A property conversion at Swansea’s £25 million Urban Village development is already picking up awards, just a few months after completion.
Brecon-based facilities support specialist, Beacons Business Interiors (Bbi), was appointed by Coastal Housing Group to complete a fit out of the 3,000 sq metre property on High Street, turning it into a modern, energy saving office facility, suitable for businesses in the creative industries.
In addition to creating a flexible, office working environment and reception area, Bbi worked closely with the Coastal team to develop an indoor, countryside theme, designed to create a sense of calm and open space in a busy working environment – complete with a tree, grassy areas and even a sheep!
The £1.6 million project, which forms part of the Urban Village’s Creative Hub, has just picked up the Large Commercial Office Fit Out category as part of Swansea Council’s Building Excellence Award.
Bbi will now go forward to the South Wales regional Building Excellence Awards in April where it will compete against projects from 12 other local authorities.
Andy Graham, group executive chairman at Bbi, said: “Swansea’s Urban Village is a fantastic concept that embraces modern thinking when it comes to sustainable living and working.
“We worked closely with the Coastal team, whose innovative collaboration in the design gave us license to really be creative and design a working environment that was highly practical and at the same time suitability stimulating, as befits a creative culture.
“The development of an indoor countryside theme, complete with artificial grass, trees and flower beds, added a light-hearted touch, while the installation of a heat recovery system and LED lighting helped us to meet our energy saving requirements.
“This award is recognition of a job well done for everyone who worked on the project and we are now looking forward to taking part in the south Wales regional awards.”
The £30 million Urban Village’s Creative Hub will be the first office environment in Wales to be created specifically for commercial creative businesses and it is hoped that it will help regenerate this area of Swansea.
Coastal Housing’s Facilities Management Co-ordinator for the Urban Village Rod Gregory said: “Over 100 staff members moved into our new offices at the Urban Village last year. The process was made as smooth as possible by allowing us to have a say in the décor and furnishing of the office and the open plan design is now enabling us to work more effectively as a team.
“We were recently named the 13th best not-for-profit company to work for in the UK in the Sunday Times Best Companies list, and I’m sure our exciting new working environment had a hand in that.”
In addition, Bbi also designed, created and fully fitted out a 250 sq metre, 80 cover contemporary cafe, Mosaic, on the site.