Convert Floors 5-7 from hotel rooms to multifunctional office space with hot-desking as a rental option. Office space to include natural light, smart office technology, biophilic design (plants, living walls), and hybrid working arrangements for flexibility.
Arrival from new lift stops (floors 5-7) into foyer
- Create new lift landing space and foyer by moving the executive office node with reception and boardroom to 7t h floor north wing
Private executive office space
- Reception & foyer
- Management office space
- Personal assistant office
- Executive office
- Executive boardroom
- Conference floor 8 storeroom: conference furniture and equipment storage
Office spaces leading from the foyer
- Boardrooms 1 and 2
- Multifunctional open plan office space for hot-desking
- Office area to let will be flexible design to suit particular tenant needs
- Employee breakaway room and kitchenette
- New centralised toilet block (ladies and men)
Floor 8 La Falaise AKWA conference facility is a well-known and popular conference venue in Douala. The client seeks an upgrade that will promote productivity, privacy, collaboration, and convenience. Address the following aspects:
- Noise reduction and acoustics
- Good acoustics (choice of floor & wall finishes) and increased sound clarity
- Take advantage of wireless presentation, video conferencing (for remote connection) and collaborative whiteboarding
- Good technology integration that minimises clutter and sufficient electrical sockets for conference patrons
- Incorporate elements that promote well-being like standing desks, stools, and bar-height desks
- Glassed-in conference rooms have a chic and unique aesthetic
- Comfort encourages productivity; an uncomfortable conference guest can be easily distracted
- Room layouts will be determined by team size, allowing for optimum flexibility
- Clear signage
- An elegant environment that promotes collaboration; an inclusive place for everyone to share and enjoy
Design concept
- Raise ceilings to expose full window height on the building perimeter (top part of windows currently above ceiling level)
- Introduce new colour scheme that promotes elegance and tranquillity
- Introduce uniform drop-down blinds for sun and light control
- Re-work ramp & balustrade at lifts in Hall d’accueil (lobby) for ease of access into the lobby
- Paint walls in shades of grey and charcoal, introduce accent walls with wallpaper
- Install new vinyl floor tiles (with acoustic properties) over existing ceramic floor tiles; no demolition and carting away required
- Demolish existing toilets and centralise a new toilet block; retain dumbwaiter and access panel to roof space
- Introduce new drywalls and soundproof internal stacking/sliding doors to match the new floor -toceiling height
- Re-use existing doors where possible
- Retain existing furniture (still in good condition) and consider new removable covers to match the new colour scheme
- Do an inventory of existing AV equipment and decide if any new equipment is required. This can be acquired in stages
Flow
- Arrival at observation lifts on floor 8 and move Hall d’accueil (lobby) where meals, coffee, and tea is served
- Progression from Hall d’accueil to the conference rooms
- Demolish existing toilets and introduce new centralised toilet block (ladies and men) for use by all conference rooms
- Introduce new circulation spine that leads past new toilet block (with lobby), Salon “TOULA ”, Salon “KOTCHA”, and Salon “MONT CAMEROUN”
- Salon “TOULA” is mainly used to serve meals, coffee and tea & can be used as an additional space to enlarge Salon “KOTCHA” or Salon “MONT CAMEROUN”
- Install glazing walls to separate Salon “TOULA” from the new circulation node
- Salon “KOTCHA” is often used as an extension of Salon “MONT CAMEROUN”
- Flexible conference room seating arrangements to accommodate users’ needs and functions
Boardroom names Salon “BAKASSA”: Bakassa is the home village of Pascal Monkam (1929-2021), founder of the La Falaise Group.
Salon “MONT CAMEROUN”: Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in the south-west region of Cameroon. Also known as FAKO or Mongo ma Ndemi (Mountain of Greatness), it is the highest mountain peak in central Africa.
Salon “KOTCHA”: Kotcha forms the south-east part of the Bakassa village. This rich sector consists of fertile land where crops of all kinds grow in abundance and wildlife and game flourish. The Tamkocha forest is in this area.
Salon “TOULA”: Toula is the district of Bakassa where the home of Pascal Monkam is situated.
