KI provides integrated storage solution for Hok

KI has provided a bespoke integrated storage solution for Hok, a global architectural company.

Hok has recently moved from Oxford Street to The Qube off Tottenham Court Road in London and has taken the opportunity to reduce storage requirements and save space.

The 150 personnel are now all on one floor, where the interior was designed by Sam Bradley of Hok with a 16-week programme to design and build the project.

The company worked with filing consultant Fileworks, which carried out an analysis and audit on Hok's storage practice and managed to reduce its storage requirement by 40 per cent.

KI provided an integrated storage solution, which included its 700 Series lateral storage, bespoke plan chests for the architect's large drawings, special coat cupboards and bookcase units.

KI Smartspace mechanical-assist high-density mobile storage units were used in the library areas and KI Eclipse high-density mobile storage units with high-security touchpad controls were used in the finance department.

Bradley, associate at Hok, said: 'Continuity of the storage systems was essential in order to create a unified aesthetic.

'We selected KI because its range of products could meet our variety of storage requirements, including lateral filing, planchests, coat cupboards, high-density storage and bespoke units, all sprayed in the same RAL colour, enabling a clean uniform look,' added Bradley.

The overall design consists of a crisp and clean monochrome colour scheme, with splashes of colour used throughout to highlight shared resources and meeting spaces.

Lime green emphasises the central-atrium breakout space, which acts as a hub servicing the floor plate in every direction.

Bradley continued: 'One challenge we face as an organisation is the storage of large-scale drawings.

'We relied on KI's ability to manufacture specials producing combined lateral filling and planchest islands.

'The addition of a single Ciranol worksurface allows these islands to function as effective layout, informal meeting and model display, using every surface available to improve the efficiency of the floor plate,' said Bradley.

KI adapted standard planchest units to meet the height of its 700 Series lateral filling, allowing the cabinets to sit back to back, making them an ideal height for layout spaces and informal discussion.

The location of these units defines the circulation routes, encouraging impromptu meetings and conversations.

Bradley said: 'The move challenged the thought process behind our existing storage and file structure, enabling us to rethink and re-plan each individual department's storage requirements to suit.

'KI's high-density systems condensed our technical library and stationery store by at least 50 per cent, ensuring the efficiency of the floor plate.

'The electrically powered KI Eclipse system provides the perfect solution for the finance team with its key-code-activated access and lock-down function for security out of hours.

'KI even re-geared our existing high-density storage to avoid wastage, cladding them with new fronts to enable conformity throughout,' added Bradley.

According to project manager Mike O'Con, vice-president at Hok, the KI products are Greenguard certified for LEED accreditation.

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