Debbie Smith, BIM technician & Callum Kerr, senior sustainability engineer, Cundall, unveil circularity focused workspace design.

When Cundall was relocating and reshaping its Edinburgh office, engagement was key, circularity was crucial and wellness was fundamental.

With the building, the team looked to certifications such as NABERS and BREEAM as part of the base build to underpin and inform the sustainability aspect of the project.

Collaborating with SPACE Solutions on the design, great consideration was paid to EDIB by way of adaptive lighting following circadian rhythms, sit stand desks for staff comfort and focus zones to suit individual's preferred working environments.

Keen to delve further into the details of the scheme, we spoke to Debbie Smith, BIM technician & Callum Kerr, senior sustainability engineer at Cundall to understand the brief, actions, and outcome for their new Edinburgh HQ.

Firstly, what spurred the creation of your new workspace?

CK: "We were required to move from our existing space due to the end of our lease. However, we grasped this opportunity to rethink what we wanted for our office space. What would we like to change in our current space, what were we encouraging our clients to do that we could implement ourselves, and how did we want people to interact with the office?"

Situated in a UNESO World Heritage site in Edinburgh, you arguably could not have found a more stunning location! How did you go about your property search?

CK: "We took the time to engage with the people in our office - we wanted to know the key things they wanted from their working space. This, combined with sustainability and wellbeing criteria, highlighted some key criteria for our search. We also looked for a building that had sustainability certification such as NABERS and BREEAM as part of the base build of the office space."

DS: "Our staff engagement looked at things such as transportation links, work commutes, and the space itself to allow us to pinpoint a location which worked for everyone. It was important from the beginning that everyone who was working in the office felt like they had an input in it."

The design and fit-out centres on circular design - can you tell us how this influenced your product and material selections?

CK: "Circularity was a core focus of the project. We wanted to showcase what was achievable when you embed a circularity approach from the outset.

"We followed the waste hierarchy and focused on reusing what we could from the existing office. This required buy in from the interior designers, SPACE and the contractor. A survey of the existing office identified several elements that could be taken with us to the new space.

"Where items couldn't be relocated, we explored opportunities to source reused alternatives. We partnered with an existing project in London that was undergoing a strip-out and arranged for several surplus elements to be transported to our office. This included our sit-stand desks, along with additional furniture that was refurbished to extend its lifespan and ensure it aligned with our office design.

"New items such as floor or wall finishes were required, and we ensured that the these aligned with the project aims of circularity, low carbon and wellbeing. We focused on biogenic products such as linoleum, and sourced low carbon, low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials that typically had high recycled content where biogenic materials weren't suitable.

"The future value was also considered, and a bank was created for these items. It allows us to know which materials we have for the next move and how these will be handled to ensure sustainable end of life solutions."

DS: "As Callum mentioned, circularity was one of the key drivers in our fit-out. We wanted to show that it can be done while still giving a high-end environment.

"Our previous office was fitted out 10 years ago with high quality pieces and gave us a strong foundation to build on. We hand selected the items we wanted to take with us and reworked and adapted a few items to make them more suitable for the new space. The rest of our existing items were sold to staff or given to charity - further promoting our circular ethos.

"We didn't just want to stop at re-using furniture, our circular goals went further and, along with SPACE's help, we were able to repurpose our previous office glass partitions, internal doors, kitchen worktops and incorporate them into our new space seamlessly."

How about colour palette/texture?

DS: "The colour palette that SPACE proposed was firstly influenced by the original CAT A fit out of New Clarendon. The existing space had a huge amount of black, including exposed services, windows, doors and cladding to the core area wall etc. SPACE was keen not to add dark colours to this.

"The designer, Isobel Jones-Watt, decided a lot of neutral tones and textures would be best to tie in with the black and keep the space nice and bright. The next consideration was the Cundall brand, we wanted the space to still be recognisable as a Cundall office so Cundall brand colours were brought in as accents."

Health and wellbeing is also prioritised - how does the design support this?

CK: "Our circularity approach naturally led to health and wellbeing benefits. The material selection covered aspects such as VOC content, which allowed improvements in air quality from day one. This is now being monitored with air monitors across the office, and the information made easily accessible to staff.

"Other aspects we incorporated were adaptive lighting following circadian rhythms, sit stand desks for staff comfort and focus zones to suit individual's preferred working environments.

"We also created our wellness room. This space can be booked out for any reason, and provides facilities for both personal use such as prayer and nursing mothers, or group activities such as our lunch time yoga club. It has the facilities such as prayer mats and wash facilities, and fridge inside strictly for medical equipment or breast milk storage. It also provides a space for staff needing to take a moment away from their desk."

As you've mentioned, you collaborated with SPACE Solutions on the interior design, how did that partnership come about, and play out on this project?

DS: "We had admired SPACE Solutions' work for some time, so when this project came about it really felt like a natural fit. Their design skills coupled with our sustainability and engineering expertise allowed us to create an impactful workplace.

"The SPACE team working on our office design facilitated several great workshops with our office move team to help us firstly pin down exactly what facilities we wanted our new office to have. We used analytics from the staff survey and statistics from usage of our previous office to make informed choices such as how many desks and meeting rooms we required.

"They bought in our desire for circularity from the beginning, and spent a great deal of time incorporating our existing furniture into their design.

"Ultimately, the partnership allowed us to provide an office which prioritised both wellbeing and circularity while also being aesthetically pleasing."

How has flexibility been considered within the space to allow for task based/hybrid work?

CK: "We ensured the space allowed for flexible working methods. This was approached through the creation of working zones, each adaptable for individual needs. We recognised that everyone works differently and we wanted to provide a space for everyone.

"Our project space has flexible seating, allowing for a non-traditional seating plan which we can adjust to accommodate the number of users. We also created a dedicated focus zone where phone calls cannot be taken, the lighting is adjustable, and the desks have dividers between them.

"Not only does it provide a space for those working to a deadline, but also allows those who find a traditional office environment overstimulating a place they can come and work, if they chose. We extended this zone with soundproof booths to allow video calls to be taken without disturbing others.

"The upgraded AV systems now support more seamless video calls, offering a straightforward "plug and play" experience that eliminates previous technical difficulties. We've also introduced high-back sofas designed for informal collaboration. These will be equipped with small screens to enable easy idea sharing.

"The introduction of hot desking has encouraged greater integration across disciplines. This has fostered more day-to-day interaction among teams, helping staff gain a better understanding of each other's work and promoting a more collaborative environment."

DS: "Flexibility and hybrid working was one of the key topics of discussion at the start of this project. We knew the space had to be adaptable for various uses and work styles to meet the modern way of working compared with our previous office.

"We incorporated various different types of work zones - quiet focus work areas, phone booths, meeting areas, social collaboration areas for events, modular furniture that can be reconfigured different needs to make the space for in-person work very adaptable to how staff want to use it for any of their in-person needs.

"We also thought a lot about hybrid working and integrating that into our office environment using technology. We now have more areas that can facilitate video calls to allow hybrid staff to still collaborate seamlessly while not dictating a particular room for the in-person team, making it much better and less restrictive for both types of user."

What's the team's response been to the new workspace?

CK: "Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with strong engagement from the team. The space has already hosted a variety of events, including breakfast seminars, networking evenings, our staff summer party, and the global leadership annual meeting, all of which received excellent feedback on the transformation achieved.

"Even in day-to-day use, features like the outdoor terrace have been particularly well received. Whether it's enjoying lunch, taking a moment to recharge, or tending to the gardening club's vegetables and herbs, the space has had a meaningful impact on staff wellbeing and collaboration."

And what's next for Team Cundall?

CK: "With several of our other offices planning relocations in the near future, we've been proud to see how our Edinburgh space has inspired elements of their designs. Beyond Cundall, we're also sharing our insights more widely, hosting breakfast seminars and other events to showcase how others can build on our experience and embrace a circular approach in their own spaces.

"We're always happy to welcome anyone interested in learning more about our office and sustainable design journey. Even our biscuit tin reflects our values - stocked with broken biscuits from Burton Biscuits, it's a small but tasty nod to circularity!"