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UPFRONT 8 19 Perspective
Inside 52
PREVIEW 84 84 Mixology North17 Shortlist 92 Sleep, London
20 Seven... 22 Forward Thinking
REVIEW 94
25 Material Matters
94 BCO Awards
26 Desert Island Desks
98 WorkTech Madrid
SPOTLIGHT 29
THE FINAL WORD 104
31 Big Question 32 A-Z of Trends
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ROUND TABLE 46 A-Z of Trends
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CASE STUDY 52 52 Adobe, Shoreditch 60 Shoosmiths, Manchester
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68 Headspace Group Manchester 72 Boutinot, Cheadle
PROFILE 76 76 tp bennett
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The cover
The logo Designed around The Engine Room’s unique shape and heritage, the design represents the GNA studio and how we have grown since inception. The floor levels indicate company growth; the figure on the drawing board going up to the figure on the iMac signifies practice success. www.glancynicholls.com The cover An autumnal layout composed of Milliken’s Mixology award winning Colour Compositions carpet planks. The collection takes creative inspiration from the large swathes of colour represented in the abstract expressionism style of colour-field painting. Harmonious and balanced or challenging and unexpected, the new tile shape and design make a more adventurous exploration of colour and form possible. www.millikencarpet.com
MIX INTERIORS 179
Wireless retrofittable lighting control system Up to 16 easy to program lighting scenes per zone User controlled allowing employees to manage their own light levels
Mix Interiors 179
November 2017
ADOBE SHOOSMITHS HEADSPACE GROUP BOUTINOT TP BENNETT A-Z OF TRENDS
MOTION SENSORS LUMINAIRE CONTROLLER LIGHT SENSOR SWITCHES NOVEMBER 2017
Back issues 07/11/2017 14:32
Contact us to buy back issues: rebecca@mixinteriors.com Wireless retrofittable lighting control system Up to 16 easy to program lighting scenes per zone User controlled allowing employees to manage their own light levels
MIX INTERIORS 178
®
TROL S
Mix Interiors 178
October 2017
stem focuses er and easier ts associated ur streamlined er control your anced smart lighting costs
MOTION SENSORS LUMINAIRE CONTROLLER LIGHT SENSOR SWITCHES
05/10/2017 09:31
MIX INTERIORS 177
Mix Interiors 177
September 2017
This stylish monitor arm, arguably one of the slimmest of its type on the market today, has been awarded FIRA’s prestigious Ergonomic Excellence Award and is now supplied with a 10 year extended warranty.
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less than three projects where we have been led not by the designer, but by the end user client. This is in no way meant as a dig at any of our design friends – in an ideal world we’d always like to have your design expertise and input as we tour a new workplace. What struck me, however, while compiling these three project stories, is that there is a genuine trend for the end user to be right at the cutting edge of the process. Indeed, tp bennett’s Richard Beastall makes this very point later in the issue. This is no bad thing, by the way. This trend might put a few ‘old school’ noses out of joint, but the majority of the design fraternity is, will and should embrace it. After all, it means your client cares.
Designer Georgina Nicklin georgina@mixinteriors.com
Founding publisher Henry Pugh
Contacts t: 01709 385470 e: sales@cmd-ltd.com w: www.cmd-ltd.com
Contributors Steve Gale Andy Swann Esme Banks-Marr Address Mix Media Limited 2 Abito 85 Greengate Manchester M3 7NA Telephone 0161 946 6262
Managing director Marcie Incarico marcie@mixinteriors.com
CIARA KEELING LDF PREVIEW
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BIRD & BIRD HEATONS WELLBEING CUNDALL
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Editorial support Rebecca Sabato rebecca@mixinteriors.com
OCTOBER 2017
www.cmd-ltd.com | +44 (0) 1709 385460 | sales@cmd-ltd.com
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Editor Mick Jordan mick@mixinteriors.com
Director David Smalley david@mixinteriors.com
GATEWAY
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This sector – and therefore this magazine – focuses on the latest trends and initiatives in the workplace as a matter of course. This month, however, we’ve turbo-boosted this by devoting our Spotlight to the A-Z of Trends, while our Round Table also focuses on the very same topic. The preeminent workplace trends of the moment are further highlighted throughout our case studies. We have fantastic examples of agility (Shoosmiths), wellbeing (Adobe and Boutinot) and co-working (Headspace Group Manchester). It was while looking through this amazing variety of project stories that another major trend struck me. For the first time in the 18-year history of Mix we have visited no
Sales director Gary Williams gary@mixinteriors.com
TALKTALK FRAME21 ALPHA BANK LONDON SEAN DARE HOSPITALITY REPORT
FUTURE
from Mick
Get in touch
GATEWAY
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A Word
e-mail editorial@mixinteriors.com Website www.mixinteriors.com Twitter @mixinteriors
SEPTEMBER 2017
Instagram @mix.interiors
05/09/2017 13:46
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Get your own! To ensure that a regular copy of Mix Interiors reaches your desk, please call 0161 946 6262 or e-mail: rebecca@mixinteriors.com Annual subscription charges UK single £45.50, UK corporate (up to 5 individuals) £140, Europe £135 (airmail), Outside Europe £165 (airmail). Printed by S&G Print ISSN 1757-2371
a d k …
… a table that works really hard. So we called ours, ‘Worktable’.
Rawside Furniture is a London-based, designer, builder and lover of the most practical office furniture on planet Earth. www.rawside.co ~ hello@rawside.co ~
@rawside
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MIXOLOGY NORTH IS BREAKING ALL RECORDS It’s our biggest year yet – we’ll be celebrating the most award entries we’ve ever received, as well as a ‘record breaking’ number of guests.
It’s less than a month away so get your party frocks and dinner suits ready for what promises to be the most exciting night of the year.
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Upfront
As we slowly destroy the earth, environmental issues continue to gain momentum as a key topic of discussion. Following our wide-ranging Wellbeing Spotlight feature in September, it’s good to feature two editorial pieces related to the drive for greater environmental awareness.
The Ense mble is a long last sustaina ing, dura ble soluti ble and on
The Four
ECO WORKING
air
d Armch
Me Woo
Manchester interiors firm Penketh Group has revealed an increase in the number of customers looking for products with strong eco credentials. They tell us that the recycling trend has spread firmly from the home to the work environment, with more companies sourcing products with a sustainable pedigree. Paul Mann, Sales Director of Penketh Group, said: ‘We are seeing an increasing number of customers interested in well-designed and sustainable products that incorporate elements of recycling, upcycling and re-using. ‘We see many different trends, but the emphasis today is on creating spaces that encourage productivity amongst employees, promote wellbeing and also care for the environment.’ Penketh has recently worked with interior design firm SpaceInvader to provide furniture for engineering consultant Hilson Moran to meet the WELL Building Standard. All the furniture was sourced by Penketh to conform to VOC (volatile organic compounds) expectations. Hilson Moran’s Manchester office is now set to be the first WELL Gold Standard accredited office in the North of England. ED note: It is also the location of this month’s Round Table (page 46).
Viasit HQ in Neunkirchen Germany
CERTIFIED GOLD Viasit the Neunkirchen, Germany based family owned furniture manufacturer has undertaken a series of internal initiatives for health, environmental and social issues. In June 2017 the business adopted ISO 14001, then took the next step by obtaining the voluntary EMAS certification for its environmental management system. We’re told that, compared to other companies in its market sector, the impact of Viasit’s activities on the environment is low. For example, WHAT IS EMAS? the premises are on a former EMAS is the EU Eco-Management and smelting works and the Audit Scheme, which allows all types company’s water, heat of organisations to improve their energy and electricity environmental performance and achieve consumption of its 130 recognition for doing so. The aim of EMAS is to recognise and employees is no higher reward those organisations that go than that of a residential beyond minimum legal compliance area with a similar number and continuously improve their of people. Impressive. environmental performance.
Nomique’s Moka Felt
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gives waste a second
life
Upfront
OBLIVION | Koray Malhan
www.koleksiyon.co.uk Koleksiyon Furniture Limited 9 Brewhouse Yard London EC1V 4JR United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 3405 1885 info@koleksiyon.co.uk New York / Chicago / Dallas / London / DĂźsseldorf / Vienna / Paris / Barcelona Bogota / Moscow / Breukelen / Warsaw / Sidney / Singapore / Hong Kong / Dubai 9
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USB TYPE A USB TYPE C
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Upfront
MINERAL RESOURCES M
in
Fit
Out
Saracen C omp lete s
Si r
i us
Another great fit-out has been completed by Saracen Interiors – this time for fertilizer development company, Sirius Minerals Plc, at its new Prospect House headquarters, the former Scarborough Building Society. The project, which began in March 2017 and was completed in 16 weeks, was a complete redesign to allow for Sirius’ plans for major expansion. The 55,000 sq ft fit-out covered three floors and included the complete strip out of old mechanical, electrical and HVAC systems. The new HVAC design and fit-out will bolster Sirius’ green credentials while saving the company an estimated 40- 50% on energy bills overall. Work also included the installation of suspended ceilings, flooring, furniture, a kitchen and breakout areas, collaborative working spaces, partitioning to create meeting rooms and a new reception layout, including a bespoke reception desk and a living wall. Director of Saracen Interiors, Michael Page, comments: ‘This is our largest project in the North to date and we are delighted to prove that we can confidently carry out work of this scale and of such a high profile.’
als er
AIRCHARGE MEETS APPLE Aircharge, the ubiquitous wireless charging outfit, appears to be going from strength to strength and is taking full advantage of the publicity around the new versions of the iPhone. Through collaborations with office and furniture designers and architects, Aircharge enables mobile phone wireless charging wherever it is needed the most. Aircharge utilises the universal standard for wireless charging of smartphones and other consumer electronic devices, Qi (pronounced ‘chee’). The technology is commonly referred to as inductive charging and involves two coils, one built into the device and one into the charger, passing electricity when placed next to each other by creating an electromagnetic field. This means users can charge by simply laying their smartphone on a compatible Qi charger to fill the battery up, without having to plug in. Qi wireless charging can power anything from smartphones (including the recently announced Apple iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X), tablets and smartwatches, through to electric toothbrushes, power tools and kitchen appliances.
65 YEARS YOUNG We know our anniversary issue is normally in January, but we’re only too happy to give the thumbs-up for those that didn’t make that particular issue. Werner Works was established in the 1960’s by Bruno Werner in Germany, with his stated aim to change the world of furniture. Today Werner Works manufactures modular and custom furniture, focusing mainly on storage solutions suitable for the workplace and the home. The main concept at the heart of Werner Works’ production lines includes innovative designs; a customercentric approach and flexibility. Using its standard assembly-toorder ranges, Werner Works offers additional made-to-measure solutions. Werner works products are sold exclusively through ei2 from its Clerkenwell showroom. Ed note: in the January issue of Mix we will be featuring companies that have a significant anniversary in 2018. If you would like to be considered, please let us know. Werner Works in the 60’s
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Upfront
PEAKY BLINDER The head office of Macclesfield-based Peaks & Plains Housing Trust has undergone a radical £773,000 fit-out programme designed by local firm BAND Architects. The 1,000 sq m (10,763 sq ft) space at the town’s Ropewalks office building has been completely transformed to reflect the changing business needs of the Trust as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. Peaks & Plains invited BAND Architects to re-imagine its workspace to reflect its progression as an organisation and to create a more efficient, healthy office environment – one better suited and equipped to meet the needs of its employees and to support
the continued improvement of the Trust’s services. David Wilcock, Practice Director at BAND Architects, said: ‘Our concept taps into the growing trend of bringing domestic, urban design ideas into the workplace and creating open working environments. Enclosed spaces have been used to define routes and form smaller, domestic scaled zones for staff to collaborate within the large linear floorplate. Subtle, natural and calming materials were utilised within the core working areas, and more vibrantly considered ‘pods’ are distributed throughout the space to create a variety of destinations for private work and team meetings.’
Photos: Kinnarps/Redshift Media
ANGEL DELIGHT
Photo credit: Hufton +
Crow
One Angel Square, a new headquarters building for Northamptonshire County Council, has recently been completed, enabling its workforce to relocate from 12 separate properties into one BREEAM Excellent building. The brief was for a 22,000 sq m flexible office to accommodate 2,000 employees. The Council’s vision was to provide an environment for collaborative working, enable new ways of working for improved productivity and also to serve as a catalyst for wider urban regeneration. In addition to being a crucial move for the council, this is an important urban regeneration story for Northampton. The building’s entrance faces a new public square and leads into a four-storey atrium reception and internal street. The building is designed as two ‘yin and yang’ forms, enclosing a central courtyard, with office space, informal meeting areas, touchdown areas and other collaborative spaces grouped around it. BDP was architect, civil and structural engineer, building services engineer, landscape architect, interior designer, lighting designer and acoustic consultant for the £40m building.
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YOUR
I N SPI RIN G OFFICE S. SIN C E 179 13 0.
IDEAS
BUILD
PIXEL may look like a box, but it can also be a table, a bench, a stool, a platform and so much more. PIXEL is the flexible building block that creates new possibilities for teamwork.
WWW.BENE.COM
Upfront
Upfront
www.morganfurniture.co.uk 14
Upfront
PERFECT PEAR ACI (Advanced Commercial Interiors Limited) decided the best course of action for their new offices was to do it themselves. Established in 2009, ACI chose Pear Tree Yard in Sandiacre, Derbyshire – which is just about equidistance between Nottingham and Derby. Director of ACI, Roy Thompson, recalls the first time Pear Tree Yard was identified as a viable new premises; ‘We had seen that Pear Tree Yard was for sale with planning permission to convert to residential – but for some reason there had been no takers to date.’ After an initial planning period of three months, the building project took 18 months to complete, with the first year dedicated to carrying out structural improvements, reinstalling a roof onto the property and working on the windows to provide a beautiful view of the canal. The remaining six months were then used to focus on the internal state of the property and ensuring that a building fit for purpose in the 1700’s was able to deal with the demands of a modern working environment in the 21st century.
LE GARAGE Workplace design expert Unispace has completed a unique facility for aerospace giant Airbus, transforming an under-utilised building located within its headquarters campus at Toulouse Blagnac, France. The project garages are designed to be flexible and have the capability to adapt from desk-based workspaces into physical workshop spaces. The new workplace will help research and technology specialists expedite solutions more rapidly by facilitating problem-solving in a concurrent rather than linear way. Instead of communicating across the large campus, the new spaces can be booked out for periods of time for new innovations so they can be developed faster and with concentrated team collaboration. The wider space consists of open plan work zones, town hall seating areas with writeable wall surfaces and integrated TV screens, smaller meeting and quiet rooms, as well as a boardroom for larger conferencing.
HLW’S SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN PARTY
cm@spatial.co.uk / 0161 850 9005 15
Neil Usher
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Shoosmiths
FCH
PLP Architecture
Woodalls Design
Incognito
tp Bennett
Como
AHR
CIMA
Pareto FM
Perkins+Will
Bruntwood
Bowan Riley
Intrinsic
KKS
Satellite IHG
interaction
Reward Gateway
Alpha Scotland
Hotel Shangri-La Hoare Lea
The Hut Group
AECOM
Gardiner & Theobald
Perkins+Will
Gensler
AECOM
BW - Workplace Experts
Gensler
Como
The Fairhurst Design Group
Faulkner Browns
ISG
LOM Architecture & Design
AEW
Upfront
Accor Hotels
EPR Architects
Skansen Group
Scott Brownrigg
Edge Design
TSK
Area
Dexter Moren Associates
Stephenson STUDIO
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HKS
Principal Hotels
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JUDGEXD
Grimshaw
ID:SR
Estee Lauder Companies
Gardiner & Theobald
Gensler
Cube 8 Studio
BDG
HASSELL
Align
DV8 Designs
TalkTalk
DLA Piper
Hilson Moren
Maris
BuckleyGrayYeoman
Conran & Partners
Glancy Nicholls
ISG
Servest
Servicebrand Global
Monteith Scott
CarFinance 247
tp bennett
BDP
AECOM
33 Interiors
IHG
Sky
British Land
Morgan Lovell
Criteo
EOS
Perkins+Will
SpaceInvader
Spacelab
Spatial
Canary Wharf Group
Thank you to the Design Community for your valued input into this years Round Tables, Mix Inspired and Mixology Judging
TTSP
Castlefield Estates
Cushman & Wakefield
Jasper Sanders + Partners
Upfront
Creating flexible acoustic space with Float Whisper sliding panels
www.creatif.org.uk 18
SAM ADDISO N
Upfront
Perspective Sam joined project management consultancy, TowerEight, after 18 years at JLL, where she worked across a large number of multinationals, including Shell, Microsoft, Sky and Deutsche Bank. Since joining TowerEight she has developed the consultancy’s office expertise and led its expansion in this key market, with clients such as Whitbread, The Office Group, Centrica, BESA and ECA.
office really works as it actually brings the two groups together and makes them appreciate each other’s area of work and expertise. We’ve also had great feedback from the digital team about the positive impact the workplace has had on productivity. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A LESSON LEARNED AND NEVER REPEATED? As the mother of three sons I have learned over time that it is nearly impossible to keep everybody happy all of the time! The same principle applies to a group of senior clients – you can never reach a point where they are all at the same point of happiness on a project, so you have to work towards consensus through collaboration and taking an empathetic approach. NAME ONE WORKPLACE TREND THAT YOUR CLIENTS REGULARLY REFER TO? It has to be Wellness – I know it has been discussed a lot in recent years, but I cannot overemphasise how important it is to clients. It underpins how we get to the office – cycling or running, for example – the way we sit or stand at our desk, our nutrition and factors such as lighting and air quality that promote or inhibit productivity levels. But it is also an obsession in wider society as we look at the factors that can really improve mental and physical wellbeing – so it is right that the workplace is giving wellness such focus, as the office is where we spend most of our time. WHAT WAS YOUR MOST CHALLENGING OR FAVOURITE PROJECT TO DATE (AND WHY)? I loved our recent work with Whitbread on its HQ in central London. This space brought together two very diverse groups – the senior exec and the (rather youthful) digital marketing team. These two groups both needed an engaging, collaborative space but were so divergent in their approach to using it. However, the final
HAVE YOU NOTICED A SHIFT IN PROJECT DECISIONS BEING MADE BASED ON SUBJECTIVE GUT-FEELING AS OPPOSED TO A QUANTIFIABLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT? Quite the opposite – I think we as a sector are getting smarter about using data. We could be better however. You only have to look at other sectors and the way in which they use big data sets to automate learning and pool resources. I believe we will move towards a much more successful workplace environment when productivity and utilisation data can be pulled from a wider source base. We need to share our data more to get there – and, for many in our market, that is a real problem. WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS RARE FOR A PROJECT TO FOLLOW-UP WITH A POSTOCCUPANCY EVALUATION? Because the market is afraid of the results? I don’t know – I refer to my answer on big data. We have to get smarter at using data to validate decision-making. My fear is that we will move towards obsolescence if we don’t have a more widespread system of benchmarking and data-based decision making. When you hear about the data that WeWork is sitting on, for example, and the senior hires they are making into the data team – they are soon going to be in a position to do some well-informed decision making based on very large pools of occupier data. WHAT TOP TIP WOULD YOU GIVE TO A TEAM AT THE START OF A PROJECT? See my note about being a mother of three
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boys! Communicate clearly, make sure everyone understands what is expected of them and set measurable objectives. Teams will only move successfully towards a common goal once they understand their role within the movement to a greater purpose – what are we trying to achieve and how does my contribution work towards that? A great project manager sets a clear project vision and leads from the front. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU AND YOUR TEAM FACE? I think it is a very challenging market for everyone at the moment, if I am honest. It is clichéd to say it, but there is so much uncertainty in the market that is it pervading everyone. Having said that, I think the office market is more buoyant than most in the property sector. The market is undergoing a real change and after years of being dominated by the landlord, I think it has come full cycle and everyone is really starting to pay heed to the occupier requirements. This is in part because of how competitive the market it is, but also because of the rise of co-working and more agile business models that have been introduced by TMT firms. Interesting times.
Sam Addison is Workplace Director at the UK’s leading project and cost management consultancy, TowerEight. For the full interview with Sam go to: http://bit.ly/per179
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Upfront
Sons and Daughters of the Steel City
Built on seven hills and England’s most geographically
diverse city, Sheffield has long been a major contributor to
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the UK’s creative, entertainment and sporting success. It’s
also the home of CMD, who have identified some of their very own favourites from the Steel City for us.
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1. MICHAEL PALIN CBE After Monty Python, Michael Palin began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian and his journeys have taken him across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas, Eastern Europe and Brazil. In 2013, Palin was made a BAFTA Fellow – the highest honour that is conferred by the organisation. But it’s surely his contribution to British comedy, alongside Terry Jones, for which he will be most fondly remembered – The Dead Parrott, A Fish Called Wanda, Life of Brian – stopped laughing yet?
2. ALEX TURNER Lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of the Arctic Monkeys, Turner is responsible for the fastest selling album in British music history. Incorporating a wry and ironic perspective on life, he remains too cool for school and has been making some of the UK’s best music for over a decade now. Mardy Bum – genius.
3. HELEN SHARMAN Despite attempts to write her out of history, she remains the UK’s first Astronaut and living proof that glass ceilings can be shattered. Helen was selected from over 13,000 candidates to visit space with a Russian crew in 1991 – she’s one of only seven Britons to leave the planet. And this country’s first.
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4. LORD SEBASTIAN COE Legendary middle-distance runner, gold medal winner and mastermind of London 2012, Sebastian Coe moved to the Steel City as a young child and honed his training on the rigorous demands of Sheffield’s countryside. Lord Coe became President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 2015.
Upfront
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5. JESSICA ENNIS Probably our greatest ever female track and field athlete, Jessica Ennis was the UK’s poster girl of London 2012, where she took gold on that unforgettable Super Saturday. A great role model for all, with that winning smile, she is a three-time World Champion in the heptathlon.
6. SEAN BEAN Sean ‘100% Blade’ Bean has a filmography to die for. Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones, a Bond villain, Sharpe, Lady Chatterley’s lover, Accused and, his finest role to date, that of Father Michael Kerrigan in Jimmy McGovern’s Broken. Despite his classical training, he can’t quite help bringing the earthy Sheffield boy to his roles.
With honourable mentions to Joe Root, Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker, Michael Vaughan, Gordon Banks, David Blunkett, Harry Brearley and Joe Cocker.
a cage full of ideas. cage– a cabinet system that impresses with its striking design language and authentic blend of materials. wiesner-hager.com
7. DOMINIC WEST BAFTA winner Dominic West has become one of the UK’s most celebrated and under-rated actors. His portrayal of Fred West in Appropriate Adult won him a BAFTA for best actor, while his portrayal of Noah Solloway in The Affair earned him a Golden Globe nomination. However, for many of us, he will always be Jimmy McNulty in The Wire.
Upfront
Trends seem to go in circles Stuff changes, but people stay the same, muses Steve Gale Industry trends are a hot topic where I come from – they keep us busy, giving us things to talk about as we attempt to cultivate guru status, and claim to have a finger on the pulse of our client constituency. The trends discussed at beer and pizza sessions in furniture showrooms are visible and real, but is there a trend in human behaviour? Do we actually want different things? We constantly tweak designs to cater for the usual desirable outcomes, like efficiency, communication, happy people, flexibility and so on. We invent tools and facilities to service these needs and, when they change over time, we describe them as a trend.
Some trends burned like magnesium and fizzled out, others continue to roll
describe changes in domestic arrangements to accommodate doing a job in your own house, but we are equally seeing ‘the homification of work’. Boundaries get a bit fuzzy and the difference between the two get a bit less. This is a really interesting adjustment – and it is still going strong. There is no change in human behaviour or expectation – people do the same things as always but more often now in their workplace. Here are a few examples, not universally taken up, but definitely trending. Want a beer at the end of the day? Dig one out of the fridge – and one for your workmate while you’re at it. Feel like relaxing on a sofa to read a report? Find one in a sunny position and put your feet up. Need a shower? Use the one downstairs. Want a game of table-tennis? Form a queue with the others. You get the drift. Maybe my point is that we are seeing a simple redistribution of space – is this a trend? People want and expect the same things – and many workplaces are adapting to allow them.
We’ve had fax machines and flat screens, CAD systems and mobile phones. Some trends burned like magnesium and fizzled out, others continue to roll. Now we have the rapid spread of adjustable height desks, bench desking, messenger apps and virtual chat rooms displacing expensive video-conferencing kit. What about less tangible things like the perceived increase in extensive kitchens, games, gymnasia and showers at work? Do these things qualify as a trend? And, if so, what change in behaviour do they cater for? I am not sure who coined the ugly but comical phrase ‘the workification of home’ to
Steve Gale is Head of Business Intelligence at M Moser Associates. SteveG@mmoser.com
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Presumably we have a long way to go before the workplace offers sleeping accommodation – that would be weird for most people, but not unknown for military or emergency services. Do employers offer these facilities to keep people on the premises or to make workers feel valued? It’s probably a bit of both. In the Bay Area in northern California, employers frequently offer full catering with high end choices all day, pilates and yoga classes every morning and space for ping pong, table football and computer games – and even music rooms with a wide selection of instruments supplied. We can only gawp at Google’s plans in Mountain View, Apple in its old home of Cupertino and the inevitable plans for Facebook in Menlo Park. These provide pretty much everything for the discerning techie, except, as far as I know, a bed for the night. It’s all there. These workplaces are almost entire communities, a bit like the cradle-tograve employers that I thought had all but disappeared. So much for the gig economy – these developments seem to belong more at the other end of the employment scale. Think of mining communities where the company once provided housing, social clubs, cheap beer and co-ops, or railway towns like Eastleigh, or many county authorities across the UK, or Quaker towns (without the beer). So is this a trend or recycling an old pattern? In my recent trips to San Francisco I see a different trend. Young people prefer to live in the city, with all the choice, danger and variety it always offers. Rush hour traffic perversely goes in reverse – out of the city in the morning and back in the evening. There is palpable resistance to the mono-culture of the tech campus. How will the ultra-generous all-providing omni-potent mega-firms deal with that?
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Upfront
egecarpets.com
"The carpet is a blank canvas upon which to express my passions, drawings, collages, prints in black and white or in colour, albums of old pictures from my personal archives." Monsieur Christian Lacroix
Upfront
Material Matters
In this month’s Material Matters, the experts at Material Lab celebrate sustainable solutions inspired by nature. www.material-lab.co.uk Malai creates sustainable surface design from coconut water Taking the concept ‘something from nothing’ to new extremes, South Indian company, Malai, has created a biocomposite from Bacterial Cellulose. Grown from the water of mature coconuts and natural fibres, mainly sourced from agricultural waste streams, the end product is sustainable, biodegradable, water resistant and vegan. Available in 1x1m sheets (1-2mm thick) and a range of colours (using natural dyes), its appearance is similar to that of leather. It’s ideal for upholstery, wallcoverings, bags and wallets, as it can be sewn, laser cut, embossed or printed on. info@made-from-malai.com made-from-malai.com
Elli Popp takes influence from nature for brand new Tektura designs Influenced by jungles through to woodland glades, mythical lands and ancient wonders, the designs of Elli Popp – founded by Katja Behre in 2007 – are firmly rooted in nature, yet have a somewhat otherworldly appeal. Katja blends layers of photography with shadow and colour to create totally unique effects. Soft watercolours sit alongside deep blacks and blues, vivid greens and earthy browns. The designs have been created specially for Tektura, and can be scaled up to fill a wall of 3x5m. They can be cropped or repeated lengthwise to fit a longer wall. Colours can be adjusted and all designs are available as wallcovering, window film or as acrylic artwork. www.tektura.com
KIZIS Studio plants seeds of change with creation of thistle-based eco-friendly material The thistle is a plant native to the western and central Mediterranean region, where it was domesticated in ancient times. In an impressive demonstration of innovation, KIZIS Studio has created a new ecofriendly material, using the plant as the main substance for the first ever thistle furniture collection. Located between Athens and London, KIZIS undertakes projects across product and furniture design, interiors and architecture. The studio was founded in 2014, to focus on research and materiality. www.kizisstudio.com
Granorte VITA décor elevates cork from its humble origins to a material of true beauty Designed to reproduce the unique patterns and textures found in nature, VITA flooring combines the authenticity and beauty of natural products with the durability of an innovative hardwearing and eco-friendly surface. The new collection of cork flooring is designed with aesthetics firmly in mind and, with stunning surface decors achieved by stateof-the-art digital printing technology, it stands out for its never-seen-before clarity – reaching a resolution of over 1000 dpi and making patterns appear almost life like. www.granorte.pt
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Upfront
Desert Island Desks
With qualifications as both an architect and a nurse, Wendy James specialises in healthcare and wellbeing design at HKS and enjoys the challenges of transforming clinical processes into effective architectural designs.
This American Life
Music
Without hesitation, the first item I would pack would be my music collection. I cannot and will not live without it. Maybe I’ll finally cough up for a music streaming subscription since I assume there will be no record shops on this island. Does Amazon deliver there?
All of it. I refuse to believe there’s a better radio show out there. A friend introduced me to it four years ago and I’ve now finally listened to every archived episode. It’s been going since 1995 and is some of the best, most captivating radio journalism going. Any fears I’d have regarding surviving on a desert island would instantly disappear once the calming narration of Ira Glass kicked in.
Books
I was never much of a reader – ‘I can read, but I choose not to’, was something I’d say. After all, why read when you can listen to music? Or do pilates? Or put salt in your eye? One of the great things about This American Life is that it introduced me to a slew of great authors – David Sedaris being the first and my favourite. Now I’ve always got at least one book on the go.
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Phone
I’ll need something with which to play my music (and place my Amazon orders), so I might as well bring my phone along. There’s power and a WiFi signal, right? I was a late adopter of the smartphone, having only ditched my 10year old Sony Ericsson last year – and now I’d rather not go back to life without it.
Tel 01925 850500 Email info@sixteen3.co.uk
Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket
An iconic Canadian design. I had wanted one of these wool blankets for years and when I left Canada for the UK, my incredibly generous former colleagues all pitched in and got me one as a leaving gift. I treasure it. It will keep me warm on the cold island nights by the campfire.
First Aid Kit (not the band)
Complete with sunscreen and broad spectrum of antibiotics. My years spent working as an emergency room nurse have made me realise the Boy Scouts were onto something – always be prepared.
Burberry Trench Coat
I’ve always wanted one – and if this is my opportunity to finally get one, free of charge, virtual or not, I’m taking it. The Sandringham in red, please!
London Showroom The Gallery, 21-22 Great Sutton St. EC1V 0DY / Manufacture/Showroom Chesford Grange, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4RQ
www.sixteen3.co.uk
Upfront
“We divided (the school) into separate zones, each with its own function. The first is the busiest, behind that is a zone with murmuring background noise, and the last is a quiet zone. This transition from loud to quiet gives students flexibility, with multiple types of working spaces to choose from.� Ernest Pieters of Rienks Architects about the modernised campus of Avans University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.
Create your own positive space with Interface - find out more at interface.com/positivespaces. 28
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The Big Question
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Harbour range mimics the trademark calm, muted tones of chic Scandinavian style, creating textures that add depth to any aesthetic. Harbour encapsulates the rustic appearance of sea-weathered rocks, comprising glazed ceramic wall tiles in three colourways. johnson-tiles.com 30
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THE BIG UESTION
HELEN BARLOW, HARRISON INCE ARCHITECTS
Wh a t i s t h e m o st t a l k e d a b o u t t re n d yo u h e a r fro m yo u r c l i e nts?
MADELYN HANKINS, STEELCASE
TOM MILES, LUCTRA
The most interesting discussions I have are those about the integration of technology in space and how it can greatly impact the way people work. While this has been talked about for several years now, previously it would result with ‘trendy’ environments that actually didn’t get used much and meeting rooms equipped with expensive technology that people didn’t understand how to use. That is changing and will continue to develop at significant pace.
The shift towards agile workspaces is undeniable. We’re seeing a huge change in workplace design towards a more flexible and mobile environment, with a growing trend towards having USB-powered workstations and accessories.
KATHRYN MITCHELL, INTRINSIC
MARK SIMPSON, BDP
LUISA BATTAGLIA, SCAB DESIGN
Every client has a different set of requirements and priorities for their business and people. At the heart of it all, all our clients are truly recognising the importance of their workplace environment as a motivator for high performing happy people. For them it’s a stage of flexible interventions that balance team collaboration and places to think, with a focus on wellbeing and experience that reflect business culture / values.
What are the implications of AI? Will we all be replaced by robots? Will our friends be electric? IoT will become ubiquitous and have a big influence on the way workplaces operate. Buildings will be smarter and as they and systems such as Li-Fi become more widespread, occupiers and visitors will benefit from new ways to connect and communicate with them and each other. Whatever technology provides us with, care must however be taken to allow a degree of individual control – it must be human.
It is hard to find a common trend. Just to pick one, I’d say the request for products made of mixed materials. Our company has always been considered a landmark in highquality technopolymer production, but we decided to add polycarbonate, wood, steel, aluminium, leather and fabrics.
Wellbeing in the workplace is high on the agenda at the moment – whether that be an emphasis on adjustable seating and sit/ stand desking, the provision of flexible work spaces, the introduction of office greenery or an increase in the importance of breakout space. The design of today’s workplace is being influenced by the need for employers to provide a comfortable yet productive environment that blurs the line between the home and the office.
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of trends The easy thing for us to do with this Spotlight would be to produce a straightforward list of workplace trends. We don’t like things to be that simple though. So, we’ve asked a host of industry friends to help us compile the most comprehensive A-Z we’ve ever attempted. BTW, A-Z lists are bang on trend!
most significant trend, which will arguably help us prosper during this uncertain economic period, is for a better working environment for staff – something that we at Mix have characterised as the Workplace Revolution. If you read Mix regularly you will see how the leaders of some of the more enlightened and capable businesses have transformed their workplaces, with the
A trend is something that potentially does not exist in the current mainstream but can be a source of enlightenment and inspiration when considering the future. What the following pages do not cover is what is ‘trendy’. Unlike a trend, trendy denotes something that has a very short lifecycle, often has no basis of quality and, worse still, is loved by the masses. Think ponchos and those ridiculous baggy trousers that boys wore, which made them look as though they had a number two in their pants!
It has taken time to observe and then truly understand how technology can enhance the way people work as opposed to being an end in itself.
20% of UK jobs are expected to be automated by the mid-2030’s. That’s 10 million people. However history also records that changes in technology can result in more jobs being created than destroyed.’
Madelyn Hankins, Director, Steelcase
key objective of keeping and recruiting the best staff to enable them to be successful. The exciting part of this revolution is that we are only at the tip of the commercial workplace iceberg. We live and breathe great workplaces but the majority of business leaders currently don’t. What we are seeing on an almost daily basis is that
Mark Simpson, BDP
Trends are a vital part of our industry and that is why we have given it our full Spotlight report to them this month. The
we have moved past the ‘Google’ factor (don’t get us wrong, we’re not having a dig at Google here - it has certainly worked for them) and, rather than just looking at providing the latest fads, organisations are using the best of design to achieve workplace objectives. The second and most exciting trend is what we are starting to see the in the public sector. Recent announcements about the HMRC and Ministry of Justice are exciting because their stated desire is that they want workplaces to be ‘more like the private sector’. As tax payers, we should embrace this because the net result should mean increased productivity. This year’s A-Z has been created with the help of a broad range of opinions right across the Property Food Chain (PFC). Thank you to everyone for their enlightened contributions. 22
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True, honest, original, genuine. Authenticity in design responds to the client, the location and the type of building. It is not borrowed or stolen. It is not a generic somewhere or a someone. It is specific, it is a place and a company. It is an intent and a statement. Too many projects are borrowing heavily to the point of stealing the design aesthetic from other organisations until we are left with this banal meaningless ‘Shoreditchification’, using subway tiles, exposed ceilings, old lamps and fake bricks. We are excited about exploring a new modern timeless aesthetic that reflects our clients and responds to their specific brand, culture and working habits, that develop bold, new, innovative design, that is place and company specific – that is authentic. Matthew Kobylar, Director of Interiors and Workplace Strategy, Arney Fender Katsalidis
Diversity
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Botanicals Combining shades of green, aquatic colours and natural aesthetics, the botanical trend has become one of the year’s most popular styles. Whether you prefer understated chic, eclectic or vintage-inspired, the trend’s palette consists of organic and versatile shades that can be combined to create fresh and exciting décor. If going down the greenery route is too great a commitment, why not just incorporate some elements? Wood-inspired surfaces in porcelain or ceramic are an effective and more eco-friendly alternative to natural materials and, thanks to advances in technology, the look can be achieved seamlessly. Darren Clanford, Creative Director, Johnson Tiles
Co-working is a working style that involves a shared office environment and shared economy. Co-working allows users to have the freedom of a freelancer, the amenities of a real office, whilst having the social atmosphere and sense of a community. Co-working spaces are often open plan with mini-hubs that allow maximum communication and collaboration between users. As the Millennials, Gen X and Gen Z enter the workplace, the new generations are fuelling the rise in co-working. The boundaries between work and social life are becoming blurred. This has allowed co-working to develop into co-living, where start-ups can rent out bedrooms and share living facilities such as bathrooms, kitchens, common areas and have access to amenities. Co-working and co-living will continue to grow as the cultural shift spreads and the new generations continue to enter the workplace. Nic Pryke, Design Director, Oktra
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Diversity of people means diversity of ideas. Excluding the clear ethical dimension, there is a strong business imperative behind increasing diversity in the workplace. But how do we build companies that are more representative? As with any goal in business, you need to set out a strategy with clearly measurable targets. Achieving these targets will require a broad base from which to draw your potential applicants. Quotas can be a blunt tool, forcing hires that fit neither the applicant nor the company. Instead, advertising across a wide range of sites and platforms will give you a far wider talent pool to draw from. Anonymous application forms can also allow you to skip over any personal information that might be met with unconscious biases. There are also some great networks out there who are working hard to effect real positive gains for diversity in the workplace – AllBright, for example, a collective formed to support female entrepreneurs, brought the ‘FoundHer’ Festival to Manchester this year and with it some stories that are set to inspire and hopefully counter stats that show that male-led start-ups currently outweigh female-led start-ups by 2:1. Nicky Moore, Brand & Marketing Manager, NOMA
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Mi Chair & Reach Table by Cambridge Park
We’ve been doing meeting tables for ages here at Cambridge Park. What we don’t know about designing and making gorgeous tables of all shapes and sizes, frankly isn’t worth knowing. So what we’ve done is taken all that table knowledge and turned it into a fantastic new meeting room chair! Obvious really. It’s available in lots of options, from high-back four star swivel base with adjustable height and auto return, to a medium-back version with a cantilever frame. We also offer an (almost) unlimited choice of upholstery and the ability to powder coat the arms and base. It’s also very comfortable. Which is handy, because it is a chair after all.
Like what you see? Get in touch! By all means, stalk us on the internet first. 01427 677 556
info@newdesigngroup.co.uk
A proud part of:
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As people’s working styles increasingly move from fixed to flexible, it’s no longer just the physical workplace that will attract the best and brightest talent. As the lines between work, home and social life become ever-more blurred, it’s the promise of an unparalleled experience that will ultimately get the best people to sign on the dotted line. From simple things, like access to a decent cup of coffee, through to a hotel-style concierge or spa, it’s about offering a holistic experience. One that starts long before employees reach the office and is embedded in all elements of the collective workplace culture. In a world where people can work anywhere – the local cafe, at the airport, even the nearest park bench – it’s the experience of the environment and how it meets their working needs that will entice people into the office each day. Today, designing the optimal workplace means designing the ultimate experience. Parvinder Marwaha, Design and Communications Director, Hassel
Human Resources
Adobe, London
Flexibility
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There is a continued move to more flexible working; and by flexible, we don’t mean working from home. We mean creating a range of work settings within an office environment that provide spaces to allow for optimum productivity on a particular type of task. Over the past few years there has been a real focus on designing for younger generations and encouraging collaboration. Clients are now refocusing the direction of projects to ensure the design works for all generations, including dedicated work areas, so people do not feel they have to work outside the office to focus quietly. Clients are starting to realise the cost saving advantage of flexible working, due to being able to fit more work settings into a smaller floor area. With the continued advances in technology, we will see this move to more flexible and agile working styles increasing. Colin Wood, Director, Turner & Townsend
We often talk of geometric patterns or designs as a current trend but, on reflection, when hasn’t geometry been a source of fascination and inspiration for us as designers or, indeed, consumers? It’s the meeting point of art and mathematics and the results are mesmerising. Consider a nautilus shell, a cactus, honeycomb structure or snowflakes… nature has been showing us the beauty of geometry since day dot (and we have been paying close attention). Whilst it is inherent in all things structural, both externally and internally, geometry may be considered optional when it comes to the finishing touches of our interior schemes and yet we never seem to tire of its curiously satisfying forms or ordered repetition. Whether it’s in joinery detail, glazing, tile patterns, lighting, wallcoverings, fabrics or accessories, we’re clearly besotted. Nicki Hearne, Associate Interior Designer, 5 Plus Architects
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In the past, those with the job title ‘Human Resources’ were often regarded as the back end of a company, or even more simply ‘the people who dealt with people’. However, as the world of business has changed over recent years, the definition of HR has also taken a significant shift. Those in HR have quickly become a fundamental part of business; particularly in the Design & Build industry. There is now a trend for those in HR to be increasingly involved in the decisionmaking process, often working closely with Managing Directors and Executives. These individuals are likely to have more say on how the business is and should be run, what projects should or shouldn’t be taken on and, of course, who should and shouldn’t be hired. Those who previously had a fairly narrow and prescriptive job role now engage with people across various areas of the once traditional hierarchy of a company. So why does this matter? For a company like ours, within the design industry, it matters because it reveals a pushing of boundaries and encourages a re-shaping of how business is done by implementing a flatter business model. Ultimately, it is a trend that emphasises a new work culture; one that advocates greater transparency and puts everyone at the heart of the business, which allows us to easily create the best spaces for each great client! Natasza Pyzynska, Interior Designer, MDC Group
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Integration Technology is changing the way we interact with the bricks and mortar around us – and it’s here to stay. In an increasingly interconnected world, the integration of people, technology and the built environment will be the defining feature of the future office. Implementation of the right type of technology will enable the development of truly smart cities and a transformational digital ecosystem for smarter and faster decision making. How we integrate this technology is key and requires a new mindset away from the traditional silo approach when designing and delivering buildings. A technology first approach is the natural evolution for the office of the future. Paul Cook, Head of Technology, ISG
Live/Work We talk a lot about live/work in relation to workplaces, trying to make a workplace seem more like a home in an attempt to improve wellbeing and productivity. The live/work mix has been a mainstay of good urban planning for some time. It brings diversity to an area that allows it to be active for more hours – breathing life to an area naturally sparks more life. What we rarely recognise is that the same benefits are available in other typologies. Opportunities for culture-led regeneration exist in many regional UK towns and cities, particularly in areas of low cultural provision and investment, where grass-roots arts organisations are emerging and offering new models of engagement with artists and audiences. There is now a growing understanding of the long-term benefits from mixing living with working; cultural investments and live/ work cycles engage communities, raise expectations and encourage further funding and urban development. Ben Hopkins, Architect, Bennetts Associates
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Journey They say the journey is greater than the destination. It represents transient time for contemplation and affords people the opportunity to interact with others and objects. This happens in our cities as we use our commutes as thinking space, buy a spontaneous soya latte or encounter an acquaintance en-route to the office. But none of this is coincidence as it is all part of a highly complex and intricate system that creates potential out of opportunity. Our work environments are not dissimilar in that they are full of micro-commutes between desks, tea-points, meeting spaces, yoga rooms and many other inbound destinations, creating a city-like system within a building where our lifts are our equivalent of tube lines. So, as our activity-based environments mature and we start drinking charcoal latte, our future focus will be on the in-between spaces, the circulation and micro-commutes – and how we can activate these to create potential out of opportunity. Jordan Jones, Design Strategist, HLW K
Knowledge Although the view of the past sits in our rear-view mirror, it is never static. New knowledge that we gain every day helps us makes sense of it and informs our future view. If our understanding of the past continues to change, then you won’t be surprised that the shape and the nature of our future is changing even quicker, shaped by many more factors than just our own understanding. With all this change comes an opportunity to shape and challenge an industry on the move even further. Central to such change is a level of greater transparency, which we find ourselves handling daily, leading to a greater knowledge (as well as misunderstanding), as well as holding corporate to account. To some extent, we are starting to see such change in some companies, who are starting to see that their brands have importance beyond their shareholder value – meaning all elements of the chain in the supply and building process need to have a greater awareness (knowledge) of the component and the impact that they may create. Issues such as the Modern Slavery Act have made some companies stop and pause – and ask whether they know where all the components of a building come from. Martin Townsend, BRE Director of Sustainability, BRE Global
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Material Combinations Our natural human desire to create something new out of the old has led to a growing trend for unusual material combinations – taking traditional matter (metals, stone, wood, textiles etc) and mixing it up to create subtle variations of tone and texture. This has translated into the flooring sector too, where we are seeing the emergence of soft natural textiles combined with industrial, man-made materials. Neutral tones are enlivened with subtle hints of gold, silver, pearl and bronze metallic shades to create interior spaces with added depth. Designers are experimenting with soft, handmade textiles combined with smooth wood surfaces or raw concrete and stone. Marloes Jongen, Textile Designer, DESSO
D AVISON H IGHLEY Network Imagine if knowledge travelled around your organisation as quickly as a salacious rumour can. Not much in the way of fresh thinking, original ideas or inspiration is generated in formal meetings. The good stuff is more often generated informally and spontaneously through networks; networks formed by relationships of trust and familiarity. At work we all naturally develop networks of colleagues who we go to for a chat and information exchange; some for personal matters, others for professional advice. As organisations strive to compete, they must nurture networks of trust by encouraging the face-to-face contact that enables people to increase their access to a human web of social and expert experience. Increased speed to market, faster decision-making time and improved productivity are outputs of healthy networks. Oliver Roland, Sales & Marketing Director, Boss Design N
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S KYLON S OFA Office Does an individual really need a private office? Is it just a place to adorn with trophies and pictures, a meeting room, a private storeroom or a status symbol? If you don’t really need an office, don’t waste space that more than one person could benefit from. All week your staff looks at the empty room, wishing there were more spaces available for meeting, collaborating or getting away from the craziness of the open plan. Break down the barriers, be one of the people! You can do it. Sharing is caring. Colin Owen, Creative Director, Maris Interiors
Davison Highley London, Lower Ground Floor, The Old Brewery, 16 Brewhouse Yard, Clerkenwell, London, EC1V 4LJ
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Spotlight - A-Z of Trends
Progression The first offices emerged in the 1800’s for merchants and government officials. Today, 50% of people work in an office. Organisations today focus primarily on progress, growth and innovation. They continue to invest in open plan offices, to foster collaborative work and shared learning – the UK has twice the number of open offices and twice the number of nomadic workers as the rest of the world. Today, companies prioritise wellbeing to engage and attract more skilled workers. The UK sets the trend in providing more relaxation and private spaces than anywhere else. The next challenge is how offices incorporate the needs for a variety of spaces, employee wellbeing, developments in technology, and an increased need for creative work, into dense spaces. The disappearing hierarchical executive offices, combined with more open spaces, are what make network-based workplaces with flat hierarchies possible. Serena Borghero, EMEA Research Communications, Steelcase
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Quantity is a vital aspect to be considered when designing workplaces. The recent trend of open office layouts has gained immense popularity as it helps co-workers bond and is of course greatly space-saving. However, it needs to be seen just how many people can really work together in a large open space as they can be noisy and sometimes chaotic. An open office should ideally be limited to a small team of co-workers who need to constantly collaborate or connect with each other throughout their working hours. This arrangement enables them to share important information without having to wander around colleagues’ desks. This also works in favour of the team leader or supervisor as no one needs to be tracked down and they can hold team briefings without having to move to a designated meeting room. The key to a successful open office plan is to keep the number restricted and have smaller zones carved out for various teams rather than having the whole department seated on an open floor plate. Shami Goregaoker, Design Director, GA Design
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Automotive
Healthcare
Marine
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Creating agile floorplates that provide users with endless options on how and where they work has become our bread and butter as designers. We do so to deliver environments that are harmonious to its occupants and which encourage a happier, healthier, more engaged and productive workforce. While task specific areas are crucial to a successful commercial interior, we mustn’t forget the importance of designated spaces for employees to escape from their daily grind without judgment. This isn’t your typical ‘breakout’ space, which accommodates the masses, it’s far more personal and altogether private areas where staff can close off from external sources, be themselves and freely respond to the challenges they are facing that day. Employees can’t sustain the high levels of productivity expected of them without the opportunity to spend a small portion of time zoning out, relaxing and recharging. As trusted advisors to countless businesses, we should be championing private recharge spaces and illustrating how they contribute to a more sustainably productive workplace, which outwardly protects its talent. For some companies this is becoming a requirement and manufacturers are beginning to take note. Simon Millington, Director, Incognito
Smart Lighting It’s no secret that both dim and harsh lighting cause poor productivity within the workplace, but by getting smarter with lighting, providing indirect ‘daylight’, dimmable sources, as well as LED task lights, workplace providers are seeing improvements in energy consumption and employee mood. But there is also a big push on creating the brand’s social atmosphere with the use of energy efficient decorative lighting sources. These can create common areas, hallways, breakout spaces and cafes with ambience within the workplace. Katie Fulhrer, Enigma Lighting
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Terrazzo Terrazzo is a centuries old technique where marble off-cuts are bonded by cement, ground down and polished smooth. Originally created as a low-cost, hard-wearing surfaces by Venetian construction workers to cover the terraces in their homes, it was later used in high traffic areas such as supermarket floors due to its superb durability. It is now experiencing a revival as a luxury material, no longer limited to walls or floors; the technique has been championed by designers for use in homeware and furniture thanks to its endless potential to create bespoke patterns and colour combinations. Samuel Pettersen, Designer, Orangebox
Spotlight - A-Z of Trends
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Hyundai Capital’s new HQ in Surrey encourages collaboration and socialisation
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Wellness User Experience User experiences are becoming a point of differentiation and play a role in not only attracting, retaining and engaging talent, but ultimately impact on productivity and innovation too. With a younger demographic entering the workplace, the expectation for spaces that tell a purposeful story, show authenticity and create wonderment, will become greater. The foundation for the next intelligent workplace will progress towards immersive, tailored experiences. The increased focus on user engagement and experience, across all platforms and spaces, has presented new design opportunities. You will see more and more firms looking to embed innovation hubs, wellness amenities, incubation labs and interaction spaces, helping develop greater engagement. The most memorable experiences are often those that feel completely novel or offer unique or unexpected qualities that surprise and delight – so workplaces will have to work harder to create a distinct experience, which stimulate and excite the human senses on a variety of levels to deepen emotional connections and create lasting memories. Philippe Paré, Principal and Design Director, Gensler
Virtual Reality Virtual Reality (VR) is back for the future and coming to a workplace near you! Prepare for VR to take the collaborative environment, training, marketing, document management and data visualisation to the next level. Since 2012 the number of VR companies has grown by 250%. Facebook acquired VR company Oculus for $2 billion in 2014. It’s serious. By 2020, Millennials will make up 50% of the workforce and Generation Z will have entered employment. The M’s & Z’s are techsavvy, actively seek digital innovation and are influenced by workplace facilities, capabilities and environments. Some tech-progressive corporates have started offering VR experiences to enable prospective employees to virtually experience their new workspace. With the decline in demand for the trading desk and an increase in requirements for open plan offices, such as the need for privacy, we predict VR will be a new influencer in the workstation of the future. Caroline Pearce-Browne, Director, Reps
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Workplace wellness revolves around promoting and enabling the wellbeing and health of employees. It can easily be encouraged by good office design and company culture. Sound complicated? Get inspired with the suggestions below: 1. Promote health and fitness: This could include offering showers for those cycling into work, an office gym or even something as simple as fresh fruit. 2. Socialising: Enable collaborative work through ad-hoc meeting rooms or breakout spaces. Equally, social events should be a part of your work calendar – these help to create a sense of reward, which stimulates motivation. 3. Encourage openness: Open up the lines of communication to managers and be empathetic about different issues, such as interpersonal conflict and mental health. These examples are likely to result in healthier and happier employees – and that means greater productivity too. With this in mind, it’s clear to see how workplace wellness can benefit individuals and businesses alike. Interaction, Workplace Design & Build experts
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
FURNITURE FOR ACTIVE LEARNING
Introducing Ruckus. Shaking up learning spaces. Move with the chair, move within the chair. Ruckus lets you decide. A chair unlike any other in the world, created especially for maker-centred & project based learning. Experience Ruckus at our London HQ. New Fetter Place, 8-10 New Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1AZ www.kieurope.com/ruckus | education@kieurope.com | 020 7405 7082 43
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
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Spotlight - A-Z of Trends
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Kelvinhaugh student accommodation, Glasgow, by KKA Interiors
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Yulio is a Mobile VR platform, built from the ground up to be simple to use, for both designers and clients
Emotional DetoX A balance at work is vital. We’ve all heard of the benefits of a digital detox or doing a nutritional cleanse, but what about an Emotional Detox? When we hold a grudge or fume throughout the night over a colleague’s (perceived) litany of misdeeds, we engage in emotional warfare. We become increasingly upset, our thinking becomes clouded and, often, we plot spiteful response. The longer we dwell within this emotional battlefield, the greater the toxicity. We have a right to act and respond skilfully. We are not responsible for another person’s actions. Centre and realign to your True North – your Optimal Blueprint. Three steps for an emotional detox: 1. Breathe deeply for seven breaths. Linger on each, exhale and savour the moment of silence between in-breath and outbreath. 2. Zoom out to gain a bigger perspective. Envision your mind as vast as the sky or a landscape panorama within a telephoto view. 3. ‘Pure Mind, Warm Heart. May my thoughts, words and actions be a blessing to my world.’ Tune in to an inner listening, then repeat this mantra, from the inside out, 5x or more. Karuna Detox team
Generation Z Yulio Technologies For those working in design, communicating a vision to clients is commonly one of the biggest challenges. Spatial visualisation is difficult…and clients say ‘I’m not seeing it’ a lot. Using current tools, like images and models, can result in unproductive feedback from clients as they don’t understand what they’re looking at. VR is the next evolution in communication and collaboration for design. Effective VR solutions should work efficiently with an existing workflow and be easy to integrate into the ways you currently author, present and share designs. With a simple process that creates VR from assets you already have, you can have immersive pitches, productive design presentations – and even a full VR portfolio in your pocket in minutes. VR has moved beyond novelty and is now a practical, everyday business tool that helps communicate things faster and more clearly. It gives clients greater confidence and speeds up their decision making. Robert Kendal, Founder & MD, Yulio
According to Chloe Combi, author of the book Generation Z, this group is defined as those born between 1995 and 2001. Born four years after the invention of the internet, Generation Z have been absorbed by and surrounded with technology in their home, school and social lives literally all of their lives; there has never been a more hyper techsavvy generation. And also, significantly, they have experienced uncertainty all their lives: recession, war and social unrest at home and across the globe. ‘They have an instinctive understanding of technology, which the brightest among them is applying to the big issues of our times: healthcare, energy, education,’ Combi says. ‘These kids will create new jobs and industry.’ This generation has just begun entering the workplace and it is felt will push for greater work/life balance and increased workplace flexibility. A recent report by Forbes concluded: ‘Generation Z’s will continue to put pressures on companies to transform the office, reward employees, and align the companies’ interests with a cause.’ Alison Kitchingman, Director of Marketing & Design, Milliken
TREND OR FOE –
What’s here to stay and what’s flash in the pan?
LOUISE GRIMES, AEW Louise is an Associate for AEW Architects, delivering extremely fast pace roll-out programmes for global brands. As a chartered interior designer and architectural technologist, she is uniquely placed in any design team, offering creative flair with technical delivery. Experienced in commercial, hospitality, media and retail sectors, she takes pride in interpreting client operational requirements, end user needs and customer experience. Louise always has a keen eye on new trends and innovation in creating inspiring environments.
BEN HOROBIN, BOWMAN RILEY Ben heads up the interior design department for Bowman Riley Architects. He is a creative and credible designer with a keen eye for emerging trends. Having worked across a variety of sectors, he has a great understanding of what works and where. Working predominantly in the commercial office, hotels and leisure sectors, Ben believes good design is knowing what not to put into a space, as well as what should.
HOWARD POWSNEY, SPACEINVADER Howard has a keen interest in workplace consultancy, assisting clients that are looking to implement transformational changes to the way they utilise their working environment. As an Associate Director, Howard still passionately contributes to the creative process, working closely with his workplace design team in developing projects from brief through to implementation. Howard’s curiosity constantly keeps his attention at the forefront of workplace trends and developments.
LEIGH DIMELOW, TP BENNETT As a Principal Director with 19 years and over 2 million sq ft of high-end office experience behind him, Leigh now manages a team of 15 in Manchester and has sourced and designed some of the city’s most recent and significant workspaces. His projects include DLA Piper’s workplace interiors in both Manchester and Liverpool, and Freshfields Global Centre in Manchester at One New Bailey, as well as Bruntwood’s own offices in York House and Trafford House.
STEPHEN FROOD, GARDINER & THEOBALD Stephen is a Partner at Gardiner & Theobald in Manchester and leads the office’s Quantity Surveying team. He is also the Chairman of the Northern Region of The British Council for Offices, which is an organisation that sets the standards for the design and specification of new build offices and office fit-out projects. Stephen has worked in Manchester and the North West for over 20 years and has been involved in many of the region’s leading projects in recent times.
SIMON RAMSDEN, HILSON MORAN Simon tells us he loves the variety of our industry – ‘One minute you design detailed engineering services for a data centre, next minute it’s an energy master plan’. Simon has extensive experience of both the contracting and consultancy sides of the industry. He manages Hilson Moran’s Manchester office with its broad range of sectors and services. ‘My aim is for our engineers to think creatively, be pro-active, and contribute to the design team,’ he says.
JAYNE CRAMPTON WALKER, TSK Jayne is a Lead Designer at TSK and is responsible for creating intuitive and truly bespoke interiors with the clients’ culture, people and vision at the heart. She believes that the space we occupy can have a positive impact on our psyche and wellbeing – and is therefore passionate about designs that leverage on this to create phenomenal workplaces that support people and, ultimately, act as an enabler for increased performance.
KATHRYN MITCHELL, INTRINSIC Kathryn specialises in workplace design and furniture. The love of her trade has spanned 15 years both within practice and on the client side. She set up intrinsic in Manchester four years ago, following her time as design manager at the Co-op, where she delivered 1 Angel Square. A true believer of ‘form follows function’, but with a twist, she enjoys creating workplace environments with the team that are purposeful, creative and have people at their heart.
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As you will now be all too aware, we have focused our attention on the often less than scientific world of trends in the workplace throughout this issue. For our latest Round Table we continue the theme by gathering a panel of workplace experts from across the North West at Hilson Moran’s fantastic workspace in the Neo building Manchester. The aim was to explore which trends are currently being readily adopted by clients, which we are likely to see as commonplace over the next couple of years and which will only be remembered as ‘what were we thinking’. Here is a flavour of what was an enlightening and entertaining session. We begin by asking our panel, which key trends are end user clients talking about right now? LEIGH: More stuff in less space. With what is going on with the global economy, people are looking at their property portfolios and seeing if they can squeeze it here and there – and even looking at relocating to other cities, as we have found with the likes of Freshfields moving into Manchester. We are also seeing people looking at different ways to do things, to work their spaces. STEPHEN: There is definitely a shift to people looking for space in or around big cities. If you take Manchester, a lot of end users who might traditionally have gone out to business parks in Warrington or airport cities, are now looking for spaces on the outskirts of Manchester – just look at Freshfields, Gazprom and Auto Trader. They have a very young workforce and one of the things that I think is driving this is that these people are living in the city and therefore want to work in the city. A lot of this is not necessarily right in the centre of the city – that is still corporate ground. Generally, these offices are probably a little more expensive than being right out of town – so you have to be very efficient in terms of flexible design. LOUISE: They are definitely using the spaces in a different way. There are less desks with more people – because people are not necessarily office based or they are now using different work settings. u
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L - R front: Howard, Louise, Simon, Jayne, Kathryn, John, Leigh, Stephen, Paul L - R back: John, Stephen, Leigh, Paul
HOWARD: The important factor is whether this is driven by the fact that they want to sweat their assets and keep the real estate costs down or is it that they want to provide a better space for their staff? I’d say it’s a little bit of both.
LOUISE: There is definitely a move towards shared facilities – towards business lounges and event suites. If you look at a building like this one, there are more event spaces, collaboration areas and meeting points – and therefore less space devoted to desks.
JAYNE: It’s about attracting the right people – the Generation Y’s and Z’s. They know that the way to attract these people is to move to an awesome building that’s easily accessible – and then sweating the asset internally. The youngsters don’t expect large footprint desks, they don’t have a need for masses of space – they have a desire for smaller, unique spaces. The desk will not die – there is still a fundamental need for a piece of wood to stop your laptop from hitting the floor. But how that looks definitely has changed. There’s certainly a desire for more agility and freedom.
So does our panel see agility as a solution to the issue of consolidation of real estate – or is it much more?
What we’re talking about is providing different platforms for people to work at rather than assuming their just going to do a pin drop of where they’re going to sit
PAUL EDWARDS, STAVERTON: A desk is owned and a table is shared – and the move is towards the table.
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HOWARD: It depends what the perception of agile is. JAYNE: The response from the client is often funny on that one. HOWARD: What we’re talking about is providing different platforms for people to work at rather than assuming they’re just going to do a pin drop of where they’re going to sit. It’s a scalable factor that makes this work. When you get occupation ratios that companies generally work to, they only come into their fore if you’re looking at +500, 600, 700 people. It tends to mean
nothing if you’re only looking at, say, 200 people. People throw around the word ‘agile’ and it doesn’t really apply to that many organisations. STEPHEN: We did a study recently for a client where they had seven floors of working – and we were able to reduce that down by two and a half floors just by implementing different ways of working. We’re talking about huge floorplates and hundreds and hundreds of staff, so what we’re saying here is right – this works massively when it’s done on the right scale. KATHRYN: One thing that is huge here is the engagement aspect – getting people on board. As soon as you start talking about reducing desks, people tend to get a bit panicky. They don’t know what that really means. It’s all well and good setting off on a project and instilling all these principles, but, with the best will in the world, the client has other ideas an demands on the business – and will often go back to the tried and tested.
BEN: At the end of the day, the client wants the best looking result to attract the best people because competition out there is getting fiercer and fiercer. People are starting to expect it when they go searching for a job. That’s absolutely true. Seeing as we’re sat in Hilson Moran’s relatively new (and incredibly impressive) space here at Neo, we ask Simon about this not inconsiderable investment. SIMON: We wanted a space that was good for people to work in, that was comfortable. We do have a recruitment problem in this industry and if you can retain staff and attract staff it makes a huge difference. The costs of re-employing staff and taking new people on is way in excess of the costs of providing a new environment. When we talk about squeezing people in and getting everything smaller and about ratios of desks, there has got to be a point where you say, ‘Have we saved any money – or is this going to cost us money because of turnover?’ if I interview somebody for a job here, u
We do have a recruitment problem in this industry and if you can retain staff and attract staff it makes a huge difference IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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when they walk in through the door they are already half sold. BEN: It then starts to come down to the word on the street – your staff members will be talking about it, saying, ‘You need to come and see our offices’. That’s a great asset. JAYNE: Sometimes that can have a detrimental effect because you start to factor in expected growth. We had this with a client in Manchester – they were one of the first to take the leap to agility, collaboration spaces and complete transparency across their floorplates – and they set out with an expected growth over 3-5 years, and the relocation and new style has actually had a detrimental impact on them because everybody now wants to work in that office! We’ve just had to fit-out another 15,000 sq ft for them – and they said to us that they wanted us to take out some of the ‘good stuff’ to put in more desks. Their kneejerk reaction was to take out a lot of the things that we’d spent a year getting right for them. STEPHEN: I still think there are a lot of big corporates out there – large American firms and even the Government – who are relocating a lot of people out of London and who are still driven by density, getting as many people and desks into a space as they can. They think it’s smart to put these
I thought we’d spend much more time sat or stood at communal tables but in reality we all sit at the screens
occupation densities into the design of a space. SIMON: We’ve also got to bear in mind that we now have so many variations of client out there. In a professional industry your staff costs will be way up – whereas in a call centre, for example, you’ll automatically find a big turnover of staff. Now, if you can reduce that… One of the main things that we’ve found here is that you have to have a great facility on the desks – so people actually want to sit at those desks because of the two large screens, docking stations and the comfortable chair etc. In terms of agile working, I thought we’d spend much more time sat or stood at communal tables but in reality we all sit at the screens. We sit in different places every day and we do move around – and that certainly makes for better communication. We keep coming back to the subject of desks, so we ask our sponsors – Staverton – to give us their take on how the latest workplace trends are informing their offering. PAUL: One of the things we’ve noticed is the increase in the use of dual-screens – and that ownership has started coming back. Whether that be an individual desk or a bench system, people tend to go back to their favourite space with a dual-screen. One of the challenges we’ve been set was to create an ‘agile’ mobile solution so that the desk was suddenly owned again, with
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all its equipment. This tends to come from companies who have quite a heavy use of IT – design-led businesses – who wanted to be able to move teams around and have really flexible space, but how do you do that with all their equipment? So we ended up turning our sit/stand desk into something that was mobile to solve that problem – it’s a plug and play approach. You move your desk and you regroup each day. HOWARD: The desk has changed so much over the years, certainly from the whole huge L-shaped system. PAUL EDWARDS, STAVERTON: At £3,500 a pop! HOWARD: I remember, back when I started with Sheppard Robson, you’d have this huge monitor in the centre, almost like a Lazy Susan. Of course, the miniaturisation of technology has led to a massive reduction in the size of individual desk footprints. But are clients moving at the same rate? LOUISE: We’ve been doing some work with a public sector client recently and they almost hold these guidelines like a bible – they have to work to a particular density of so many desks per space – but surely the whole make up of the space changes depending on what their people want. HOWARD: It’s almost impossible to work out genuine occupancy rates nowadays because of all the alternative settings you’re building into a scheme. It can be really misleading. LEIGH: This in itself delivers massive problems from a wider architectural
perspective. Buildings are designed with a particular density in mind and then clients come in and say, ‘We want this many desks – and we also want some breakout booths, collaboration tables etc’. Before you know it, you’ve got the potential for 300 people on a floor that is only designed, from a fresh air and a toilet perspective, for 140! JAYNE: We know what we have to achieve from a compliance perspective but the capacity is so much more. I think, at points, architects have to start taking this into consideration. ‘X’ amount of square foot does not necessarily mean a density of however many desks. KATHRYN: I think a lot of this is down to the policies of an organisation. What if everybody comes in at once? We know this will probably never happen, but you might have a peak on a Monday and a dip on a Friday and it’s down to that organisation to encourage the staff to even that out through the week. JAYNE: That again comes down to staff engagement.
CONCLUSION: Agility, wellbeing, collaboration, attraction and retention, interaction and staff engagement are all currently in the minds of designers and end users alike. Each of these practices must be implemented with caution and after careful consideration and consultation – there appears to be as many tales of woe as there are success stories when it comes to changing an organisation’s working practices. Out-trending all of the above, however, seems to be rationalisation and concentration of real estate. Therefore, designers must continue to be smart, while all is not lost for the forward-thinking furniture companies. l
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Case Study - Adobe
Essentials xx xx
Photography: Jonathan Banks
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Adobe
Abode Essentials Client Adobe Interior Design Gensler Main Contractor COMO M&E Consultant Hoare Lea Project Manager Turner & Townsend Freespace Technology Workplace FABRIC Furniture Supply The Furniture Practice Workstations / Task Seating Herman Miller Work Booths Spacestor Soft Seating BuzziSpace Woven Vinyl Flooring Bolon Rug Flooring Clerkenwell Rug Studio Flooring Milliken Movable Partitions Skyfold
The Adobe ‘Cloud’ zone is a place for informal meetings and includes comfortable modular sofas for staff to put their feet up.
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It was at a Mix Round Table, earlier this year, that we first heard about the prospective new Adobe workplace through Cushman & Wakefield’s Giles Flaxton – who looks after the operational facilities management for Adobe’s European offices. When the Mix team shared notes, we realised that we had each underlined ‘Adobe’ and had written ‘case study?’ next to it. Either Giles had sold the project to us quite brilliantly or it really was going to be one of the projects of the year. It turns out that it was both. US software giant Adobe – the company that brought us Photoshop and Acrobat Reader (to name but two) – employs 600 staff in the UK and its new working home, located on the 7th, 8th, and 13th floors of the White Collar Factory on Old Street’s ‘Silicon Roundabout’, will be used as the company’s main London hub. We head up to the 8th floor, where we meet with Adobe Site Operations Manager, Mark Bell, who can tell us more about the project and, indeed, Adobe’s hopes and aspirations for the space. ‘It’s gone really well, we’ve been embedded now for a good three months and everything we’ve designed is being used in the way we wanted it to,’ Mark enthuses. ‘We have really set the space up as three different areas over three floors. Floors seven and eight are linked by an internal staircase, while floor 13 came on quite late in the design process. We acquired another business during the fit-out and so we took another floor to be able to accommodate their office, which then gave us the space on the 13th floor to dedicate roughly a quarter of that floorplate to a Customer Experience Centre. u
Case Study - Adobe
Mini teapoints and cosy booth seating allow for alternative work settings
‘What we’ve tried to do is to create destinations on each of the floors. Level 13 is more of a client facing business and executive floor. Level 8 is more service orientated, with main reception and our IT helpdesk. Then Level 7 is a lot more social – we have table tennis and video games and all those cool things you’d expect of a Shoreditch tech company! ‘Depending on what experience you want or need, you have to have that cross-pollination between the floors – we really wanted to encourage movement throughout the space. So, if you’re sat on 13 for the majority of the week, you should at some stage have a need to go down to the other floors, to integrate and mix with other colleagues you typically wouldn’t speak with on a day-to-day basis. ‘With the way the real estate market is in London right now, it was a real challenge for us to find a building that was the right size for us, in the right location. That was what really forced the internal staircase – to have that connectivity between the floorplates. ‘We have designed the space to be pretty much completely open plan – there’s not one office across the three floors. We’ve tailored the walkways so that they ‘protect’ each of the neighbourhoods and people don’t have to pass through desks to get to where they need to get to. A lot of thought process went into that flow and how we can navigate through the space without disrupting too much. ‘We have an anchored department in each neighbourhood. Every desk is u
Lounge areas are dotted throughout the open plan workspace
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Case Study
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Case Study
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Case Study - Adobe
A striking red staircase constructed from perforated metal mesh allows the staff to easily connect across floors
height adjustable and everyone has exactly the same desk – there is no hierarchy, if you’re a Director it doesn’t mean you have extra space. Some departments are fixed and others are completely agile, so people come in and look on the digital floorplans we’ve introduced to see where there is available space. This is the first Adobe office to pioneer this. It’s a really good way for us to manage the space and to identify where there is free space within the office. We actually have sensors under the desks – but these aren’t occupancy sensors or tracking devices, they are there to identify whether or not a space is free. We have what we call first, second and third spaces and we have these in each – in workstation areas, in conference areas and in open collaboration areas. This way, you don’t need to have a oneto-one meeting in a conference space. ‘Every single conference room has video conferencing capabilities and each neighbourhood has small and medium conferencing rooms, together with video booths, to host team meetings and one-onone meetings. Then we have creative third spaces – interactive social spaces with lounge seating and booths. We worked quite hard to have these spaces – where people can have creative collisions and where the teapoints are – at the centre of the space, away from the windows. We really wanted to encourage those
accidental meetings here, in the middle, while it also means that we’ve given all the windows and the views to the staff. ‘Actually, one of the most interesting things we have found – and one of the most popular here – are the open, collaborative meeting areas, which have white or blackboards and are heavily used. The fact that they are right next door to the tea and coffee points might help!’ The new Adobe home boasts cuttingedge connectivity and technology, of course, alongside bright and open areas where teams can meet and work together, as well as quieter spaces for individual work. ‘I think, in this location – Silicon Roundabout – this is a real opportunity for us to have a showcase office in the heart of London and we really wanted to make sure that, as people walk through, there was a technology presence there,’ Mark considers. ‘Hopefully, people come here with a high expectation of Adobe – and leave with a higher expectation of the business. ‘It’s quite hard within the tech business right now. Things such as video conferencing, free coffee and drinks are just table stakes. We’ve actually put in technology solutions that give something back to this u
Hopefully, people come here with a high expectation of Adobe – and leave with a higher expectation of the business
In Short Leading computer software company based in California Net worth approx £64.4 bn Founded in 1982 and now has over 15,000 employees CEO is Shantanu Narayen Groundbreaking products include Adobe Acrobat and Photoshop
Staff can enjoy a game of table tennis in the games room, which doubles as a meeting table
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Case Study - Adobe
We’re an inquisitive company and we like to experiment with new things – we’re actively encouraged to do just that
building – genuine differentiators. We do have iPads that dispense coffee for you – but there’s a practical reason behind that, it’s not just because we thought it would be cool. ‘We’re an inquisitive company and we like to experiment with new things – we’re actively encouraged to do just that.’ Although there are a number of Adobe guidelines that Mark and the team were encouraged to follow, we’re told that there are relatively few global standards that ‘had’ to be adhered to. ‘We have a similar design feel to other Adobe offices but delivered with a local nuance,’ Mark tells us. ‘We worked closely with business units here to make sure what we’ve designed is practical and comfortable for them as a working space. I think this is one of the first offices that has that Adobe look and feel but also has its own character. ‘We partnered really closely with Gensler for the design. They know our company really well – we’ve worked with Gensler before in the US. They know what we like and what we don’t like. They were completely open to us changing things. They were great to work with. The good thing with the Gensler team was that they really listened to us and understood what we looking for – it was a really good collaborative process.’ The White Collar Factory boasts high ceilings, abundant natural light and natural ventilation, thanks to concrete core cooling. And, as well as being a healthy place to work on the inside, there is plenty to do to keep fit and active with access to a roof terrace including a 150m running track and plenty of space to park bicycles. There are also plenty of brilliant nods to Adobe’s creative spirit, such as an installation of coloured mirrors that reflects the iconic London skyline, mimicking Adobe Photoshop filters. An amazing exclusive ceramic
Teapoints on each floor provide a social gathering space, equipped with iPad coffee machines
centerpiece, designed by East London artist Zachary Eastwood-Bloom, sits in the heart of the Customer Experience Centre, which also features a fantastic interactive videowall that can instantly be personally configured for visiting clients. The Customer Experience Centre provides a customer facing area that allows Adobe to showcase their latest products to clients and visitors. Finishes in this area are more refined and of a higher spec to create a polished contrast to the industrial nature of the space. A large, open space for customer receptions and events can be created here thanks to a retractable front elevation movable wall and internal Skyfold partitions. The interconnecting feature staircase, which connects the 7th and 8th floors, is constructed in bold, red perforated metal mesh around a steel structure that sits on a
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combination of concrete and timber platforms. Light cubes on wire mimic falling pixels spreading through the void space. This is a business that requires its office spaces to convey the strength and values of its brand to employees and customers alike. This is a truly innovative organisation – and that innovation extends to its working facilities. By creating attractive, productive environments, Adobe is able to continue to win and retain the best talent. Heading back down to the 7th floor we walk through a variety of neighbourhoods, each of which boasts its own slightly unique culture and feel. While there is a healthy buzz to one, for example, its neighbour has music in the background, and while business suits are prominent in the first, the latter is much more casual – and even features a few Halloween costumes and make-up! And it all works. Now that is truly innovative. l
SPACE SCANDI-COOL STORAGE SYSTEM
(with international acclaim)
www.kinnarps.co.uk Freespace screens show live availability to allow real time discovery of available spaces using sensor technology from Workplace Fabric
Case Study - Shoosmiths
Nu Shoos In Short National law firm with a network of 12 offices including Birmingham, Edinburgh, London – and now Manchester Turnover of £116.7m to end April 2017 The UK’s leading legal adviser by deal volume in 2016 (and 5th in Europe) – Experian MarketIQ’s M&A Review 186 partners and 726 legal advisers
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The traditionally-styled library provides a quiet area for those wishing to work in an uninterrupted fashion
When Vaqas Farooq, Head of Shoosmiths Manchester, told the audience at our Mix Inspired event earlier this year that ‘the desk is dead’, there was an audible gasp in the room. Vaqas went on to share more of his views and opinions – and, as we listened, we decided that we needed to meet this man again, with our Mix Interiors hats on.
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Shoosmiths’ Manchester team has moved into its new home at the XYZ building in Spinningfields, transferring the law firm’s entire 190-strong team into an agile working environment. Fortunately enough, Vaqas is happy to spare more of his valuable time and to walk and talk us through this remarkable project. The new office concept was developed in collaboration with Claremont, following close consultation with employees. Claremont’s brief was to work in harmony with the look and feel of the industrial feel of the XYZ building – but to also give Shoosmiths its own clear identity within the space. The space incorporates no less than 11 different types of workspace along with a variety of breakout facilities. This comprises five neighbourhoods for the firm’s five practice groups, with a third of the space dedicated to collaborative working. The story, however, goes far deeper than this. So, before even looking at the space itself, we begin by asking Vaqas about the light bulb moment that led to the dramatic transformation of the way this business looks, feels and operates. ‘I was in Birmingham at the time – in very typical offices, I suppose you’d call them,’ he recalls. ‘We started off being in silos and then the ‘amazing’ open plan thing happened. Every time new people came in there was this massive jig around. I thought this was all really tedious. Also, people would come to work, sat in their own little fiefdoms, for hours on end – particularly lawyers and professional services. They might be sat there for 10 or 15 hours – and that’s not right. It’s not healthy, it’s not conducive to collaboration. ‘I didn’t know what the answer was. The light bulb moment was when I was sat with our board, asking to take this office to the next step of our journey in Manchester. I was asking for a £5 million commitment. Our CEO suggested ‘agile’. Knowing lawyers weren’t used to this concept, it would be quite a task to implement. Around three months later I had something of an epiphany. I had talked to a lot of people – creatives, designers, architectsu
Case Study - Shoosmiths
Essentials Client Shoosmiths The smart coffee bar in the communal atrium provide relaxed meeting spaces
and people who had embraced agile, such as PwC and Marston’s. Something suddenly ticked. I realised there was a whole new world out there and the legal industry was ignoring it. This happened almost overnight. I just thought we needed to start again. We needed to start doing what our clients are doing. ‘That started a two-year consultation with all our colleagues here about what agile means to them – and this is the culmination. This is really what agile means to them. ‘We want to change the way that lawyers work and utilising the latest technology to support this new approach. Technology is absolutely key to all of this. Wherever you sit down in this space there will always be a screen that you can wirelessly connect to. You have to be able to walk around with a laptop and always be on the system. You have to be completely free of wires – and everything has to be turbo-fast. We don’t have desk phones here – you can’t be agile and have fixed phones. So we have phones built into our laptops and we’re using Jabber – which has gone down a storm. It allows us to share documents while talking to one another, it allows us to have video cons – Jabber itself has revolutionised the way we work here. It really has freed everyone up. ‘An agile workspace is only about 40% of what agile really means. Agile, to us, is principally about our ability to trust our
people to work, to deliver and not be obsessed whether they’re in the office or at a desk. So what we’ve said here is, ‘We’ll trust you. We’ll give you great technology and a great workspace. In return, just make sure you fulfil your responsibilities. Hit your KPI’s – as you must – and beyond that, just work it out for yourself. You don’t need to feel constrained. ‘In return for giving that trust you get an increase in productivity, people are happier and their health and wellbeing is improved.’ We knew it was worth talking with Vaqas again. We start our tour at the entrance to the 5th floor reception area. The lobby makes a strong visual statement while also welcoming visitors into this space. The angled reception area has echoes of the ground floor concierge while the raw industrial elements of the lift lobby continue into the space, with the use of concrete, timber, white and black tones, which link with the XYZ building’s palette. The client suite has a strong architectural look but still manages to have a feeling of warmth when combined with the natural walnut and oak finishes. The space is truly multifunctional. Clients are welcomed to the reception space and encouraged to make themselves at home, use the business lounge area and the informal meeting spaces, grab a coffee from the well-equipped bar area and use any of the available quiet rooms. This u
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Interior Design Claremont Flooring Carpet – Milliken Vinyl Wood Floor – Karndean Ceramic Concrete Tiles – Stone Haus Wall Finishes Tektura Furniture Orangebox, Staverton, Boss Design, Lyndon, Connection, Protocol Storage/Lockers Spacestor, Bruynzeel (rolling racking) Fabrics Camira Artwork/Signage Artworks Feature Lighting 299 Lighting Feature Staircase Scala Interiors AV Viewpoint
Case Study
Imagine • Design • Create www.karndean.com 63
Case Study - Shoosmiths
High spec modern kitchen areas encourage staff to spend their lunch away from the office environment
We’ve created areas for desks – but no one ‘gets’ a desk
Fully agile desks allow staff the freedom to work where they want each day, maximising the use of space
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business lounge extends to the floor above, on the 6th floor, via a beautiful sweeping spiral staircase. This gives a sense of a working connection to both floors – with clients encouraged to use the space and, indeed, work here all day if required. The client meeting suite offers 15 bookable board/meeting/training rooms, ranging from a multi-functional 120-person seminar room to four-person meeting rooms. The Shoosmiths brand is re-enforced in the client suite circulation space, with the infinity logo recessed into a backlit bespoke walnut veneered wall. Reference is made to the heritage of Manchester throughout the meeting rooms, with all being named after key milestones in Manchester’s history, ranging from Emily Pankhurst to the Haçienda club. Each room has a large black and white piece of artwork to reflect these dates. Subtle reference to the cotton spinning/weaving heritage of the Spinningfields area in the 19th century is made in the abstract glazing manifestation and the large cotton weave image in the spiral stair’s upper lobby. The 6th floor working space, although not planned from the outset, we’re told, is now a completely adaptable and agile space. While the floor accommodates 233 base workstations, it can easily cater for up to 280 in various work settings. Workstations u
Case Study
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Case Study
in Concrete
Volume Innovative modular desk system in lightweight concrete designed by Paul Crofts
+44 (0)20 7388 8599
info@isomi.com
Visit our new Clerkenwell showroom 1 Sans Walk, London EC1
www.isomi.com 66
Shoosmiths’ branding is carefully integrated into the décor, highlighted with innovative lighting
Case Study - Shoosmiths
Shoosmiths prides itself on doing things differently and on the quality of its client and employee experience
Meeting pods and rooms are cleverly integrated throughout the staff areas, making impromptu meetings easy to arrange
are arranged in banks adjacent to window space, giving people as much natural light as possible. The floor is broken into departmental neighbourhoods, with only some of the desks ‘belonging’ to full-time users, while the majority are used on an ad-hoc basis. ‘We’ve created areas for desks – but no one ‘gets’ a desk,’ Vaqas reveals. ‘Each practice group will have their own neighbourhood where their PAs will be located and there will be necessary storage designated in those areas too. Beyond that we have given up a third of the floor space to a collaboration zone, so there’s lots of different types of working environments in which to work.’ The middle section of the 6th floor provides a spine, giving access to various agile, meeting or support spaces that include the Decompression Zone – where staff can offload coats or collect personal possessions from one of the 280 combination lockers – as well as high density storage and print hubs. An informal ‘garden’ area features a large
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collaborative bench table, small 1-to-1 quiet rooms and eye-catching ‘railway carriage’ meeting pods. Designed to be a relaxed informal meeting/work area, the zone features stunning artwork, distressed timber finishes, ‘grass’ carpet and natural moss walls. Other standout facilities include a large confidential project room, an ‘old club’ inspired library area and a large multifunctional group room – called the XYZone. And we still haven’t finished! A mix of 12 further acoustic meeting/work booths, meeting pods and quiet ‘monk cells’ are located across the floor, while two large breakout areas give access to tea/coffee making facilities and microwaves. Vaqas and the team at Shoosmiths have really pushed the envelope here and, together with Claremont Senior Designer David Day’s vision, the result is a workplace that perfectly embodies the modern, agile law firm. We’ll leave the final words to Vaqas. ‘We are hugely excited to be here. The move signals a new era for the Manchester office, the culmination of years of consultation and development work. ‘Shoosmiths prides itself on doing things differently and on the quality of its client and employee experience. By investing in modern, bespoke, agile offices we will ensure that we continue to blaze a trail on each of these fronts.’ l
Headspace occupies all five floors of the building, a mix of private offices, a co-working area, event space and meeting rooms
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It’s been a good few years since we last met with the Headspace team – back in London’s Farringdon. It was always going to be more than likely that our paths would cross again. Just take a look at our Spotlight in this very issue (and indeed look at pretty much any issue of Mix) and you’ll get a sense of how ‘hot’ co-working is right now.
You can’t, however, simply decide to enter the world of co-working and expect instant success – far from it. What was clear to us, right from the start, was that the Headspace model was spot on for this then emerging, but still growing, sector. Founded by Jonathan Rosenblatt, the Group has now made its first foray outside the capital, with a new facility in Manchester. At the heart of it, of course, is the Headspace philosophy that states…’We’re here to take on the headaches of running an office, so you can focus on what really matters – your business. Headspace exists to serve your ideas. What fuels the team at Headspace is the belief that workspaces should look good and feel good.’ Headspace’s brand new 15,000 sq ft site is a focal point for Manchester’s amazing tech and creative community. The interior design
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Case Study - Headspace
Essentials Client Headspace Interior Design Renata Sa, SA Design Floor Finishes Carpet Tiles – Ege Carpets Vinyl wood floor – Karndean Furniture Supply Wellworking Loose Furniture Hay, Muuto, Ocee, Hem, Icons of Denmark Workstations / Task Seating Senator Lighting X-line by Troll Lighting Renata Sa, SA Design
is fun, clean and modern and comprises a mix of uniquely designed private offices and co-working spaces, all equipped to a high specification. Based at 2 Mount Street, the building is part of the unique 100,000 sq ft cluster of buildings that make up ‘The Albert Estate’, a community of dynamic businesses based around Manchester’s Albert Square. We enter the new Headspace facility and are met by Head of Marketing and Client Experience, Jonathan Hausmann, who is more than happy to provide us with a brew and tell us more about this move to the thriving North. ‘We launched back in February – and we only have a few offices left,’ Jonathan smiles. ‘It’s filled up really quickly. We also have quite a lot of co-working members here. I’m amazed at how many people no longer work 9-5. In fact, I think I might be the only person here who does work anything like 9-5! We have a lot of members who work elsewhere a lot of the time or are out for meetings – and then come to us when they need that ‘headspace’. ‘A lot of them are field based, so will come in and hold their meetings here. It’s a great site – we are right in the heart of the city here and it’s been amazing working opposite the Town Hall. We’ve seen parades and festivals there – and if there is something going on there we feel as though we are right in the middle of it.
‘We encourage our members to work how they want to work here and to use the space so that it fits their businesses. We are superflexible. We try to never say no to anything – we will always look at how we can make anything they need happen. ‘This is what I like most about Headspace. We get members who start-up on their own and within three months they have already grown out of their space and have to move up to the next size of space. It’s really rewarding to be watching businesses grow and flourish in your building! We have some amazing people in here. ‘The majority of our members are creative people – tech start-ups, for example – but not everybody. We also have some established businesses, who have a base in London, for example, and use this as their satellite office. ‘One of the great things about our business model is that, once you are a Headspace member, you can walk into any of our offices and we will look after you. Our job is to take all the worry away from our members. They’re busy changing the world! ‘It is very much in our own interests to see our members thriving – and if we can take away the worries of things such as postage, printing, scanning…we’ll even help host events for our clients or bring a hairdresser in. It’s always nice to feel as though you are being looked after.’ u
The main communal area where members can socialise, collaborate or just grab a cup of coffee
It’s a great site – we are right in the heart of the city here and it’s been amazing working opposite the Town Hall
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Case Study - Headspace
Meeting room names give a nod to the city’s musical heritage (Joy Division fans take note of this one)
Jonathan tells us that one of the greatest considerations here was, of course, the technology, which allows members to work pretty much anywhere in the building, as well as offering the advanced AV facilities modern businesses need. That, together with great coffee, was vital to the success of the facility – and we can certainly confirm that the coffee is very good indeed! Headspace once again collaborated with Renata Sa, Creative Director at SA Design, for the interior design – Renata having previously worked on the Farringdon space. The feel is bright, welcoming and modern, with nice homely touches throughout the community spaces, which are at the heart of each floor. The office and meeting spaces that flow off the hubs are essentially a blank canvas – largely monochrome, smart and functional. There is a fantastic nod to the city throughout Headspace Manchester. ‘We have also worked with some local artists, who have produced some amazing artwork for us – which tie into the music scene here in Manchester, such as the Peter Saville portrait in the reception area. Not everyone knows who Peter Saville is, so I tell them to go and watch the 24 Hour Party People movie! We’ve also subtly integrated the colours of Factory 51 – the Haçienda – into the scheme on this floor. ‘Renata has also introduced lyrics from Manchester bands onto the walls on each floor,’ Jonathan explains. ‘So this is the Haçienda floor, then we have Joy Division on the second floor – we even have a Transmission meeting room – then we have The Smiths on the third floor, then we have the Stone Roses on the fourth floor and we also have a mezzanine at the top of the building, where we have a studio, and that is called the Oasis. We have two meeting rooms there and one of them is called Shakermaker and the other is called Supernova. ‘It turns out that Jonathan (Rosenblatt) is a bit of an Oasis fan – so that really sealed
The co-working area
the deal. It’s really good fun but it’s also been done really subtly. We didn’t want the Manchester music theme to be right in our members’ faces. Like I said, a lot of people wouldn’t know who a lot of the artwork’s subjects represent.’ The space incorporates a mix of uniquely designed private offices and coworking spaces perfectly, together with the aforementioned range of brilliantly themed meeting rooms, private work booths, refreshment bars and shower rooms, as well as a 60-person event space with stunning views overlooking the Town Hall. As Jonathan explained, the community is managed by the dedicated on-site team – who also help curate a range of community events, ranging from panel discussions and workshops through to yoga classes. We’ve seen the continued rise of coworking facilities in London for a while now – not least with our previous visit to Headspace in Farringdon – and Manchester, with its thriving tech and creative community, was always going to embrace this smart, flexible working model. Maybe it’s because we’re still big Indie kids at heart, but this space really does feel like a bit of us. l 70
Not everyone knows who Peter Saville is, so I tell them to go and watch the 24 Hour Party People movie!
In Short Three UK locations – in Manchester, Marylebone and Farringdon Over 500 members, each with open access to all three Headspace sites Partners include Bella Italia, Apple and Vue
M AY FLOWER NEW SEATING BY TRIUMPHFURNITURE.COM T : 01685 352222 SALES@TRIUMPHFURNITURE.COM @TRIUMPH1946
The building is part of the The Albert Estate, a community of dynamic businesses based around Manchester’s Albert Square
Case Study - Boutinot
Vine Time
We’re headed out of the centre of Manchester and, although it’s the middle of the day, we’ve got one thing on our minds – wine. We can almost hear the gasps of disapproval – or is that jealousy? Well, you needn’t concern yourselves. When we said we’re focused on wine, that’s because we’re heading into the suburban village of Cheadle, Greater Manchester, to visit the new working home of forward-thinking wine business Boutinot.
In Short Boutinot is a leading grape grower, wine maker, wine importer, wine supplier and exclusive agent for over 150 of the world’s finest and award-winning wine producers Established in 1980 Portfolio consists of over 1,400 wines and Boutinot sells more than 44 million bottles each year Managing Director is Dennis Whiteley
Every office should have one: Boutinot’s wine tasting room, hand-crafted by Opus 4
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Essentials Client Boutinot Design & Fit-Out Opus 4 Furniture Frovi Orangebox Ocee Double Oven Rangemaster The Boutinot mantra: Live Wine, Love People
Boutinot is a market-leading grape grower, wine maker, wine importer, wine supplier and exclusive agent for over 150 of the world’s finest and award winning wine producers. Established in 1980, Boutinot has grown to become one of the most respected UK based distributors of quality wines from around the world. Its portfolio consists of over 1,400 wines and the company sells more than 44 million bottles each year, supplying a huge variety of wines to UK and international retailers, restaurateurs and wholesalers. The company’s commitment to provide great wines at competitive prices has been recognised a number of times over the years, notably at the Sommelier Wine Awards, where Boutinot was named Wine Merchant of the Year for no less than five consecutive years. Our designated driver (and co-host) is Andrew Jackson, from leading North West design and fit-out firm Opus 4. Andrew is not only happy to do the driving, he can also tell us a little about his client’s philosophy. ‘They are a great business to work with,’ he begins. ‘They really know how to look after their people. Everyone gets to go out to see where the wines are produced – and presumably they get to drink the wines – and they all socialise together, host events in the new space and the owners even join them in the fully equipped gym, where they have plenty of friendly competition going on. ‘It’s a real family – and it even says that on the wall in the space; the Boutinot Family.’ As we approach the building, we ask Andrew what the biggest challenges were for the Opus 4 team. ‘To be honest, it’s been a breeze working with these guys,’ he smiles. ‘We knew that they had high expectations, but they were so laid back about it all. Their philosophy was, ‘You’re the experts, you know what you’re doing, show us what you want to do’. There wasn’t even any great pressure
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on us in terms of timings because they were already local and there was no time limit on when they had to be out of their former building. There was no lease break – they had simply expanded so much that they needed more space. ‘You’ll see how much space they still have left over, but there are more phases to come as they continue to grow. They did bring a lot of the existing furniture along with them from their old building – but we’ve also brought in a lot of good quality new products, which are bang on trend, from the likes of Frovi, Orangebox and Ocee. There are a lot of nice examples in there. ‘The central space is especially great. We spent a day in there with the photographer – and every single person who walked into that space offered us a drink. I think that says a lot about the people here. ‘This is the only client we have ever worked with who wanted us to put in a Rangemaster double oven! We finished the project just before Christmas and – instead of just going out to a local restaurant – the owners cooked up a couple of turkeys and all the trimmings right here for the entire business. It really is all about the culture and the people.’ Speaking of the people, we head into reception where we’re met by Michael Moriarty, Boutinot’s Commercial Director, who’s kind enough to offer us the full tour of the building. Even in the relatively small reception area we can see a couple of really nice design touches, such as the clever use of sheared down wine bottles for the industrial feature lighting and smart wood effect wall finishes, taken from Boutinot and it’s clients own packaging. ‘We were in a 5,000 sq ft office previously – and this is 18,000 sq ft,’ Michael tells us. ‘It is a big leap for us – a big change. One of the very first things we actually talked u
Case Study - Boutinot about in terms of the design was the reception. We didn’t have enough space for anything like this previously and we didn’t want anything that was too over-the-top, big and overly corporate here. We wanted it to reflect what we do – hence all these nice little touches. One of the things that was always an issue for us was that deliveries would constantly come in from couriers and would often sit within the entrance – so we’ve added two feature walls, which everything can now sit behind, so the space is kept free and clean. ‘We did spend a long time looking for a site that would fit us. We didn’t want to move a long way and disrupt people and we wanted a space that was either malleable enough for us to do pretty much what we wanted or was a blank canvas – and this was more of a blank canvas as it was three open floors. With the exception of the central hub, all the walls were already in place. ‘We needed it be functional, of course, particularly the office spaces. We’ve been able to introduce things such as practical wall space, with white boards for people to work on. There’s meeting space on each floor, designed around who needs more of that type of space, then the top floor is dedicated to customer and external meeting space, as well as our tasting room. ‘We’ve created different work settings throughout. We’ve added some casual spaces and quick meeting spaces because the coffee shop can get quite busy and noisy at certain times of the day. The guys came up with the idea of breaking the space up with these dividing screens rather than putting in solid walls – because a number of our teams are still growing. We’ve got stand height tables in the open meeting spaces and one of our teams has even pretty much abandoned their desks and now adopted one of these spaces because they prefer to work closer together – which is great.
Timber slatted frames are used to define work and social spaces
The close-knit family feel is evident from the social activities displayed in Boutinot’s social hub
We can’t do any of this without the people – you’ll see that we’ve got pictures of our people throughout the building
‘We can’t do any of this without the people – you’ll see that we’ve got pictures of our people throughout the building.’ We walk through the ground floor facilities and into the central hub of the building – a fantastic communal dining and breakout space. ‘The idea with this was to create something that had a bit of an informal dining functionality and a relaxation space, so it has got a bit of a coffee house feel,’ Michael points out. ‘We use this space a lot – for both internal and external things. Our people obviously come in here for lunch and also for informal meetings in the soft seating areas – and, once a month, a different team within the business will prepare a lunch for anyone who wants to have lunch. ‘We’ve had customer lunches and dinners here – with a bit of a wine tasting, of course – and we’ve recently started a community programme where we invite some of the local old people in for a lunch and some of our people will come and join them and have a chat with them.’ Although we could quite happily stay right here all day, Andrew and Michael are keen for us to head upstairs to see the aforementioned tasting room. Radically different from the friendly, communal atmosphere of the rest of
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Boutinot’s home, we’re instantly aware that this is the space where wine gets serious. The pristine, futuristic, white room could be lifted from Philip K Dick’s Electric Dreams. It is, however, not just designed with a Wow factor in mind – this is a technically advanced space that allows customers to taste the wines under carefully controlled conditions. ‘The tasting room is a major feature for us,’ Michael enthuses. ‘The first thing we wanted was for it to be glazed – so as people walk up they can immediately see into here. We’ve actually got two tasting rooms now – we didn’t at our old place – so we’ve got this customer facing room, which is much easier to keep clean, and then a staff tasting room.’ The room certainly has the Wow factor. Andrew tells us that the space was designed by Michael, who then collaborated with Opus 4 to produce what is a spectacular facility. Both the lighting and the temperature here have to be absolutely right – so as not to taint the wine. There is even UV protective film on the windows to keep the heat and light out. We’re impressed. It might be easy to be distracted by all the amazing wines around us – but the culture here is just as impressive. Both take quite a bit of special growing and nurturing. Cheers. l
Case Study
TM
SS2 PORTFOLIO OUT NOW Designed with comfort in mind, Figaro lounge seating’s sculpted seat and back cushions make it both eye-catching and timeless. Figaro is inspired by natural forms including oak leaves and cork trees, and the well-crafted chair seamlessly crosses the line between retro style and contemporary design. The high back lounge chair, with its provocative lines and curves, is ideal for a relaxed or casual collaboration and for when 75 people need time to unwind and recharge.
Designed & manufactured in the UK by
Yo u r O f f i c e F u r n i t u r e W h o l e s a l e r
Profile - tp bennett
tp bennett
Twenty Year Vision
MSN headquarters, Victoria London
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As regular readers will be aware, we always devote a section of our January issue over to notable industry anniversaries. Every now and again, however, there is a milestone that cannot wait until the new year. This month, tp bennett’s interiors division will be leaving its (not so) troublesome teens and hitting the 20 mark.
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Profile - tp bennett
We were young, full of energy, new ideas, wanted to question the norm – and we seemed to win just about every pitch at the time!
Richard Beastall
Why can’t this wait until January? Well, not only is this the largest interior design team in the UK, it is also, by some distance, the most successful design firm in the history of the Mixology awards. Founded in 1921, by Sir Thomas Bennett, tp bennett has grown into a 300-strong team with UK offices in London and Manchester and with affiliates across 27 countries. The firm’s broad range of experience working with developers and end-users gives it a special understanding of both client and occupier needs, and with 300 staff across architecture, interiors and planning, with specialist disciplines in strategy, sustainability, research and graphics, it is one of the UK’s leading architecture practices. It is also one of the most diverse, with talent brought in from all over the world and a design democracy ethos to nurture that talent. The firm can now boast the largest interiors team in the UK, with four Principal Directors at the helm. Since the division’s inception, Julian Sharpe, Mark Davies and, earlier this year, Leigh Dimelow, have been promoted to the board to drive the interiors division alongside its architecture counterpart. Between them, the interiors division spans the sectors, including office, residential and hospitality, both in the UK and overseas. Its expansion overseas is notable too, with an increasing volume of work in Europe – particularly Germany, Switzerland and France. In fact, it now has 45 affiliates worldwide, the latest being San Francisco. We wanted to mark the 20th anniversary by taking both a look back and a look forward with the man who created the interiors team at tp bennett – Principal Director Richard Beastall.
PwC, One Embankment Place
Richard joined tp bennett as an architect in 1985, initially focusing on a number of speculative office schemes and headquarters projects, most notably Microsoft’s UK headquarters in Reading, NatWest’s City and West End offices and Britannic Assurance’s new headquarters on the outskirts of Birmingham. He recalls that this was an exciting and challenging time for both the practice and for the industry in general. ‘We saw a lot of the American firms start to make their mark over here – Gensler came over, and then practices like MCM were also doing some great work,’ Richard recalls. ‘We were working on the Microsoft campus and we did the original concept design for the masterplan for 500,000 sq ft, we designed the first three buildings, we proposed to do the fitout – and then they brought in another team to do the space planning. It wasn’t a good moment. I thought, ‘How can they do this? It’s our concept!’ This really got me thinking – we
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clearly weren’t getting the message across that we can do the whole thing. So, I went to my Senior Partner at the time and said, ‘I really think we need to be a little more focused on doing the fit-out side of things – we can see all these American firms, who are coming over and doing everything’. He said, ‘Great. What should we do about it?’ – and I said, ‘I think we need to set up a distinctive new division’. ‘He sent me off to write a business plan. I remember I went to Balham Library. I sat there and wrote this plan, went through it step-by-step, thinking that this was all quite straightforward. I suggested we set up this new company called Bennett Interior Design and we take the top floor of our building, which was empty, and create a whole new image for this new firm. The offices were really tired, and I wanted to completely refurbish the floor – make it really special. I identified the Senior Partner as a Chairman of the division and u
detail quality
Senate House, University of London To see more award winning joinery fit out projects visit www.sjg.co.uk. 79
Case Study
The Harc Collection Designed by Roger Webb Associates
London Showroom 20 Old Street Clerkenwell London EC1V 9AB
Ocee Design Design House, Caswell Road Brackmills Industrial Est. Northampton, NN4 7PW
01604 674674 @OceeDesign sales@oceedesign.com www.oceedesign.com 80
MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN
Profile - tp bennett
I think the market is changing dramatically – I’ve never seen such a rate of change
UBS London
positioned myself as Managing Director, with a goal of bringing in 15 or so more people.’ Richard had become a Partner in the firm in 1995 and, just a couple of years later, having recognised the need for a more specialised approach for occupiers, he established the interiors division of tp bennett. That division has grown considerably over the years, with Richard leading his team in the delivery of many high profile award-winning projects for clients, including IPC Media, Guardian News & Media, MSN, Macfarlanes, PwC, Goldman Sachs, Rio Tinto, Swiss Re, Morgan Stanley, Lovells, Accenture and Oxfam. We ask Richard about that very first project as an interiors division. ‘The first was Goldman Sachs – I think we did 1.4 million sq ft for Goldman Sachs within a year. It was really a case of right place, right time. We were young, full of energy, new ideas, wanted to question the norm – and we seemed to win just about every pitch at the time! The majority of British firms tended to be architectural firms and
didn’t really concentrate on fit-out – they saw it as a bit second class. ‘I wanted to change that completely. We had to make sure the people who came to work for us felt there was a real career structure, that there was a clear direction and that it was new and fresh – but also that it was a part of a much bigger concept. At the same time, we wanted it to be really different from the other firms. We wanted it to be more fun! We wanted to understand what worked – but to be design driven first. That has always come first. Reputation and client experience is really important to us.’ The tp bennett team earned plenty of plaudits with its fresh, energetic, clientcentric approach. ‘A big part of the business plan was to be all those things – to create something new and dynamic. It was fantastic really. We had the best of both worlds with the security of the Group. People just bought into it. That’s still a vital part of our ethos. Of course, we’re now an established business –
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but we still continue to be young, fresh and dynamic and to question the norm. Over the years we have attracted the brightest and best of the industry and we now have four interior Principals, with Julian, Mark and Leigh all driving the strong future of our fantastic team. We have strong leadership across the whole practice, but we also know how to have fun – I think that’s absolutely key to our success.’ Richard has brought us, very neatly, to the current day. How different is the market today? ‘I think the market is changing dramatically – I’ve never seen such a rate of change,’ he says. ‘15 years ago all these programmes came on the TV about how to refurbish your homes – well, I think the same has recently happened in offices. All boards now want to know what the latest concepts are in office design. We always used to be appointed by the FM team or maybe the Property Director – it would be very rare to pitch to a board. Now, working with u
Profile - tp bennett
the board is the norm. Most of our clients are the CEOs, CFOs – they want to meet their designers who are going to help them transform their working environment, help them transform the lives of their employees, they’re interested in productivity, attracting the best staff, their brand…they want to know that we can make a difference for them. They used to think of property as a necessary evil but now they see property as something of an enabler. The most expensive thing they have are their people and their talent – and they want to know how they can make a difference to their offices to attract the best talent, keep the best talent and to keep them motivated.
They used to think of property as a necessary evil but now they see property as something of an enabler
‘The competition in all sectors is greater than it has ever been – and that brings pressures. If you look at the banks, maybe 3040% of a bank is now IT staff, so they’re having to compete with the likes of Google for people! ‘We’re currently doing some of our most innovative work for banks – because they’re having to reinvent themselves and so it’s a really exciting time for interiors. We need to be on top of that rate of change and design development. We’ve got a client at the moment, who we first started working with three or four years ago. It was a pre-let so it does take a long time to deliver and, three years ago, we designed a new space for them. They came back to us and asked us whether, if we were designing it today, we would do the same thing. We said, ‘Yes’ – but today’s workplaces are always evolving. ‘The modifications and the concept of the building were still relevant but, in the
Time Inc, Southwark, London
subsequent years, philosophies such as the wellbeing agenda have really taken off, trends on how people live and work have changed and it’s on furniture and fittings that these changes have the biggest impact. So, we modified these to move the environment forward – and they’ve accepted everything we’ve proposed. It just goes to show how quick the rate of change is within today’s workplaces. ‘As an example, workplace wellbeing is a massive focus for us, which is why we have a dedicated team that’s exploring the concept – and this includes developing spaces that
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occupiers can modify themselves, depending on how they want to work. We have a nice mantra that we put into all our pitches now: ‘Why shouldn’t people leave the office feeling better than when they arrived?’ It would be great if people did – and why shouldn’t that be possible?’ Why indeed. We’re certainly leaving Richard happier than when we arrived at the firm’s One America Street home – mainly because we know we’ve got another great feature for the magazine. Happy birthday tp bennett. Here’s to the next 20 years. l
HIGH BENCH
Case Study
ME E TIN G , EATIN G O R WORK I NG.
ELITE OFFICE FURNITURE UK LTD
@Elite_Furniture
T. +44 (0)1405 746000 Head Office, Factory & Showroom T. +44 (0)20 7490 4909 London Office & Showroom www.elite-furniture.co.uk E. info@elite-furniture.co.uk E. londonshowroom@elite-furniture.co.uk 83
Preview - Mixology North17 Shortlist
PRODUCT OF THE YEARSURFACES
PRODUCT OF THE YEARFLOORING
NORTHERN LIGHTS
December 7th promises to be a record breaking night for us - in fact, we’re delighted to say that Mixology North17 has already exceeded previous years. Not only can we expect the largest audience to date, we’ve also received the highest number of award entries. Here, we bring you the shortlists for those awards. Can you find our winners?
Desso - Metallic Shades
ege carpets - Atelier by Monsieur Christian Lacroix
Forbo - Marmoleum Cocoa
Milliken - Colour Compositions
modulyss - Millennium Nxtgen / Txture x Mxture
Rug Couture - Patternistas for Rug Couture
AgileAcoustics - TileAcoustics
Camira - Patina
EGGER UK - EGGER PerfectSense Top Matt Laminate
Krion solid surface - Krion K-life
Panaz - Patternistas for Panaz
Versital UK - Metallic Marble
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Interface - Global Change
Formica Group - Formica Infiniti
PRODUCT OF THE YEARLIGHTING, TECHNOLOGY & INTERIOR ACCESSORIES
Humanscale - Quickstand Eco
CMD Limited - Audacy
Gresham - Oscar
Isomi - Isomi in Metal
Orangebox -eva
Viasit Buerositzmoebel GmbH - Drumback
Connection - Platforms
Godfrey Syrett - Ken
Icon - Designed by BroomeJenkins / Bedouin
Knightsbridge Furniture - Alfie Additions by Sean Dare
Loll Designs - Fresh Air
Ophelis - Sum
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PRODUCT OF THE YEARLOOSE FURNITURE
Enigma Lighting - LED Filament Lamp Ø125mm Globe smo
PRODUCT OF THE YEAR- TASK FURNITURE
Colebrook Bosson Saunders - Ollin
ophelis sum – islands in a room ophelis sum is a new modular seating system to design islands in a room. The product concept is based on three core elements: base, partition and cushion. These can be combined in an additive and modular fashion. This easily enables a wide variety of seating to be arranged – from stools and benches to armchairs, sofas and chaise longues. Partition screens with different heights determine the degree of privacy. More information: www.ophelis.de
FINALIST
Preview - Mixology North17 Shortlist
SpaceInvader - Hilson Moran
Ultimate (Commercial Interiors) Skipton Building Society, The Atrium
BDP - PwC Leeds
Bridge Architects Whitehouse, Wilderspool
Smith Brothers - Waters Informatics
SpaceInvader - SkyBet
tp bennett - DLA Piper
Ward Robinson - The Old Post Office
HLM - Inter-Continental Hotel, Park Lane, London, Basement Office Fit-Out
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Bridge Architects - 111 Piccadilly
SoVibrant - Bruntwood Platform
MEDIUM COMMERCIAL INTERIORS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Aztec Interiors (Northern) Avenue HQ
SMALL COMMERCIAL INTERIORS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Absolute Commercial Interiors - Engage
74 - Crown House, Sheffield
LARGE COMMERCIAL INTERIORS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Preview - Mixology North17 Shortlist
PUBLIC SECTOR INTERIORS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
FDG: Fairhursts Design Group - Thales Innovation Centre
HOTEL INTERIORS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
AECOM - Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chester
74 - Elgin Place, Glasgow
Heatons Office Solutions - Stockport Homes GroupBell’s new HQ
BDP - The Bright Building
KKA Interiors - True Student, Glasgow West End
tp bennett - Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
BAND Architects - Peaks & Plains
CPMG Architects - Teesside Library Refurb
KKA INTERIORS - Student Union Spaces for Liverpool John Moores University
DV8 Designs - The Stanneylands, Wilmslow
Koncept ID - Novotel Canary Wharf
NoChintz - Lews Castle
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Bridge Architects - Neo
TSK - EQ4, AJ Bell’s new HQ
SpaceInvader - Bruntwood Hall
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Gaslift 5 Star Base
2.64 kg
Left Hand Arm
Right Hand Arm
Fabric
Seat Upholstery Plate
Seat Foam
Seat Assembly
Aluminium Back Yoke
Mechanism
Gaslift
5 Star Base
Castors
o.7 kg
o.7 kg
o.12 kg
o.475 kg
o.6 kg
1.15 kg
1 .9 kg
2.44 kg
1 .35 kg
2.64 kg
o.62 kg
o.62 kg Castors
Mechanism
1 .35 kg
Back Frame
o.85 kg 2.44 kg
Seat Assembly
1.15 kg
Mesh Plate Aluminium Back Yoke
Seat Foam
o.6 kg
Mesh
o.15 kg
o.25 kg 1 .9 kg
Seat Upholstery Plate
o.475 kg
Fasteners
o.2 kg
42 o mm
57 o mm
6.5 o
o
13 2o
o
BS EN 13351 Dimensions BS EN 92415 Ergonomics FIRA Appendix A Spinal tracing
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Preview - Mixology North17 Shortlist
LEISURE INTERIORS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
FURNITURE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
Absolute Commercial Interiors - Legends Club, Leeds United
Fasciato Architects - Artisan RV Restaurant & Bar
Bureau
Ikon Furniture
FWP - Everton Football Club
KSS - Anfield Main Stand Fan Experience Areas
Penketh Group
Spatial Office Environments
OBI Property - Junkyard Golf Club
Ultimate (Commercial Interiors)
PRODUCT DESIGNER/DESIGN TEAM OF THE YEAR
Camira
David Fox Design
Knightsbridge Furniture
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Orangebox
Patternistas
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR
Preview - Mixology North17 Shortlist
Camira
DESIGN PRACTICE OF THE YEAR
Milliken
EGGER UK
Godfrey Syrett
naughtone
Johnson Tiles
sixteen3
74
Bridge Architects
KKA INTERIORS
Koncept ID
OBI Property
SoVibrant
SpaceInvader
tp bennett
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Review
INFORM INSPIRE ENTERTAIN For more info visit: http://bit.ly/mixins179
Manchester, Manchester Hall 5 December 2017 6pm - 8pm
These events remain free of charge thanks to our sponsors 93
Review - BCO Shortlist
KEEPING COUNCIL The 2017 British Council for Offices (BCO) Awards were recently announced and we’re delighted to say that we have featured a number of the winning and recognised projects in Mix over the past 12 months (Great minds!). One of the BCO’s primary objectives is to define excellence in office space. As part of this objective, the annual awards programme provides public recognition for top quality design and functionality and a benchmark for excellence in workplaces. The programme acknowledges innovation and focuses external attention on examples of best practice. Established in 1992, the competition has grown and developed over the years, becoming the most prestigious awards in the UK industry – alongside the Mixology awards, of course. Here we bring you the key winners in the Commercial and Corporate Workplace categories, plus a couple of the other projects we’ve featured in Mix, which were also recognised by the BCO this year.
National Winner of Commercial Workplace: 8 Finsbury Circus, London
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National Winner of Commercial Workplace: 8 Finsbury Circus, London
BCO Commercial Workplace Winners National Winner 8 Finsbury Circus, London Client – Mitsubishi Estate London / Stanhope Occupier – Mitsubishi Estate London Architect – WilkinsonEyre
Scotland Winner
Midlands & Central England Winner
The Capitol, 431 Union Street, Aberdeen Client – Knight Property Group Occupier – Part-let to PwC Architect – Keppie Design
Centre City, Hill Street, Birmingham Client – Bruntwood Architect – Associated Architects
North England/North Wales/ Northern Ireland Winner Tomorrow Building, MediaCityUK, Manchester Client – Peel Media Occupier – Multiple occupiers Architect – Chapman Taylor
London Winner South of England/South Wales Winner
8 Finsbury Circus, London Client – Mitsubishi Estate London / Stanhope Occupier – Mitsubishi Estate London Architect – WilkinsonEyre
One Central Square, Cardiff Client – Rightacres Property Co. Occupier – Various Architect – Rio Architects
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Review - BCO Shortlist
BCO Corporate Workplace Winners National Winner Sky Central, Grant Way, Isleworth, Middlesex Client – Sky Occupier – Sky Architect – AL_A / PLP Architecture
South of England & South Wales Winner SJP II, 2 Tetbury Road, Cirencester Client – St James’s Place Wealth Management Occupier – St James’s Place Wealth Management Architect – Scott Brownrigg
Scotland Winner Ineos HQ, 1 Inchyra Road, Grangemouth, Client – Ineos Chemicals Grangemouth Occupier – Ineos Chemicals Grangemouth Architect – Michael Laird Architects
London Winner Sky Central, Grant Way, Isleworth, Middlesex Client – Sky Occupier – Sky Architect – AL_A / PLP Architecture
Midlands & Central England Winner Marston’s House, Brewery Road, Wolverhampton Client – Marston’s Occupier – Marston’s Architect – KMB Architecture
CALL FOR ENTRIES 2018 AN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN BRITISH DESIGN Judged by: Simon Alderson - twentytwentyone Joanna Biggs - GA Design Barbara Chandler - Evening Standard Diana Monkhouse - SpaceInvader Design Ltd Jeremy Myerson - Royal College of Art Thomas Pearce - Sebastian Conran Associates Philippa Prinsloo - John Lewis Pernille Stafford - Resonate Interiors Architecture Jason Wilary-Attew - The Conran Shop Terence Woodgate - Terence Woodgate Design APPLY NOW: www.furnituremakers.org.uk/design-guild-mark/ DGM 183 “Robin Day Armchair” Designed by Robin Day for Hille
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Closing date is 19 January 2018
North England/North Wales/ Northern Ireland Winner
Fit Out of Workplace National Winners
North of England, North Wales and Northern Ireland
Moneypenny, Western Gateway, Wrexham Client – Moneypenny Occupier – Moneypenny Architect – AEW Architects and Designers
The Estee Lauder Companies, One Fitzroy, Mortimer Street, London Client – The Estée Lauder Companies Occupier – The Estée Lauder Companies Architect – MCM Architecture
KPMG, 1 Sovereign Square, Sovereign Street, Leeds Client – KPMG Occupier – KPMG Architect – Sheppard Robson Interior Designer – ID:SR
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Review - WorkTech Madrid
BRICKS, BYTES AND BEHAVIOUR Collin Macgadie from BDG
Madrid is addressing its civic challenges with a huge digital project to connect and monitor its public services and maintenance – and also plans to ban all diesel cars by 2025. Indeed, Madrid has been hailed as one of the most sustainable cities in the world. It seemed only fitting that the Spanish edition of WorkTech, a forum that aims to unite all those involved in the future of work and the workplace, found its home in the country’s pioneering capital, a place that’s so hung up on future proofing. Delegates found a home in Castellana 81; a landmark skyscraper in Madrid’s modern cityscape and a reference point for 20th Century Spanish architecture that now looks to the future as a symbol of sustainability, accessibility and technology. BRICKS Keynote speaker, Martha Thorne, Dean of the IE School of Architecture and Design, commenced by drawing attention to the needs of the occupier. She also quickly pinpointed the fact that ‘disruption’ seemed to be the favourite word of the day – a correct observation. The idea of disrupting, or stopping something from continuing as usual (or as expected), leads to the fact we should create change; we should change how we operate and find new and more effective ways of doing things. This made a very apt foundation for what then turned into an entire run-down and reflection of workplace architectural design and innovation since the beginning of the 20th century. The Wainwright Building in St Louis Missouri, for example, is widely considered
Modern European cities are leading the way in terms of change. Innovative city planning is a key part of the solution in creating more sustainable forms of urban living – and the Spanish heavyweight cities in particular are at the forefront of this endeavour, report our Spanish correspondent, Esme Banks-Marr.
one of the first skyscrapers and first true office buildings. It had what we now think of as a typical layout. However, with such a large interior, the windows could be bigger, meaning the walls could be thinner. She went on to pinpoint other architectural wonders, such as the Larkin Building in Buffalo New
Here, she digressed, was when we really started wanting the next ‘big thing’ in workplace – whatever it was that could foster creativity and innovation
York – designed in 1903 by Frank Lloyd Wright, who ingeniously conceived that the walls and furniture could absorb noise made by the machinery in the nearby factory. Martha then briefly covered the Taylorist office and factory-esque open plan offices, The Johnson Wax Building, the 1950/60’s modernist embrace in Europe, the Herman Miller action office, Henry Dreyfus and the publication of the ‘Humanscale Manual’ and ‘Measure of a Man and Woman’, the 1980’s and executive cubicles and into the 2000’s. Here,
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she digressed, was when we really started wanting the next ‘big thing’ in workplace – whatever it was that could foster creativity and innovation. Martha believes we didn’t start getting it right until the beginning of the last decade. Enter the current day and the influence of hospitality on our workplaces, increased awareness of sustainability in design, flexible furniture and the myriad of options when it comes to work ‘places’. Martha ended on the question of whether we really need to keep striving for offices that can do everything. She stated one thing for sure, that the war for talent has such an impact on us now. To attract the best people, environments need to stand out – and not only aesthetically, but also as places where work works. Other ‘brick’ contributors included Colin Macgadie and Irene Guerra Gomez, of BDG architecture + design – who discussed BDG’s mantra and approach with the impressive and ongoing regeneration and design of Telefonica’s HQ in Madrid, the largest project in BDG’s portfolio. Ulrich Blum, Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects, discussed the fact that the practice has completed more office projects in recent years, including the Central Bank of Iraq and the BMW Building in Leipzig, Germany, and as a consequence started creating a dedicated workplace team 18 months ago. The illustrious collective of architects is currently using coding to measure the distance between desks and other spaces in the workplace – comparing and contrasting the data to create spaces that are more ‘organic’.
BYTES UnGroup CEO, Philip Ross, appropriately took to the stage to discuss the ‘app centric workplace’ and workplace analytics. Philip believes we have to tear down familiar organisational structures and build them up again, based on fluidity. He not only explained but educated delegates on the fact that there are now apps for everything to do with workplace, from apps to support car-pooling and concierge services, through to apps that facilitate lunch meetings and (oxymoronically) engineer serendipitous gatherings. Philip reiterated that we are seeing the beginning of apps moving away from people and place, but into actual knowledge management. Juan Antonio Casado, Head of Technology at Accenture, elaborated and developed on Philip’s thinking that technology can actually improve spaces. He expressed the need for hybrid spaces, as humans can’t physically see the border between the digital and physical world. Ralph Hearnshaw, Commercial Director at Bisley, then explained the company’s history, outlining how Bisley has impressively managed to stay relevant, adapting its work around personal storage from the previous business model founded on (now increasingly obsolete) paper filing.
BEHAVIOUR Moving into the final section of the day, we caught up with our old friend, Oliver Heath, Design Ambassador for Interface and founder of Oliver Heath Design. A recognised expert in the field of sustainable architectural and interior design, Oliver asked the audience to think of a space in which they felt relaxed, calm and happy. Most people envisaged somewhere with natural light, greenery and water. Not surprisingly, nobody described their office. Biophilia is definitely on-trend; perhaps that’s why we spend a whopping 90% of our lives in doors. Since so much of that time is spent at work, it’s key that we feel as peaceful
and relaxed as we can there – enough so that we can do our work effectively. When put like that, all the ‘hype’ is well and truly justified. As work evolves at higher rates of change between sectors, locations, activities and skill requirements, many workers will need help adjusting. As ever, we’re being encouraged to put the actual workforce first; adopting and adapting the people-centric approach to everything – particularly the incorporation of technology. Technology may be the enabler – but in fact it’s the data we’re now armed with, as a result of that tech, that’s inevitably leading, or set to lead, the future of work.
Philip Ross from Ungroup
It all starts with the fibre That’s why we rely on Antron® carpet fibre for our Tussah collection. Featuring in Shimmer and Radiance, Antron® carpet fibre brings a luxurious feel and shimmering looks with the performance needed for demanding commercial environments. Made from highperformance nylon 6.6, Antron® carpet fibre helps these striking plank or broadloom formats to be perfect for a home-like feel in offices and commercial spaces. 01622 719090 info@quadmod.com quadmod.com
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Ainsley Gommon Architects were tasked with designing the new sixth
GODFREY SYRETT’S EDUCATION DIVISION IS TOP OF THE CLASS IN SCOTLAND
form college in Connah’s Quay – and called upon Forbo Flooring Systems.
Godfrey Syrett is just weeks away from concluding its fourth Scottish
Richard Beatson, Senior Architectural Technologist at Ainsley Gommon
school contract of 2017, after fitting out the new Kelso High School. The
Architects, said: ‘The sheer range of colours, textures and patterns
£22m state-of-the-art facility in the Scottish Borders has been built by
available across different floor types catered for the different functional
Morrison Construction. Godfrey Syrett’s education division accounts for
requirements needed across departments, while the Forbo design team’s
almost 30% of the company’s turnover. Divisional Director, Derek Mitchell,
capability of creating fully integrated design boards helped us to visualise
said: ‘2017 is proving to be a tremendous year for our education division, in
the project’s flooring scheme, and cemented our decision further.’ www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/education
terms of direct sales to schools as well as supporting main contractors.’ www.godfreysyrett.co.uk
DESSO BRINGS THE EX FACTOR
CREATE WITH CORK AT MATERIAL LAB
DESSO, a Tarkett brand, is continuing its long-standing collaboration with
The striking aesthetic of cork from Granorte can be discovered at the new
international interior architect studio, Ex Interiors, with the launch of the
look Material Lab, a destination for architects and designers looking for
Desso&Ex Concrete carpet range. Inspired by the tones and textures of
new materials and surfaces. Granorte cork products are truly innovative,
modern man-made materials, Desso&Ex Concrete is specially designed for
with flooring, tile, wall, ceiling and fabric materials that deliver a beautiful
commercial offices. Incorporating the artistic influences of Ex Interiors,
aesthetic, all with inherent performance and environmental benefits.
a range of muted, weathered colours and multi-layered patterns are
Paulo Rocha, R&D, Granorte, says: ‘Being part of Material Lab ensures
available, with six shades of grey to choose from. www.desso.co.uk
that the aesthetic, performance and environmental benefits of Granorte cork products are considered as part of a broad interior surfaces mix.’ www.granorte.co.uk
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SILK STYLE WITH POWERFUL PERFORMANCE FROM QUADRANT AND ANTRON INVISTA Antron carpet fibre is now available in two striking new carpet products from Quadrant. The Tussah collection, including Shimmer and Radiance, made with Antron carpet fibre, is available in broadloom and plank formats, with a high-style silk look making it ideal for feature areas, breakout zones and meeting spaces. James Scully, Managing Director at Quadrant, explains: ‘The product’s fashionable silklike pile brings a feeling of relaxation and calm, yet it still manages to deliver in a busy commercial space.’ www.invista.com
HERADESIGN CREATES A WARM, CONTEMPORARY RETAIL EXPERIENCE The Vape Superstore in London E8 has been shortlisted for an
TRAMPOLINE ARENA JUMPING FOR JOY AFTER INSTALLING MODULEO FLOORING
International Interior Design Award. Designed by Catherine White
Blackjack Oak from luxury vinyl flooring manufacturer, Moduleo, has been
Interiors, the contemporary environment creates a welcoming ambience
specified in the recent refurbishment of the Jump In trampoline arena
for customers. Heradesign from Knauf AMF is installed as a large ceiling
in Walsall. More than 500 sq m of Blackjack Oak 22246 from the popular
raft to enhance the modern interior and offer outstanding acoustic
Transform portfolio of designs was installed in the ground floor main
control. Catherine explains that ‘the Heradesign ceiling raft was easy to
arena. Calmak utilised Transform Click products for ease of installation.
install and we could affix the lighting and air conditioning with ease. The
Click technology negates the need for traditional adhesives thanks to its
result is just what I wanted and the client is very happy’. www.knaufamf.com
unique LockXpress system. www.moduleo.co.uk
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POLYFLOR BRINGS A FRESH LOOK TO DE MONTFORT STUDENT UNION
CREATE WITH CORK AT MATERIAL LAB
A variety of commercial vinyl floorcoverings from UK manufacturer
Wilton Carpets has launched New England, a wool-rich tufted carpet.
Polyflor were selected for the refurbishment of Campus Centre, De
Crafted from 100% wool, New England offers exceptional quality and
Montfort University in Leicester. Cristina Riley, Interior Designer at
appearance retention with a 1/10th gauge, 28oz tufted construction that
CPMG Architects, who designed the project, commented: ‘We chose to
offers excellent value in lighter-use areas. James Sprint, CEO at Wilton
use Polyflor commercial luxury vinyl tiles and sheet vinyl flooring on this
Carpets, explains: ‘The New England collection is ideal for small and rapid
project as there was a great choice of designs to select from and a wealth
refurbishment projects, where an off-the-shelf carpet is often the best
of specifications to cater to the varying needs of different spaces across
solution.’ www.wiltoncarpets.com
Campus Centre.’ www.polyflor.com
THE POWER OF PATCHWORK AT EALING CROSS London’s Ealing Cross is an eight-storey, 15,000 sq m new build office. 3-Space UK turned to highstyle Patchwork carpet tiles from modulyss for the design and fit-out of the fourth-floor, occupied by Kumon. 3- Space UK chose the mid-tone greys of Patchwork 957 in meeting rooms and charcoals of Patchwork 592 for working spaces. Beverley Arnold, 3-Space UK, comments: ‘We wanted to stay away from the formality of linear designs and so looked for something more relaxed. The colourways and design of Patchwork allowed us to meet both these objectives.’ www.modulyss.com
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A PERFECT BASE FROM QUADRANT Inspired by craftsmanship and creativity, Contract Base is the perfect flat-woven carpet to create a striking aesthetic in commercial environments. Wearing like concrete, yet providing the comfort and beauty of textile flooring, Contract Base brings lasting performance and enduring looks. In three styles, Kappa, Omega and Sigma, the collection is crafted from 100% recycled ECONYL yarn – regenerated from nylon waste – and has a SBR-free backing for less odour. www.quadmod.com
EUROBRICK’S CLASSIC BRICK SLIPS BRING WARMTH TO THE BOTANIST The Old English brick slip from Eurobrick’s Classic range has always been
FORMICA GROUP EXPANDS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WASHROOM COLLECTION AVAILABLE
popular for interiors because of its warm tones and tumbled finish, which
Formica Group has introduced two new sheet sizes to its Formica
helps to create a characterful interior. Popular pub chain The Botanist
Washroom Collection, creating the most comprehensive range available.
chose this classic finish for their restaurant in Marlow – and it has also
These options reduce fabricator wastage and make it easier to comply
been used at a number of their other new restaurants throughout the UK,
with the DDA. With increased demand for deeper, full height cubicles,
including York, Manchester and Birmingham. www.eurobrick.co.uk
these newest offerings meet the specification of cubicles over 2,200mm high and 1,800mm deep. The new sheets contribute to limiting the environmental impact of a project and support greater cost efficiencies. www.formica.com
Advertisements 103
The End of the Start: Rise of the Human Workplace Humanising workplaces is by no means a simple thing, BDG’s Andy Swann tells us in a fitting ‘swannsong’ for his Final Word residency. Over the last few months, as I’ve written these pieces, the explorations and experiences we’ve covered have touched upon everything from the flexibility of work in terms of where, when and how we do it, responsibility and accountability for working, physical space design, personal wellness and much more. All of this has run in parallel to the publication of my book, The Human Workplace, which itself explores the idea that the only thing any organisation really needs to have in place to succeed is the right people, in the right places, doing the right things. Because when people thrive, organisations thrive too. It’s a shift where companies are becoming platforms for people and understanding that by ‘people’ we mean the entire community surrounding them – customers, workers and the communities they impact. Community management principles are coming to the fore in the way we design operations and environments – and user experience is driving everything In a world where people increasingly have choice about how they work, where they work, who with and for, the requirement is to offer choice to enable them to find the best way to align with the organisation. Importantly though, that then provides choice in how people work. Allowing everyone freedom to find their best way to work within the basic parameters of the business is effective in increasing morale, productivity and other ‘soft’ elements that can positively impact
bottom line. The rethinking of workplaces and systems to meet this flexible, minimum viable workplace, can also create cost and operational savings, such as a reduction in real estate through more effective use of space. There’s no denying that this change is here for good and that the pace of the evolution of work and workplaces will continue to increase dramatically, forever. It’s a great thing – the aspiration to be better is a noble one, but it’s important to keep people connected to the shift. Behind our adoption of new things, we’re creatures of habit and behaviour. It’s not enough to tell us that something changing is good, we need to really understand why and be guided into adopting it as part of our personal narrative. Just providing new tech and workplaces is not enough, because all change impacts people and, unless that impact is framed correctly, it becomes a negative impact which prevents people, and the organisation, from thriving. My role as Change Maker at BDG is to create people-focused transition programmes that take everyone on the journey to positive adoption of change, through helping them discover the best elements of their work, imagine how that work can happen in new and different contexts, then create the change. It’s immersive, creative and fun – exactly the things we need, as humans, to really understand. Change communication is essential, but just telling us is not enough! In itself, this links back to enabling people to thrive. The recent Wellness Together
research comprehensively linked wellbeing to productivity, innovation and profit in very interesting ways. It also demonstrated that wellbeing isn’t just about encouraging people to take more exercise, it’s about the whole spectrum of the experience in work and the workplace that impacts on individual and collective mental and physical wellness. This links right back around to the notion of a human workplace. People thriving means people are well. It also means the organisational platform is working well and, as a consequence, the business performs well. Empirical research is now starting to build up this picture with real data. Despite the prophecies of the machines coming to take our jobs, the future of work is human. There will always be jobs for people – just not the ones we don’t need (or often want). That in itself will bring challenges, but for now our focus must be on enabling people to be their best, because it’s in all of our interests to do so. A final word on human workplaces; they are more open, honest and recognise that it’s ok to ask for help. On which note, I need yours! I’d love it if you took some time to read The Human Workplace – if you buy it from www.koganpage. com you can use ATHW20 for a discount and free shipping. Connecting with your own perspectives, thoughts and feedback is amazing as this conversation progresses. It’s also amazing when people take a moment to post a review on Amazon!
Andy Swann is a Human, an Over-Excited Work Explorer and Change Maker at BDG architecture + design. Andy’s book The Human Workplace will be published by Kogan Page in November 2017. andyswann@bdg-a-d.com
T: 0161 402 3340 E: hello@opus-4.com W: www.opus-4.com
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Design: Martin Ballendat
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