Refurbishment brief for 22nd floor, Millbank Tower SW1P 4RS Background: LEWIS PR is a leading international public relations agency, a global company with 25 offices in over 20 different countries. Their services include public relations and digital marketing, built upon a foundation in creativity and storytelling. They have a particular expertise in social media, and offer integrated approaches to public relations, digital marketing and content creation. Their London office is housed in Millbank Tower, literally round the corner to Chelsea College of Arts, and directly overlooks the Thames. They already have a close connection to Chelsea through the Kupambana Foundation, a not-for-profit initiative that champions the adoption of visual and creative arts in communications. They want to extend these links by hosting a design competition for the complete redesign of their existing office, which has fantastic 360° views over London. Despite its fantastic location, the office currently does not reflect the true creative spirit of the company, and the kind of people they employ. They have approached Chelsea because they want an experimental, edgy though professional approach. They are keen to radically alter their office, and to introduce spaces for showing or installing artwork as an integral aspect of the brief. They wish to provide a platform for students in Graphic Design, Textiles, Fine Art, Interior and Spatial Design and other parts of the School, which deserve an outstanding exhibition space. One of the outcomes of this is intended to be that the College will derive an income from the exhibition of student work. The space should also enable LEWIS PR’s international clients to experience the creative abilities of the College in a professional context. The space will also be used for the presentation of research and quarterly fundraising events. LEWIS PR do not want a conventional office feel, although there are still practical considerations to take into account (see Basic requirements below). They want a much more uncluttered and flexible space, which reflects their ethos as a company. As the company founder and CEO states, ‘we want to rip everything out and start again’. They also want to confront their clients, and to open up new ways of thinking about the digital. Technology is at the heart of what they do, and this needs to be communicated through the design intervention. They are keen to introduce novel approaches to the digital environment, and to communicate the fact that this is a global headquarters. The first stage of the project is open to all MA ISD and BA ISD students, with a hand-in after the Christmas break. You can enter individually, or as part of a collaborative team. This stage will focus primarily on ideas development, though you will also be expected to come up with workable plans and sections. You will need to communicate the look or feel of the project. 3 students or student teams will be then selected to take the project further, with a view to a March second stage submission, and installation of the winning scheme end of March/beginning of April 2014. These three finalists will be expected to work up the project to a more detailed level, and the winner(s) will then work closely with LEWIS PR’s internal team in order to provide additional information for the construction of the project. Submission requirements: • • • •
2 x A1 Sheets: to include 1:50 plan, relevant sections/elevations, views of interior. These must capture the spirit of the design 2 x A4 Sheet: to include a 500 word conceptual statement and a 500 word description of the materials used All information to include names of participants and project title A pdf version of the above
1