News & Events

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Industry Insight

Exploring the Core Principles of Contemporary Office Interior Design

Contemporary office interior design is an effective way to curate dynamic workplaces that harmoniously blend form and function whilst embracing modernity and simplicity. Employees’ needs are at the very heart of design decisions, with visually pleasing interiors helping staff to flourish in an uplifting, productive and ultimately comfortable environment. This may be achieved via an […]

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Company News

Meet The Team: Jerry Overhill

Throughout our ‘Meet the Team’ series, we have asked many of our employees to share a little bit about themselves, what their aspirations are and what they think of being part of the COEL team.   This time, we had the pleasure of sitting down with COEL’s Operations Director, Jerry Overhill. Jerry’s story is particularly interesting […]

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Booth seating with wooden tables and brown leather cushions is arranged across from large windows. Framed art decorates the cream-paneled walls, and cozy chairs sit in a lounge area.
Industry Insight

Modern Office Fit-Out: Redefining Workspaces for the Future

A well-planned and intelligent office fit-out can literally transform a run-of-the-mill workplace into a vibrant, engaging space that fosters team spirit and collaboration. By incorporating dynamic layouts and smart tech, alongside wellbeing-focused elements such as break-out areas, biophilia and light-suffusing features, designers can create a productive office that boosts staff morale and encourages natural interaction. […]

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Person in a white lab coat walks down a sterile, brightly lit laboratory corridor with white walls, blue accents, and a sign on the door reading "Danger Laser in Use" in English.
Industry Insight

Is the UK hitting a crisis point when it comes to the availability of lab space?

Despite the prevailing global market downturn in investment funding, the latest analysis from BioIndustry Association and Clarivate found the UK’s life sciences sector saw steady growth in financing activity in the second quarter of 2023. The research reports UK-headquartered life science and biotech companies secured a total of £382 million in venture and public financing in […]

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Industry Insight

How to Revitalise Your Office with a Workplace Fit-Out

With the rise of hybrid working, the office landscape has undoubtedly changed in the wake of the pandemic. So, it’s crucial that employers offer an enticing office space where staff relish the opportunity to collaborate in an energising and nurturing environment. A commercial office fit out offers an excellent way to facilitate this. Involving expert […]

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Team

Meet The Team: Greta Miceviciute

Greta’s journey to becoming a part of the COEL team started when she was a student at Anglia Ruskin University. She had seen our branding all over the city and was intrigued. Once she graduated, Greta filled out an application and the rest is history. Since joining COEL five years ago, Greta has become an […]

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A modern dining area features a long table surrounded by wooden chairs, beneath pendant lights, near large windows. A blue cushioned bench and decorative shelves enhance the minimalist space.
Industry Insight

Office design: How to combine luxury and practicality

The client Mishcon de Reya is a leading independent law firm with presence in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore and Hong Kong (through its association with Karas So LLP. The brief When Mishcon de Reya and Taylor Vinters merged earlier this year, COEL was appointed to design and fit-out the firm’s new Cambridge office. The client […]

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Four people gathered around a decorative floral swing in a modern indoor setting with large plants and stylish furniture.
Team

Work experience: Meet Emily Bewes

This month we had the pleasure of having Nottingham University student, Emily Bewes, complete her work experience with us. Emily is currently completing her undergraduate degree in History of Art, and she wanted to find out more about what it is like to work in interior design. We sat down with Emily to discuss her […]

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Modern office space with open seating arrangement; features black chairs around a long table, partitioned by open shelving, enhanced by indoor plants and geometric pendant lighting.
Industry Insight

Office Space Planning: neighbourhoods, microenvironments and pivot spaces

The pandemic significantly influenced the future of the office and the way in which we use our workspaces. An increase in hybrid working and a shift towards more flexible working practices has resulted in a seismic shift in priorities when planning or designing an office space.   Rather than open plan offices, lined with desks, […]

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Guides

Lab space planning guide

Why should you care about lab space planning? When designing any space, it is crucial to understand how that space will be used, the needs of the people using it, and how these might change over time. Incorrect or inefficient lab space planning can stifle innovation and efficiency; and in an industry that changes at […]

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Industry Insight

Office design: How to cater to different working needs

The client Altium is a global software company, with headquarters in San Diego, California, providing innovative PCB Design Software to the electronics industry.   The brief Like many other companies, COVID-19 impacted Altium’s way of working and they were keen to create an inclusive work environment, focused on employee needs, to encourage staff back to the […]

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Guides

COEL guide: What to consider when designing a green lab

Whilst most of us are switched on to eco-conscious thinking and the mantra of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,’ for laboratories, achieving green status presents a challenge. Studies show that laboratories consume nearly five times more energy than a typical office space, given their energy-intensive equipment, which often needs to run 24/7. So, whilst sustainable practices like […]

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Projects

Office Furniture: How to maximise space and inject a sense of brand

The client With operations in more than 60 countries, AMFRESH Group has a consolidated presence in the production and innovation of fresh and natural foods including fresh fruit, plant-based foods and flowers.  The brief  Having worked for AMFRESH UK on a previous project in Peterborough, we were engaged to work alongside their existing fit-out company to plan, […]

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Team

Meet the team: Ashley Hovells

Ashley Hovells, a trusted advisor and sounding board within COEL has been part of the team for over 10 years. Ashley is incredibly passionate about sports, therefore, it should come as no surprise that COEL’s incredibly popular Charity Golf Day was his idea. This initiative has raised thousands of pounds for COEL’s nominated charity The […]

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Sign with the text "BenchSci" and a circular logo, displayed on a green patterned wall. Below, a wooden cabinet holds decorative glass vases, a bowl, and a potted plant.
Industry Insight

BenchSci’s new office: when Toronto and Cambridge meet

The client The founders of one of the most exciting global innovators in the BioTech space, BenchSci, built, tested, and validated an AI solution to the antibody reproducibility crisis. With the help of Google’s AI fund, Gradient Ventures, they were able to raise over $10m to develop the technology and grow the business. Fast forward to […]

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Colourful lounge area with modern chairs and tables, large windows, indoor plants, and a view of a green outdoor space
Industry Insight

The psychology of colour in office design

Colour is an incredibly powerful non-verbal communication tool which can have a dramatic effect on our mood and performance. Whilst some hues may subconsciously boost our wellbeing and improve our productivity, others can provoke stress or anger. So profound is the effect, colour can even induce physiological changes such as raised blood pressure and eyestrain. […]

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Glass-walled office pods with purple exterior feature pink cushioned seating inside, situated in an open-plan office with a standing desk and white stool nearby.
Industry Insight

Delivering a highly flexible office and lab solution in just nine weeks

The client Alchemab has developed a highly differentiated platform which enables the identification of novel drug targets and therapeutics by analysis of patient antibody repertoires. The platform uses well-defined patient samples, deep B cell sequencing, and computational analysis to identify convergent protective antibody responses among individuals that are susceptible but resilient to specific diseases. Alchemab […]

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Industry Insight

Are you aware of your CO2 monitoring responsibilities?

Did you know that from last June, all new non-domestic buildings – including offices – are required to produce 27% fewer carbon emissions in comparison to existing buildings? This new legislation is part of the framework for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, to support the UK’s target to reduce carbon emissions to […]

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Company News

Meet Our CEO: Alistair Rumbelow

Since joining COEL in 2004, Alistair has been driving growth, spearheading innovation and inspiring the dynamic team. Here, he discusses recent changes to COEL, reveals his vision for the future and tells us a little about his life outside COEL HQ How does Alistair’s story begin? Born into a farming family in Suffolk, Alistair grew […]

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A woman reads "The Dogs of Riga" by Henning Mankell, holding it above a stack of crime novels titled "The Darkest Day," "Arctic Chill," "The Snowman," "The Savage Altar," "Thirst," and "Midwinter Sacrifice."
Team

National Apprentice Week: Meet Charlotte Criddle

This week has seen our team celebrate our apprentices as part of National Apprenticeship Week. What is an apprenticeship? An apprenticeship offers paid on-the-job training, where the employee can gain valuable experience and mentoring from other trained professionals. Apprenticeships include: Paid employment with holiday leave Hands-on-experience in the chosen professional sector 20% off the job […]

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Office chair with a cardboard box containing office supplies and a clock, surrounded by moving boxes and a wastebasket, symbolizing relocation or job transition
Industry Insight

Planning an office Move? When is the right time and how can you plan ahead?

Changes in working practices and an increased demand for flexible or hybrid working has prompted a surge in office moves. But when is the right time to relocate? What prompts an office relocation and what do you really need to think about when getting ready for moving day? To move or not to move, that […]

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Large white planters with green plants sit along a wooden-paneled wall, adjacent to a glass-walled office with a yellow chair, in a modern carpeted workspace.
Industry Insight

Office Design Trends: COEL’s Predictions for 2023  

Once the home to a standard 9 to 5 working day, the ‘office’ looks very different at the dawn of 2023. As we at COEL predicted, there have been seismic changes in the way we work post-pandemic, including the rise of collaborative working spaces and sophisticated technology to aid hybrid working. But what’s on the […]

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Two men stand in an office; one in a black sweater and orange headband holds a drink, while the other reads from a red folder labeled "This is your life." A screen displays part of a presentation.
Company News

Neil Cook, Founder of COEL, steps down 

A short history of COEL COEL has grown immensely over the years, into a dependable team of specialised experts and a portfolio of some exceptional projects to be proud of but, this is a far cry from where is started with one man and an ambitious dream. Neil Cook, founder of COEL, grew up with […]

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Person in protective clothing walking down a pristine, white corridor with large doors, bright lighting, and a sterile environment, suggesting a laboratory or cleanroom setting.
Industry Insight

8 things to consider when designing your laboratory space

At COEL, we love to work alongside our life sciences clients to deliver innovative laboratory designs specific to their bespoke business needs, from wet labs requiring specialised air extraction, to electronics and software labs needing multiple power-connected worktops.

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