Spec Finish

Design FIS spoke to Ralph James , Facility and Technical Services Manager at Met Office, about how the Met Office floorplate redesign creates an inclusive and accessible environment where people of varied backgrounds, perspectives, or life experience share ideas and work productively together. THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVE DESIGN 16 www.thefis.org T HE Met Office brief for the floorplate redesign was to prepare for a return to office working and meet the requirements of BS8300. Ralph said: “We knew we could do better than this by harnessing the experience of our colleagues. It is easy to create a typical two dimensional design, however, we need to take this a step further and create a design with three, multiple dimensions. “The project was subject to a rigorous Equality Impact Assessment, a process that explores the impact of change on people. Design iterations were shared with our Accessibility, Disability & Autism Networks who improved upon them. Engagement, consultation, and involvement gave outputs that work for all”. The project Initiated to capitalise on the Met Office’s new ways of working following the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns. Ralph explained like many large employers, these new practices necessitated a rethink on how to provide innovative office space for teams to collaborate in and thrive. It was recognised that our standard floorplate, or “home zone”, may not readily support these new ways of working where small teams need to work collaboratively when not necessarily always located together. Through staff surveys, we built up a good understanding of those with long term health conditions and disabilities. Significant Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) activity especially around support for our networks meant that we were able to directly consult with all our ED&I networks in the design of our spaces. In real terms this meant providing a workspace that was suited to the wide-ranging needs of all our employees and visitors by design. Our audience was everyone who attends Met Office HQ, be that for a fleeting visit or to work there permanently. Our intention was that they would feel included, that the space works for them and allows them to collaborate effectively with others with zero impediments, as we embrace new ways of working. We have high efficiency luminaires to create an inspirational space whilst Ralph James, Facility and Technical Services Manager at Met Office