Future-proofing training spaces – A bold collaboration with Bombardier  

A new emblem and colour scheme are not the only things turning heads at the Bombardier HQ in Biggin Hill. As a demonstration of their commitment to staff development, a comprehensive rehauling of their training centre was planned and executed with minimum disruption and maximum impact. Recognised market leaders in the field of business aviation, Bombardier shares with Benham and Reeves an ethos that accepts no compromises when it comes to both client service and workplace appeal.

This led them to collaborate with us in their quest to reflect these objectives company-wide, and we subsequently enlisted the services of our design partners InStyle Direct. Reimagining the interiors of the Bombardier training centre was considered a core component of the organisation’s drive towards a bigger and brighter future. As our sister company, InStyle Direct designed and installed rooms that spoke directly to the company’s forward-thinking image.

Interior design that speaks of future potential

The refresh goes way beneath the surface veneer of corporate logos or slogans (which were incorporated into the design of course). The design is centred around Bombardier’s historic involvement in the breaking of the sound barrier at the dawn of the jet age. Mach 1.0 is the speed of sound which was one of the major frontiers that jet aircraft were designed to explore and surpass. It is represented in pictorial form throughout the company’s assets and represents dynamism and drive. Bombardier required that this be both the basis and the inspiration behind any realignment.

Together with InStyle Direct, we undertook a mission to refurbish the two main training rooms at the Biggin Hill facility, a task which involved both creativity and focus. Bombardier’s training aims to promote cohesiveness and inter-team communication, so our first suggestions involved plans that opened up the various spaces and helped personnel to connect and contribute. Colour palettes were corporate, yet friendly and inviting and were contrasted by aviation-themed artwork and patterns.

Training environments that nurture talent

Even though Bombardier operates in a market where technical sophistication is front and centre, they are still a customer-facing operation. With this in mind, we used warm, subtle tones that impart a sense of well-ordered calm. Upgrading the furniture and incorporating judiciously chosen accessories also helped to give the offices a lift. Meeting rooms can be cold and sterile, but for long training sessions, an emphasis on learning and progress needs to be tempered with an atmosphere of comfort and reflection. Ideas come to fruition when the mind is rested and in harmony with its surroundings.

Meeting challenging deadlines? All in a day’s work

As a rule, training sessions are block-booked with very tight turnaround times and the completion window for this project needed to be particularly speedy. Fortunately, both we and our design collaborators have long track records of delivering on time and our various teams were well prepared. A short holiday period was all that was needed in order to consult the client, source the materials and effect a quick and frictionless installation. The result is a series of interconnected learning spaces that not only encourages but also celebrates improvement on both a personal and organisational level.

Designing for a successful future

Reimagining Bombardier’s training centre has allowed us to demonstrate what we have always believed: That you can project a brand narrative through design just as effectively as through words. Allowing a training space to remind engineers of their company’s heritage helps instil a sense of purpose and pride that will propel a company on to higher levels of achievement. Our Agile project management allows these outcomes to be delivered, no matter what time constraints are imposed, and the success of this particular project has laid the foundation for future collaborations with Bombardier.

For more about this project’s success, please look at InStyle Direct’s Bombardier success story and blog.

If you’re planning to realign your commercial space in order to mirror your organisation’s refreshed direction, do
get in touch. We and our sister company, InStyle Direct, are ready to provide solutions that meet your operational requirements, sharpen your brand’s profile and help you keep ahead of your competition.