Introduction
The Bank of China provides a range of financial services to its customers across the Chinese mainland, and countries throughout the world.
The Brief
Our client was clear in their requirement that sustainability played an integral factor in the refurbishment and upgrading of their conference room facilities.
The Vision
The dated conference room required updating, and the original AV system needed the installation of the latest ‘state of the art’ technology.A major consideration was in how to repurpose, refresh or upcycle wherever possible, whilst addressing the layout and communication issues.
The Design
The Client elected to retain their original eight metre board room table previously commissioned fourteen years ago. The table in its original form had previously accommodated large gatherings, however it was now too big for the Company’s current requirement, however the Client was keen to reuse or upcycle. Constructed in high quality Wenge veneer it was subsequently resized to 4.8 metres in length, then modified and polished by skilled Master craftsmen. The redesign involved removing a large central section of timber and replace with exquisite ‘heritage’ leather panels to discreetly conceal the newly installed HDMI cabling, and a microphone that enables effective global communication. To the Clients’ delight, the modifications and updating of the board room table have enhanced the beauty of this much-loved original piece. Furthermore, the surplus timber was repurposed to frame artwork including a landscape mural, and a border to the wall mounted audio-visual unit. Aligned to the company’s values and initiative-taking approach to sustainability, and sustainable practices, concealed LED lighting replaced the outdated halogen fittings, and modern carbon neutral carpeting created and fashioned from regenerated fishing nets brings new life to discarded materials. Our original survey of the board room, highlighted that the amplification of sound bouncing off the ceiling and walls, was a major issue for this Client. The installation of acoustic panelling throughout the room now acts as a buffer to excess noise and provides the perfect space for presentations, video conferencing, and virtual meetings.
In forging a collaborative relationship with our client, we understood how imperative it was that we met their sustainability goals of reusing, upcycling, and recycling. This has resulted where possible, in materials being repurposed, carbon neutral, and/or efficient in their requiring less energy.
