The Greenhouse, situated on the 10th floor of the Colmore Building, needed to be a space to not only inspire Interface’s talented team but also to act as a shared hub for customers and stakeholders from across the country.
Finding the right location for Interface’s new UK home was crucial to bringing the manufacturer’s vision to life. As the UK’s first ‘biophilic city’ and one steeped in manufacturing history, Birmingham provided an ideal setting to represent the company’s commitment to wellbeing and production expertise. The city’s central location also makes the headquarters easily accessible to customers and colleagues.
The Greenhouse is Interface’s first location in Europe to bring its family of carbon-neutral products together, from carpet tile to luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and nora rubber flooring.
On entering the office, the eye is immediately drawn to a beautiful wisteria tree which sits in the centre of the open-plan kitchen area. Its form is also reflected in the flooring through a custom-made 50m2 nora rubber inlay, which clearly demonstrates the versatility of the range.
Alternating textures and patterns across the office take people on a journey through shared working areas, breakout zones, more traditional workspaces and meeting rooms.
Mandy Leeming, Interface Design & Development Manager EMEA, commented: “The design of our UK headquarters had to be a showstopper. We wanted to get the balance right between creating a beautiful, healthy working space, but one which was also functional, suiting all styles of working at the same time.
“The office needed to be explorative and immersive, encouraging colleagues and customers to move fluidly from individual and team working areas, to relaxing social spaces. We couldn’t be happier with the overall design we’ve achieved, which embodies Interface’s commitment to creating positive spaces. We’re excited to see colleagues and customers across the country coming together and making use of this incredible new co-working office.”
Interface has drawn on its family of products to create the dynamic flooring across the workspace. The manufacturer’s latest carpet tile range, Ice Breaker, is just one way that biophilic design is incorporated into the space. This collection mimics the effect of scratched ice, and the etched lines of the surface create an organic geometry that moves fluidly across the floor.
Human Connections, a range which invokes the natural cues we seek in our busy lives, is used in the space to encourage people to come together and reconnect. It takes inspiration from the squares and piazzas found in European cities which are homes to communities and are spaces where people meet to spend time together.
Interface’s LVT ranges seamlessly integrate with the carpet tile to create pathways through high traffic areas, while also reconnecting people with nature through the principles of biophilic design.
The space isn’t just beautifully designed, it is the embodiment of Interface’s commitment to its ‘Climate Take Back Mission’, a pledge to help reverse the effects of climate change. All the products in the Greenhouse are carbon-neutral throughout their whole lifecycle. Interface has also worked together with British manufacturers and furniture suppliers with similar sustainability credentials to help complete the workplace.
Alongside the new UK headquarters in Birmingham, Interface is opening a new EMEA design centre, called The Mill at Dean Clough and has invested in its Clerkenwell showroom in London to create a more open space for customers to visit and experience its range of products.