Blake Envelopes
Details
Commercial Office Design & Build – The Brief
Operating for over four generations, from their headquarters in Yeovil, Somerset, Blake Envelopes offers sustainable envelope solutions and high-quality envelope overprinting to over 45 countries worldwide. In the UK alone, one in four envelopes is a Blake Envelope!
Having followed a growing trend of UK businesses adopting a hybrid working model, the Blake team wanted to reconfigure and increase the appeal of its commercial office space. Principally, it wanted to inject energy back into the workplace, creating a vibrant environment with a real wow factor where staff would proactively enjoy coming together in person.
Additionally, the brand wanted to retain existing staff while attracting new top talent. Key to the brief was establishing a dedicated break-out area to inspire creative meetings on-site, together with an aesthetically attractive workspace that made the best use of available natural light.
The Hybrid Work Solution
We transformed Blake Envelopes’ CAT A office space in Yeovil with a modern, biophilic design, befitting the brand’s ingenuity, creativity, and standing. With playful flourishes, extensive natural planting, and a cohesive colour palette, the new office fitout delivers an engaging and contemporary space.
Delivering Blake Envelope’s vision involved consultation of the team’s desires, pain points and how the business operates day-to-day.
Zoned working areas
We worked closely with the client to agree on a design that met their brief, with meeting rooms, open breakout areas, high tables, feature planting – including a real tree – and quiet pods. We incorporated feature seating, collaboration areas, and tea point, to encourage creative thinking and bring the whole team together.
One area of the office is a dedicated focus zone, where teams can work closely together, while the other end incorporates Director offices, breakout zones, and smaller personal working booths.
Office design features
We made use of the space’s high vaulted ceiling – a natural eye-catching feature in the office – to accommodate a full-height window down one facade to let natural daylight in. We additionally created feature walls and flooring with the use of interesting angles, which was mirrored on the walls, to help delineate the different working zones which makes the whole design flow together.
Crittal glazing – another nice interior touch – was incorporated on the windows. Walls were acoustically treated, and existing furniture was sympathetically re-upholstered and re-used, something the client was keen to do from a sustainability point of view.
The reception area was redesigned and fitted with feature lighting and a new client meeting area was developed giving sales teams a dedicated creative space with the express purpose of hosting existing and potential stockists.
Design Envelope
In a nod to the brand, we created a feature wall comprising different-sized, patterned, and coloured Blake Envelopes, creating a clear visual link to the core product that Blake designs and manufactures.
We also incorporated angles throughout the design of the walls and flooring to represent and reflect envelope geometry!
Why Axis House?
AXIS House was appointed for our creativity, experience, and reputation for delivering within budget and on time. As a very busy company, it was vital the impact on operations at Blake Envelopes was minimised so their teams could continue with business as usual.
The project was completed in six weeks, with design and detailed finishes agreed upon before work the office fit-out started on site. This ensured all specifications and materials were signed off, costed, and sourced, before the physical transformation began.
The new office environment, while perfectly aligned to the brand and needs of in-office workers, now also fulfils the requirements of hybrid working, with fully equipped hot desks and storage for employees.
The result is a more agile, visually engaging, and dynamic workspace, equipped with quality furnishings and fittings that exude the vibrant and creative energy Blake Envelopes wanted from their new head office.
“Loving the new office environment!
Thank you Axis House, we are so pleased with the office and we couldn’t have done it without you!☺️“
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