In this week’s interview with 2021 SBID Awards winners of the Restaurant Design category, design command share their tips on designing hospitality interiors with user experience in mind and talk about using natural materials in interior design projects.
SBID Awards Category: Restaurant Design
Practice: design command
Entry: Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant
Extremely important for us as an Interior Design Company that mainly specialise in hospitality design. To receive the recognition after the difficult years or 2020 and 2021 is an amazing achievement. Being recognised by SBID Awards introduces you to new contacts and you feel like part of a hospitality family.
We didn’t follow current trends and mainly focused on reflecting the amazing views and this was the inspiration for all ff&e selections and the colour palette. We think this made this restaurant’s interior design unique.
The Interior has to be both captivating and a comfortable place to dine. Equally important is how it works operationally for staff as they use the space on a daily basis and we want to have an interior that they are proud to showcase.
We like to work with natural materials on most of our projects as we find they add more contrast and interest overall, whilst also being environmentally friendly.
We wanted to reflect the coast and surroundings as much as possible and chose a range natural materials to express this throughout. When choosing these materials it is important that you apply them to the correct areas within the space.
It was a big surprise and we are still taking it all in and looking forward to new opportunities in hospitality design for 2022. We are looking forward to working on new restaurant and hotel designs. I began my career in hotel design and am excited to bring that passion full circle.
Always believe in yourself and no matter how much experience you have never dismiss an idea – it could be the best one for that particular project.
Questions answered by Clare McDonald, Founder & Creative Director, design command.
Design Command is a multi-award winning London & Hertfordshire based Interior Architecture Studio founded in 2013 by Clare McDonald. Clare brought over 13 years expertise in hotel and restaurant interiors to projects across Europe; designing 5 star hotels and over 50 restaurants, as well as student hotels, high-end residential schemes and boutique offices. Design Command has quickly grown to several designers working on hospitality projects throughout the UK and abroad – offering the experience and flair to realise your design ambitions.
If you missed last week’s Interview with the Fit Out Contractor of the Year – Residential category winner ALTER EGO Project Group, click here to read it.
This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a luxurious and warm bathroom design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Crimson Park Design.
An 80’s-era ensuite bathroom in Bellevue, WA, USA is opened up to solve outdated design and inefficient geometry. Featured are custom Sinker Cypress vanity, linen cabinet, and a 48” wide barn-style door with header and column, also of Sinker Cypress. A white ofuro-style tub, backed by new floor-to-ceiling glazing, sits in a stream of black polished river stones extending along the East wall under the vanity. Full slab, sumi-e-esque quartz lines the shower. Large field, textured Italian porcelain tile runs, offset, from West to East and up the wall behind the vanity. “When I walk into my bathroom I feel like a queen.” – Client, M. Chandler.
SBID Awards Category: KBB
Practice: Crimson Park Design
Project: Chandler Bath Oasis
Location: Washington, United States
I wanted to create a space that would allow my client to feel that her bathroom is a place of refuge; a place where she can begin and end her day at an arm’s length from the stress of life; a place to feel refreshed. I was fortunate enough to be given the creative freedom to incorporate some of my artistic sensibility into the design. After having As-Builts created, I began to sketch conceptual shapes in plan view, with the goal of keeping the main plumbing sites relatively intact. I like to work with organic shapes, and Mary gave me a bit of a free hand in coming up with design elements. In my art I tend to use circles, spirals, and other curving lines. I let instinct guide my pencil to create lines that would soften the space and hard angles that draw the eye around the room. I, then, scaled the concept back to reality and budget, keeping one curving line for the black river rock stream. The tile was cut to my hand drawn line that had been translated to a template by the CAD tech.
The most challenging part of the project was tackling the angle of the bedroom-to-bath transition hallway relative to the opening of the bathroom, in order to enclose the space, reducing the draft. I designed the Sinker Cypress header and column to properly catch the bespoke sliding door. It took a couple of iterations but I’m pleased with the result, which is a monolithic, yet in-scale, practical and user-friendly design element, warming the space both literally and aesthetically.
The highlights of any project for me are the joy of problem solving and collaboration with the client, craftsmen, and contractors through the design and build process; seeing all of the components come together as I envisioned; and delighting my client. A happy client is the best reward.
When the Chandler Bath Oasis was complete, I felt that something special had been created. I wanted to put it out into the world to gauge the response. I aimed high when entering the SBID Awards; it is clear that the SBID recognizes design excellence. I appreciate the thoughtfulness I sense from the organization, and the sense of community that the SBID works to create. Crimson Park Design is incredibly honoured to be recognized as a finalist by the SBID, validating my instinct about the strength of my design, and the work of my partners.
Questions answered by Shelli Park, Principal, Crimson Park Design.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a light luxurious show home design by Elicyon, click here to read it.
Canadian luxury handmade furniture and lighting brand Gabriel Scott has launched the LUNA KALEIDO collection, the second chapter in the brand’s best-selling Luna lighting range.
The customisable modular series includes two stackable glass lighting fixtures: a horizontal chandelier and a vertical pendant. The mouth-blown glass beads can be ‘strung’ together in any order to create a bespoke glowing piece of jewellery for residential, hospitality and commercial projects.
The lights are available in seven new shapes, all named after constellations (Dorado, Lyra, Aras, Cygnus, Orion and Carina). The collection is inspired by a kaleidoscope, which comes from the Greek words for kalos (beautiful), eidos (form), and skopeo (to look at). Like a kaleidoscope, the glass shapes have been designed to offer infinite interpretations of tone, shape and refracted light. When stacked, the lights become a glass mosaic with varying tones and patterns. Each colour and texture distorts light in a different way. When looking through the glass, the distortion creates magical optical illusions. Soft iridescent colours, including pinks, blues and greens, are fused with clear glass to create a sophisticated colour spectrum. The lights are available with six different surface textures including Smooth, Gridded, Regadines, Bubbles, Lines and Dots.
Founder and Creative Director Scott Richler comments, “We are delighted to be extending our existing LUNA series, which was launched in 2019 and is already popular with architects and interior designers alike. We work very closely with our makers at our Montreal production studio to ensure that each mouth-blown pendant and chandelier is made to the highest standards. Each piece will add a sense of enchantment to any interior design scheme.”
The LUNA series is inspired by a lunar halo and is a glamourous reference to the moon’s diffused light and soft glow. The LUNA series is currently available in satin brass, satin nickel, satin copper, satin bronze and black steel. Existing glass options include blue, California pink, yellow, smoked amethyst, smoked bronze and smoked grey.
The KALEIDO collection is available to purchase online and at Gabriel Scott’s New York and London showrooms.
About Gabriel Scott
Gabriel Scott was founded in Montreal, Canada, in 2012. Scott Richler was working as an architect and was often tasked with specifying high-end custom furniture for clients. He realised there was a market for bespoke, contemporary and customisable furniture and lighting fixtures crafted using a holistic approach that would be specifically aimed at designers and architects who need control over every detail of a building’s design.
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Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique SA: “Our collaboration with Zaha Hadid began a little more than two years ago with the creation of the Visio and Manifesto vases, two outstanding works of art which marked the inception of the Crystal Architecture collection. This collection was born of a passion for beauty, a quest for excellence, and the will to combine the expertise of our master-glassmakers with the creativity and rare talent of an architect and designer of world renown.
Today we are proud to present the latest addition to the collection: the Fontana bowl, a superb piece with the fluid and mineral lines, the sense of constant movement, that are so expressive of the style of Zaha Hadid and enhanced by the contrasting satin and polished finishes characteristic of Lalique. The thought of Zaha Hadid designing this project is a particularly moving one for me, and I would like to pay homage to her memory.
She was a pioneering figure in the world of architecture, the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The death of Dame Zaha Hadid on 31 March 2016 was a cause of immense sadness. Regarded as one of the great architects of her day, she created works that shaped and transformed spaces and landscapes the world over. Zaha Hadid and her architectural heritage will continue to inspire generations to come. Lalique is truly honoured to have had the opportunity to work with this outstanding artist.”
Fontana expresses the powerful dynamism of water. Informed by the continuity and rhythms of waves in motion, delicate undulations envelop the surface. The design’s formal composition conveys a purposeful solidity, whilst the vase’s materiality embeds lightness and refraction within the complexity of a fluid dynamic. Fontana translates the intrinsic beauty of natural systems by continuing a narrative defined by their unrivalled logic and coherence.
The FONTANA bowl is presented in plain crystal, black and midnight blue. All these pieces are available numbered and signed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
A sensory and tactile experience through sensual curves, the particular velvety touch of a satin finish, and a design both contemporary and timeless. This Midnight Blue colour was close to the heart of Zaha Hadid. It suffuses the Visio and Manifesto vases, which complete the Crystal Architecture by Zaha Hadid collection.
About Lalique
Lalique is a French glassmaker, founded by renowned glassmaker and jeweller René Lalique in 1888. Lalique is best known for producing glass art, including perfume bottles, vases, and hood ornaments during the early twentieth century.
In this week’s interview with 2021 SBID Awards winners for the Fit Out Contractor of the Year – Residential category, ALTER EGO, the designers discuss creating interiors that perfectly align with the clients’ desires and blending the architectural style of the residence into its interior design.
SBID Awards Category: Fit Out Contractor of the Year – Residential
Practice: Alter Ego Project Group
Entry: Oiseau Bleu
We are absolutely delighted and honoured to become a winner of the SBID Awards in the Fit Out Contractor of the Year – Residential category. Receiving recognition from one of the most prestigious and renowned awards in the global design industry brings not only status and global promotion but also inspiration for new incredible projects and hopefully the future victories.
This project on the Cote d’Azur is an example of successful synergy when the wishes of the Client and their willingness for innovative ideas coincided with our creativity and experience in the realization of unique and complex turnkey projects.
One of the customer’s key desires was a house exposed to nature so in this coastline villa we implemented the concept of a space with blurred boundaries, open to light and air. The seascape of the French Riviera inspired our team and became the main visual component of the interior. From certain angles it seems transparent. Each room faces picturesque views from panoramic windows.
A high point and best illustration of the concept is a sophisticated light composition – a flock of glass birds “hovering” in the central room of the villa. These bespoke pendants of different shapes and sizes were created according to our designer’s sketches by outstanding glass artisans. The functional content of the house and all storage systems are designed to create a feeling of completely unfurnished space, where nothing distracts from the purity of lines and the beauty of proportions.
A good interior is always a consequence of high-quality architecture. The villa blends perfectly with the surrounding landscape and the design solutions correspond to the context of the place. Bionic forms present in façade design, inside the house turn into large-scale arches, the curved wall panels set up a unique plasticity of the space and create a feeling of perfectly smooth surface. The decorative effect is enhanced by Onyx Rainbow inlay of extraordinary colours and patterns, perceived as stunning pictures created by the nature itself. A mesmerizing Calcite Blue picked up as the main bathroom finishing material captivates the observer with the charm of its sugary tones that, on one hand, suggest the perception of ethereal beauty and, on the other, symbolise freshness and clarity. White colour, prevailing in the interiors, acts as a joint background, emphasizing the continuity of spaces.
Our first responsibility and aim are to hear and understand the client properly. We do our best to ensure that our architectural or interior design concepts hit the customer’s wishes on the first try. This is a very ambitious goal, but there is no other way to start working on a complex, unique project.
Accurately hitting the client’s wishes on the first try means that an invisible connection has been found, a person has been heard and understood, and understood not only at the conceptual level, but at the level of further interaction – we already know which project timeline to build, which team will be most effective in working on this project, which contractors will be able to meet the client’s expectations, and much more.
How to achieve such an understanding from the first minutes? It is probably easier to answer how to be a human…
But there are simple ingredients: experience, good education, wide vision, and most importantly – passion for what you do.
Among new directions for the company’s development, we could highlight the sphere of hospitality. Our deep knowledge and many years of experience in private premium sector are highly demanded by hotel developers, allowing them to embody the principles of unique comfort and exclusivity in commercial hospitality projects.
Due to the change of travel conditions, that we are witnessing now, people’s requirements for a hotel are also changing, as they often have to spend more time there. So, new boutique hotels more often make use of the experience of bespoke residential construction, creating the most comfortable and thoughtful living conditions for their guests. And we are very pleased and excited to cooperate with developers in this industry.
Starting work with a potential Customer it is important to place the person in the centre stage, to hear and understand them. Therefore, in order to more accurately determine their concerns, interests, hobbies, favourite places and preferences, designers should listen to the Client more than talk about themselves.
Do not focus only on your ideas and sources of inspiration, always put the interests and wishes of the client first, and do not forget that the ideal interior is always created exactly for a specific customer and takes into account the smallest details, like a tailored suit, made exactly to measure.
Questions answered by Julia D. Lantieri, Founder and CEO and Vyacheslav Labzin, Architect and Creative Desirctor, ALTER EGO Project Group.
Julia‘s managerial talent and degrees in political science, economics, architecture and design, as well as an MBA, made it possible to turn a team of the best professionals into a global company, implementing projects in all corners of the world and gaining recognition from the professional community. Vyacheslav graduated from MARKHI (Moscow Academy of Architecture) in 1996. Since 2007, he has been Chief Architect and Head of ALTER EGO Project Group creative department. A winner of prestigious awards, architect with extensive experience, author of over 500 spaces, member of the Union of Architects, photographer and graphic artist – Vyacheslav realised his talents and creative ideas in large-scale, high-status projects around the world.
If you missed last week’s Interview with the Product category Furniture – Residential winner Lalique, click here to read it.
This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a light luxurious show home design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Elicyon.
Elicyon designed the three-bedroom show apartment situated on the 31st floor of One Casson Square, one of Southbank Place’s tallest and most striking landmark buildings. The floor to ceiling windows that wrap around the property, led to a brief that focused on enhancing these incredible city views influenced by the location and history of the site. To complement the abundance of natural light, a warm sandy colour scheme was adopted interspersed with darker autumnal accent colours of burnt oranges, mustards and rusts, creates a space that is rich, warm and heartening. The rich, woven, and natural textures of linens, cottons, and boucle wool, add to this overall natural theme, contrasted with details in blackened metal and leather adding an extra dimension of interest and a touch of luxuriousness to the space. The furniture throughout is bespoke and highly detailed design making each piece feel timeless, and seamlessly incorporated within the space; a clear but subtle harmony flowing throughout.
SBID Awards Category: Show Flats & Developments
Practice: Elicyon
Project: Project Arch
Location: London, United Kingdom
This was a show apartment on the 31st Floor of One Casson Square, the three-bedroom apartment had views of the city skyline via wrap around, floor to ceiling windows. The client wanted us to draw on these views and inject some soul into the apartment by looking at the area’s industrial skyline. Being a show apartment, the brief inevitably was to create a space that would have wild appeal whilst at the same time being visually exciting.
The project was inspired by the area’s history as a centre of manufacturing, Art and craft, with the space featuring a range of bespoke furniture and specially commissioned artwork reflecting that heritage. A palette of ivory burnt orange and ochre, gold, teal, and sandy tones was chosen to create a warm ambience. ‘We wanted to subtly reference the vibrancy, eclecticism and culture of the area and its history as the home of woollen cloth manufacturing, potting, and weaving,’ said Charu Gandhi, Elicyon Founder & Director.
If we had to think of one, then the planning and logistics of installing for a project on the 31st floor of a building – in order to ensure the installation would run smoothly large pieces of furniture had to be manufactured in smaller sections to fir the dimensions of the lifts.
We used some eclectic and contemporary furnishings, as well as designing our own tailor-made pieces. The entrance console table was spotted by the team during their last sourcing trip to Paris and is by Portuguese furniture maker Jose Leite de Castro. A retro modular joinery piece in the study meanwhile spans two walls and was designed in the 60s. It accompanies a freestanding desk and tub chair to provide a beautiful space to work from home.
SBID is the most well-regarded and prestigious design community within our industry, and so to be recognised and accredited by such an establishment is to achieve support and acknowledgment from a well-respected and reputable platform.
Questions answered by Charu Gandhi, Director, Elicyon.
Photos Credit: Patrick Williamson
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a creative apartment design by TEN DESIGN, click here to read it.
The SBID Awards is open for entries – it’s time to submit your designs to be evaluated by the this year’s distinguished experts on the judging panel. Read the SBID Awards’ entry checklist to prepare your submissions and get key tips to ensure your entry is ready to impress!
Save money and submit by Wednesday 31 May to avoid late entry fees!
The SBID Awards comprises 28 different entry categories across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit Out. These categories cover projects and products for commercial and residential interiors, giving all sectors the chance to showcase their best work and gain recognition within their field.
You can submit the same design into more than one category (if applicable), so make sure you’ve checked the full list of entry categories that could apply to your submission, and consider entering multiple to increase your chances of being shortlisted!
ENTRY TIP: The new clone feature allows you to easily duplicate your entries!
Be prepared! Review the entry guidelines to make sure you’re eligible to enter, ensure you can provide all the information and imagery required to meet the entry conditions, and that you clearly understand the submission process. Here, you’ll find all the vital information about the tiered entry system and a breakdown of the entry fees, along with key deadlines and advice on entering!
ENTRY TIP: Provide a link to supporting video content when prompted – video footage can be a powerful medium to better showcase your projects or products to the judges!
The SBID Awards new entry portal makes it easy to manage, edit and submit your entries into this year’s SBID Awards. Following the simple, step-by-step entry form, you can upload the required information or imagery and save your progress for later.
ENTRY TIP: With new flexible submissions, you can edit your entry even after submitting (until the final entry deadline) so if you’re running out of time for the next entry rate, why not submit and continue editing later?
Have you provided all the details for your entry? You are now ready to submit! Before you do, we recommend you review last year’s shortlisted entries to compare how your entry measures up, and ensure you are using the best imagery and descriptions to showcase your designs to the judging panel (and the public)!
SBID MEMBERS: To redeem your free submission and discounted rates provide your membership number when prompted!
Entries for the SBID International Design Awards 2022 are open!
View this year’s SBID Awards judging panel for 2022 here.
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidawards.com
Showcase your products to this year’s SBID Awards’ judging panel for Product Design categories! Some of the world’s most skilled and knowledgeable experts in product design industry offer their expertise to choose the best projects from the 2022 Awards entries.
Anthony Duesbury
Associate
SHH
A hugely experienced interior designer within the high-end hospitality sector, Tony leads a team within SHH’s hospitality arm. He is a creative interior design professional with 20 years’ experience in leading prestigious high-end hospitality, restaurant and residential schemes globally. A client-facing creative and technical designer with an extensive knowledge of the Interior Design process. He is a motivated design leader to develop complex, large and small scaled projects. He believes in a complete multifaceted holistic approach to design that is reflected in the consideration of every experience down to the finest of details.
Carolina Sandri
Creative Director
Casa Forma
Carolina has more than a decade of experience on the design and implementation of high-end interior design and architecture projects in London and around the globe. Trained as an architect, she established her own architectural business in her native country Brazil before moving to London 15 years ago. Her passion for design excellence and extensive knowledge in the luxury global market, makes it possible for her to transform any client’s aspirations into a truly bespoke luxurious space. Her architectural background gives her a combination of creative design skills with a wide range of technical knowledge. She is the Creative Director at the award-winning luxury design studio Casa Forma’s and is responsible for delivering leading-edge residential schemes for international high net worth individuals and property developers.
Darren Comber
Chief Executive
Scott Brownrigg
Darren is an Architect and the Chief Executive of international architectural and interior design practice Scott Brownrigg. He has Strategic Board responsibility for the quality of design across the practice and has been at the forefront of many of the practices high-profile projects within the UK and internationally. With experience in a broad range of sectors including commercial, education, residential, hospitality and retail, Darren instigates a fresh enthusiasm for modern architecture, innovative ideas and a sensitive concern for the environment. Darren is an established voice within the design industry, with recent thinking on the future of office design published on a range of media outlets including The Guardian Newspaper, Sky News, ITV and the BBC. More recently he has been working on how to encourage vitality back into our Cities, creating alternative uses for empty retail units and how to provide healthy destinations that support new existing and businesses.
Dr. Jeff Ning
President
Wanda Hotels & Resorts
Dr Ning is the President of Wanda Hotels & Resorts. During his tenure at Wanda, he has led the design, construction and operation management of over 100 upscale and luxury hotels. Under his leadership, these hotels have won many prestigious international design awards, including the SBID Awards, Gold Key Awards, IIDA-Best of Asia Pacific Design Awards, Hospitality Design Awards and many more.
Dr. Vanja Garaj
Head of Brunel Design
Brunel University London
Dr Garaj is Head of Brunel Design, where he also teaches on the Professional Design Studio module, a part of the MSc Integrated Product Design programme. He has co-ordinated a number of live project briefs across design fields, with organisations including Cancer Research UK, NHS, Pan Macmillan, Help for Heroes, Friends of the Elderly, Corney & Barrow, Shell, Ibis and BT. Dr Garaj’s research is aimed at design, development and evaluation of innovative systems, products and services, with the focus on digital and digital-physical domains and the application of the latest technologies.
Gary Clark
Principal & Regional Leader of Science + Technology
HOK London Studio
Gary is an architect with a passion for sustainable architecture and has over 30 years continually sought to bridge academic research, teaching and practice to create a sustainable future. In his role as Principal Lead for Science and Technology at HOK, his aim is to deliver a sustainable future not only in the science and technology but across all sectors of the construction industry. Gary has collaborated and led sustainability with a number of leading practices including Wilkinson Eyre, Bennett’s Associates and Hopkins Architects. These collaborations have delivered award winning sustainable buildings across a range of sectors from Higher Education, Academic Research, Residential mixed use, Office and Cultural Buildings. His academic experience includes teaching and research positions at The University of Cambridge, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Heriot Watt University Edinburgh, and Oxford Brookes University. Gary’s honorary positions include: – Appointed Chair of the RIBA Sustainable Futures Group in October 2018. – Appointed Visiting Professor of Sustainable Architecture at Robert Gordons University Aberdeen in 2016. – Past Chairman of the Usable Buildings Trust and BSRIA Soft Landings User Group from 2009 until 2016 His work has been recognized by many awards, including awards from the Civic Trust and the RIBA.
Gill Breen
Director – Hotels and Hospitality Expert
Gleeds
Gill is a dynamic, passionate, and highly motivated Construction Cost and Procurement Professional who has specialised in the Hotel, Hospitality and Residential Sectors, predominantly in the UK and Europe, as well as internationally, including postings in Toronto and Singapore. Currently a Director for Gleeds Cost Management Ltd, and a member of the London Senior Leadership Team, Gill assumes operational responsibility and leadership of the Gleeds Futures & Innovation panel. Gill is committed to the continuous development of the industry and is actively involved in research and Thought Leadership with regular contributions to both in-house and external publications. Gill has had her articles published in journals including Construction Manager and Building Magazine. Gill’s reviews have included topics such as BIM, the Private Rental Sector (PRS / BTR), Residential and Serviced Apartments, Net Zero Carbon and Sustainability.
“I am absolutely delighted to be a Judge in this year’s SBID 2022 Awards. We are seeing an unprecedented rate of change in the way we live, learn, work, and play, and our built environment and building interiors are constantly evolving, to reflect changing needs and aspirations. The SBID Awards provides a central focus for the industry’s best Interior Designers, Fit-Outs and Product Designers to showcase and celebrate their talent and creativity, and whose work is both stunning & truly inspiring. I wish all participants the best of luck and I’m very much looking forward to seeing the fantastic variety of submissions this year brings.” – Gillian Breen
Hans Galutera
Founder and CEO, Board Directors of New York State Education
HG DesignWorks LLC
Hans J. Galutera – Founder and CEO of HG DesignWorks LLC, has recently been nominated and elected on the Board of Education for New York State. Being in the design industry for over 25 years, Hans has been a co-founder and principal of New York-based BG Studio International, Inc. and is the past president of the Board of Directors for the International Interior Design Association IIDA New York Chapter. He is an Advisory Board Member for the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC-UN Habitat) and a professional member of the Design Institute of Australia (MDIA). Hans is also recognized on the Executive Board for the Society of British International Design (SBID) based in London as the International Education Ambassador. As one of the NYSED Board Members he will serve and be one of the overseer of the district’s affairs (specifically interior design education and licensure). The NYSED Board has specific responsibilities to approve curriculum, employ a superintendent and submit a proposed budget to the district voters for their approval. He will continue to maintain the value of the interior design profession with ongoing outreach with various organizations such NY11+ which is dedicated to promoting public awareness of the interior design profession by providing a platform to showcase student work from prestigious New York State institutions.
Henry Reeve
Director of Interior Design
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
Henry is Director of Design at InterContinental Hotels Group. He is responsible for creating the interior design and guest experience for IHG’s Kimpton and Hotel Indigo brands across Europe. Since joining IHG in January 2015, Henry has worked across some of IHG’s most celebrated and award-winning design projects, including the launch of the first Kimpton hotel outside of the Americas – Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam. He has led the teams responsible for the design of all new Hotel Indigo properties over the last 5 years. As well as designing new hotels in IHG’s pipeline, Henry has worked on more than 20 refurbishment projects across IHG’s existing hotels. Before joining IHG, Henry was Associate Director at for people, and Creative Director at numerous agencies cross London. Henry studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol, followed by an MA in Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins. Over the course of his career, he has been a lecturer and agency creative working in a wide variety of sectors from automotive, events, retail, and consumer goods before dedicating his time to hotel interior design.
Herbert Lui
Partner
Dexter Moren Associates
Herbert has extensive experience of working on complex mixed-use developments on challenging sites. Along with a strong awareness of stakeholder aspirations, he has a proven ability to convert constraints into opportunities. Herbert is a graduate of Westminster University and the Architectural Association in London, and the National University of Singapore. He joined DMA in 1999 as a Project Architect and was appointed a Partner in 2008. In 2018 he secured planning consent for the 252-room Bicester Heritage hotel, on a former RAF base in the heart of “motorsport valley”, close to a number of Formula One teams and the Silverstone Circuit. More recently in November 2019, he achieved consent for the third and final major phase in the refurbishment and expansion of the Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone, London. Herbert has also brought his hospitality experience into the multi¬family residential/PRS sector in Canary Wharf, and has been the design leader for several hospitality schemes in North Africa and Nairobi.
Iain Johnson
CEO
Rigby & Rigby
Rigby & Rigby CEO Iain Johnson has been a pivotal part the growth of the firm since its inception, dynamically executing the vision of a truly integrated design and delivery studio with full-service capabilities. A champion of the studio’s expansion, he has helped it to become a leading multiaward- winning name in ultra-prime delivery. Accredited in every division, the firm’s extensive expertise extends across development management, architecture, interior design, construction delivery and private client services, to create the most exceptional properties in the world. Johnson leads and oversees the group’s operational strategy and creative division – ensuring the brands individual identity, heritage and expertise is maintained and delivered as a complimentary offering, he is also creating collaborations with some of the world’s best architects and interior design studios providing clients a unique opportunity of choice within the full-service delivery model. At the heart of Rigby & Rigby’s approach is Johnson’s profound commitment to the client experience. Architecturally trained with 20 years of industry leadership and experience, Iain’s ability to understand every facet of the design process ensures he is perfectly positioned to support clients throughout their development journey. This includes Rigby & Rigby’s award-winning Special Projects division, where Iain leads a dedicated development and delivery team undertaking the most complex signature new build and heritage restoration projects, requiring an additional level of attention and care. Creatively Iain’s passion lays in driving innovation through research-based methodology, influencing the architectural and interior design studios to be more experimental and to maximise the client experience and enrich the user journey. The product being perfectly resolved residences, with a style defined as understated refined luxury, delivered with a service that is second to none.
Katharine Pooley
CEO & Founder
Katharine Pooley Ltd
Katharine Pooley is one of the most sought-after interior designers working internationally today. Recently named ‘British Interior Designer of the Decade’, ‘International Designer in Asia of the Year’, and ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, her design ethos is both highly respected and uniquely far reaching. Her eponymous Knightsbridge Design Studio was established over 15 years ago and continues to create unmatched luxury interior designs for landmark commercial and residential projects in London and Worldwide for the most discerning clients. Overseeing her team of 47 interior designers and architects Katharine’s highly personal approach – she immerses herself in every detail of her client’s complex project – ensures a loyal international fan base for her impressive designs. Katharine’s aesthetic is very much client driven and she prides herself on being a complete design chameleon.
Letitia Fitzgibbon
Head of Harrods Interior Design
Harrods Interior Design
With over 17 years’ experience in the luxury interiors industry Letitia heads-up Harrods Interior Design, a multi-disciplinary bespoke design service by Harrods. In her previous role within the Harrods Home buying team, Letitia worked on redeveloping the home and furniture offering to provide carefully curated products that hero provenance, craftsmanship and heritage in helping to shape Harrods Home into the exciting design hub it is today. Letitia and her team of design experts travel the world in search of beautiful designs, the latest trends and the highest quality fabrics and products. Letitia’s design ethos centres around two key factors: relevance to the client and their lifestyle, and harmony of the design with its surrounding environment.
Lucy Savanis
Design Principal
1508 London
Lucy is a Design Principal at 1508 London, an interior and architecture design studio that creates exceptional spaces worldwide. Specialising in exclusive residential, hospitality and branded developments, the designs she produces are not formulaic or style driven, but derived from measured principles. Originally trained as an architect at the university of Toronto, where she developed strong skills of spatial awareness, conceptual approach to design and passion for materiality, Lucy has honed her skills through her transatlantic experience working alongside some of the world’s leading figures in design, delivering luxurious private residences, hotels and developments for a discerning international clientele. With over 15 years of experience in the hospitality and luxury residential design industry, Lucy leads her teams at 1508 in realising prestigious homes, hotels and premium branded developments globally. At the heart of her work is a passion for harmony, purity of materials, understated luxury and bespoke details that lend a unique character and authenticity to every project.
Maria Vafiadis
Founder and Managing Director
MKV Design
Maria is an established thought-leader within the hospitality design world, admired for her roll call of exceptional and award-winning projects, sought out by discerning property owners and respected for the value she brings to all her work. She is as confident in imagining large, imposing spaces as she is in creating cosy niches; whether designing the boldly contemporary or within the classical genre, she draws on location and cultural heritage to create something unique. An architect by training and an interior designer by choice, she combines visionary use of space with design that reaches out beyond trend, that is commercially astute, innovative and delightfully surprising. Maria established MKV Design in London in 2000 after an early career which had taken her from Athens to Milan and onto the UK. Since then, she has cultivated a business which has worked across Europe, in the Middle East and in Africa. Current/recent projects include: Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland; Costa Navarino, Greece; Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest; the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane; Grand Hyatt Athens; Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort; Athens Capital Centre Hotel – MGallery Collection; Grand Hyatt Hotel & Residences, Abu Dhabi; and Hôtel Royal Savoy in Lausanne.
Samantha Drummond
Design Strategist & Founder of Habitus Design Group
Habitus Design Group
Samantha Drummond has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the Middle East as well as in her native Australia. In the process, she has delivered design management and interior design in excess of US$25 billion, working alongside clients and hospitality visionaries to create resorts, restaurants and bars that are game-changing for their country and she has collaborated with the elite amongst architects, artists, chefs and luxury brands. In 2016, Sam established her own interior design firm, Habitus Design Group, which now has studios in London, Singapore and Denmark, and she is currently forming Husk, bringing together strategists, Michelin star chefs and design specialists to devise and deliver F&B concepts across the Globe. Sam’s wide skill set, design instinct and appetite for innovation mean that her current projects range from two new resorts in the Philippines and a hospitality development in Cape Verde to a fine dining restaurant and an exclusive menswear store in Copenhagen.
“I am delighted to be a judge of this year’s SBID Awards, a scheme that has done so much to champion outstanding design in both the East and the West. Having been based in Asia for many years and now with a new focus on Europe, I am looking forward to participating in a celebration of great design from both these regions of the world.” – Samantha Drummond
Sharon Lillywhite
Founding Partner
Oliver Burns
Sharon Lillywhite is Founding Partner of Oliver Burns, a multi-award-winning architectural interior design studio that thoughtfully designs the world’s finest homes. Working across an exclusive portfolio of international turnkey projects, the team has a world- class reputation for bespoke commissions, super- prime developments and elegant spaces that are synonymous with a luxury lifestyle. Their exceptional architectural, creative, and development credentials together with the highest levels of personal service, enable them to act as trusted advisors to discerning private clients, developers and luxury brands. The concept of ‘Thoughtful Luxury’ underpins their approach. It is reflected in their designs, from the concepts they develop, through to the thoughtfully layered details they create with artisans and craftsmen. It is demonstrated in the unique understanding they have of their discerning clients and translated in their vision of client care. This approach ensures that all of their projects are thoughtfully designed, thoughtfully built and thoughtfully finished.
Stella Gittins
Co-Founder & Group Director
Accouter Group of Companies
Stella Gittins is the Co-Founder of AGC, London’s fastest-growing portfolio of international award-winning Interior Design companies. Creating the benchmark in luxury living, the Accouter Group of Companies which is home to Accouter Design, A. LONDON and BoxNine7, delivers world-class interior architectural and furnishing services to the global property market and private clients. With 15 years of experience mentoring and directing diverse teams within the field, Stella has spent 7 years building AGC which has been voted one of the best places to work in property on multiple occasions. Taking a lead creative role for the Group, Stella is responsible for all aspects of brand and design and has published four bespoke publications that discuss every corner of luxury life. Featuring the inspiration behind Accouter Design’s schemes and collaborating with iconic brands such as Rolls Royce and William & Son, the fifth publication is due for launch in 2020.
Terry McGillicuddy
Director
Richmond International
Terry joined Richmond International in 2002 with a background in leisure and retail consultancy. He has travelled the world and was based in the Far East and Middle East during the early years of his career. Now a Director of Richmond International, Terry is responsible for the company management, liaising with clients and has a very hands-on role throughout the design process. Terry has steered a range of Richmond International’s most notable projects with multinational brands and independent owners that have been honoured with awards and accolades across the hospitality design space, including Richmond International’s successful cruise ship design projects. Taking a personal and open approach to projects and forming great relationships with clients is integral to Terry’s way of working. He takes the time to understand the client’s needs, by discussing the brief, interpreting ideas and sketching concepts to ensure Richmond International’s high standard of work is delivered.
Entries for the SBID International Design Awards 2021 are open!
View the Interior Design & Fit Out judges or click here to view the full SBID Awards judging panel.
The SBID International Design Awards introduces an exciting new panel of judges with a wealth of specialist industry expertise across the creative professions and related fields. Meet the people who will be evaluating your projects at this year’s SBID Awards!
Alicja Baxter
Property Services Lead – London & South East
Department for Education, Capital Group
Alicja started her career in the built environment back in 2003 working for construction companies in Europe, USA and Caribbean assisting on delivery of commercial and residential build projects. In 2010 graduated with honours from the University of Greenwich in London with a degree in Estate Management and since then, worked as a commercial property surveyor in private and public sector, covering professional work, land acquisitions and disposals, compulsory purchase, Landlord & Tenant, asset management and strategy. Joined the DfE’s Property Services team in 2015 to manage property aspects of the Free Schools delivery, mainly land acquisition and asset management to support this fast-paced programme. Departments’ Free Schools Programme delivered over 800 new schools across the country to date, providing diversity and improved quality of education for primary and secondary aged children.
Andrew Katz
Prospect Hotel Advisors LLC
Andrew is a partner at Prospect Hotel Advisors LLC, which is a hospitality asset management firm. Prospect Advisors is responsible for The Blackstone Groups hotel portfolio globally and oversee the exclusive consultant partners that support the portfolios as well as providing third party asset management services for other Real Estate firms. As part of this role, Andrew oversees, Axios Hospitality Real Estate. Axios is the London based provider of Asset Management Services to The Blackstone Group in Europe and the UK, where they own 60 hotels. Prior to this position Andrew was Senior Vice President of Asset Management for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Prior to that Andrew has a long career in hospitality in operations having started his career at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and as the General Manager at various renowned locations.
Bethan Ryder
Executive Editorial Director
WGSN
As Executive Editorial Director of WGSN Bethan oversees the content produced by WGSN. Collaborating with a global team of senior strategists, analysts, and consultants, Bethan is the lynchpin working across content, marketing and product, ensuring that WGSN continues to lead the way as a world-class trend forecasting service. Bethan has over 20 years’ experience as a design, luxury and lifestyle journalist, contributing to numerous publications include Architonic, Hole & Corner and The Observer Design magazine and holding senior positions at Telegraph Luxury, Wallpaper* and ELLE Decoration. She has provided copywriting services for globally renowned brands including Absolut, The Rug Company, David Collins Studio and Exit Here and moderated talks for events including 100% Design, London Design Festival, Clerkenwell Design Week, Hotel Olympia and Milan Design Week. A design-lover, Bethan has written several books on hospitality interiors and sporadically hosts a podcast interviewing female architects and designers.
Carlo Castelli
Head of Cities Solutions Europe
Jacobs
Carlo Castelli is an architect and masterplanner. He holds a Master Degree in Architecture with distinction in 1999. In 2011 he completed a Master in ‘City Design and Social Science’ at the London School of Economics and Social Science. His experience as an architect spans across sectors and includes important contributions to the design process of internationally renowned buildings such as the Tennis Centre and International Broadcasting Centre for Rio Olympics 2016 and the 437m-high West Tower in Guangzhou, China. His focus in recent years has been on urban and regional projects. As Head of Cities Solutions at Jacobs Built Environment, Carlo leads multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholder engagement processes. Carlo is currently involved in the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Plan, a mixed use, residential development in Dublin and a new city in Morocco.
Carol Doering
Certified Healthcare Interior Designer and Past President
American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers
Carol is a senior interior designer, who has been involved in the design of healthcare environments for nearly 40 years when healthcare facilities were bland, uninspiring places to receive treatment, not places of wellness and engagement as they have become today. Project experience includes hospitals in small communities and large metropolitan areas, outpatient offices for single providers as well as multi-discipline ambulatory care centres with places for engagement and education as well as long term care communities where our seniors live in a variety of settings. The challenge of creating safe, healthy places for people to receive the care they need, for staff to feel supported in the often-stressful work that they do and that are also beautiful “distractors” is what healthcare design is all about. Carol is accredited by exam and experience as a certified healthcare interior designer.
Cass Saldanha
Regional Creative Director
Apple
After graduating in Product Design and Visual Communications, Cassiano founded, run and sold a successful digital agency in the early 2000s. Since then he acted as graphic designer, art director and creative lead for more than 22 years, working in São Paulo, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami for major advertising agencies like Ogilvy, Publicis, DDB and RG/A. He’s done award-winning work for brands such as Nike, Google, Dove, Netflix, Schweppes, MasterCard, Adidas, IBM, Levis, Motorola, AIG, PepsiCo, LG, and Intel. In 2015 he joined Apple as a Creative Lead for Latin America and Caribbean. In a parallel life he tempers with natural materials, technology and product design.
Damien Bourke
Project Director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
British Council
Damien is currently the Director of Major Programme at the British Council. Amongst other projects Damien has just delivered the relocation of the British Council’s HQ to the Olympic Park in Stratford. He is currently in the process of delivering the relocation of the British Council Art Collection to the former IKEA building in the centre of Coventry. Prior to this, Damien worked at Tameside Council from 2012 – 2017 and in that time delivered a number of key schemes in Tameside (Tameside One, Ashton Old Baths, Godley Hill Road and others). Prior to this he was Chief Executive of Blackpool Fylde and Wyre Economic Development Company. During his career, Damien has also undertaken roles with the Northwest Regional Development Agency and with the Cabinet Office where he worked in the PM’s Strategy Unit as well as the Home Office for Jim Reid and Charles Clarke. Damien has considerable expertise in economic growth and development, strategic policy and planning and in local and national government.
Daniel Englender
Managing Director, London
Benjamin West International
Daniel has spent his entire working life in the furniture and interiors industry, initially combining his study of International Economics at London’s Middlesex University with the manufacture of hotel and commercial furniture. His family operated a manufacturing business that supplied hotels across the UK and Daniel expanded this business with a truly international outlook; by the time the business was sold in 2001, more than two hundred staff were employed making upholstery and casegoods within their Derbyshire factory. Daniel has worked on hotel projects in more than 40 countries around the world, regularly speaks on panels at investor and design conferences and is a member of the International Society of Hotel Consultants.
David C. Kaufman
Global Digital Director
Architectural Digest
David Kaufman is Architectural Digest’s Global Digital Director. Prior to AD, Kaufman was most recently the founding editor-in-chief of Knewz.com, the search and discovery platform from News Corp, is a former New York Times Editor, the former Global Lifestyle Editor at Quartz and spent nearly five years at the New York Post where he was Travel, Home + Design Editor as well as Editor-in-Chief of Alexa, the Post’s lifestyle publication. Kaufman was responsible for growing both Alexa’s edit and advertising presence and developed new issues focused on topics ranging from Art Basel Miami Beach and the Frieze Art Fair to Design, the Hamptons and LGBT Pride. Kaufman has contributed culture, lifestyle and political pieces to publications ranging from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and AirMail to Monocle, Wallpaper, Esquire and The Hollywood Reporter.
Debansu Das
Chairman – Housing Diversity Network
Housing Panel, Construction Industry Council
Debansu has nearly two decades of experience in the UK housing sector. He passionately advocates sustainability & modern methods of construction. He has rich experience in UK offsite sector and is actively involved with several modular homes development projects. He has worked with numerous offsite contractors – from SMEs to established ones. On client-side, he works closely with senior housing professionals and key stakeholders to overcome barriers in embracing offsite, achieve sustainability goals and deliver “inclusive” design for new homes. He is also the Chairman of “Housing Diversity Network”, a leading social enterprise, for last 5 years and an active member of Housing Panel of Construction Industry Council. He champions “equality and diversity” in both construction and housing sectors. In the past, he was a Product Manager with blue chip companies like Philips and received numerous awards including “Marketer of the Year” & “European Marketing Excellence Award 2012”.
Dr. Shamir Ghumra
Head of Building Performance Services
BRE
Dr. Shamir Ghumra leads the global BREEAM portfolio of sustainability standards which has been driving global improvements in buildings and infrastructure for over three decades. Shamir is an experienced ESG and sustainability leader with a strong belief in empowering others for commercial success. In his current role leading the Building Performance Services Division at BRE, Shamir supports the BRE mission “to be the world-leading innovation, science and data hub for the built environment.” Shamir is a Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, a Chartered Environmentalist and a Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering at Loughborough University in the UK. Shamir is also a member of the Institute of Directors and the vice -chair of the Leicestershire and South Midlands Branch. Shamir also takes an active interest in Green Finance; Global Infrastructure programmes and sits on the advisory panel of numerous projects.
“I am looking forward to being on the judging panel for the SBID International Design Awards; in particular, I want to see how the entries have taken into consideration broader environmental and social aspects into their designs. There are so many sustainability aspects great design can bring to life and make it an integrated part of the design without it feeling like an afterthought. I hope to be inspired by the breadth and talent from the creators of these designs.” – Dr Shamir Ghumra
Elise Nassour
Interior Design Director
Majid Al Futtaim
Elise joined MAF-Majid Al Futtaim Group in 2020 in the role of Interior Design Director, handling the Owner’s private projects worldwide. Previously, Elise headed the Design Studio at the “Engineering Office”, a multi-disciplinary company handling the various projects for the Dubai Royal Family. Born in Beirut-Lebanon, Elise has an immense familiarity of the region’s culture. She led a team of international Designers, building a coherent and skilled Design Studio powerhouse, delivering top notch, high profile Residential, Key commercial and Hospitality projects; entrusted by some of the leading hotel operators to design and execute large-scale projects. Elise is driven by her passion for Design with a sharp eye for details and proportions and an innate sensibility to colours and textures. She seeks her inspiration and creativity from all what she encounters throughout the day, anchored with her in-depth knowledge and understanding of every facet of the Design industry. Elise believes in the power of the human connection first, mediating balance between people and spaces, poetry, and logic; the recipe for a well-concocted collaboration and great achievements.
Francesca Berriman MBE
The Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
Francesca Berriman has been Chief Executive at CIAT since 1995 and has worked within the Architectural Technology and built environment sector for over 30 years. Amongst her many achievements, Francesca led the Institute in gaining its Royal Charter in 2005; and also its recognition as a Competent Authority within the European Union. In 2008 she undertook the first built environment UK Institute AGM in Hong Kong. In addition to this Francesca is: a Trustee of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and current Chair of its Programmes Committee; a Council member of (and former Vice Chair of both) the Society for the Environment (SocEnv), the Construction Industry Council (CIC); and is a member of Edge, a think tank for the built environment. Francesca has been a judge for a variety for awards such as the Women in Construction and Engineering Awards, and the Landscape Institute. She also sits on Panels and speaks at events and seminars internationally, most recently related to the Grenfell Tower fire and COVID-19. Francesca was made an MBE in Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II’s 2012 Birthday Honours for services to the Architectural Technology profession; in 2014 she received an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Southampton Solent University; and was the keynote speaker at the 2016 National Building Design International Conference in Australia.
Helen Brocklebank
Walpole
Helen Brocklebank is CEO of Walpole, the trade body for the British luxury industry. Helen is a specialist in luxury media brands, building her career at Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar. During her ten year tenure, Helen founded the highly successful, multi-platform brand extension ‘Bazaar At Work’ for Omega and created enduring content partnerships with iconic brands including Bentley’s sponsorship of Bazaar Art and Esquire’s Man at the Top Awards for Glenmorangie. Most recently Helen established a content consultancy for luxury brands working predominantly with retail and media clients, including Liberty and Boat International. She brings to Walpole a deep understanding of, and passion for, the business of luxury, an unerring ability to conceive creative and impactful initiatives and an entrepreneurial spirit that drives their successful delivery.
Ingrid Abramovitch
Executive Editor, ELLE DECOR (US)
Hearst
Ingrid Abramovitch is a New York City-based design journalist and the executive editor at ELLE DECOR. A former staff writer and editor at House Beautiful, Veranda, and House & Garden, she has written widely on design, architecture, and lifestyle for a wide range of publications. She is also the author and writer of several books including her townhouse renovation guide Restoring a House in the City.
“Design is a global language that is made more interesting by its regional differences. I love the SBID’s international approach and as a design editor, it is a treat to see the best in design in categories ranging from homes to restaurants and retail spaces. I can’t wait to be inspired.” – Ingrid Abramovitch
Justin Hills
Head of Property and Office Services
House of Lords
Justin is the Head of Property and Office Services for the House of Lords, responsible for property and facilities management services to Members and the administration. He also acts as chair and senior responsible owner on large projects across the Parliamentary Estate, either bicameral or specifically House of Lords projects. These have included building refurbishments and the conservation of the historic Westminster Hall, internal hammerbeam roof and two of the internal courtyards within the Palace of Westminster. He also attends bicameral boards for a number of Parliamentary projects including Elizabeth Tower. His previous experience within, projects, property and facilities management has been working for a London Borough and a large County Council.
Linda Hausmanis
Chief Executive Officer
Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM)
On becoming CEO in 2016, Linda embarked on a programme to develop the Institute into a modern professional body and re-position workplace and facilities management as a value-creating profession. Today, IWFM provides value to a membership community of around twelve thousand and to the sector more widely. Its vision is to be the trusted voice of a distinct profession recognised, beyond the built environment, for its ability to enable people to transform organisations and their performance. Linda joined the predecessor British Institute of Facilities Management in 2007 where her education strategy enabled the Institute to become a regulated Awarding Organisation. She subsequently led the Institute’s work to develop professional vocational qualifications in facilities management which are now accredited and delivered internationally. She spearheaded the development of Professional Standards for facilities management which are now embedded by employers in the recruitment, development and management of professionals in the UK and beyond.
“Coming from a professional body that understands the connection between place and people in the creation of high performing workplaces, I’m very much looking forward to celebrating interior design excellence and the innovative creativity behind it, across a range of settings. I’m thrilled to be a judge in these important Awards”. – Linda Hausmanis
Mari Balestrazzi
Director, Environments Design
Airbnb
As Director of Operations for Environments, Mari oversees the team that designs Airbnb’s offices worldwide, and collaborates with real estate developers to create new models of housing that support Airbnb’s goal to make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way. Before assuming her role at Airbnb Mari held numerous positions within the hospitality design industry. Most recently she was Vice President of Design Services for Hyatt Hotels in Chicago, where she oversaw design for Hyatt’s portfolio of full-service hotel brands throughout the Americas region. Prior to Hyatt Mari was the Group Director, Architecture at Value Retail based in London and Senior Vice President of Design for Morgans Hotel Group in New York. Mari’s first in-house role was as Global Director of Design for St. Regis Hotels. Before transitioning to in-house design roles, Mari got her start as Studio Director for Aero Studios Limited in New York City where she oversaw new construction and renovation projects, both residential and commercial, including the hotel 60 Thompson and Giorgio Armani’s private residence in Manhattan.
“I am honoured to be a judge in this year’s SBID Awards. The range of projects and the quality of past award winners has been exceptional. I look forward to celebrating innovation and excellence again this year.” – Mari Balestrazzi
Mulianto Halim
Interior Design Principal
Walt Disney Imagineering Asia
Trained as Architect, having to work in both Architecture and Interior Design for over than 20 years, Moel is a Hong Kong based Interior Design who currently holds the position as Interior Design Principal in Walt Disney Imagineering Asia, Ltd. Moel hold BS in Architecture degree from Tarumanagara University, Jakarta – Indonesia. Before joining Disney was working with notable Architecture and Interior Design Firms in Jakarta, China & Hong Kong, mostly working with high luxury residential, Hospitality and Entertainment like Five Stars Hotel and Casinos in Macau. Moel join Walt Disney Imagineering in 2015, from that moment his main specialty is working with amazing talented people from Disney to build thematic and storytelling base interior space, his previous projects included Disney’s Explorer Lodge Hotel, Ironman Experience, Antman and the Wasp “Nano Battle”, and recently open Castle of Magical Dreams all located in Hong Kong Disneyland. Moel has a passion in specialty design, like art glass, themed lighting, and thematic FF&E items. His recent accomplishment is designing Hong Kong Disneyland New Castle of Magical Dream Art Glass, collaborating with Indonesian Art Glass studio.
Nuno Fernandes
Design Director EMEA
TÉTRIS
Nuno lives and breathes design for the past 25 years working in the design and architecture industries in 5 continents in very diverse capacities and in pretty much every sector such as corporate, healthcare, retail, government or education. In his role as Design Director EMEA for the D&B company Tétris his aim was to unify and bring together over 200 architects and designers in almost 20 countries harmonizing relationships of different cultures, languages and processes and pushing the envelope of design excellence no matter the client or location. Over the course of his career he has been a creative designer, a strategist, a project director and a mentor with several articles in the media and a keynote speakers in diverse events. He is a firm believer in the universal power of design to move people into a better life.
Paola Tassara Oromí
Design Director
Starbucks Coffee Company EMEA
Paola Tassara Oromí, AIA, is an architect and designer based in London. Paola started her career working for numerous architecture practices in France and the Netherlands prior to moving to Los Angeles. There, she worked for Frank Gehry, collaborating on the design of several museums and cultural institutions worldwide. Having established a solid foundation in architecture, Paola then began to focus on interior design. With NYC-based ICRAVE Design and later, her own firm, Tassara A+D, her work expanded to restaurant, nightclub, boutique hotel and retail design. Since 2016, Paola has been a Design Director for Starbucks Coffee Company, currently leading the design for the brand’s stores in EMEA.
Peter Exley
Director of Architecture & Professor
Architecture is Fun, Inc. & School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Peter Exley, FAIA, has established an internationally recognized practice of architecture for children, families, and communities, elevating the standards of design for learning and play environments. He is the co-founder of Architecture Is Fun, a Chicago-based, woman-owned architecture, design, and consulting firm. Dedicated to helping the next generation of architects, Peter has also been an adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) for more than 25 years. He led the American Institute of Architects as its 97th President in 2021. The eponymous book, Architecture Is Fun, co-authored with Sharon Exley, was published in 2021.
Sarah Whiting
Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture
Harvard Graduate School of Design
View the Product Design judges or click here to view the full SBID Awards judging panel.
This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a creative apartment design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, TEN DESIGN.
SBID Awards Category: Residential Apartment Under £1M
Practice: TEN DESIGN
Project: Living in This Quadrant
Location: Beijing, China
Living in This Quadrant project was designed for a young jewellery designer, aiming to create a space for the owner to work and live in, as well as serve as a playful space for two cats.
Having seen the jewellery design manuscripts and personal collections all over the house, we decided to borrow the mellow and full shape of gems, and the inlaying processing technique of jewellery as the design concept, penetrating the whole house with the element of a quarter of a circle (arc).
The space with an exceptional arc structure plays the role of a display and extends the space, while creating a soft, romantic atmosphere. The open kitchen, dining room and jewellery display are placed in the entrance area. In the soft, light, grey toned space warm wood materials and arc elements combine to create an open space for reception with personalized features.
In this space, the formerly square living room is cut into a quarter of a circle. Drawing a half circle around the living room the design integrates the storage cabinet, work area and jewellery display wall into a quarter of a circle.
Another highlight of this design is the paradise created for the owner’s cats. A couch and storage cabinet are placed by the window with the best views, while the original partition wall is opened to form a corridor of light, where the owner stays with the cats. The arc-shaped passage in the living room couch becomes a secret base for the cats. We designed quarter-circle shaped cat doors in the master bedroom and communal bathroom doors with inlaid stainless steel panels on the floor, so that the pets can come and go freely.
The SBID is an influential award that attracts a large number of participants each year. We believe that achieving superior results at SBID is a testament to our work.
Questions answered by TEN DESIGN.
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a CGI design of a transformable restaurant-bar venue by 4SPACE Design, click here to read it.
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