Surface Design Awards – Complete

• INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE YEAR - NEW
  This is a new category that recognises wall, floor, ceiling and surface design products, including decorative, creative and inventive surfaces for the interior of buildings including both commercial and residential properties.
• COMMERCIAL BUILDING - INTERIOR
  Commercial Buildings that are used for commercial purposes, and include retail, hospitality, workplaces, factories and warehouses and buildings where commercial services are provided. At least 50 percent of the buildings’ floor space will be used for commercial activities.

FACTS & FIGURES

CLIENT - Providence Equity Partners LLP
LOCATION - Welbeck Street W1
SIZE - 20,000 ft2
SCOPE - Consultancy, Cat A&B Interior Fit Out
PM - Knight Frank
MEP - AECOM
CONTRACTOR - BW Workplace Experts
COMPLETION - July 2023
BUDGET - approx. £3.5M

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Our long-standing client of 15 years, Providence Equity Partners approached us to carry out a comprehensive workplace consultancy and review their post-pandemic space requirements, reflective of their changing working patterns & next-gen demographics. Providence are private equity specialists, focused on growth-oriented media, communications, education and technology companies throughout North America and Europe.

In a major move, managed by Knight Frank, Providence relocated from an inefficient six storey Mayfair Georgian townhouse to a large single floorplate floorplate composed of former three revitalised buildings. The move proved to be an instant catalyst or the company’s business processes and culture. The project is a great example of positive post-Covid workplace optimisation to accommodate new working patterns, re-definition of the role of office for the business. The fit out is reflective of changing Providence’s investment profile towards green industries.

ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT

The space is organised a central open Atrium, where a large fully-catered Staff Hub is also located. The Hub is equidistant from all corners of the office and is proving to be the beating heart of Providence, where people gather for meals, coffee and casual meeting throughout the day. With predominantly cellular accommodation for their private equity management team, along with high spec ‘bull pen’ open areas and support workstations located within sight lines, a ‘home away’ from home look & feel was achieved through the use of high quality furniture & fittings with predominance of natural, sustainable materials and earthy tones.

A particular feature of this project is a new landscaped patio. A tranquil & lush oasis carved out in a densely built-up urban environment of W1 and interfacing key internal spaces.

FINISHES & MATERIALS OVERVIEW

Overall choice of materials was driven by the requirements of durability to withstand the lifespan of 15 year lease and intensive use typical of a workplace, strong sustainability credentials, reflective of Providence’s investment profile, elegance and timeless character, resistant to ‘seasonal’ trends. Given the high utilisation or shared areas such as reception or Staff Hub, durability was paramount in our material choice. We aimed to cultivate an industrial aesthetic, specifically a concrete-inspired appearance. Dekton, copper, full body porcelain were not only aesthetically fitting but also aligned perfectly with our sustainability objectives.

We believe that it is not just the quality of specification and character of finishes and materials is what determines the aesthetic and functional success – it is also how these finishes are used – their proportions, detailing, juxtaposition with other materials, illumination. All these factors contribute to extracting full architectural and technical potential of a material. With this in mind, a number of custom meterials were used in the project, such as bespoke CNC-routed oak. With unwavering dedication to precision and craftsmanship, these one-of-a-kind panels were exclusively tailored by a specialist joiner, serving as a testament to the painstaking attention to detail invested in this project. We left no detail unaddressed, including the clever concealment of the kitchen door within the oak panels. To elevate the visual impact of these panels, we strategically integrated front lighting, effectively bathing them in light to accentuate the rich textures and captivating patterns.

TESTIMONIALS

We are delighted to have received the following feedback from our Client:
“LORENC team designed our office in Mayfair. They quickly grasped our brief and produced outstanding designs. Their eye for detail is excellent, the quality of materials and procurement was extremely high”.

Alexandra DeLisle - Ogilvy
Providence Equity Partners

CNC-ROUTED OAK PANELS take centre stage in the staff restaurant, acting as an expansive artwork display. Each panel is distinctive, with each one drawing inspiration from the client's logo. With painstaking attention to detail, we included the clever concealment of the kitchen door within the oak panels and strategically integrated front lighting, bathing them in light to accentuate the textures and patterns.

IROKO WOOD was selected to craft the curved benches to the open atrium. The use of wood was intended as an interplay between nature and modernity - it serves as a natural contrast to the base-build architectural surrounding, evolving into a rich medium golden-brown hue over time, complementing the interior oak finishes.
While Teak was formerly used for outdoor use, Iroko surpasses it in terms of sustainability, and due to its strength, durability, and resistance to outdoor elements, was the preferred choice.

COPPER details are evident throughout the interior to elevate the space into a high-end environment. An example is the reception desk where copper marquetry plays on the geometry of the client's logo. Copper not only adds a touch of elegance but is a material that can be recycled endlessly, without any loss of its inherent properties - it can be reclaimed, melted down, and reborn as a new product.

OTHER PRODUCTS USED

Kvadrat Soft Cell & Wall Track
Havwoods wood flooring
Domus tiles
Dekton
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper
Shaw carpets
Ege carpets
Autex Acoustics
Fenix
Formica
Polyrey
Forbo
Armourcoat
Farrow & Ball

SKA GOLD & NO CAT A WASTE

Through concerted effort of Architect, MEP engineers AECOM, Agent, Project Manager and the Landlord, wasteful demolition of building’s standard CatA was avoided, in favour of creating custom Cat A energy efficient and daylight-saving scheme. Unlike a typical London Cat B commercial fitout which includes wasteful, costly and time-consuming partial of complete demolition of pre-existing Cat A fit out to suit the tenant’s layout and requirements, we were able to design and build a fully customised new intelligent MEP system from shell & core.
In our unwavering commitment to sustainability and our dedicated pursuit of obtaining SKA Gold certification, we were focused on selecting environmentally responsible materials. This conscientious approach seamlessly aligns with our company's dedication to ethical and sustainable principles.

SKA Gold Fit‐out Sustainability Assessment was granted on 03. October 2023.

The project generally proceeded smoothly thanks to our inclusion of a SKA specialist who ensured that all materials were sourced sustainably and obtained the necessary certifications.
The project encountered a significant hurdle due to the concurrent inflationary pressures and the substantial increase in material costs. In our case, the rising inflation meant that the cost of various project-related expenses, from labour to utilities, increased steadily. The pressure to swiftly approve materials without the customary luxury of reviewing mock-ups became a critical aspect of project management as we sought to navigate these economic challenges. This required us to make well-informed decisions while keeping a close eye on the evolving economic landscape to mitigate financial risks.
This challenge was particularly pronounced when it came to bespoke joinery items, such as the routed oak panels. Procuring these items in Belfast added an additional layer of complexity, requiring careful consideration of transport timings etc.
The project also heavily relied on photography, video documentation, and trust in our sub-contractors to bridge the gap when physical mock-ups were unavailable.
Fortunately, we had the advantage of a preliminary period of due diligence in collaboration with BW Interiors, the contractors. This involved a thorough selection process for all sub-contractors, including site visits to their factories and facilities. This pre-project groundwork laid a solid foundation for effective collaboration and ensured that we had the right partners in place to tackle the unique challenges that arose during the project.