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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a unique bar design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Adam Hunt Ideas and Gemma Lin.

At the start of the Covid Pandemic, the Australian Government sealed its borders shut – even to Australian Citizens – for more than 2 years. The Australian/Taiwanese Artists & Interior Designers Adam Hunt & Gemma Lin were visiting family in Taiwan when they became two of the tens of thousands of Australians unable to return home.

With their Sydney Bar/Restaurant locked down for nearly 8 months & no prospect of going back, they decided to keep themselves busy by creating a unique venue based on their Interior Design Philosophy: that the future is best served by reimagining the past. They call it “The Art of Extreme Sustainability”.

The Plan was to have no Plans. Once the location was secured – a 150 year old derelict building – a 3 month journey began to collect recycled building materials from the beaches, the rocky coast, abandoned dwellings & fishing villages around the ancient Port City of Keelung. They harvested wood from old fishing boats, rope & plastic floats from fishing nets, rusty old anchors, driftwood, buoys & abandoned broken furniture from the streets.

The Interior Design evolved from whatever they found – all furniture, light features, vanity units, decor & art was recycled, up-cycled, repaired or created from scratch. It sure beat doing nothing.

SBID Awards Category: Club & Bar Design

Practice: Adam Hunt Ideas and Gemma Lin

Project: Bad Mama Keelung

Location: Keelung, Taiwan

There’s nothing like the colour & texture of old wood to turn a vanity unit into a work of art.
We inlaid the bar top with old curved wood found in bushes nearby the boat itself.

What was the client’s brief? 

The Art of Extreme Sustainability.

Salvaging this incredibly heavy wooden cable reel was almost as large an undertaking as the fishing boat for the bar. It took half a day just to cut them in two with a hand hacksaw. Then it took 3 big boofy blokes an hour to monster them up the cliff & into a truck. Each top was so heavy it took two table bases joined together to support the weight. I nearly gave up on this project several times over the months - but eventually I cut away the rotten wood, replaced it with more old wood, and now we have two enormous tables that can sit 12 people each.

What inspired the design of the project?

The ancient Port City of Keelung on the wild North Coast of Taiwan has been inhabited by The Ketagalan Tribe of Aborigines (who share DNA with the Samoans) for over 6,000 years. And they’re still here – despite having been invaded, occupied & pillaged over the centuries – starting in 1544 by The Portuguese, followed by The Spanish, Dutch, French, The Qing Dynasty Chinese, and then the Japanese Colonial Era from 1895 until the end of WW2.

The Japanese began the historic Kànzǎidǐng Night Street Fish Market in Keelung over 120 years ago, and our location is right in the middle of its fully chaotic midnight to dawn hustle & bustle – sandwiched between the Red Light District and the 17th Century Temple to The Great Goddess Mazu – Patron Saint to Seafarers everywhere.

So we decided to build our Bar out of an old Fishing Boat – to honour the Great Goddess Mazu, who was particularly Badass. According to Legend the Demons Qianliyan (“Thousand-Mile Eye”) and Shunfeng’er (“Wind-Following Ear”) both fell in love with her – so she conceded that she would marry the one who defeated her in combat. Being a supreme Martial Artist, Mazu easily dispatched them both & thus remained single. That’s Girl Power right there. Our portrait “Wall Of Bad Mamas” celebrates strong, fierce, independent Women – from a local Female Pirate, to Frida Kahlo, from the first Woman in Space, to Amy Winehouse – because let’s face it… well behaved women seldom make history.

The wall around the bar in the shadow of Mazu’s Temple is covered with antique silver frames holding images of great women in history.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Anyone can have a crazy idea like: “Let’s build our Bar out of an old Fishing Boat” – but you have to be truly mad to believe you can actually pull it off.

The challenge was not only to find a Fishing Boat exactly the right size for the room, but also to somehow fit it up the incredibly narrow alleyway behind the enormous 17th Century Mazu Temple, that’s literally just 38 inches across from our front door.

I could literally write an action adventure novel about that 2 day journey to get the boat… or… you could just watch this.

A Twilight Zone of extraordinary abandoned buildings surrounds the Keelung Coast - including a dozen or so Futuro Houses. We tried to buy some for another bar project, but they’ve been abandoned to the wild ocean air since the 70’s & we couldn’t trace their ownership. We’ve heard that the Government intends to bulldoze them all soon - so we rescued what we could from them & built a Host Stand for the Bar.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

We found God! Our ‘Rescue Deity’ was discovered sitting in an abandoned derelict Seaside Hotel. He seemed pretty happy to see us, so we built him a plinth out of old wood from a fishing boat, as well as his very own Bamboo forest & garden of ocean-tumbled rocks in a light well.

Now anyone who visits Bad Mama can also find God – whenever they need to find the bathroom.

Gemma made Japanese Ghost Dolls "Teru Teru Bozu" from beach harvested Fishing Net Floats - they're meant to scare the rain away - it rains a lot in Keelung!
The beaches around the fishing villages are covered in ropes, wood, buoys & these blue fishing net floats - as well as hundreds of blue thongs (or “Flip Flops” if you’re American) So we made a light feature out of an old anchor & a school of “Fish”.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We wanted to see if a Husband & Wife Team – with zero education or Training in Interior Design – could mix it up with the big guys on the Global Awards Stage.

We are Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Designers, Builders, Furniture Makers, Chefs & Cocktail Specialists. We have a passion for Sustainability & a fresh vision for the Future based on how we reimagine the Past. Cheers!

Whether she’s holding a Knife in the kitchen, or a Paintbrush in the garden painting Bad Mamas - Gemma is a true Artist.

Questions answered by Adam Hunt, Founder, Adam Hunt Ideas.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a luxurious hotel suite design by Jeffrey Beers International, click here to read it.

Whether it is a space designed specifically for outdoor play or learning environments, or a space to meet and relax, outdoor spaces encourage healthy behaviors and improve the physical and mental wellbeing.

Adell collection

Arper is a fast-growing company founded in 1989 — a family business guided by an integrative, human-centered approach. They have grown from a furniture manufacturing business to an international design presence, dramatically increasing their turnover and adding hundreds of new employees to the Arper family.

Leaf collection
Leaf collection

Outdoor spaces encourage healthy behaviors, improve the physical and mental wellbeing, and also connect people to the natural world — creating a sense of environmental responsibility.

Kata collection

About Arper UK Ltd

Arper is a leading Italian company that creates chairs, tables, and furnishings for community, work and home. We explore design to improve the relationship between people and spaces. We frame everything—our soft, essential design sensibility, our direct and personalized service, our organizational and corporate policies, our global brand identity—in terms of human values.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Chosen for the British electrical accessories manufacturer‘s broad range of distinctive products and in-house manufacturing, testing and finishing capabilities complemented by bespoke services, premium switches and sockets brand Focus SB’s Horizon Square faceplate style has been selected by the global interior designers at Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) for this striking high-end residential and hospitality mixed-use project. All products are to be delivered in a sustainable product packaging solution tailored to the luxury property development by Focus SB’s design and engineering team. 

The £470M Aspen at Consort Place development from Hong Kong Far East Consortium (FEC) is designed by architect Pilbrow & Partners and at 80,000 sq m features London’s newest skyscrapers in Canary Wharf. The taller east tower out of the 65 and 35 storey towers being built by main contractor Midgard is to be known as Aspen and is set to become an impressive landmark on the London skyline.

Aspen will comprise 495 contemporary apartments, a health centre and four star international hotel Dorsett Aspen at Consort Place Canary Wharf offering 231 guest rooms, a restaurant, cafe, gym, conference facility, sky bar, terrace and a specialist retail space. The development is set to complete in 2023.

Designers can contact Focus SB to book a product presentation with a regional business development manager or to register their interest in receiving a 24hr exclusive lookbook preview by email of an industry first luxury product which launched on March 31st!

About Focus SB

Focus SB® is an award winning innovative British manufacturer renowned for the design, development and specialist hand finishing of premium electrical wiring accessories, blending traditional artisan techniques with the latest technology; specified for world class hospitality and leisure resorts, prime residential developments, heritage buildings, royal residences, superyachts and commercial projects both domestically and internationally.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Residential Fit Out Project of the Year category, Laila Interiors, Laila Shour discussed how the team uses design elements to separate open spaces into different areas, talks about designing spaces to suit any taste and lifestyle, and the power of light colour palette.

Kensington court was a neglected mix of multiple vacant flats that were in a state of disrepair for many years. It lays in a conservation area within the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

A complete refurbishment was carried out that transformed this prestigious building into 10 high ceiling luxury apartments and the key idea was to develop a unique design concept of living that aligns with the majority’s style, preferences and functional requirements in keep with the surrounding neighbourhood.

SBID Awards Category: Residential Fit Out Project of the Year

Practice: Laila Interiors

Entry: Kensington Court

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

When and during the refurbishment, the contemporary style which our design team introduced in the interiors was to incorporate modern design elements, such as choosing metallic accents, geometric shapes, neutral color palette to complement wooden flooring and wall finishes.

Our goal was coordinating the interiors with developers and managing most aspects of the project, to ensure a successful outcome for the client.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

The biggest highlight of completing this project was the transformation of the space into a functional and aesthetically pleasing environment and feeling like we have exceeded all expectations.

The biggest takeaway of the completed project was the satisfying feeling in creating a unique empty space that reflects the style, personality, and lifestyle of everyone and anyone.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

Winning the SBID award was a great honour that gave our company recognition in the UK and on an international level. It elevated the credibility and reputation of the business, making us stand out in a competitive market while attracting new clients and opportunities.

This award boosted the morale of the team and instilled a sense of pride and motivation for us to maintain high standards in future projects and to continue pushing towards creative and design boundaries. We felt highly rewarded and valued for our achievements and hard work in this project from the public and SBID.

How do you design rooms that have lots of open space? What approach do you use to separate those spaces into different areas?

Separating a space that has lots of rooms can be achieved by using furniture such as sofas, armchairs or ottomans to create separate seating areas and define different functions within the space. We also use colour to differentiate between spaces, introducing textiles such as curtains, cushions, or throws to create a visual separation between different areas.

Bringing in nature with indoor plants, natural wood flooring, natural stone, sustainable rugs and lighting added to the separation within areas too. By using a combination of these techniques, it is always possible to create a functional and visually pleasing space with clear divisions, while still maintaining an open and airy feel.

How do you ensure the properties you design will be suitable for all occupants?

In order to ensure that the properties we design are suitable for all occupants, we incorporate universal design principles, such as easy to reach controls, ergonomic design, to make the space usable for people of different ages, abilities and to meet the needs of all occupants.

By following these steps, we promote inclusiveness and comfort for all occupants with adequate lighting, multi-functional spaces and furniture that could be flexible and adapted to accommodate changing needs and requirements over time.

What was the inspiration behind choosing a light and neutral colour palette?

The inspiration behind choosing a light palette in this particular project was due to a few reasons:

a) The 19 century building has an elegant red brick exterior, therefore a neutral palette was chosen for the interior to contrast yet complement the outside. Its purpose was to also draw attention to other design elements, such as textures, patterns, and artwork, and make them the focal point of the inside space.

b) To create a calm and serene atmosphere throughout the interior of the flats we enhanced natural light that seeped through the Kensington gardens to create a cohesive look.

c) The Neutral colors is an additional backdrop for more statement pieces throughout an interior.

d) The property is timeless hence light and neutral colours are seen as classic and timeless, and this was a versatile choice for our design to stand the test of time.

Questions answered by Laila Shour, Founder, Laila Interiors.

Laila Interiors (11)

Laila Interiors is an interior design studio in the heart of kensington. Our company’s journey began with a desire to create better looking homes with refurbishment and interior designing. We deliver inspiring visuals and new sustainable design trends, we specialise in luxury interiors suited for homeowners and property developers from all over the globe.

If you missed last week’s Interview with the Public Space category winner Kossmanndejong, click here to read it.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxurious hotel suite design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Jeffrey Beers International.

Uniquely situated in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, Hard Rock Hotel New York offers a backstage pass to the city’s historic Music Row, honouring its legacy through intricate design, curated amenities, and award-winning guest experiences. Sitting atop the 36th floor is the jewel of the Rock Star Suite, a glass-enclosed penthouse with expansive city views, original contemporary artwork, bespoke music memorabilia, and one of the largest terraces for entertaining in New York City at 1,600 sq. ft. The sleek interior design includes double height ceilings and rich tones and textures creating an inviting and timeless space. On its first level, the suite features an open-plan living and dining area with a bar and butler pantry, an outdoor bar, VIP direct access to the RT60 rooftop bar & lounge, and more. Guests can retreat upstairs to a luxurious bedroom area with a walk in closet and contemporary bathroom featuring a red free standing bathtub.

SBID Awards Category: Hotel Bedroom & Suites Design

Practice: Jeffrey Beers International

Project: Hard Rock New York Hotel: Rock Star Suite

Location: New York, United States of America

What was the client’s brief? 

The double story suite is to be used as both a guest room and an event space as well. We therefore designed the separate bedroom on the upper level, as well as created a direct access to the public bathrooms on the floor below. Last but not least, the space exemplifies what the guestrooms are about: to make the guest feel like a rockstar.

What inspired the design of the project?

The rich history of New York’s Music Row, as well as the culture of the Hard Rock brand. The city’s energy at dusk, when the Marquee lights of Times Square come out, also inspired our design.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Creating maximum impact with a reasonable budget. Also every material has to be high quality and resistant without feeling commercial. Being the only Rockstar Suite it has to be ADA accessible.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The red bathtub with a view feels very unique.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

It is a wonderful honour to be recognized by an internationally focused design award. We also greatly enjoy the opportunity to visit London for the awards event.

Questions answered by Pierre Josselin, Associate Principal, Jeffrey Beers International.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an interactive and vibrant primary school design by Lineworks Studio, click here to read it.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Public Space category, Kossmanndejong, Pauline Fer explains the concept of the design, how they displayed the information in an accessible way, and developed custom-made solutions to fit the project’s narrative.

At Beezantium, integrated architecture and scenography transform what initially appears as a small, wooden building on the outside into a thriving beehive on the inside.

SBID Awards Category: Public Space

Practice: Kossmanndejong

Entry: Beezantium

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

Our scenography transports visitors into a thriving beehive by surrounding them with giant honeycombs made of a material mimicking wax.

The information in each of the honeycomb’s hexagonal cells contributes to the larger story. The narrative begins with a close focus on the bees. Visitors can watch living colonies in the observation hives, witnessing how these superorganisms organise themselves. With each honeycomb layer, the narrative’s perspective slowly broadens. We see the bees interact with their surroundings and discover how human actions affect bees. Gradually, visitors become aware that everything in our ecosystem is connected and that bees play a vital role in it.

To share this information in an accessible and intuitive way, we minimised text and worked with a multisensory combination of images, infographics, interactives, animations and audio. Each cell contains a piece of information waiting to be harvested by visitors. For example, visitors feel the warm temperature at which bees regulate their hives, learn about the tools used to artificially inseminate the queen bee, and consider a drop of honey that represents how much a bee produces during its entire lifetime (1/12 teaspoon). And in the audio guide, the estate’s beekeeper Paula Carnell shares her fascination with bees.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

We started working on the project with the expectation that we would create an exhibition about bees. But we ultimately developed a story about how everything in our ecosystem is connected. It was fascinating to dive into the world of bees and discover how much we depend on them.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We strive to create impactful experiences that inspire and move visitors. We are honoured that our design resonated with and left a lasting impression on industry leaders and the public.

How was the process of arranging the display in a quite small and open space? Did you encounter any difficulties?

Our client wanted a space suitable for exploration and contemplation. The 50 m2 space was the perfect size to create a human-size hive. And we embedded a lot of information in the honeycomb’s hexagonal cells without overwhelming the space. These cells function like mini exhibits, partly hidden behind doors, peek holes and in drawers. They invite visitors to actively explore the content and draw them into the bees’ world.

Given the observational hives on display, we developed a low-tech exhibition. Bees communicate and navigate using vibration, so we limited our use of technologies, like WIFI, that can disturb this.

The furniture and accessories used in the project probably couldn’t be found in a store. Did you commission any of the pieces? How did you find working directly with manufacturers and using made-to-order furniture in the project?

Our design is content driven, and we develop custom-made solutions unique to each project’s narrative. We have an extensive network and always look for the best partner for the project. Our shared trust encourages us to push ourselves and innovate, researching and experimenting until we find the right solution. For this exhibition, we worked with Kloosterboer Decor to find the perfect material that mimics wax’s structure, texture and opacity.

Even The Newt estate’s bees contributed. They coated a wood panel with propolis for visitors to touch. Propolis is a glue-like substance inside the beehive that the bees use for protection and repair. Another display features honey samples that show how different flowers produce different honey colours.

What is the most important thing to keep in mind when working on a design for a public space?

A public space must engage visitors with diverse expertise, experiences and interests. There should be something interesting for everyone to discover. That’s why we create layered stories. The main messages in this exhibition are easily accessible and yet every honeycomb cell enables visitors to explore more detailed information. Whether you’re in for a quick visit or stay longer and dig deep, you will always have a meaningful experience.

Questions answered by Pauline Fer, Spatial Designer, Kossmanndejong.

Square

Pauline Fer studied visual communication at the Universität der Künste (UdK) in Berlin. She has worked at Kossmanndejong as a spatial designer since 2012. In addition to Beezantium (UK), Pauline has worked on many projects, including Nature. And us? (CH), FAKE. The Whole Truth (CH), Micropia (NL), Museum for Communication (CH), Dead Sea Scrolls (NL) and Schiphol Lounge 2 (Netherlands). She is currently working on several projects, including the Haus der Geschichte (DE).

If you missed last week’s Interview with the Show Flats & Developments category winner David Collins Studio, click here to read it.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features an interactive and vibrant primary school design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Lineworks Studio.

Founded in 1870, Huishi Primary School of Xuhui District, Shanghai is one of the most historical schools in Shanghai. At the end of 2021, the institution commissioned LINEWORKS to renovate several STEAM classrooms at its midtown campus.

The school aims to customize its learning space for a STEAM curriculum experience, and to better suit the preferences of the young students. Therefore, spatial function, color palette and visual geometry are the key elements that our design team have taken into consideration during the design process.

Design team have selected and refined certain elements from the children’s drawings, and employed different color schemes that resonate with each specific course of the school’s STEAM curriculum. Aside from that, the designers have retained and optimized the large windows of the original space. Thus, the renovated STEAM teaching space has become more student-friendly, interactive, and layered in visual presentation.

SBID Awards Category: Public Space

Practice: Lineworks Studio

Project: Huishi Primary School STEAM Studio

Location: Shanghai, China

What was the client’s brief? 

The school aims to customise its learning space for a STEM curriculum experience, and to better suit the preferences of the young students, so as to stimulate their imagination and formulate creative learning methods.

What inspired the design of the project?

Numerous designs within the project were inspired by the school students’ drawings of a futuristic tech campus. From rainbow-colored ceilings, data pipelines across the floors, to well-arranged space observation capsules, children’s colorful imagination and infinite curiosity are materialised through design in reality.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The toughest hurdle for our team was figuring out how to break the boundaries of traditional schools, making the existing teaching space more adaptable to future teaching concepts and trends, facilitating the inclusion of new curriculums, and encouraging children to enjoy the learning process and grow in an innovative environment.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Our design team have selected and refined certain elements from the children’s drawings, and employed different color schemes that resonate with each specific course of the school’s STEM curriculum. Aside from that, the designers have retained and optimized the large windows of the original space. Thus, the renovated STEM teaching space has become more student-friendly, interactive, and layered in visual presentation.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

First of all, most of our team members graduated from design schools in the UK, so we know that SBID is a well-known and authoritative design organization. It has always been our goal to participate in SBID Awards.

Secondary, evaluated by a panel of distinguished, industry-leading experts for design functionality, innovation, creativity, and technical execution, an SBID Award is considered one of the most coveted accolades for design excellence. Success in this GOLD-rated Awards programme demonstrates the highest level of design skill and professional mastery across the interior design profession.

Questions answered by Chen Song, Associate Design Director, Lineworks Studio.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an elegant and sophisticated residential design by CHIL Interior Design, click here to read it.

Liang & Eimil introduce two new additions to their offer: a Palau Collection of furniture, and five new wall art prints.

The furniture

The new Palau collection radiates warmth and charm. The pieces have storage capabilities and beautifully integrate form and function. Each piece is handcrafted by artisans using ash veneer, powder coated matt black legs and handles, along with self-closing drawers to provide a subtle touch of timelessness.

The Palau Collection consist of a Sideboard, Chest of Drawers and Bedside Table.

The art

Thanks to Liang & Eimil’s vast collection and most recent additions, their five brand new modern wall art pieces are ideal for updating your interior decor.

The most recent additions to their unique wall art collection are modern and appropriate for any setting, including any area or ambience. You’re bound to find a new favourite for your project! Whether you’re looking for something classic and timeless, or something modern with a pop of colour, Liang & Eimil has art to suit every style.

Discover their full Wall Art Collection.

To gain access to Liang & Eimil’s extensive collection of design pieces, become one of their exclusive trade account partner by contacting [email protected]

About Liang & Eimil

Liang & Eimil, a British brand that specialises in furnishing design for the residential and hospitality sectors, believes in making ordinary moments remarkable. Renowned for producing expertly crafted furniture, lighting and accessories, they take pride in offering innovative solutions that can be tailored to any interior design aesthetic.

If you’d like to feature your project news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Show Flats & Developments category, David Collins Studio, Iain Watson reflects on the experience of working with a multitude of makers and artists, and discusses designing colourful yet refined spaces.

David Collins Studio was chosen to design and deliver the latest 3-bedroom show apartment at The Bryanston, Hyde Park for London-based developers Almacantar.

SBID Awards Category: Show Flats & Developments

Practice: David Collins Studio

Entry: The Bryanston, Hyde Park

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

Our Show Apartment at The Bryanston was designed to showcase a thoughtfully curated selection of artists, designers, makers and craftspeople who exemplify British luxury. The design was developed in collaboration with Nick Vinson of Wallpaper* Magazine. In addition to the artists whose work is featured within the apartment, the space also showcases a selection of iconic David Collins Studio furniture from our 38 years of hospitality projects, reimagined for a residential setting.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

Collaborating with Nick Vinson from Wallpaper* meant that The Studio was able to mine both its own, and Nick’s, ‘little black book’, as well as bringing a third party’s point of view when editing the selection of Studio furniture pieces that would feature in the apartment. Working with the multitude of makers and manufacturers to realise the furniture in new and custom decorative finishes brought another dimension to the design and process.

Working with Nick was very inspiring as he brought his editor’s eye and an editorial process to the process. The final apartment showcases pieces from a lot of different provenances which brings a sense of authenticity to the space.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

Winning an SBID award was incredibly important to David Collins Studio. It is amazing for our work to be honoured in this way and speaks volumes about the hard work of the design teams and The Studio. Given that we re-worked furniture pieces from a variety of projects, the award feels extra-special! Awards of this nature are so important to our BD process and customer journey.

The apartment has lots of different design elements, colour stories and, it seems, styles. What was the inspiration behind that and how did you accomplish creating a cohesive design featuring different elements?

Almacantar’s brief to us was to be bold. Part of the reason for our selection for this project was our bold yet refined use of colour. From the outset, we wanted the apartment to comprise a series of strong colour stories. This was essential to provide a point of difference not only between the rooms themselves, but from a lot of the other show apartments on the market. The colours all had to work within the context of the setting and inherited base build, as well as a whole, so that the journey from one room to another felt considered, connected and balanced.

How did you find the process of working with different artists for commissioned artworks? Was each piece created for a specific room based on its design, or did you collaborate throughout the entire design process?

All the makers we worked with were incredibly professional and went the extra mile for us. Everyone had to work to a fixed program and some makers had more experience working to a commercial brief than others, but the project team was able to use its combined experience to manage the delivery process and allow the artists the creative headspace that they needed. David Collins Studio collaborates with makers and artists on all of its projects and so the process felt very natural to us. 

The apartment’s design was created holistically, in that we wanted to feature as many of the makers from our shortlist as possible. We worked very hard to ensure that each room showcased makers and key stories that could be used within the client’s marketing. For example, the Lucy Smith pink jesmonite hallway relief featuring an iris motif that connects the apartment with Hyde Park and the dining table made from a plane tree felled in London by Sebastian Cox. The Simon Hasan study furniture inspired by Charlotte Perriand furniture seen through Simon’s own understanding of the decorative arts and industrial design, and the commissioned Bethan Laura Wood timber bedframe that was based upon an original piece designed with Phillipe Malouin that Nick had seen exhibited in Dresden in 2016, re-scaled for The Bryanston.

How do you transform nature and the surrounding environment into an interior design?

Creating a definitive sense of place was key to our design concept –  a connection with neighbouring Hyde Park and the immediate areas of Marble Arch, Marylebone and Mayfair. Lucy Smith and Sebastian Cox worked very literally in this way, meanwhile Geraldine Larkin created an abstract topographic map of Hyde Park, realised in three colourways of Loro Piana cashmere. Many of the accessories and art pieces were selected for their connection to the park, such as Shannon Clegg’s press floral vases. There are more subliminal design elements within the apartment that have been chosen to bring a connection to the locale, including a series of custom arch mirrors by Alguacil & Perkoff which echo Marble Arch itself, and commissions from local stores such as Perfumer H in Marylebone. We also carefully selected a series of books and auction catalogues that resonated with the location, as well as the design references within the apartment. Finally, we managed to source an original Henry Moore lithograph for the apartment, which connects to his park sculpture, The Arch, and cements the concept behind the space!

Questions answered by Iain Watson, CEO and Founder, David Collins Studio.

Founded by David Collins and Iain Watson in 1985, David Collins Studio attracts and fosters industry-leading interior designers. United by an obsession with detail, a team of 60 interior designers sit across commercial, residential, and FF&E teams. Since Collins’ death in 2013, co-founder Iain Watson leads the Studio as CEO. The Studio’s creative vision is led by Simon Rawlings, and closely supported by Design Director Lewis Taylor. Ros Keet and Louise Lythe lead the in-house FF&E and Procurement department. A dedicated residential design team is led by Associate Director Siobhan Kelly.

If you missed last week’s Interview with the Retail Design category winner L’Atelier Five, click here to read it.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Retail Design category, L’Atelier Five, Jasmine Bagaria talks about portraying the brand’s heritage in a modern way, using technology to aid storytelling, and the challenges of working in a pop-up space.

The team elevated the brand’s assets through digital and luxury art installations in an immersive digital tunnel, which portrayed the rich heritage and storytelling of the Panthère. 

SBID Awards Category: Retail Design

Practice: L’Atelier Five

Entry: Panthère de Cartier

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

The brief was to create an interactive and luxury experience in the Harrods Exhibition windows. Celebrating the story and heritage of Panthère de Cartier through a series of experiential rooms and playful takeaways. We used the internal Cartier guidelines to start the initial storytelling and then elevated the experience in true LA5 style. Pushing the boundaries and showing the client how we can create an impactful and modern pop-up.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

The most challenging part of this project was having to design during a lockdown. Most of the design was done over zoom meetings and phone calls whilst we were all under government orders to stay at home. This was the first project where we had to consider social distancing, covid screens and general covid safety into the design. It was a completely new scope to introduce and of course we wanted to ensure the features moulded well with the concept and didn’t seem an afterthought.

Another challenge was to develop the strong heritage of the Panthere de Cartier and showcase the assets in a modern and immersive way. We had a lot of assets to work with and we wanted to create an area for engaging with them, that allowed the story to shine but in a contemporary way. We came up with the infinity tunnel and turned the assets into an impactful digital timeline that took over the space. Using a series of digital tiles and mirror, we managed to create the first ever digital room in the Harrods exhibition windows. As it was the first, there were also some challenges in terms of production. However we worked closely with all parties involved to ensure perfect execution.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We are honoured to have won the award as it shows our hard work, dedication and passion for what we do. As a business it has inspired us to continue to go further and push to create unique experiences.

The design of the space uses a lot of digital elements and installations. How do you think technology can help tell the brand’s story and connect with the customers?

The use of digital allows you to showcase content in new and exciting ways. Compiling all the assets in a dynamic, moving visual, that pulls people in to explore. You only have a few moments to catch someone’s attention and playing with these elements creates more intrigue than plain text.

What are some considerations of working on a pop-up space design? What are the biggest challenges and how do you overcome them?

We always want to provide a 360 experience, so the visitor can take home a piece of the pop up with a memorable takeaway. Whether through branded giveaways or bespoke photo moments.

It can be challenging at times to translate the Brand guidelines into a space that has their own guidelines. We love to push the boundaries and ensure the pop-up is unique and stands out as a brand activation. Hence why we work closely with all parties to create the ultimate experience.

How do you hope Panthère de Cartier design will impact the customer? What impression are you hoping to leave?

With all our projects, we hope to leave a memorable impression on all visitors. We love creating modern and impactful experiences that engage the visitors and ensure commercial success and brand awareness.

Questions answered by Jasmine Bagaria, Lead Designer, L’Atelier Five.

At L’Atelier Five we are born to make a difference. We create, produce, and project manage bespoke retail experiences that engage people around the world. We are an award-winning design and production agency specialised in luxury bespoke retail experiences with a little difference. We are an ambitious team that thrives on creating unforgettable and unique moments for everyone. We have a dedicated team consisting of Designers, Project and production managers, account managers, finance, and of course our little office dog! We love what we do and have a passion for our ever-evolving industry.

If you missed last week’s Interview with the Contract Fit Out Project of the Year category winner Portview Fitout Specialists, click here to read it.

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