Marsh McLennan
From New York to Tokyo, via London and Amsterdam. Global consultancy firm Marsh McLennan has a presence in 85 countries across the world. In order to present a strong local identity, Nordic light and colours have served as a source of inspiration for the new Oslo office.
Marsh McLennan has established a presence in the district of Skøyen, just outside central Oslo. In recent years, this area has undergone a transformation and been integrated into the urban landscape. Industrial buildings have been replaced by modern offices, bold architecture and busy streets.
“Skøyen is an exciting area that proved a rich source of inspiration for the interior. It is modern and light, and we wanted to reflect that in the interior design. We have worked with light colours, Nordic materials and domestic suppliers. It all ties in with the overall architecture of the building, which conveys a similar impression,” says interior architect Ingeborg Werenskiold from ByIW, and continues:
“Marsh McLennan is a multinational company, and we want this location to reflect the Nordic region in the eyes of visitors from other continents who come here. It features, for instance, large oak frames around the windows overlooking the atrium, inspired by mountain peaks and glaciers, which creates an immediate impression,” says Ingeborg.
Collaborating with Norwegian and Nordic suppliers was a matter of course for the project. Partly to minimise long delivery times, but primarily to continue using local producers.
“We have countless furniture producers in the Nordic region who are skilled at manufacturing using sustainable materials, which is something we advocate. With that in mind, we looked to utilise these valuable resources once again in the project for Marsh McLennan,” says Jonas Bergum, Sales Manager at Input interior.
Attracting employees back to the office has been a challenge for many companies in the past few years. With Marsh McLennan, a vision of creating a homely and reassuring environment was agreed early in the project. This included custom-built bookcases as a recurring feature throughout the office.
“As home offices were the main rival in this case, it was essential to create a homely feel. We made use of bespoke furniture, for one thing, and ensured an airy and open landscape. That’s something I feel is a cohesive element throughout the office,” says Jonas.
Involving the employees in the process was only natural, and Input interior made sure to create the right conditions for this.
“They have been involved in testing and giving their opinions on the interior, and that has been an important factor. We had demo furniture in place for the customer for a period, so they could get a feel for the products. Some of the employees also visited our showroom in Oslo to get an even clearer picture of what we had to offer,” concludes Jonas.