Our Process
Stage 1
INITIAL MEETINGS
A good brief is essential for the success of any project. This is something we can help you to prepare. We’ll need to know more about you and your organisation, if we’re to create the kind of environment that will inspire your people and in which your business can thrive.
At our first meeting, we will want to listen to your business and operational objectives – short and longer term - and walk you through all the issues we’ll need to discuss and the information we’ll need to acquire, before our design team considers proposals for your new workspace.
Stage 2
DATA GATHERING AND INTERPRETATION
Before deciding whether to refurbish or move, we need to understand your space requirements, now and in the future.
Too much space is money wasted. Too little space will restrict growth and productivity, and could affect morale, with a negative impact on staff retention.
The right amount of space however, will enable you to create an inspirational environment and provide the facilities your people need to drive the business forward, efficiently and cost-effectively.
And by carefully applying the latest space-saving design techniques, it may well turn out that your existing offices will support all your business objectives, after all.
RESEARCH - INTERVIEW
To establish your space requirements we interview key personnel at all levels. In addition, we survey your furniture, filing, storage and equipment, discuss your technical requirements and explore any other facilities you may need.
EXPLORING THE "SOFTER" ISSUES
To help our designers create an environment that truly reflects your corporate personality and culture, we also look at some of the ‘softer’ issues. This enables us to better understand what you would like your offices to say about the organisation, the kind of working environment you wish to create, and how your brand values and identity could be supported.
DEFINING THE BRIEF
Having carefully considered all the information collected, we generate a ‘Planning Data’ spreadsheet. This document accurately details the space required by each department and facility and describes their relationship to each other. After we’ve reviewed this information with you, it forms the basis of a detailed brief for our designers.
Stage 3
PROPERTY SEARCH
Where there is a need to relocate, our links with leading commercial property agents can prove a highly effective resource.
Providing an accurate guide to your space requirements, Planning Data compiled during the research stage can be used to assess the suitability of candidate buildings.
We’ll also verify dimensions and assess whether any property under consideration complies with your technical needs.
Stage 4
RESPONDING TO THE BRIEF
Once suitable premises have been identified, we develop block layouts indicating the ‘best fit’ within the space available.
PRELIMINARY LAYOUT PLANS
The next step is to develop preliminary layouts detailing the location of all offices, workstations and facilities. While these are created primarily to demonstrate feasibility, we use them to stimulate further discussion and debate. To help you make the right choices we often present a range of options.
OUTLINE SPECIFICATIONS AND COSTS
Having completed a detailed technical inspection of the building under consideration, our construction team develops outline specifications and detailed cost options covering every aspect of the project. Usually set at three pricing levels, the resulting cost matrix enables you to choose exactly how and where your money is being spent to establish a realistic budget for your project.
ACTIVITY PROGRAMME
In addition, we produce a comprehensive ‘Activity Programme’ clearly setting out key objectives and decision points for both the design development phase and for all on-site works.
Stage 5
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
With the detailed layouts broadly agreed, we consider specific design details using a range of techniques to present our thinking.
Typically, initial ideas, sometimes exploring several different design themes, are presented as 2D visuals together with style boards giving an indication of colours, finishes and materials.
Where appropriate, these initial concepts may also explore opportunities for the integration of corporate identity and branding within the working environment.
After review, preferred routes are refined and developed on our computer-aided design system, and realistic computer-generated visuals and animations are then produced.
As the project progresses, we develop final layouts and fully-detailed technical drawings for our construction teams, together with all the drawings and documentation required for statutory and landlord approvals.
Stage 6
REALISATION
Now your budget and project realisation programme are set you can relax.
With the final specification agreed, we appoint a dedicated site-based Project Management Team from our own staff to oversee construction – and appropriate specialist sub-contractors from our network of tried and tested suppliers.
We also deal with all necessary approvals (Landlord, Local Authority and Building Control), including compliance with Health and Safety requirements under the CDM (Construction – Design & Management) Regulations.
As your new workspace takes shape, you’ll appreciate the advantages of our integrated design and build methodology and formal quality procedures, as they lead to the realisation of a shared goal: the delivery – on time and within budget – of an environment that will inspire your people and support your business goals.
View recently completed projects here.
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