Design April/May 2015 July/Aug 2013 | Page 8

My client , a maverick , creative businesswoman , knew exactly what she wanted for the new office space . She wanted a non-office-like space with a separate boardroom and staff canteen , external relaxation spaces and bathroom facilities that would not feel like office ablutions ! She wanted lavender , lemon and olive trees , concrete floors and a patch of lawn . And a hearth .

And she was willing to live with perfect imperfection …
We designed two barn-type structures with exposed trusses , beautifully made by Christian Hess , and open-plan internal spaces with built-in desks . The custommade desks came from Owen Jones , complete with reclaimed timber and steel worktops . He also made reclaimed timber bulkheads , which hide the services installed below the raw concrete slabs . Nirosta came to the party with beautiful stainless steel gates , screens and signage details .
Jensen Tischlerei made the barn shutters for all the windows .
Designer wooden light fittings grace the open stairwell to the first floor .
The boardroom with a wide hearth opens out onto a small , covered entertaining area with an open fire pit .
The staff canteen has a small kitchenette and pantry where staff can have their meals . And the bathrooms even received a Persian carpet each !
The whole team , consultants and contractors alike , bought into her vision and the end result is a happy , serene workplace , vastly different from any other office block .
And even the large , wild fig tree that was rescued from another site where it was in the way of a new development , found a new home here and is thriving now .