Schlumberger: A culture of innovation
As the world’s leading oilfield services provider, Schlumberger is an innovative company that embraces cutting-edge solutions and a sustainable ethos. For more than 90 years, it has developed technologies that enable customers to extract oil and gas safely, efficiently, and with fewer environmental impacts.
When expanding its operations with a new Technology Center in Pune, India, Schlumberger approached design firm Edifice to create an inspiring open-plan workplace to promote teamwork and collaboration. As in earlier stages of the project, Interface products have been used to create a strong visual identity with impressive sustainable credentials that reflect Schlumberger’s culture and values.
“We believe in trying to exceed expectations,” says Prashant J Sawant, Regional Director at Edifice. “We aim to delight our clients as well as ourselves and we go the extra mile. Invariably, we are proud of the projects that we bring to life.”
Edifice: A sensitive approach
Edifice is one of the largest design firms in India, with a presence in eight cities across the country, over 28 years of experience and more than 1,200 completed projects. The team of leading creative professionals shares a vision of quality design distinguished by a sensitive approach.
The award-winning firm has a strong sustainable philosophy, believing that every project should benefit both its occupants and the environment. It’s a vision shared by Interface, and Edifice has specified Interface products in many of its other high-profile projects, including Barclays, Sterlite, and Eaton.
“Design helps us to understand the world better,” says Sawant. “We create deeply satisfying and nurturing relationships with our clients and always design with love and care.”
Colliers International:
Colliers International is a leading real estate professional services and investment management company. With operations in 68 countries, the team of leading professionals work collaboratively to provide expert advice to maximize the value of property for real estate occupiers, owners and investors.
Product Details: Nimbus
Each floor of the Schlumberger India Technology Centre evokes a particular destination, and Phase I of this project was inspired by a Mediterranean resort. For Phase II of the project, inspiration was found in Rajasthan, a region in the north where Schlumberger has a number of oil rigs.
The design team at Edifice created a mood board featuring the centuries-old sandstone forts and spectacular Thar Desert of Rajasthan. The Interface Concept Design team, led by studio manager Prithwiraj Roy, then suggested the use of the Nimbus carpet tile in a custom colourway to evoke this theme. The project management team at Colliers ensured that health and well-being of Schlumberger’s employees is taken care of in this space.
“We have always given highest priority to its employees’ health and wellbeing hence project revolves around the criteria like selection of low VOC products, Indoor Air Quality, layout, furniture, light, greenery, controls and noise. Interface product contributes to this by have a low VOC product & going a step ahead Interface product are carbon neutral across their full product life cycle & contributes to reducing global warming.”- says Sandeep Ghatage.
“The most critical part of this project was the capability of the Interface Concept Design team to create a custom colour that would meet the expectations of the interior designer’s intent,” says Rohit Tiwari, Head of Marketing & Concept Design at Interface South Asia. “We took inspiration from the warm tones found in sandstone and the sand dunes of Rajasthan to develop the appropriate colour.”
The resulting bespoke Nimbus carpet tiles were used consistently across the floor to create a random field reminiscent of desert sand dunes, punctuated by conference rooms with ornate arches that reflect the architecture of the sandstone forts. The design of each carpet tile is asymmetrical, and the tiles have been placed in an ashlar formation to create a seamless, natural-looking pattern.
“We wanted to use genuinely sustainable products that would closely align with our design inspiration – and Interface’s Nimbus carpet tiles exactly matched our project requirements,” says Sawant. “Interface consistently comes up with new products and each one has a story behind it. This is inspiring and shows that the company continues to innovate and take risks with developing new designs and thus has a huge contribution in the design world.”
“I would recommend using Interface products to other organizations. Interface has a great product range & are always read to match the aggressive project timelines” – says Sandeep Ghatage
Results
The creative capability of the Interface Concept Design Studio was integral in bringing the Rajasthan theme to life with a unique custom colourway. As every Interface product is 100% carbon neutral, the specification of Nimbus also aligned with Schlumberger’s sustainable vision.
By installing 2,355 square metres of Interface flooring, Schlumberger and Edifice have offset 25 metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is the equivalent of the emissions from a car travelling 98,425 kilometres – almost 2.5 times the circumference of the Earth.
“It was a pleasure working with the team from Interface India,” says Sawant. “The end product came out exactly the way we had imagined.”
“Working with Team Interface is always been a great experience. Readiness to take new challenges with respect to customization of design as per the project concept, highest material quality, timely material delivery & most important 24 x 7 customer support is what I like the most about Interface Pune team.” -says Sandeep Ghatage, Project Management Manager, Colliers International.
About Interface
Interface, Inc. is a global commercial flooring company with an integrated collection of carpet tiles and resilient flooring, including luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and nora® rubber flooring. We have been leading the way on reducing carbon emissions for more than two decades and, as a result, Carbon Neutral Floors are standard for all our products globally.
We have moved beyond reducing the carbon produced by manufacturing alone. We now minimise emissions across the entire lifecycle of a product, from raw material extraction to installation, removal and end-of-life stewardship. In doing so, we have reduced the carbon footprint of our products by over 60% – the lowest levels in the industry based on publicly available data.
To reach net-zero carbon on our flooring products, we balance out the remaining carbon emissions with carbon offsets that support renewable energy, fuel switching and reforestation to keep carbon in nature and out of the atmosphere.
The Interface Concept Design team can support architects and designers in finding flooring solutions to achieve their project requirements, through the creation of custom colours, products or mood boards. We believe that creative floor designs can be an impactful way to bring a design vision to life.