A BOLD STATEMENT

The office for leading insurance player Lloyd’s houses four separate business units, including Watkins Syndicate and Catlin. Their different designs come together cohesively to culminate in the strong brand image presented by the company’s black on white logo set against a gleaming black and blue backdrop. Designers DB&B accomplished this by acquiring and adhering to a detailed brief from each of the units, and presenting a unified front-of-house ‘face’.

Splashes of bold colours are injected by the design of the individual business entities and lend a more exuberant atmosphere. Each entity is identified with a colour. The entrance to the Watkins Syndicate office features a bright blue wall, while Catlin is identified with the colour red. Bright colour lights up the holding areas of each of these units. In the reception area beside the entrance to Watkins, a floor to ceiling wall displays a bustling scene of the Lloyd’s office in London, while guests waiting to be served by Watkins officers are drawn to the cheerful yellow tub chairs.

Each entity is allowed privacy with the use of glass panels or doors that do not hamper the flow of the overall office. Work stations in each unit are open and uncluttered. The conference room, particularly in Watkins, reflects this open aspect of the work stations. While the room can be split into two sections with the aid of partition panels to give flexibility of space for smaller meetings, it is pleasant and spacious. Tastefully equipped with ergonomic chairs and modern equipment and embellished with colour, its full length windows on one whole wall offer a view of the city skyline. HRM