Member Article

BAND Architects Delivers Ground-Breaking Fit Out Programme For Peaks & Plains Housing Trust

The head office of Macclesfield-based Peaks & Plains Housing Trust has undergone a radical £773,000 fit-out programme designed by local firm Band Architects.

The 1,000 sq m (10,763 sq ft) space at the town’s Ropewalks office building has been completely transformed to reflect the changing business needs of the Trust as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

The Trust, which took ownership the building on Bond Street in the centre of the town in 2016, has funded the fit-out programme by re-designing the areas it previously occupied, releasing more than 800 sq m of available office space which has now been let to other occupiers. This funding model using rental income is a first for any public-sector landlord.

The space occupied by The Trust’s 120 employees had previously been spread over 3 floors at Ropewalks. The entire operation has now been consolidated on just one floor in a bright, vibrant layout which connects all employees and brings domestic and urban design ideas into the workplace. It features communal kitchen areas, comfortable seating spaces, bookable desks, meeting pods and safe storage areas to encourage staff to maintain clear desks.

The office fit out is now complete and phase 2 of the project is underway to create an inviting 200 sq m (2,152 sq ft) space where customers and members of the public can meet for support, information and social events in a supportive and private environment. This phase is due to complete before the end of October.

Peaks & Plains invited BAND Architects to re-imagine its workspace to reflect its progression as an organisation, and to create a more efficient, healthy office environment – one better suited and equipped to meet the needs of its employees, and to support the continued improvement of the Trust’s services.

In occupying a single working environment, the team is benefitting from improved communications, sharing of ideas and resources and has also implemented a paper-free system to deliver greater environmental efficiencies.

David Wilcock, Practice Director at BAND Architects, said: “Our concept taps into the growing trend of bringing domestic, urban design ideas into the workplace and creating open working environments. Enclosed spaces have been used to define routes and form smaller, domestic scaled zones for staff to collaborate within the large linear floorplate. Subtle, natural and calming materials were utilised within the core working areas, and more vibrantly considered ‘pods’ are cleverly distributed throughout the space to create a variety of destinations for private work and team meetings.”

Tim Pinder, Chief Executive of Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, said: “The design delivered by BAND Architects reflects Peaks & Plain’s identity and the whole team is absolutely delighted with it. We believe that living and working in a well-designed space improves people’s quality of life and productivity.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to cost more to deliver great design and it is something we are now working on replicating in the homes we create for our residents. As well as delivering amazing new spaces for us to work in this scheme is all about delivering value for money. By renting out the rest of our building and consolidating more functions in this new space we are saving money that can be spent on the delivery of new homes.”

The design also reflects The Trust’s strong roots in Macclesfield with wallpaper and fabric designs being sourced from the local Silk Heritage Museum, and via new design commissions from local current artists. Local photographer Fiona Bailey was asked to capture the town’s residents in their everyday lives and her images are sited throughout the building to remind staff about the real lives of the people they support.

Specialist commercial fit out contractor, Brown and Bancroft Interiors were appointed to deliver the scheme and Kinnarps supplied and installed the furniture.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Coyne .