At Hinkley Point on the West Somerset coast, they are building two new nuclear reactors, the first in a new generation of nuclear power stations in Britain providing zero-carbon electricity. It is the first new nuclear power station to be built in the UK in more than 20 years. The development will take about ten years to build, will see the creation of some 25,000 jobs and will provide electricity for around 6 million homes once complete.
The head office is at the heart of the project, and the office design needed to be a robust and low maintenance solution while still providing a modern and professional look to suit the interior design. With a high number of employees and affiliates, the office design also had to be dynamic and motivating to help enhance the company’s offering while building on its current progress.
We worked alongside the commercial and project designers assigned to the scheme to deliver a comprehensive furniture design across two floors. The zones throughout the offices presented unique requirements, and the Dams team put forward furniture plans for the offices, meeting rooms, dining spaces, reception and common areas.
Connex bench desks are a robust solution for the main office, ideal for high density office spaces together with the Jota fabric operator chairs which offer support and comfort for hard-working professionals. Steel storage pedestals and tambour cupboards in a silver finish to match the desk leg frames offered all important secure storage solutions.
In the meeting rooms, there was a grey oak theme with table tops designed to incorporate power and data capabilities, embracing the latest technology so conference rooms can be used for important meetings and as training centres. Tuba mesh back conference chairs with grey fabric seats bring the perfect blend of comfort and elegance to the meeting spaces.
The stylish Saxon dining tables and Strut multi-purpose chairs work well together in the kitchen area, with matching oak leg frames to deliver a natural look ideal for when the workers take a break from their desks. And the project was finished off with a Denver modular desk for the reception area and Alban sofas to bring a touch of modernism to the space and offer a comfortable solution for visitors.
Hinkley Point is a massively important project in the current climate with sensitive technology, and the Dams installation team had to overcome all the necessary logistical challenges to provide all the furniture for the office-based team there. Because this project required various specialist security measures and controls, we were hard-pushed to finalise the design on time. We were on a tight deadline, but the challenge inspired us, and we completed it without any delays.
