ABM Alliance

When ABM Alliance, an events planning company, looked to refurbish a former ambulance station into its new Bristol city centre offices, they tasked Kerr Office Group with the job. With the aim of creating a bold and inspiring space, Kerr Office Group specified Forbo Flooring Systems’ Allura Flex Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) flooring and Tessera Accord carpet tiles, favouring its varied palette and portfolio.



With over 40 years’ experience organising and running B2B events, ABM Alliance is an expert in event planning and creating strong partnerships between brands. Presented with the opportunity to upgrade its office spaces, ABM Alliance has moved to a brand-new location in Jubilee Hall, at the heart of Bristol’s historic harbourside.



Speaking on these refurbishments, Angela Tedder, Senior Technical Designer at Kerr Office Group, said: “The new space was incredibly large, extending to over 4,500sqft, and it needed a complete refurbishment. The team had an idea in mind for how they wanted the space to look, playing on Jubilee Hall’s character, while still providing a collaborative and sociable environment that matched their team spirit. However, due to the building’s architectural history – once being an ambulance station – we knew that applying this design would be complex.

“We felt that pattern and colour was going to be key for this space. With ABM Alliance having a really strong and vibrant orange branding, we wanted to incorporate this where possible, all without detracting from the building’s natural charm. This is why we looked to specify Forbo floor coverings, with the supplier offering a wide range of colourways for us to choose from.”



The Kerr Office Group team specified a combination of Forbo’s Tessera Accord carpet tiles and Allura Flex vinyl flooring across each floor of the office space, with Angela saying: “We looked to Forbo for both functional and design reasons. The Tessera Accord carpet tiles are of great quality and helped to create a neutral backdrop for the wider working spaces, with the ‘Magic Carpet’ colourway complementing the different tones we used in those areas. With 24 dB impact sound reduction, Tessera Accord is ideal for offices, helping to reduce impact sound and offer a comfortable underfoot feeling. It also contains 61% recycled content by mass, helping to make the interior more sustainable.



“We also specified Forbo’s Allura Flex LVT planks flooring in both the 0.55mm and 1.0mm wear layer formats. The thinner construction of the 0.55 product was the same height as the carpet tiles, allowing us to create a seamless transition between the two products. The 1.0 version allowed us to add a more durable finish to some of the other social and breakout spaces, where more footfall was expected. The ‘Amber Elegant Oak’ design again worked well against the orange ABM Alliance branding to brighten up the space, without overpowering the wider design. We had this fitted in a basket weave style pattern, helping to break it up and create a more unique aesthetic.”



With work beginning in March 2025 and concluding in June, the fit out has been well received by the ABM Alliance team, with Jack Thompson, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of ABM Alliance, saying: “Angela and the design team took great care to understand our vision and needs. They created a perfect balance between maintaining the building’s historical charm, integrating our vision and turning that into an incredible working environment.



“The final result is a space that is both functional and aesthetically striking, combining our open-plan areas with private workspaces and meeting rooms, all bathed in natural light. The use of modern materials, paired with the preservation of architectural elements such as the exposed brick, creates a stunning environment where form and function meet. Never did I believe the prospective digital visual impressions would be actual real-life impressions, but they were!”