Ambrey Offices – Southampton
AXIS House designed a functional and flexible office space at Harbour House in Southampton to accommodate Ambrey’s 24/7 crisis management operations, emphasizing staff well-being and future adaptability.
Introduction
Ambrey is a shipping security company operating worldwide to help protect their clients’ maritime assets. When the management team decided to set up a new operations hub, they chose Harbour House in Southampton. This beautifully restored, Grade II listed building was selected both for its prestigious appearance and strategic maritime location.The team at AXIS House was chosen for their expertise, professionalism and acute attention to detail. We were tasked with creating a series of highly functional spaces for Ambrey including tech-enabled desk areas, a crisis management room, and a breakout zone.
The challenge: creating a 24/7 crisis management facility
Occupying two floors of Southampton’s historic Harbour House, Ambrey’s new operations hub needed to service their clients’ requirements while providing an enriching working environment for the staff.With the team operating a round-the-clock crisis management centre, the design came with a unique set of requirements. Specific technical capacities had to be fulfilled along with the provision of facilities to enable staff to thrive in a high-pressure environment.
As many of the team work night shifts, staff wellbeing was vitally important with this project. The high-tech desk areas had to be functional and engaging, and inviting social areas needed to allow people to refuel and relax.
Flexibility was also integral to the design. Our Cat B fit-out had to allow for future adaptions in relation to Ambrey’s potential business growth.
The solution: a flexible office designed for rapid response
To meet the varied needs of the staff working at Harbour House, we divided the office into a series of specific zones…A branded welcome area – indigo blue provides the backdrop for the Ambrey logo lightbox.
An open-plan desk area – sit-stand desks help to keep staff alert while on night shift providing round-the-clock analysis for their clients. An acoustic pod gives privacy when required.
An emergency room – key staff can gather at the bespoke, oval table to manage crisis situations. A bank of wall-mounted audio-visual screens ensures they are always kept up to date with any relevant data.
A locker room and breakout area – each staff member has their own designated locker for easy storage of personal items. The comfortable sofas are the perfect spot for a cup of coffee and a chat with colleagues.
The result: an inspiring workplace fit for purpose
Given the high stakes nature of the work the Ambrey team perform, there was a focus on precise functionality with this project. The design needed to enable staff to carry out a variety of high-pressure tasks to the best of their ability, while also having space to step away and unwind when necessary.The team at Harbour House tell us that they absolutely love where they work. In fact, the word on the ground is that the Southampton office is now considered to be the best one in the Ambrey portfolio of offices. We helped our client create a series of flexible, purpose-driven workspaces, all within a relatively small footprint.
Design: AXIS House
Photography: Marek Sikora
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