A flagship arts and cultural hub, Factory International (located at Aviva Studios) represents a shift in how major UK cultural institutions operate. It’s a unique place. And, unique places require unique furniture. Here’s how Rosehill helped Factory International at Aviva Studios secure the perfect back of house furniture (and more!)…
Factory International
But first, learn more about Factory International. Located at Aviva Studios, Factory International is a hive of invention and discovery, producing a year-round programme of the world’s best new dance, theatre, music, visual and performance arts and digital commissions.
Built with flexibility in mind, the design of the building was led by Ellen van Loon of the world-leading practice Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). The multi-use space can adapt to host any kind of set-up, from intimate theatre shows and intricate exhibitions, to huge multimedia performances and warehouse-scale gigs fit for the greatest artists of our time.
With a dynamic home to match the ever-evolving city of Manchester, they invite artists to create bold new work, providing a canvas to make, explore and experiment.
Nadia Balfe, Project Manager at Factory International, explains how Rosehill has supported the organisation with its furniture needs:
“Rosehill has been a very valued and trusted supplier throughout our opening years at Aviva Studios. We originally approached Rosehill as a regional supplier with a broad product range to meet our varied furniture needs.
Their team has been consistently responsive, knowledgeable, and customer focused.
Whenever we had very specific requirements, the team went above and beyond to meet them and worked hard to meet our budget and deadlines, offering competitive pricing and often bettering lead times – they clearly have excellent relationships and reputation within the industry to enable this.
Rosehill was also helpful in product selection and design consideration, inviting us to their local showroom to view and try products or bringing samples to us, and sharing their industry insights and advice; all of which has been invaluable in our procurement process.
We continue to work with Rosehill for ongoing furniture and highly recommend them”.
The Rosehill solution
So, what furniture did Rosehill supply to Factory International?
The first need was stacking chairs for use on the top floor of their back of house areas, a multi-use space which needs to be able to reconfigure quickly and easily for meetings, training, conferences, and additional rehearsal space.
They selected the Tower 60, one of our premium high-density stacking models, in a smart finish with both a black frame and shell. These were paired with the Fast Tables, which provide flexibility to create different setups depending on how the space needed to be used.
Further projects
After Rosehill’s initial successful orders, Factory International came back with more and more furniture requirements. One of the significant benefits of working with Rosehill is our extensive supply chain. What you see on our website is only a drop in the ocean of the full selection of items we can offer.
Factory International’s previous office furniture supplier only offered a small selection of items from a handful of manufacturers. Rosehill, on the other hand, was able to step in, offering a broader range of products that ticked all the boxes and were very competitively priced.
A subsequent requirement from Factory International was for office furniture that could withstand constant use by a dynamic arts organisation whilst maintaining a professional and inspiring aesthetic.
For these office areas, the Sedus se:kit task chairs fit the bill.
With additional storage needs for the general office area, Nadia and some of her team went over to our partner Bisley’s showroom in central Manchester to have a look at designs, finishes, and options to meet their requirements. Whilst there, they also noticed the JDD Penelope Pods (from another of Rosehill’s trusted partners!), which was another item they needed.
In short, as soon as Factory International needed new furniture, the team turned to Rosehill.
A two-year partnership built on trust
Over the past two years, Factory International has repeatedly chosen Rosehill, placing multiple orders as their requirements have evolved. This sustained relationship is a testament to our reliability, the quality of our products, and Rosehill’s efficient service for large-scale, ongoing office fit-out projects.
Other requirements, where Rosehill has assisted Factory International, include:
- Armchairs which Rosehill matched with the colour in their fixed auditorium space, to provide wider seats to help with their accessibility requirements.
- Stackable chairs for use by an orchestra performing at the venue, reducing hire costs.
- A custom shape and size of boardroom table, to seat over 20 people, with accompanying chairs.
- Birch stackable chairs for the back-stage dressing rooms, and modular soft-seating for the general areas.
- Staff lockers.
Whilst many of the front-facing areas were part of the original interiors contract, one of the areas Rosehill helped with post-opening was a really-interesting scope.
The public realm surrounding Factory International opens out to the River Irwell, with a riverside deck which needed some outdoor lounge seating. After bouncing a few ideas back and forth, the preferred model was selected and Rosehill had the task of sourcing it.
Rosehill found the manufacturer that was based in Italy. With Rosehill’s reputation and history, the manufacturer was happy to start a new agreement to work with us. This became our first order for the beautiful Boom range!
The ultimate recommendation: furnishing the neighbourhood
The true mark of Rosehill’s success with Factory International came through their enthusiastic recommendation. Impressed by Rosehill’s product quality, logistical expertise, and local support, the team at Aviva Studios recommended Rosehill to their influential neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum (SIM), which is located right next door.
Following this recommendation, the Science and Industry Museum recently appointed Rosehill to deliver a significant project for their newly renovated conference building.
Your next project partner in the North West of England
Two years of trusted delivery for Factory International shows how Rosehill can turn complex, evolving requirements into durable, beautiful furniture solutions – from high-density stacking chairs and task seating to custom boardroom tables, outdoor lounge ranges and accessible armchairs.
If you’re looking for a furniture supplier that can offer this level of service, you’ve just found it.
Speak to our team today and discover how Rosehill can bring your space to life
For more commercial and contract furniture buying guides, advice, and information, read the Rosehill blog…
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