Introduction
Established in April 2002, PetroChina International London (PCIL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of PetroChina International. In 2007, as part of PetroChina’s globalisation strategy, London was selected as the base for developing PetroChina’s European venture.
In 2011 a joint venture was formed between PetroChina and INEOS a global manufacturer of petrochemicals and oil products. As Petroineos, this strategic partnership has strengthened the long-term sustainability of both refineries.
The Brief
When Black Elephant first met with PetroChina in 2008 little did we know that this was to be the start of a long-term relationship that would span 12 years and three significant projects. At this time, the Chinese state-owned oil and gas company had outgrown its space and was relocating to the 30th floor of London’s Centre Point.
In 2011, PetroChina and INEOS merged to create Petroineos as a joint venture. In 2018 Petroineos elected to move its expanding business to the Adelphi, a landmark building sited in London’s Covent Garden.
The Vision
When PetroChina entered the London market their culture and traditional style were considered intrinsic to the company’s design requirements. Our inhouse multi-lingual language skills and knowledge of Chinese culture enabled the client’s decision to appoint us directly to design 4,500 sq. Ft of the iconic Centre Point building. In 2014 the client took 20,000 sq. Ft across two floors of The Peak in London, Victoria. The client had no hesitation in reappointing Black Elephant for this technically challenging project. In 2018 this future focused business relocated to its present location overlooking the River Thames and Black Elephant was again appointed the client’s designer of choice.
The Design
The move to the Adelphi enabled a strategic change in the clients’ project requirement with agile spaces, hot desking, and touch down areas all reflecting the organisations transition to collaborative ways of working. A modern sophisticated scheme was devised in a palette of neutral shades with dark wood accents. The front of house guest waiting area with a stunning marble topped reception desk takes centre stage, whilst a feature wall with a pictorial history illustrates the company’s impressive journey to date. A bistro style café and surrounding soft seating are designed to engender team working and informal conversations.
Relocating to The Peak in 2014, offered an opportunity to design a sustainable workplace that would reflect the buildings modern architecture, support employee wellbeing, and endorse the clients standing within the oil and gas industry.
Working closely with the Managing Director, we developed a high-end open plan scheme that supported the business need for agile working. Space was not an issue which allowed for a generous 100 sq. Ft of workspace to be allocated per person, whilst the introduction of soundproof pods and break out spaces provided areas for both privacy, collaboration, and the organic generation of conversation. Key to the design was the 800 Sq. Ft reception and guest waiting area with bespoke joinery and natural materials that align to the company’s environmental credentials. Airy private offices provided senior executives with a high level of confidentiality and quick access to the company’s 26 seat boardroom. A spacious hi-tech trading floor with cutting-edge technology and future proof communications room enables the organisations rapid development within its field.
When the client moved its operations to Centre Point in 2008, we took full advantage of the breath-taking views that this iconic building offered with an interior scheme designed to mirror the buildings historic architecture. A stunning full height curved partition wall and floor to ceiling glazing separates the reception from the back of house. Curves continue to feature with furniture and accessories chosen to enhance the space. The neutral colour palette is offset with wood, glass and marble finishes that enhance the flow of natural light that reflects and diffuses throughout the space.
Acting as the clients representative our inhouse language skills and cultural knowledge enabled us to act as both translator and negotiator with the client’s VIP stakeholders and selected contractors. Black Elephant’s unquestioned design skills and ability to build strong effective communication channels, together with our in-depth understanding of this organisation’s requirements, has ensured that each project has been delivered to the most exacting standards.