reality

right: Rosie Haslem, Spacelab

he Virtual Interiors Event is a brand new online exhibition, which is due to take place on 24-25 February. The event is the brainchild of Sally Rice and Beth Harrison, who boast a combined 35 years’ industry experience. ‘The commercial interiors industry is all about connection: connecting people, connecting with new ideas as well as being tapped in to new products at the forefront of innovation,’ Sally says. ‘We feel The Virtual Interiors Event offers the industry access to all of these and more, regardless of location, travel restrictions or even time zone.’ Sponsored by Chaucer Logistics, CMD and Orangebox (while, we’re delighted to say, Mix Interiors is a media partner), the event features virtual exhibition stands from established manufacturers such as Vitra, KI Europe, Camira and

Brunner, alongside smaller firms such as Sileather UK, who produce an eco-friendly, bio-resistant, sustainable faux leather made with 100% silicone. Thought leadership will form a key part of the agenda, with speakers such as HOK’s Director of Workplace, Kay Sargent, discussing neurodiversity and social equity, TEDx speaker Ben Channon on designing for happiness, and Element 4’s Georgia Elliott Smith. Also speaking will be workplace psychology expert, Craig Knight, Spacelab’s Rosie Haslem and designer Anna Hart. The Virtual Interiors Event uses an online platform that promotes networking and can host one-to-one video calls, virtual exhibition stands and instant messaging within the event. Attendance is free, with a paidfor 30-day ‘On Demand’ ticket also available.w Register to attend at thevievent.com

Tron Legacy

nightsbridge has partnered with designer Bruce Kenneth to develop a unique collection of furniture for the healthcare sector. As a regular maker on BBC 1’s programme Money for Nothing, Bruce is an up-and-coming furniture designer with a passion for creating interesting pieces that make a statement. Working in partnership with Knightsbridge’s design team, Bruce has helped to create Tron – a striking new collection of tables and chairs. Inspired by angles and motion, Tron is reminiscent of furniture from the 1950s and 1960s, with a modern twist. Jason Brown, Director of Design & Development at Knightsbridge, tells us: ‘As a leading furniture manufacturer, we are always looking at pushing boundaries to create pieces that are not only functional for their setting but that look great too. Healthcare furniture doesn’t have to be boring. Bruce has a really unique style and we wanted that at the core of the new collection.’ 12 | Mix 209 February 2021

Jason Brown & Bruce Kenneth

The new collection includes a high-back lounge chair, mid-back lounge chair, upright chair and 25 occasional and coffee tables available in various shapes and sizes. ‘I have loved working with Knightsbridge; combining expert craftsmanship with quality materials to really bring my designs to life – the end result is just exceptional,’ Bruce enthuses. ‘I have a particular passion for chairs; they can set the tone and change

the aesthetic of a room. I feel proud that my work will be helping to create inspiring and comfortable furniture for healthcare settings.’ With more than 80 years’ experience, Knightsbridge provides quality furniture, from concept and design to manufacture and delivery to a number of industries, including healthcare, care, challenging environments, hospitality and workplace.w

Zoo by Profim

Pole Position

aving purchased Profim in 2018, Flokk is now ready to introduce the Polish design-led commercial furniture maker to the market. A house of brands, Flokk presents a broad offering of soft seating, acoustic panelling and products, tables and seating for commercial and residential interiors from six impressive brands. The integration of Profim into the Flokk UK offering opens up further opportunities in lower priced projects, without compromise on design. The UK showroom in Clerkenwell will, later in the year reopen with a selection of Profim furniture pieces integrated to showcase the versatility of the products. ‘I’m pleased to be able to finally officially launch this amazing furniture brand to the UK,’ Bernhard VanOmmen, MD at Flokk UK, tells us. ‘Profim represents everything Flokk stands for – inspiring, sustainable, stylish, quality furniture. Its addition to our family of brands brings with it new perspectives on working environments through its offering of soft furniture, task seating, meeting and visitor solutions and modular systems and tables. Many pieces in the Profim collections open up a range of opportunities in terms of design and placement. We look forward to introducing this impressive brand through our dealer network here in the UK.’ Profim has spent 30 years developing its brand, currently counting more than 900 employees and 10 stand-alone showrooms around Europe. Its manufacturing is based solely in Turek in the heart of the furniture-making region of the Wielkopolska Province. Although Profim sources most of its upholstery fabric in Denmark, all its furniture is produced, assembled and tested on site in Turek. ‘Being a part of the Flokk family is a great opportunity and distinction for Profim,’ says Piotr Chełmiński, CEO & GM at Profim. ‘We are glad that our seats complement the group’s rich portfolio. I am convinced that the high quality and good design that characterise our products will attract the attention of our customers and meet expectations of those who particularly identify with the Flokk group values.’w

Rediscover Viewlite, your favourite monitor arm Besides silver and black, our successful Viewlite collection is also available in a lovely satin white colour scheme. Give every workspace an ergonomic makeover with the stylish new white Viewlite collection.

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UPFRONT Seven

ways to delineate workspace

Finding new ways to ensure that workers can be productive without sitting side-by-side has become a massive challenge for designers. With these hybrid workplace models rapidly becoming the norm, our friends at IVC Commercial present seven smart ways to define and delineate the open plan workplace.

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Flooring

As any designer worth their salt knows, the floor has a huge impact on the visual perception of a space, so breaking it up can be a great way to create clear activity areas and help workplaces stay agile. Mixing between carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tiles is one way, but shape can also be used really effectively. Geometric forms can be used to mark areas with pattern, while also helping to finetune the feel of the space. Hexagons are a prime example of this, bringing a strong natural influence – beehives, snowflakes etc – connecting areas through colony-like formations of wood and stone effects, as can be seen in Studio Moods’ bespoke modular vinyl collection.

Pods

If the pandemic has taught us anything about collaboration, it is that the virtual world isn’t without its drawbacks. Another Teams meeting anyone? The office is expected to become a place where collaboration is a priority. With project teams completing tasks remotely and gathering together with more intent, this shift will see an explosion of pod-like formations breaking up open plan spaces. Pods are a great way for project teams to come together in relative isolation and, as a bonus, they can double-up as private working spaces.

High back furniture

With working from home forcing many workers to feel isolated and anxious, the last thing they need is an office that makes them feel the same. But they also want to feel they can work in safety should they not be comfortable in a more formalised seating environment. High-back furniture – sofas in café-style booths – can be used to provide a sense of ‘open solace’. In these settings, workers still feel they are in a shared and populated space, yet alone enough to feel safe and confident.

Connectivity

Planting

The modern company is built around IT infrastructure, but the pandemic has highlighted just how frail this can be at times. Poor acoustics, creaking WiFi and a lack of plugs make supposedly agile workspaces far less agile. Workers huddling in the same spot because that is where the WiFi signal doesn’t drop out, or queuing up because it’s the only place quiet enough to hold a Teams meeting, are signs of a failed design. Ensuring spaces can meet the flexible and wireless needs of the company is going to be super important moving forward.

Too much time spent indoors has shown just how much we need to feel at one with the natural world. Travelling from a cramped home set-up through to an urban landscape and into an office devoid of greenery does little to build this connection. We all know the positive power that plants can have on workers, so using them as a way to create activity hubs adds real purpose. Semi-circular arrangements around bistrostyle tables offer shielding and serve far more purpose than stiff, suspect-style line-ups against a wall.

Acoustics

Freedom of movement

By its very nature, the agile office is far more of a complex acoustical problem for designers. Frankly, the need to employ micro-hubs of productivity, as well as providing scope for larger gathering zones and places to relax, all while removing fixed structures to create a feel of openness and collaboration, is a bit of a noise nightmare. Acoustic panels and surface treatments can help to combat echoing, noise-filled spaces in areas most prone to suffering.

Agile is adaptable. Spaces that can transform their role, accommodate shrinking or growing numbers and even change location are sure-fire ways to impress clients with the agile (née adaptable) place you’ve created for them. The future holds uncertainty for the modern company – and don’t forget that clients are acutely aware of this. They too are worried about the impacts of constantly shifting restrictions and our capacity to cope with a return to more densely populated offices – and they need reassurance that their workplace can cope.w

Mix 209 February 2021 | 15

UPFRONT Steve Gale

Weird Science Unfortunately, science needs time to get results, says Steve Gale.

Steve Gale is Head of Workplace Strategy at M Moser Associates. SteveG@mmoser.com 16 | Mix 209 February 2021

ince March last year, ministers have never missed an opportunity to claim that they will always be ‘guided by the science’. It sounds obvious and has such a sensible ring to it. But what science exactly? This is much less clear, mainly because there are a couple of holes in the idea that science is front and centre for all to see, and these holes affect our clients, who need to plan, and the design industry, that wants to describe the workplace of the future – as well as government ministers. So far, a clear direction has not emerged. Not enough time has passed. The first hole in the concept of pandemic science is the lack of testable hypotheses. It would be great if a consensus of scientists and politicians could agree that if you do X, then Y will happen in due course. That would be actual science. The scientific method is founded on a principle of repeatability, which requires us to demonstrate that the same results will be obtained each time certain conditions exist, and actions are performed – but we have not had time for these experiments. We haven’t had this pandemic before. Instead of experimental proof, the government has selected examples from the past for comparison. For example, how the BSE prions were discovered, how conscientiously people observed restrictions to contain foot and mouth, and how influenza viruses have mutated. Useful lessons can be learnt, but it’s still not science. The other hole is complexity and, like economics, this pandemic is driven by human

behaviour, not hard science. The infinite variables that this adds to the mix requires judgement and intuition more than testing and analysis. No amount of respecting the science will help with this. How have our clients dealt with the voids in understanding, and the lack of reliable tested data? Most business leaders prefer a definitive direction rather than a holding position. Sometimes, any direction is better than none, even if it turns out to be wrong. Stasis breeds discontent, especially around a boardroom table. So, they have taken up a wide range of positions in the absence of a consensus. Our year of living dangerously has not spawned much enlightenment. Some businesses have decided that remote working is the future, like Twitter and Microsoft, while others hold on to the belief that the office is the best place to work and offer overt incentives to return. Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs, and Advent International are known examples. Between the extreme positions is a large cohort of middle-grounders who admit that no one knows the future and are betting on a hybrid solution – a mix of both remote and centralised workplaces. This is not necessarily a fudge, but a practical way to avoid getting too burnt if things turn out differently. It is a stance that they hope can be tweaked and refined by experience as expectations unfold in the future, but it’s not really guided by the science, because there is not enough of that yet.w

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Perspective Ergo is an innovative UK business, offering creative solutions for the investment, development and management of commercial property assets. Despite its relatively tender years (it was established in 2018), Ergo has already developed and managed more than 10 million sq ft of prime real estate. We talk to the company’s Founder, Martin Jepson.

Hi Martin - tell us about your career to date. I have worked in Real Estate for over 35 years, always with a strong focus on the London office market. Prior to Ergo, I was President and COO, UK Office Division, Brookfield Property Partners. I have also held senior executive positions at Hammerson, Howard Holdings, Taylor Woodrow and Delancey. Much of my experience is in acquisition, disposal, asset management and development, on both a project and portfolio basis. I have been responsible for developing some fantastic buildings, such

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Charles House, Birmingham, reception

as London Wall Place, Principal Place and 100 Bishopsgate. What led you to start Ergo? When I left Brookfield, I had the luxury of time to think about what I really wanted to do. I had a number of offers from some great companies, but I took the decision to move away from the larger corporate machines and start something on my own. Ergo has now been trading for two years, and we have been extremely fortunate to get funding from NFU Mutual, who are great partners. The first year was very much about setup and establishing £250-£300 million as

UPFRONT Perspective

“

Partly as a result of the pandemic, sustainability is very much back on the agenda, with a far broader remit than previous green initiatives.

”

an optimum level of assets. By the end of last year (2020), we had close to £200 million committed. What do you feel sets Ergo apart from the rest? We formed a Joint Venture Property Company with NFU Mutual, which is Aver Property LP, focusing on added value and opportunistic investments throughout the UK. This flexible approach means we aren’t limited by the geography of sector. It is all about opportunity and prospects, with an objective to achieve good income through high yield income, producing assets that are robust in terms of having defensible asset values, alongside some developments and short- to medium-term asset management opportunities. It is a blend of risk underpinned by income. The team at Ergo are incredibly enthusiastic. Like everyone else, we have had to deal with the challenges of the pandemic and lockdowns, finding better ways to communicate and to stay engaged, but I have a great team and sometimes the biggest challenge is getting them to slow down! Looking at the Ergo website, it’s refreshing to see sustainability and philanthropy to the fore. Please tell us about your work in these areas. Partly as a result of the pandemic, sustainability is very much back on the agenda, with a far broader remit than previous green initiatives. Now, sustainability encapsulates lifecycle cost, embedded carbon, electrification, wellbeing, health and sanitisation – it has to be the whole gambit and, as an investor and developer, much of this responsibility sits with us, not the end user.

In terms of philanthropy, we operate in a very privileged world and if you can help then I think you should, it’s as simple as that. I was involved with Sparks, a charity that supports children’s medical research (now part of Great Ormond Street Hospital) for many years. During this time, we galvanised the generosity of our friends in the property and construction sector to raise over £2 million. I have since, with a number of businessmen from the property and construction industries, set up The Breeze Club to raise funds for smaller charities, where the amounts raised will be particularly impactful. Our first year saw us raise £66,000. I am looking forward to getting back out there to raise some funds, as this year has been curtailed by the lockdown, as is the case with many charitable endeavours. This might be a silly question, but how are you finding the market right now? Ergo has the advantage of being a young, dynamic and growing business and we did a lot of our buying pre-pandemic. Fortunately, we made some good decisions and we are not burdened by legacy assets. We started afresh and the strategy we adopted has resulted in a strong performance. I am not saying everything has outperformed, because it hasn’t, but our portfolio is robust in the current market. It is really important to understand sectors and our research has led us to target specific locations and specific opportunities in the

Charles House, Birmingham, interior

Mix 208 January 2021 | 19

UPFRONT Perspective

Charles House, Birmingham

industrial and distribution sector. Of the three traditional real estate sectors (industrial, retail and offices), it is the only investable sector of substance at this moment in time. Like everything, no matter how well a sector is doing, not all deals are great deals and we carefully assess and make a judgement. Inevitably, other sectors will open up again and we will need to take another look and ask if this sector has been boosted by lack of opportunity elsewhere, which switches things up from our perspective. Where do you see the future of the UK real estate market? What trends can we expect to see postpandemic? I am very positive about the UK real estate market. Of course there will be changes that will bring challenges, but they also bring opportunities. The key is to remain flexible and adaptable. Many adjustments in the market would have happened anyway but have been accelerated by the pandemic. For example, we haven’t seen the death of the office, but quite likely the (end of the) five-day commuting working

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week, and working environments will be reconfigured to support different use. Firstly, it is important not to underestimate the fear factor of the ‘return to work’ – there is a significant portion of employees that will be genuinely nervous and fearful of commutes and the hygiene of offices, and that is a key issue for the real estate market. We will see a flight-to-quality, in terms of aesthetics, standards of sanitisation that will need to be addressed through SMART building systems and HVAC controls, and the requirement for state-of-the-art tech, as we have all become accustomed to more video conferencing. These have all become priorities for us at Great Charles Street in Birmingham. I think lease length patterns will change and shorten, which will, in turn, shift the onus to create better and safer spaces from the occupier to the landlord/developer. There may need to be a level of acceptance that some buildings will become obsolete if they cannot be upgraded to meet new higher levels of sanitisation and safety. We’ve had a virtual peek at Great Charles Street in Birmingham – one of your latest impressive developments. Tell us a little about it. Great Charles Street is a great scheme and we already have two lettings confirmed

– Davies Group and Fleurets, so that is great news. Great Charles Street is located in Birmingham’s central business district (CBD), so perfectly placed with easy access to many of Birmingham’s major transport hubs and the city’s best-known squares, attractions and amenities within a few minutes’ walk. It comprises buildings at numbers 148 and 154 Great Charles Street with 148 refurbished suites, and every tenant automatically becomes a member of ‘In The Mix’ – Great Charles’ very own business club. This includes access to a new, stunning roof terrace, where members can meet and entertain guests. To my earlier point, both buildings include a state-of-the-art lighting solution, FUZONE500, which incorporates antiviral and anti-bacterial properties to keep spaces clean and safe 24/7 in a COVID-19 world and beyond. Thank you Martin – great to have you ‘In The Mix’!w

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UPFRONT Desert Island Desks

Desert Island Desks CHRIS GIBBS, BDP Chris is currently a Design Associate at BDP, where he has been for the last nine years. He began his professional career in Manchester, working for three years at ADT Workplace before moving back down south, closer to his roots. To this day, he still doesn’t know what to call a bread roll. His experience is primarily in the commercial office sector, with many of his projects having been for PwC. Most notably, however, Chris delivered the interiors of the BCO award-winning Cambridge Assessment Triangle project, a 350,000 sq ft new office build. Previously highlighted as one of our ’30 under 30’ designers to watch, he has also taken part in our Roundtable events, where we welcomed his honest and outspoken nature. Outside of work, Chris is a keen golfer, has a strong bond with his cats and dog, and also has a passion for bonsai, which is essentially messing about with miniature trees in pots, and keeping them alive. He is also an Aston Villa supporter and was asked by a certain editor not to mention the 7-2 drubbing they gave Liverpool this season!

BBQ/ Smoker Why not make life just a little easier. Smoking is another good way to make food last longer, whilst varying the flavours of my food.

The puppy I’m sure my wife wouldn’t want it to be referred to as an object. The cats will bugger off and be feral within days. So I’ll bring the dog for company.

Eames Lounge Chair My favourite piece of furniture, I’ve always wanted one. And one day I shall, even if it means being stranded on a desert island! It’s a classic, and comfy – somewhere to rest weary feet after a day foraging and generally trying to stay alive.

22 | Mix 209 February 2021

FlipFlops Since lockdown, I’ve lived in them. Rain or shine, a practical choice.

UPFRONT Desert Island Desks

Golf clubs I can’t go anywhere without them. I’m going to need hobbies. Before I make a shelter I’ll be carving my 18-hole course through the island. If I ever get rescued, I’m going to be amazing out of bunkers back on a real course.

Bonsai wire & tools Another passion, another hobby. Cultivating and sculpting indigenous natural art would be good for the soul – and would keep me occupied for years. I’d have no issue importing them due to Brexit either as I’d collect from my surroundings.

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Tracks for the juxebox Omni Trio – Higher Ground A beautifully crafted song. A masterpiece – melodic and perfect to enjoy sunsets to. Guns N’ Roses – Welcome To The Jungle One of the bands of my childhood – and there’s none better than track one from their first album. Propellerheads – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service A stonker of a tune – wait for the second and third breaks. Plus it’s about nine minutes long. Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing It’s the song that played as I walked, hand in hand, away from the wedding ceremony with my wife. A memory of happy times. Dead Prez – Hip Hop I’ve got an eclectic taste in music, so need to get some rap in there – and this one has one of the best baselines in music. Skunk Anansie – Sunburnt and Paranoid Olga (in the January issue) had a whole album, so I’m going to as well. Love the band and any of their albums would do, but this was the first I fell in love with. w

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UPFRONT Material Matters

Material Matters We decided it was time for a Material Matters refresh – and we should, in fact, be asking the design fraternity about the materials that they are specifying, would like to specify and that really excite them. For the first in this series, we’ve asked Ana Rita Barreira Martins, Architect / BREEAM Associate at BDG architecture + design, to tell us about the materials that matter to her.

EchoPanel - Woven Image EchoPanel acoustic boards are manufactured by Woven Image, an environmentally sensitive brand. The boards are manufactured from 60% post-consumer recycled PET fibre (discarded packages/bottles). They are designed with dematerialisation, upcycling and lifecycle management front of mind. This product is recognised by first-class global environmental certifications and integrates acoustic performance with environmental commitment, along with a range of decorative finishes. It is a product that we often specify for acoustic control in our workplace spaces due to its sustainable ethos, as well as its outstanding performance and distinctively playful and refined aesthetic. wovenimage.com thecollective.agency

HERADESIGN - Knauf AMF Heradesign wood wool panels are a natural product made of eco-friendly materials such as wood, magnesite and water. Due to their exceptional acoustic performance, durability and flexibility they can be utilised in various shapes/colours within interior walls and ceilings. The panels are constructed from sustainably sourced wood, have a naturally woven surface and regulate indoor humidity. I often specify them in open plan workplace spaces, especially in areas with exposed ceilings, to create a unique and beautiful raw texture with a ‘warm’ character. knaufamf.com

24 | Mix 209 February 2021

Clayworks - Clayworks Clayworks are clay plasters mixed with minerals and pigments that provide a healthy, breathable internal finish for walls and ceilings. Manufactured in the UK from raw materials, they are recyclable, compostable and contain no toxic ingredients or VOCs. I recently specified them after being impressed by the remarkable sustainable qualities of the product. For interiors, you can create a beautifully smooth or rugged surface using a material that also cleans the air and has a complete lifecycle approach. clay-works.com

Piñatex - Ananas Anam Piñatex is a textile made from waste pineapple leaf fibre that can be used for wall finishes or upholstery in interior spaces. With a wonderful Cradle to Cradle approach, this chemicalfree product is made from natural waste, created with low water use, and has low production waste. It integrates fully the values of a circular economy. It would be fascinating to explore this innovative material, which not only boasts an elegant, earthy texture, but would also contribute to a healthier and sustainable interior environment.w ananas-anam.com

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WORK Property

Shop till you drop: how converting retail space will literally change your world Converting more than 1 billion sq ft of under-used or redundant UK retail floor space could provide a mighty stream of profitable opportunities for the property industry. But it won’t be easy for everyone, as David Thame reports.

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WORK Property

Market Hall West End

image: faulknerbrowns architects

hops aren’t what they used to be. The e-commerce revolution has turned yesterday’s shrine-to-consumption to today’s boarded-up voids. The result is a truly staggering amount of defunct or soon-to-be-defunct retail floor space. According to research from Savills, around 142 million sq ft of UK retail floor space is redundant. By the end of the decade the figure will be over 300 million. On top of this, there’s another 1.1 billion sq ft of UK retail floor space in basements, or on first floors, or tucked around corners, that has a strictly limited future. Yes, it means dead malls and shuttered high streets, but it also heralds a truly enormous recycling of UK town centre property. The big hope is that recycling retail property can provide a new supply of workspace, housing and educational space that could transform many neighbourhoods. But big hopes come with big difficulties. Top of the list is the conceptual problem faced by many retail landlords. Many have yet to adjust either their minds or their accounting valuations to the new reality that their shops and shopping centres have no future in retail. Alex Isaac, consultant at residential management company, Apo, says: ‘There is a big psychological hurdle for landlords and investors to overcome. ‘Historically they let these spaces to blue chip retail tenants on long leases of 25 years or more, and these tenants paid the rent reliably. Today they have to get their head around the idea that this kind of tenant is vanishing, and they need to rethink how they approach their assets.’ It’s not just psychology that causes problems; maths can prove a formidable trip-hazard, even if the landlord’s head is in the right place. The dilemma turns on one of the property industry’s most enduring and debatable headaches: how to value a commercial property. Steve Henderson is Leeds-based director of retail for Savills. He explains that retail landlords are often flying blind, having no clear idea what their retail properties are worth in the uncertain world of 2021, no firm idea how

much they might have to invest to repurpose them, and absolutely no idea how to value the end result in four or five years’ time. With so many unknowns, and developers reluctant to spend whilst their rental income flows are brittle, it’s little wonder many landlords prefer to play wait-and-see. ‘Landlords know repurposing retail is going to cost them capital expenditure up front, and that might be money they don’t have because some landlords are in a precarious position,’ Steve explains. ‘It’s a problem for them of working out the existing value of the building, which is a headache, then working out the potential future value.’ If the gap between the two isn’t clear, or very large, or takes a long time to bridge, then viability is doubtful. Only the very brave will proceed. ‘There are lots of nice ideas out there for repurposing retail, but they have to add-up,’ sighs Steve. For developers, this is anxiety-making. ‘There’s no recent evidence to base yield calculations on, and without them we can’t generate appraisals on income, getting a grasp on the numbers is very difficult,’ says Chris Newsome, Senior Development Surveyor at HBD, who are in the midst of the £20 million conversion of the former Manchester Habitat store into 23 loft apartments. ‘Yes, developing is all about taking risk, but if there’s no evidence to tell you how close the gross development value and the development cost are, then you’re not safe, and you start umming and ahhing.’ Chris says the one comfort developers have is September 2020’s revision of the planning use-class order, which collapsed all the major commercial uses into one category (Use Class E). That takes one layer of planning complexity out of the process of repurposing retail floor space; planning probably won’t be as much of a problem as it once might have been. But this is not the end of the tortuous flowdiagram of repurposed retail development. Supposing the landlord is in the right

Mix 209 February 2021 | 27

WORK Property

Underutilised UK Retail Space

142 headspace, and supposing the most basic valuation issues can be resolved, projects can still come to grief on the simple (and unavoidable) fact that retail floor space was built as retail floor space. Often that means construction methods and design can only be adapted for other uses after expensive and heavy-handed interventions, or perhaps not at all. All of which can turn even the most confident valuation, and most convinced developer, into hesitant and reluctant players. Old hands say that two rules-ofthumb can rapidly rule out the nonstarter conversion options. They are the ratio of floor space to façade and the net to gross ratio (see side panel overleaf). When these trip hazards have been overcome, the next question is, what kind of something else should it be? Landlords and developers face a dizzying choice, all of which come with different up-front costs, different rental generating capacities, and different capacity to provide long-term income. Top of the list is leisure use: there are too many examples to mention of shops turning into experiential venues for gaming, crazy golf or gyms. This often wins-out with risk-averse landlords because upfront conversion costs are low, and potential tenants well organised. It means a quick turnaround and continued income. The downside is

308 935

million sq ft of ground floor retail voids nationally

million sq ft anticipated to become redundant by the end of the decade

million sq ft of upper floor or basement retail space, much of which is underutilised

177

million sq ft of low-grade office stock within retail places

Source: Savills UK 2021

“

Landlords and developers face a dizzying choice, all of which come with different up-front costs, different rental generating capacities, and different capacity to provide long-term income.

” 28 | Mix 209 February 2021

that nobody knows quite how durable leisure use will turn out to be. The next, and perhaps most obviously money-spinning possibility, is residential conversion. Expensive, often structurally challenging, but offering high rewards for those who dare, the large floorplates of 80-100,000 sq ft former department stores lend themselves to modular construction methods, which can cut

costs and hence improve viability: new homes could simply be slotted in. Star example here is John Lewis Partnership, which has signalled it will diversify into build-to-rent (BTR) housing to meet a long-term target to secure 40% of its annual income from non-retail activities. The idea of residential conversion is already undergoing trial at the Highcross

WORK Property

“

The large floorplates of department stores lend themselves to conversion into laboratory and research space Plans for the Debenhams/Rylands Building, Manchester. image: am alpha

Shopping Centre in Leicester. Landlord Hammerson is overseeing the conversion of the 106,000 sq ft Debenhams into 338 BTR apartments. If residential doesn’t work, how about office workspace? Retail space is often cheek-by-jowl with office districts and, in those towns and cities with busy office markets, conversion to workspace can make sense. The most dramatic example so far is the conversion of Manchester’s Debenhams store. German landlord AM Alpha now has permission for a radical conversion (and rooftop extension) of the 466,000 sq ft building. AM Alpha’s scheme includes a fourstorey extension to add 40,000 sq ft of leisure space, 27,000 sq ft of restaurant and bar space, and 298,000 sq ft of offices aimed at the tech, media and telecoms sector. Beyond leisure, office and residential, the possibilities are boundless, but Savills’ Retail Research Director, Tom Whittington, points to the possibilities in education and life science. ‘Increasingly, the life sciences want to be visible and in areas where they have a lot of strength – Oxford, Cambridge, London. The large floorplates of department stores lend themselves to conversion into laboratory and research space.

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Savills is currently advising on three potential store-to-lab conversions, and another in London where researchers want to be close to major hospitals. ‘There is significant appetite from the life science sector,’ he insists. The same can be said of demand from the educational world. ‘We’re seeing interest from private education and training providers, further and technical education, but also adult learning and one-to-one tuition,’ says Tom. There are discussions underway about converting one former department store into a school of mathematics. ‘The advantage for landlords in both life sciences and education is that tenants will sign longer leases, which improves the long-term valuation of the building. Maybe the landlord takes a short-term hit on the rent, which will probably be less than retail used to pay, but in the long-term it could work out better,’ adds Tom. Converting former retail floor space is by no means easy. But with as much as 308 million sq ft of it becoming available in the course of this decade, and 1 billion sq ft of other low-grade retail with little future, it is sure to be one of the big property industry work streams for the foreseeable future.w

” The magic numbers

A great deal of retail floor space is too deep and too dark to be converted without big structural changes. So how can you quickly gauge the scale of the task before committing to a ton of professional fees and capital expenditure? Developers have two magic numbers to work with. The ratio of floor space to façade and a glance at the net-to-gross floor space ratio can provide quick ready-reckoners with an idea of whether a scheme is likely to be viable. Apo’s Alex Isaac says they seek a wall to floor ratio of 0.45-0.55 (relatively more wall and window), but most retail hovers at 0.3-0.4 (relatively less). If you can’t make a cost-effective move up to the higher ratio, then your retail premises will be hovering on the edge of viability. Punching light wells into buildings might help improve the ratio, but light wells involve serious structural works, may compromise building efficiency, and may come with large hidden costs. Net to gross floor area ratio poses a similar challenge. Apo likes 75-80% to allow for shared core and circulation space. If the net to gross goes much higher, viability is sure to become an issue by driving up building costs whilst not adding any value to the new apartments. This way spells disaster.w

EVERYBODY Naudu!

Making a choice means having options and that’s inspiring!

OPINION Neil Usher

Paradoxically Speaking: Choice A

We’re thrilled to bring you a new regular column from one of the country’s foremost workplace and change thinkers, leading author and QPR fan, Neil Usher. Whilst Neil can’t explain his team’s league position, he can provide an expert view of the issues facing workplace owners, operators, designers and users alike.

Neil Usher is Chief Workplace & Change Strategist at GosSpace AI, and Author of The Elemental Workplace and Elemental Change 32 | Mix 209 February 2021

paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement. The workplace sector is riddled with them and we’re going to explore a few over the coming months. By way of momentum-generating example, lurking in the fold between tweets for the best part of 2020 has been ‘the beginning of the end (of the workplace as we know it)’, AKA ‘the end of the beginning (of the workplace as we know it)’. The reality, of course, is that every day is both. While we’ve been at the kitchen table – or ironing board for height adjustability, as a colleague discovered – every day is neither, too. But that’s not the paradox we’re going to explore. While we’ve been shuffling the wooden blocks around on the table top map with croupier sticks for the best part of a year, without any need to make an actual resourcecommitting decision, the matter of choice hasn’t been far away from every ‘still-outhere’, flag-waving LinkedIn post. Yet the emerging paradox is one of having complete freedom of choice but no available desirable option: I’m going to work at the office today, which is full. Within the workplace sector we’ve been craving increased choice for decades. The underlying principle of almost every workplace transformation to an agile environment is a pool of shared amenities for us to choose as befits the task or mood. It’s one of my 12 elements in The Elemental Workplace. The pandemic has triggered the largest ever collection of data on individual occupant preferences for attendance and discovered (or, rather, validated) that we don’t want to commute every day, we want to be free to choose where to work each day. That probably means 2-3 days in the office each week, the remainder at the chosen domestic surface. Yet, at the same time, organisations have finally realised now that their offices are completely empty and that they were actually always around half empty. The trend that has been supposedly accelerated by COVID-19 had been there all along and settled out. They’ve divided their total costs (‘the second biggest cost to the organisation’) by the magic of two and worked out that’s half of a whole lot of cash, only a fraction of which would kit every employee with a decent enough desk, ergonomic chair, monitor and peripherals for comfortable and effective home working and swerve a tsunami of claims for the relieving

services of a chiropractor. The reality of the asset that they never considered needing to demonstrate a return on investment actually only being used for 15% of its available time, in a good week, has at last revealed that it was hiding in plain sight – even though, in this time, there have been hundreds of thousands of almost identical occupational density graphs slid across an equal quantum of buffed walnut in the direction of otherwisedistracted CFOs. They’ve also simultaneously realised that their sustainability goals, proudly incomprehensible to most, were massively compromised. That the environmental construction certificate in the dusty-topped frame in reception isn’t worth much if the building is doubling up on its emissions per occupant. And that no amount of roof terrace apiary will atone for it. All of which means that, at the exact same moment that we’re able to envisage a less structured, stressful and costly working life, breezing into the office as it takes our fancy, organisations are about to shed workspace like inhibitions before dinner at the Mixology awards. With less space comes less certainty. Instead of planning and constructing an office for everyone on the off-chance that they all show up on the same day – which they never do – there’s far less available. Not by a whisker either – quite possibly a whopping third to a half less. Musical chairs suddenly got serious. And while we’re musing on whether, when we exercise our free-will, we’ll get a seat of whatever shape and size at all, we don’t know what our colleagues will be doing without sending several hundred IMs because that’s actually the reason we’re electing to go in that day. To see people. Not to sit at a desk with headphones on adding to the mounting stats about noise and disturbance. Imagine getting the dawn stopper from Haywards Heath to find no-one we want to annoy is there at all. So when we consider the paradox, does the office being full include us or not? That’s the crux of the problem. And why it’s a paradox. With more choice will come less choice. With more of what we want will come less of what we want. Just as with everything in workplace, the solution exists in a delicate balance. So too will the post-pandemic workplace. It won’t be all one and none of the other. We’ve had that. The thing is, we never realised.w

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CASE STUDY Open Society Foundations

Open Minded We’re not sure how much this says about us, but between lockdowns we found ourselves grabbing a couple of socially distanced drinks with industry mates. Whilst heading back to the tube we wandered past a space that was, despite the latish hour, full of activity. The interior scheme was clearly nearing completion. ‘Whose is that – and who for?’ we wondered.

left The wall-to-wall library, packed full of books, creates a significant focal point. above People are encouraged to grow their own plants from cuttings; once matured, plants are transferred into pots and moved into the main working areas.

“

With an emphasis on achieving a holistic approach to wellbeing and creating an empathetic working environment, the space offers the choice and connections that allow people to be themselves.

”

ell, we didn’t have to wait too long to find out, as our friends at tp bennett promptly got in touch to reveal all. Open Society Foundations’ move across London, gave tp bennett the opportunity to dive into the organisation’s values to design a bespoke workspace, with a focus on wellness and comfort, that benefits its employees, visitors and grantees. Founded by George Soros, Open Society Foundations is the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights. The scheme offers a ‘home from home’ for users of the space, providing a human-centric environment with a clear brand identity and inviting character. Having moved from a more corporate setting, Open Society Foundations now has a warm and agile workplace that challenges the conventions of a traditional office to emphasise people and wellbeing. tp bennett’s design reflects Open Society Foundations’ values of accountability, humility, integrity, trust and respect. ‘It was really important that the design concept aligned with Open Society Foundations’ values,’ says tp bennett Director, Christina Christou, who together with Principal Director, Mark Davies, is happy to answer our questions. ‘By providing them with an office to be proud of, designed with elegance and simplicity in mind, we have been able to achieve this on behalf of not only the organisation, but also their grantees. With an emphasis on achieving a holistic approach to wellbeing and creating an

empathetic working environment, the space offers the choice and connections that allow people to be themselves.’ We ask where the organisation was based prior to the project? ‘They were previously in the Victoria area of London,’ we’re told. ‘The existing building was quite tired, corporate and uninviting – and so they wanted to move into a location with more character and in a more connected location. ‘We visited a selection of three buildings and completed a feasibility study, recommending two of these – one of which was taken forward.’ ‘This was our first project with Open Society Foundations. The design process with the client was a journey of discovery. It wasn’t a formal approach – we took them on a journey in terms of the process but they also took us on a journey in terms of what they go through every day with their work.’ We’re told that the concept was driven by who Open Society Foundations are as a global organisation – and had to be representative of their ethos and a desire to cater for a range of personas and needs. ‘The design stemmed from our engagement with the client; they are fighting a lot of great causes for other people, but their own working environment didn’t support that. It was very siloed and there was little collaboration space between the teams. We wanted to bring back to life the vision and the people of their organisation – reminding them of what they do and love doing ‘They have to cope with a lot of difficult and stressful situations within their work so the office

Mix 209 February 2021 | 35

CASE STUDY Open Society Foundations

Client Open Society Foundations Lead Architect tp bennett Finishes Interface, In Situ, Tai Ping, Microscreed, Fenix Laminate, Clayworks, Dulux, Autex, Kvadrat, SAS Ceilings Furniture Senator, Ocee, Raw Workshop, KI, Vitra, Moroso, Naughtone, Jennifer Newman, Icons of Denmark, Orangebox, New Design Group

environment needs to be a ‘home away from home’.’ So what were the greatest challenges for the team? ‘Incorporating the diverse ambitions and characteristics of the Open Society Foundations teams into the workspace – but embracing a new way of working: Historically, Open Society Foundations had been very traditional and corporate in its working methods but they saw the project as an opportunity to change behaviours and working patterns through the office environment ‘We pushed the boundaries of workplace design to delve into the real meaning of true wellbeing and inclusivity, personality and identity, creating a genuine sense of community that truly reflects the client’s identity. ‘The base-build is a fantastic building with lots of character but we had very low ceilings to work with, which was a challenge for incorporating services. Very deep floorplates meant a considered approach was needed for different elements of the scheme: we created ‘small neighbourhoods’, which create exploration throughout the space that encourages movement and provides different experiences.’ Entering at the upper level, a public-facing reception and coworking space creates a large social hub for staff use and events, as well as being open to the organisation’s community of grantees, who can use the space to grab a coffee or touch base with Open Society

Foundations’ colleagues. The muted tones, ambient lighting and biophilic design are immediately inviting and create a characterful welcome to the space. The lower level is deliberately more subdued, providing a calming environment for focused and individual work, with access to a private library. This is supported by a wellbeing suite comprising a parenting room, no-tech sanctuary space, sleep pods and flexible contemplation rooms for private or group prayer, meditation and low-energy wellbeing activities, such as yoga. Focus rooms and unassigned ‘home office’ pods in the deepest part of the floorplate form ‘in between’ spaces used as touchdown ‘nooks’ to support wellbeing. Fluid, flexible workspace across two levels is linked by a feature staircase, which encourages connectivity and casual interactions – increasing productivity and a sense of community. Open plan hotspot desks are located near windows to maximise daylight and views, with soft screens between desks, personalised bookcases and planting used to create a homely atmosphere where workers feel comfortable. Flexible meeting rooms can swell and contract in size to suit fluctuating spatial needs, such as town halls, seminars, workshops and exhibitions. The upper floor incorporates ‘The Forum’ – a space comprising a tiered social stair to enable full-office congregation, promoting debate and knowledge sharing. This is supported by seamless technology that enables the London office to connect into other Open

above The public-facing reception and coworking space creates a large social hub for staff use and events.

36 | Mix 209 February 2021

CASE STUDY Open Society Foundations

Society Foundations offices globally and provides flexibility for a range of events. A large wall-to-wall library, packed full of books, creates a significant focal point whilst providing a useful resource. A propagation wall encourages colleagues to grow their own plants from cuttings; once matured, plants are transferred into pots and moved into the main working areas. ‘We wanted very tactile finishes inspired by locations Open Society Foundations has worked with around the world – like the mud-huts – and we brought that into the interior by working with Clayworks,’ we’re told. ‘It’s made out of 100% clay, sourced locally, making it lowcarbon, sustainable and it has a warm and tactile feel in rich tones (like dark charcoals, earthy greens, terracotta). There are also health/wellness benefits to clay – it’s antibacterial and it helps to regulate the internal microclimate. We used it throughout – particularly as feature walls in the entrance and the transition areas. ‘Lots of timber is used to complement the clay work (natural materials), while the bespoke rug, designed in collaboration with Tai Ping, is really heavily textured and tactile; it is inspired by a bird’s-eye view of the English countryside to bring in the local identity of being a UK-based HQ. This is in the sanctuary space and it encourages people to take off their shoes and walk barefoot. ‘Furniture-wise we went for pieces with character and personality, using suppliers such as Moroso (arrival/lounge seating) and we have used bespoke bookcases to act as dividers between the desks and neighbourhoods. They are made out of raw steel, which ties into the natural/industrial feel of the existing

above & right The scheme features fluid, flexible workspace and breakout facilities across two levels.

“

We pushed the boundaries of workplace design to delve into the real meaning of true wellbeing and inclusivity, personality and identity, creating a genuine sense of community that truly refLects the client’s identity.

”

38 | Mix 209 February 2021

CASE STUDY Open Society Foundations

top The wellbeing suite comprises a parenting room, no-tech sanctuary space, sleep pods and flexible contemplation rooms for private or group prayer, meditation and wellbeing activities. above & right Muted tones, ambient lighting and biophilic design are immediately inviting and create a characterful welcome.

building. This also gives staff the opportunity to customise their own work areas with books etc. ‘The materials and finishes were specified to enhance the variety and user experience. For example, mood lighting is used throughout to reflect a more domesticated ambience, providing space that feels like home but also provides sufficient working levels. ‘The colours were chosen to evoke different emotional responses – people react to certain colours in different ways, so we used muted tones of colours to make people feel comfortable.’ We ask Mark and Christina to tell us about their personal favourite elements of the scheme. ‘The café has a sloping glass roof, which helps to bring some of the outdoors in and helps to create a garden-like feel. The lightness encourages people to interact while still providing opportunities for people to have a private moment without feeling exposed.’ ‘The library is a forum-type space for people to gather, but it’s still at an intimate scale and feels comfortable/ homely. As a focal point, it’s a fantastic space. It’s all about the textures and the lighting – which creates a moodier feel – and it’s also all about individual, focused work to give a small piece of retreat.’

‘The space works wonderfully for us, not only as a place to work but as a communal hub for connection between our peers, colleagues, grantees and wider network,’ Open Society Foundations’ Barry Varcoe enthuses. ‘The range of spaces within the building now enables us to be as inclusive as possible, and at our most productive and creative, supporting the preferences and needs of each individual. It has become our home, also allowing us to come together for social events or larger meetings as a whole organisation. We’re proud to welcome our grantees to make the space their own as well, and enjoy a piece of our home away from their home.’ w

Mix 209 February 2021 | 39

CASE STUDY Knight Frank

40 | Mix 209 February 2021

CASE STUDY Knight Frank

Real Deal While you might find a number of top chefs eating poorly at home, when it comes to Knight Frank’s own real estate, the leading property firm definitely puts its money where its mouth is, recently commissioning a top-of-therange fit-out for the refresh of its 100,000 sq ft Baker Street global headquarters.

Resonate created various typologies of gathering spaces around the large doughnut-shaped floorplates.

ack in the day, this building served as the headquarters for good old Marks and Spencer, before being given a 21st century makeover by Make Architects. Knight Frank occupies three floors of the building, recognisable by its modulating glass façade on one of London’s most famous street names. ‘We refurbished the same office space for Knight Frank around six years ago but, overall, this new fit-out supersedes the previous scheme,’ explains Tom Harvey, Construction Manager with BW: Workplace Experts, who helped deliver the project. ‘We have carried out the works over 12 phases to date, within a live working environment.’ Chris Kerr, BW’s Contracts Manager, elaborates further: ‘It was a real programmed partnership with Knight Frank to suit their ongoing operations, which was also one of the challenges. Each phase was just three weeks long and any problems we encountered we had to manage within the project dates. ‘It was more about a look and feel refresh, focusing on the aesthetics of the space, so that meant transforming the flooring, the wallcoverings, the furniture and the lighting in places like the

tea points, rather than a complex refurbishment.’ While BW’s team worked with building services design consultant GDM on the MEP part of the project, it also successfully collaborated with Resonate Interiors, who brought additional design knowhow for the ‘Connect 55’ concept of collaborative spaces (the 55 coming from the 55 Baker Street address). ‘It was a big deal for us to work with Knight Frank, migrating 1,300 people across to agile working,’ explains Resonate Founder and Managing Director, Pernille Stafford. Resonate deftly navigated practical aspects such as the chilled beams in the ceilings and the neutral colour scheme of grey and white to add a sense of homeliness. ‘It needed a heart space,’ Pernille continues. ‘We looked at the idea of creating a British street scene, where there would traditionally be things such as a phone box, bus stop or letter box.’ Riffing on this idea of ‘stopping points’, Resonate created various typologies of gathering spaces around the large doughnut-shaped floorplates. Because of the scale of the floors, clear signage across the office landscape was also key. Each floor took references from parts of London and the UK, and also cities around the world, reflecting

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CASE STUDY Knight Frank

Knight Frank’s international standing. So, on the 4th floor, for example, the influences include London’s White City. Not only is this part of the west of the capital where much of the 1908 London Olympic Games took place, but it is also the location for Television Centre, an iconic building that was the home of the BBC for over 50 years. The latter has now been successfully redeveloped into a mixed-use scheme of homes, offices and independent restaurants and cinema, with Knight Frank chosen as one of the property agents for this landmark project. Representing the rest of the world on the 4th floor, there are colour and material nods to San Francisco, Nairobi and New York, reflected in the choices of furniture, lighting and flooring. There is a juice bar, for instance, which represents the healthconscious nature of the residents of the Big Apple. ‘It had the biggest scope of any tea point and was the talking point amongst staff once handed over,’ explains Tom Harvey. With its mix of traditional and contemporary themes, the 5th floor was inspired by the spherical forms and linear crossovers of Shanghai. This manifests itself in the wall of blue and white pottery and pendants reminiscent of traditional Chinese lanterns. The

above & right The impressive refit includes three floors of office space.

“

We refurbished the same office space for Knight Frank around six years ago but, overall, this new fit-out supersedes the previous scheme

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CASE STUDY Knight Frank

influence of London’s Battersea Power Station can be felt in the architecture of the easily reconfigurable breakout spaces. Splashes of colour on this floor can be traced back to dynamic hotspots around the globe, from Singapore to Shoreditch, while Berlin provides a starting point in terms of the linear forms and semi-industrial feel of the Bauhaus movement. The 6th floor, meanwhile, takes its cues from the streetscapes of Mumbai and the ornate detailing of Dubai, as well as the colourful street markets of Hong Kong. The impressive refit included three floors of office space, the reception and high-quality meeting rooms. While all floors feature state-of-the-art AV systems, the build also included technological advancements such as touchscreens and 4K HD video walls, providing a productive and efficient working environment. A big part of the design of the meeting rooms on all floors was biophilia, which can even be felt in the selection of vibrant green carpet tiles. Consistent elements across all meeting rooms included coat stands from Mark

above The scheme features generous breakout space throughout. left Elegant furniture choices create a sense of homeliness.

Client Knight Frank Design Resonate Interiors Fit-Out BW: Workplace Experts Furniture Supply Rainbow Furniture Rawside, OB&B, Flokk, JDD, Ocee, Mark Product, Orangebox, Pedrali, Frovi, BuzziSpace, Allermuir, Elite, Vitra, Hay

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CASE STUDY Knight Frank

Product, tables and credenzas from Rawside and black and white chairs from Hay. BW and Resonate worked with specialist dealer, Rainbow, achieving the aim of specifying 80% of British furniture, which was, where possible, produced within a 100-mile radius of the project. Whilst international influences are prevalent throughout, regions of the United Kingdom were not left out of the geography-based design references here. In the meeting rooms of the 4th floor, Castle Square in Sheffield, Central Square in Cardiff and Merchant Square in Glasgow provided aesthetic prompts, across the 5th floor it was Birmingham’s Victoria Square and Bristol’s Queen’s Square, while on the 6th floor Henley’s Adwell Square and Market Square in Cirencester were among the eclectic design inspirations. ‘The office working areas were quite calm in contrast,’ Pernille reflects, moving away from the meeting and collaboration spaces, before neatly summarising the success of this project for Knight Frank: ‘What we achieved for this client is an open, experiential environment, truly reflecting the character of their business.’w

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above The main office floors feature a neutral calm palette. left Resonate worked with closely with Rainbow, achieving the aim of specifying 80% of British furniture. bottom Stylish tea points have proved particularly popular with staff.

“

What we achieved for this client is an open, experiential environment, truly reflecting the character of their business

”

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