LSI Architects - Receives Top Regional Award
The interior fit-outs of Willow House and Reed House, designed by
Norwich and London-based LSI Architects for Norwich Union at
Broadland Business Park, Norwich, have won the ‘Fit-Out of
Workplace’ category for the Midlands and East Anglia Region in the
BCO (British Council for Offices) Awards 2007.
The awards were presented at the annual BCO Awards ceremony held on
Tuesday 2nd October 2007 at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s
Park Lane, in which the fit-outs were also considered for the
national ‘Fit-out of Workplace’ award. The event was attended by
over 1,500 property professionals who gathered to celebrate design,
best practice and innovation in the active UK office sector.
This latest award for the practice, their twelfth so far this year,
comes within a week of receiving the ‘Architecture for Business
Award’ in the RIBA East Spirit of Ingenuity Awards 2007 for Norwich
Union’s Surrey House Marble Hall and Atrium, as well as two
commendations for Cley Marshes Visitor Centre. The Awards were
presented at the RIBA East Awards Ceremony and Dinner at Ickworth
House, Horringer near Bury St Edmunds last Friday, 28th September
2007.
In giving the regional honours, the BCO judges commented: “This
project represents a well thought through, quality fit-out, which is
no doubt having a positive effect on the productivity of Norwich
Union’s staff.”
The judges noted that in carrying out the fit-out, LSI Architects
had a number of challenges, namely a mid-range budget, a short
lead-in time and a limited time to deliver the project. But, in
spite of these challenges, a quality fit-out was delivered.
The BCO judges felt that the buildings’ entrances were “exceptional,
subtly inspiring rather than brash”, and they found the reception
areas to be clear, logical and homely, while also managing to be
warm and inviting. The judges concluded that the fit-outs complement
the buildings well, the restaurants provide an uplifting environment
and the open plan office layouts allows staff to enjoy daylight and
good views.
Speaking of the quality of entries, Mark Whitby, chairman of the BCO
Awards, said: “This year’s entries have been exceptional,
representing the beginning of a trend towards a new generation of
buildings that not only excel as functional spaces but are lean in
construction, superb in execution; and exceptional in terms of
energy consumption”.
Whitby continued. “There is acknowledgement that if a workforce is
to be ultimately successful, people must be given the highest
quality and most fitting and flexible building environment from
which to deliver. If the UK wants to retain its status as a leading
financial market, with one in five people working in the financial
and business services industries, we cannot underestimate the
importance of the design quality and environmental credentials of
our office buildings.”
LSI Architects completed the interior design scheme in February
2007. Willow House and Reed House are both new, 4 storey office
buildings built for Norwich Union by developer KBC at Broadland
Business Park, on the eastern fringes of Norwich, Norfolk. The
exterior and interior of both offices are virtually identical in
appearance and share the same plan arrangement – a simple deep
rectangular plan formed around a central core.
The new 60,000 and 50,000 sq ft buildings provide a new home for
Operational Services and IT Services staff, between them housing
over 1,000 people. The interior fit out concept is a direct response
to the deep plan of the buildings. As natural day light would only
penetrate internally about one structural bay from the glazed sides
of the buildings, the preferred location for workstations was to
arrange them at the perimeter, providing the staff with the benefit
of natural daylight. This also reduces the need for artificial
lighting to the working areas, and therefore decreases the annual
energy consumption of the building.
The cellular spaces, print and breakout facilities are imaginatively
arranged into four zones, forming a cloverleaf plan within the
square of the base building. This innovative arrangement enables
these spaces to be serviced from risers set within the building’s
core. Each section of the cloverleaf provides a resource hub to the
quadrants of open plan office space they serve, providing light and
themed colours to allow the staff to orientate themselves within the
interiors, as well as softening the space with curving forms.
At the front of the building, the ‘negative space’, created by the
cloverleaf, is occupied respectively by the reception, informal
meeting, restaurant and quiet/lounge area as you move upwards
through the building. These key social spaces benefit from full
height south facing glazing and provide views into the landscape
beyond.
Trevor Price, Principal Member of LSI Architects commented: “We are
delighted that this project has been recognised in the BCO Awards.
This scheme provides a series of contemporary, colourful and bright
environments accessible to all. The interior design and fit out were
designed with the end users’ needs, comfort, health and wellbeing in
mind. Interior design quality makes a huge impact on the quality of
the staff’s working environment.”
Norwich Union’s Head of Managed Property Services and Facilities,
stated: “The interior design and fit out have created a high quality
working environment and a very imaginative use of space and
material. Norwich Union is very pleased with the innovation and
vision that LSI Architects has brought us.”
Email:
vanessa.clarke@prparchitects.co.uk
Arundel Jones Associates Ltd
Hill Farm, Linton Hill, Maidstone, Kent ME17 4AL
Tel : 01622 745333
news@buildingdesign.co.uk
Registered in England and Wales No. 07334149
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