When a financial service provider describes itself as “Calvinistic in costs, Burgundian in service,” you as an interior architect know in advance that you are facing a major challenge. Chris Burghard of ÈMCÉ-interior architectures realized a new corporate interior for Brand New Day in Amsterdam, entirely in accordance with the work ethic with which the online pension bank identifies so strongly. “With the help of TREU interior specials, we succeeded in finding beautiful and suitable carpet finishes fitting the design concept and the tight budget,” says the interior architect.
With wall and floor solutions from TREU interior specials, the open offices, entrance hall, and the canteen were given the look and feel as conceived beforehand. Burghard explains how that process went.
Corporate appearance at a very affordable price
The briefing beforehand was exceptionally clear: realize a total solution for our office with a corporate appearance fitting for Brand New Day at a very affordable price. “Brand New Day is known for the low margins it maintains on its products and also sees this as part of its trademark. An appearance that is too luxurious, where a lot of money remains stuck in the interior, is then not appropriate,” says Burghard.
The workplace: pleasant working in a homely atmosphere
The budget provided a clear framework for the possibilities. Burghard: “In my proposals, carpet was therefore a standard part of the interior concept. Ultimately, gray bouclé carpet tiles (type ‘landscape’) with clean lines were chosen, combined with large rounded areas of black high-pile carpet. TREU interior specials was able to realize contract grade carpet with a rich appearance without the high prices that many other providers of exclusive interior specials charge.”
In addition to design, functional aspects also play an important role in Burghard’s interior concept. “One of the client’s ambitions is to grow in number of customers. A working environment where employees feel comfortable makes a major contribution to that. In the interior, meeting islands have therefore been created with high-pile carpet, lots of plants, high chairs, and benches. This created a homely atmosphere. The meeting islands break the sightlines in the open office, making the spaces feel less large and more domestic. The high-pile carpet not only provides a cozy atmosphere but also improves the room acoustics.”
The entrance hall: brand logo realized razor-sharp on wallpaper
The distinct way of working of Brand New Day is also clearly visible in the entrance hall in the new interior. Upon entry, visitors are welcomed by a blue wallpaper with a print of a gold bar being pulled along a grater. “A powerful statement that the pension bank uses in its branding to accentuate its role as a crowbar. As soon as you enter a hall with such a distinct color blue with a matching logo, you immediately know you are dealing with Brand New Day.”
The polyester wallpaper provided for this was an interesting choice for several reasons. The client was looking for a seamless wallpaper that could be printed across the entire width and height of the floor. The applied wallpaper ‘Eindeloos’ was made up in one piece without seams, so that the visual is shown to its full advantage. With its polyester texture, the wallpaper is also washable and impact-resistant and therefore very practical for intensive use.
The canteen: traditionally crafted resin floor
Due to the smart material choices made elsewhere in the office, budget was available for the floor in the canteen. The client wanted a custom-colored resin floor with a concrete effect for an industrial look.
The ease of use and its excellent wear resistance were the deciding factors for choosing a resin floor (type Artificial). The artisanal resin floor is ideally suited for spaces subject to intensive foot traffic – and therefore perfect for canteens.
Affordable and scalable with TREU
Burghard is very pleased with the collaboration with TREU interior specials. “Marc supported Brand New Day with a customized installation plan and assured us of the best price-quality ratio. His approach is very refreshing. It is remarkable how much is possible within this price range with TREU’s product range to realize a custom interior.”
Would you also like to collaborate? With broad expertise in the field of wall and floor specials for project design, TREU supports interior architects in creating the right tone of voice in corporate and public interiors. Want to know more?