A low-carbon office for Schneider Electric in Edinburgh Park
Schneider Electric’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all, to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. It is therefore no surprise that they’ve decided to settle for 1 New Park Square in Edinburgh Park. This brand new office building is designed by architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and was completed in 2022. It achieved a BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings.
The building has an all-electric infrastructure with green energy, and bio-solar photovoltaic arrays. The building also features full fresh air displacement ventilation, thermal mass cooling, and smart facades. It has won multiple awards, including the Concrete Society Awards, AJ Awards for Best Workplace, and a BCO Scotland Award. It is an exceptional building using high quality finishes and attention to detail throughout.
Schneider Electric selected this building as their new home and then approached design companies with a view to delivering a fit-out that reflected their brand, values and staff welfare.
Amos Beech successfully tendered and won the Design project and then, working closely with multiple stakeholders including Project Managers, Landlords Agents, Building Manager and of course Schneider Property personnel, we completed a comprehensive build-out of their office.
Emphasis was placed on the use of sustainable finishes and products as well as creating an environment that draws people back to the office and is definitely in the realm of ‘placemaking’. The open plan office layout enhances employee’s creativity, boost collaboration and encourages innovation. To control noise pollution, acoustic solutions have been embedded in the design to be bring it down to comfortable levels for everyone.
Another significant draw has to be the bakery on the ground floor at New Park Square: It’s called Patina Bakery. Patina is more than just a bakery; it's a bakery, restaurant, bar, and event space. Beautiful food in a beautiful building!
Published: 14 August 2025
Text: Sam James
Office refurbishment for Cullen Property
The client first approached Amos Beech in Summer 2024 when a feasibility study was completed for a potential new office for the team in Edinburgh. After which the decision was made to extend their lease on their current basement and ground floor premises and refurbish this space to create an improved workplace environment for the staff.
The ground floor was improved to comprise two working office spaces along with a new quiet room/office and welcome area. Previously as there was no reception, visitors often wandered into the main office unsure where to wait. We created a small sofa/coffee table zone as a waiting area and enhanced this small but high space by painting the ceiling and upper walls out a soft, dark blue. This had the effect of creating a more comfortable calm space which was furnished with halo feature lighting.
The importance of the Cullen Property brand was highlighted with a new back lit logo and the colours used throughout the space, a mix of warm, muted versions of blues, reds and golds.
The quiet room/office was previously a meeting space but with limited natural light and it being another small but high-ceilinged space it wasn’t a comfortable place to be. We again played on this and painted the ceiling and upper walls and lowered the lighting creating a more intimate atmosphere with floor lamps to soften the focus. This room can be used as an office, quiet room or for small meetings and 1-2-1s.
Painted ceilings and linear LED lights
In the office spaces we continued the theme and painted out ceilings and upper walls but in a warm grey tone. This adds the comfort of a lowered ceiling without being too dark and linear LED lights replaced old reflector light panels to make these spaces more suitable for concentrated work. The lights were placed at angles to mimic the organic shapes of the desks and add interest to these spaces.
The teams come together in ‘Trios’ to look after various property portfolios across the City of Edinburgh. This way of working became a focus when selecting the new furniture and organic shaped 120-degree workstations were proposed. This meant Trios sit together as a group, facing each other which works as a practical solution to how the teams operate and allows for better social communication.
Under desk pedestals were replaced with lockers to allow flexible desk positioning which suits the team’s hybrid working model. The lockers have integrated planters to introduce biophilia to the space. Quality replica plants allow the motivational and productivity benefits from greenery without the difficulty of care and allergens.
The basement level was reconfigured to create a new open plan galley kitchen, one working office space and one multi-use collaboration space. The new kitchen allows more space for food/drinks preparation and makes this area feel much larger than before.
The multi-use space is separated into zones with clever use of furniture. One large meeting table sits at the back of the room almost hidden from view by high back sofas which create another breakout/meeting area. Another round table doubles up for meetings or lunchtime dining. The aim was to give the team a space away from their desk that can be utilised in a variety of ways. The colours in this space reflect the reception and quiet room above which defines them as different from the main workspaces.
Overall, with intelligent furniture and colour choices the Cullen Property office has been transformed and feels like a different space. The way a space feels is about more than aesthetics; it’s also about atmosphere. Changing the lighting can boost mood and productivity in one area and soften other areas, while carefully chosen colour palettes can enhance brand whilst energising or calming depending on the task at hand. Strike the balance right and you have a workplace that staff are happy to be a part of and the company can be proud of.
Published: 15 April 2025
Text: Deborah McAulay
From two floors to a single modern working environment for the Scottish Refugee Council
The Scottish Refugee Council is Scotland’s national refugee charity, working since 1985 to support people who have fled war, conflict, and persecution. Their mission is to help refugees rebuild their lives in Scotland with dignity and hope. The organisation offers advice and support services, promotes integration into local communities, and advocates for a fairer asylum system. At the heart of their work is a commitment to human rights, inclusion, and empowerment for people seeking safety.
A welcoming and functional environment for the individuals and families they support.
Following a lease event, the Scottish Refugee Council made the strategic decision to downsize from two floors to a single 5,500sq ft space. Amos Beech was appointed to lead the design, refurbishment, and furnishing of the new workspace. The project brief included the creation of a refugee and customer facing reception, as well as an office space to bring together all the charity's operational teams.
The new floorplate split into two defined spaces. A welcoming greeting space for the refugees, and their families, with separate meeting rooms, including a family room. As well as separated seating zones, a 4-person meeting booth was included to allow refugees to fill in online forms and as an additional meeting space for staff to use. A team table with planting was introduced to give form filling space and allowed some greenery to be brought into the internal space. Each room was colour coded using Scottish Refugee’s Brand colours and these were mixed on meeting chair seat pads for the large Boardroom. The space also had to support the many complexities around security and health & safety of both refugees and staff.
The new floorplate split into two defined spaces
The open plan office brought together all the teams into one area and included support spaces such as meeting rooms, a quiet room with soft seating, a staff tea point area with high backed seating to provide a break-out space and additional meeting / video conference call spaces away from the desks. Open grid storage was provided again facilitating the introduction of plants. Rather than under desk pedestals each member of staff was given a locker for their own personal use. Again, the Brand was reflected in the interiors using different colours of upholstery and carpet tiles, as well as highlighting each column.
Key Elements of the Project
Detailed Space Planning and Interior Design: with reduced square footage, careful and collaborative space planning was essential.
Interior Fit-Out: the space was reconfigured to include modern partitioning, flooring and up to date lighting.
Furniture Supply and Installation: Amos Beech provided furniture including workstations, task chairs, a meeting pod, and breakout furniture.
Branding and Signage: the organisation’s brand identity was integrated into the physical space through colour palette choices creating a strong sense of place.
The finished project was a true transformation and provided staff with the modern working environment.
Published: 15 April 2025
Text & Photography: The Amos Beech Team