Pictured above: (l-r) David Street, Mazars; Stephen Lewis, Mazars; Giles Darby, Kanvas Interiors

Willmott Dixon's interior design-and-build consultancy Kanvas has transformed the working environment at the new office of one of Birmingham's largest accountancy firms.

Mazars, which previously had 130 staff and 13 partners in two separate offices in Birmingham and Dudley, has relocated to the heart of the city's business district at 45 Church Street, occupying the entire 10th floor and roof terrace.

Talking about their new office layout, Mazars managing partner David Chapman said, "Kanvas undertook what was a demanding and ever-changing brief in a creative and focused way, regularly challenging and questioning our requirements. 

"Our new office provides us with the most efficient use of our space as well as creating an impressive look and feel for our clients and a good working environment for our team. Creating a flexible office where our teams can thrive and work closely with colleagues is exactly what we wanted."

The Kanvas brief was to create an innovative environment that embraces new ways of working for the firm including a largely open plan office area, hot desking area, and flexible 'hot' offices for visiting staff and clients.  

Giles Darby of Kanvas said: "Mazars staff had been used to having their own offices in fairly traditional surroundings, so this was quite an emotional as well as a physical challenge to embrace. This cultural change towards less offices and more open space was an important transition to make and we've been very pleased with how they have embraced it." 

"We worked with Mazars to provide a flexible space including specially designed folding walls which then create board rooms, meeting rooms and seminar locations. This has maximised the efficiency of space available as there is no point having an empty board room when the area can be used for other purposes."

"Offering a 'one stop shop' workplace consultancy and build service, we ensured a fast, cost effective process from building appraisals and initial concept through to full delivery and furniture solution," Giles added.

Kanvas Interiors has undertaken numerous turn-key projects for other high profile office schemes including the Big Lottery Fund, Sharp, Bird & Bird and Cemex.