Penketh Group supplies ‘cutting-edge’ furniture for Manchester’s £8m Neo building

Interiors company Penketh Group has provided “cutting-edge” furniture for office giant Bruntwood’s new co-working space at the £8m Neo building in central Manchester.

The Birkenhead-based firm supplied Bruntwood with Steelcase Fusion benches and height-adjustable desks that work as seated or standing stations.

Penketh also provided a number of B Free high tables and stools equipped with wireless charging ports, Reply ergonomic seating and a SMART interactive screen to assist with meetings.

The company worked with designers Bridge Architects on the project.

Penketh Group designer Chris Birchall said: “Many of the best innovations come from interactions that can happen anywhere in the office and not just in a traditional desk-based setting.

“Bruntwood is a forward-thinking company which understands that where you work can influence how you work and that the right facilities can both help businesses to attract and keep talented people – and help encourage employee engagement.”

He added: “Our cutting-edge furniture solutions helped to create the environment that Bruntwood was looking for and we delivered the project on budget and within a very tight eight-week timeframe.”

Neo’s new co-working offer includes meeting rooms, social areas, ‘nomadic’ zones in which workers can quickly unpack and work for an hour, and lounges with cubbyholes for focussed, short-term work.

Additionally, the space has an open-air roof terrace featuring heaters and all-weather meeting pods.

Last month, Penketh expanded into Neo by taking the entire eighth floor for its new Worklife Showroom.

Charlie Beck, head of sales for Bruntwood, commented: “We decided to bring something new to Manchester to encourage creatively-minded businesses of all sizes and our co-working space in Neo is the result of a lot of research.

“We wanted an attractive, innovative space with good design that would ultimately help people because wellbeing is very much at the forefront of our plans.”

Bridge Architects director Victoria Kirkpatrick commented: “Neo’s first floor co-working space has been designed to flow from the ground floor reception via a new helical stair, providing a connection with the previously unrealised external roof terrace.

“Together, the linked interior and exterior spaces are intended to echo a boutique hotel lobby, moving on from the recent more ‘quirky’ approach to co-working design.”

She continued: “Penketh Group have provided us with a carefully selected range of seating types and tables with integrated power.

“These all contribute to a collection of sophisticated, informal and flexible workspaces that give users a choice, while also fostering a sense of community and a space for businesses to connect.”