Construction World August 2023

BUILDING

Liberty has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious 2023 CoreNet Global Innovators Awards for their dynamic office redesign. LIBERTY RECEIVES GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR UNIQUE WORKPLACE TRANSFORMATION

T he project focused on creating a hybrid working environment combining the best elements of contemporary office culture, with the flexibility to switch seamlessly between work and home. As companies contended with the evolving world of work globally, Liberty revamped its head office in Braamfontein in central Johannesburg, making it one of the first corporates in South Africa to fully embrace a dedicated hybrid working model environment to allow its employees a healthy working life balance, and to enhance its clients' experience of the company. The nomination is recognition that the transformation competes with global class leading workspaces around the world. "This is an extraordinary honor and the first time an African company has been nominated. It proves that Africa is able to compete with global excellence in leading workplace transformation that is truly world class," says Thiru Pillay, Liberty Managing Executive for Group Real Estate Service (GRES). The 4 th Place Globally there is recognition that traditional workspace

allocation standards are no longer valid and that there is no going back to the way we worked before the pandemic. Over the last few years, '3rd Places' such as coffee shops and other social spaces were trendy, getting the attention and recognition for ensuring productivity outside the office. "To add to the innovation, we named the Campus 'The 4 th Place.' We conceptually branded the space during the project, and the outcome converges home, traditional office and 3 rd places into one," adds Pillay. The concept of the 4 th Place centres on the design of the experience which is underpinned by three pillars; space/ place design, services design and technology design. User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) are the two concepts adopted and entrenched in this new way of managing the facility. The concepts together speak to merging the physical and digital worlds in pursuit of excellence. "Our vision was to transform our offices and future proof for the hybrid world in a manner that manifests both our physical and digital evolution in that we make decisions that are human centred rather than technology centred. We are a company that embraces a human approach enhanced by

30 CONSTRUCTION WORLD AUGUST 2023