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BCO Award Winners

BCO Award Winners

Author

Wriggle Marketing

Date

15 March 2017

We were delighted to win a BCO award with JDDK Architects for ‘Best Refurbished and Recycled Workplace’ for The Old Post Office in Newcastle upon Tyne. Ward Robinson provided the interior design for the recent £5.8 refurbishment of The Old Post Office, the office space of NBS.

designed by Jane Darbyshire & David Kendall Ltd

A Grade II listed building, The Old Post Office has been occupied for many years by NBS but has not been fit for purpose for some time; due to the office’s subdivision into small tenancies in the 1990s, the team were spread over a small number of offices. NBS’ vision was to bring the whole team together again into a motivating yet flexible environment. 

The careful blending of a modern working environment within an iconic listed building are what makes this project stand out. The 35,000 sq.ft. headquarters now includes a cafe hub, lecture theatre, exhibition space and gym. The use of graphic images around the building helps with wayfinding, adds visual interest and highlights the historic building’s identity, also complimenting NBS’s brand identity.

NBS chief executive Richard Waterhouse said, “We have an incredible working environment, one of the best in our region. An office space built for our future and a great set of people to fill it.”

The BCO Awards’ main aim is to recognise only the best of developments and set the standard for excellence in office spaces across the UK. The BCO judges noted that the building is now fit for digitally-focused, praising the transformation into an inspiring and exciting environment. The judges were particularly impressed with the reception area, that offers full views of the magnificent double height ground floor office, in addition to the new café area, introduced to provide a central social gathering space and also serve as an alternative collaboration and working zone.

Richard Kauntze, chief executive of the BCO, said: “This year’s awards showcase the eminence and value of new office development in the North of England. The Old Post Office has been afforded a new life through an ingenious refurbishment, making it fit for the digitally focused organisation it now houses. Alongside the other buildings recognised at this year’s awards, The Old Post Office sets a standard of quality for future projects around the UK.”

The Old Post Office, alongside BCO Award winners from other regions, will be competing at the BCO National Awards in October.

designed by Jane Darbyshire & David Kendall Ltd