Workplace refurbishment for Baker McKenzie
Project Overview
IT and AV Visioning, Design, Procurement and Project Management to help the Client plan and implement workplace technologies to create a proof of concept for collaborative working.
Technologies and Innovations
Structured Cabling, wireless infrastructure; AV and Multimedia for meeting room and presentation spaces, Video Conferencing, room booking panels, meeting room occupancy beacons, server room, wayfinding and information kiosks, printing.
The Client
Baker McKenzie is the original global law firm. It partners with its clients to deliver solutions in the world’s largest economies as well as newly opening markets. The group has a global headcount of 13,200.
The Team
21 Construction, PTC, ProAV, KKS, HPF, Alinea
The Challenge
Baker McKenzie wanted to pilot a proof of concept scheme at its London offices to trial a collaborative, engaging, modern workspace. This will ultimately allow them to make the decision whether to refurbish the whole building or relocate to a new building.
The exercise would involve a decant programme that would require around 180 staff from Business Services to vacate the 4th floor to a suitable off-site swing site, and the relocation of approximately 190 fee earners from the 7th and 8th floors into the vacated space.
The Solution
Cordless Consultants supported Baker McKenzie to create a proof of concept for a more engaging, collaborative workspace throughout a full floor in the building that would be fully enabled by technology.
Cordless delivered advice and guidance with a strategic concept that evolved with the client’s needs through to the design, procurement and IT and AV project management – all the way to BAU.
Cordless helped to replenish the structured cabling for future-proof wired and wireless connectivity and develop a new server room that would save valuable space in the building. A variety of new collaborative meeting spaces were provided, including meeting pods, deal rooms and quick audio telephony rooms.
The rooms make use of interactive display technology and ceiling microphones. Occupancy beacon technology is activated by presence detection to show green or red when meeting rooms are occupied. Wayfinding and information kiosk technology provide helpful data to users.
The Results
Baker McKenzie was grateful to Cordless for helping explore and implement new workplace technology for its proof of concept London office project. The organisation has now created an engaging, modern and collaborative working environment. The team can now assess the impact of the IT and AV technology on business performance to help inform its long term real estate strategy.
The idea was very much to achieve connectivity and collaborative working anytime anywhere, no matter what workplace setting is being used. The previous work environment was very tired and had very little on floor technology/meeting room infrastructure as most staff were using client facing meeting rooms elsewhere within the building. Cordless are always at the forefront of new technologies and the objective of the project was to trial new things not previously used before. Coupled with a variety of new workplace settings it is good to implement new tools such a occupancy sensors, way finding and TriplePlay as well as providing a good standard basic infrastructure to all of the meeting rooms enabling Wi-Fi only working, VC and Skype across the board. Overcoming lots of hurdles it was a pleasure working with Cordless on the technology strategy, procurement and implementation.