client news
Birmingham architects
specify VERCO Oblique to iconic Fort Dunlop
West Midlands architects Nicol Thomas have specified Oblique desking and
storage from VERCO within a relocation and fit-out project carried out by
Rhino Office Interiors for the firm's new offices at Birmingham's Fort
Dunlop development.
One of Britain's most iconic buildings, the former tyre warehouse stood
derelict for more than 25 years until 2006 when a £50 million
joint-venture between Advantage West Midlands and developers Urban Splash
got underway.
The result is a striking mixed-use re-development offering 300,000 sq ft
of office space, 45,000 sq. ft ancillary retail and leisure space and a
100 bedroom Travelodge hotel, all under the UK's largest living grass
roof with parking spaces below for more than 1000 cars.
One of the region's largest practices, Nicol Thomas made the move from
premises in the city centre to the Fort in less than a month.
"Rhino helped enormously in not only planning the new space but stage
managing our relocation at Christmas so smoothly that we experienced only
three hours downtime overall," says Chris Gellion, a partner at the
multidisciplinary practice which enjoys an established reputation with an
emerging portfolio of exciting and contemporary projects.
Rhino Office Furniture conducted a turnkey fit-out to offices, kitchen,
reception and offices at Fort Dunlop that included installing
floor-to-ceiling glass partitioning to capitalise on the abundance of
natural light afforded by the retention of the building's original
fenestration.
The space benefits from
implementation of 60 Oblique desks. Oblique is available in wood veneer
(maple, walnut or cherry) with a stainless steel frame, and with a simple
silver leg frame and maple, oak, beech and pearl white finish mfc.
Complementing the desks is a full range of individual and departmental
storage solutions.
From a basic platform for meeting and conferencing needs to a
sophisticated workstation with comprehensive screen-based, at-hand third
level storage, Oblique meets the diverse and changing dynamics of the
workplace with style and ease.
Nicol Thomas chose the
range in its hugely popular pearl white finish. "White is certainly the
new black," says Chris.
"Oblique helps encourage the sense of space we sought, and in white
finish even better complements the qualities of clarity and transparency
that underpin the design ethos of the interior, helping encourage the
levels of collaboration we sought of our teams."
Oblique's design also suited the surrounding architecture and in
practical terms has enabled installations of four-cluster modules to fall
naturally within the building's original grid, with two rows of four
desks and storage alternating along the length of the open workspace
occupied by its architect and interior designer users.
The move has gone down well with staff and clients alike, according to
Chris Gellion. "All benefit from being in a better quality, better
ventilated space with high levels of natural lighting," he says.
"This interior has engendered a really positive outlook to individual and
team effort amongst users and we have already noted a reduction in staff
absence through the usual winter outbreaks of colds and 'flu. So it looks
be a healthier place to work in, too."
www.fortdunlop.com
www.nicolthomas-birm.co.uk
www.verco.co.uk
ends
Issued February 2008 on behalf of VERCO Office Furniture Ltd
by peter muir public relations
Media contact: Peter Muir tel + 44 (0)1296 715228 fax + 44 (0)1296 715486
email
verconews@pmpr.co.uk
Sales contact: Chris Riley tel + 44 (0) 1494 448000
fax + 44 (0)1494 464216
email
chrisriley@verco.co.uk
Editor Note:
Founded by the Vere family
in 1912, and in family ownership to this day, VERCO Office Furniture is
one of the UK's best-known workplace furniture providers. The company
operates from a wholly-owned 440,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in High
Wycombe, where it makes a wide range of seating, desking and storage
designs for all types of modern workplace environment.
Move information at
www.pmpr.co.uk/verco.htm
and www.verco.co.uk
