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Five key elements defined as fundamental to the #FutureofWork

Design and Innovation Studio, Brilliant Basics unveils incredible new offices in Shoreditch

Design and innovation studio, Brilliant Basics, has recently opened its brand-new state-of-the-art offices in Shoreditch.

It is a showcase for the five elements that BB Futures defined as fundamental to the Future of Work:

  1. Biophyllic Eco Design
  2. Cognitive Optimisation
  3. Social and Physical Wellness
  4. Agile Environments
  5. Employee-Centre Design

The company which now employs over 100 members of staff in the capital, and 160 across the globe, has taken 30,000 square-footage of workspace on the 10th, 11th and 12th floors in The Bower Tower in Old Street – with plans to keep on growing.

Their high-tech offices have areas dedicated to improving employee wellbeing, inspiring creativity for clients, partners and the next generation of digital designers to work side by side.

In August 2017, Brilliant Basics was acquired by Indian tech giant, Infosys, and has ambitious plans to cement itself as Europe’s largest design studio with significant hires. Since 2017 they have opened new design and innovation studios in Berlin and Amsterdam and have a thriving space in Norwich. Their clients include the likes of BP, Sainsburys, ATP, HeadBox, Adidas and have recently won Britain’s multinational telecommunications holding company, BT.

Anand Verma, Founder and CEO of Brilliant Basics says:

“BB was launched as a start-up in 2012 and from the very start, we were driven by the belief that design has the power to make life better because it requires companies to put the customer at the heart of everything they do. In the UK, an extraordinary 1.6million people now work in design jobs meaning there’s a huge amount of competition for the best staff and the greatest ideas. Our new studio is somewhere for clients to come and work and relax, for our teams to think up and create awe-inspiring ideas and for the next generation of designers to learn from those who are leading the way.”

The new Brilliant Basics studio is not just a design-led workspace, but it houses a “Living Lab”. 

Anand adds: “Employee experience is absolutely paramount to unlocking value for organisations.  Design has a capital ‘D’ for us.   It includes any and all types – technology design, experience design, architectural design and light design.

“We want to create a place where people can co-collaborate, where we’re not just relying on slack or technology but on human, face-to-face interaction. We are thrilled with the results and the feedback from employees and clients alike has been tremendous.”

Anand Verma is available for comment. To come and view the offices or for more information please contact [email protected] 020 7 1000 850 / 07967 555 057

Key features of the new office include:

  • Welcome Lounge – with a 10th floor view over the city and a digital sign-in facility, ICT showcases and smart LED installation.
  • BB in a Box – a portable studio made entirely of molo walls that cost £30k to create.  You can pick it up and put it anywhere in the office or take it to their clients and set up. 
  • Conference Rooms – otherwise known as ‘C2C Rooms – Conversation to Creation Rooms,’ which are outfitted with Zoom, the very latest in video conferencing where they can start a meeting with a single touch.  Conference rooms can be reserved via voice automation.  And WiFi – the fastest possible – is accessed by NFC touch buttons around the office.  No one needs access codes or passwords.
  • Wellness Suite – An area offering yoga classes and fitness equipment for those who want to stay in shape.
  • Napping Room – filled with bean bag chairs and pillows for those in search of an energising break.
  • Useability Labs – where BB staff and clients can watch actual customers use the prototypes they’ve developed from behind two-way glass.
  • Social Spaces – Private dinning room and library with secret doors and robotic drinks mixer (designed by interns!) for entertaining clients – as well as Chai Point – a place where everyone gathers on Wednesday afternoons to share a cup of tea.  Cocktail Fridays take place every other week. 
  • Foliage Dividers – Shelving filled with native Indian and other plants, maximising the potential of biophilic design.  This approach draws on the idea that people have to connect to nature because of an evolutionary dependence on the natural world for survival and personal fulfilment. 
  • Small Areas for meetings and creative brainstorms – Throughout the workspace there are areas where employees can meet with others, discuss projects or sit by themselves. 
  • Contemplation Room – A small place where you can take time out, have personal call, read a book, chat to a friend, pray or, if you’re a returning mum, breastfeed in comfort.
  • Sky Garden Area – With impressive views across the city which is perfect for events and is shared with the community. 

 


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