ABSTRACT
The Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) story is an interesting one, not least because of how far they have travelled in recent years in terms of reform and modernisation. In the workplace sense, little investment had been made to Government stock until recent years, revealing 'time-warp' office scenarios, often uncomfortable, unfit for purpose, highly hierarchical but, nevertheless, apparently loved by occupants not wanting to move on from the comfort of such familiarity. Clare House in Belfast is a modern, three storey open-plan offices, with an after-build central atrium created to further open up the office and improve the vertical connectivity within the building. The central areas have become the focus of new break-out spaces, with a Starbucks coffee area providing a central hub for informal social and business interaction at ground floor level. New space and storage standards, modular furniture solutions and shared local facility areas support staff of all grades to operate together in this new open working environment.
