Movares is a leading engineering company with its headquarters in Utrecht. It is a forerunner when it comes to sustainable operations and was the first company in the Netherlands to receive the Zero Waste Certificate. In early 2022, Movares asked TRIBOO to adapt its office with 550 workstations spread over 5 floors to a Hybrid working environment.
Aimee Baars is the designer and has been personally motivated to live sustainably from a young age. Long before recycling and reusing furniture became a trend, she scoured thrift stores in search of hidden treasures that she re-purposed in her own living environment. Many employees within Movares also have this attitude to life. An interior as sustainable as possible was therefore a matter of course that was actively pursued in all aspects of the office.
One of the main pillars in the interior is sustainability in the broadest sense of the word; Movares finds it important that the sustainable ambitions within projects and assignments (external) are also propagated internally. The interior, visible every day to employees and clients, is an important part of this. Your office gives a first impression. The aim was therefore to have as much of the interior as possible produced sustainably, not only in terms of materials, but also in terms of the manufacturing process. This worked out well with the support of TRIBOO.
The design process began with an inventory of desirable workstations in the context of the new way of working post-corona; what does the future workday of a Movares employee look like? Are they flex workstations, or does he/she sit in the same place every day? What type of meeting/meeting spaces do you need? How do we differentiate between different spaces? Ultimately, this led to a zoning map with zones of bustle-noise-rest. Bustling areas are the meeting areas with the most noise and quiet areas are the quiet zones, where people can work in silence. Not too many structural changes could take place within the office, such as moving walls and replacing carpeting. For Aimee, this meant building on the existing and adjusting her choice of colors and materials accordingly.
It has been an intensive but educational process to get to where we are today with the interior, Aimee said. Although she was primarily on board as a designer, she ultimately had a major role in process and execution along with facility management. All the furniture pieces were thought out and designed in detail such as the soft seating elements that you can build up in different configurations and the stands 1.20m wide with casters to be used modularly throughout the office building. Thus, the interior can be adjusted in the coming years depending on changing work styles and shapes.
Applied circular products:
- 250 existing partitions raised, fitted with acoustic material and reupholstered.
The redesign used existing duo desks. In the new setting, soundproofing and absorption elements were added to the existing partition screens and given a new look. The screens were raised and thickened with durable acoustic insulation material and then reupholstered with a cover around them. The fabric based on natural fibers.
- 18 modular sofa configurations
With the new furnishings, a variety of work and consultation forms were devised. On the various floors, 3- and 4-seater modular sofa configurations were provided. Should the needs change over time, the benches can easily be put together differently.
- 24 Mobile Stand elements made of #GREENGRIDZ
In the Coffee Break Outs, wheeled bleachers were provided using 60% less material than traditional bleachers made of solid panels.
- 28 conference tables made from existing Vitra bases combined with circular #GREENGRIDZ tabletops.
Existing bases were refurbished and connected to the circular #greengridz table creating a whole "new" table again.
- 150 second life monitor arms
Why new when there are warehouses full of usable monitor arms available?
- 126 acoustic wall elements
A pleasant and enjoyable work environment includes balanced acoustics. Wall-filling acoustic panels are installed to improve acoustic quality in certain areas.
- 66 acoustic hanging panels
In the open-plan offices, acoustic hanging panels made of recycled pet felt were used in several places to create a sense of separation.
- 775 durable and ergonomic office chairs including 10-year maintenance contract
Based on various wishes, requirements and sustainability ambitions, an office chair from Interstuhl was chosen. For 10 years, TRIBOO performs an MOT to extend the lifespan and ensure pleasant use.