In 2025, the comprehensive refurbishment and decarbonisation of NorthStandard’s headquarters in Newcastle, were successfully completed. The project, designed by Ward Robinson, delivered a full internal transformation of an occupied office environment, encompassing workspace upgrades, specialist facilities, welfare areas, and enhanced building services. The scheme focused on improving operational efficiency, sustainability, and user experience while maintaining business continuity throughout construction.
The completed works comprised a full interior fit-out across office floors, including open-plan offices, meeting rooms, and specialist workspaces, the atrium, work café, and reflection areas and all amenities. The refurbishment also included bespoke joinery installations and finishes throughout and significant mechanical and electrical upgrades as part of the decarbonisation strategy, alongside the installation of new internal architectural systems and finishes.
The interior layout was reconfigured using a combination of partition systems which included Gypsum board partitions (Types A, E, F) for primary internal divisions, glazed partition systems (Type D and sliding Type C) to enhance transparency and flexibility and IPS panel systems (Type B) for washroom environments. These systems delivered acoustic performance of up to 45 dB and complied with fire safety requirements, ensuring both privacy and safety withinMultiple ceiling systems were installed to suit different zones which included Gypsum board ceilings for enclosed spaces, modular suspended ceilings designed to meet SKA criteria and acoustic requirements and integrated access panels and service zones for maintenance. Careful coordination ensured that building services were supported independently of ceiling grids, maintaining both structural integrity and performance compliance.
A consistent, high-quality material palette was applied throughout the building, including wall and floor finishes, wall protection included antimicrobial PVC cladding in high-use areas and Formica high-pressure laminates and bespoke timber elements. All finishes were selected for durability, low VOC emissions, and compliance with sustainability standards.Significant upgrades were delivered to welfare and specialist facilities such as accessible toilets and shower suites, we installed pre-plumbed sanitary systems and concealed service integration and high-performance fixtures including sensor taps, HEPA-filter hand dryers, and boiling/chilled water systems in the kitchen areas. Custom joinery installations formed a key design feature, these included curved banquette seating and café elements, acoustic wall panelling and integrated signage and branded environmental graphics. All joinery was delivered with concealed fixings and manufactured to precise tolerances, ensuring a clean and contemporary finish.