Nest at Glasshouse, Manchester, GB by SpaceInvader Design

Article Source: Caroline Collett

Developers Bruntwood SciTech invited SpaceInvader to consider best usage for a lower ground space within its newly re-developed ‘Glasshouse’ building at world-leading life science and innovation campus, Alderley Park. Glasshouse represents the redevelopment of a former toxicology lab, comprising 16 separate buildings, arranged around a central courtyard garden, into a single, new 150,000 sq ft commercial office building, specifically designed for digital and tech businesses.

Status: Built
Location: Macclesfield, GB
Firm Role: Interior Designer
Additional Credits:

Photographer: Andrew Smith at SG Photography
Consultants:
Cubic Works – Shan Khambata – Director / Gareth Robinson – Senior Project Manager / Thomas O’Brien – Site Manager
Suppliers:
Feature carpet insets – EGE Mark of Time range
Suites & meeting room focus workspace carpets – Tarkett Linon range
Rubber flooring throughout – Nora Interface Norament range
Teapoint feature terrazzo flooring – Amtico Spacia Range
Brushed stainless steel for joinery – Formica
Timber Laminate for joinery – Natural Mandal Maple
Green solid surface kitchen counter tops – Hi-Macs Maui
The Corian back-lit wall from CDUK – Mario Ramano Walls Honey

The lower-ground floor, which originally offered 1,425 sq m of open space, presented a challenge in terms of limited natural light, with only one glazed area facing out onto a sunken garden. This, combined with changing market needs, more demand for fully-fitted space and a growing focus on employee wellbeing, presented a perfect opportunity for the designers to create something truly unique.

‘Rather than giving us a brief, our client simply asked, ‘What can be done?’ John Williams, SpaceInvader Director/Founder explained. ‘Our response was to find the light within the dark and seek to transform the feel of the space completely, using lighting and biophilia as our major tools. At the same time, we realised we could also make a virtue of the space’s safe and cosy feeling of enclosure, creating a kind of hideaway. It was the kind of challenge we love.’

The plan for the new Nest space was to create two small, dedicated work suites that could be rented out to smaller-scale tech companies, whilst the rest would be a collaboration and co-working area, open to everyone in the building. Functionality was high on the agenda, needing to hit the mark on acoustics and offer a variety of zones, including comfortable destination tables and eye-catching feature lighting, as well as joinery pieces incorporating planting. A final requirement was for a Yoga Studio and wellness space.

Design Approach

‘Our overall design approach’, commented Mollie Ruttle, Interior Designer on the project, ‘was to design a space that felt serene and uplifting when you entered, through the incorporation of great lighting and biophilic cues, whilst also making the best use of natural daylight. We looked to use clean lines, with a less-is-more approach, plus bespoke joinery with radius corners for softness and visual interest, including curved timber rafts, alongside materials such as reflective steel and natural timbers.’.

Design Detail

The furniture colour scheme boasts a range of oranges and greens, alongside aluminium and brushed steel. Flooring includes Nora Interface rubber flooring with a concrete effect finish, which looks great and is quiet underfoot, with a 20db sound impact reduction. This flooring material also boasts low-emission, low-pollutant, PVC-free and phthalate-free properties, ensuring it contributes to a healthy indoor floor quality.

Sturdy timber co-work tables are by Orangebox, with the warmth of the timber lending an almost-domestic ambience to the space. The space is given further emphasis by three large, curved timber rafts, complete with suspended lighting and hanging planting.

An eye-catching, floor-to-ceiling timber shelving unit then draws the eye to the more informal lounge space beyond. Here, a bespoke shelving unit features bespoke prints created by Jenny Crossland of SpaceInvader, who explained ‘It was important that the themes for the art prints tied the concept together, as well as enriching the space. They include data and nature fusions, such as sun charts and scientific diagrams that reference the light and dark concept, as well as fluid, repeat patterns and grids that reflect data trends and natural, organic forms.’

Lighting was key, with the design team taking inspiration from the hospitality sector, whilst pairing this with a practical mindset, to ensure users could work in any part of the space. As well as diffused light created by track lighting, other key elements included light panels; curved lighting features; backlit planting; dramatic wall-to-floor lights and curved suspended lights.

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Large plants in pots also feature in this very relaxing zone, which also features a circular table with a tree at its centre. With sustainability being key for the client, furniture includes chairs made of a textile created from recycled naval suits or from hemp. Beyond is one of the most spectacular and unusual features in the whole scheme within the Yoga Room – a light wall made of white Corian, which changes colours on a spectrum using backlit LEDs.

‘Our design approach has proved extremely popular’ John Williams added. ‘People really love the finished space. It’s gone from being something of a hideaway to one of the most sought-after areas of the building to spend time in.’

Tags: GB, Manchester, UK

Categories: Indoor Lighting, Industrial, Installation, Learning Studio, Light, Office space, Resource Center, Studio

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 21st, 2024 at 5:03 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.