Moorewood Centre Bedford
Moorewood Centre is a new large-scale refurbishment transforming a former brewery and logistics site into flexible warehouse and office space. Working with AJA Architects LLP (Coventry), Johnson Tiles supplied the wall and floor tiles specified throughout the reception, offices, amenity and breakout areas. The tiles were carefully chosen to support the project's sustainability credentials and high-end material palette.
Originally home to the Well Young Brewery and more recently occupied by DHL, the building has been redeveloped while retaining its main shell. The project targeted BREEAM criteria to demonstrate strong environmental credentials and so selecting products with recycled content was an important consideration. The tile specification was developed in consultation with Johnson Tiles to support that goal.
Although a refurbishment, the scheme was approached as a design and build project with a neutral colour palette to appeal to a broad range of future occupiers. Pairing warm-toned ceramic and porcelain tiles with real walnut veneer interior wood finishes and quartz worktops to the kitchenette and toilets, results in a considered and elevated feel throughout.
Our Contour White Stone tiles, in a 300x75mm format, were specified across feature wall areas, where the range’s three-dimensional structuring, transitional and full strip options create a sense of movement. In the reception and office spaces, Imperial Pumice tiles were used underfoot in a large 600x600mm format, offering an unglazed porcelain finish with a realistic flecked appearance that echoes natural stone. Marco tiles in Cement, in a 600x600mm format with a Grip finish and PTV 36+ slip resistance rating, were installed in the shower and toilet areas to meet building control requirements around slip safety.
"We needed tiles with recycled content to support our BREEAM targets but they also had to feel highend enough to sit alongside the walnut interior finishes we'd chosen. Johnson Tiles gave us exactly that balance, warm beige and brown tones that felt considered and premium while still meeting the slip resistance we needed in the shower and toilet areas. It meant we didn't have to compromise between sustainability, style and practicality which made them the right fit for the whole scheme," said Samantha Ashdown and Kiera Timms, Interior Designers at AJA Architects LLP (Coventry).
The building has been converted into warehouse space with attached open-plan office areas across the ground and first floors, kitchenette facilities, outdoor gym equipment and seating, plus ground floor shower and changing areas. Part of the ground floor has been intentionally left unfinished, allowing a future occupier to customise the space for a canteen, gym or additional office use. The result is a flexible, sustainability-focused scheme that balances practicality with a considered material palette, ready to adapt to a range of future occupiers.
Project credits:
Architect: AJA Architects LLP [Coventry]
Chartered Surveyors: Helme and Partners
Tile Contractors: R Richmond Ceramics
Client/Agent: CBRE
Photography credits: The Image Factory
