Saatchi & Saatchi is one of the most renowned global names in advertising and communications. It is a full service, integrated communications network with 114 offices in 67 countries. It forms part of the Publicis Groupe, the world’s third largest communications group.
Their philosophy, ‘Nothing is Impossible,’ is carved into the steps of their new London headquarters in Chancery Lane, the stone taken from their previous head office. It was at this new site that we were tasked with delivering a full furniture package.
The brief was simple but challenging – create an interior that embodied the spirit of the company, ‘Nothing is Impossible.’ The brief allowed us to give full rein to our creative energies, and we were encouraged by the client to be inventive, even outlandish.
The key to the project was rigorous planning and meticulous attention to detail. The planning phase was a year in the making. We worked tirelessly with the architect, Jump Studios, who had created stunning 3D renders of the proposed design, to put together a comprehensive final presentation, complete with detailed floor plans and a full specification. During this long run in, we lived and breathed the project.
Complications with the building meant that installation was delayed by a few weeks. We made sure the client incurred no further costs owing to storage or rearranged lead times. When the project finally began, because of the hard work invested in the planning phase, delivery and installation was straightforward, completed in just four weeks.
The finished space marries the idiosyncratic and unconventional with a luxurious feel and an industrial tone. Scandinavian products provide the utilitarian elements of the overall aesthetic, Italian pieces adding the opulence.
We needed to create a number of bespoke solutions to solve specific ergonomic challenges. The AV units in the boardroom and meeting rooms were built to satisfy the particular needs of those rooms. The client wanted desking units that supported the work patterns of their creatives, their tendency to work in pairs and their need for space on which to brainstorm ideas. Bulo put together a bespoke product that integrated whiteboards and pinboards with shelving units and desking that conjured a mini-studio feel. The product was so well received that it is now commercially available.
The hanging wicker egg seats by Icons of Denmark epitomise the brief. We worked with the contractor to install these statement pieces, hung from the fourth floor all the way down into the open ground floor atrium, the chains providing a unifying backbone to the entire office space that is spectacular, dramatic and captivating.