Claremont Group Interiors Head Office

The challenge

When Claremont purchased a 1980's building on Birchwood Science Park in July 2006, the site consisted of a single storey office and a 2 storey workshop building; the two being linked by a loading bay. Internally, the building was very dated and finished to a very basic standard. The 5,694 sq ft single storey office building was to become the new home for Claremont's 65 head office staff, with the two storey building being converted into 'The Breeze'; providing around 4,000 sq ft of serviced offices at first floor level with an additional 4,000 sq ft of shared hospitality and meeting suites to the ground floor.

The project was to be completed by December 2006 as the lease had expired on the previous premises. The design had to ensure the space would not only prove an effective workspace, but would also act as a showcase of the skills and expertise of the Claremont team to visitors and prospective clients. The budget was set at £40 per sq ft.

The solution

All the services in the buildings were replaced, with new comfort cooling provided throughout, new catering facilities and new WCs. A communal kitchen and breakout area, 'Quench', was installed, leading to an outside decked area to the rear of the building, complete with patio furniture. The main office is largely open plan with a variety of meeting and team spaces provided in the centre of the office. Storage, library and filing was consolidated into rolling storage and divided departmentally, ensuring that only personal storage would be located adjacent to individual workstations. The layout and division of the workspace was driven by Claremont's internal business process, with the office space organised around Claremont's 3-tiered business approach: 'understanding > design > realisation'.

The technology is both wireless and wired allowing the large number of mobile workers to use a variety of touchdown spaces, taking advantage of the wireless connectivity provided throughout the building and in the outside areas.

In the adjoining hospitality space, shared with 'The Breeze' facility, 5 meeting suites were created; each of which were given adoptive names to suit their 'functional personality': 'Blue Sky' (an intimate, informal suite accommodating up to 4 delegates), 'Flight Deck' (a training/seminar suite for up to 10), 'Light' and 'Bright' (two suites which can also be expanded into a single training/seminar space for up to 35) and 'The Summit' (a formal boardroom for up to 16). Particular consideration was also taken to consider the potential environmental impact of the scheme. Where the budget for the internal decor allowed, lighting was carefully chosen to help reduce running costs and heat emissions. The scheme also incorporates an installation of LED lights to further reduce energy wastage and environmental impact. Other 'eco-friendly' aspects of the scheme include the flooring (supplied by Milliken) which has a biodegradable backing and can be lifted, re-coloured and re-laid for lifetime use. 'Waterless' urinals were also installed in the Gents WCs which use an absorbent compound which is removed and safely disposed of every 2 years.

The result

Claremont moved in over one weekend in December 2006, losing only one working day. All the furniture was relocated from the company's existing offices and all I.T. services were up and running for normal operations to continue on the following Monday morning. The creative employment of graphics, artwork and an interesting use of materials have helped create a space which reflects the business personality of the Claremont team.

Claremont's Managing Director, Mike Gardner, comments:

"The feedback from staff and visitors has been terrific. Internally, greater communication between teams has brought real efficiencies and benefits and, to clients, the office stands as a fantastic showcase of Claremont’s expertise".