Tash Hewlett was kind enough to take some time out of her schedule and speak with us about her role as Senior Project Designer at Peldon Rose, being a part of the Sustainable Design Collective, recent projects and more…
WOD: Can you give us an insight into your background, and how you became involved with the workspace industry…
TH: “I actually started out in furniture and lighting product design, however I moved into the workplace sector early on in my career. Creating human-centric workplaces that improve people’s daily life through great design continues to inspire me every day!”
WOD: Could you also tell us a bit about your role at Peldon Rose?
TH: “I’ve been with Peldon Rose for five years and within that time I have worked with some incredible clients including Netflix, Budweiser Brewing and Autodesk progressing to senior project designer in 2021. As a business we provide an exceptional experience for our people and our clients, every day is different, fast paced and truly enjoyable.”
WOD: What would you say are the key issues relevant to your client base at the moment?
TH: “Post-pandemic I’ve experienced big change in clients’ requirements; with more of a shift towards people-centric spaces and less traditional desks. Historically successful workplace design would be measured by the number of desks you could pack into a workspace now it’s the opposite. Successful workplace design is achieving a space that caters for everyone, that works both effectively and efficiently.
We are also seeing ongoing issues in climate impact, specifically with the amount of embodied carbon during the fit-out process. This seems to be what a lot of clients are asking about more so than sustainable and wellbeing accreditations.”
WOD: Which of these issues do you find most interesting and challenging?
TH: “Experiencing the shift in how people are working has been the most interesting aspect for me. Most companies survived the past two years working from home, and today’s offices now need to deliver something special – so much more than a place to work, somewhere that encapsulates the purpose of a business, provides space for connection, collaboration and bring the best out in their people.”
WOD: Could you give us an example of a recent project you’ve worked on?
TH: “MS Society – located opposite Finsbury Park Station, the charity’s new 9,000 sq ft workspace offers an inspiring destination to welcome staff back to the office as restrictions ease and the charity moves to a more flexible way of working.
An important element of this project was to create a space for inclusive collaboration.
Some of the people who work for the MS Society are affected by MS themselves, meaning that creating an inclusive and accessible space for all was key.
Everything down to the floorplate layout, furniture pieces and even the colours and tones used were considered to create the perfect environment for the charity to work in.”
