26th August 2024 | IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedIn A striking retail or hospitality counter is central to an outlet’s design and success – and should always tell a good story. Even better when the story is an ethical and sustainable one, that focuses on recycling waste materials and reducing the carbon footprint of the outlet. Focused primarily on brands who put sustainability high on their agendas, Edinburgh-based Kenoteq are bringing new aesthetics and a strong circular economy language and style to interiors. The K-BRIQ and the slimmer K-SLIP tile product, are breathing new life into construction and demolition waste, one of the world’s most prolific waste streams – and, most importantly, they are helping to divert them from landfill and convert them into decorative surfaces through a low energy and carbon production process. The cladding products are made from near 100% waste materials, a mix of recycled aggregates (old bricks, old stone and old mortars to headline the main ingredients), with a good dose of recycled plasterboard and recycled pigments to give the colour variety. Not only is the counter a key point of sale, it needs to attract and hold attention as well as be robust, durable and extol and support the brand or outlet’s style and values. Kat Antos-Lewis Photography Kenoteq’s striking bricks and tiles are available in a myriad of both traditional and bold colours which not only look stunning but critically are unfired and so have a tiny carbon footprint compared to traditional bricks and ceramics. But with a comparative durability and strength. Gail’s Bakery is one of the first nationwide brands to showcase this product to support their ethical ‘neighbourhood bakery’ brand. Holland Harvey began working with bakery Gail’s nearly 10 years ago, refurbishing the original Hampstead bakery in 2013. They have now delivered over 60 new bakeries in neighbourhoods across the UK and recently used the Gullane Cyan Light K-SLIP to show-off the bakery’s counter items in the Weybridge outlet in Surrey. Bold and fresh, the geometric counter and seating designs in this teal blue are inspired by the historical charm of nearby Brooklands Airfield and the geometric architecture of the existing building. Photography: Linnemann Design Kat Antos-Lewis Photography Gail’s Bakery’s Kings Street, Manchester outlet designed by sustainable hospitality specialists, Object Space Place, showcases the magenta K-BRIQ in a striking checkerboard “hit and miss” design – Kenoteq calculated the carbon savings of using the K-BRIQ in this design over a traditional brick to be the equivalent of boiling the water for 100,000 cups of coffee! “The world needs to move rapidly towards a more sustainable future and the hospitality sector can take a leading role in this,” says Rizvi Khaleque, CEO of Indian Streetfood Chain, Tuk Tuk in Edinburgh, whose latest vibrant interior design by leading Edinburgh-based interior design firm, S+ Co, puts the Gillespie Magenta and Heriot Mustard frogged K-BRIQs into a statement bar design with a jewel-like quality that is a focal point for diners. It also encases half a tonne of recycled construction and demolition waste. And saves over 130 kg CO2e compared to being built in traditional brick – a keen saving for a still relatively modest counter. “The interiors for this second Tuk Tuk outlet took inspiration from the vibrant architecture and food found across India,” explains Claire Jones, Senior Interior Designer at S+Co. “S+Co looked to create a space that was welcoming and fun, a playful reflection of Tuk Tuk’s Indian street good culture and the diverse neighbourhood of their new location.” Photography: Linnemann Design The K-BRIQ and K-SLIP are fully circular products from the built environment for the built environment. Not only is careful consideration for the environment the story of the materials themselves, the production process uses minimal energy with no firing in the equation to significantly reduce the reliance on fossil fuels in production. Instead Kenoteq’s factory relies on renewable energy sources, biomass and wind power. Finally, the closed loop circular nature of the final product, means that K-BRIQs and K-SLIPs can be safely recycled themselves into recycled aggregate at their end of life – which means of course they can be remade into further K-BRIQ or K-SLIP products. Good design decisions really don’t need to cost the earth! About Kenoteq Ltd. Design without compromise! Kenoteq is a pioneering UK company at the forefront of sustainable materials made from recycled waste. The newly launched first products are the revolutionary low carbon K-BRIQ® and K-SLIP™ currently the world’s most sustainable bricks and brickslips, unfired, made from 95% recycled construction and demolition materials together with recycled pigments, and are 100% recyclable. They are suitable for interior or exterior use and offer a wide colour palette. With a technical specification akin to traditional bricks and brickslips, the products benefit from a carbon footprint 95% less than their traditional equivalents. 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