Away Resorts

Away Resorts – holiday park operator with over 20 sites across the UK – required a new workplace environment and a new platform for growth, providing their creative team with an inspiring environment where they can thrive.

Our client approached their move to their new Hemel Hempstead location as an opportunity to promote the feeling of excitement, optimism, and discovery back to their workplace, seeking a clever intervention that would personalise the standard office floorplate and offer a space they could identify with. To help bring this essence to life, the project’s concept was derived from Away Resorts’ three core values: Attentive, Amazing, Lovers.

With a mission to expand its footprint across the UK, this new workplace environment would future-proof Away Resorts’ property strategy and reinforce their brand and culture in the built environment.

With aspirations to retain and attract the best talent, encourage more collaboration across departments and promote a greater sense of identity and community, our concept intertwines a variety of spaces. Showcase Areas, to support socialisation and exhibition; Community Space for people to come together and collaborate; and Wellbeing Space with breakout areas and alcove retreats.

As a connector of people and places, Away Resorts’ overall design scheme focuses on connections and community. The open-plan workspace – nicknamed ‘the village’ – breaks out into individual team neighbourhoods, collaboration areas and town hall space. Both open-plan and more intimate settings, as well as different workstyles can be supported – from shared tables, to lounge spaces and private booths. The multifunctional ‘breakaway’ is an adaptable space where people can meet, collaborate, socialise and relax. A mix of café and tiered seating styles offer an informal setting to be used throughout the day, and the large central island creates a great gathering spot.

Flexibility as a solution sits at the heart of this workplace with a variety of workspaces, meeting rooms, soft seating options, booths and focus areas – giving Away Resorts’ ‘holiday heroes’ the choice and flexibility to do their best work. A central ‘roundabout’ is designed to encourage a moment of pause – a shift in direction – over a more direct linear typology.

The exterior and holiday park atmosphere is expressed through the choice of materials and a colourful palette, with finishes representative of those within the Away Resorts’ portfolio of lodges and restaurants. The use of a few bright colours allows the natural materials and the rich graphic elements to stand out and, emphasising the sense of the outdoors and a multicultural environment.