Holiday Lettings Office Fit Out Case Study

Holiday Lettings

Oxford OX4 / Tourism / 32,000 sq ft / 10 weeks

Consult and design

Having taken a lease on Hinshelwood House, a standalone building in Oxford Science Park, our team were asked to design and build a new office for Holiday Lettings’ fast expanding team. Our team invested time into understanding the function of each department, thereby ensuring that the space supported the activities needed for Holiday Lettings to thrive as a business. We conducted workshops to gather information directly from staff and worked closely with departments heads to interpret this information into practical solutions for the space. Every element of the user experience was examined: from welfare facilities, to the benefits of height adjustable desks, to collaboration areas that encourage team working.

Manage and build

The works started with a strip out of the fit out left behind by the previous tenant, followed by a full Cat B internal fit out and some external works. All of our extensive design work was then underpinned by a comprehensive mechanical and electrical solution, to ensure that the site did not just look good but was highly functional as well. Given Holiday Lettings’ expansion plans for this space, our technical team had to ensure that the air conditioning and fresh air allowances would be adequate throughout the lifespan of the lease.

Careful attention was given to lighting levels, acoustic treatment around meeting rooms and in the open plan space, as well as using materials which would stand the test of time. One of the key challenges in this project was that Holiday Lettings were proposing to relocate their staff from the leafy suburbs of Summertown, to a business park on the outskirts of Oxford. Our designers therefore had to create an environment which would be inviting, fun and varied, supporting the change management process required to retain staff and attract new talented recruits.

The new space

This environment included a canteen area with catering kitchen, games room and an outdoor seating area overlooking the beautiful man-made lake. Finally, our furniture team worked closely with the client to specify furniture for all the various areas which would be both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing.