GKN Automotive

From celebrating a 250-year-old legacy to showcasing commitment to the use of innovative technology, GKN Automotive’s new home was to be positioned as their global headquarters where executives and global employees alike would travel to work from. With that in mind, this needed to become an impressive space that would inspire as much as it could delight, and breathe life to all the team do.

Having been designed at a time where the way in which we work experienced a shakeup, collaboration and flexibility became the foundation of this brief. We needed to create opportunities throughout the space where users could seamlessly come together to co-work, problem solve or discuss ideas.

This spearheaded a floor plan that consisted of key areas such as the multi-functional breakout space, designated working areas suited to different tasks, the large, executive boardroom and corridors with meeting booths cleverly tucked into the wall, each one named after a Formula-E race location.

Being at the forefront of automotive technology we wanted to display a blend of industrial and modern furniture to compliment the overall design aesthetic.

Subtle references to their sector were implemented into the scheme such as lounge chairs with recycled car seat belt straps, racing style seat boardroom chairs and geometric shaped desking arrangements to name a few.

Overall, the colours and tones are sophisticated and muted but through furniture we were able to add pops of colour and vibrancy to scheme. The finished result (is powerful, sophisticated and seamlessly slots into the existing architecture.

GKN Automotive are progressive and future-focussed (much like ourselves) which made for a dream process and outcome. The new workspace is now fit for global employees to visit and enjoy flexibly just as much as it’s set up for those who work there everyday, making it a perfect example of post-pandemic design.