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Refurb Projects April 2017

Refurb Projects launched in 1987 to cater for the expanding Repair, Maintenance, Improvement and Refurb sectors of the UK Building Industry. Sustainability and the protection of the built environment are essential ingredients of the refurbishment market, and Refurb Projects Journal is a leader in reporting and promoting these ideals.

Refurb Projects launched in 1987 to cater for the expanding Repair, Maintenance, Improvement and Refurb sectors of the UK Building Industry.
Sustainability and the protection of the built environment are essential ingredients of the refurbishment market, and Refurb Projects Journal is a leader in reporting and promoting these ideals.

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INTERIORS<br />

Superdrug unveils new headquarters<br />

500 employees have completed their<br />

move into a new collaborative office<br />

environment in Croydon, designed and<br />

built by Morgan Lovell.<br />

Leading office interior design,<br />

fit out and refurbishment<br />

specialist Morgan Lovell has<br />

completed a project for<br />

national health and beauty retailer<br />

Superdrug to transform its new<br />

55,000 sq ft Croydon address into a<br />

collaborative workspace that<br />

supports colleague wellbeing and<br />

company growth.<br />

After almost 40 years at its<br />

previous address in Beddington Lane,<br />

Superdrug decided to relocate its<br />

headquarters to better reflect its<br />

brand and create a more efficient<br />

working environment for colleagues.<br />

Morgan Lovell was tasked with<br />

transforming the new office in three<br />

phases – defining Superdrug’s<br />

requirements, designing an inspiring<br />

work environment, and building the<br />

office. After being appointed in early<br />

2016, Morgan Lovell carried out a<br />

number of workshops, surveys and<br />

interviews to understand<br />

Superdrug’s core objectives for the<br />

new office. Results showed that<br />

reinforcing Superdrug’s collaborative<br />

culture and implementing its<br />

wellbeing philosophy were top<br />

priorities.<br />

To create an office that meets<br />

the needs of all colleagues, Morgan<br />

Lovell set out to design an ‘activity<br />

based’ working environment. This<br />

type of environment gives<br />

employees a choice of how, when<br />

and where they work.<br />

Tim Polisano, senior designer at<br />

Morgan Lovell, comments: “Activity<br />

based working is a simple concept.<br />

For Superdrug, it means offering<br />

employees a choice of work settings,<br />

each designed for different types of<br />

tasks – whether a small team<br />

meeting, confidential phone call or a<br />

presentation for a product launch.<br />

We have used furniture and varying<br />

colour schemes across the floors to<br />

designate certain areas for different<br />

activities including collaborative<br />

zones, contemplation spaces and<br />

‘touch-down’ desks. This new<br />

working style will also help integrate<br />

teams and make the office a<br />

destination where employees can<br />

meet and discuss ideas however and<br />

wherever they feel comfortable.<br />

“User experience has also been<br />

really important – we want people<br />

to enjoy working in the space and to<br />

be able to move around freely with<br />

ease. Whether it’s moving<br />

somewhere quiet with a laptop to<br />

focus, catching up with a work mate<br />

over coffee in the lounge or taking<br />

advantage of a more formal meeting<br />

room for an important supplier<br />

briefing. We’ve focused on providing<br />

tailored solutions for each team,<br />

which took months of planning and<br />

consultations with colleagues, and<br />

the result is a workspace that<br />

works!”<br />

Meeting facilities were another<br />

key focus. Morgan Lovell’s initial<br />

research found that 73% of all<br />

meetings in the old office were<br />

between less than four people,<br />

indicating that space was not being<br />

used to its full potential and that<br />

smaller meeting rooms and flexible<br />

breakout areas needed to be<br />

provided. The design for the new<br />

office now includes meeting rooms<br />

of varying sizes across the five floors<br />

to encourage conversation away<br />

from the standard work areas.<br />

Central services on each floor, such<br />

as printers and tea points, are<br />

intentionally placed on the<br />

perimeter of main working areas – a<br />

simple design tactic to encourage<br />

taking small breaks throughout the<br />

working day.<br />

There are also breakout spaces on<br />

every level and a large café on the<br />

ground floor with doors leading to<br />

an outdoor terrace. The café has<br />

been furnished with a wide variety<br />

of seating areas and the healthy<br />

food that’s provided onsite is freshly<br />

prepared in the fully-equipped<br />

catering kitchen. Also on the ground<br />

floor, colleagues can take advantage<br />

of the drop-in clinic for free health<br />

checks and the same healthcare<br />

appointments that Superdrug offers<br />

on the high-street.<br />

The formal reception area has<br />

been swapped for a concierge desk,<br />

giving employees and visitors a<br />

welcoming experience the minute<br />

they walk through the door. There<br />

are refreshments in the Business<br />

Lounge and iPads for guests to use<br />

while waiting.<br />

Moving upstairs from the ground<br />

10 APRIL <strong>2017</strong>, REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS

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