BARNACK ESTATES

Shining a light on office interiors

Open plan spaces are desirable in modern offices, but they also present a host of logistical challenges.

4,700

Square feet

40

Employees

60

Seats

About The Barnack Estates Project

 

When Barnack Estates, a commercial property construction development and investment company based in Peterborough, moved into their new large open-plan office, they knew they were going to need some expert assistance. Privacy storage and access to natural light are just some of the issues we see businesses come across when trying to design open-plan spaces. They are much harder to visualise solutions for as the lack of defined areas leave everything to the imagination.

Office spaces need to be versatile. Teams use spaces very differently, and a cleverly designed space includes solutions that work for everyone. Achieving this kind of harmonious balance is even more difficult in open-plan spaces where natural light is limited to high windows and skylights.

The key to this project was ensuring that every inch of space had a purpose. Whether it was workspaces incorporating document storage, areas to layout large format plans or simply somewhere for staff to break out and relax, each team needed to get something different from one single open-plan space.

Keen to partner with a local company, they got in touch with Plann:d, an office space planning company, off the back of a word-of-mouth recommendation. By taking them around a few local offices the Plann:d team had completed, the client got a bit of insight and inspiration, which helped them to identify opportunities for their own space.

Trying to find the right office interior and finish is a minefield. Once you start looking in catalogues online you soon get overwhelmed. So having an expert team to guide us through the options was invaluable and essential.

We were keen to make the most of any natural light. It was a limiting factor but it was important to us from a staff well-being perspective. We wanted the main office to remain open plan but we also needed offices with closed doors and a separate main boardroom. It was a tall order! 

Using existing features like the skylights, combined with bright coloured furniture and light-coloured desks, accentuated by greenery provided by plants, the new space made the most of its warehouse feel. Tall desk screens, telephone booths and glass partitioning all contributed to the sleek but elegant warehouse feel, while also offering reduced noise levels, areas for quite phone calls and a much-needed boardroom.

To help them visualise the space, we created a series of 3D CAD drawings, all detailed as an authentic representation of the interior.  Not only were these drawings used to show just how the space was going to work, but it was a great way to engage with the team.

Barnack Estates now enjoys a bright, contemporary office space where the team has a sense of ownership. Designed around their specific needs, the space now works for them as opposed to offering the logistical challenges it did previously. By working with Plann:d and a dedicated project manager, they are able to continue to tweak the space as they use it, meaning it continues to work for them as they adjust to the new way of working.

No two projects are ever the same. But understanding how space works and how to make space work for different teams, we were able to deliver an ambience and environment that Barnack Estates’ staff enjoy being in. One which they are proud to show off to their clients.

The entire project was completed despite unforeseen furniture delivery delays brought about by the Covid lockdown. The Plann:d team came up with a range of solutions, including part delivery as items arrived, while also providing loan furniture from their pre-owned furniture division.”

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