Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Futureproof fitout breathes new life into the business
With the global boom in respiratory care products, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare were forecasting strong growth and knew they needed more space at their East Tāmaki campus. Flexibility and adaptability were essential, given that they didn’t yet know exactly what their future plans would look like.
Designed by Warren & Mahoney with this in mind, the state-of-the-art Daniell Building is the result. Accommodating 700 people, the six-hectare smart building opened to grand fanfare in July 2020, including an appearance by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
But the Daniell Building’s completion was just the first milestone for Vidak, who supplied furniture solutions for its open-plan environment, designed around science laboratories, model shops, cafeterias, manufacturing areas, a large materials warehouse and distribution centre. Three existing buildings would also need refurbishment to align with the new look and feel as well as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s new ways of working.
Ushering in a new era
Recognising that different business units – and individuals – have different needs, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s infrastructure team invested in shared working spaces, technology and dynamic breakout furniture, emphasising function, comfort and aesthetic appeal.
“We want people to come to work and be set up the best they can be,” says Dave Cuff, GM of global facilities and infrastructure. “That will create productivity, the right creative space for us to develop our products and contribute to the business.”
To promote cohesion and collaboration across a very large and complex organisation, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare works in pods, each made up of 80 to 100 people. Given the sheer scale of the fitout – 26 pods across three buildings – Vidak took a pod-based approach to planning and testing, working closely with stakeholders to develop several product bundles. Proposed products were trialled for feasibility on one pod before being rolled out to the wider organisation.
Ergonomic and electronic upgrades
To date, Vidak has fitted out two more buildings, O’Hare and Stewart, with furniture solutions that enhance workplace performance while offering the much-needed flexibility that’s now the norm in these uncertain times. Key among these changes was replacing fixed-height desks with electric sit-to-stand desks, the new ergonomic standard across all Fisher & Paykel Healthcare buildings. Aerial workstations were chosen for their sleek, soft profile and paired with acoustic divide screens and dynamic monitor arms.
Power options were also important, particularly for engineering and testing teams. To accommodate these specialised needs and prevent power surges, Vidak offered a bundle with residual-current device (RCD) desktop power and eight general-purpose outlets. Athena power rails with two GPOs and USB charging were used on standard desks. All bundles included smart cable management for a safe and tidy work area.
Enhanced use of space
Another big change was giving staff a choice between desks with returns and desks without. Historically, all desks had a 90-degree configuration with a return which, at two-by-two metres each, took up a lot more room and placed people further apart, often unnecessarily. Low-profile dividers give each person a measure of privacy while still allowing communication, whereas before, desks were completely exposed.
“By having that flexibility of being able to move furniture around, we can expand and contract and move people around,” says Dave.
Saved floor space has instead been used for breakout areas designed to encourage collaboration and employee wellbeing. Huddle booths, Luca bar leaners, and Focus coffee tables with Myriad soft seating and Brek timber-base chairs give small groups options for informal meetings and catchups.
Marty Matenga, infrastructure project manager, says they’ve had great feedback from their workforce so far. “Everything about the furniture itself is modern. Going forward, this is where we want to be.”