Build Interior Design Awards 2017

11 2017 Interior Design Awards Build and rethought. The effects of this change are numerous, but chief among them are optimisation, collaboration and an emerging trend for using the workplace as a showcase. The modern workplace needs to work hard at many different levels, and a recent trend is for spaces to be conceived as both showcase and communication tools. Interior design as part of AECOM’s multidisciplinary offer now takes on a multifaceted role in helping to communicate a company’s values and special qualities to staff, clients and potential new recruits. “In terms of optimisation and collaboration, many companies have analysed their mixed real estate portfolio and seen the potential for consolidation to reduce costs. At the same time, in the quest for innovation and collaboration, work environments need to support more cross-disciplinary working, incorporate new technologies and answer increasing demands for mobility, flexibility and wellbeing. Office boundaries are becoming blurred as people work from partner and client sites, in public places and at home. As a result, more and more companies are developing programmes and workplace strategies based on giving people flexibility for better work/life balance and the ability to collaborate. This also has the parallel benefit of reducing real estate.” In order to be able to offer the most effective service, AECOM’s own key hubs are based where their key markets and clients are located. “London is one of several large global design hubs, and it’s a great place for the interior design team to be. London has a magnetic quality when it comes to design, drawing people from all over the world, which only helps us as it means we have an amazing talent pool to recruit from. Our London office brings together more than 1,000 AECOM employees from across the city to improve collaboration and support growth. The workplace design for the office was developed in-house and it is part of a new Greater London Campus, which includes Excellence Hubs at St Albans, Croydon and Wimbledon, as well as a full-service multidisciplinary office in Basingstoke. “As a global infrastructure services firm, we operate a number of standardised technology tools for collecting, reporting, managing and delivering design services across various software platforms. At AECOM, we continuously review our tools to ensure that they are efficient and supportive of both project and client needs. The changing nature of technology means we need to be at the forefront of new technologies and bring them to our clients. This is essential for maintaining innovation in the design and construction industry. “In addition to our extensive use of Building Information Modelling (BIM), our virtual reality and immersive technologies teams are helping clients to realise their projects using cutting-edge software. Virtual and augmented reality offer new and exciting possibilities within architecture, engineering and visualisation, and as the technology continues to develop, the experience will become ever more immersive and engaging. The role of virtual and augmented reality has, until recent years, been extremely specialised. The revolution occurring now in virtual and augmented reality means that the technology is more affordable and accessible, with its practical application limited only by the imaginations of designers and end users.” Jason sees Strategy Plus as an extension of the client’s internal team, a collaborative and inclusive relationship and environment based on trust and respect; he believes that creativity and innovation happen when all parties are collaborative and working together, sharing ideas and listening to each other. “We seek out clients who understand that they aren’t buying a commodity but knowledge, skills and expertise from their partner team. This way of thinking means the client is likely to get the most out of the team, as it doesn’t restrict itself to set ways of doing things, but provides a forum for true problem solving, creativity and innovation. This shifts the relationship from transactional to strategic. We are committed to building relationships and investing time and resources to ensure that the partnership strengthens over time. “With this in mind, our values are centred around safeguarding, collaborating, inspiring, anticipating, delivering and dreaming, to define who we are, how we act and what we aspire to. We operate ethically internally and externally, and with integrity, whilst prioritising safety and security in all that we do. We have built a diverse team that connects expertise to create innovative solutions for our clients. We develop and celebrate our people, and elevate the communities we touch, and understand the complexities of our clients’ challenges and help them see further. “Our new office at Aldgate Tower in London plays a key role in communicating our culture and values. Our offices are our largest physical commodity to communicate what we stand for; the design drivers for Aldgate Tower came from our value and focus on collaboration, showcasing what we do, our flexibility and creating a place for people.” AECOM remains a global network of experts working with clients, communities and colleagues to develop and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most complex challenges. The team connects expertise across services, markets and geographies to deliver transformative outcomes. Jason explains that worldwide, AECOM designs, builds, finances, operates and manages projects and programmes that unlock opportunities, protect the environment and improve people’s lives. “Our Strategy Plus and interiors team are thought leaders with a global network and a deep history; we are able to bring additional value in a number of ways. We bring a continuously growing database of experience and case studies to our research and strategies. We are able to tie clients into an extended network of blue-chip businesses through multi-organisation studies and events. We have a demonstrated ability to build high-quality, long-term relationships with clients in both the public and private sectors. “Our interdisciplinary knowledge and experience enriches our service offering. Our connected expertise in various locations and disciplines helps us connect with people and change their focus, and by using this model internally and concentrating on integrated design delivery, we are able to provide enviable results. This firm was built to deliver a better world, and as we look to the future we will continue to imagine and then build our best designs and maintain the positive impact that we have been having on communities.”