PRESTON ROWE PATERSON
Tauranga Property Valuers who REALLY Value their Team
Preston Rowe Paterson’s new light-filled entry/reception, with boardroom + staff cafe beyond overlooking tree-lined Cameron Road.
This team of property valuers already had an awesome company culture, but their existing premises did NOT reflect the progressive nature of their growing business, or support their team in productive work practices.
Knowing they needed to do something about their dated old premises, PRP Tauranga contacted Bubble to talk them through what the process should look like, and where they were best to start.
It was obvious their current tenancy wasn’t going to work. The layout meant that the residential + commercial teams were divided into separate spaces, some palatial, some cramped, and some of the team were in totally internal rooms with no access to natural daylight.
And, despite the threadbare baggy carpet and sloping floors (not ramps, the building seemed to be sinking in one corner!) their Landlord was very reluctant to spend any money upgrading the building; so they were set on finding new premises… but needed to get clear on a design brief, and establish how much space they were looking for!
The reception + waiting in their old tenancy, both internal with no daylight…
and internal office spaces with no access to natural daylight for the team.
“We didn’t really appreciate how bad the old space was - as you tend to get used to and put up with what you have. In reality we suspected that it was uncomfortable; and impacting on productivity as well as our ability to attract + retain staff.
Ultimately staff would have lost patience working in such a poor environment.”
So we started by taking PRP through a comprehensive briefing process, including online surveys and full staff engagement workshops. The management team knew it was important for the staff to know that their concerns mattered, and they wanted to be sure they left no stone unturned to ensure they achieved a space that was future-proof.
They gained some quality feedback in regards to design considerations, and it meant they were super clear on what they were looking for.
After realising there were limited viable tenancy options available for lease, they were presented with the opportunity to purchase a building to make their own, and they jumped at the chance!
After Bubble developed the layout + aesthetic direction to suit their new building, PRP engaged iLine Contruction for a turnkey building refurbishment + fitout contract.
The cramped boardroom come staffroom before the move
The boardroom in the new tenancy before the refurb.
The spacious new PRP boardroom off the informal waiting area, looking out over tree-lined Cameron Road.
One of the interesting things that came out of discussions in the staff workshops was that, despite assuming it would be part of their design brief, the admin team established that they didn’t really need a formal reception.
Their existing reception desk wasn’t very often manned. The team very rarely even had visitors other than couriers, and the admin team had a very clearly defined system for answering the phones with a first, second, third and even fourth in line to pick up the main line depending on who was available.
In focus groups to talk through the options for how the new space should function for visitors and meetings, it was clear that the highest priority was to have the teams together, providing an environment for increased communication and shared learning within and between teams and across the business as a whole. So having a receptionist isolated from the rest didn’t make sense.
The new entry/informal meeting space…
with open staff cafe beyond, and more formal conference room able to be closed off for privacy as required.
Instead we developed the idea of “front of house” public space separated from “back of house” private team space.
Clients could come up to the PRP tenancy into an informal meeting/waiting area where the boardroom, meeting room and cafe space all opened up onto the entry space creating the feeling of an approachable, friendly + forward thinking business.
“Rachel and the Bubble team were the sole reason why we achieved the exceptional space that we still enjoy to this day. The design works perfectly and there is basically nothing we would change which is a massive testament to the design.”
The shared kitchenette in their old tenancy
The new PRP staff cafe, with different settings to be used for informal meetings
…and sleek new black kitchen
And the biggest transformation for the PRP team was their work area. Their existing office environment was the result of reasonably quick growth, meaning the teams were separated into what was essentially two different tenancies… one quite spacious, but inefficient; while the other was cramped and makeshift.
From a random mix of different style desks - including some DIY standing height desks made with 2x4!
The teams DIY standing height desks…
two of them! Classic kiwi ingenuity!
…to a clean, open, light-filled workspace with full height perimeter glazing.
The new workspace features electric height adjustable desks for everyone, with adjacent collaboration tables + informal meeting space. Easily accessible are close-able offices for two of the directors, plus it was important for staff to be able to get away from the open plan environment if they needed to concentrate or take private calls, so two quiet rooms were also included, able to sit two for small informal meetings too.
The new open plan office space
“Instead of being physically separated, we all now have logical positions in the office that are related to the tasks that we complete which makes us more efficient; and makes for less needless walking and/or raised voices. It has also improved team culture.”
The final layout… allowing for 20 in open plan, with room to add another 4 with growth in the coming years.
“It was so important to have someone with firstly an obvious knowledge as far as a functional layout goes, but also design flair; and the knowledge to combine these to achieve affordable procurement of the elements to bring it all together.
We would use Bubble again in a heartbeat. We love the space, and still get positive comments all the time.”
Reading nook off the main open plan workspace
BUBBLE INTERIORS’ SCOPE:
Full strategic + functional briefing facilitation
Test fit space planning + feasibility reviews for potential new tenancies
Space Planning, Concept + Developed Design for selected tenancy
Detailing of custom boardroom credenza, copy + staff kitchen cabinetry
Key interior plans + specifications for Base Build Consent (co-ordinated by iLine Construction)
Procurement of full FF&E package
Site Observation
PPROJECT TEAM + SUPPLIERS:
Main Fit-out Contractor: iLine Construction
Kitchen + Built-in Cabinetry: Verkart
Lighting: Enhance, Social Light
Furniture: Mobel Group, Harrows, ISSA Furniture
Photography: Amanda Aitken
Project Completed November 2020
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Are you needing to refurbish or relocate your office premises?
Bubble Co can help you manage the planning, design + delivery of your project…
Get in touch! and let’s talk through where you’re at, and what your best next steps are.