Design Partnership was entrusted with the upgrade of the employee canteen at Standard Bank Head Office in Rosebank, a leading financial institution offering banking and financial services across Africa and beyond. The objective was to create a standout destination among the numerous hospitality brands nearby. By revitalizing the canteen, the aim was to support the transformation of the lobby into a dynamic space that fosters meaningful interactions both internally and externally.
The design approach was guided by the understanding that the workplace is evolving into a new form of retail. It recognizes that the workplace environment should go beyond traditional office and desk design, prioritizing exceptional work experiences within a well-crafted setting. The upgraded Standard Bank Canteen in Rosebank reflects this vision.
The space and services were meticulously designed to cater to the changing needs of users throughout the day, seamlessly transitioning from morning coffee to lunch and after-work drinks. The design concept ensures a fluid and integrated experience, avoiding rigid segmentation. The overarching goal is to provide a great work environment that enhances productivity and promotes engagement. By embracing the idea that the workplace is the new retail, Design Partnership has created a canteen that offers a truly exceptional and enjoyable experience for Standard Bank employees.
Our studio specializes in design for behaviour.
We have done so for almost 30 years and in this time we have learned a tremendous amount about how people behave naturally and instinctively within these social environments. We have learned the hard way that in order to design successful venues, we needed to place predictive human behaviour at the heart of what we do. We capture succinctly how most people behave most of the time in order to design spaces for the most joy and ultimately the most success. This assists us in capturing the spirit of place.