OPTIMA PROVIDES PARTITIONS FOR O2 FLAGSHIP BUILDING
Architects TP Bennett, have helped O2, the communications company, develop a stylish new building connected by a glass link to its Slough headquarters. With careful attention to detail and to ensure a productive working environment, TP Bennett specified a range of partitions from Optima Products to create offices and the main boardroom.
The campus was designed to reflect the values of O2. Sustainability is important to the company and the building reduces carbon emissions with energy-saving technology. Design philosophy was also crucial, with the company‘s staff suggesting what would make their ideal working environment. With this taken into consideration, an exciting and dynamic design was created, featuring flexible desk layouts, great facilities and stylish aesthetics throughout. Key to the good looks were the glazed partitioning systems provided by Optima.
Optima’s high grade glass partitions were used on key elements of the office fit out. Optima’s 117 single glazed partitions were chosen for use in the offices, providing a sense of openness and space for the staff inside. The entrances to office space were finished with Kinetic Sliding Doors, whilst the boardroom was created using the company’s Revolution 97 Double Glazing, ensuring high aesthetics and privacy. For an additional touch of individuality, a manifestation featuring a wildlife motif of birds and trees ran across the glazed partitioning in both the offices and the boardroom.
Main contractor Overbury (Southern) Plc, with whom O2 have worked extensively in the past, worked alongside Optima’s Contracting Partner WOW Contracting, who installed the partitioning within this prestigious building. In addition to installing the partitions, WOW Contracting also completed all joinery, dry wall work and the construction of suspended ceilings – including a particularly stylish curved raft ceiling.
Running straight across O2’s new offices, Optima 117 is a perennially popular choice with prestige schemes, having been extensively featured on top projects, including the famous Gherkin in London. The system features low profile head and base connections to ensure that the open feeling created by the glass panelling is uninterrupted.
The panels were jointed glass to glass so that the patterning of the manifestation was seamless. To connect the panels, aluminium joints were used. This dry fixing system allows for the partition to be easily relocated if required. The system also featured a deflected head. This innovative extruded aluminium deflection head can tolerate shifts of +/- 25mm, ensuring that no undue stress is placed on the glass partitions should there be any building movement.
The company’s Kinetic Sliding Doors are specially designed for use with the Optima 117 partitioning system. Also featuring the distinctive wildlife manifestation of the panels and continuing the motif seamlessly across the partitioning, they were adorned with unusual yet highly stylish, 1,800mm tall guardsman handles.
Supplied with all framework as part of a package including vertical track, running rails and seals, the Kinetic Sliding Doors are designed for simple onsite installation. The doors are highly robust and have been tested to withstand 100,000 opening and closing cycles, to ensure they withstand even the most demanding working environments.
For the boardroom, located on the first floor of the building, beneath the office, privacy was of the essence. This led specifiers to select Optima’s Revolution 97 double glazed system. Its superb acoustic performance and client specified opaque manifestation ensured that meetings could take place in total seclusion.
Martin Robinson, Managing Director of WOW Contracting, commented: “We are really pleased with the job at O2’s headquarters. Optima’s partitioning makes the offices and boardroom stand out, especially with the black ironmongery and detailed manifestation. Best of all, it was simple to install onsite, ensuring a top aesthetic with efficient installation.”
The new offices of O2 unify design and corporate philosophy to a new standard – the building even features an O2 retail store. Internally, the fit out of the building delivers an outstanding working environment. Key to this is a sense of openness and aesthetics – made possible by Optima’s high performance partitioning systems.
For further information on Optima’s range of partition systems, visit www.optimasystems.com or call 01494 492725.
