The brief
With unrivalled views across the city, Argyll’s Nova North offers an uncompromisingly modern work environment in the heart of London's Victoria. Within this bold contemporary building, the mezzanine 11th floor was an underused bar area so interior designer Emma Turner was commissioned to create a high end coworking space.
Emma said: “As part of the redevelopment of the 10th and 11th floors, the aim was to redefine the existing bar area into additional coworking space with kitchenette and casual seating areas. It was key that the new design should be instantly understandable so that on arrival customers could easily identify how to use the space and find the best place for themselves.
“The mezzanine 11th floor is a large double height space and gives access to the boardroom at the rear so this provided some design challenges, such as demarcating wayfinding for different end points and the difficult acoustics of such a cavernous space.”
Client: Argyll
Designer: Emma Turner Interior Design
Building contractor: Logic Workspace
Flooring contractor: Woodmoore Flooring
Photography: Robin Quarrelle Photography
Sector: Workplace
Area: 200m2
The above image features Cubix pattern from our Kaleidoscope collection and Quebec tiles from our Karndean LooseLay collection.
The concept
Emma’s winning proposal, graphically visualised with Karndean’s complimentary custom design service to simulate every detail of the user experience, features a soft grey colour palette that reflects the cityscape and complements the large open plan space with its exposed black metalwork structure while also introducing a comfortable human scale.
Emma explained: “The building is characterised by large expanses of glass and interesting angles so the new interior had to work within this fabric. With such a spectacular panorama across central London, it was clear that the interior had to start and finish with these views. It was important that the interior should not distract from what lies outside the windows but feel at one with the skyline. This defined how the space was split into different activity zones, how we orientated seating and also set the theme for the colour palette.
“Today’s workplaces are very much inspired by the hospitality sector so the aim was to create a considered, comfortable interior with studious areas where customers can concentrate as well as spaces where they can relax, meet with clients and find room for creativity.”
The look
The end result is a pared back design in shades of warm grey with natural elements that complement the building and its locality. With sustainability high on the agenda, the existing back bar has been repurposed as a kitchenette, painted in charcoal grey to harmonize with the black industrial staircase, while some of the lighting has been reused and other joinery reinvented within new coworking stations. A natural moss effect acoustic panel on one wall serves not only to manage noise levels but also adds a biophilic element.
A bespoke floor featuring a blend of poured concrete and 3D tile effects introduces depth and interest as well as highlighting directional movement through the space. The multi-dimensional pattern of Cubix has been created with three shades of grey from the Opus range, Mico, Luna and Ombra. These striking geometric lines has brought the coworking area to life, introducing interest and depth to balance the clean angles of the bold contemporary building.
Sitting alongside this working zone, Quebec from the Karndean LooseLay range creates a restful seating area and walkway to the board room at the rear of the mezzanine. Opting for extra-large scale tiles (1000mm x 1000mm) in a block pattern has resulted in a seamless poured concrete effect that’s highly realistic.
Emma said: “The floor was the key element for the mezzanine level. We are delighted how the Cubix introduces a sense of fun and breaks up the huge floor space with an interesting pattern yet also links together all the elements of the colour palette without overpowering the overall effect.
“The Karndean LooseLay tiles bring a classically elegant look that’s in line with the minimalist industrial theme while its integrated acoustic layer also reduces noise, something that can be a huge problem in such a busy open plan space. The durability of Karndean flooring was integral to meeting the project’s sustainability targets. Using the loose lay tiles format on the walkway, where wear and tear is heaviest, is an effective strategy as each tile can be lifted and replaced if necessary, reducing waste over the lifespan of the interior.
“Argyll is thrilled with the final design, which offers customers a comfortable, calming and light-filled place to work. Despite being a large area, the design allows for different ways of working depending on whether customers are meeting guests, hotdesking or taking a break.”
Explore the Karndean LooseLay and Kaleidoscope ranges.
