The brief from Blum UK was to re-arrange their existing building to significantly increase office and showroom space whilst also creating break-out and recreation space for both employees and visitors alike.
Given the nature of the existing site and building the challenge for this phase was to form these alterations without extending the existing envelope. As such three bays of the underutilised 12m high warehouse were re-organised to allow the creation of three new floors of accommodation anchored around an east-west oriented atrium; the introduction of which brings light into the deep plan space as well as forming a break-out hub for staff and visitors.
The proposals were driven by the clients very specific customer presentation requirements which seek to leave a lasting impression upon visitors and encourage continued dialogue. The available area dedicated to the showroom has grown from 316sqm in the original building to 721sqm in this latest round of alterations.
Exhibition fit-out incorporates welcome facilities, a wide angle cinematic experience, a heritage timeline together with a virtual reality installation. A full size luxury apartment showcases Blum’s current product range. Other elements of the exhibition look at future challenges and the product innovation journey.
The showroom is a key tool for staff when talking with customers; whether they are installers, retailers or consumers and therefore it makes use of a wide variety of presentation tools allowing Blum to offer training, advice and inspiration to visitors as part of their Blum Experience.
As part of the works the existing offices were refurbished as well as extended and the Blum ethos of one experience for all saw the warehouse welfare pod rebuilt to provide office, break-out, kitchen and toilet facilities to a similar standard seen elsewhere on site. Particular attention was paid to details close to Blum's heart and their strap line of “perfecting motion”. With their hinges and fittings dominating the kitchen market a continental hinge system was selected for the office refurbishment that mirrored their own engineering excellence goals.
This is a pioneering project for Blum and forms a case study for other schemes to be rolled out around the World in terms of new ways of looking at facilities asset and space management as well as showroom innovations and staff benefits.
