Responding to the context
Network Rail has an extensive portfolio of workplaces ranging from city centre offices to depots and temporary workspaces. The challenge was to create a guidance document that allowed design teams to respond to each of these contexts effectively while still maintaining Network Rail’s brand identity. For example, a city centre office operates differently, with very different working methods, from a maintenance delivery unit.
The guidelines outline how Network Rail’s brand can be expressed while responding to each of these individual contexts. It offers flexibility within the design process yet encourages consistency across all assets. This consistency is achieved through the design of spaces, functional requirements, furniture, finishes, colour palettes, graphics and much more. Each of the above can be selected to suit different budgets, time scales and functions
Flexible design guidance
The purpose of the Workplace Design Manual is to articulate what has become known as the Network Rail DNA into a set of flexible interior guidelines which can be used by a variety of people to understand what makes up a Network Rail workplace.
The key influences behind the data are the best examples of Network Rail workplaces delivered over the past five years and the 2019 British Council for Offices - Best Practice in the Specification for Offices, which details best practice within the industry.
The DNA is referred to throughout the design process ensuring that Network Rail’s workplaces match their core values and corporate brand. Our guide is not prescriptive, it is a framework within which designers are encouraged to offer ideas and think creatively.
The Workplace Design Manual is one of nine we have developed for Network Rail. They act as a common frame of reference for all parties involved in the design, development and operation of Network Rail’s transport infrastructure.
Sustainability
As one of the UK’s largest asset owners Network Rail have a responsibility to embed sustainability into all their projects. Our Design Manual recognises this responsibility and sets out procedures to ensure all workplace schemes are registered with the Royal Institute of Chartered Survyors Ska environmental assessment method or BREEAM Fit-Out and Refurbishment so that tangible evidence based outputs are produced consistently.