Resolution IT

RESOLUTION I.T.

When Resolution IT was first looking to move to new offices, an industrial space in the Forest wasn’t their initial thought. But thoughtful design and an impressive refit has left them with a space that’s not only fit for purpose with capacity for future expansion, but is a pleasure for their team to work in.

Like many of the best ideas, it was a chance conversation at a party that led to Resolution IT looking at the Homefield site at Rue de l’Epinel in the Forest for their new office space. Since then, the project has been a real family affair – with the building owner’s sons, Jamie Le Gallez and Jules Le Gallez, acting as the architect and main contractor respectively.

For CEO of Resolution IT, Olly Duquemin, the company knew what they wanted. “Our brief was to create a modern workspace which would allow us plenty of room for future flexible growth. We spend a significant portion of our week at work so it was important to get the balance right between a welcoming and inspiring place to work but also one that had sufficient breakout areas for staff to relax and socialise.”

It was a clear brief for Jamie Le Gallez of SOUP Architects, but also one which left him with plenty of potential to come up with a creative design for the 10,000 sq ft space. “The detailed brief required a modern and open plan office, with a design that characterised the company itself, and the team’s approach to business. At the same time, it needed to reflect the modern working environment with flexibility, integration of technology, comfort and bringing nature into the workspace. This allowed for us to include for areas such as a gym, privacy areas, kitchen, shower rooms as well as breakout and games areas to allow employees to have downtime and feel happy and comfortable in their environment.”

There was a comprehensive list of requirements for the building – along with the above, it needed to have some private meeting space, a business continuity area, and importantly, plenty of flexibility to allow the company to evolve and grow in the future. All that, but with a clean fresh design that would showcase the office space at its best. Walking into the Resolution IT office now, it is clear that the brief was fulfilled, and that’s no coincidence as SOUP Architects designed the space to have an impact from the moment you enter. “It all starts from how you first come into the building. Here you have a strong corporate identity on the front door. You then walk into a small reception area and it seems like you are just going up to the top floor of a warehouse – but you actually come up through this black lined stairwell into an office flooded with natural light. We wanted the office to have an impact from the second you step onto the floor, and I think we have managed it,” said Jamie.

The office space has a simple but effective colour palette of black, white and grey along with

IT IS CLEAR THAT THE BRIEF WAS FULFILLED, AND THAT’S NO COINCIDENCE AS SOUP ARCHITECTS DESIGNED THE SPACE TO HAVE AN IMPACT FROM THE MOMENT YOU ENTER

THE CONTRACTORS

• SOUP Architects • Homefield Services • Interior Systems • G4S • POS Interiors • Pavillion Kitchens • Yess Electrical • Stainless Steel Fabrications • Paint Evolution • Two Degrees North • Sign Solutions • Alpha Flooring • Rangs Plumbing • DHS • Guernsey Ducting • Electrix Ltd • Quantum • R1 Construction Resolution IT’s signature green. It is something that has been carefully considered throughout the space – from the specially designed planters to the ‘Tetris’ wall that allows meeting spaces to be sub-divided in accordance with the company’s needs. Balancing the deceptively simple design is the vibrancy contributed by the natural plants, modern furniture and graphics that were designed add character to the space.

The imposing graphics and branding throughout the new office were provided by local creative studio, Two Degrees North, whose work clearly defines the space as belonging to Resolution IT.

Looking at the office now, it’s difficult to imagine how it looked as a windowless and fairly soulless industrial space. But the team behind the refit know how much work it took to get the building into its current condition. Jules Le Gallez, of Homefield Services, was the main contractor on the site and says they faced plenty of challenges. “The main issue was actually the timeframe to get the old office stripped out and the work done to the space by the date that Resolution IT needed to be in the building. We only had around five months to turn it around, so we needed plenty of support from our sub-contractors and the team on site.”

Once the initial strip out of the space had been completed and the building was back to a bare shell, the scope of the job was more apparent. A new roof for one section of the building was a major piece of work for the contractors. The previous roof was fairly old and so it was decided that it should be replaced before the rest of the office was refurbished.

“Within such a small community as Guernsey, we have to consistently produce a quality product at a reasonable price, alongside a first class service.

We have a very large client base, and pride ourselves in retaining our customers year on year.”

Wishing Resolution IT every success in their new premises.

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Inside the office, the contractors needed to work in a tricky space, with little head room at the edges of the building. The exposed beams and purlings also provided challenges, although the grey painted steel beams are now a fundamental part of the interior design.

The design of the building is all rather minimalistic, but that simplicity belies a complicated process and the great deal of thought that went into the look of the office space. The ceilings, in particular, were an area that had to be carefully thought about as everything had to be hung from the existing roof, but also kept looking crisp and clean.

While the aesthetics of the building came under Jamie’s remit, the challenges of making his vision a reality entailed plenty of input from Jules. “We knew it had to look attractive so we worked all the concepts through with Jamie. The lighting design in particular was difficult to get right, with LED low profile fittings that had to be flush with the staircase and then run continuously around the perimeter of the ceiling. But after trying a few products, we managed to get exactly the effect we wanted, and it looks great.”

Flexibility was a key part of the brief from the start, and something that architect Jamie was constantly aware of with his design. The space lent itself to having a central circulation core with flexible spaces coming off it designating the different areas of the office. The main trunking was made a feature that ran down the centre of the room with branches to the other work areas and commando leads that drop down to provide power as necessary. It allows the work spaces to be shifted around to suit the company’s requirements and means extra workspaces can easily be added in the event of expansion.

Alongside their desire for an open plan workspace, the company also wanted the ability to hold confidential meetings and divide the room for events. Privacy has been achieved through the building of a glass ‘pod’ that provides an attractive focal point for the office but also gives the staff a soundproof space.

Flexible spaces have been made possible through the installation of a visually impressive acoustic ‘Tetris’ wall, which not only echoes the IT theme of the building but can be moved and reconfigured to provide differently sized rooms for meetings or social events held at the office. Now Resolution IT are happily installed in their new headquarters, Olly has been able to reflect on what the construction team has achieved, and he is delighted with their new home. “We’re really pleased with the end result; it’s been fantastic to see all those months of planning become a reality and we’re very lucky to have worked with such great architects, suppliers, builders and landlords. The Resolution IT vision is to inspire every business to succeed and continuously evolve through innovation and our new move has definitely left us feeling inspired with a continued desire to innovate.”

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GUERNSEY PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION

Guernsey Property and Construction magazine is distributed through outlets islandwide every Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, including Norman Piette, Channel Island Ceramics, DHS, Savills, AFM, and RG Falla.

If you’d like copies, please contact Julie Todd at julie@collaborateci.com or telephone 01481 715222

Safety on tap

When we turn on the tap at work or at home, we expect our water to be clean and safe. Without efficient water management, however, there is no guarantee. That’s why water safety has become an important focus for G4S in Guernsey.

One of the potential dangers of a poorly maintained water system is legionella, a naturally occurring bacteria which can multiply to dangerous levels under certain conditions, with potentially fatal consequences.

G4S Secure Solutions Limited is the first company in Guernsey to be registered by the Legionella Control Association (LCA) for commercial service delivery. This means its legionella risk assessment team has to comply to the strictest of standards and qualification.

“The LCA is the biggest governing body for water management in the UK and it’s taken 18 months to qualify for membership. They’re really stringent and we’ve been on quite a journey to get to this point,” explained CI commercial business FM manager Sophie Boxall.

“What membership means is that we can provide LCA approved risk assessment services, cleaning and disinfection services, hot and cold water system monitoring services and sampling. Yes, we’re a commercial entity but we’re also able to offer advice and support. We want to educate people and increase their understanding of the risks.”

According to contract operator Kyle Lorimer, there isn’t enough general awareness about the risk posed by legionella and the measures that can be taken to reduce that risk, especially in the rental sector, in which many landlords might not know they could be held accountable in the event of an outbreak.

“Many people have heard the word legionella bandied about but they haven’t really thought about whether they could be at risk, and wouldn’t know what to do about it. That’s where we come in. We can offer advice and make sure that water systems are compliant,” he said.

“Many cases of Legionnaire’s Disease, which is caused by this bacteria, go undiagnosed. The chances are that if you’re healthy, you might shrug it off as a case of the flu and won’t even associate it with your water management system. But for the young and the elderly, the risks are massively increased.”

To find out more about legionella risk assessment contact G4S on 01481 247447 or email servicedesk@gg.g4s.com. G4S’s LCA certificate of membership can be found at www.legionellacontrol.org.uk

GUERNSEY DESIGN AWARDS 2020

The Guernsey Design Awards 2020 are now open for nominations and submissions, with the six prize categories plus the popular People’s Choice and Professionals’ Choice awards to be given out next year.

The Guernsey Design Awards are held every two years to celebrate the exemplary design work that enhances the island. Since their relaunch in 2012, the awards have been developed by the States of Guernsey planning service, Norman Piette and the Guernsey Society of Architects. For 2020 they will also be supported by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists Channel Islands.

This judges for the 2020 awards include Steve Powell from sponsors Norman Piette, Mitch Sneddon on behalf of the Guernsey Society of Architects and Grant Steer on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT). Steve Powell said they are looking forward to seeing the quality of entries for the 2020 awards: “Over the years we’ve seen some really exciting projects across all areas of building design in the Bailiwick so we’re really excited about the entries for the 2020 awards. We’ll be looking for outstanding work on the design, use of materials, the relationship to setting, sustainability, and how well they followed the client brief.”

For Paul Langlois of the Guernsey Society of Architects, the awards are an important way of recognising the successes of the industry: “Good design needs to be showcased and celebrated to raise awareness and to encourage others to try and achieve the same level.

carefully considered on their merits and how well they meet the judges’ criteria.

Judge Mitch Sneddon explained how islanders can then get involved in the awards: “Once we’ve created a shortlist, we can then open the voting for the People’s Choice category, which is always popular. People love to see great design work and we’re so pleased to be able to showcase the best that the island has to offer.”

Grant Steer had some advice for islanders voting in the People’s Choice category: “When considering what makes for good design, try not to focus on the external appearance and internal finishes, equally important are other elements such as how the building feels and flows, the acoustics and lighting and how easy it is to access and circulate around. Fundamentally, you need to consider whether the building fulfills the purpose it is intended for.”

All entries to the awards must be submitted by 5pm on 22 November 2019. Full details and entry forms can be found at www.guernseydesignawards.com

It raises the bar. There is too much mediocrity on the island. Good design is uplifting and life enhancing for the occupants and those who see it. However, often the designs are tucked away and wouldn’t be noticed if it wasn’t for these awards.

“Architects and designers are lucky in Guernsey to have a diverse range of building types and contexts in which to design. It could be a 15th century farmhouse, Victorian terrace or a 21st century new build. Social housing or bespoke one-off residential or commercial. An urban, rural or coastal setting. The challenge is getting a design that meets the brief, the client’s expectations and creates a thing of beauty or interest, albeit in the eye of the beholder.” Grant Steer of CIAT is equally certain of the importance of his colleagues entering the awards: “Designers and their clients spend significant time and effort on projects not just at the design stage but also during the construction phase, ensuring that, with the help of the building contractor, the design is transferred into the building fabric and the smallest detail fully considered. Entering the Guernsey Design Awards allows the general public to appreciate the dedication and commitment that goes into such a project that may otherwise go unrecognised.”

Once all submissions have been received by the Guernsey Design Awards organisers, they will be • Small projects (up to £250k) • Single residential new build • Single residential renovation/extension • Commercial • Heritage • Multiple residential development

THE CATEGORIES

Entries are limited to projects in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and must have been completed between 1 September 2017 and 21 November 2019.