We competitively tendered for the design and build contract of Great Annual Savings’ new HQ, inviting interior designers Bowman and Riley to partner with us, and we secured the project based on our collective understanding of the client brief and culture.
Following a 22-week fit out and furniture installation programme, their ‘Sea View’ HQ acts as a central hub for both office-based and visiting field-based colleagues. It has completely transformed the workplace experience for GAS colleagues, by offering unrivalled facilities never before seen in the cost-saving sector.
GAS are one of the UK’s fastest-growing companies, specialising in giving businesses the power to control utility costs, and more. Positioned already as a thriving and expanding North East business, they had further significant growth plans in the pipeline, including a target of doubling headcount between 2020 and 2022.
With such a strong recruitment drive, GAS identified a need for state-of-the-art premises, offering an environment rarely seen outside of London. It was important that this facilitated their strong focus on health and wellbeing and translated their established culture into the physical workplace.
Their move from a restrictively sized space to larger premises on Spectrum Business Park allowed for a scheme that encapsulates and enhances their ‘Gas Life’ culture. The completed project, across three floors, invested as much into non-working areas such as gym facilitates, a gaming zone, chill out rooms and subsidised catering facilities, as it did into the salesfloor of the future.
Recognising that the salesfloor is the life blood of their organisation, ‘The Street’ features a curved, open-plan layout which is mirrored on each side of Sea View HQ. This strategically planned workspace is designed for its rapidly growing team of salespeople.
It was important that their new premises offered and encouraged an exceptional work/life balance. Maximising their cliff top location, GAS now provides colleagues a chance to benefit from relaxing panoramic sea views in their stunning ‘GASTRO’ canteen area. To maintain a cohesive experience across their expansive space, this is carried through to their chill out zone which features a bespoke wallcovering of the stunning Seaham coastline.
The ‘GAS Garden’ brings the outdoors in, acting as an extension to their relaxed breakout area and suitable for all seasons! The clever use of picnic tables and pinstripe deckchairs gives a fun nod to their coastline location.
Their new future-proofed HQ has acted as a catalyst for their recruitment drive and provided the space to further invest in the ‘GAS Family’. Their training room is integral to their goal of giving everyone a chance to be successful in their role. This includes their frequent intake of apprentices, of which they were recognised for with a Top 100 company award.
Their boardroom supports formal and private meetings with access to screensharing and virtual collaboration facilities. Alternatively, informal meeting spaces or preparation zones have been created by specifying furniture for an otherwise vacant through space.
Their free of charge ‘GASfit’ centre gives colleagues a unique space to work on their physical wellbeing, designed around the latest science behind the global functional fitness movement. The digital element is as in-depth as the physical one, allowing those from outside of the North East to benefit equally.
As the pandemic dictated, the return to the office has been a staggered one, but one where space earmarked for fitness is now utilised for health and wellbeing on a grand scale – weekly rapid Covid testing. The ability to repurpose a secure segment of the space, without making changes to walls or structure, highlights the importance of an agile workspace, even beyond what can be reasonably predicted.
View our award-nominated project completion for Great Annual Savings’ new HQ! It has completely transformed the workplace experience for GAS colleagues, by offering unrivalled facilities never before seen in the cost-saving sector.
Client
Size
31,000 sq ft
Services
Location
Spectrum Business Park, Seaham
