Rio Tinto

project	Relocate Executive team from City office to Paddington	timescale	8 weeks on site
location	Paddington, london W2	staff numbers	28 people
contract value	£500,000	area	8,000 sq ft
features	Re-use as much of the City fit-out as possible in the refurbishment of the executive area within the Paddington office	averages	285 Sq ft per person. £62.50 per Sq ft

The brief

Rio Tinto wanted to reduce property costs by moving the entire Executive team (Chairman, CEO, CFO etc) from a City office into an existing Paddington building. The brief was to devise a cost-effective scheme. By re-using the existing City fit-out the project saved money, and is  fundamentally sustainable because so much serviceable materials and fittings were re-used.

How we met the challenge

When re-using existing fit-out the demand is to minimise disruption and accelerate the works. Alongside the tight timescale the design element involved the overlay of equipment and fittings from one building onto another. Close integration of visual design with technical support resulted in a smooth on-site program....all the hours put in during design and evaluation stages paid off by ensuring  that all the technical hurdles had been considered and planned.

As well as relocating the executive team, Rio Tinto took the opportunity to refresh several existing spaces at the Paddington office, and IOR Group included these in the project.

In addition to the relocated fit-out, an executive lounge was installed with a soft-pannelled wall which has a concealed door into the video conference equipment room.

Rio Tinto rightly deserve plaudits for their approach to the project. Support from the most senior management ensured that the project was cost-saving, had the right approach to sustainability, and the executive team endured the same amount of disruption as with any other project....without any complaint whatsoever.