News

News and Events....

Worlds largest correx desk?

A new project at Wellcome Trust includes a 5.5m Information desk in the Wellcome Gallery. The design by Casson Man architects was thoroughly developed, but a full size mock up was proposed to test the ergonomics and working layout. Installation on the 8th floor was as much of a challenge as initial construction, but the finished mock-up has been worth the effort as it has been an ideal test ahead of joinery manufacturing.

Office design at Regents Place

Completed in 2011, the 90,000 sq ft office fit-out for Gazprom is in the running for recognition at a forthcoming award competition. Images show some of the internal spaces assessed by the judges.

No 1 Moorgate

ICAEW, the chartered accountants organisation, at the flagship 1 Moorgate building selected bespoke furniture for the re-fit of their prestigeous meeting rooms.

The conference table images show the rise-and-fall power and data ports, capped by glass features. These glazed lids use an acid etched pattern taken from original door furniture in the building, with molten metal poured in to create the bas relief design. The chairs are a custom-design drawing upon the Arts & Crafts heritage of the building, using hand made frames in solid walnut, developed in close liaison with ICAEW. The original architect of 1 Moorgate, John Belcher, was a founder member of the Craft Makers Guild, and his design principles are used in the new furniture.  

 

Nothing like a challenge 

Images from a current project at a secure site in Slough. The access scaffold spans an atrium roof to allow the application of an opaque anti-glare manifestation to block out the direct sunlight. The new film will allow light to enter the building but avoiding the glare and reflections that have caused problems in the offices.

The scaffold has been more involved than the film application itself! Installed over a single bank holiday weekend, the scaffold will be removed within 2 weeks.

'Forest walk'

The new office fit out for Gazprom features a forest walk by artist Bradley Basso. This image shows the manifested artwork opposite client-facing meeting rooms.

Now it looks like a boardroom table

More images of the Gazprom 40 person meeting table in construction...with the surfaces veneered...now looking more recognisable, more like the boardroom table in the render, below. This stage is called 'in the white' at the factory..meaning before its been to the polishing stage.

I can't believe it's a boardroom table

First images of the bespoke boardroom table being manufactured for the office fit-out at the new Gazprom office in Regents Place...looks more like we're building a yacht. The table is due to be installed in April...more pictures to follow.

...And this is what it will look like...

Completed HQ

Feb 2011 has seen the completion of a central London office for a global aeronautics, space and electronic systems company. With the installation of the Herman Miller and Vitra furniture to the newly fitted-out office space the premises were handed over ready for inspection by the visiting Exec team from the US head office.

The high quality of the office interior has created a working environment of a very high standard that will stand the test of time.

Crisis Recovery at Tullow Oil

The creation of a new Crisis Recovery room at Tullow Oil offices in Chiswick has included a very bespoke crisis recovery table designed and manufactured to detailed requirements. The meeting table features as much work to the cable management infrastructure as to the finished surfaces, with cable routes, spaces for ancilliary power and data modules, AV connections and surface mounted mircophones.

As the images show...the table surface has concealed stowage space for laptops, as well as regular cable management within the table for connection to power, data and AV. Under the table top, the substructure contains as many cable management routes and spaces as possible to enable any level of cabling that could be required.

As well as being the Crisis Recovery room, this table has a 'day job' as a top level Boardroom table for use by senior management on Tullow Oil executive floor.

Office fit-out project in award winning building

The recently completed office fit out at 11 Brindley Place for Robert Walters Plc has taken place in a building awarded the highest prize in last nights BCO Annual Awards event. The building is described as having 'national significance' and has been developed to provide 'ideal accommodation suitable for up-and-coming businesses and growing companies, while the letting agents were encouraged to give flexible deals and short-term leases; with space available from 1,200 sq ft up to around 8,645 sq ft per floor.'

Coupled with a BREEAM 'excellent' certification, 11 Brindley Place has fantastic views that are an immediate draw for tenants, and a real feature to be maximised by our office designers.

Betfair and Robert Walters Plc (Birmingham) projects completed

Hectic few weeks in August and September as the project management team successfully completed two projects. Betfair in Hammersmith is a 16000 sq ft fit out, whilst Robert Walters in Birmingham is a 4500 sq ft office fit out. See images for both projects on our portfolio page.

Pierre Hermé opens in London

Pierre Hermé, described as the 'picasso of pastry', is opening a new retail premises in London, with the back-office fit out and shop area fit out undertaken in conjunction with the display counter specialist.

Pierre is a gastronomic celebrity in France, with a growing international reputation, and has selected London as the site for his second overseas market after opening 8 shops in Japan.

PH is renowned for amazing macaroons...including the new flavour of grapefruit and wasabi.

The retail fit-out in Piccadilly is due to open in September...images to follow.

 

Refurbished Accountants 

Haines Watts, the national Accountancy firm, have re-occupied their Slough offices after an office refurbishment. The spring/summer 2010 project involved an upgrade to the main open plan spaces, meeting rooms and reception area, with new furniture to complete a thorough office interior refurbishment.

Further images can be seen in our Office Design Portfolio.

The 'wow' factor

From the outset marketing training company Sales-Out wanted a 'wow' factor for their new offices on the Silverstone race track. A multi-purpose Boardroom and Training venue needed to be combined within one space, and give the persona of the company a focal point. The office design ideas features rise-and-fall hardware within a scissor-action table. All closed up, it creates a contemporary meeting table that works within the techie environment of Silverstone. Opened, the table forms a V shape for viewing angles to the main projection screen, with 10 PCs available for their all-day training sessions.

The striking interior design makes the very most of the space, incorporates a branded office design element.

These images from the installation day will be followed by full site photography

 

Two school refurbishment projects complete in time for the new term

St Michaels School and Notre Dame School are starting the new school year with refurbished classroom and ICT rooms, following completion of the summer refurb. schemes.

More images can be seen in our Portfolio section (Schools & Colleges).

 

Jaguar LandRover Refurbishment August '09

Work is almost completed on the refurbishment of several spaces at Jaguar LandRover Gaydon. The first shot shows the handwash basins in the WCs., the others show the flame resistant panelling installed in a reception area.

Spread of Flame testing

Controlled fire retardency tests on various timber panels for a forthcoming refurbishment project for Jaguar Landrover that involves wall-mounted veneered panelling have been carried-out. These pictures show the flame source being applied, and four samples that all withstood the 30 minute test and stopped burning once the direct flame was withdrawn. The samples used four different lacquered finishes including an intumescent lacquer, all applied to a veneered flame-resistant mdf substrate. The panelling has to meet a Class O or Class 1 Fire Resistance standard in order to comply with Building Regulations.

Bespoke Glass Boardroom Table 

Bespoke glass boardroom table for a client in Kingston. The custom-built boardroom furniture used a Vitra Medamorph base structure and a bespoke glass 2-piece top. The glass is produced in a custom colour using a Pantone reference, and has twin cable access ports above a bespoke cable management containment. The glass was CNC machined and toughened at a specialist glass workshop.

The blue of the table matches a decorative theme in several feature areas of the office, and sits happily with the existing grey leather chairs.

At 1.7m wide the table is a heavy piece of furniture to install...luckily each section of the table just fitted into the lift.

Click here for more glass office furniture 

 

New ICT training desk

Working closely with a nationwide training organisation, a new ICT Training desk for use in any training or educational environments where learning switches between hardware based, and non-hardware, formats. 'Interoperability' is the phrase used to describe the flexible format.

The ICT furniture design started with a set of requirements....the need to contain computer hardware, the demand for multiple layouts, the need to be easily moved within and between rooms, and the requirement to operate without computer equipment for regular learning situations.

As the computer equipment is never removed from the desk the set up and technical support is minimised, and hardware life is protected by avoiding regular connection and disconnection. The top shape is planned so that any classroom layout works easily, reconfiguration is encouraged by the desks mobility, but its solid and static when in use.

For more information click here

Corporate Box Refurbishment

Completed before the end of the January transfer window, a corporate box at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground for a client. The refurbishment included a feature entrance and an upgrade to the interior finishes. The bespoke curved storage cupboard was a challenge...just getting the two large, curved, doors into the space was a tight fit.

 

FTSE100 Reception Refurbishment 

Currently we're working on site on a reception refurbishment scheme for the largest employer in the FTSE100, due to finish the week before Christmas.

 

This visual shows the design scheme for the reception.

To see the completed project click here

New HQ for Michael Page 

The new HQ for Michael Page International is completing this month...more pictures on the website soon.

  

New Building Assessment service

Working with several clients on a building analysis service...identifying the amount of new office space needed, evaluating potential sites, and creating a business-case report for the most suitable buildings. The two current projects are expected to conclude in the new year.

See our Building Assessment page.