We were asked to redesign this large first floor office space in Central Oxford for one of our clients who wanted to create a more modern working environment for their staff.
Once stood as a single office with a mixture of both open plan and cellular office space, our clients wanted to utilise the space again after a long lease but still retain some rental income so we were asked to divide the complete space into two separate offices to serve separate end users.
Key requirements were to; form a new entrance accessible from the college’s existing grounds, create an additional fully serviced kitchen space to serve the new split office and build a flexible meeting space.
“ The new office looks great and all of the colours work brilliantly together, thank you”
Assistant Domestic Bursar, Oxford
Re-configuring the space meant stripping the office right back. Changing the layout meant we had to accommodate new electrical circuits to service each area. We also installed a new suspended ceiling grid with new energy efficient LED lights to replace the dated halogen fittings. The water feed for the new kitchenette was easy to achieve, but creating a new kitchen at a distance from the existing one meant rerouting all the services and enlisting ground workers to connect it to mains!
The college were very keen to future proof the office space. Part of this plan was to make the ground floor toilet accessible for disabled use. The walls of the existing toilet were knocked down and a new, smart cubicle system was put in its place. We also worked with an architect to design a glazed porch to minimise drafts from foot traffic. As part of the future proofing plan, we also automated the doors and built a ramped walkway for wheelchair access.
The challenges came from four different perspectives. I had to redesign the space so that it was fit for purpose and that basic needs were met. In addition, there needed to be easy access to shared toilets, utilities in place for an additional kitchen and as much natural light to all working areas with heating. As a result, I had to cleverly divide the space and to ensure everyone had access to light.
Our client’s team were very much used to traditional office working environments. Therefore, we had to work with them in adjusting them to an open plan way of working. To manage this, we incorporated free standing partitions to give an element of privacy between departments.
