OUR PROJECTS > WORKPLACE DESIGN l ASSET MANAGERS l FOOD SERVICES l FACILITIES MANAGEMENT l CORPORATE OCCUPIERS
Bringing colleagues closer through food
When Sheppard Robson began reimagining Winston Taylor’s London headquarters, one of the guiding ideas was “Osmosis Learning” – the belief that knowledge and connection happen when people have opportunities to bump into one another.
Square Mile Farms worked with the project team to integrate a hydroponic Farmwall into Cloud 9, the office’s catering and events space. Growing fresh leafy greens for the workplace community, the Farm has become a focal point for food, sustainability and shared experiences.
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The challenge:
Designing for connection
The wider design of the new workplace was intended to encourage spontaneous encounters between colleagues, including a new staircase connecting floors 9 and 10.
The Workplace Sustainability team had also wanted to introduce an office Farm for some time. The fit-out created an opportunity to make it part of the design from the outset, bringing together sustainability, design and learning in one feature.
The challenge was to find the right location and integrate the Farm in a way that would allow it to become part of everyday office life.
The solution:
Integrating a Farm into the heart of the workplace
The Cloud 9 staff canteen and events venue, gives the Farmwall high visibility while placing it close enough to the chefs for its crops to be incorporated into the food service.
The Farmwall was designed into the kitchen cabinetry and sits flush with the surrounding joinery.
At its centre is a portrait from the firm’s long-running collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery, bringing an established part of its identity together with a new approach to workplace sustainability.
Supporting a sustainable workplace
The Farmwall forms part of a wider refurbishment, which targeted BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum and NABERS 4.5 Stars, while achieving more than 56% less embodied carbon than a typical new build.
The Farm occupies relatively little space, but it provides a sustainability initiative that employees can see, touch, taste and engage with as part of their working day. It also contributes to nutrition, wellbeing and civic engagement objectives within one installation.
Making installation and maintenance simple
Introducing growing into a workplace might sound complicated, but the M&E requirement was simply a standard wall socket, with no plumbing or drainage required, making it easier for the design and fit-out teams to incorporate the Farmwall.
After installation, a Square Mile Farms Urban Farmer manages the Farm, caring for the crops and dealing with any issues. As Senior Workplace Services Manager Steve Marchant explains:
“Since installation, it has been incredibly hassle-free.”
For the workplace team, that means employees can enjoy and engage with the Farm without responsibility for its day-to-day maintenance.
Turning the Farm into a shared experience
At lunchtime. the Farm becomes a conversation starter, with employees asking what's growing, talking about the plants and striking up conversations with colleagues from different parts of the business.
Organised activities have taken that engagement further. A lunchtime pesto-making session used ingredients harvested directly from the Farmwall, with many employees surprised to discover that they were eating something grown just metres away. A harvest session with one of the firm's internship cohorts has also been incorporated into a team-building activity. These experiences have helped turn the Farmwall from a design feature into something the workplace community actively participates in.
As Will Lynes, Sustainability, Carbon and Data Manager, puts it:
“The farm has brought us closer to our food, making our employees consider where their food comes from and brought new experiences into the office.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Farmwall be integrated into a workplace fit-out?
Yes. In this project, Square Mile Farms worked with the project team to integrate the Farmwall into the kitchen cabinetry, allowing it to sit flush with the surrounding joinery rather than appearing as a later addition.
Does an office Farm require plumbing and drainage?
This Farmwall required a standard wall socket and did not require plumbing or drainage, which made it straightforward for the design and fit-out teams to incorporate.
Who looks after an office Farm?
Square Mile Farms provides ongoing Farm care. At Winston Taylor, a dedicated Urban Farmer manages the Farmwall and its crops, so the workplace team has very little to do.
How can employees engage with an office Farm?
As well as seeing the crops growing every day, employees can take part in harvests and food-based activities. At Winston Taylor, these have included a pesto-making session and a harvest used as a team-building activity for an internship cohort.
Can produce from an office Farm be used by workplace catering teams?
Yes. Locating the Farmwall within Cloud 9 puts it close to the catering team and allows fresh produce grown onsite to feed into food service and activities.
Could a bespoke office Farm work in your project?
This type of installation could be relevant if you're:
A workplace design team looking to integrate productive biophilia into a workplace scheme and create spaces that encourage interaction.
An asset manager looking for a distinctive amenity that combines design, sustainability and workplace experience.
A facilities team looking for an engaging workplace feature without adding another significant maintenance responsibility.
A corporate occupier looking for ways to encourage employee connection and make sustainability more visible within the workplace.
A food services team looking to connect onsite food growing with catering, events and employee engagement.
