Creative expression

Mayborn involved all employees at every stage in the detailed design and build process. Regular meetings and discussions were held, on the style of furniture, facilities, layout and more. Staff voted to have free tea and coffee on every floor of the new office, so this was incorporated into the design. ‘Move captains’ were appointed for each department, and they liaised closely with the project team. The company held Fab Fridays (file – archive – bin) to prepare and help with the eventual clear-out and move.

As well as involving staff in the moving process, snippets of information about the new building’s facilities were drip-fed to employees gradually so there was a slow build-up of excitement. The ‘reveal’ day itself was a huge thrill. Reactions ranged from speechlessness to screams of delight, even tears. People commented it was “unbelievable”, “fantastic”, “we can’t wait to be working here.”

So how did it all come together?

For the entrance and reception, Ben Johnson Interiors created an engaging, welcoming reception area using curved designs mirroring the logo and the floor. The brand colours of cyan, gold and pink provided an attractive contrast to the clean white background walls. A twinkling, reflective chandelier made from clear glass babies’ bottles was suspended within the double stairwell.

PLAY TIME

To reflect ‘real parenting’, inside the large, ground floor meeting area, Ben Johnson Interiors built a fun ‘playpark’ and ‘beach’ area with trees, multicoloured picnic tables and swinging chairs. A giant illuminated Tommee Tippee logo made from 800 multicoloured baby bottles provides a spectacular wall-mounted centrepiece. For privacy or small gatherings in this area, there are numerous private themed meeting rooms based around toddler activities and the global locations where Mayborn operates. These rooms are all highly individual, exquisitely decorated and include a mother and baby feeding room (the nursery room) as well as le jardin, the parlour, the American diner, the surf club, tea room and library.

In the large breakout wing, a variety of comfortable, colourful seating zones, with café, lounge and tiered seating, along with games areas, TVs and pool tables, were installed to offer maximum flexibility for informal meetings and large group presentations, and to allow people to relax and enjoy themselves together during breaks.

The first and second floor working areas, although more business-orientated, are still aligned to the quirky ground floor and reception, as required in the brief. Each of the four upper floor business wings have their own corporate colour – cyan, pink, gold or green – for their working sectors. Every business wing, as well as providing conventional working desk areas, offers a choice of comfortable meeting areas, colourful meeting booths, a variety of individual soundproofed booths and large, cheerful kitchen areas.

As well as its own colour, each business wing has its own name – Play to win, Be bold, Take pride, Respect each other – while fun typography displaying the Mayborn values is displayed everywhere.

Throughout the office, an abundance of natural light, interior birch tree trunks, lovely views of plants and foliage outside, as well as a tree inside, bring calming elements of nature into the office. Even the central stairwell leading from reception is attractive, with spacious curved steps and views of the trees outside. The firm’s products are visible and obvious in every part of the building.

Research and development labs are situated on site along with state-of-the-art conferencing facilities to connect Mayborn Group HQ with its global markets and teams. The company hopes the new working environment will attract the highest calibre of creative minds from all over the world. “Our new home is a space to be proud of,” comments Louise Rich. “A space which enables collaboration, supports multiple working styles and subtly reinforces our culture.”

Steve Parkin, CEO of Mayborn Group, concurs: “We are here to help mums and dads enjoy and embrace the rollercoaster ride of parenting, and the new office gives our employees a fantastic environment from which to do this, as well as providing the kind of space which will help us to attract the right talent to fuel our plans for international growth.”

Emma Dodsley, Marketing Director at Ben Johnson Interiors, points out that the design and atmosphere of working environments – including colour, furniture, natural light, choice of working zones and relaxation areas, plus opportunities to collaborate – are vitally important to employee wellbeing and productivity. “Mayborn Group considered the wellbeing of their current and future teams throughout this project,” she says. “In addition, we believe the wow factor of Mayborn House will offer a huge sense of pride and enjoyment to all who are lucky enough to be based here.”