| An Example of a Turn Key Operation that Shire has Undertaken - The New Levi Strauss (UK) Ltd. HQ |
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When Levi Strauss, the world's largest branded clothing manufacturer, needed to double their operation and move from their UK head office at Moulton Park in Northampton, the company had a clean slate upon which to create their HQ. The Challenge was to create a space that accurately reflected the brand image of this youthful company.
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| The Exterior of Levi's New HQ |
The new building was designed by Architect's Co-Partnership and SHIRE developed the interiors. It brought together a 3,500 square metre, two storey Sales and Administration office, with the company's distribution office housed in a 13,000 square metre warehouse, filled with the latest equipment to facilitate and automate dispatch.
New administration offices are grouped around a double height atrium running the length of the building. Two bridges at first floor level bisect this trapezoidal shaped opening, creating routes through and around the cellular offices, meeting areas and open plan spaces. The striking skylight, which mirrors the building's plan, illuminates the Atrium, flooding the centre of the building with natural light.
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| The Ground Floor of the Atrium at Levi's |
The task that faced SHIRE was to create an interior that would accommodate a multitude of visual styles and yet hold its own as a piece of architecture.
The Atrium is the focal point of the building and SHIRE used standard materials to create a sense of motion and fluidity through this space. Levi's require that this space should be used on a daily basis - it needed to reflect the Companies forward looking personality as well as the historic heritage of the brand. Casually arranged seating encourages ad hoc meetings and creates a welcoming area for both visitors and staff. Custom made movable display carts were created, complete with integral lighting, which allows forever changing exhibitions of merchandise, both new and historic. Photographic blow-ups from Levi's extensive archive of past advertising campaigns create striking murals on the stairwells and Reception areas.
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| Display Cart |
A combination of creative zest and close collaboration with manufacturers enabled SHIRE to push materials and products to their limits, creating a fresh, vibrant interior for a realistic budget. Levi's are certainly happy with their new home; a tailor made environment for the masters of mass-market clothes.
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| Time Scale Summary |
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1. SHIRE worked alongside the builders, Fleur Daniel. This enabled design modifications to be effected before construction, rather than producing expensive alterations later.
2. Eight months later building works were complete, including M & E and internal structures, but no finishes.
3. One month later, SHIRE assumed Project Management responsibility.
4. Fit-out work started the following month.
5. Four months later the fit-out was completed on time. The furnishings were then fitted in five weeks. Levi's sophisticated desking was then removed from their old building, cleaned and rebuilt at Swan Valley.
6. SHIRE moved Levi's staff from the old HQ building to Swan Valley during the Christmas close down and completed the move for uninterrupted business at the beginning of January.
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