Master Oak steals the show in OTA Insight's playful office
02/02/2023
How do you attract sought-after talent? With an imaginative office! How about a meeting room with a secret entrance or a ball pit? Start-up company OTA Insight pulls out all the stops to win the war for IT talent. The office architects of Buro Project and the bespoke specialists of Meet n Greet tell you why Master Oak was the only right choice for this out-of-the-box office building.
Want to feel Master Oak yourself?
Impressive interior
Back when the company started in 2018, OTA Insight used the services of office designers Buro Project. "That is when we designed the interior of the first wing of the office in Ghent," Buro Project partner Jurgen Taeldeman remembers. "When OTA Insight started growing again after a tough coronavirus period, the start-up company expanded into a second wing of the building. And so we were asked to work our magic again."
“Think completely out of the box and make our office into something unique: that was our brief. We responded by creating a tunnel with an aquarium on a video wall, a ball pit, a music room with drums and guitars, wall bars and ropes, a big sky lounge bar … The office is guaranteed to impress anyone going there for the first time. Not just because of its many playful elements, but also thanks to the contemporary materials we have used. With Master Oak as the eye-catcher."
Wood textures are very popular, but real wood is not always practical. Master Oak is the perfect solution in these situations: it is really tough and has the look and feel of solid wood.
- Jurgen Taeldeman, Buro Project partner
Easy to combine and customise
Why did Buro Project go for Master Oak? Jurgen: "We wanted to use materials that are on-trend. Wood textures are very popular today, but real wood is not always as scratch resistant and colourfast as we would like. Master Oak is the perfect solution in these situations: it is really tough and will retain its solid wood appearance in the long term. Its wide range of possible applications makes Master Oak the go-to material for a trendy, heavily used office environment."
Anyone walking into OTA Insight will see Master Oak appearing in various guises: as wall cladding, tabletops and cabinets both in the office spaces themselves and in the kitchen. Interior construction company Meet n Greet completed the bespoke installation. "These days we use Master Oak almost exclusively for customers who want something in oak," company director Danny Ritzen says. "Why? Most customers can't tell the difference between samples of real oak and Master Oak. That is when the scratch resistant, shock proof and colourfast characteristics of Master Oak come out on top."
Most customers can't tell the difference between samples of real oak and Master Oak. That is when the scratch resistant, shock proof and colourfast characteristics of Master Oak come out on top.
- Danny Ritzen, Meet n Greet company director
Clicwall in Master Oak
Master Oak is available in melamine and HPL, but can also be used for Clicwall designs. "That opens up a whole new range of possibilities," Danny says. "In the OTA Insight meeting rooms, we used straight Clicwall walls that easily and seamlessly tied in with the custom-made corner panels, which were also in Master Oak. This resulted in a very consistent finish for the entire room. Master Oak can be used for many different purposes, so it offers architects like me a lot of creative freedom."
Contemporary and future-proof
Buro Project used Master Oak Natural throughout the office. "That finish comes closest to real oak and creates a consistent, natural look”, Jurgen says. "Pale wood colours are very much on trend," Danny adds. "And even though Master Oak is hugely popular, it has always been in stock. That has certainly been an important factor for interior design projects in recent years, especially when deadlines are tight."
Jurgen and Danny received a lot of positive feedback from their clients. "In the end, that's what it's all about, isn't it?," Jurgen smiles. "The people at OTA Insight feel that their spectacular office environment will help them grow in the coming years. If that ambition comes true, we will be immensely proud of our contribution. Although secretly, we already are."