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ideaSpace West, located on the top floor of the Hauser Forum, is a busy office with a thriving membership of founders and their teams, all working to grow their start-ups. The community has always been the focus for ideaSpace, however, the layout of the space was sometimes a barrier to the aim – to create and encourage connectivity. With a view to building an even stronger community focused membership, the design brief was to create an open plan working environment to encourage communication and collaboration.
The Designers: Ralph+Smith
We spoke to designers Ralph+Smith, about their inspiration for the design, the features they’re most pleased with and how the use of curves can completely change a space.
Clare Smith and Chloe Ralph-Smith
The Areas of Design Focus
The design focus was on providing: • welcome front of house area with soft seating (doubling up as collaboration space) • Meeting rooms • Phone booths • Open focus/meeting pods • Open plan working zones with whiteboards and individual locker space • Collaboration zones • Social Space
What was the Inspiration Behind the Design?
The design takes inspiration from the ideaSpace logo - all those lovely curves! Speech marks make up the icon in the logo, perfectly representing that ideaSpace is all about community and coming together - so we really wanted to reflect both the shape and meaning in the design. We used curves throughout which creates both visual interest and separation between the different areas of the office. We were also inspired to create a sense of belonging for members. There was originally no area where you could welcome members or visitors - with the Office Manager tucked away in a separate room. Now, as you enter the space, you feel welcomed with a concierge style reception desk which forms the backdrop to the central meeting rooms. We also angled the walls to help create a softer entrance.
Tell Us More About Those Curves
The introduction of curves bring a sense of softness, fluidity, and movement to the space. They also create a contrast to the interior angular walls, and the linear construction of the Hauser Forum building. You'll notice curves in the flooring transitions, the glazed curved meeting room front, the focus pods, and in some of the large furniture items. We used curtains to add acoustics and create privacy to the curved meeting room and also a room divide between the collaboration and social areas. This means the social area by the terrace can be opened up for events or larger socials. We've made great use of sound absorption panels too - they look great while helping with the acoustics in the meeting rooms, along with the gorgeous oversized acoustic pendant lights.
What about Areas for Focused Work?
The open plan workspaces provide each member with a desk and locker space, and away-from-desk focus and collaboration zones, to encourage interaction with other members, allowing for quiet working and video calls in a variety of working environments. The finishes have been carefully selected to create a stimulating, warm and inviting atmosphere. The subtle branding creates an important identity for ideaSpace, and the freedom to allow new ventures to feel it’s a space to start-up and flourish.
Claire, What's Your Favourite Feature of the Space?
It's definitely the single person focus room. Designed for members and the ideaSpace team to use for private calls and teams meetings, the room became a favourite in the early stages of the design process when Chloe proposed the colour scheme for this room. I love the way it gives the user a ‘cocoon’ type feel. I'm also really pleased with the single focus pods that were furniture items we supplied - they'll be invaluable assets to the members.
Chloe - What are Your Favourite Features?
One of my favourite parts of the space is the nook that has been naturally creating by the angle of the meeting rooms and windows, where we have designed the row of 2 person focus pods. It’s a gorgeous corridor full of interesting features, but it has also created private spaces with beautiful furniture and lighting. The teapoint also is a key one for me. The combination of warm timbers, furniture types and on trend terrazzo style flooring, gives users a sense of being in a different ‘away-from-desk’ space.
You can find more of Ralph+Smith's work here
