88 Wood Street

Spanning multiple floors, the interior redesign of 88 Wood Street has brought the iconic skyscraper to life. With a refreshed reception area that houses flexible co-working areas as well as a full barista style café, the project is a great example of a workplace designed with the future in mind.

The Requirement

We collaborated with Morrow + Lorraine Architects to help achieve the design intent and install a bespoke screening solution that would offer both privacy and flexibility for the refreshed reception area.

The Challenges & Solutions

The first challenge we identified was the need for a bespoke suspension solution for the heavy-duty curtain track. In the design brief, the client was keen to suspend the curtain 2 metres from the ceiling. However, with the combined weight of the curtain fabric and specified track, there were no standard suspension products available to achieve this.

Our specification team worked closely with the architect and client to design a method of suspension and a bespoke bracket detail that could withstand the weight of the curtain, whilst closely replicating the method used to suspend the stair bridge across the reception area, creating a consistent appearance throughout the building.

The next issue we faced was the fixing grounds. The structural engineers advised there were a number of steel reinforcement crossbars integral to the structure of the building. As a result, there were limited spaces we could install the required suspended fixings.

We used the data gathered to carefully plot out our fixing points, missing any hotspots that could cause structural damage, whilst ensuring it met both design and aesthetic requirements. Our project director put together drawings confirming the areas that were suitable for drilling, to ensure the installation team was well prepared when fixing the track on site.

Our final proposal included two large room divider curtains, each with a 6200mm drop.

Each curtain was held on a heavy-duty Unibeam curtain track, which was strong enough to take the weight of the fabric at such a height.

The client chose Erin II curtain fabric by Kinnasand (colour 0014) – a sheer curtain fabric with a natural, linen-like structure that offers flame retardancy and Greenguard Gold certification.

The Outcome

88 Wood Street is a great example of how flexibility should be kept front of mind when redesigning office space for the modern working environment. For companies looking to attract employees back to offices, building a flexible, human-centric environment is becoming a higher priority than perhaps it has ever been.

The room divider curtains complete what is a remarkable space, creating acoustic zones that promote collaborative and flexible working patterns, further demonstrating the importance of flexible screening in commercial environments.