An e-mail invitation which arrived out of the blue has resulted in a London based design firm being appointed to design the UK offices of an Indian software company.

Infosys Technologies, which last year became the first India-registered company to be listed on an American stock exchange, provides "offshore-based" IT consulting and software services. It employs over 6,000 people worldwide and has a major presence in the US but has been

operating from serviced offices in Milton Keynes and on client sites in the UK.
Earlier this year Infosys won a £28m, five year contract with supermarket chain Sainsbury's to provide development and maintenance support for finance, human resources, marketing and warehousing applications. On the strength of this business Infosys decided to establish its first European Proximity Development Center in the UK.

According to Neil Hollis, Director of London-based interior architects Axis Design Europe, Infosys sent e-mails to a number of space planning and design firms inviting them to pitch for the design of their new offices: "Of course we said yes! We sent them details of our web site and provided an indicative budget."

Axis was appointed following interviews and the project progressed swiftly with an intensive briefing day, attended by IT and facilities representatives from Infosys, during which the new offices were effectively designed. "There was no time, or need, to present alternative designs," says Neil Hollis.

Since winning the Infosys job, Axis has received two or three other enquiries by e-mail, the result of web searches by overseas clients.

Infosys will be occupying the three top floors of Emerald House, a '60s building in Croydon. In addition to 60 workstations, the 930 sq m offices will include a large conference facility, discussion rooms, private offices and a café/break-out area.

"Infosys are competing for graduates with companies such as Logica," says Hollis, "They wanted a bright, light working environment but a fairly subdued colour pallet."

The software professionals tend to work in relative isolation and will sit in cubicle type workstations with 5ft screens built from a Herman Miller panel system, other furniture is from Vitra. They'll be able to relax at the by now almost obligatory pool table.

Earlier this year Axis was appointed by Citex to design the £2 million fit-out of Daiwa Europe Bank's London headquarters – see illustration.

Design for the reception at the new offices of Daiwa Europe Bank

Richard Byatt

www.axisdesign.co.uk
www.itlinfosys.com