Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, the London-based interior architect and workspace design and planning specialist, has won its second British Council for Offices (BCO), South West Fit-out of Workplace Award for its work with Microsoft UK.
The BCO Awards highlight excellence in office space design and functionality, acting as a benchmark for excellence in workplaces. Having won the South West Award, the project will automatically be entered for the national awards, which take place in October.
Microsoft UK occupies five buildings at Thames Valley Park near Reading and Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will undertook the following work: refurbishment of the ground floor receptions at Building 2 and Building 3; and improvement of external areas including signage and security.
All areas within the design are interlinked by the ‘ribbon’ which manifests itself in built materials and graphics throughout the building. The ribbon starts as a floor finish at the entrance of each building, meanders through the reception area to create a video wall and wraps around an open collaboration space for customers, then creating the reception desk. It also wraps around the ground floor collaboration spaces, for employees, forming display pods and down corridors of each of the buildings. The ‘ribbon’ literally reinforces the idea of a connection amongst customers and employees from one part of the campus buildings to the next.
In Building 2, the various zones include a customer experience space to educate Microsoft customers and partners through new devices and software available on the market and includes a Microsoft Kinect demonstration area, collaboration pods with built-in display screens, an IT technology link space, including IT support and a concierge, an executive briefing centre, a large format display wall for showcasing branded content and the Microsoft Executive Briefing Centre with an integrated device bar.
In Building 3 there is an improved wayfinding and reception area for the Customer Briefing Centre, a 180 seat broadcast and AV enabled auditorium and ante room and an improved Technology Briefing Centre reception.
Externally, improvements include an entrance portal feature of branded glass and steel, which can display a changing graphic manifestation, new entrance signage and way finding throughout the campus.
Kate Hopkins, Project Director at Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, said: “Microsoft UK’s campus is state-of-the-art, showcasing its products in both a physical and virtual experience. Our design helps them to maximise their sales potential by creating an inviting and interactive space for customers and partners, as well as a stimulating and collaborative working environment for staff.”