Mills & Reeve

Law firm Mills & Reeve had chosen One Centenary Way in Birmingham to be their new collaborative and community-centred workspace, seeking a design that would showcase Birmingham’s character throughout; A vision for a single floor that was ready to take on an array of options for how and where the Mills & Reeve team can work, catering to the entire team’s needs.

At the forefront of this project was the importance of sustainability. The project was in fact awarded an SKA silver certification, which rewards practice of sustainability throughout, from energy efficiency, through to environmental impact. Our Alto acoustic material was the perfect fit for this environmentally-conscious brief, being part of a circular economy itself; Each panel is made from up to 60% recycled PET, which is the equivalent of 280 waste plastic bottles, and are completely recyclable at the end of their use. 

Alto acoustic paneling was also used as a visual element, with nods to the city seen within the echoing of the Library of Birmingham’s iconic exterior pattern across many of the panels; The entire project was designed with even the smallest of details in mind.

The standout part of this project was without a doubt the fourth floor catered cafe, serving not only a great cup of coffee, but as a community hub where the Mills & Reve team can connect and recharge. This lively space required both a considered acoustic solution to buffer and reduce background noise, as well as a visual focal point to elevate the space.

Our in-house technical design team produced a 100mm x 100mm x 100mm grid raft,  totalling 112m2, that could be installed in a single lift, and directly hung from the exposed ceiling. With the complete structure being manufactured from folded 12mm Alto, we created a stunning feature that offered acoustic properties, whilst also weighing less than 8kg per m2. 

Mills & Reeve now have an entire floor dedicated to flexible and collaborative working, with a variety of areas to suit everyone’s needs. The acoustic elements serve as both a visual focal point, tying in the city’s architecture, as well as soaking up excess volume levels; Each element contributing towards a productive working environment.