As lockdown now begins to lift and life starts returning to a very new kind of ‘normal’, we’ve had the time to re-consider our lifestyles and re-asses our living environments. For many, the new normal sees much more of our time being spent at home. The focus therefore turns to residential design, as we look to upgrade tired interiors or reconfigure homes for a more functional layout. This month we’re sharing some of the inspiring interior designs from last year’s SBID Awards finalists, offering some much needed interior inspiration as the importance of residential design continues to grow.
Christopher Tan Design – One KL @ KLCC
Based closely on an aquatic theme, the use of blue accents and fluid lines infused a sense of serenity associated with the attributes of water. Engulfed by sleek, stylish furnishing details, this sophisticated design serves as a contemporary upgrade to the apartment while retaining the architectural brilliance of its structure. Functioning as a sanctuary and a place to entertain, the aquatic themed design, inspired by the pool, instinctively emboldens the interior with an aesthetic that echoes the chicness and grandeur of a home located at the heart of a city.
Kirsten Schwalgien Design – Loft BuresQ
Situated in one of the most iconic Modernist buildings, the loft adapts its historic space to contemporary use as a habitable, sophisticated home. Private zones were separated from the living area with a wooden clad ‘box’ and the gallery featuring industrial glass windows was included for enhanced privacy. All original pillars supporting the 4 metre height ceiling remained exposed and the rooms were developed around them. KSD designed almost all furniture custom to the place and person, not only in size but also in context, legacy and aesthetic. Main materials include veneered varnished chestnut, natural stone and original brick. Green marble was paired with elements in untreated brass that will age naturally developing a beautiful patina. KSD focused on specific qualities and tactility of materials, alternating textures cold with warm, glossy with raw, soft with hard.
Li Yizhong & Associates – Fortress Villa
To suit the personality of the owner, the structure of the space had to be free, open, smooth, and imposing. The building is on sloping land, with a difference of nearly one floor between the front and back: the entrance is low and the large garden is high up. The design included a sunken garden, which improved the ventilation and lighting at the back of the first floor and improved the quality of the space. On the second floor is the living room, dining room, kitchen, and a bedroom. This floor is benefits from an open and free layout closely connected to the outdoor garden, thus expanding the boundary of human activities and increasing the sense of freedom. The living room space is double height, which highlights the momentum of the space. The original beam cannot be removed because of the structure, so a bridge was designed to the third-storey balcony, increasing the level of space.
Sheree Stuart Design – Toronto Penthouse
The design of this two-story penthouse located in the heart of downtown Toronto takes a cue from the clients’ love of travel and their growing collection of Asian antiquities and art. The design team has imbued the space with the Japanese aesthetic of simplicity, modernism and an earth-toned palette. Every aspect of the penthouse is customised, from the lighting, millwork and flooring to the furniture and cabinet hardware. The result is a luxurious and tranquil retreat that more than meets the homeowners’ objectives and satisfies this designer’s criteria for a successful project: a customised interior that enhances the clients’ living experience, delivered on time and on budget. The unique design of this penthouse fits beautifully into the wider environment and features 360-degree views of beautiful downtown Toronto.
AND Design Co – Chapters
Chiseled volumes, striking artworks and understated luxury define this home. The property bears a footprint of 2,500 square metres, with 1,000 square metres built-up. The layout of the house amalgamates into the letters H and I, which are the initials of the client’s names, making it a signature feature of the house. The ground floor has a double height foyer, a formal and informal living room, parents’ and guest bedrooms, a prayer room, dining room, kitchen and powder room. The outdoor space houses a swimming pool, sit-out deck, a dining nook and servant’s quarters, while the upper floor has the master bedroom, kid’s bedroom, another guest room, a gym and an open terrace. The concept of the project revolves around the idea of diminishing the barrier of built and natural environment by bringing in the exteriors within the interior habitat.
Cass Calder Smith Architecture & Interiors – Lagoon House
This 2,100-square-foot weekend residence was built in Seadrift on the Stinson Lagoon in Marin County, California. Although the lagoon is filled with Pacific Ocean sea water, it is shallow and warm – much like a lake and so used for swimming, paddling, and many other non-motorised water sports. While beach houses are often tattered and somewhat quirky, this one is meant to be modern and refined, yet casual. It was created for a family of five that live in San Francisco who surf, cook, craft, and party.
JIXI DESIGN STUDIO – 360 degrees, 180 degrees, 90 degrees
The design of the house is based on the situation of the building and the advantages of outdoor window views, with a 360-degree circle as the main axis. Double moving lines are adopted in the porch, making the centre the beginning of the space. The flowing circle runs through the public space, breaking the thinking that indoor space requires square planning to effectively use the space. The moving lines naturally and smoothly guide the movement within each block. Ceiling, spatial allocation, and even wall design all carry the round form, which lets the sensibility of flowing and roundness expand in space.
SHANGHAI BENJAI ARCHITECTURE – Shangkun Yueshan Peninsul Showcase
The Shangkun Yueshan Peninsula Project is located in Sheshan Plate, Songjiang District, Shanghai, an area surrounded by mountains, rivers and shade, all of which are aspects of island life that city dwellers desire when escaping urban living. The concepts of art and home were the starting point of the project. Using advanced colours, changeable space and concise lines; the design paints a picture of the modern dweller’s art and life intertwined. The most interesting feature is the ‘pipe’, which gives the project a more playful feel and an artistic edge; it makes the whole design more individual and dynamic. The whole underground space uses design to create a joyful feeling. It’s an amusement park and an art salon; the space is staggered and the joy here is extraordinary.
Godwin Austen Johnson – Serenia Residences The Palm Jumeirah
Serenia is an exclusive gated beachfront residence located on a unique beachfront plot on the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah. This exclusive community offers residents an unrivalled connection to nature and relaxed bliss with its sophisticated architecture and contemporary interior design; floor-to-ceiling glass blurs the boundaries between outdoors and indoors providing panoramic views of the city skyline and ocean and a tranquil home.
STA Architectural Group – Palazzo del Cielo
With sweeping views of the Atlantic, the 47th-floor Palazzo del Cielo is perched atop an exclusive, oceanfront tower and located on Florida’s Riviera – Sunny Isles Beach. STA took great pleasure in handpicking each finish, travelling throughout Europe and Asia to find a unique collection of luxury stones. They created a memorable palette of materials which flow effortlessly – imbuing the space with a strong sense of permanence, freshness and colour. STA curated a collection of furniture and art with a colour palette echoing the accents of the natural environment and designed enormous, hand-cast light fixtures and hand-woven area rugs to fill the vast spaces of this penthouse. The end result is the culmination of a seven-year journey for STA and their long-time clients – one to craft a space that can be called ‘the world’s finest’.
Opaal Interiors – Mamsha Penthouse
Mamsha Al Saadiyat penthouse is a beachfront property located in the Saadiyat Cultural District. The penthouse offers a range of one to four-bedroom apartments as well as limited numbers of penthouses and townhouses. The residential property is adjacent to the 1.4km white sandy beach provide endless stunning sea views. These luxury apartments are is just minutes’ walking distance to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, as well as The District retail destination. Residents can enjoy the unique fusion of a lively downtown destination with a wonderfully relaxed coastal ambiance.
Roth Architecture – Uh May Residence
The residence harmoniously blends in with the environment, respecting and honouring the natural habitat that hosts it. With no straight lines or sharp angles, it respects the organic shapes of the ground on which it was built. There is real purpose in its design: to force us to be present, paying attention and observing our every step. The use of ferro-cement was specifically chosen to avoid the introduction of heavy machinery into the jungle, thus preventing the felling of 250 trees. Moreover, the material gives the space a cosy feeling. The finish, carefully crafted with local materials, makes this a unique space of purely organic forms. Meticulously conceived thorough attention to detail and amenities for entertainment, this property redefines life in the jungle, promoting a non-invasive dialogue between architecture and its natural surroundings.
The 2020 edition of the SBID International Design Awards is now open for entries.
Entries close on Friday 12 June.
Visit sbidawards.com to enter now!
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a luxury interior design which reflects the elegance and exclusiveness of its location. Since the end of the 19th Century, Gardone has been one of the most exclusive places on Lake Garda. Landau + Kindelbacher, used a range of colours rich in contrast, drawing influence from traditional stimuli: the aquamarine of Lake Garda, the painted timbers of the elegant Riva boats as well as the lemon-yellow touches from the surrounding lemon orchards.
The high-class furnishings and fittings and the incomparable setting beside Lake Garda, assure the attraction of the project. From everywhere on the site, one has a fantastic view of the lake. Both the architecture and the interior design have succeeded, with their individual designs for the luxury villas, in meeting the highest demands of the future owners.
SBID Awards Category: Residential Design Over £1 Million Sponsored by THG Paris
Practice: Landau + Kindelbacher Architekten – Innenarchitekten
Project: Villa at Lake Garda
Location: Brescia, Italy
What was the client’s brief?
The brief was to design a modern luxury Villa on this breathtaking building site at Gardone Sopra overlooking the Lake Garda catching in all those beautiful views over the landscape. The goal was to fuse interior design, architecture and landscape design into one consistent Project.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
The inspiration came from all the southern colors you will find around the Lake Garda, the lemon trees with their Limonaia structures and the mahogany RIVA Yachts and finally the color of the water and the sky.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
The very short timeline and just to get the design team physically on the building site, taking the James Bond proven Gardesana route on the east bank of Lake Garda.
What was your highlight of the project?
The whole design team was invited to join the Grand Opening Party of the Villa and we could see that all our ideas had worked out perfectly.
Why did you enter the SBID Awards?
The quality of the SBID Awards is really outstanding and we think it is one of the most prestigious awards within the interior design community.
Questions answered by Gerhard Landau, Managing Partner, Landau + Kindelbacher.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s luxury design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week, featuring a minimalist residential extension, click here to see more.
We spend about a third of our lives asleep. According to the Mental Health Foundation, it is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing, and is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health.
The bedroom is also one of the most important rooms of the home in feng shui philosophy. By incorporating certain elements into bedroom spaces, you can create harmony and comfort which can lead to improved wellbeing, better sleep and increased relaxation. Yves Delorme, specialists in luxury home linens and bedding, share key decoration tips for designers to maximise bedroom designs for the comfort and wellbeing of clients.
Choice of Bedlinen
To get the perfect bedding, first decide whether non-allergic filling is needed, then consider which tog rating is right for your client and appropriate for the time of the year. While thread count is a consideration, there are other important features to measure comfort, quality and value: the type of cotton, the feel of the fabric, and the nature of the finishing. The thread count of “standard” cotton or muslin is around 150; good-quality sheets start at 180-thread count; and a count of 200 and higher is considered ‘percale’.
Thread count also has to do with the yarn construction and quality of the yarn. With finer threads, like those produced with Egyptian cotton, more can be woven into each square inch, producing a finer, softer, more flexible fabric.
Choosing the right size duvet:
If the client in prone to toss and turn in their sleep, choose an overhang of 30-40 centimetres!
Bed Width (cm)
Recommended Duvet Size (cm)
Smells and Relaxation
Good interior design should appeal to all the senses: vision, hearing, touch and smell. Smell tends to be the most powerful link to emotions and feelings so should not be overlooked when it comes to the bedroom!
Whether you opt for fragrances in the form of candles, pillow mist, or room sprays, these soothing smells are proven to promote rest and relaxation. Another trick is to spray perfume on crystals; amethyst is a widely known as the sleep crystal – it provides a soothing and serene frequency. Perfect for placement on a bedside table!
According to feng shui, you should incorporate five elements in a home:
Fire elements are often considered the most powerful and can be represented through candles, or by incorporating the colour red!
Earth gives a sense of security and grounding. For this, using textiles in a granite or earthy colours, adding rock features, thick carpet and antique pottery can help to bring the earth element indoors.
Metal stimulates mental strength and intellectual abilities, making it easier to focus and think clearly; try incorporating metal elements with sculptures or bed frames for example.
Water helps promote calm energies in a room. Reflect this with additions like aquariums, water features, free-form artwork, or fluid glass statues.
Wood helps to develop creative energies such as inspiration, motivation and passion. This can be represented through wooden floors and furniture, as well as plants or trees.
Avoid Sharp Edges
Soften your space by adding more natural decor like plants, lamps, sculptures and other smooth edges to provide balance and fluidity.
Window Coverage
Daylight can disrupt sleep and influence our biological clock. Adding darker drapes or curtains along both sides of the window can create a cosier feel and keep light from the outside blocked out.
Minimise Electronics
EMFs are electric and magnetic fields created by electronic devices. They can be harmful and affect wellbeing, including influencing quality of sleep. Keep your smartphone at least three feet from where you rest your head.
Organise Your Bookshelf
Clutter is a low, stagnant and confusing energy that drains our energy, so organisation can make or break a room’s feng shui. Organise your books based on colour and weight – placing the heavier books at the bottom of the book case.
Adding a Headboard
A headboard represents stability and support in your life – adding a sturdy headboard to your bed creates a more secure feeling over a bare wall.
Bring Down Tall Ceilings
With a larger spaces, we can feel less in control of surroundings, causing us to sleep on high alert rather than fully relaxed. If you want to bring down the height, there are a few tactics like painting the ceiling a darker colour or adding visual interest to the lower half of the room with pillows, area rugs or vases. You can also hang crystals or use low hanging lights!
Keep Work Out
This is designed to be a restful space so if possible, resist the urge to convert some of this space into a small home office. Work associated items like laptops and phones create a distracting environment, making it more difficult to swtich off, de-stress and relax.
About the Author
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Yves Delorme shares its passion for luxury home linens since 1845, with a sophisticated collection of quality bed and bath linens made of the finest Egyptian Cotton.
This article was written by Prune Allain des Beauvais, Head of Marketing at Yves Delorme.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more.
“Design is important because chaos is so hard.” Often quoted in the design community, this line from American satirist Jules Feiffer has never felt so relevant. We are living in a time of great uncertainty and we are all feeling overwhelmed and anxious. But this is only temporary. Eventually we will begin to reoccupy our shared spaces and start getting back to work and school, even visit museums and movie theatres.
As we move forward, the world is going to need the design community to help everyone feel safe and assured – particularly in our workspaces. “This isn’t going to last forever, but it will change the way we experience our built environment, in both the short and long term” says Inger Bartlett, founder of Toronto interiors studio Bartlett & Associates. “We need to be here to help our clients find effective ways to manage new expectations within their existing interiors. We also need to treat this as an opportunity to explore, innovate, and deliver even more adaptable workspace for the future.”
So what does the post-COVID 19 office look like?
Do we replace the ubiquitous water cooler with a hand-washing station? Will we gather (six feet apart) around the sanitiser dispenser to compare notes on the weekend? Perhaps. There are definitely changes on the horizon, but the good news is that we already have some highly favourable frameworks in place. Inger has long specialised in the design of workspace and is confident that the open office remains here to stay. “The recent trend towards Agile Workspace Design has left many of our clients with incredibly flexible open offices,” she explains. “These spaces are already built to adapt to constantly changing needs, to put people at ease and let them work in a way they feel comfortable.”
Providing Flexibility with Agile Workspaces
For example, the modular open breakouts and Town Hall gathering spaces that are essential elements in agile space will provide the flexibility to maintain physical distancing and still bring groups of employees together. And that interaction is something people will crave after weeks in isolation. In fact, an increased desire to connect and collaborate is one of the silver linings to be found in this crisis. Sharing this challenge is reminding us that we are strongest when we work together!
Mill St Offices
Edelman
Bartlett & Associates designed Agile Workspace for Edelman and Mill Street, both of which complement open office areas with small meeting rooms. Though these rooms will be ideal for accommodating virtual meetings, which we can expect to continue when we return to work.
Though we won’t be packing our existing meeting rooms to the same densities as before, they still have an important role to play. Workforces will emerge from isolation with improved technological capabilities. A higher level of comfort with using digital communication tools will mean these spaces are used as much for virtual meetings as face-to-face. They may also be used to accommodate small teams, as we look to distribute workforces.
Volaris
McCann
League
Breakout zones, such as the high-backed booths featured at McCann, the modular lounges at League and the cozy armchairs at Volaris, offer the option to maintain distance in small meetings. Alternatively, these can become temporary workstations when redistributing people in an open office.
New Ways of Zoning and Interacting
Free-desking or hotelling is likely to fall out of favour. As most clients emerge from this situation with new capabilities for remote work, the Bartlett team predicts this will lead to more rotating work-from-home systems, rather than more workstations, and new ways of zoning space. “Keeping teams that collaborate frequently together in a designated space is one preventative measure to limit the number of unnecessary interactions and potential spread of viruses,” Inger suggests. Should clients wish to define areas for these teams, B|A is ready to offer solutions to reallocate space, reorganise work groups, or introduce design tools such as partitions to modify interactions. We can develop design concepts that support individual corporate protocols for keeping workplaces safe. And by implementing visible changes we can help employees feel confident that their wellbeing is being protected.
While existing flex spaces will help us maintain some degree of distancing for as long as necessary, for the longer view six-foot-wide-by-36-inch-deep workstations could become a new standard for the open office; those dimensions would allow six feet of space between seated employees. Extendable partitions could also come into play for future preparedness: When issues rise, so does the screen.
Sage
Spacious lunchrooms, lounges, and Town Halls will also provide the flexibility to meet in groups and enable social interaction while still maintaining physical distancing.
Additional Health & Security Measures
Some of the biggest changes will be at the landlord level. Enhanced HVAC and air purification systems will be of interest and sanitation protocols will be of more concern to tenants. Entering an office tower could become a process akin to passing through airport security: some buildings will implement screening protocols that include temperature scans and ID checks. In order to prevent these processes from becoming too invasive, intimidating or time-consuming, designers will need to create dedicated spaces that are comfortable, inviting, attractive, and efficient.
Crown Lobby, 5255 Yonge St
The artful screen that defines Bartlett & Associates’ Crown Lobby project could help designate the elevator bay as a secure area. Entering an office tower such as this may become a process akin to passing through an airport. Flexible amenity space could be re-positioned as security zones, where temperature and ID checks occur before visitors and employees can access upper floors.
Utilising Hands-free Technology
New touch-free, voice-activated technologies could quickly replace current systems, particularly in reception areas–where we have already started to see digital systems take over–and in elevators. That’s not to say we anticipate losing the tactility of our spaces. An interior designer’s knowledge and understanding of finishes will be invaluable in creating safer workspaces that remain warm and inviting. Another positive outcome of this crisis is the innovation it is sure to inspire –we can expect new products, new materials and designers need to push for those and contribute to their development.
Selection of Materials and Surfaces
In the meantime, we must implement more seamless surfaces, antimicrobial fixtures and coatings, washable fabrics, and other finishes that are easy to maintain and durable enough to stand up to frequent sanitisation. “There are a lot of transferrable lessons to learn from healthcare design right now, in terms of surfaces, textiles and even furniture,” Inger says. “And that’s not a bad thing. Our offices are not going to end up looking like sterile hospitals. This situation presents a unique opportunity for different sectors to work together to find the best solutions. We are going to come out of this with stronger, more resilient communities and more beautiful projects.”
Bartlett & Associates is dedicated to innovation and excellence in interior design, incorporating creative design solutions across hospitality, workplace, retail, institutional and speciality projects.
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a light and airy residential design. This large and comfortable house had already been extended 10 years earlier, but this was demolished to provide an even larger replacement, featuring a study area, extra living space and a small service kitchen hidden behind a full-height sliding door.
In keeping with the calm and minimal tone requested by the client, SBID Accredited Design Practise, Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture chose a muted colour palette was used throughout the house. The odd burst of colour was, however, tactfully used in the smaller spaces of the house, such as the bathroom and study.
Practice: Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture
Project: Balham House Extension
Location: Balham, United Kingdom
The brief was to design a light and airy rear extension that didn’t simply feel like a white box grafted onto the back of the house and that was both calming and minimal. She also wanted a very impressive and modern kitchen, but one that was easy to use and could hide the mess as she readily admitted that cooking wasn’t really her thing!
In general, my client had quite a conservative approach to the project, but thankfully she was very happy for me to get creative with the guest loo, which proved to be fun.
The main driving factor behind this design was my enthusiasm for clerestory windows and the calmness and clarity of light they bring to a space. Having seen plenty of them in other buildings, I was excited to finally get the opportunity to build one.
The clerestory window feature was more complex to design and detail than I’d originally thought, meaning that I had to work closely with the window manufacturer and structural engineer to ensure that it functioned well and looked good.
Also, I desperately tried to convince my client that she should replace her sixty-foot long fake grass lawn with the real thing, as I’m getting increasingly frustrated and upset by the environmental damage this stuff causes to the local ecology, especially when considering the role city back gardens play in creating wildlife corridors in urban areas. Unfortunately, this was a battle I couldn’t win.
I was so pleased that my client loved the clerestory window and the guest loo as it always surprises her guests; they simply don’t expect to see the stretch ceiling and seamless walls!
Questions answered by Richard Dewhurst, founder, Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week, featuring a unique facility designed to surpass all expectations of a traditional care home, click here to see more.
Following the government’s relaxation of lockdown restrictions for construction workers, leading fit-out specialists and SBID Accredited practice Portview Fit-Out began re-opening sites in preparation for returning to business. Portview shares details of the strict new health and safety measures being rolled out to help them adapt to this ‘new normal’ in the construction industry, shedding some light on what this might mean for the contractors in practice.
Whilst for many industries throughout lockdown the blanket delegation of essential or non-essential work was clear, however the construction industry was somewhat left in limbo. Contractors were left to make the call themselves on whether they should continue operations and if so, how this could be done safely and in a regulatory compliant way.
From the moment we took the unprecedented decision to close our sites on 24 March, we have continued to support our clients with all technical aspects of our projects. During that time, we have also been busy preparing for our return to site, with a robust programme of new health and safety provisions. After much deliberation, planning and preparation throughout lockdown at all levels of the company, we took the careful decision on the 27 April to phase the opening of our sites from 11 May. We welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement, which gave further impetus for an active return to work for the construction and manufacturing industry.
The new health and safety measures we are implementing include:
A New COVID-19 Site Operating Procedure
We have developed a comprehensive COVID-19 Site Operating Procedure, alongside several site and task specific risk assessments. This was a collective effort by our entire team, who forensically examined construction tasks to see how they can safely operate whist maintaining physical distancing. Currently, we are supplying the updated documents to our contractors and are providing them with assistance to safely facilitate remobilisation.
Travel & Accommodation
We have made provisions to safeguard our team while commuting to and from London as much as feasibly possible. These include issuing all site staff with travel advice, FFP3 face masks and hand sanitisers, and providing hire cars and rental accommodation that is within walking distance of site. England-based Site Managers will also be remobilised ahead of those based in Northern Ireland as a means of reducing travel. In addition to our own safety precautions, we have checked to ensure airlines are stepping up to their responsibilities and improving their operating procedures to ensure the safety of all passengers who board their planes.
Cloud-based Induction
To help aid contactless induction training, we have invested in an online system to pre-induct contractors with key information before they arrive on site. The system is live 24/7, so people can log in remotely at a time that suits them and on any device.
Changes to inductions can be made instantly, with inductees being notified of any updates via the app and given their own unique site access code once they have passed training. Features will also include medical alerts, text notifications and document sharing.
Physical Distancing Marshals & Temperature Checks
Our Physical Distancing Marshals will be responsible for escorting and signing contractors on and off site, as well as ensuring everyone wears the correct PPE and is at least 2 meters apart. Where this distancing is essential, it will be controlled in accordance with an approved Risk Assessment / Method Statement and Permit to Work. We will also be rolling out daily temperature checks of anyone entering our sites before they are granted access.
Sanitation Stations & One-Way Systems
We have invested in mobile sanitation stations for each site. Contractors will be required to regularly wash their hands for a minimum of twenty seconds (such as on entry and exit) and to sanitise work tools and workstations. Each site will then be thoroughly cleaned and new distancing measures such as signage, floor markings, one-way systems, welfare and PPE storage areas will also be installed.
Staggered Start, Finish and Lunch Times
Start, finish and lunch times will be staggered to help avoid congestion on site and maintain distancing. This will be managed by our own Physical Distancing Marshals, who are responsible for monitoring numbers and coordinating schedules.
We know getting back to work is not going to be easy. It will be a new way of working for us all and we won’t be back to normal for a long time. However, with careful planning we can adapt to ‘the new normal’ and in a paradoxical twist – physical distancing will help to bring us together again, eventually.
Established in 1975, Portview is a fit-out specialist that works with the world’s leading brands in retail, hospitality, sport and business to create award-wining interiors.
Leading global kitchen and bathroom supplier GROHE has reported unprecedented demand for hygienic touchless taps in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. At a time when the pandemic has pushed the everyday necessity of hand washing into the spotlight, it would seem finding solutions to optimise hygiene in both the workplace and at home is spurring the demand.
Leading figures within the design community are also considering how hygiene will come to the fore in the interior spaces of the future. Coen van Oostrom, Founder and CEO of EDGE, a company that specialises in developing a new generation of buildings that focus on the health of people and the planet, predicts that new health measures will play a key role in a new generation of workplaces. “Together with sustainability, health will define the way we build and design homes, offices and places where people meet. Touchless products and speech-driven technology will play a key role in making healthy and safe offices. Consumers will want to minimise contact to surfaces as much as possible”.
Having specified the healthcare, hospitality and commercial sector for many years, where hygiene-optimised products are already far more commonplace, GROHE is braced for the vast changes ready to hit the mass marketplace. “With our wide range of touchless and hands-free products, we at GROHE have the right response to the increased need of hygiene in sensitive areas such as kitchens and bathrooms”, says Jonas Brennwald, CEO LIXIL Water Technology EMENA, Deputy CEO Grohe AG. “Currently, we can say that we are already experiencing a higher demand for our hygiene enhancing products – from both our private and business customers.”
In the UK market, the transition to a more hygiene-focused workplace and business environment has already been in motion since the beginning of the year. Elina Enqvist-Twomey, Category Manager at GROHE UK says: “Feedback from the commercial market in the last three months tells us that hygiene is top of the agenda for specification, with a large proportion of projects specifying more hygiene-focused products such as infra-red taps , infra-red flush plates, and shower toilets. In recent weeks, we have seen an increase in customers purchasing infra-red taps as a result. Likewise, in the kitchen, several of our tap designs which use advanced technologies to minimise physical interaction with the handle of the tap itself such as our SmartControl kitchen mixer and Zedra Touch range have also seen an increased interest. When the industry returns to a sense of normality, we expect the increasing scrutiny of hygiene in the workplace and public buildings to continue. This pandemic has encouraged all of us in some way to rethink our hygiene practises and consider new lengths to protecting ourselves and those around us.”
Why an infra-red touchless tap is more hygienic
In recent years, the property market has seen a shift to include more alternative housing settings such as grandparents living with their children and families, or groups of young professionals co-habiting together. This is when infra-red technology first began to be demanded in the residential sector and its benefits have continued to strengthen demand ever since. Infra-red taps require minimal, if any, human contact with the tap itself unlike standard taps where germs from unclean hands could linger on tap handles, unless continual thorough cleaning was carried out after each use. The GROHE Bau Cosmo E, a strong robust design made using composite polymer, uses motion sensors to detect movement, which then activates the water flow. A mixing valve on the side of the spout can be used to adjust the temperature if required and a temperature limiter can also be installed if desired. Once the user removes their hands from the basin, the sensors will detect this and stop the water flow.
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, GROHE is a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, with every product based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability.
group ceo and executive vice president, Unilever Prestige
Vasiliki joined Unilever in November 2012 after completing a 19-year career with Procter & Gamble. In P&G, Vasiliki led various global, regional and local roles mainly in the Beauty Category primarily working in skin, hair and colour cosmetics. Vasiliki’s first role in Unilever was creating the Pitch Co-Creation (Innovation) Centres in London and New York. Vasiliki also led the development of strategic macro space work that has been pivotal in defining the strategy, innovation pipeline and expertise of the Beauty and Personal Care Category. In 2014, Vasiliki started the creation of the Prestige division from the beginning. Since then, Vasiliki led the acquisition of 7 companies Dermalogica, Murad, Kate Somerville, Ren, Garancia, Living Proof, and Hourglass. Vasiliki leads a team of 8 CEOs and a central multi-functional team that decide strategic priorities, resource allocation and growth strategy for the portfolio. Vasiliki also is in charge of continuous M&A with the objective to growing current portfolio approximately €540m in turnover to €1 billion. Vasiliki is known to have created a first in organisation design of the Prestige business model of the “string of pearls” that is Brand and Founder Centric and innovates in new models of marketing and omni-channel.
Vasiliki is a champion of female entrepreneurs. Passionate about mentoring young people, supporting female leaders, creative talent, and doing social good, Vasiliki is the Chairwoman of the Cosmetic Executive Women, leading industry association in Beauty in the UK.
How do you define luxury, and how is it evolving?
Luxury can mean a multitude of things, but for the beauty industry, and my brands, it has evolved in recent time to mean “experience”. We know our consumers naturally seek out style and slick aesthetics, which the brands within the Unilever Prestige portfolio deliver – but more than ever we see them craving more than this. They want either the human touch, or personalisation, something that feels bespoke to them. It’s this that elevates something from simply stylish design to true luxury.
What lifestyle changes are influencing the design of products?
Our audience definitely like style, but they need simplicity and ease of use too. Lifestyles today are hectic and we’re busier than ever before, so products that look good but also deliver great results are key. For our brands, the best designs are those that look great, offer a different sensorial experience, but that are also easy to navigate.
How can the luxury industry lead the way as a pioneer in sustainability?
I’m proud that our brands are leading the way in sustainability for the luxury beauty space. REN is continuously the first to go to market with new initiatives whether it’s using PCR or embracing new ways of recycling to minimise the impact on the environment. This is not simply a trend, but a must-have. We put a large amount of resources into looking at our sustainable solutions, and work hand-in-hand with retailers – when it comes to sustainability, we all have to be in it together.
The cross-pollination of brands and experiences continues to grow. What future collaborations do you think would be successful, and why?
We’re always open to partnerships and are excited by the growing fusion between beauty and the health, fitness and wellness industries at the moment. We definitely see this continuing to grow as the increase in our openness to more holistic health and beauty solutions increases. But beyond that, there are no rules anymore…influencers who were once focused solely on beauty have now expanded to fashion, fitness, interiors, etc… This opens up a lot of exciting new doors for partnerships that will reach a new, but engaged, audience.
Vasiliki is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
Click here to view the full judging panel.
The SBID Product Design Awards 2020 entry deadline has been extended!
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidproductdesignawards.com
creative director, Casa Forma
Carolina Sandri has more than a decade of experience designing and implementing 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 of 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.
Carolina is the creative director of the award-winning luxury design studio Casa Forma and is responsible for delivering leading-edge residential schemes for international high-net-worth individuals and property developers.
The Retreat New Delhi / Casa Forma
How do design preferences differ between Brazil and the UK?
Brazil is a hot and tropical place, and it’s well known for architect Oscar Niemeyer’s white concrete buildings. In Brazil designers are freer with their use of colour and more daring in their combinations of different styles, furniture and accessories compared to London. I’ve been working here for more than 15 years, and while a number of new modern buildings with minimalist architecture have been constructed over the last few decades, I would say the classic traditional style is still most appreciated, not only by our UK clients but our clients from abroad. I believe it’s because of this country’s history and strong Victorian design heritage. Of course, every country has its own past in terms of style and elements. There aren’t really typically Brazilian or typically London design preferences. What differs is the tastes and requirements that dictate what’s important to clients and their families’ lifestyles. We design around that.
Country Mansion Surrey / Casa Forma
What is a luxury amenity a client has recently requested?
We’ve seen many crazy luxury requests! A client in Dubai asked us to design a large circular shark tank and incorporate it into an entertainment space. It was also connected to an outdoor infinity swimming pool – separated by a very thick glass wall, of course! It was meant to hold no more than two sharks. Our team was responsible for the design, but not the installation, so we don’t know how it came out in the end. We were curious how the sharks would look to a person swimming in the bottom of the pool – almost like a scene from a movie. Our tank design also integrated audio, light and sound systems and controls. Most of our clients want the ability to open blinds and control everything in their home just by touching a button.
Kensington Gardens / Casa Forma
Where are your go-to places for finding new materials for your design library?
I go to a lot of industry events such as Decorex, Masterpiece, London PAD and Design Week, which I find great fun. It’s very important to see and hear what our collaborators and suppliers are up to. I use a lot of social media these days. Instagram is especially full of nice suppliers and is an easy way to track new inspirational materials using hashtags. I also really enjoy museums, having been to a lot in the past. Last year I took a client to Masterpiece, which has loads of art, because she wanted to source some pieces. I like to see different kinds of furniture and antique pieces with their own styles. Design Week is a mix of modern and contemporary items. I go to, let’s say, six or seven of them each month. There’s always something going on in London.
How do you stay current with changing design zeitgeists, and how is this reflected in your projects?
I read a lot of design magazines like Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Elle Décor, as well as online articles, to keep current with tendencies, but I don’t believe in really following trends. There’s nothing wrong about working with the latest trends, but I believe in timeless designs. Styles incorporating neutral colour palettes with textures, layers and well-placed lighting add longevity to my design schemes. This is one of the reasons our clients come to us. They know we’ll design a place they can live in for a long time, maybe changing a few accents and accessories, but the main spaces will be around for five or ten years.
Carolina is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
principal interior designer, Arcadis
Can worked for 15 years in Istanbul before moving to Dubai as principal interior designer for Arcadis. He has been involved in a wide range of multidisciplinary projects ranging from healthcare and offices to residential and educational. He is primarily focused on the technical aspects of the projects; however, his personal preference is for space planning and design.
Fish Market Abu Dhabi / Arcadis
How do interior design practices and tastes differ between Istanbul and Dubai?
I went through a phase of being a super minimalist, that was the style of the practice I worked with a long time ago when I’d just graduated from school in Turkey. And then I came here to Dubai and worked on projects with lots of ornamentation. However, tastes have developed so that modernism now infuses elements inspired by their traditional backgrounds. I love that, because it has character as opposed to what you might envisage as a minimal space in the Western world. Here, it’s very different because it has an Arabic touch. In Turkey, modernism was closer to the Western style with neutral colours. But here, it has a touch of local taste, which is great.
Red Sea Project Coastal Village / Arcadis
Methodologies are definitely different, too, plus it depends whether it’s a small practice of one-to-ten people versus a proper consultancy firm with multi-city locations. They’re worlds apart. If the company is small and it’s a one or two-person job, you just do everything pre- and post-contract yourself without the need to produce much documentation. Everything is in your head. That’s how it is where I come from. Projects don’t need to be that documented or regimented. You can just get away with things, but that also stings you when it’s time for payment, because people take advantage of undocumented services.
Whereas in this part of the world, in the West, or in bigger practices, everything is very documented, regimented, there are milestones and a proper contract. You can’t break it, and if you do, there are implications. I’ve adapted to this system, which I like a lot, because people must bear the consequences of what they say they will do. If you don’t deliver or if you’re not paid for something, there are consequences. I haven’t been to Turkey in 14 years, but from what I hear, things are slowly moving in this direction.
Mirdiff City Center Prayer Rooms – Arcadis
How do your designs support local communities?
I’ve worked on projects in India, Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East, and my role has always been to use design to improve people’s lives. When a designer is involved, the whole idea is to create a better, more comfortable, and functional space. I can’t imagine that anything produced by the design community would be unwelcome unless it was offensive to people’s beliefs or religion. For instance, I worked on the Adobe campus of New York University in Abu Dhabi, which was very welcome because it brought an international approach to education. Another example is the Fish Market in Abu Dhabi, which upgraded the ancient method of displaying fish by arranging it on top of ice dumped onto the floor. We brought the market up to speed in terms of hygiene whilst maintaining their culture and perception of architecture and interiors based on their historical background. We’re currently working on housing for the people who will construct a massive new development in Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea Coastal Village with lower, mid, and high-scale villas and townhouses. Once construction is complete, this accommodation will be converted into housing for the people working in the village.
What changes have your clients been asking for in your recent projects: layouts, materials, palettes, etc…?
Arcadis is a consultancy that implements other people’s initial concepts. Sometimes it’s because they don’t have the ability to build a project in another country, so we take on the role of architect of record and develop it towards the construction phase. However, there are also bits of a project we start from scratch. I’ve worked in both capacities throughout my career and see both sides of the process.
The trend is for projects with more natural and subdued palettes as a result of ecological awareness. There’s also a tendency for using different metals such as bronze that become all the rage, but you know, things come and go. I suggest designers take a more holistic, natural approach. There’s also a movement towards open-plan living areas. The bigger the space, the better.
This happens a lot when you have people running a project and making decisions on behalf of other people. But then at last the call goes to the big cheese, who has not necessarily been involved every little step of the way. Suddenly the decision-maker feels something has moved too far away from the initial intent or isn’t what they’d had in mind, and late-stage changes must be made, which is painful as a project consultant. But then of course, there are also changes as far as how space, colours and materials are being used..
How do you anticipate artificial intelligence will affect architecture and interior design practices?
I hope it will be a positive leap, but I don’t see it at happening very soon, at least in my part of the world. Everyone wants to design buildings in a BIM environment, but artificial intelligence is usually better for calculation-based things engineers work on that don’t involve personal choice about whether should be black or blue, marble versus rubber flooring, or whatever the preference might be. I can’t see this being used much in interior design at the moment. If somehow it is, I’d be delighted because it takes so much off your plate.
Can is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
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