This summer, we at Wates completed four floors of office fit out on behalf of our client, Lloyds. The state-of-the-art refurb in Portland Street now houses around 2000 employees and with a whole range of facilities, including an accessible fully equipped fitness suite with adjacent changing rooms, music room to inspire creativity, a new café, walking workstations, focus desk areas, a contemplation room and comfortable VC meeting pods.
This innovative and accessible workplace is more than just an office, it is intentionally planned to encourage teams to collaborate with a focus on neurodiversity. Many of the features are designed to provide colleagues with a different approach to working; by walking on one of the walking-work stations while they go about their job or even break up their busy day by attending an onsite Yoga class. Living walls are dotted around the building to maintain a fresh look, as well as interactive information walls that are mounted on many of the walkways
The entire fit out is devised with people at the heart of the design. With this in mind it was essential that the building is fully accessible to anyone who may work there.
Reusing materials where possible was an important consideration when planning and designing this fit out. All the existing air-conditioning systems were stored and refitted to save carbon, as well as reusing existing furniture and floor finishes on levels 3 and 4. LED lighting was installed throughout the building. Social enterprise partners such as, Nuneaton Signs, Recycling Lives and Community Wood Recycling, were instructed to work on our signage and our waste management plan.
In order to positively impact the people who live close-by to the area where the project took place, we employed new local labour including six apprentices, four Wates trainee scheme team members and a work experience placement student throughout the project.
Scott Camp
Managing Director Wates fit out and refurbishment
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