a change in space, pace that embraced future working pattens.

The demands on charities when engaging with a major capital project such as an office move are many and multiple, from complex to complicated. From straight forward financial scrutiny of all expenditure through to the sensitivities born of the charities’ particular vision and purpose, in this case children and girls. These changes embrace both cultural and physical change.

PLAN UK needed to move, wiht an existing workspace spread across 4 floors, the staff worked in silo’s, rarely interacting. It was a traditional workspace with traditional behaviours. The office was rarely even half full, as the organisation had embedded and embraced hybrid working into their culture.

Recognising this need to change and reflect their ultimate desire to move toward different future working patterns and standards, PLAN UK chose a single floor of a modest building, a short distance from their old office next to Old Street station. The space came with an existing fit out completed about 10 years previously. This new space was approximately one third the size of their original workspace. It was going to be a big change for the organisation.

Working with the senior stakeholder team at PLAN UK, supported by friends of BJB, Project Manager Jane Goodbody and Andy Kilford of BAP as Cost consultant, the project delivered on time, on budget.

The fit out, completed by SPEC construction, was very carefully managed and delivered. The interventions throughout were deliberately limited such as use of 3/4 height walls to divide space which stop short of the ceiling and therefore expensive alterations to the M&E equipment, to limit both capital spend and dilapidations. The largest single visual intervention was also the cheapest, a bespoke graphic lining the glazing and walls of the internal meeting rooms and offices. This bold, visual graphic, produced by Brilliant Path, lifted the scheme from being a simple but functional environment into a space that expressed its energy, values and purpose across the workspace, an inspiring focal point.

Detailed brief taking sessions were conducted with key personnel to create bespoke spaces for individual and group needs. For example, the brief required a fulfilment space for sponsorship teams with lockable, shuttered cabinets and layout space for the sponsorship team to collaborate in a secure way separate from the main workspace. Other spaces to support the organisation included a highly flexible meeting space, capable of multiple configurations, using tiered seating from Workagile, which quickly became the most used space in the business, hosting informal collaborative presentations, meetings and informal get togethers.

The final, proverbial, donation to project was a small but perfectly formed wellness space, re-cycled from a former store room, fitted out to a high standard, fully separated and isolated from the workspace. The drivers of inclusivity and diversity were strong disciplines throughout the project.