+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 21

PROJECT
PROJECT
With Tétris firmly behind the sustainability quest,
Firmenich partnered with Solid Green, professional green
building consulting services in South Africa. Sustainability
consultant, Cebisa Mafukuzela, stepped on board: “From
there, the project just went from strength to strength,” says
Sams. “It didn’t necessitate massive changes to design or
From the outset, it was a delicate
journey, because of the nature
of Firmenich, and the stringent
requirements for its laboratories.
For the project, Firmenich partnered with Tétris
Design & Build which was tasked with delivering a
holistic design-and-build solution that considered
the entire eco-system of the workspace. The goal
was to breathe new life into Firmenich’s dated Midrand
office, in collaboration with Firmenich’s Global Workplace
Solution’s division, whose focus is to provide employees
with a great workplace experience every single day.
Ashley Sams, facilities manager for sub–Saharan
Africa, joined Firmenich at the concept stage of the
project. The interior was to be completely stripped
of its cellular offices making way for an open-plan
layout, aligning with an entirely different way of working.
Sams explains, “Firmenich had changed its strategic
direction to ‘smarter working’ – largely prompted by
the pandemic – encompassing the fact that people can
work from home. This meshed perfectly with the new
open-plan workspace being created, one where nobody
takes ownership of a desk.”
Sams not only brought extensive experience with green
star ratings, but a deep passion for sustainability: “The
Potable water – and ongoing access to it – is vital for the
functioning of the laboratories, so it was imperative in a
water-stressed country, that there is ample on-site water
storage and availability.
pandemic arrived shortly after the project began, and –
without implying any positive sides to Covid – that hiatus
provided breathing space to relook at the project with a
view to getting the project accredited. It was such a golden
opportunity.” Sams was convinced that, with sustainability
as one of the Group’s core values, Firmenich could achieve
a 6-Star Green Star rating.
even direction. In fact, the only physical extension to the
original building, was a double-volume atrium with large
double doors leading out to the garden and a staff canteen
for eating, meeting and connecting.”
Tétris, working with Studio Fanucchi Architecture,
created this haven of natural light, an appealing visual
statement for visitors entering through reception and
for people moving through the space on the stairway
connecting the two floors. An unplanned-for bonus was,
that when the time came, the atrium provided an additional
roof surface for further photovoltaic (PV) panels.
For Tétris’ project manager, Ryan O’Donovan, the
project’s additional focus married perfectly with their
ethos: “Tétris does design based on sustainable and best
practice – we have an internal tool called The Sustainability
Code. We want our teams to be sustainably minded, every
day – every decision made must be about, “Can I improve
the sustainability of the project?” It’s an active methodology
of encouraging people to push that on every level – so, not
just the wallpaper, but the glue, the substrate…”
From a colour and design perspective, Firmenich has
a global playbook – brand guidelines. “In engaging with
Tétris, our job was not only to upgrade the interior of
the facility but to anchor it in a regional context from an
African perspective,” says Sams.
Smarter working at Firmenich means that no one takes
ownership of a desk in the open-plan workspace.
Firmenich’s work involves combining molecules to create unique smells and tastes, so
the design team used its hexagonal shape as the framework for its design language.
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POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 21
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