There are a lot of advantages to open-plan office environments so long as the space is designed in the right way, with one eye on acoustics. Simon Boocock, Managing Director of CRL, looks at the benefits and possible solutions for creating a harmonious open-plan environment.

As one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, Oman has transformed in just five decades from an underdeveloped Bedouin country to a modern state. Today, the Sultanate in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula is considered the safest country in the Middle East and, as such, is becoming an ever-more attractive destination for business and leisure travel. In order to keep pace with the rapid growth that this has brought about, the Gulf State is investing billions in expanding its airport infrastructure.

Built in 1938 and protected by Concrete Blast Walls, Bawdsey Radar Station was the world’s first operational radar station. The walls had decayed steadily since the building was vacated in 1991, leaving the top layer of reinforcement exposed to the elements.

When refurbishing commercial interiors, it is important to consider what shapes will suit the personalities of those utilising the space. This is where the concept of semiotics and the art of interpreting different shapes and symbols is key, as David Bigland, Managing Director for Moduleo UK and Eire, explains.

Natural building materials used thousands of years ago are growing in popularity today. The most dramatic are marble and terrazzo and it is very easy to see why these high-performance, aesthetically-led products are still so popular and specification demand for them is escalating.

Market-leading, moveable wall specialist Style, has scooped the top accolade in the FIS Contractors awards for the ninth time.

Style has helped transform the London offices of worldwide financial derivatives trading company, IG Group, by designing and installing numerous wall panels that slide and spin across an open space to create informal, collaborative meeting spaces for groups of anything from two to twenty people. Further increasing functionality, both sides of the panels act as magnetic writeable white-boards which can be swivelled round to share ideas with other groups, effectively bringing them into the discussion.