Oktra designs a future-facing ‘super hub’ workplace for GAMA Healthcare

The immediate creative impact of this workplace design on the visitor is undeniable, but its truly unique features become apparent the more you explore the space. Originally covering two floors, Oktra opted to cut through the slab and connect the two with a wide inclusive bleacher seating area and stairway at the heart of the space, capable of seating 220 people.

A striking central bleacher area, which doubles as a stairway between the two floors, operates as the heart of the office, and provides an environment where the entire business can gather for GAMA’s townhall meetings. On entering, the bleachers and games area  guide the visitor into actively engaging with their environment, with infographics and artworks on the walls leading us into meeting rooms of all sizes themed around GAMA products and brands; a multipurpose wellness suite; an open plan desk space; their innovative training suite; right up to the creative hubs of this workspace: the treehouse rooms.

Each of these fully suspended treehouse rooms feature glass walls that offer stunning views right down to the bleachers, and while the ‘Clinell Treehouse’ (named after GAMA’s most well-known brand) is built for more formal working, the ‘Innovation Treehouse’ is fully adaptable with moveable tables, colourful stools that can be easily repositioned, and was designed to be booked out for week-long creative mind-mapping and raw creative sessions.

Constructed to cater for a company-wide hybrid working model, agile spaces and flexibility are prioritised over standard workstations, with flexible furniture elements like the Vitra Dancing Walls and the Interstuhl six-person booths, enabling employees to customise their space.

Sustainability is one of GAMA Healthcare’s core strategic pillars, and so from the onset Oktra knew that minimal environmental impact had to be fundamental to this workplace design. As the building had already been fitted out to a high Cat A standard, Oktra pursued a Gold SKA Rating for this project, which was comfortably achieved by their in-house sustainability team, and ensured a 99% waste recycling rate.

The team also undertook a complete furniture audit for GAMA, reusing various pieces from their previous office in the new layout. All flooring throughout the workspace is sustainably sourced, including carbon neutral Marmoleum and 65% recycled content Tessera Teviot, both by Forbo. The acoustic baffles used are made from 100% recycled PET bottles, and the ceiling tiles contain 37-40% recycled content. In addition to this, Oktra also built in a separate sustainability-focused meeting room, to cement the importance of this fundamental pillar of GAMA’s company ethos.

GAMA’s new workplace is also home to a pioneering, world-class healthcare environment, containing complete training facilities, where GAMA will train 10,000 NHS staff. These are comprised of a full hospital suite designed by LSI (the UK’s leading healthcare architects) an adjacent classroom area, and an anteroom behind glass for external observation – as well as comprehensive video-conferencing solutions, which enable technical demonstrations to be recorded and streamed to remote learners, embracing the working models of the future.

From its broader layout, constructed around GAMA’s brand values and ensuring a cohesive client journey, to finer elements – such as its wellness suite and furniture curation, this is a future-facing work environment is tailored to support GAMA and the work strategies of the future.

Photography: Oliver Pohlmann

This project is a finalist for Project of the Year, Workplace Interiors at the Mixology21 Awards.

See the full list here