Architects specify Verco Oblique to Fort Dunlop

Nicol Thomas specified Oblique desking and storage from Verco within a relocation and fit-out project carried out by Rhino Office Interiors at Birmingham's Fort Dunlop development.

One of Britain's most iconic buildings, the former tyre warehouse stood derelict for more than 25 years until 2006 when a GBP50 million joint-venture between Advantage West Midlands and developers Urban Splash got underway.

The result is a striking mixed-use re-development offering 300,000 sq ft of office space, 45,000 sq.

ft ancillary retail and leisure space and a 100 bedroom Travelodge hotel, all under the UK's largest living grass roof with parking spaces below for more than 1000 cars.

One of the region's largest practices, Nicol Thomas made the move from premises in the city centre to the Fort in less than a month.

"Rhino helped enormously in not only planning the new space but stage managing our relocation at Christmas so smoothly that we experienced only three hours downtime overall," says Chris Gellion, a partner at the multidisciplinary practice, which enjoys an established reputation with an emerging portfolio of exciting and contemporary projects.

Rhino Office Furniture conducted a turnkey fit-out to offices, kitchen, reception and offices at Fort Dunlop that included installing floor-to-ceiling glass partitioning to capitalise on the abundance of natural light afforded by the retention of the building's original fenestration.

The space benefits from implementation of 60 Oblique desks.

Oblique is available in wood veneer (maple, walnut or cherry) with a stainless steel frame, and with a simple silver leg frame and maple, oak, beech and pearl white finish mfc.

Complementing the desks is a full range of individual and departmental storage solutions.

From a basic platform for meeting and conferencing needs to a sophisticated workstation with comprehensive screen-based, at-hand third level storage, Oblique meets the diverse and changing dynamics of the workplace with style and ease.

Nicol Thomas chose the range in its hugely popular pearl white finish.

"White is certainly the new black," says Chris.

"Oblique helps encourage the sense of space we sought, and in white finish even better complements the qualities of clarity and transparency that underpin the design ethos of the interior, helping encourage the levels of collaboration we sought of our teams".

Oblique's design also suited the surrounding architecture and in practical terms has enabled installations of four-cluster modules to fall naturally within the building's original grid, with two rows of four desks and storage alternating along the length of the open workspace occupied by its architect and interior designer users.

The move has gone down well with staff and clients alike, according to Chris Gellion.

"All benefit from being in a better quality, better ventilated space with high levels of natural lighting," says Chris.

"This interior has engendered a really positive outlook to individual and team effort amongst users and we have already noted a reduction in staff absence through the usual winter outbreaks of colds and 'flu".

"So it looks to be a healthier place to work in, too.".

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