Summary: Presented with an empty warehouse shell, we designed and constructed a creative, multipurpose space using recycled materials and energy-efficient air solutions within an eight-week time frame for allplants.
We were approached by all plants, a plant-based frozen meal manufacturer and delivery service, allplants, to design & build their new multi-purpose office space. allplants wanted a creative environment for their employees and one that would fit with their company ethos of taking care of the planet.
We were excited to work with a brand that fits with the Forma vision of building ethical and sustainable offices & workspaces.
The building was an empty 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse shell in Walthamstow. As well as the proposed office space, allplants required us to factor in room for a recording studio for photo shoots and online video content, & a trial kitchen, or innovation studio, where new products would be tested. The project required a quick turnaround of eight weeks with our team simultaneously overseeing the build & the design.
With the warehouse being an empty shell, that meant that no heating or cooling facilities were already in the building. We used sustainable air movement company Elta Fans for the extraction and for the ventilation system we used a brand new, state of the art, energy efficient solution from iXus. As allplants continue to expand exponentially we fitted these units practically, with movement in mind. When the day comes for allplants to relocate to a larger premises all of the equipment will be able to move with them.
All of the lighting, fixtures & fittings were created using recycled materials & off cuts of wood from the project on site. For the benches & desks we opted to use materials from local suppliers and ethical timber merchants to show our support for local businesses as well as keeping the cost of transportation, & our carbon footprint, down. Any chairs and seating that were not made by us were sourced from secondhand suppliers.
Lastly, in keeping with the theme of movement, we built bespoke screens to divide up the vast space and to provide privacy for impromptu meetings. The dividers also serve as notice boards with the fabric covering allowing for the pinning of articles and designs. We created moveable storage and bookcases for hot desk workers & retained the original concrete slabs throughout only using carpet in the immediate working areas for acoustics & comfort.
The project was delivered on fast-track and aligned with the overall budget. With the limited time constraints, we managed to stay true to allplants, & Forma’s, integral values of sustainability. This is coupled with the added bonus that when it’s time for allplants to move on to a bigger space, all of our hard work can move and carry on the journey with them.
Designed by Green Cardinal Design