Innovation Agility in action


For those keen to review the wid- est range of options available to transform their workspace using appropriate technology, layout and


furniture, undoubtedly a


trade show such as ISE or UC Expo is a great starting point. But what if you want to see how it all works together? To understand how space can encourage agile working and flexibility? A visit to Farringdon’s Workplace House is a very worthwhile way to spend a few hours.


So, what exactly is Workplace House? What it used to be is the London Showroom for Kin- narps, a Swedish designer and maker of office furniture. Now, Workplace House represents a joint venture between seven like-minded, complimentary but non-competing partner companies involved in work- place design and fit-out Workplace House incorpo- rates a co-working space, a demonstration space. A meet- ing space, and an event space and offers much more than the typical technology demo room. It offers an opportunity to show how technology,


furniture, room layout and surface treatments from carpet to security glass can be combined to define the user experience, by capturing the


ect as a whole.” “At the heart of Workplace House is the belief that our partners can collectively offer more than the sum of their indi- vidual contributions. We bring together the ‘best in breed’ brands representing each el- ement of a modern workplace design, and demonstrate, in a live working environment, how these brands collaborate for the benefit of their customers.”


Partner benefits


Ashley Hayward, Managing Director of Kinnarps UK Ltd explains hat visitor reaction to Workplace House id often un- expected: “Early experience has shown that visitors mak- ing an appointment to see one thing, our office seating for example, often enquire about something else – the security glass partitioning on show from Planet for example, or the Avo- cor displays. There are very few other places where commercial buyers can go for this all-round view of what is available for the modern, agile workspace.” Natalie Harris-Briggs, VP, Marketing, Avocor says “We want the Workplace House ex- perience to generate new ideas and fresh thinking for our vis- itors and to act as an experi- ence centre that demonstrates


Workplace House: security partitioning from Planet conceals the Avocor display from those outside the room when necesssary.


such as technology, furniture, carpets, fixtures and the overall aesthetic of the workplace.


Who is it for?


The temptation is to see Work- place House as purely a tech- nology resource, but. in fact, it is planned and executed to


Ashley Hayward, Managing Director of Kinnarps UK Ltd: “Early experi- ence has shown that visitors making an appointment to see one thing, often enquire about something else.”


essence of collaborative work- ing environments,


The partners, of course, in- clude Kinnarps, agile working specialists Advanced Work- place Associates (AWA),


to


advise on strategy and change management, Planet Parti- tions, to provide options for managing space and security and Christie Carpets with its choice of both standard and sustainable floor coverings. The technology piece is provided by Avocor and Acentae, with its partner brands including Nureva. Evoko Liso. STiNO and Huddly.


The purpose of Workplace House is not just to highlight the capabilities of these solu- tions but to embody the con- cept of the modern workspace by demonstrating how furni- ture, interiors and technology can work in harmony to create productive environments. Jon Knight, Ascentae’s com- mercial director, explains: “Traditionally, decisions on workplace design are made by talking to multiple providers and visiting numerous show- rooms. This can result in piecemeal planning that makes it challenging to view the proj-


P8 AV News March 2019


Workplace House: Nureva’s span solution supports workgroup col- laboration.


who are keen to get and idea of what they will get before they commit the funds. The Workplace House expe- rience will give visitors expe- rience of decentralised and distributed working (agile work- ing), activity-based working, design


appropriate to usage,


and offer choice based upon activity being performed, tools available in the business and. arguably most helpful, budget. For more information about


Workplace House or to arrange a tour, please contact your Avo- cor or Ascentae representative.


Workplace House: Acoustically secure pods can be placed in public areas for confidential discussions.


how technology can be used to support use cases such as vid- eo collaboration and agile work- ing. We hope that Workplace House will be a focal point for our partners and customers alike to showcase the benefits of collaborative technology.” The result is a unique area that pushes visitors to think differently about elements


provide a focal point for all the stakeholders in the design of a workplace. These include: architects and interior design- ers; consultants and others who advise on workflow prac- tice; building contractors and facilitators: M & E contractors; furniture and surface treatment resellers; AV and IT specialists; and, of course, budget holders


Workplace House: various styles of furniture are employed. including informal settings to encourage ideation.


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