Peaks and Plains

Taking a holistic approach to the refurbishment of Peaks & Plains Housing Trust’s head office, BAND Architects specified an array of products from Forbo Flooring Systems’ wide portfolio, including its new homogeneous vinyl, Sphera Element, and popular Tessera carpet tiles. The result is a collaborative, creative and relaxed space, which will improve the morale and productivity of the Trust’s employees.

Following the purchase of the building that Peaks & Plains Housing Trust had previously rented space within, the Trust wanted to breathe a new lease of life into the environment to positively impact its employees. David Wilcock, Director of BAND Architects, was tasked with the challenge and commented: “The original office design was very bland and commercial looking, and did not reflect the personality of the Trust, which is very social and forward-thinking. As such, after spending time within the office to understand how the employees are structured and how they used the space, we went away and created a design concept, where the floor played a vital role. The initial design was then shared with the Trust for the whole business to review and comment upon – it was a real team effort from everyone, which is testament to the success of the final design.



“The new office design consisted of various working, meeting, break out and kitchen zones, which were all connected, yet distinguished through the specification of different floor coverings of various materials and shades. For the main working and office space we chose Forbo’s new homogeneous vinyl, Sphera Element in the Fog colourway, because of its durable properties and its clean, non-directional aesthetics, which provided a seamless appearance. Tessera Inline carpet tiles in the Onyx shade were interspersed throughout, to create a path around the space to aid wayfinding. As this has a directional aesthetic, we had it installed in the direction in which the employees are intended to walk, dictating the route.”

David concluded: “Thanks to our great working relationship with our Forbo Business Area Manager, we have a good understanding of the company’s product range, which is always evolving to meet the demands of various industries and to reflect the latest design trends. As such, they are one of our preferred suppliers – they’re almost like an extension of our company.”