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AFL Insurance took another floor at 8 Lloyd’s Avenue to accommodate their far-reaching expansion plans and to create a flexible, dynamic working environment. AFL wanted their office design to help them move away from the traditional image of most insurance or financial services, working in stuffy environments. They wanted a space which was full of bright colours, inviting armchairs, and creative areas to support working individually as well as in a team.
We wanted to create a new office design that could support modern working practices and promote a flexible working culture. This would enable AFL Insurance to give their staff more autonomy and support their ambitions to continue to attract the brightest and best talent. Having embarked on expansion plans, covering new sectors and geographies, AFL wanted the new office to be a buzzing atmosphere which would enable improved team integration and greater knowledge sharing.
Welcoming people to the office space is a feature moss wall proudly showcasing their logo, creating a memorable impact on arrival. Promoting biophilic design and the use of natural light throughout the space provides employees with a bright and refreshed working environment. Striking bee artwork, commissioned by AFL, uplifts the workplace and adds their personality to the office. The worker bee is a symbol of Manchester, where AFL has another office.
To help AFL create a better work life balance for their people, we created a working environment which offers a variety of work spaces to enable more fluid practices to empower their people with trust and autonomy. The traditional library area has been designed with wood panels, library benches and classic bookcases to provide people with a space for quiet working. The library offers staff with extra meeting space, in addition to the colourful railway carriage seating from Spacestor, which is away from the main desking area.
The main open plan space features a breakout kitchen and lounge area, with timber floor and feature brick wall. This is a multi-purpose area and helps to ensure that AFL maximise the use of their space efficiently. This provides staff with a space to hold informal meetings and eat lunch together and the furniture, chosen by our in-house furniture team, helps create a stylish, modern look.
Peldon Rose gave us good advice and direction at the start to help set us on the right path. They truly understood our brief and what we wanted to achieve.
To support AFL's strategy of attracting InsurTech start-ups to its Incubator unit, we created a light bulb feature workspace so partners and staff have an inspiring space from where they can access expertise, insights and help accelerate their business. This enhanced flexibility is supported by improving the connectivity around the office to facilitate agile working practices. Employee wellbeing in the office was also something AFL wanted to provide for their staff, so we have created a meditation and relaxation room, perfect for mindfulness and wellbeing sessions.
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