CHALLENGE

Urbis engaged WMK to design their new physical environment in Angel Place to reflect their ‘work smarter’ aspirations in a highly truncated timeframe and tight commercial budget. Urbis’ desire to involve staff in the design process was reflective of their co-creative approach to project working and WMK utilised its sophisticated workplace strategy toolkit to rapidly generate the evidence base for strategy development and design decisions.

SOLUTION

The material developed from online and observation surveys, collaborative workshops and staff interviews catalysed into the project vision: Natural Urbanity. This metaphorically fused the dense urban fabric surrounding Angel Place with natural landscape features inside and outside to create a workspace infused with urban and natural elements. The workspace included the clever re-use and re-adaptation of existing rooms and furniture which blended sustainability and commercial astuteness to allow for highly experimental feature areas including an interactive Eness wall, stadium seating and an indoor/outdoor terrace.

OUTCOME

The successful implementation of WMK’s workplace strategy has delivered innovative solutions tied to business drivers and a spatially exciting workspace. The new workplace fosters better collaboration with staff and clients, representing Urbis’ purpose of building better communities. The meandering work scape supports Urbis’ osmotic learning culture with a variety of tailored workspace settings. Project teams feel a sense of individuality, empowerment, and identity which has bred greater productivity and engagement.  Such is the success of the strategy it has evolved to a national strategy.