How Company Branding Can Be Reflected Through Office Design

There was once a time when the office was used solely as a workplace – this is why office design of the past was based on the 'factory floor' concept; people were stuck in every inch of space to complete work as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Time allows us to learn and develop and soon enough, we realised that the workplace should be more than simply 'a facility to play host to a workforce'. A 'workplace' can be used as a promotional tool to clients, it can host meetings, it can be used by people to learn and develop, it can even be used to create a community for workers, adding more to their experience at work than just simply 'working'.

Placing company branding throughout the design of an office is a great way to help staff feel more involved with the ongoing strive of the business, as well as impress upon clients and onlookers, that this is a professional business that values its products.

These are the precise feelings that one of our clients, a luxury car company, wanted to get across with their workplace design. We were very pleased to help.

Our Office Design Project For A Luxury Car Manufacturer

Covering nine acres, the company's head office is located in Reading, the heart of the Thames Valley, close to the M4 – perfectly located to take advantage of the growing business and residential population in the South East. Accommodating for around 100 employees, the company required the workplace to reflect the corporate identity of their historic brand. A full workshop is integral to the building, as is a glass-covered atrium where current and historic car models can be displayed to passers-by.

The office design brief that we were given was to create a workplace that supported the health and wellbeing of the team that was based at this location, whilst also making space as efficient as possible. The company wanted the interior of the new office to incorporate natural elements of biophilic design to contribute to the positive wellbeing of staff, as well as bring teams closer together – creating connections with each other, as well as the brand and the customers who are interested in it.

The building itself was built during the 1980s and so has a heavy black frame with solid construction materials installed throughout the structure. The interior was incredibly dated and had not benefited from any substantial refurbishment, save for new ceiling and flooring for over a decade.

Our 'Active Solution'

Over a 10-month period (which also included a lengthy planning and approval process), we created several designs for the new head office. This included detailed space plans, together with 2-D and 3-D concepts of the new layout – providing the company with an insight into what their requirements look like from different perspectives. The key element of the office design brief we were given was to ensure that space efficiency was maximised by incorporating floor-to-wall storage and centralising shared amenities (such as bins and printers, etc).

To aid the concentration of employees, the introduction of zoned workspaces to the design would help to control noise levels. The use of glazed partitioning meant that whilst areas were physically separated, there was still visibility throughout the office, making it feel open and collaborative.

Following the design process, we completed a new desk installation and staff reconfiguration – the first phase of which included the refurbishment, fit-out, furniture supply and installation of all IT infrastructure over a single weekend to minimise disruption.

To create that modern, yet natural look that the company were seeking for their staff, we chose a colour palette consisting of white and green, with oak elements. When included alongside the installation of plants and other biophilic elements, this meant that employees could still feel connected to the outside. To aid the wellbeing aspect further, we introduced sit-standdesks throughout the space to encourage movement and allow staff the opportunity to choose how they would like to work.

Once the office refurbishment was complete, we stayed on to help relocate all staff (and their equipment!) into the new space, getting them set up to tackle business on the Monday morning.

“I just wanted to say that it was an absolute pleasure working with the Active team - they were terrific, incredibly organised, quick, accurate, helpful and polite. A real joy. It has made what could have been an extremely arduous and difficult job, very slick and 'seamless' as the MD said to me the other day! We have had excellent feedback."

- Client feedback for this office design project.

Are You Our Next Office Fit Out Client?

For over 20 years, we have been providing Active Workplace Solutions for a range of different business operations. No matter their particular requirements – whether it was office design and build, workplace relocation, furniture procurement or storage –we have built up a leading portfolio that stands as a testament to the quality of works that we can perform.

If you would like to learn more about our services, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our expert team today.You can call us on 0845 130 9066 or by sending an e-mail to info@activeworkplacesolutions.co.uk