Shortlist follows the launch of AECOM’s ‘fastest, best value, most connected, sustainable, agile workplace’ in London
16 February 2017 – AECOM’s new office in central London has been shortlisted in the Best Fit Out of Workplace category at the British Council for Offices (BCO) London Awards 2017. The workplace design for the company’s office in Aldgate Tower was developed in-house by an integrated AECOM team of designers and workplace strategists, building engineers, cost managers, IT and facilities management specialists.
The project defines AECOM’s vision to transform its working practices and improve collaboration, providing space for more than 1,000 employees. The office embraces agile working, with the floor layouts providing multiple spaces for different work styles and preferences. 25 percent of workstations at the office have sit/stand desks.
The heart of the building is a new amenity staircase, which links four of the floors to improve collaboration, visual and physical connectivity. Destination spaces are designed around the staircase drawing staff together and reducing the need for electronic communication. The staircase was installed over a nine week period as if it were three separate staircases, with each portion completed before construction of the next level down was started..
AECOM’s approach to quality relative to the budget was created through open dialogue, with the project team collectively making key decisions on the robustness of materials, construction details and any future maintenance requirements. Due to AECOM’s fully integrated in-house design team, the company was able to deliver the project 25 percent faster than industry standards in 18.5 weeks rather than the average 24 weeks. The project was delivered with overlapping design and construction and a fixed end date. AECOM staff were working at their desks just two days after the project was completed.
Sustainability has been embedded across the project, through the sourcing and procurement of sustainable materials, including furniture, fittings, lighting components and in the way people work. Staff are encouraged to work flexibly, including working from home to help reduce the firm’s carbon footprint. The food offer at the office uses healthy and grazing menus. The office recently achieved a SKA gold rating for its environmental performance and for enhancing the health and wellbeing of its employees.
Strategy+, AECOM’s workplace strategy team, carried out detailed research with staff prior to the move to understand how people work and how spaces were being used, which informed the basis of the design. AECOM will continue to carry out more surveys to determine occupant satisfaction and capture feedback to help staff feel engaged in the move process.
Patrick Flaherty, Chief Executive – UK & Ireland, AECOM, said: “Our new London office reflects AECOM’s strength in creating and delivering environments that are inspiring places to live, work and play. It is the ideal platform for our people to come together to inspire, learn, innovate and nurture the next generation of designers, engineers and architects. Importantly, we wanted to create a place that would communicate our values and mission. The BCO award shortlist is great recognition for our multidisciplinary in-house team that delivered the scheme.”
The BCO awards provide public recognition for top quality design and functionality and are a benchmark for excellence in office spaces. The 2017 London awards ceremony will take place on 25 April.
It was recently announced that AECOM has been ranked #4 in Interior Design’s top 100 giants firms. AECOM also recently won BUILD’s Best International Workplace Design Company 2017 and Best UK Office Project: Rolls-Royce: Trent XWB Project Hall.
-ENDS-
Media contact:
Rachel Brierley
AECOM
Telephone: +44 (0)7920 533 198
About AECOM AECOM is built to deliver a better world. We design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. As a fully integrated firm, we connect knowledge and experience across our global network of experts to help clients solve their most complex challenges. From high-performance buildings and infrastructure, to resilient communities and environments, to stable and secure nations, our work is transformative, differentiated and vital. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM had revenue of approximately $17.4 billion during fiscal year 2016. See how we deliver what others can only imagine at aecom.com and @AECOM.