Ascend Coworking
All Case StudiesTransforming The Pentagon Centre into a State of the art Co-working Space
Medway Council appointed Form to transform the top floor of the Pentagon Shopping Centre into a state of the art co-working space. The project involved converting 14 existing retail units into four well defined co-working zones. The brief was to design & build a modern and optimised space that maximises flexibility, fosters collaboration, and adheres to high standards of sustainability and functionality.
This co-working hub is designed to provide a vibrant, flexible base for SMEs, entrepreneurs, and freelancers, offering an inspiring and adaptable environment that supports innovation, productivity, and business growth. The scheme also includes incubator space for high tech businesses and an AI hub to promote emerging technologies and attract the brightest minds to Medway
Extremely adaptable, flexible, professional and helpful from pre-tender stage to defect period.
Sean Henry Medway Council
How we did it
The Pentagon Shopping Centre is a 1970’s concrete frame building that presented many challenges when building the new Innovation Hub. The space was stripped back to shell and core and an extensive amount of remedial work was carried out before the fit out could begin. Existing brick and block walls were removed and old openings to the service road were sensitively infilled with brickwork matching the original 1970’s build. All screeding was removed from the fourteen separate spaces and a homogenous flow screed laid across the space.
New high performance drywall partitions were built along with glazed partitions and timber doors with wireless access control. Exposed services were meticulously coordinated and installed on the painted concrete soffits providing the high efficiency heating and cooling together with a low energy intelligent lighting and controls system. A new high performance wireless fire alarm system was installed that was seamlessly integrated with the centre’s existing system along with a new sprinkler installation providing excellent fire safety for future occupants.
New double glazed shopfronts were installed across the entire scheme providing a clean modern frontage and a mix of high performance LVT flooring and heavy duty carpet tiles were fitted
providing a long lasting hard wearing finish to the new space. The project was finished off with the installation of modern, high quality furniture including fitted kitchens, tea points, desks and task seating along with soft furnishings to the collaboration space.
Sustainable Delivery
Sustainability was integral to the project’s success. We aligned our approach with Medway Council’s environmental objectives, implementing measures to minimise carbon impact. Where possible, we repurposed materials, significantly reducing waste and lowering the project’s carbon footprint. Energy efficiency was prioritised through the use of LED lighting and smart building systems. Additionally, our focus on precise construction planning minimised emissions related to transportation and resource usage, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly project delivery.
