The creative use of waste materials is evident in some of the new furniture, such as stools by Normann Copenhagen and Woodmancote Retro. The former is made out of recycled household and industrial plastic, while the latter is crafted from reclaimed hardwoods, locally grown wood, and 100% recycled cosmetic bottles. Floor rugs, also by Normann Copenhagen, are made from recycled PET bottles, and coffee tables have been created from reclaimed pallets. Alternatively, the selected furniture features environmentally friendly, low-carbon materials like recycled upholstery, certified timber, and wood derived from carbon-sequestering forestry. Throughout the space, these new pieces are mixed with reclaimed fittings and furniture sourced either from the site, external reclamation yards, or even a school in Norfolk.
This multi-pronged approach has resulted in a dramatic reduction in embodied carbon – according to calculations by the architects, the project boasts a saving of 1,150 tonnes of carbon compared to a typical office fit-out – and has also introduced a new aesthetic and material language in response to the climate emergency.