Creating an international client for life
TomTom are the leading independent location technology specialist, committed to the vision of creating a safer, cleaner, congestion-free world.
TomTom’s non-stop innovation keeps the world moving forward – freely, efficiently, safely. Their global team create the most innovative location technologies to improve driving today and completely change it tomorrow.
Our relationship with TomTom started in 2010, we were introduced to leading technology giant to work as a framework partner on their global property portfolio and went on to deliver three projects in Euston Tower and Whitfield Street in London.
TomTom were keen to work with a single point of contact and partnered with Peldon Rose with extensive experience in providing full design and build capability, demonstrating our client for life core value, we were proud to be appointed to design and manage TomTom’s office relocation in Belgrade, Serbia.
Expanding our experience overseas
As a London-based design and build contractor, our win work strategies have predominately within the capital, however as our relationships begin to flourish, our offering has started to expand and grow with our client base, working across the UK and Europe.
When TomTom shared their portfolio plans with us, we presented a generation of ideas and plan of how we could approach in partnership, agreeing on a format with Peldon Rose leading as international project manager, andTechoas our in-country delivery partner.
Delivering 15,000 sq ft Cat A and Cat B in Belgrade
The first project in Belgrade was taken on asCat A and Cat B works, in a development that had no fit out whatsoever - the space was just a concrete shell, lifts, stairs, and windows.
For TomTom, this was a project that required expertise from a provider that they could trust to create a workplace design that would be their global flagship.
Workplace relocation to support a growing business unit
As TomTom’s existing Belgrade office lease came to an end, and a well-established and expanding business unit within the region, TomTom decided they needed to move to a new premise, that was in a suitable location for their dynamic and innovative workforce.
Belgrade as a city is going through lots of investment and they were looking for a better-quality building. The new location is situated in the green heart centre, which has been developed by Serbian GTC, TomTom’s existing landlord.
Workplace consultancy to develop an agile design
We carried out workplace consultancy exercises and supported their transition to an activity-based-working workspace, providing their employees with a smart and agile ways of working.
As an employer and facilities team, TomTom are becoming much more aware of working practices that are going to be better for their employee’s wellbeing, which in turn supports employee retention and attraction initiatives.
The design incorporated LEED accreditation to the fit out, which included elements such as using high water efficient bathroom and tapware, including materials with a high percentage recycled content and low VOC materials,and reducing the amount of materials used on site but exposing the ceiling structure.
Creating a client for life
Working with TomTom on multiple projects in the past andcollaborating with their team to create a design playbook provided us witha solid foundation for the design concept and look and feel for the Belgrade HQ.
The design intent of each office is to create a space that incorporates the TomTom values alongside the heritage and culture of the city the office is located in. With the knowledge of each company's process and the existing relationship with the TomTom team, we created a cohesive design development stage built on trust andconfidence.
Influencing the design with the history of Belgrade
Head of SME Design Steph di Losa explains “My favourite aspect of the project is the central wing of the building with the tea point, breakout and waiting area. This space is the heart of the office, a multi-purpose space with a variety of furniture pieces and joinery to create the different functions. With the different objective for this space, it was important to design the central wing differently to the others. This area was influenced by the brutalist architecture with the use of exposed brick and structural elements alongside street art murals, rustic timber, and moss in cobblestone street inspired carpet. These two elements where then brought together with the TomTom branding”.
“A play on TomTom’s industry with maps, location and direction led us down the path of Belgrade’s transport infrastructure, focusing on trams, gave us the idea of creating a TomTom Tram meeting room as the focal point to the central wing in the corporate colours”.
