CALLENDER HOWORTH
worked into the fabric of the company through cleverly considered design. Offices that you would have considered formal and ‘serious’ are embracing this trend and becoming more ‘trendy’ in their approach. Charities and the like are following suit and creating environments that balance corporate with fun elements. They are challenging preconceptions of these typical spaces and it is great to see. It is not just a passing trend, but a change in life and work style choices.
Q
What makes office spaces so fascinating
to design? People are more in touch with themselves now and this means that we can reflect it in the interior scheme. Loose, fluid designs reflect the idea of sharing, sharing spaces and sharing information for a better work environment. I love designing offices spaces.
The opportunity to deal with board directors and focus groups and really get to the bottom of what the client wants for their company. It is really exciting to be able to reveal the personality of a company through the design. By talking and interacting with the client, you can get a good idea of what they want, even if it may seem like a challenge to begin with. You want to make people love the space so this provides a starting point for any project – create a space people will love to be in.
Q
How do you approach office design/ what are
your requirements from the client before you can begin? Taking Flamingo as an example,
that provide a social aspect to the working environment are sure to succeed in the office
they have three offices and we at Callender Howorth have been working with them for the past 12 years so we understand their wants and requirements and are able to work flexibly around the company because we have seen them grow and understand their ethos. Understanding what is required of the space is crucial - do they entertain other clients? Hot desk? Is it open plan? Are boardrooms central to the companies working style? All of these things need to be considered and noted in the brief at the start of the process. From
then on it is the designers responsibility to encourage creative ideas and it is exciting for us to think ‘how can we radically change the way they work for the better?’. At Flamingo we created a chill out area where employees can take time out and relax on the loungers that we have placed facing a view of the river – It gives people the opportunity to brainstorm in a relaxed environment – you almost feel as though you’re not at work.
Q
Who are the clients and what do they do?
Flamingo International is a leader in the field of quantitative research. Founded and run by Kirsty Fuller and Maggie Collier, the company uses focus group techniques for marketing, pulling companies together to gain an understanding of what they want to promote.
Q
Mark and his team created lounging areas for brainstorming whilst taking in the view
What was the brief for the project and what
does the design say about the company? Flamingo International is quite unique in its approach. They wanted a very chilled environment, they place a lot of importance on green living and so
the green theme was central as well as the idea of understanding what people want and the trends that are currently influencing lifestyle and work choices. Hot desking is something that Flamingo employees do on a regular basis so that, in an open plan environment was important. Personalising the space was
also integral to the overall design. The employees of Flamingo International are creative people so we wanted to reflect this. The office has a global company feel to it but in a fun and dynamic setting. It is forward-thinking, young, smart, trendy and reflects the presence of individuals who all make up the fabric of the company. We had the aim to always encourage creative thinking and to energise workers when they arrive in the morning and keep them going throughout the day. The pop art worked to do this to a certain extent, injecting colour into the scheme and giving the walls personality.
Q
Finally, if you weren’t a designer, what would
you be doing? Landscape gardening; I love to be outdoors so this would provide an ideal opportunity.
idtmagazine.co.uk | Interior Design Today | 41 Chill out areas and spaces
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