RA International Office, Kenya

RA International is one of Africa’s leading remote site service providers. They offer everything from facilities management to camp construction and supply chain services for clients operating in the world’s most challenging environments. Moving from an old office space into a new location, the company required an office space that spoke of who they are and what they do, to the many industries they service. The single non-negotiable was to have a central meeting room that mimicked the containers RA use for their remote construction sites.

The designers used this as a starting point to structure the whole office space plan. The central island meeting space was accented and highlighted by raising it up on a platform and incorporating alcove lighting. Glassed on two sides, it made this central island visually lighter, and made users in the space feel like they are on stage in the middle of the office. Materials like OSB board, black glass and exposed cable trays in the ceilings reinforced the impression of raw construction that RA are involved in. The lattice box, floor to ceiling screens were used not only to divide various sections of the office, but also to display artefacts from the many countries that RA are present in.