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Spring 21 Issue 08
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Ola
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Boss Design
Spring21
Editors Letter It goes without saying that the past 12 months have been more than challenging for us all. But with the first signs of spring and the UK’s vaccine rollout programme in full flow, comes a renewed sense of optimism and the hope of returning to some degree of normality both in our personal and working lives. So with that in mind, in this issue, we take a closer look at… ‘The Evolution of The Work Place’. Working from home during the pandemic has changed our view of how and where we work. What will the legacy of the pandemic be on working patterns and office design for the future?
As the UK prepares to welcome the world to the UN’s climate change conference later this year, the environment is once again firmly in the spotlight. We discuss the importance of responsibility and sustainability in business and take a look at Boss Design’s contribution to tackling some of the threats to our planet and society. We hope you enjoy the read and as always if there is anything you’d like to know more about, then please do get in touch.
N ATA L I E M U R R AY E D I TO R
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Paloma
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Furniture
A softer level of luxury
The Paloma family offers adaptability in a world in which the old boundaries that defined the working day have changed. Ergonomic comfort combines with attention to detail and a choice of finishes and options to bring you
a range of seating that is every bit as agile as your workplace. Crafted contours enhanced by beautiful upholstery. With its essential quality and timeless design, Paloma is tailormade for the modern workspace.
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Details Paloma Lounge Paloma Lounge wears its ergonomic excellence lightly. The sculpted lines of the seat and back, combined with meticulous stitch detail and generous upholstery, are designed to deliver outstanding levels of comfort. Paloma Plush Softened with a sartorial touch that is clear in every detail, the opulent folds on the inside of the backrest and more relaxed upholstery softness deliver a mellower level of luxury to the Paloma Collection. Paloma Meeting Offices exist to bring people together as part of a shared purpose and culture. They are not merely places of work. They offer the spaces that allow people to realise their potential, develop relationships, learn, share information, have ideas and create new things. The Paloma swivel option with either a four or five star base make it the perfect choice for meeting rooms and touchdown working.
Paloma Meeting
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Insights 08
Insights
Changing Spaces: The Evolution of the Workplace 2020 was an extraordinary year. Almost overnight, Covid 19 forced us to re-evaluate how we live, work and use our space. We learnt a lot. And we realised that while working in isolation has its benefits, it also has its limitations. Back in the days when Corona still meant a bottle of beer, office spaces and working practices had already begun to evolve. Organisations were moving towards more flexible working patterns and were getting better at accommodating mobile and nomadic members of staff. Then Covid hit and that pace of change accelerated dramatically. Technology showed us that many of us could work remotely but like the overwhelming majority of schoolchildren itching to get back to school, many people are now desperate to get back into the office and meet face to face with colleagues, clients and suppliers. Ask Mark Barrell, Design Director at Boss Design why this is and his response is unequivocal: “Because our drive to connect with others, interact and collaborate is instinctive. It is part of what makes us human and part of what keeps us motivated. It’s also, in part, what will drive a return to human-centric workspaces in a post Covid world”.
So, how should businesses approach a return to the office and what role will offices and office interiors play in helping us to emerge in a post pandemic world?
Returning to the workplace presents us with a unique opportunity to recalibrate. MARK BARRELL
Mark Barrell, continues: “Companies and designers have a chance to re-evaluate working practices as well as the role that the office can play in easing that transition and reducing any apprehension or anxiety. We all take cues from our surroundings and at a time when many people feel anxious about mixing again, organisations need to place both safety and well-being at the top of their agendas. Now, more than ever, we need our environments to provide comfort and reassurance whilst on a more practical level, offer a level of protection that lets us get on with our jobs safely and efficiently. From an employer’s perspective
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they’ll also be thinking about value for money and creating spaces that are future-proofed and flexible enough to adapt to whatever the world has to throw at us.” It’s a challenge, but one that our Destination Spaces project has in its sights. As well as modular systems that can be quickly configured to suit changing needs (and create engaging, but socially distant spaces), the collection includes focus and multi-person pods and booths, inviting sofas and chairs, as well as relaxed and collaborative meeting spaces, along with more traditional task seating and desk options. Giving organisations and architects everything they need to create agile spaces it’s a collection that is deliberately designed to interact - working together or independently to create adaptable, reassuring and motivating spaces. Atom, for example, is a collection of handcrafted seating, tables and desks intuitively designed to evolve and adapt. With this collection you can create Covid-safe individual desking now, then reconfigure to create more open and informal settings that encourage collaboration in the future.
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Insights and a less formal feel – like a home-fromh o m e – s o c i a l s p a c e s t h a t e n c o u ra g e connection and promote wellbeing, good-will and collaboration. The past year has challenged all of us in different ways. Covid19 has inflicted untold amounts of damage and loss on our society that will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy. But while few things in life are guaranteed, some remain constant and even a cause for celebration. From front-line workers who kept the country going to scientists creating vaccines in record-breaking time, the human capacity to adapt and innovate is inspirational. Similarly, our need as a species to physically meet, collaborate and share shows no sign of abating. The office, it seems, is very much alive and kicking and when restrictions are eased, things that we once took for granted – like going to school or into the office – will take on a new significance and value that seemed unthinkable 12 months ago. Companies need to reflect that shift too and invest in spaces that go above and beyond providing a place to work; to create ones that entice us back, reassure and inspire us, as well as encourage us to interact and collaborate”.
Being able to offer employees a choice of spaces will be fundamental MARK BARRELL
“Being able to offer employees a choice of spaces will be fundamental. Everyone is different and for every person that craves a fixed desk to call ‘home’ and store their belongings, there are others who will drop in twice a week, but still need somewhere to plug in and work. And when the time is right, in every modern workplace, there will be a need to balance more relaxed, informal and collaborative settings with an adequate provision of focussed and private spaces for those times when you just need a quiet place to get the job done”.
Cutting-edge acoustic engineering, hand upholstery and contoured shapes dramatically reduce background vision and noise, while optional 360 degree swivel functions on some models means you can physically turn your back on distractions for even greater privacy. Similarly, a product like Mango can provide focussed space in a busy, bustling office, hotel lobby or airport lounge, whilst Snug is easy to assemble and reconfigure thanks to shared components that extend, reduce or create additional booths.
Pods and booths like Mango and Cocoon, are ideally suited to doing just that. Striking the perfect balance between privacy and ergonomics, integrated screens, roofs or ergonomically designed high backs, mean you can comfortably escape distraction and peripheral noise without the need to leave the room.
Summing up, Mark Barrell concludes: “I think we’re already beginning to see the effects of imposed home working beginning to filter through into the workplace. We’re getting more and more companies enquiring about how they can counterbalance formal areas with zones characterised by soft upholstery
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Furniture
Ola
Ergonomic Elegance Ola is a monoshell collection which epitomises European design. It combines beauty with a variety of materials, without compromising its ergonomically engineered comfort. In Ola, Boss Design and designer Wolfgang C. R. Mezger created a chair that works just as
well in a café, meeting room or touch down workspace. The elegant slimline design and distinctive style creates a beautifully curved multi-purpose chair, perfectly harmonious in a range of environments.
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Furniture Opposite: Ola Upholstered Oakwood
Ola Plastic Shell
One of the defining characteristics of the modern approach to workplace wellbeing is biophilic design. Now more than ever, human beings love a connection to nature, whether it’s with plants, fresh air, outside views and daylight or with a connection to natural and sustainable materials like wood. In addition to the upholstered and plastic shell options - Ola can be specified with either an American Walnut or Oakwood finish.
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Focus The Development of Boss Design’s Sustainability Programme 2008 - 2021 A N I N T E RV I E W W I T H B O S S D E S I G N ’ S V I R G I N I A S E AWA R D
As the US rejoins the Paris agreement and Scotland prepares to host the UN’s Climate Change Conference, it’s clear that climate change and sustainability are once again rising up the global agenda. When Boss Design’s Head of Operations, Virginia Seaward, began looking at sustainable approaches, however, the term was still in its infancy. Here, Virginia outlines what sustainability means to her, how its evolved at Boss Design and how she sees it shaping the future of the business. Sustainability is a buzzword that features on almost every corporate agenda these days but years ago there was a distinct lack of awareness. It was something that interested me personally but only became part of my job when a major client asked us to get rid
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of some old office stock we were storing for them. In those days that wasn’t unusual and landfill was usually the answer. But there was a sea change underway and I couldn’t help but feel there had to be a better way. Enter Waste to Wonder, a fledgling charity whose mission was (and still is), to help companies ethically clear office spaces and pass redundant furniture and equipment on to those who need it. I made a phonecall and kick-started a long and rewarding collaboration that continues to thrive to this day. Its incredibly satisfying to see products that we build to last a lifetime given a whole new lease of life and over the years, we’ve worked together to divert some 1620 tonnes of equipment from landfill and equipped over 750 schools in 18 countries with office equipment.
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Details Design sustainability plan. We had suggestions on almost every aspect of the business and almost immediately started to implement those changes. From reviewing the products we used for cleaning and in the factories to reduce toxicity and waste to reducing our heat, energy and light consumption. We introduced policies to make all our plastic bag packaging 100% biodegradable and recycle 100% of our factory plastic waste. Where previously excess fabric and leather would have made its way to landfill, we began to develop a now wellestablished network of local charities, schools and arts organisations who could make use of our surplus fabrics. Any that is still left over is stored and logged for use at a later date.
But it was when Waste to Wonder asked us if we wanted to fill a container bound for Africa, that we really saw the impact the work can have. It was both sobering and humbling to see how one man’s rubbish really is another man’s treasure - but it was also striking to see the effect it had on our own staff here in the UK. Everyone wanted to be involved and every day staff were bringing in all sorts of things that could make up the consignment alongside the office chairs, tables and equipment we were collecting. We were inundated with volunteers and there was a tangible sense of pride in being part of something so positive. As the good will and well-being increased, so too did job satisfaction and productivity. It was clear that something profound had taken place and that if we wanted to harness these sorts of benefits in the long term, we needed our ethical approach to permeate all aspects of the business and not just our products. Unusually for the manufacturing sector at the time, we started looking at ways to incorporate more sustainable approaches into our workforce as well as our products and processes.
As a people-centric business, Boss has always recognised the value of its people and knew that getting everyone’s buy-in to a sustainability approach would be the key to its success. V I R G I N I A S E AWA R D
We set up a meeting with representatives from every corner of the business – from cleaners and engineers to office staff and the management team. We gathered in a local hotel and, in what has now become known as our staff environmental suggestion scheme, invited everyone to suggest ways they could build sustainability into their jobs. The response was phenomenal. It meant different things to different people but the passion and enthusiasm was collective. Everyone contributed and we left that meeting with a framework for our very first three-year Boss
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Another suggestion prompted our popular school walks and talks initiative. This programme welcomes groups of local school children and teachers to visit our flagship factory in Dudley and see for themselves what we do. It’s a brilliant way of reaching out and connecting with the local community and talking to them about our sustainable and ethical approaches. Encouraging the next generation of skilled manufacturers, designers and craftsmen and women is critical for the future of our business and people are always surprised by the sorts of career opportunities available to them on their doorstep. On the back of that first meeting we also started to look at how we could invest in our people, extending our Continuous Professional Development and training opportunities, as well as always ensuring the highest safety standards and creating safe and welcoming places to work. We were early adopters of a company-wide sustainability and wellness strategy and owe much of its success to the fact that it grew organically from the bottom up rather than being imposed from the top down. Everyone got involved, took ownership and could see their ideas making a difference. Very quickly, Boss became known for its expertise and pioneering approaches and in those early days, we were often asked for advice by clients who weren’t really sure what terms like ‘carbon neutral’ meant or how to go about creating a meaningful strategy for corporate social responsibility. Fast forward to 2021 and while there’s more awareness, there’s little sign of the Boss sustainability agenda slowing down.
Focus Reduce, reuse and recycle have become our watchwords. We aim to reduce as much as we can: reducing waste but also reducing the need to replace by developing premium, sustainable products built to last a lifetime. We also try to use as many components and materials that can be replaced or reused at the end of a product’s life cycle and when that isn’t possible, we recyle. Our Dudley HQ is proud of its zero landfill status and these days, we even use a percentage of our waste to generate electricity that powers our own production line. We’ve won numerous awards and industry recognition for our approaches and are extremely proud of our transparency and track record as a responsible UK manufacturer. Over a decade ago we were among the first manufacturers to introduce product data sheets that show at a glance what materials and components are used in a product’s manufacture, as well as its recycling profile. These are now a standard across the industry. Our Sustainability and Wellness Manifesto has become a way of life and is aligned with
the ambitions of WELL V2 the UN sustainability goals. Sustainability and ethical practices are built into every stage of products’ lifespan from conception and design through to production and on into delivery and end of life. Our products are built to stand the test of time with ethically sourced materials and using the very latest in innovative manufacturing techniques to dramatically reduce and in some cases eliminate emissions. Since 2005, all of our factories have been powered by renewable energy and we continue to be uncompromising about working with suppliers who meet and share our sustainability values and strict compliance regulations. In 2016, Boss invested in an 80 acre forest in North Carolina, USA, meaning we are currently sequestering 200 tonnes of CO2 annually which is equivalent to around a quarter of our current global CO2 output. We’re also about to invest in a ‘Miyawaki’ forest scheme – where brownfield sites are densely planted using native seedlings to create a complex ecosystem that improves biodiversity and absorbs CO2. And
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by 2025 we aim for all our sites globally to be zero waste to landfill and to be a truly Carbon Neutral manufacturer. It’s remarkable to think how far we’ve come as a business in such a relatively short space of time - but its testament to the open-minded ‘can do’ attitudes found in every corner of Boss Design that we’ve managed to achieve so much. Looking ahead and global pandemics withstanding, climate change and making our world more sustainable are set to be the dominant challenges of our times. They are challenges that affect us all and that none of us can afford to ignore. When we set out on this journey, we knew these things were important but we were naïve as to how much they would occupy us in the not so distant future. Back then ambitions to become a carbon neutral manufacturer felt unachievable. Now, anything less is inconceivable.
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Bodie A softer perspective
Inspired by refined comfort and the minimalist aesthetic of Scandinavian Modernism, Bodie has been created to provide practical luxury in a softer space. Bodie creates an enduring first impression. Characterised by the smooth curve of the sofa’s cushions, which seamlessly combines a strong structure with a simple, organic expression. Appearing compact and
neat within space, yet spacious and with generous comfort. Bodie is a homage to classic comfort and relaxed styling, taking certain characteristics from the Lyndon portfolio, linearity and simplicity - reworked with fine details for 21st century spaces.
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WFH21 The legacy of lockdown
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The work-life paradigm has shifted. A year on from the beginning of the pandemic, we spoke to Marketing Director Kelly Smith & Interiors Visualiser Paul Welch to find out how they’ve been adapting to life and work during lockdown. Only 10 miles from Boss HQ in the West Midlands we visit Selly Park, Birmingham. Home to Paul, 45, a freelance architectural and interiors visualiser (www.pw3d.co.uk), and Kelly, 44, a marketing director for a leading nutritional supplements company. They have one son, Fabian, aged 7. As a team leader working in the wellness industry, Kelly saw her workload increase dramatically during the first lockdown as people rushed to boost their health, immunity and well-being. But whilst WFH definitely has its plusses, it also has its downsides. In fact, says Kelly, there’s mounting evidence that long-term, it could even be bad for you. “There’s a lot of research that shows how human interaction or lack of effects your brain. You think you’re still getting the same interaction and experience on a video call, but your brain knows that’s not a real human interaction so you don’t produce the same amount of hormones like Oxytocin – so it’s actually physically good for you to be around people”.
As with a lot of things in life, ultimately it’s about striking the right balance. K E L LY S M I T H
Health concerns aside, Paul agrees that the pandemic has thrown up a number of pros and cons in the home versus office debate. “In theory all I need is a desk, a good chair and my computer to do my job but in reality, the design process by nature is very collaborative. Something that would take 30 seconds in the studio can take much longer via email. And there’s a risk that things get lost in translation remotely. Design projects are often in flux and evolving, so a certain amount of face to face interaction and collaboration is essential” Like most families, juggling work and home schooling was hard going at first, but setting boundaries and making their space work for them was key. Kelly explains: “When we first went into lockdown it was difficult but once we’d started to get to grips with new routines and created designated spaces for
all us to work in, things got a whole lot easier. Paul already has his ‘office’ set up in the spare room and about 10 years ago we bought some Kruze chairs for our dining table so establishing spaces where all three of us could work comfortably and effectively was relatively straight forward”. In Paul’s industry there’s been talk of remote working for years but the pandemic has fasttracked the process and will, he thinks, shape the way we live and work for years to come. “All this has accelerated what was perhaps going to happen anyway in 5-10 years. There have been some huge unexpected benefits to working from home but I think people have also started to appreciate the value of being
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in the office – of collaborating, interacting and sharing ideas.” Kelly concludes: “I hope that the legacy of all of this will be that we’ll see companies adopting a more flexible approach to ways of working. A 50/50 split between home and the office would be ideal for me. I love the flexibility of working from home but at the same time I manage a team of people so I like to see them. Lockdown has shown me that whilst it’s possible for me to do my work remotely, I don’t necessarily want to all the time. As with a lot of things in life, ultimately it’s about striking the right balance.
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Projects
Jaguar Land Rover
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Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover I N T E R N AT I O N A L Charity HQ
Since 2012, Boss Design has worked in partnership with the Jaguar Land Rover design team to develop a range of products that reflect the true essence and prestige of JLR. Luxuriously crafted bespoke products, designed and made with a meticulous level of detail that epitomises the Jaguar Land Rover brand. Thousands of pieces of furniture, installed around the world, in over 550 showrooms to the highest standards.
Charity HQ LONDON
This head office, situated in the London, focuses on providing space for a variety of work styles. The overall design is minimalistic with touches of eclectic. Using a base palette of dark tones with pops of brand colour accents, the spaces showcase products perfectly, highlighting the design and creating a energetic and agile interior. Charity HQ
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JIGSAW T H I R D WAY I N T E R I O R S , LONDON
With collaboration and flexibility at the forefront, Thirdway created a work environment that stimulates a sense of community to encourage creativity and innovation. The overall design evokes a sense of fluidity, incorporating natural materials and hi-tech finishes. A centrally located cafe provides opportunities for socialising, relaxing, and for informal meetings. Innovative technology is integrated throughout all spaces to give staff the agility and choice of where and how to work.
Jigsaw, Thirdway Interiors
Winton Group
Winton Group
WINTON GROUP KPS, DUBAI
KPS created an office space that is understated, bespoke, clean and crisp with a chartroom display. Taking into consideration the brand and client’s needs, the design team created a space that achieved a welcoming visitor experience through warm and sophisticated design with Arabic touches that define the Middle East. Openness and transparency throughout the design are key – the reception area takes visitors seamlessly into the lounge and work spaces, and boardroom which offers stunning views of the Abu Dhabi corniche.
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Jigsaw, Thirdway Interiors
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Ola
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