Robinson Jackson, Ebbsfleet

The brief:

Robinson Jackson wanted to establish itself as the go-to estate agency in a brand new garden city. Seeing the potential to service a growing community and build a loyal client base who would be moving within the same area time and time again, the aim was to create a welcoming environment that felt more like a home advice hub than a sterile office.

Our approach:

The space was part of a brand new, mixed-use building, therefore MPL’s first job was to work with the estate manager, building control and the local planners, with MPL successfully securing the required development permissions, including advertising consent for the exterior signage.

An open - and closed - case

Our space planning revolved around the clients’ desire to section the open space into zones. A large front-of-house is the dominant area, with an open back, full-height storage unit separating a public waiting area and the agents’ desk area. There’s also a visible private office – created using new stud partition walls and glass panels – but there’s also a hidden area. A newly-created staff kitchen, cloakroom and server storage is virtually undetectable when the door is shut, thanks to wooden slatting that’s applied along the wall and carried seamlessly over the door.

Brand manifestation

The client was keen for the interior design to reflect Robinson Jackson’s distinct corporate colours and MPL achieved this through the use of upholstery. Two statement sofas in the waiting area make a stunning visual impact in gold and blue, while yellow visitor chairs pick up the yellow swift used in the agent’s wall logos.

Industrial edges….softened

When MPL took on the premises, there were numerous exposed elements, such as RSJs, service pipes and ducts. While much of the rawness was polished out, we kept some of the industrial elements to keep the interior feeling fresh. We resisted the temptation to install a suspended ceiling, and complemented the slightly urban vibe by adding an exposed brick feature wall and staining the timber cladding black.

Kerb appeal

Robinson Jackson has frequently relied on MPL to create a brand-new façade when opening a new branch. At Ebbsfleet Garden City, we delivered ‘the works’ – a new aluminium tray fascia with overhead trough lighting; an internally-illuminated projecting sign, cable-strung LED window display pockets; a freestanding swing sign and logo-branded window decals.

Additional elements:

Each Robinson Jackson office features bespoke wall art depicting the agent’s logo and the local area. We were able to display a series of photo-based pieces in the Ebbsfleet Garden City branch, including three oversized aerial shots showing the garden city’s progress over the years. Other highlights include a bespoke beverage station with display storage and a built-in drinks fridge, feature flooring using unusual hexagonal tiles, and the supply/install of all new office storage and furniture.