Project Overview

Pax8 Farnborough by AIS Interiors is a 13,000 sq ft workplace that challenges traditional corporate design by blending sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation into a flexible, aviation-themed environment. Located in the historic Farnborough Aerospace Centre, the office draws inspiration from its surroundings with bespoke elements like 500 suspended paper planes and runway-inspired flooring.

The space caters to hybrid workstyles, offering everything from sound-controlled focus areas to modular event zones and a state-of-the-art content production studio. With more than 100 plant specimens, chemical-free cleaning, and a fully electric infrastructure, this is a workspace that places people and the planet at its core. Every detail has been considered from swing-seat meeting areas and shuffleboard tables to hot desk caddies and an in-house coffee bar that doubles as a social hub.

This project sets a new benchmark for how commercial interiors can elevate workplace experience, reduce environmental impact, and foster authentic human connection.

Project Commissioner

Pax 8 Farnborough

Project Creator

AIS

Project Brief

The brief from Pax8 was ambitious: design a sustainable, highly adaptable office that embodies the company’s values, Elevate, Advocate, Innovate, and Celebrate, while enabling collaboration, creativity, and a seamless hybrid work model.

Rather than organising by departments, AIS designed zones around workstyles, focus, collaboration, and social engagement, so users choose the environment that suits them best. The client requested a welcoming, inclusive, and flexible space that could accommodate everything from quiet concentration to high-energy events and global content production.
From the start, AIS prioritised employee well-being, operational flexibility, and environmental responsibility. The design needed to inspire without waste, create community without barriers, and empower a fast-growing team to do their best work.

AIS delivered an interior that doesn’t just look good, it works beautifully across every function and reflects the culture and aspirations of Pax8.

Project Innovation/Need

This project reimagines what a corporate interior can be. The innovation lies in its radical flexibility, inclusive design, and the seamless blending of brand, function, and well-being.

Traditional layouts were replaced with zones that support different modes of working -employees self-select where and how they work. Technology powers adaptability: lighting, music, and signage respond to occupancy in real-time, while an integrated studio supports in-house content creation on demand.

Playful elements also drive innovation. Shuffleboard replaces high-adrenaline games to encourage inclusive collaboration, and swing seats turn meetings into relaxed, egalitarian conversations. A central coffee bar brings people together, functioning as both hospitality and a community hub.

The suspended installation of 500 paper planes by set designer Ellie Wintour is both art and brand statement, symbolising movement, collaboration, and the company’s aviation-inspired roots. This is a workplace that innovates not just in function, but in feeling.

Design Challenge

The biggest challenge was creating a high-performing workspace that could evolve alongside Pax8’s rapid growth, without sacrificing sustainability or user experience. The team had to rethink typical office tropes and build a space that welcomed variety, from individual focus time to large-scale industry events.
Budget discipline and sustainability targets meant reusing materials wherever possible. AIS retained and relocated elements like glazing, timber, and carpet, all while delivering a cohesive, premium aesthetic.

Another challenge was integrating robust AV and production technologies within a fluid, minimalist interior, achieving high-tech performance without compromising style. The studio needed to deliver global-quality broadcasts, but blend seamlessly with the surrounding workspaces.

Lastly, inclusivity wasn’t a feature, it was a foundation. The team had to embed accessibility into every detail, from hot desk caddies and prayer rooms to low-energy, collaborative games that don’t intimidate or exclude.

Sustainability

Sustainability was not an add-on; it was embedded from day one. The design reused key materials, glass, timber shopfronts, and carpet to reduce construction waste and respect the building’s embodied carbon.

The entire space runs on electricity, eliminating fossil fuel dependency and decarbonising operations. Smart systems regulate lighting, audio, and signage according to real-time occupancy, slashing unnecessary energy use.

Planting more than 100 live specimens enhances indoor air quality and biophilic comfort. Office furniture was selected for durability and reduced packaging, including wide monitors that replaced dual-screen setups to cut electronic waste.

Cleaning routines were redesigned to be chemical-free and visible, reinforcing accountability and eliminating harmful residues. Hybrid work was supported with hot desking and smart lockers, reducing the real estate footprint and encouraging efficient space use.

Social sustainability was also central. The office fosters equity and community through shared amenities, informal meeting zones, and an open-plan design without access barriers. Even the shuffleboard games and swing seats reflect a people-first approach to sustainable culture.