OPDC Head Office
The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) is responsible for regenerating 650 hectares including the common land area of Old Oak Common and the industrial Park Royal site in West London. For its head office, OPDC chose economically, environmentally and socially sustainable furniture from Rype Office and Park Royal Open Workshops.
OPDC’s minimalist office is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable
Committed to using their relocation to North Acton to benefit the local economy and the environment, OPDC partnered with Park Royal Open Workshops, a local not-for-profit open workshop supporting local makers and material suppliers, and Rype Office, specialists in remanufacturing high-quality furniture.
POW sourced desk and meeting table designs from Opendesk, an online library of stylish furniture designs, which were produced locally in the POW workshop in Park Royal.
Rype supplied the seating, flip-top tables, credenzas and occasional tables – including Vitra Softshell and Vitra Visasis 2 chairs. The desk chairs had a previous life in the Citizens Advice Bureau’s London office, and the meeting chairs were from the offices of a global energy company. Each piece was expertly remanufactured to as-new condition. 97% of the furniture supplied by Rype was second life.
OPDC chose bespoke colours to create a unique design, for which remanufacturing is ideally suited. As each piece is remade, any colour can be chosen for powder coating and upholstery.
Fabrics were Camira Oceanic, made from recycled ocean plastic waste, and Camira Xtreme and X2 ranges, which are 100% recycled post-consumer waste.
All the furniture supplied by Rype can be remanufactured for future use.
OPDC purchased 185 items of remanufactured furniture. This saved 6,700 kg CO2e carbon emissions, gave 2,500 kg of furniture a second life avoiding waste and decreased demand on the world’s natural resources, as well as saving significant costs.
The furniture budget supported local businesses, sustainability and the circular economy. Because the remanufactured items were significantly more affordable than the same items made new, OPDC was able to invest in locally crafted and visually distinctive tables and desks.
Rype Office offers a fully circular system for office furniture saving otherwise lost economic and environmental value. Giving furniture multiple lives avoids replacement costs, embodied carbon emissions and waste, better utilises our world’s resources and creates local jobs. Modern remanufacturing techniques and technologies enable furniture to be returned to new condition, ensuring there is no compromise on quality.