Case Study: Gordon Legal
GORDON LEGAL
Every company has different needs when it comes to its office and meeting spaces, but it’s true that few things are as rewarding as a workplace with a clear design narrative and purpose.
Led by Katrina Hooker, the team at commercial interior design consultancy KHID took the Gordon Legal slogan of “It’s Personal” as the starting point of the office redesign, and created a reception and meeting room space that embodies the quintessence of both the design studio’s design ethos, and the law firm’s motto.
Project photography throughout by Peter Clarke.“We created a reception and meeting facility that is welcoming and calm, yet professional and representative of a legal practice.”
– Katrina Hooker, Director, KHID
There are certain features we all know can affect workplace productivity and mood, but there is one important factor often overlooked by most employers the world over: lighting. An employer’s choice of lighting can have a significant impact on the productivity of its company, as well as helping to create a welcoming first impression to prospective customers and clients.
As Katrina notes, the lack of natural light was a challenge, but one the design team at KHID met head on.
But short of any drastic structural changes to the building, how did they remedy this, given its position within an existing fit-out? Rather than relying on natural light to enhance the space, lightness and warmth was added through crisp white walls paired with timber parquet wall details, while a pop of statement greenery has its time in the proverbial ‘sun’ too.
“As there was no access to natural light, we created a space that provided interest and detail through the installation of the materials,” explains Katrina on the design process.
Another important part of any office design - aside from the lighting and interior layout - is the environmental factor, such as the adding of plants in and around the workspace. Plants and greenery can be attributed with aiding worker performance and overall mood, as well as improving the quality of indoor airflow.
You won’t find any glaringly obvious fiddle leaf fig trees or succulents in this space, however. Instead, a statement greenery wall with climbing vines is featured in the reception area. Plants like the heartleaf philodendron or pothos are perfect for this setting, requiring little to no natural light and minimal water to thrive.
Similarly, a well-balanced acoustic environment should always play a key role in any contemporary interior, especially a busy workplace filled with hustle, bustle and assorted legal chatter.
Featured in this Legal project is Blå Station’s Gaia acoustic wall panels, working as both a functional and decorative element in the meeting room.
In Detail
The minimal layout makes the space feel like something of a blank canvas. Bright colour punctuates throughout, but the highlight is undoubtedly the BOB from Blå Station, taking pride of place in the reception seating area.
Where ordinary sofas are usually rectangular, square and predictable, BOB offers the architectonic freedom to either challenge or adhere to all types of spaces.
“We used Blå Station’s ‘BOB’ sofa system from P4 as it provided an interesting seating arrangement within the reception. Something a little unexpected but also due to its high quality style it has the level of sophistication expected in a law firm”, says Katrina.
Additionally, the aforementioned Gaia A42 acoustic wall panels also from Blå Station compliment the unique, modular shape of BOB perfectly. The four symmetrical elements of Gaia can be combined in an infinite range of
combinations. Here it is used to create a simple yet striking presence, leading to a natural centre point in the main boardroom.
Its shape generates the perfect atmosphere, creating high sound quality, while the light grey colour matches the Blå Station Wilmer chairs in the reception, adding ambience to the space while not straying far from the colour palette used throughout.
The industrial theme is carried through with the addition of Pic tables by Maxdesign dotted throughout the reception area. The tray top and sleek tripod base make it a versatile option for a legal practice being easily adjustable.
The end result of this project is a contemporary reception and meeting area filled with an abundance of texture and thoughtfully considered details. While some may have felt limited by a lack of natural light, this space is both bright and open, with just the right amount of personality added via the added materials.
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