PWC London - Embankment

PwC’s meeting rooms have been designed to create a more relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, less like the conventional boardroom environment. Each meeting room contains a different colour scheme, complete with plush carpeting and transitional lighting to create a less formal yet more refined aesthetic. Ceiling system SAS330 was chosen due to it’s highly versatile and premium finish. Offering service integration details sympathetic to the overall concept, SAS330 combines beautiful design with high acoustic performance in equal measure.

Just around the corner from the meeting rooms, you enter the innovation space and are immediately struck by the dazzling ‘Frontier’ block. This is one of the main features of this area and can be likened to a ‘jewellery box’ with it’s specialist architectural metalwork that frames each of the twinkling backlit wall panels and entrances. The centre of the Frontier block houses SAS900 Polynode, the first of its kind in a commercial office space, with it’s undulating asymmetrical 3D structure. This aesthetic compliments the aural design of the space. The multi-faceted structure of the triangular Polynode provides acoustic diffusion by fragmenting the sound and reducing intelligibility of distant conversations. This scattering, combined with absorption, results in a space that is the perfect balance of sound - not overly quiet yet still allowing people who are close in distance to communicate clearly without being flooded by other conversations. This type of space is ideal for networking, as it creates an acoustic landscape with a gentle buzz, as well as minimal distinct sound and no echoes.

Continuing on past the Frontier block is the café area, where SAS130 mesh has been installed in a floating raft to separate the spaces. This is a suspended metal ceiling system with lay-in modular tiles and exposed grid, allowing easy access to the ceiling void to maintain services.

The final stop is the cinema room. This area has been specially designed to inspire augmented and virtual reality innovation, providing users with the most up-to-date and immersive technology. It also contains one of the first SAS330 Open Grid installations providing third party service integration and allowing access to electricals, speakers, lights and more. This ceiling system also provides an edgy, industrial and futuristic aesthetic. EL60 perforations were added to the design as an economical alternative to mesh, the open pattern achieved using large 19.75mm ovals in a diagonal formation, achieving contemporary design aesthetics.

SAS International designed and manufactured the unique ceiling systems and wall panelling in collaboration with BDP and Vinstrata. Hemax Ceilings Ltd, the subcontractor on this project, also worked collaboratively alongside SAS. The project required specialised support and expert knowledge of working with bespoke systems, both of which Hemax were able to provide.

PwC ranks as the second-largest professional services network in the world, helping organisations and individuals build trust by delivering quality in Assurance, Tax and Advisory services. They are considered one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, with offices in over 155 countries. A regular client for SAS International, they chose SAS for the product quality and knowledge the technical team are guaranteed to provide. The project entailed an innovation floor fit-out within PwC’s large and prominent office building on the banks of the river Thames. A range of SAS systems were installed throughout the office building to suit the requirements of the individual spaces.

The project was completed in June 2021.