New HQ fit-out for Home Office.

Working in partnership with the Government Property Agency (GPA), we equipped 2 Ruskin Square with furniture to support more than 5,000 civil servants being moved in by the Home Office. Also a frontline centre for UK immigration, 2 Ruskin Square needed to be secure and inclusive as well as a modern and welcoming place to work.

Delivered by:

Mike Astley – Account Manager

Other members:

David Barlow Smith – Lead Designer

Harvey Franklin – Project Manager

Project information.

Client:

GPA/Home Office

Location:

London

Sector:

Government

Value:

£7,100,000

Scope:

Development of furniture palette finished to meet RIBA Stage 3 design intent; delivered using BIM. Coordination with services, main and other contractors. Collaboration with GPA & Home Office. Bespoke product development.

Project information.

Client:

GPA/Home Office

Location:

London

Sector:

Government

Value:

£7,100,000

Scope:

Delivered by:

Mike Astley – Account Manager

Other members:

David Barlow Smith – Lead Designer
Harvey Franklin – Project Manager

Project overview.

A major two-year project to develop a furnishing solution aligned to the GPA’s workplace design guide, with inclusive design principles at the hear of the scheme. Office spaces, collaborative settings and public-facing immigration services all formed part of a complex brief.

Objective

Inclusive and secure design.

GPA controls the public sector estate, mainly for central government. As part of a decentralisation and efficiency programme, Southerns Broadstock Interiors was awarded a major project to furnish a new Croydon-based, purpose-built Home Office building and UK immigration centre: 2 Ruskin Square. Relocating staff and services meant paying heed not just to budget and timelines, but also strict guidance outlining the use of space and tight security requirements. The building needed to be welcoming, a modern workspace and fully secure.

Target outcomes & Goals

Create a new home environment for the Home Office.

18%

Carbon footprint reduction

72%

Sustainable materials used

£145,000

Local community contribution

CCS / GPA

Framework supplier

Two distinct user audiences featured in the project brief. The first was Home Office teams relocating from two other buildings in South London which had reached the end of their lifecycle. The second was members of the public applying for British citizenship as part of the wider UK immigration system.

Our approach.

While a BIM-led approach was nothing new for us, this project brought some unique challenges of building use and functionality. Methodical delivery and watertight project management were crucial.

What we did

Meeting diverse needs.

Southerns Broadstock Interiors developed a furniture package supporting GPA’s workplace design guide and inclusive design requirements. The work was delivered via a BIM process, ensuring all stakeholders – including SBI – adhered to the quality standards and protocols demanded by GPA. We firstly established a test and learn site to assess the functionality and comfort of chosen furniture items, before applying learnings to final designs. An appointed account manager oversaw product specification ; managed budget and timings; and coordinated with the client, contractors and supply chain partners – Atkins, Wates Group and GPA – to ensure the selected furniture solution suited the building and all end users.

Southerns Broadstock Interiors developed a furniture package supporting GPA’s workplace design guide and inclusive design requirements. The work was delivered via a BIM process, ensuring all stakeholders - including SBI - adhered to the quality standards and protocols demanded by GPA. We firstly established a test and learn site to assess the functionality and comfort of chosen furniture items, before applying learnings to final designs. An appointed account manager oversaw product specification ; managed budget and timings; and coordinated with the client, contractors and supply chain partners - Atkins, Wates Group and GPA - to ensure the selected furniture solution suited the building and all end users.

Key challenges

Tethering issues.

2 Ruskin Square contains areas where security and safety are key considerations. We needed to find a way to tether furniture items to prevent them being lifted, thrown or broken. The client team required us to develop a secure connection to the building while remaining conscious of the overall aesthetic and minimising any potential risks, such as trip hazards.

Custom solutions

Indestructible, inclusive spaces.

We devised a tethering solution for desks and chairs to align with existing GPA tethering guidelines. The solution was tested and retested until tethering was considered indestructible. Our design and product development teams worked together to provide an inclusive environment to welcome visitors but also reflect the operational nature of areas of the building where Home Office employees work. Our furniture solutions and revised layout built on Atkins’ Stage 3 designs, infused with Southerns Broadstock Interiors knowledge of similar environments and several other key aspects of design: wellbeing, social value and sustainability.