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!
Interior Design & Fit Out Judges:
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
Partner
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.
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 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
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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
Chief Executive
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 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 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 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.
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
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
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 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, 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.
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.
Entries for the SBID International Design Awards 2022 are open!
View the Product Design judges or click here to view the full SBID Awards judging panel.
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidawards.com
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
What was the client's brief?
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.
What inspired the design of the project?
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).
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
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.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
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.
Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?
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.
In this week's interview with 2021 SBID Awards Overall Winner, Angel O'Donnell, the practice's co-founders reflect on their journey in the interior design industry and discuss their approach to incorporating local influences and culture into their designs.
London-based interior design studio Angel O’Donnell has created award-winning interiors for private homes, luxury show apartments and vast, mixed-use developments around the world. The studio prides itself on not having a signature style. That way, they can create beautiful and ownable designs that are 100% tailored to each client’s wants and needs.
SBID Awards Category: Overall Winner
Practice: Angel O'Donnell
Entry: The Dumont
How important is it to enter the SBID Awards and receive industry recognition for your work?
Hugely important. Without question. We’ve said it before to our followers on Insta: the SBID is a lobbying titan and we’re thrilled to number among its members.
It’s a much loved and deeply respected organisation. How could it not be? In your own words you ‘represent, defend and promote professional interior designers in the UK and in 71 countries worldwide’. Affirmations don’t get much stronger than that.
And, yes, it’s lovely to be recognised by your peers and role models. The SBID always attracts a stellar judging panel packed with industry luminaries at the top of their game. So, naturally, when they give your work the thumbs-up, it’s seriously validating. And people do regard you differently afterwards, there’s no doubt about it. Clients love it, too, which is always a good thing when you’re pitching for increasingly bigger and splashier creative opportunities.
What do you think made The Dumont an overall award winner?
Tough question. We’re still pinching ourselves that our project received that honour. The competition, as always, was fantastically strong.
Our guess is that The Dumont has something for everyone. The design manages to blend a lot of elements: earthy pigments with calm neutrals, densely textured fabrics with smooth glass and metal finishes, kaleidoscopically bright art with delicate objet. On paper, it sounds like a heady mix. But in reality, these things come together like old buddies: happily and without friction.
The judges may have also appreciated just how much was bespoke. Everything from wool-bouclé swivel chairs and curved velvet sofas to plushly padded upholstered walls and a bronze-clad fireplace was designed in-house.
The artwork, too, was a major part of our design. We lavished our client’s home with specially commissioned acrylics, hand thrown ceramic bowls, delicate origami, metal sculptures – even an intricately beaded African ceremonial crown.
That said, there’s a playfulness to these pieces. Nothing takes itself too seriously. We always want our designs to feel relatable. Luxurious, yes, but also accessible. We think a lot of people can imagine themselves living in the rooms we design.
When working on a new residential project, how do you incorporate local influences, artistry and culture from the surrounding area into your design?
We’re always careful when we take inspiration from an area. We don’t want to get swept up in lots of stimuli, no matter how fabulous, as this would drown out a client’s needs and wants. We also don’t want to create anything pastiche-y or thematic. So, we tend to think abstractly about our surroundings. For instance, in The Dumont, our client wanted us to create an interior that could echo the vibrancy, artistry and culture of London. Dizzying as that brief was, it prompted us to fill mood boards with lots of colour and pattern. To collaborate with local craftspeople. And to think about artists from around the world to reflect the capital’s rich melting pot. It wasn’t a literal interpretation by any means, but it nailed the brief.
More recently, we were tasked with creating a quintessentially British pied-à-terre in the heart of Chelsea. We set about defining what ‘quintessentially British’ means to us and concluded that it’s about craftsmanship and the assemblage of unique and creative pieces. With this interpretation in place, we worked on producing a series of lively and vivacious rooms, filled with expressive prints, rich hues and beautiful detailing.
The bedrooms were treated to handmade Savoir Beds. Other rooms featured sculptural lamps inspired by the late great Barbara Hepworth. Walls were filled with artwork by an exciting mix of British talent, including an original Damien Hirst giclée print on aluminium, and an explosive figurative oil on canvas by rising star, Jack Penny. There were also whimsical pieces, like a pale pink cuckoo clock and prints of early 19th century botanical drawings of Japanese Sago Palms. It was like nothing we’d ever done before, and the result was fantastic.
Tell us a bit about your journey in the interior design industry. What have been the most rewarding takeaways since launching Angel O’Donnell?
We’ve been travelling very fast, on a vertiginously steep trajectory, for just over three years now. And what we’ve learned is just how much there is to learn. Always. We never stop. Every pitch, client, project, building, problem, solution, collaboration, challenge, creative block, creative breakthrough – it’s different every time. And yes, it can keep us awake at night – but the end result always makes it worthwhile.
We’ve grown stronger as a team – and we’ve grown our team. We’re now responsible for people’s livelihoods and creative fulfilment, which is daunting but also incredibly rewarding. There’s lots to be thankful for. Every project we win and every design we install gives us a buzz. We don’t take any of it for granted – especially those landmark moments when you’re pronounced overall winner at the SBID. That blew our minds. What a fantastic accolade. Even better that it coincided with our 3rd year anniversary.
Now that you’ve won an SBID Award, what are the next steps? Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
Our next steps will be to continue nurturing our team and looking after our clients. Beyond that, we’ll be working on two 2,500sq ft apartments in The Corniche, Albert Embankment. We’re super excited to see how this iconically curvaceous building will influence our designs. Also, we have what can only be described as a culturally epic project waiting in the wings. Frustratingly, we can’t reveal more than that right now. But as soon as we’re given the green light, you won’t be able to stop us from telling you all about it.
What advice can you give to young designers starting out in the design industry?
When we’ve interviewed young designers in the past, the ones that have stood out to us have had a strong sense of self. They’re still teachable – we should all be that – but they’re not daunted by others who have been in the profession a long time.
To have conviction in your decisions is a powerful thing. To stand by a design choice can often open people’s eyes to new ideas and encourage them to take leaps of faith. That’s when great things happen between creatives and clients.
Of course, everything’s a balance. There’s no point digging in your heels when the people you’re presenting to are shaking their heads in disbelief. Designs have to be bought. It’s a business like any other.
But be confident. Don’t be swayed by trends. And drink in as much design – from as many disciplines – as your senses can handle morning, noon and night. Interior design is a beautiful, forever burgeoning craft. It’ll never stop evolving. And neither should you.
If any aspiring designers reading this want to show us their work, please do. We’re always happy to meet new talent.
Questions answered by Richard Angel and Ed O’Donnell, Co-founders, Angel O’Donnell.
For over two decades Richard Angel and Ed O’Donnell have created elegant and inviting interiors for both private clients and developers; their partnership is rooted in a deep respect for each other’s skills, and is built on a mutual desire to deliver an authentically personal and in-depth service to their clients. From full interior fit-outs to more specialised requirements, such as sourcing bespoke artwork and objet, they provide a complete interior design service.
This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a CGI design of a transformable restaurant-bar venue by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, 4SPACE Design.
PAPA Dubai is an exciting 1,580 square meters dining and entertainment destination in the vibrant Atrium complex, the epicenter of riverside Al Habtoor City. PAPA Dubai will take its visitors on an extraordinary culinary and mixology journey through nine glorious bars, each themed with a unique concept. Comfort and soul food are at the very heart of the dining experience. The fascinating bars have been developed in collaboration with Moscow and Dubai's top bartending figures.
The venue transforms from a sophisticated and immersive dining experience to a chic nightlife venue with DJs and entertainment as evening moves to night. From a quiet dinner with friends to one of the city’s best vibes - feel the energy of this unrivalled sensory-driven experience. PAPA Dubai will host some of the world's most courageous bartenders vying to show off their avant-garde skills throughout the year.
PAPA Dubai is made up of little ‘boulevards’ including the Rum Station, Champagne Avenue, Gin Point, Vodka Lane, Tequila Road, Mezcal Street, Sake Alley, Wine Square, Whiskey Square, and a VIP Lounge called High gate. Each of the nine distinctive bars has been carefully considered and designed by inimitable 4SPACE in a collaboration with Papa's founder Natalia Freys.
SBID Awards Category: CGI & Visualisation
Practice: 4SPACE Design
Project: PAPA Bar
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
What was the client's brief?
To design a dining and entertainment destination as a Sensory experience, an urban playground of avant-garde cocktails, world-class cuisine, and irresistible beats.
- 9 bar concepts with avant-garde mixology under one roof and to host world’s top bartenders.
- Space with a mood that changes with its visitors, from a quiet spot with friends to a non-stop party venue offering hand-selected music by its internationally-renowned DJs.
- A venue which is able to evolve as the energy rises and the tempo picks up.
What inspired the design of the project?
The Arched boulevard. To create a cohesive Bar-village feel and to achieve one narrative that wraps around the venue, archways in different finishing are used throughout the expansive space. They create a unified design between each of the bars to form little ‘boulevards’.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
4SPACE allowed two months for the design and another five months for the fit-out and transformation. There were various challenges because of the sheer variety of materials required for each bar, the complex mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) requirements, and the acoustic challenges that take the bars from soulful eateries to exciting night venues.
Another challenge that 4SPACE had to overcome are the different terrazzo surfaces that were designed and installed throughout Papas. Cleverly, designers sourced authentic materials and graffiti artists to allow for fully cohesive individuality. The piece de resistance is the nine thoroughly different concepts within one narrative.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
The Entrance. It has an impressive, eccentric entrance with red pipe and greenery installation that hangs from the ceiling and customized carpet below.
The transformation. The venue is designed with the ability to transform. As the evening draws to a close, you can dine in style at a chic restaurant. As night time falls over the city the restaurant metamorphoses into an elegant party venue.
Integrated into the design are both architectural lighting and entertainment lighting, providing the ability to have 5 different scenarios of the lighting ambience based on time and experience required.
Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?
We've been participating in the SBID Awards yearly and it has been our practice ever since. We trust SBID for its ethics and transparency. We believe that through the SBID platform, our designs gain global recognition and give us the chance to connect with peers, press, and potential clients around the world. We became part of the international design community with new audiences on a global scale.
The CGI project and photos from the completed venue, compared:
Questions answered by Mr. Firas Alsahin, Co-founder and Design Director, 4SPACE Design.
The Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) is back with its industry-acclaimed interior design awards for 2022.
The SBID continues to champion the most skilled and talented designers from around the world in the 2022 edition of the SBID International Design Awards.
Taking place on Friday 21 October at a new luxury venue, InterContinental London Park Lane, the 13th annual ceremony will celebrate and showcase excellence across Interior Design, Fit Out and Product Design to its impressive international audience.
With award categories spanning both the commercial and residential sectors, SBID welcomes entries from all corners of the professional design community, who work together to drive industry standards and produce the exceptional interior environments that shape the way we live, work and play
Judging panel
Equipped with an assembly of expert judges, the judging panel features a host of revered industry figures from some of the most exciting companies at the forefront of design, media and business. With Global Digital Director of Architectural Digest, David Kaufman; Executive Editor for ELLE DÉCOR (US), Ingrid Abramovitch; Dean and Professor of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Sarah Whiting; and CEO of Rigby & Rigby, Iain Johnson (to name a few), entrants have a unique opportunity to showcase their work on the SBID Awards’ global stage and exhibit designs directly to an audience of distinguished professional peers, press and potential clients.
Entry dates
The entries to the SBID Awards 2022 is now open with reduced Early Bird rate of £250*. SBID invites designers to take advantage of the discounted entry fees and submit your entry before 14 March 2022.
Entries will close at 5pm (BST) on 23 May 2022. Click here to find out more.
*excluding VAT and one-off admin fee.
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Click here to discover the last year's SBID Awards winners!
To enter, visit sbidawards.com for more information.
Skandia is an insurance company founded in 1855, with current operations in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. The systematic work environment has evolved in the same way as people and their ideas, which drives the creation of strategic environments where creativity flows and concepts of collaboration and innovation multiply. Simultaneously, the demand for workspaces that encourage social interaction, contemplation and transdisciplinarity increases.
The present project succeeds in increasing creativity and productivity within a framework of comfort, and the collaborative work in the organization becomes more visible through areas that inspire effective communication between everyone to strengthen the pride of working there. Spaces that integrate and promote both working and recreational life are designed with solutions that allow people to create the environments they need and choose the workspace that improves their individual experience of habitability.
Spaces with natural lighting, fresh and air-conditioned. Application of acoustic materials in interiors and open areas. Lightweight and transparent materials. Integration of dynamic and functional furniture. Open-door privates. Different types of Boardrooms and Casual Collisions (informal meeting spaces) between work teams that facilitate interaction. Balance between workspaces and common areas, suitable for appropriate technological connection between all users.
Skandia is equipped to meet every need that may arise within the workspace, surrounded by colour accents in functional spaces specially designed for efficiency and productivity. Workstation trains rotate at different orthogonal angles, following ceiling planks and apparent slab with coloured accents on the carpets. The colon of the space responds to the colour theory, adopting the combination of neutral and warm tones to uplift concentration and productivity, with details in green, blue and yellow to energize the people who inhabit it.
Game tables, TV screens and seating spaces were installed. As well as the University space, adapted with dynamic furniture, moving walls, front-bleachers and high-tech equipment to facilitate communication and videoconferencing. The Work Café was designed with a bar on the ground floor to enjoy the terrace, accompanied by some cabins, benches, tables and chairs.
Skandia redefines the concept of traditional offices, based on clear objectives of socialisation, creation, agility, connection and inspiration that strengthen the trust between collaborator and client relationships. By offering an iconic, productive, natural environment of social interaction and well-being, the highest standards of quality in infrastructure and service are met, and the barriers of the common functional and habitual are surpassed with spaces designed to increase work performance through comfort and versatility.
About spAce
spAce have structured a new way of looking at architecture: intending to be the best if not the biggest, they have integrated an interdisciplinary staff of highly talented and compromised professionals. spAce take into account the importance of research and technology development, then they include them both in their method of thinking and working, always seeking after SUSTAINABLE solutions which not only RESPECT environment but actually help to improve the natural habitat. spAce have created various lines of business, both interior and exterior. No matter it is a small space, a large building, campus, offices, shops or housing settlement, they do know that to achieve a great solution they have to begin from the inside. This is the basis of their philosophy: designing from inside out.
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Kohler, leading global brand, features eight additions to its smart home portfolio at CES 2022, focusing on enhancing wellbeing and making it easier for people to find peace of mind.
PerfectFill smart bathing technology is a smart drain, digital/app controller and bath filler. PerfectFill draws a bath to a preferred temperature and desired depth with a simple voice command or through the KOHLER Konnect app, reducing time spent monitoring the bath as it fills. Previously demonstrated as concept technology, PerfectFill will be available for purchase in May 2022.
Anthem Valves and Controls – digital valves can operate multiple outlets, integrate into the KOHLER Konnect app, can be paired with voice assistants, and offer the unique functionality of independent temperature and flow control in each outlet. Paired with the immersive sprays of the Statement showerheads, hand showers, rain heads and body sprays, Anthem upgrades the shower through innovative technology and engineering.
Purist Suspend – ceiling-mounted kitchen faucet featuring a remote puck that manages activation, temperature and volume, and a fully adjustable hose with 180-degree rotation.
Touchless Residential Bathroom Faucet – New category for Kohler, these faucets function with a simple wave of the hand, offer temperature control and operate by battery, offering an easy tech upgrade.
Kohler Power Reserve – a modular home energy storage system that pairs with solar power systems to provide homeowners with access to solar energy regardless of the weather, time of day or status of the grid.
Robern IQ Digital Lock Box – a smart lock box that offers a compact way to securely protect valuables, medication and personal items. Digital Lock Box is equipped with a touchpad panel as well as an app to set and protect your password and ensure that your items are secured.
Additional featured products coming to market in 2022 include Stillness Bath, a multi-sensory bathing experience inspired by Japanese forest bathing, and H2Wise powered by Phyn, smart water monitors designed to detect leaks and track household water usage.
About Kohler
Founded in 1873, Kohler Co. is a global leader in the design, innovation and manufacture of kitchen and bath products; luxury cabinetry, tile and lighting; engines, generators, and clean energy solutions; and owner/operator of two, five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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In this week's interview with 2021 SBID Awards winners for the Outdoor Product Design category, Belgard, discusses key industry changes, gives advice for designing outdoor spaces and introduces more of their innovative outdoor products.
SBID Awards Category: Outdoor Product
Practice: Belgard
Entry: Artforms/Artex
How important is it to enter the SBID Awards & receive industry recognition for your work? What are the benefits?
Joe: We certainly appreciate the visibility that comes from receiving international industry recognition for our work. Beyond marketing opportunities, an award of this magnitude is very exciting for Belgard because it validates our approach to design, as we are transforming our portfolio to be much more design centric. It is also important to us to tell the story behind our products.
It’s recognition like the SBID awards that will help us connect to local architect and design communities across the world. This is helpful as we look to launch the Artforms system in Europe next year.
What do you think made this particular design an award winner?
Joel: From a research and development perspective, Artforms’ design is a game changer. It is the first modular concrete panel system that can be used in a variety of applications for outdoor living spaces. The modularity of the system offers simplicity and a modern design that contractors around the world are looking for today.
Joe: The innovative approach behind the flexibility and versatility of Artforms directly aligns with current outdoor living design trends. It provides a clean, contemporary look, which was historically very expensive and time consuming to achieve, in a new, more cost-effective way.
What was the design concept behind the Artforms modular panels? What does the solution aim to achieve?
Joel: The thought process behind the Artforms concept was to create larger format panels that can be installed vertically to maximize efficiency. The modular design also achieves the simplicity that aligns with ongoing trends in outdoor living design.
Previous techniques needed to achieve a more modern, linear aesthetic were extremely labor intensive. Artforms modular design provides the ideal aesthetic result in a fraction of the time and cost.
With the burgeoning trend of indoor-outdoor living on the rise, what advice can you give designers when approaching outside spaces as an extension of the interior environment?
Joe: My advice for designers approaching outdoor spaces is that it’s critical to consider the connection with the home and how both spaces function together. People often look at it as separate environments, but the best designs blur the line and make a physical and visual connection with the exterior. When you look at materials especially, if you’re able to pull interior materials outdoors or vice versa to make sure it ties into the architecture and flow of the home, that is where we see the most success. Artforms goes a long way toward achieving that. With interior design trending more modern, Artforms extends that flow to the exterior.
Joel: Interior design trends tend to move faster when compared to outdoor living design, which usually adapts as it follows slowly behind interior trends. We saw the trend of larger format and concrete design becoming more popular and were able to predict this now ideal modular design bleeding into the backyard. The concrete look is popular indoors, with many iterations of porcelain tile with a concrete look that can be easily matched to Artforms in outdoor spaces.
Now that you’ve won an SBID Award, what are the next steps? Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
Joel: Artforms as a system, has a few next steps as we roll out a variety of applications, parts and new finishes/textures that are easily integrated into this system for personalized configurations. These additional compatible features allow the modularity to extend into the whole outdoor space with one comprehensive design. One example is the privacy panel that is part of the Artforms ecosystem.
Belgard continues to make outdoor living spaces more efficient and functional, especially with the increased interest from homeowners. We want to be able to offer all the products and features to outdoor living spaces complete and feel like “home.” Our new Elements line of products fills this need. In addition to our modular outdoor fire features and grill islands, Elements is also a collection of stainless appliances and fixtures including cooking, storage, bar and sink accessory features that make outdoor living areas – specifically kitchen and dining spaces – feel complete.
Looking at what’s next, we’re excited to share our patented system with select communities in Europe within the next year. Artforms is currently available in the United States, Canada (Artforms/Artex), and Belgium (Moodul Creation).
What advice can you give to young designers starting out in the design industry?
Joe: Designers often get caught up on the artistic side of design or focus too much on products, creating a narrowed approach. My advice for young designers would be to not prioritize your personal goals. Understanding the consumers’ needs and lifestyle is critical, and you can work from that point to create the perfect design. If you can integrate new ideas, that’s great, but only if it’s the right fit. There is no need to push a certain look at the expense of the consumers.
Questions answered by Joe Raboine, Director of Residential Hardscapes, and Joel Remillard, R&D Hardscape Group Leader, Belgard.
Since 1995, Belgard's locally made and nationally backed products have transformed thousands of residential and commercial properties across North America. They strive to improve our products by spending more than 20,000 hours in research and development every year. Perfecting new products keeps them aligned to current design trends and places Belgard on the cutting edge of manufacturing techniques and technologies.
This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a luxurious villa design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Todd Interior Design.
Residential space has always been a complex place because, according to our team's understanding, the family life is divided into three layers: one is material life, the other is spiritual life, and the third is soul life. Material life is food and clothing, spiritual life is academic literature and art, and soul life is religious belief.
Cantonese architecture and interior design take the Lingnan culture as the basis, and then refine the modern space language and integration techniques to create the rest of the design. Lingnan culture has been a window of communication between Chinese and Western civilizations since ancient times, and it has developed a school of its own. The so-called design style comes from the local culture, customs, characteristics and aesthetic standards. The furniture in the project is given priority to with coriaceous material and bright colours to make the space appear less depressing.
SBID Awards Category: Residential House Under £1M
Practice: Todd Interior Design
Project: Inherit the Modern and Elegance
Location: Guangdong, China
What was the client's brief?
The owner of this villa told us that he wanted to achieve a calm and atmospheric interior design effect and use as many big brand furniture pieces as possible to increase the overall luxury feeling.
What inspired the design of the project?
The design inspiration comes from the traditional interior design favoured by aristocrats, which is inherited with modern elegant elements and forms the effect presented in this project.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
During the implementation of the project, the biggest obstacle our design team encountered was the little time reserved for the project. We only had four months from the design approval to the project delivery. Fortunately, we did it.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
One of the highlights of the project is the collocation of many big brands of furniture, that brings the luxury of the interior space to the international luxury standards.
Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?
SBID Awards is a well-known international awards, and we are looking forward to participating in it. It is a great encouragement for our design team that our project has been listed as a Finalist.
Questions answered by Toni Wu, Creative Director, Todd Interior Design.
Concrete LCDA introduce a new Panbeton collection of surface panels, consisting of five new designs, two of which were made in collaboration with Neri & Hu and Jean-Philippe Nuel.
Panbeton Gèn by Neri & Hu
The Chinese character 亘 “gèn” is composed of two lines at the top and bottom, with the character for “sun” nestled in between. The horizontal strokes, one representing the heavens above and the other representing the earth below, allude to the infinite extension of the horizon, embodying the notion of a spatial and temporal continuity. The design for the panel is composed by a series of well-proportioned raised lines that could appear to extend infinitely across a surface, drawing a direct connection between landscape and dwelling, ground and sky.
Panbeton Graphite by Jean-Philippe Nuel
Studio Jean-Philippe Nuel has created a new model of ultra-lightweight, high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete panels for Concrete LCDA, called “Graphite”.
Continuing along the same lines as the Chevrons and Timber panels – the one derived from the imprint of Haussmann wood flooring, and the other influenced by wooden formwork slats – Graphite retains a woody touch, as it draws its inspiration from the graphic designs created by different species of wood as they burn. Because depending on whether you burn Douglas fir, Accoya, oak or pine, the surface of the wood will take on a cracked, flaky texture, long grooves or smooth, tight curves.
In architecture, charred wood is traditionally used in exterior cladding, as it provides natural protection to the wood. This Japanese technique is known as “shou sugi ban”. It involves charring the surface of a board, deep down, until a superficial layer of charcoal forms, which will protect the material from the effects of weather.
“The Graphite panels do more than just use charred wood: they feature a graphic composition which plays with the textures of the different finishes, almost like inlays. This way, the panels take a contemporary, creative approach to reinterpreting a secular tradition.”
The result of this assembly is a concrete panel with a flowing geometric design which can be extended length-wise and height-wise like wallpaper. This cladding will add character and a strong identity to any room it adorns.
Panbeton Lines, Striation & Rugged by Studio LCDA
The Brutalism Collection is adding three new models by Studio LCDA: Panbeton® Striation, Lines and Rugged.
As a new tribute to the Brutalist architectural style, this collection refers to the concrete used in buildings, to the raw material which reveals the traces and texture inherent to its installation.
Studio LCDA utilizes a language based on simple geometric shapes, repetitive modules and linear forms. “We wanted to let the concrete express its fundamental nature and its streamlined and pulled-out variations, making it possible to fully appreciate its minerality and its imperfections.”
About Concrete LCDA
Revitalised by three young entrepreneurs with complementary skills, LCDA (set up in 2003) became Concrete LCDA in 2011. The company is now the leader in Europe in the contemporary furniture and fibre-reinforced concrete interior fittings sector.
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