United Utilities, Innovation Centre

Flexiform continues its partnership with Emcor and United Utilities, helping to transform two disused and unloved cabins at the Reservoir in Wigan. The unique building had been abandoned for many years, with nature and animals slowly reclaiming the space! With United Utilities seeing the potential in the workspace to create an Innovation Centre, they called on Flexiform to help design their new offices, as it was a complete start-from-scratch project, we lept at the design opportunity helping assist in everything from furniture to decoration and carpets.

Office Design Proposal

To start the project, United Utilities briefed our Space Planning and Interior Design team on the purpose of the building and workspaces requirements, alongside the request for a ‘Country Tweed’ theme. We pitched two design options with the requested style and an alternative ‘Bringing the Outside, In’ which was a hot topic and trend with lots of research into its wellbeing benefits. The team at United Utilities loved the Outside-In theme, running with it to develop a unique and modern office design. This was brought through in the colour scheme of greens, yellows, greys and natural brown, textured fabrics, natural wood effect MFC, decor and mobile planters.

Project Data

CLIENT : United Utilities / Emcor
LOCATION : Reservoir, Wigan.
PROJECT LEAD : Louise Fisher.
PRODUCTS : Bespoke Additions 2 Table, Miss Stools, Credenza, Lounge Chairs, lanterns, Laptop Tables, Sofas, Flexi-Work Draughtsman Stool and Chairs, Valido lounge Chairs, X-Range Coffee Table, Melita Stools, Parq Table, Modular Sofas, Actualize Task Chair, Miss Chair, Additions Pedestal Base, Acoustic Panels, Pico Desks, Pedestal Storage, On Desk Power Modules, Freesor Tambour.
WORKSPACES : Conference Room, Office, Lab Area, and Reception.
SERVICES : Space planning, Interior Design, Product Specifications including Carpeting, Bespoke Furniture Design, Furniture Supply, Manufacture, and Installation.

Modern Workspaces

Within the office, Flexiform designed several areas including a small office space with traditional desks, a conference room, a lab area/ breakout space and a reception area. The Conference Room was the most unique space, with a bespoke horseshoe Additions 2 poseur height table complete with matching black frame Miss stools. A credenza offers under-monitor IT storage whilst the rest of the room had breakout sofas, a mobile planter divider and lounge chairs with laptop tables. These pockets of agile workspaces offer informal meeting spaces to smaller groups of staff, making the room more versatile and flexible. United Utilities also plan to use the Conference Room as a training space, with the furniture offering great 1-2-1, small group or larger group learning.

As the building is a small cabin, workspaces needed to be flexible and versatile, with the lab space joining up as a canteen/ breakout space. To help divide the area, we used a Parq bar height table and stools to create an office kitchenette, with lounge chairs and a coffee table opposite for a comfortable breakout space. The ‘lab’ area of the room featured stainless steel workbenches and floors to create a defined space to minimise any potential cross-contamination, complete with a workbench for a write-up area.

The small office space was fitted with two Pico workstation desks and desk-high pedestals, offering plenty of workspace and on-hand storage, complete with our new Actualize task chair with lumbar support and height-adjustable arms. To make the most out of the space, a Miss meeting chair was added on the opposite side of the desk, providing meeting spaces for the user. Bright coloured acoustic panels were added to absorb sound and provide a pop of colour, creating a modern office space within a tight space.

We enjoyed transforming this disused building into a fantastic workspace and look forward to continuing to work with United Utilities and Emcor on future projects.