MERZ PHARMA
Pharmaceutical Company
Size:
5,000 Sq Ft
Services:
Interior Design, Furniture Procurement, Project management, CAT B Construction, Joinery
Duration:
6 weeks
Merz Pharma UK is a Large German pharmaceutical business operating within the NHS sector. Before we were contracted to design their new office space, we had been working with Merz for several years; collaborating with them on creating showcase training areas in central London for both Merz and their sister company, Merz Aesthetics. Having spent a lot of time with Merz, we had built a great relationship with them and had a strong understanding of who they were, their culture and how their business operated.
This fit-out presented unique challenges as the start date of the project coincided with the emergence of Covid 19. With everything delayed for several months while the world figured out how to deal with the oncoming pandemic, Merz, like many forward-thinking companies, felt it was very important to start bringing their people together again at the earliest opportunity, they didn’t want their people isolated and felt that getting back to the office was the best route for productive collaboration to drive the business forward during such an uncertain time.
Covid had changed the scope of the design as the requirements for the business shifted. With the opportunity for more people to work from home, we were able to reduce the number of workstations within the space and design a fit-out that was more aligned with activity-based working and flexible spaces. A less densely populated space in terms of workstations allowed for more touch-down areas, break-out areas, collaboration spaces, and good-sized meeting rooms.
For Merz, having practical and well-functioning meeting room spaces were fundamental to accommodate their regular training session held with the NHS and other organisations. In addition to this, the acoustics within the rooms was important so that the spaces offered privacy.
In terms of the visual design of the fit-out, the Merz branding called for elegance and an open, bright and airy space that was very contemporary and hard-hitting in its feel. The office space became a showcase within the building and a statement to people passing and businesses nearby.
Merz has strong imagery, which we presented throughout the building, displayed on glass walls that divided the key zones. The glass divides brought an element of transparency and allowed light and colour to flow through the office, enhancing the feel of openness and connectivity while presenting sophistication within the design.
The new office was a big move for Merz, they had been in their previous headquarters for over 15 years. The old office was very dated and didn’t reflect Merz Pharma’s standing in the industry or its outlook and drive. Given this, the fundamental requirement for the fit-out was to deliver a space that was focused on Merz as a business and its people. With Covid bringing instability for businesses, budgets had to be kept under control and we were tasked to deliver a huge amount for the cost. Both the client and The DSGN Studio were very pleased with the final result, with the project being a great reflection of how we work as a business; delivering very high-quality, advanced spaces for great value for money.
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