2G Design & Build x Solus

About The Entry

The Vision: A Confluence of Industry and Design

Situated in Birmingham’s industrial heartland, the Solus showroom was reimagined not as a simple refurbishment, but as a total transformation of the brand's headquarters. Working with 2G Design and Build, Solus sought to create a destination that bridged the gap between its heritage in production and its standing as a leader in design-led ceramic surfaces. The result is a purposeful environment that serves four distinct pillars: retail customers, luxury residential clients, the A&D community, and the Solus team.

The Design Journey: Narrative through Materiality

The experience begins with a "clear sense of arrival," where visitors are greeted by a reception desk crafted from Spolia, a terrazzo surface composed of crushed samples and recycled keys from the original showroom. This "folded history" anchors the space in its Tyseley roots while signalling a commitment to circular design.

The visual centrepiece is a "jaw-dropping" 110-slab wall. Each large-format porcelain slab is angled to offer fleeting snippets of texture and tone, revealing their full scale only as the visitor moves through the space. Materials are grouped by aesthetic "families"; marble, stone, concrete, and decorative, rather than by brand, facilitating an intuitive, tactile journey that mirrors how designers actually interact with surface materials.

Technical Precision in a Live Environment

A major achievement of this fit-out was its execution within a complex, live working environment. 2G Design and Build managed the phased delivery of the two-story showroom and workspace while 90 staff members remained operational.

By integrating lightweight porcelain "skins" in technically challenging areas like stairwells, the design maintains visual continuity without compromising structural practicality. Every junction and material transition was resolved with meticulous craftsmanship, ensuring the environment complements rather than competes with the premium collections on display. The Solus Birmingham showroom stands as a testament to how collaborative, site-specific design can transform a workspace into a high-performing retail destination.

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