Insights

In more than two decades designing workplaces, I’ve watched good businesses realise too late that their office lease is expiring, discovering they have too little runway to make, let alone implement an accommodation strategy that will set them up for success in the…

Every fit-out has a number that a client remembers. It’s usually the number in bold at the bottom of the invoice. But that’s almost never the number that matters. The real costs are hidden in the years that follow — how slowly that spend can be clawed back via tax and…

‘Modular’ and ‘relocatable’ can mean many things. Usually, they conjure a sense of the temporary or transient, and maybe a sense that something is lesser quality. It’s time to re-frame how we think about this and how it relates to the types of interiors that can…

No matter how fresh and smart, the novelty will quickly wear off a new fitout if it’s not supporting the team in it. Despite the best-laid plans, things change and adapting to those shifts is what a modular fitout is designed to do. This guide covers the habits that…

Once you’ve decided a modular approach makes sense, who do you work with to deliver it? Here’s a guide to identifying and selecting a partner who will understand your specific requirements and realise them in a space that’s better than just fit for purpose. Author:…

After more than 30 years working in construction and architecture in New Zealand, I have seen bank branches judged too quickly as a legacy cost. The real issue is sharper: as digital banking becomes easier to copy, physical networks must earn their place through…

In branch programmes, the most expensive decisions are often made before anyone sees a tender price. I have seen how small assumptions in planning, specification and delivery can compound into rework, delays and long-term maintenance cost. This article looks at why…

In branch network programmes, the biggest procurement risk is not choosing a poor designer. It is choosing a firm that can design one beautiful flagship but cannot deliver repeatable, compliant, cost-controlled outcomes across a full network. This article looks at the…

Retail bank branch projects rarely fail because people are not working hard enough. They fail because accountability is split across too many handovers, contracts and decision points. This article explores what changes when design, delivery, cost control and technical…

Opening day is only the visible milestone in a branch programme. The real test comes in years two, five and ten, when maintenance, replacement parts and operational consistency start to shape the return on investment. This article looks at why standardisation matters…