Future- proofed access control at London’s new £15 million innovation hub

Challenge

Based at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Plexal is a new £15 million flexible workspace aiming to be a base for East London’s ‘innovation community’. It brings enterprise and academia together under one roof.

Plexal sits within Here East, the former press and broadcast centre for the London 2012 Olympics Games being reconfigured for technology companies, start-ups, universities and creatives.

Requirements

∙ Reliable high-end security to protect the new coworking space against unauthorised intrusion and burglary

∙ Easy, non-disruptive installation of new locking devices without the need for wires

∙ The flexibility to expand the access control installation if/when needs at Plexal scale over time

∙ Aesthetics to match Plexal’s contemporary office design

Solution

The office space has been fitted with Aperio wireless, access card-based locking technology. Plexal’s Aperio locks are integrated with DoorFlow, NetNodes’ online platform for managing and auditing building access. So far, 59 Aperio L100 wireless high-security door locks have been installed. These Aperio locks provide Plexal with the highest levels of physical protection, and transmit comprehensive door status information to DoorFlow in real time.

“Plexal required an adaptable locking solution for a range of different doors and, with no wiring required, it was quick and easy to install Aperio with minimal disruption,” says Stewart Johnson, Director at NetNodes. Because they are battery- rather than mainspowered, Aperio locks also keep Plexal’s maintenance costs and energy consumption low.

Aperio aesthetics were a good fit for Plexal’s modern workspace. “We have a futuristic-style open plan design here at Plexal — our offices are predominantly glass-fronted, so we needed an effective stylistic design which was not only robust but adaptable too,” says John Herbert.

Aperio access control technology is futureproofed, giving Plexal the option to expand to new offices, floors or even buildings easily. “We foresee change in the not-too-distant future and are delighted at our options to modify,” adds John Herbert.