VGROUP:
MARKETING BRANDING DESIGN INTERACTIVE

Upping sticks and moving offices is always tricky for anyone but when it comes to planning a space for a creative agency it takes on a whole new level. Having just gone through this ourselves we’ve had time to think and reflect on what made a good creative space for us.

With so many good resources out there we all started to do our research both online and offline. Browsing sites like wherewedesign allowed us to glimpse at the interiors of other agencies around the world, something that’s never been accessible before without actually visiting these places. This, plus pouring over hundreds interior styling blogs and magazines like framemag gave us plenty of inspiration, not to mention a very expensive wish list. Aeron chairs anyone?

Next, once we knew that the new property was ours, we developed wireframe drawings of the space from the architects’ plans and all the furniture items so we could create a 2D model and plan the space more accurately. We literally spent hours playing with various configurations like a creative jigsaw until the final layout was agreed upon. This was such a worthwhile exercise as it enabled us to really think the space through at a very early stage.

So with the new studio being in essence a concrete shell we knew that we had certain elements that had to be in place, kitchen, toilets etc, but apart from the essential elements the rest of the space was ours to play with and we felt that leaving it open-plan was definitely the way forward.

Open-plan… nothing new in terms of a working environment concept, but certainly something we felt a modern creative space should be. In an age when communication and collaboration is more prevalent than ever before having a space where you can think and create is so important. When thinking about how our new studio would take shape we wanted the layout to bring us together as much as possible within the limitations of the building structure. We went from the old office layout where we faced away from each other to face to face bench desking so to aid communications between all members of the team. The simple, functional and stylish bench desks were sourced by our interior fit-out company Capex from the Italian manufacturer Della Rovere.

Keeping the environment bright and full of light was a key priority, therefore the meeting rooms were constructed with glass walls so that the flow of light wasn’t interrupted, but also to make them become a part of the space, more useable and accessible than separate walled rooms. It also gave us an opportunity to get playful with the vinyl manifestations that by law have to be on the glass to comply with Health and Safety regulations.

In the main studio space we wanted to be able to display work and surround ourselves with inspiration so we built an exhibition rail running to full length of the studio wall. This allows us to create a constantly evolving display that can be used both functionally when collaborating on projects for concepts, mood boards, wireframes etc. while also displaying all the design posters, books and general design ephemera that us designers relish but usually keep tucked away. This has got to be my favourite part of the studio, closely followed by the lime green sofa (or Kermit at it’s now known).

So now the builders and electricians have left and we’re settling into the new space. It feels like home already and has been a great experience to see all our sketches and plans come to life.