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office with a cozy seating nook under an arched wooden frame, featuring gray cushions, a hanging lamp, and a small plant. Curved glass wall encloses a meeting space, adding a sleek, inviting atmosphere

Our Projects

ideaSpace

Part of the University of Cambridge and managed by Cambridge Enterprise, ideaSpace is a community of founders and entrepreneurs across three locations in Cambridge. We were chosen to fit out a new office space in their Hauser Forum, which would bring together entrepreneurs and start-ups from across the region to innovate and thrive.

  Build  |  Furnish

  4845 sq ft

  Cambridge

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Collaboration to generate ideas

Collaboration is crucial for entrepreneurs so a variety of collaboration spaces were created to enable social lunches and drinks after work, through to focused open booths, and casual touch base areas for more focussed teamwork. Liaising closely with Cambridge Enterprise’s interior designers, Ralph+Smith, our fit out team took great care to bring the client’s vision and ambition, to encourage connectivity, to life.

Reception desk with a laptop and flowers beneath the "ideaSpace" logo, in a modern office featuring wooden floors, partition panels, chairs, and large windows.
Modern living room with a light gray sofa and red armchair around a circular white table. Woven pendant lights hang above, soft natural light filters through sheer curtains
Close-up of a modern lounge area featuring a round wooden coffee table with a potted plant, a yellow side table, and contemporary seating.
A variety of green plants grow in a white, fluted planter, set against a backdrop of vertical wooden slats in a modern interior space.
Green sectional sofa with a black table and pink stools is placed in a modern office space. Nearby, red chairs and plants adorn the bright, open environment.
Hanging plants in brown pots are suspended by ropes from a white shelf, with sunlight filtering through large windows in the background.
Reception desk with a laptop and flowers beneath the "ideaSpace" logo, in a modern office featuring wooden floors, partition panels, chairs, and large windows. Modern living room with a light gray sofa and red armchair around a circular white table. Woven pendant lights hang above, soft natural light filters through sheer curtains Close-up of a modern lounge area featuring a round wooden coffee table with a potted plant, a yellow side table, and contemporary seating. A variety of green plants grow in a white, fluted planter, set against a backdrop of vertical wooden slats in a modern interior space. Green sectional sofa with a black table and pink stools is placed in a modern office space. Nearby, red chairs and plants adorn the bright, open environment. Hanging plants in brown pots are suspended by ropes from a white shelf, with sunlight filtering through large windows in the background.

Privacy to fuel innovative ventures

In addition to their focus on collaborative workspaces, ideaSpace also needed private meeting rooms and booths to enable important conversations to take place between founders and their investors. Sound absorption panels and acoustic pendant lights also absorb noise in the meeting space whilst adding a touch of elegance. The single in-person focus room not only offers privacy but a stunning warming hue which gives a cozy ‘cocoon’ type feel.

Solutions to level their workspace

Our fit out team managed extensive build operations, demolishing their original partitioned office to make way for their open place, levelling the subfloor and installing a new raised access floor. Often buildings have surprises for our fit out teams that can’t be foreseen in the surveys but the COEL team are always ready with solutions to fix building flaws so as not to impact the programme or budget.

Modern office lounge with a wooden counter and light blue chairs, surrounded by brown sofas and large tables. Pendant lights hang from the ceiling, with a plant and windows in the background.
A modern kitchen with a person reaching for cups on a shelf above a sink, surrounded by wooden cabinets, a plant, and two built-in appliances.
A modern kitchen features a wooden island with fluted design, a white countertop, and bar stools; pendant lights hang above, with shelves displaying mugs, a faucet, and a potted plant.
office with a cozy seating nook under an arched wooden frame, featuring gray cushions, a hanging lamp, and a small plant. Curved glass wall encloses a meeting space, adding a sleek, inviting atmosphere
Modern conference room with a minimalist design featuring gray walls, a long black table, light green chairs, a large TV, and a ribbed dome light fixture
Modern office lounge with a wooden counter and light blue chairs, surrounded by brown sofas and large tables. Pendant lights hang from the ceiling, with a plant and windows in the background. A modern kitchen with a person reaching for cups on a shelf above a sink, surrounded by wooden cabinets, a plant, and two built-in appliances. A modern kitchen features a wooden island with fluted design, a white countertop, and bar stools; pendant lights hang above, with shelves displaying mugs, a faucet, and a potted plant. office with a cozy seating nook under an arched wooden frame, featuring gray cushions, a hanging lamp, and a small plant. Curved glass wall encloses a meeting space, adding a sleek, inviting atmosphere Modern conference room with a minimalist design featuring gray walls, a long black table, light green chairs, a large TV, and a ribbed dome light fixture
Curved metallic panels create an abstract, layered pattern with a smooth gradient, forming a visually engaging texture.

Curving the way for entrepreneurial innovation 

Curves were a significant inspiration for the designers, drawn from the logo itself. Meeting rooms were designed to be distinctive, creating a seamless flow through the space, as well as a sense of softness and fluidity. Curves and arches are often used in office design symbolising comfort, inclusivity, and organic flow, fostering a welcoming atmosphere and evoking a sense of elegance and stability. 

The Specifics

  • Breakout / social space
  • A reception area
  • A built-in phone room
  • An informal meeting / collaboration zone
  • Two focus desk areas
  • Two 2-person focus booths
  • Three meeting rooms
  • Refurbished WCs and shower room
  • A storage room

The project team

 

A person with long brown hair, wearing a gray shirt and heart necklace, is smiling and sitting at a white table against a plain background. A woman in a pink sweater draws on paper at a table with acrylic paints, brushes in a holder, and an abstract painting.

Gemma Noakes

Design  |  Interior Designer

A smiling man wears glasses and a black shirt with "COEL" embroidered, sitting with hands clasped in front. He appears in a neutral, isolated white background. A person holding a framed certificate, smiling against a plain background. The certificate reads: "CONGRATULATIONS! DAVE BENNETT, THIS CERTIFIES THAT YOUR NAME IS GOING ON A RED ARROWS PLANE IN 2017."

Dave Bennett

Build  |  Site Manager

A person with long dark hair, wearing a black blazer and necklace, sits with hands folded, smiling against a white background. A woman holds a rolled purple yoga mat and a Pepsi Max can with a straw, smiling against a plain white background.

Annie Smith

Design  |  Junior Interior Designer

SEE ALL TEAM

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