Cost savings by creating space

Situation
The FCO owns and leases a number of buildings in Paris. With leases on two buildings ending, it offered the opportunity to review accommodation arrangements with a view to saving long-term costs.

Solution
We were able to redesign the layout in two buildings in Paris already owned and occupied by UK government staff, to increase their capacity. We then managed all the works required to convert and refurbish one of these, a three-storey building, to create additional internal space and bring FCO consular and UKB A visa operations under the same roof.  

In a complementary project at the British Embassy, the other building occupied by the FCO in Paris, we designed and managed the provision of new open plan offices for the UK delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, previously housed in one of the leased buildings.

Impact
By making the best use of office space moving staff and operations out of two rented buildings, the FCO were able to give up the leases on both properties and generate cost savings as a result.