At the heart of the University of Liverpool lies its renowned ‘Research Connected Curricula,’ encouraging practical and engaging teachings amongst its lively campus of 22,000 individuals. When Showcase PSR won the bid to handle numerous projects for the university, the team was excited to merge their talents for creating captivating learning spaces with the university’s hands-on approach to teaching. As a result, various credible suppliers were chosen to enhance innovation throughout faculty areas.

Scope & Services

The client was committed to adhering to the budget, and PSR was confident in delivering exceptional results while staying within the specified constraints. With a total value of £75,000, the scope of works encompassed various tasks, with £40,000 appointed to the creation and installation of a new staff breakout space within the University’s Waterhouse Building. The building, erected in the early 1900s, holds an esteemed position on campus. The PSR team was eager to match the furniture finishes and aesthetics with the building’s characteristic fabrics and vibrant hues, ensuring a tasteful blend of traditional and contemporary.

Central to the furniture selection process was the theme of collaboration, encouraging a departure from the mundane ‘desk lunch’. What emerged was a dynamic environment, tailored to empower staff with lively areas for eating and meeting. True to the theme, Showcase PSR introduced sleek 2 and 4-person booths throughout the corridor, easing seamless interaction—be it virtual or face-to-face. These booths, resembling roofed dens, provide acoustic solutions to counteract noise in busy corridors, encouraging productivity and concentration. Sourcing furniture from Connection, JDD, and Identity Furniture, the Showcase PSR team orchestrated the perfect breakout space.

The remaining £35,000 of the budget was allocated to perfect the new Science & Engineering block on campus, housed within the Chadwick Building. This area was tailored to supply diverse meeting spaces and open work areas for faculty members, incorporating bespoke furniture, including clusters of desks accommodating 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 individuals, complemented by task chairs and round meeting tables perfect for private discussions. Given the prevalence of on-desk IT setups, Showcase PSR prioritised a tidy cabling solution for the client on campus, preventing any clutter beneath desks.

Challenges Overcome

The most challenging hurdle in the installation of the Waterhouse breakout space was manoeuvring the large booths into the building. Showcase PSR executed their routine pre-site survey and prevented any mishaps by liaising with their supply chain partners to ensure suitable disassembly for transportation through lifts, corridors, and upper floors.

Success Points

All furniture was delivered to PSR’s local Chorley Warehouse, to a receptive team who managed the installation, being based just 45 minutes from the site. Despite stringent on-site timelines, Showcase PSR efficiently navigated the challenge of installing furniture amidst the ongoing work of the principal contractor, employing phased installation strategies to ensure the integrity of each piece and deliver a prompt and successful handover to the University of Liverpool.