| Spencer Swinden Design in Birmingham has been awarded the prestigious contract to re-design the interior of the offices for the ‘West Midlands in Europe’ (WME) located in Brussels.
Based in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, the interior design company is known for its creative flair as well as its commercial awareness. Spencer Swinden put forward a series of contemporary schemes responding to the brief: maximising functionality within the available space and the incorporation of furniture and furnishings designed and produced in the West Midlands, thus promoting the region’s strength in high quality interior products.
Spencer Swinden Design joins the growing number of talented West Midlands design businesses that are winning work overseas, and drawing the gaze of architects and project commissioners towards the region.
Commenting on the contract Martin Swinden – Director, Spencer Swinden Design said: “This is an important project for us. Not just because it allows us to demonstrate our ability to deliver innovative and exciting interiors to an international audience but also because we are creating a space that will represent what the West Midlands region has to offer, to an array of visiting stakeholders.
“The WME office is located next door to the British Embassy, in the same square as the European Parliament, so this is a real opportunity for us to showcase the vibrant businesses from our region, making products such as furniture and fabrics, by incorporating as many as possible into the overall design.”
The brief from West Midlands in Europe – who are jointly managed by West Midlands Local Government Association and the Regional Development Agency Advantage West Midlands - called for the intelligent use of space as part of the re-design because the WME offices are downsizing from two floors to one.
Jan Urlings Corporate Development Manager from West Midlands in Europe said, “This office development represents the interests of the West Midlands in Europe and is a powerful statement about the region. Spencer Swinden Design was awarded the contract because the design presented reflects region’s image
Melony Spencer – Director, Spencer Swinden Design added: “We had to intelligently design the space to account for the flow of visiting delegates, breakout reception area, flexible conference facilities and the office space for employees. The spacious reception area also acts as a display area for West Midlands products and events by using illuminated glass cabinets and modular literature stands. The concept of light boxes attached to the office desks creates a great visual feature and also an advertising opportunity to visitors to the office”
“We then chose a colour palette of vivid colours including reds and oranges and juxtaposed sharp and gently contoured edges on desks using metals and glass which combined to create the illusion of extra space.” |