A little trip to Actiu in Castalla Spain
What a brilliant idea that was! When we were brainstorming about a suitable location to film a particular scene for our new company video, someone here in the office (sorry Sam that you were too busy to go yourself:) suggested to ask the lovely people of furniture designers and manufacturers Actiu if we could do that in their offices and gardens.
The particular scene was dependent on good weather and although we love it up here in Scotland the weather is, in fairness, hard to predict..
Castalla has a lot in common with Scotland. It reminded us of Stirling but then in the colour beige.
Actiu, always on the move
Always on the movie? Not quite, but when it comes to visual appeal we here at Amos Beech in Scotland had to include them in our little film. The visual appeal doesn't only apply to their products though:
Architecture and sustainability at the technology park in Castalla
You don't suddenly wake up and start producing stunning design furniture. You live it and breath it and when you look at Actiu, they certainly do! It therefore doesn't come as a surprise to us that Vicent Berbegal, the president and founder of Actiu, has been awarded 'European Entrepreneur of the Year 2017' at the European Business Awards (EBA) ceremony, during a gala in Dubrovnik (Croatia). We have seen many factories, showrooms and offices over the years, but Actiu is certainly up there with the best. The design of the Actiu Technology Park, created by José María Tomás LLavador, was based on sustainability and the self-sufficient use of natural resources right from the outset. Rain water is collected from the roofs and stored in cisterns for irrigation and industrial use. It is also worth mentioning that Actiu is in fact an energy plant as it supplies 6 times more electricity into the grid than it needs itself.
Biophilia
Biophilic interior design (meaning love of nature) focuses on mans' innate attraction to nature and natural processes and brings elements of nature into the built environment. We have used this in our designs a couple of times and are currently working on a stunning idea for one of our clients (watch this space!). Actiu however, is at the forefront of it in their own offices:
One of the indoor gardens at Actiu
Biophilia suggests that we all have a genetic connection to the natural world built up through hundreds of thousands of years of living in agrarian settings. It is a term popularized by American psychologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980’s, when he observed how increasing rates of urbanisation were leading to a disconnection with the natural world. Biophilia is of ever increasing importance to our health and well-being in the built environment.
Our film
We are sort of halfway through the making of the Amos Beech video and can't reveal it just yet, as only the final end result can communicate what it is supposed to do. In that sense it is a bit like an interior fit out project:)
The film crew from Iris Media discussing and finalising the shots
(the film will feature two of Actiu's stars Christina and David)
The Amos Beech film will explain what we as an interior design, fit-out and furniture company are about, using what a colleague here in the office calls 'moving stills'. All of this in the attention span of an average internet user...
Serious stuff!
Careful planning and advice by the Actiu team meant that we were saved from the real burn that was expected shortly after midday.
Text on the wall outside the company gym @actiu
We tend to underestimate the power and heat of the sun. Some of us even set of to Castalla without suncream, shorts and slippers!
Actiu: Thank you very much!
Update: we have now (27-06-2018) launched our videos! You can see them here:
All Images by Photographer Zwolle
Amos Beech launches revolutionary new office app for agile working
Workplace consultants Amos Beech have launched a revolutionary new app for people to plan their agile working day.
The iOt Space app is a workspace reservation solution to manage flexible workspace environments.
Amos Beech launches revolutionary new office Agile Working app into the UK market
The iOt Space app is a workspace reservation solution to manage flexible workspace environments. Benefits to companies range from reducing employers’ heating and cleaning costs to increasing staff productivity, efficiency and wellbeing in the workplace.
Using a colour-coded system, at the touch of a button you can find your workspace and colleagues, make unoccupied and hidden workspaces visible, have one solution for meeting rooms and workplaces and be up and running within just one week. The ideal solution for agile working and helps your workplace o turn into a truly smart office!
The device shows real-time availability for each workspace and the beauty is you can occupy a workspace on the spot or book in advance from home so gone are the days of over-booking or embarrassment when you can’t find a free desk in a busy room full of workers you may not know.
iOt Space uses colours to show if workspaces are free (green), reserved (blue) or occupied (red). In the app on the phone it is also visible to who is using what workspace so workers can see availability and at what times.
The iOt Space agile working app features:
Finding and booking workspaces
Search colleagues
Privacy: only share what you want to share, data deleted after 23:59h
LED badges easily identified by different colours
Support team assistance.
For more information click here: AGILE WORKING
Agile working is innovative, different and cost-effective flexible working so workers can choose to work where, when and how they want in a more sociable inter-active office.
Amos Beech is a leading Interior Design, Fit Out and Furniture company based in the Scottish Central Belt. Amos Beech offers the iOt Space solution as an integral part of its Samuel Bruce furniture range or as a retrofit option.
New branding, new website, well new everything!
At Amos Beech we pride ourselves in creating unique interior solutions tailored to the specific needs of the customer. As no customer is the same no interior designed and build by Amos Beech, is a copy paste. In the 27 years of our existence we have seen a tremendous change in the office workplace. The same is the case here at Amos Beech and today we launch our new branding:
Amos Beech branding 3.0
Using a mix of bold colours like purple and magenta combining the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red into harmony and balance, our corporate colour is spontaneous and impulsive, yet resourceful and organised.
Up until today we have used a variant of the colour in our beechnut logo for over 12 years. You can read more about the history of Amos Beech here: History.
CREDITS
Just like creating great office interiors, a re-branding exercise is teamwork. And for this we would like to say a massive THANK YOU to:
the members of the public at Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh and the gardeners of Edinburgh Council
the members of the public on George Square Glasgow and the workmen cleaning the Sir Walter Scott monument who joined us during their coffee break
the management and fishermen of Frandy Fishery that were braving the weather just at the start of the fishing season
Nina James, Val Rennick and Dorien Hartman, family members of the 'actors' Roy, Fiona and Vincent, that were drawn into the production also with hardly any notification or preparation
The 'actors' Roy, Fiona and Vincent for stepping outside their comfortzone into the unknown world and fame of the film industry
Brockwell James for lending his bike to us
Gerry and Jim from Vision Sign & Digital for the great job they did in the manufacture of our 'freestanding' fingerprint beech tree
Ernst Wijnands and Jaco Schuurman of Iris Media, video production company, for their creativity, technical skills and ability to deal with an 'organic production' on short notice
Roné van der Vliet from Catapult creëert, for his graphic design and conceptual skills
For more information on what we do, please click here: Interior Design and Fit Out.