Nationwide interior design and fit-out business Claremont has been awarded a prestigious ‘Fit Out of a Workplace’ BCO South Award for its work with UK-based organic herbal tea and supplement company, Pukka Herbs.
The award, which recognises a space, or spaces, within a building that demonstrates a high quality of interior fit-out, was presented to Claremont for its interior design and fit-out of Pukka’s office at The Chocolate Factory in Keynsham, near Bristol.
Claremont originally began working with Pukka in 2014, when several other locations were under consideration. Claremont provided advice and design options for each of the other possible sites, before The Chocolate Factory was chosen.
Claremont’s design fully meets Pukka’s request for open-plan, flexible and collaborative work settings using sustainably sourced materials and processes. With a clear focus on employee wellbeing and biophillic design, it also features a combination of restorative, relaxing and playful spaces to embody the brand’s ‘come alive’ positioning. Strong nature-themed elements appear throughout including planters, hanging plants, a living moss wall, artificial trees and nature-themed artwork to tie the office with the building’s views of green fields and the River Avon.
Other design features include a central tea point and a creative ‘island of tranquillity’ wooden pod to greet guests, ‘think and phone’ pods for quiet and lone working, a Heart of Pukka Room for meditation and group contemplation, a project space for brainstorming complete with write-on walls and an on-site custom-designed laboratory to show-off Pukka’s extensive product range, which can be seen through a large viewing window.
The project was also completed while the landlord’s contractor completed the final stage of work to the new building, which required careful communication and collaborative working between Claremont and its supply chain throughout.
Claremont’s Pippa Davie, who was the lead designer on the project said: “Pukka Herbs is a landmark project for us and one that’s very much testament to the creative vision of our team and the strength of the relationship we have built with this client.
“The finished space really captures Pukka’s affinity with nature in a playful, dynamic, vibrant, sustainable, durable and flexible way and we are absolutely thrilled to have our work recognised with a BCO Award for the South.”
Talking about the project, David Anderson, Head of projects & IT for Pukka Herbs said: “This project spanned a period of four years, from pitch to practical completion, and the Claremont team was with us every step of the way.
“Helping us to see the potential in the various buildings we considered, Claremont really invested time, energy and a huge amount of creative flair into this project and it shows. We now have a workspace like no other and if I’m honest, it feels like our home rather than an office as it’s the first time we’ve had an environment designed specifically for us. It tells the Pukka story, strikes the balance between our desire for sustainable design and budget and offers a very special wellbeing-focused workspace for our employees”.
He concluded: “We are proud to show interviewees our space and now include a tour as part of our first- round interviews as the space articulates so much about who we are that it really “sells” us as a business and shows that we care for the welfare and wellbeing of our employees. We’ve also found that our suppliers and customers are visiting much more as the space translates our values into something they can see, and indeed smell, and that’s invaluable when building relationships.”
