Office interior design consultancy, Office Principles North, has completed the combined CAT A and CAT B refurbishment of a new Central Co-op support centre in Lichfield. The c.32,000 sq ft facility delivers a hybrid workplace destination over three floors of Central House, Queen Street and secures Central Co-op’s presence in the city. Its open plan design houses a variety of adaptable work settings to promote collaboration among teams and provide individuals with autonomy in how and where they work. Features include bespoke event spaces, themed meeting rooms and areas for focused activities. A breakfast bar and dining area doubles as social and entertainment space, while an outdoor terrace on the building’s third floor caters for meetings and events. The refurbishment has been shaped by Central Co-op’s commitment to the environment and social responsibility. Office Principles North has reused materials wherever possible – including reupholstering c.80% of existing furniture – while there is also new, sustainable lighting and external landscaping. Central Co-op has made a significant long-term investment in the infrastructure of Central House, including necessary roofworks, brickwork and new windows to ensure it complies with the latest building regulations. A focus on energy efficiency has secured an EPC ‘A’ rating. Office Principles North was chosen as delivery partner for the refurbishment following completion of an initial workplace consultancy project that involved Co-op colleagues. In addition to the CAT B works, the contractor has also delivered the CAT A refurbishment of 12,460 sq ft space that will be sublet by Central Co-op. Tina Batham, joint managing director of Office Principles North, said: “It has been a huge pleasure to work in partnership with Central Co-op to deliver its new Lichfield support centre. Together, we’ve created a modern, sustainable workplace that embodies the organisation’s culture and values and cements its place in the heart of the local community. The design has been shaped by Co-op colleagues and succeeds in fusing functional and creative spaces that promote both hybrid and collaborative ways of working. The project has undoubtedly enhanced Central Co-op’s existing property portfolio.” Liz Hanshaw, head of change at Central Co-op, said: “With sustainability being so core to our purpose, we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved, with a modern, light and airy space where colleagues can be at their very best to make a difference for Members and customers.  Not only have we created modern, convenient spaces where colleagues can work collaboratively together, we’ve also created a place where we can proudly host our events such as our Members meetings, in the heart of the city centre.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading fitout specialists, has delivered its first project in the tertiary education sector – providing fitted furniture for the Clarice Pears Building which houses the University of Glasgow’s School of Health and Wellbeing. Built by Multiplex and designed byAtkinsRéalis, the £50m facility on the University’s Gilmorehill Campus brings together five academic teams from different locations across Glasgow. This has created a single multi-disciplinary centre for world-class research into improving health and reducing health inequalities. The building is named after Clarice Pears, the mother of the founders and trustees of the Pears Foundation which donated £5m towards the building’s construction. Deanestor fitted out 42 rooms across five storeys, manufacturing more than 700 items of fitted furniture and joinery which included the main reception desk in the entrance atrium, purpose-designed tables and benching to level 1, informal booth seating to encourage social interaction and quiet study, storage solutions, kitchenettes, and worktops. The choice of natural materials for the interior included extensive use of wood finishes to help promote a sense of naturalness and calm in the building. Bespoke, full height meeting booths in a maple wood finish with brightly coloured seating according to the zone, add to the aesthetic impact and were also manufactured by Deanestor. The booths were provided in different sizes and configurations and incorporate acoustic treatment with padded upholstery above head height to create a canopy that promotes quiet working in the inclusive study spaces. Each was fitted with power, data and charging facilities. Other booth-style seating arrangements were designed to encourage collaborative working and study whilst incorporating good acoustic performance with the use of upholstered screens. Ramsay McDonald, Managing Director of Deanestor in Scotland, said, “This scheme, uniquely, utilises our experience of delivering fitout contracts for state-of-the-art hospital and laboratory projects and also multi-school campuses that promote a high level of collaborative learning and social integration.” “The School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow will help to address some of the greatest challenges facing society – in the UK and around the world – from tackling health inequality and disease to improving health and wellbeing. We are really proud to have contributed to this wonderful building that has created such an exciting global centre of research excellence.” The Clarice Pears Building is a prominent feature on a new central university square and accommodates over 8,000sqm of research, engagement and teaching space. It will be used to host workshops and knowledge exchange events, as well as to develop new multi-disciplinary postgraduate courses. The design of the building amplifies the spirit of the Institute and delivers a wellbeing and human-centric focused workspace in the city of Glasgow, which is also sustainable and uses natural strategies for light and ventilation. A welcoming and publicly accessible space has been created on the ground floor to promote knowledge sharing and public engagement. This is reflected in the informal booth seating provided by Deanestor. The project was a finalist at the recent Scottish Property Awards in the Development of the Year (Public Buildings) category. Deanestor specialises in high quality furniture and fitout solutions to construction clients and contractors for major healthcare, education, build-to-rent and student living schemes. Its teams offer both standardised and bespoke fitted furniture design, joinery, manufacturing and installation to meet specific project requirements. For further information, visit www.deanestor.co.uk, call 01623 420041 or email enquiries@deanestor.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The latest in a long line of construction, fit out and design projects for Manchester Metropolitan University has been completed by Wigan based Truline Construction and Interior Services Ltd. A new, community hub for the Student Union at MMU’s Birley campus, Unit One, been innovatively designed and built by Truline. Unit One is a project for MMU that has been designed to appeal to all senses while ensuring it was a place that was fit for purpose, welcoming and encourages a longer dwell time. The venue aims to be a destination for both students and local residents and changes from a café during the day to a bar venue in the evening with live entertainment. The designers chose contrasts of texture with reclaimed timber on the front of the counter / bar and tactile fabric in colour pops for the soft furnishings. The fluted back of the banquette seating area is covered in a vibrant blue fabric and the contrasting textures beg to be touched. Acoustics have been carefully considered within the design. Bright yellow, geometric felt light fittings work with the planting scheme and acoustic wood slat wall to help ensure the sound is comfortable whether that’s day time or evening. The ceiling is a feast for the eyes with the exposed air vents, ducts and piping creating an industrial feel. Aesthetically pleasing LED light tubes have been added for further interest to keep the eyes engaged. Bright yellow, which matches the geometric light fittings, was chosen for the tiling to reflect the university brand colours and this is contrasted with orange and blue pops of colour on the chairs. The venue itself takes care of the smell and taste sensory experience with the delicious aroma of freshly ground coffee striking guests as soon as they walk in, and the homemade cakes, pastries and other snacks tempt the taste buds. Mike Hyde, Managing Director, from Truline Construction, commented: “This project is the latest with our longstanding client, MMU. We have been a trusted partner since 2016, working collaboratively with MMU to successfully deliver planned maintenance and refurbishment projects in excess of £12m during this period. Unit One was our first design project for the Student Union at MMU and hugely enjoyable. Our project team worked hard to ensure the space was delivered on time and within budget. Ultimately, we are proud to have created an attractive and inviting space for staff, students and local Hulme community residents to enjoy.” The practicalities of a day to night venue are also considered by the Truline Construction team. This includes dozens of plug sockets for remote working, a range of seating from more formal upright areas for dining, comfy chairs to lounge in and variety of options for work spaces. The option to sit at high breakfast bar stools also changes the energy within Unit One. Seating in the large windows makes the most of the natural light while the view is softened with hanging plants to add a level of privacy to those seats. The lighting can also be altered to have a huge impact of the mood and reflect the time of day or night transforming it totally from casual coffee shop into buzzing bar. Louise White, head of finance and performance, from MMU: “Truline Construction totally understood the look and feel of what we were looking for and have created a welcoming space that feels part of MMU and is also a destination for local residents. It was key to create a space that supports a circular economy and encourages longer dwell time whether that’s for work or pleasure. Both have been perfectly catered for and since opening it’s been a hugely popular venue.” Truline Construction is a leading commercial interior design and construction provider and is a living wage employer. Employing over 50 people in the north west, Truline offers a full service from design to installation. For more information, please visit https://truline-cis.co.uk/ <https://truline-cis.co.uk/> and to read more about designing for the senses, please visit https://truline-cis.co.uk/2024/03/12/commercial-interior-design-for-the-senses/ <https://truline-cis.co.uk/2024/03/12/commercial-interior-design-for-the-senses/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals