When refurbishing its new office at The Shard, agricultural commodities merchants, ED&F Man, wanted to create an interior that was not only striking and impressive for visitors, but also focussed on supporting the well-being of its employees using the principles of biophilic design.
To help achieve this vision, biophilc-inspired collections from modular flooring manufacturer, Interface, were selected.
Biophilic design is a concept founded on the idea that humans have an intrinsic connection to the natural world. The benefits of re-establishing this bond by incorporating natural or nature-inspired elements in to an interior scheme can have a profound effect on the occupants’ health and wellbeing, along with improved productivity.
For ED&F Man, employee well-being is an on-going commitment to ensure its team members are happy and productive at work. The organisation currently offers hotboxes (carrycases for storing laptops and documents) to each member to facilitate hot-desking and flexible working, and improve well-being. Employees are also encouraged to be more active through hydraulic sit-stand desks and subsidised nutritious food and drink.
For the refurbishment, design firm Mansfield Monk was appointed to develop a biophlic-inspired flooring design.
“We wanted to do more than create a space to wow visitors. The goal was to create an oasis of tranquillity for our team members right in the heart of the City,” explained Paris Jacovides, Facilities Manager at ED&F Man. “For us, it’s really important that the interior design also helps to motivate our team, as well as providing a calm place to work.”
To incorporate biophilic elements into the space, and to honour the agricultural background of ED&F Man, Mansfield Monk developed a scheme to bring the countryside into the office, with large supergraphics on the walls showcasing farm scenery. The flooring needed to complement this rural link and help contribute to the rejuvenating atmosphere ED&F Man wanted to create.
Recognising the importance of good acoustics to develop a tranquil environment for workers to recharge and perform at their best, Mansfield Monk also wanted to make use of Interface’s modular carpet, due to its ability to reduce impact noise through the office.
Gaynor Taylor, Director at Mansfield Monk remarked: “For the breakout space, we chose a range of pale grey tiles from Interface’s Urban Retreat 103 collection to reflect the colours of the clouds featured in the images on the walls. To differentiate the main desk area, we installed moss-coloured tiles from the same range, which echoes the yellows of wheat fields ripe for harvest. We then fitted a slim band of dark grey Urban Retreat 102 tiles and two-tone Urban Retreat 101 products to create a graduated border between the two areas, helping firmly define the boundaries of each activity zone.”
In two of the informal meeting spaces next to the desk area, Mansfield Monk specified Interface’s Walk the Plank collection in skinny plank format. Alternating between ash, maple and hickory, these echoed the calming yellow and wood shades of the plants in the supergraphics on the walls, and helped the zones stand out from the rest of the office.
In addition to providing a wide range of nature-inspired shades and textures to help achieve a biophilia-inspired interior, the modular nature of Interface’s products also simplified installation for contractors, streamlining the renovation process, and ensuring the refurbishment was delivered on deadline.
“Thanks to the irregular, non-directional patterns on the tiles, the flooring was easy to install quickly and with minimal waste,” commented Nick Perkins, director of sales at Loughton Contracts. “What’s more, as a modular system, the flooring will be straightforward for ED&F Man to maintain – individual tiles can be quickly replaced when worn, helping to keep the floor and the office looking as fresh as new for years to come.”
Nicole Window, Account Manager at Interface, concluded: “As shown by a growing body of scientific evidence, including Interface’s Human Spaces Report, biophilic design can have a significant positive impact on people’s health and on their performance in the workplace as well.
“With the new interior and flooring scheme, ED&F Man has an office that’s practical for team members to use and, most importantly, offers a welcome break from the bustle of the city outside, setting the scene for them to achieve their full potential.”
