Inhouse’s recent work for Regent consists of a 380 square meter pilot space that will set the precedent for how Regent’s offices and company image within the built environment will be perceived and rolled out in the future. The new working premises showcase what can be achieved when the brand is integrated and expressed at the interior design level.

“This is more than just an interior job”, Ashen-Abrahams explains. “This execution for us is about space-efficiency and effective long term cost management, as well as executing our brand strategy in a different way and creating a space our employees can proudly call their corporate home”.

Inhouse’s commitment to the project involved not only refreshing existing furniture and desk systems, but also executing thorough space-planning research. In particular, the Inhouse process involved examining the reception and front-of-house waiting area to assess the best way for Regent to interact with visitors.

Inhouse maximized open-plan spaces to promote communication and better output from staff. The design team, led by Inhouse Director Phillip Wyatt, focused on increasing staff morale by providing an appealing work environment. In order to encourage a mix of different functions within the office space, Wyatt incorporated what he refers to as “camp sites” – zones that allow staff to breakaway and meet informally. Workplace efficiency was also a prime concern, with attention paid to providing the correct infrastructure relating to conferencing systems within meeting rooms and boardrooms.

The materials and finishes used throughout were specifically selected to complement how Regent envisage themselves both now, and in the future, as a leading insurance company. Detailing was used as a vehicle to express Regent’s company values. For example, there’s a beautiful tile that talks about sophistication and natural timber that talks about honesty. Steel is used generously throughout because it is elegant, precise and strong. Moreover, “you’re able to achieve a lightweight feel to the design because of the properties of the material”, explains Wyatt.

Because there’s an assured quality to the various to bespoke furniture pieces and the actual installation, confidence in Regent is instilled in the viewer. This sense of confidence and security is enhanced through the introduction of custom-made branded elements, in particular the innovative signage. Directional and branded signage regularly makes use of perforated and cutout elements which reveal the layer beneath, denoting transparency. Cutout elements are a common theme in the design scheme not only because Regent’s modus operandi involves transparency and visibility, but also because the layering adds depth.

The signage in the reception area – the first point of contact with visitors – consists of the Regent logo cutout in steel to create a striking feature behind the welcome desk, which is itself clad in steel with a cut-out effect. A large feature wall in the waiting area incorporates Braille-like iconography in order to relay Regent’s inclusivity and sensitivity, and the company’s ability to speak equally to all demographics. Regent’s brand pillars of strength – namely, integrity and innovation – have been laser-routed into the cupboard doors in the reception area for all to see.

Again to reinforce the sense of transparency, the ceiling in the reception area has been softened with a suspended slatted timber ceiling feature. Created in solid wood, it is a modernized version of the conventional bulkhead and carries integrated lighting. Inhouse also brought nature into the environment through a floor-to-ceiling planted wall.

Glass is also used consistently throughout to create a feeling of spaciousness and to echo the recurring motif of transparency and visibility. Inhouse has installed a frameless glass wall system with a clever touch: the glass walls boast integrated white boards with a dualistic purpose – they can be used on both sides of the glass, either within the office, or on the open-plan side.

Colour is a key factor in the scheme and there is a bold and confident play on Regent’s new corporate colour, which has gone from a previous deep blue to Vermillion. Vermillion has thus been used throughout to highlight and frame the glass walls of the individual offices as well as the dividing wall demarcating the pause area. “Colour plays a huge role in our psychological state”, explains Wyatt, “and derivatives of red relate to a positive, dynamic and energetic outlook, that complements Regent’s new direction”.

Based on the successes demonstrated in this new flagship office, Regent has commissioned Inhouse to develop a brand manual to outline the implementation process, so that this innovative solution can be used to roll out anything from a small satellite office to the head office itself, allowing Regent to reign as king of a well-designed castle…

“We look forward to developing more of our corporate spaces with Inhouse”, Ashen-Abrahams states, “and creating environments that are innovative, creative, friendly and inspiring corporate offices for our people, our customers and our key stakeholders…”