Northern Rail Case Study

Northern Rail's aim was to improve the customers' experience of rail travel and their perception of an ageing industry. This became the driving force behind the design: creating an interior that looked to the future, largely unbranded but unmistakeably Northern Rail.

The Solution

One major challenge was how to divide the small space    between reception, training and the open-plan office, while maintaining a sense of openness and connection. The       solution was to build a 200mm thick feature wall with a small opening to give a sense of transition as you pass through the space into a small breakout area for training. This then opens out into the main office.

A key feature was to subtly underpin the design with hints of Northern Rail's ethos: people, places and possibilities.

This was done in a number of ways. Frameless glazed partitioning make up the majority of meeting rooms, and cellular spaces with bespoke graphics depicting each major city across the North of England. Uniquely stylised canvases showing Northern Rail's customers and staff add bright splashes of colour to the clean, sharp interior.

The Result

Northern Rail's area director east, Malcolm Brown, describes the result:

"We needed to relocate and create a modern 'Northern' work environment for over 250 of our people.

"Through an extensive search process we found Claremont. They offered a unique blend of the ability to listen and translate, add their own creativity where appropriate, then thoroughly plan and implement. The combination of skills which Claremont brought added genuine value to the project, whether it be the site manager, designer, project manager, and so on."

"The project is now nearing completion and to date - we are on time and on budget, what more can be said!"