Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI)

The Space team were asked by the School of Geoscience to upgrade their concourse area within the ECCI building, High School Yards, with some new breakout furniture.

The area is used a lot by staff, students and external visitors and forms the heart of the building. A key element was to focus on sustainability through the furniture choices and finishes to support the ethos of the main building users and tie in with the existing interior finishes. 

Key design features

  • The frame of the modular curved sofa is made from bamboo which takes around 4 years to grow and uses about a third less water than oak. Whilst the upholstery fabric is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester
  • The stools are made from cork which is one of the most sustainable resources on the planet
  • The coffee tabletops are made from recycled refrigerators
  • Laptop tables made from solid ash
  • The new moss feature wall made up of 6 panels is a 100% natural product. Moss walls help cleanse the air and fight air pollution, while also helping with acoustics
  • The new table for the existing seating area at the entrance was created using a table that was being removed from another space and was wrapped with a new vinyl covering to give it a new lease of life
  • Two new acoustic call pods were installed to give users a private place to take phone or video calls, these were designed with a timber look cladding to tie in with the architecture of the building
  • Addition of some large real plants to bring some greenery and outdoors into the communal space.

The Team

Design Team: University of Edinburgh Space Team  

Structural Engineer: Structural Design Consultants (SDC) 

Moss wall: Benholm  

Furniture suppliers: Langstane (pods) and Claremont