ceo and director, Simone de Gale Architects
Not only has Belgravia, London – based Simone de Gale, ceo and director of Simone de Gale Architects, been named Architect of the Year in the 2017 Women in Construction Awards; the International Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018; and a Westminster Lion in 2018, she is also the inventor of a patented materials defence technology developed in partnership with the Ministry of Defence. SGA is currently working on a £200m masterplan in Tbilisi, Georgia as well commercial and residential projects in Croatia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, the USA, and a feasibility study for the London Hammersmith Flyunder.
What social trends are driving change and how do your designs respond to them?
Automation and technology. Our clients expect their homes to have the same kinds of tech found in commercial spaces. For example, we’re designing residential bathrooms with sensors to automatically turn on the lights and taps. This kind of demand will continue to intensify.
How will your pioneering work with the Ministry of Defence influence the way products and buildings are created in the future?
We invented a process that can make any material stronger, whether a metal or composites like S2 glass and carbon fibre. It makes materials more resistant to blasts and can be used to protect soldiers in armoured vehicles from IEDs. The patent has been granted for BASL (Blast Absorption Systems Ltd.) technology, and I’m the main inventor. We’re working with companies to make their items blast-proof. Products made using this technique are stronger and lighter than those without it, so for example, the ground floor of a skyscraper could be reinforced with ,high-performance materials for the flooring, wall panels, and hybrid composites that look like stone but perform better while being heat-resistant, more durable and low maintenance. Prestressed bending causes the material to react in a mechanical way that makes it stronger on one side. The prototype has been monitored at the MOD’s blast testing ranges, and the calculations done so it’s ready to be used in industry.
How do your designs anticipate your clients’ future needs?
It’s all about spatial planning. We try to give clients a unique design but with a robust shell and core that gives them flexibility without needing to make major changes in the building structure. For example, we’ve designed commercial co-working spaces that have a stage so they can also be used as a wedding venue or for Christmas parties. Workstations intended for hot-desking can be packed up at night to make room for a DJ and compere. We always use pure geometry like a circle or square or natural forms like a butterfly. Squares are particularly good because they have 100% useable space.
What needs to change in the design industry?
Architecture and interior design are quite far behind compared to other industries. The principles of product design need to be applied to buildings and infrastructure. For example, the iPhone is initially designed at a very high-level, but then specs are sent to manufacturers who roll it out on a mass scale. We’re getting there with modular prefab construction, but the ambition is to deliver precision manufacturing in building systems. Once a design is completed, it is fed into computers for robots to build. BIM is helping achieve that. In order to reach higher standards and cost efficiency in shorter periods of time, our mindset should be to design according to manufacturers’ standards, using new materials and advanced technologies to model spaces and coordinate work with other teams.
What wisdom can you pass on to interior designers and architects who are new in their careers?
It’s the same advice given to me – only work on a design if you’re passionate about it. There will be a range of options and materials in the design process, and it’s important to follow your heart and go with something you can develop. If you’re the lead designer, you have to push a concept forward, and believing in it will reassure your clients’ questions, doubts and ambiguities.
Simone 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 will close for entries on 13 March!
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidproductdesignawards.com
regional managing director; London, New York and Paris, Wilson Associates
A self-described “hotelier at heart,” Monika Moser possesses over two decades of hospitality industry experience in her current role as regional managing director (London, New York & Paris) for Wilson Associates. Born in Venezuela with a German citizenship, Moser earned a Certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University and an MBA in Hospitality Management from ESSEC Business School. She brings a deep understanding of luxury hotel service and a unique cultural perspective to each of Wilson Associates’ global strategic initiatives. Moser has a passion for art, music, literature, and linguistics –– she is fluent in five languages. In her free time, she frequents the opera.
What is your definition of luxury? And how do Wilson’s designs exemplify its future?
Luxury is defined differently by everyone. For me, luxury can be any type of hotel; it doesn’t need to be a Parisian palace, it can be in a smaller boutique hotel. Luxury is having the flexibility to be able to choose how you want to live, how you want to act, how you want to be in the hotel. So, it can be anywhere, anytime, in any form. Luxury, in that sense, is personal. It’s where you position yourself in terms of what you are used to having. Nowadays people are used to being surrounded by luxury, so maybe time has become a luxury or the possibility to spend your vacations in a hotel away from all physical luxury. For Wilson, creating a luxury hotel means designing something that is exactly what the client wants it to be with products specifically catered for their clientele. We design for the future through hotels that are flexible enough to adapt to the client’s needs, which might focus on being more meaningful than in the past, being more aware of local environments, traditions, and connecting with people.
How do you see Brexit impacting hospitality design, both in the UK and in Europe?
This is the million-dollar question! I haven’t seen any changes, and when I talk to lawyers, accountants, operators, etc…, they haven’t seen any changes, either. I don’t think that it will have too much impact in terms of hospitality design. That said, we’ll have to wait and see.
How does staying connected with the latest designers and trendsetters “rub off” on your hotels and understanding of the current zeitgeist?
It’s completely dependent upon the client. Our projects are adapted to what they want; we will not impose a design. Trends and influences mainly come from what clients wish for and what the hotel has to become based on their preferences, along with requirements from the operator and local regulations. For example, we work with Tristan Auer for our interiors, and he has different layers of style versus a specific look. If it’s a historical project like the Carlton Cannes or Hôtel Scribe in Paris, he pays attention to that rather than trends. Design is more forward-thinking when it comes to lifestyle hotel trends that combine services in open, undivided spaces, but hotel operations are still old fashioned with different services for separate areas. This needs to be clarified at the start of a project, otherwise the vision that the designers are trying to achieve will not work from a programming perspective. Having that distinction between different spaces isn’t a way of providing exclusivity, it’s just another way of doing it for a different type of clientele. That’s why hotel operators have so many brands to capture different kinds of guests.
What fires your imagination, and what’s the best way to build a team that is creative yet aware of operational requirements?
Being on the business side I don’t need so much imagination! However, I manage a team of designers who nourish their creativity by going to exhibitions, museums and shows; meeting suppliers and learning about their products; and travel. I hire designers that can tell me which museum they visited recently or what movie they liked, because I get the impression that they’re actually out there finding new ideas. These creative designers need to be aware of operational requirements, too, so we share a lot of information. While our project managers understand both sides, I also share everything in terms of contractual topics of revenue so they get all the information to understand how their project works. It’s very important because they need to understand how they are able to design a project that is viable – or not. It helps them grow and become more aware that how they work impacts a project and the financial outcome of a company like Wilson Associates.
Monika 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.
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the fluidity of architectural curves with the V Line Cosmetic Center located at the Miramar Tower in Hong Kong. For this project, GWP Architects explored symbols that represented women and the female form; translating the soft, curved posture of female dancers into the curvature of the structures and spaces; using the ‘dancing ribbon’ as the core design theme. The whole space uses these curvaceous forms to express the dynamic changes of life with graceful shapes, exuding an elegant temperament throughout. Sensibility or rationality, a space that seems to breathe is created in the light and shadow between dynamic and static.
SBID Awards: Healthcare & Wellness Design finalist sponsored by The Stone Federation
Practice: GWP Architects
Project: V Line Cosmetic Center
Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong
What was the client’s brief?
The project is 5000 sq ft in size located in Miramar Tower in Hong Kong. The client wanted to build the most elegant cosmetic space in the city. The design therefore focused on capturing and expressing the brand name of V Line Concept, and the style of the space needed to balance professionalism whilst remaining warm, elegant and welcoming for its costumers. And last, they wanted the project be fully completed within just two months!
What inspired the interior design of the project?
The concept of the ‘dancing ribbon’ became the main theme behind the design scheme, with visions of a charming scene of dancers creating fluid and captivating movement with long strands of ribbon. With this in mind, we explored different symbols and shapes that represent women and the female form; translating the soft, curved posture of female dancers into the curvature of the internal structures. The entire space incorporates these curved forms to express the dynamic changes of life and create a sense of flow, gracefully guiding visitors through the cosmetic centre and exuding an heir of elegance in each zone. Sensibility or rationality, a space that seems to breathe is created in the light and shadow between dynamic and static.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
The toughest hurdle I would say was the collaboration between our design team and the construction team within such a very short time frame. The client was in Canada during the whole process, so he wanted us to control all aspects of the project and finish it within 2 months. To make this happen, I brought my team to work on the site and we collaborated with construction team, fire equipment team, water system team, the air conditioner team, the dentist manager, and so on. In this way, when we make any changes or confirm any detail of the drawings, we could ensure each of the different teams are updated and on the same page to keep the work progress as efficient as possible. Effective communication helped us complete the project on a tight schedule.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
There are many highlight points of the project. The choice of material, the smooth curved wall and ceiling design, but the most interesting part is the detail of craftsmanship where the corners meet the two different materials touch seamlessly. If you look at the images closely, you will find the round corners aligning very well, and between the walls and floors there is this a linear panel to express the space change.
Why did you enter the SBID Awards?
First of all, the SBID Awards is a well-known interior design award with a wide brand influence which deserves attention. After the completion of the V Line Cosmetic Center, we received positive reviews and some awards in China and Hong Kong. Our team believes that good design should be tested and recognised by international awards, and that good design in China can be seen by more people around the world. Finally, we would like to establish our brand image through international media.
Questions answered by Guowei (John) Zhang, Founder and Chief Architect of GWP Architects
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s Healthcare & Wellness design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring hotel public spaces with Omani influences, cultural inspirations and a modern design scheme, click here to see more.
SBID Awards 2019 | Healthcare & Wellness Design finalist sponsored by The Stone Federation
From the tiny cubicles and bland colour schemes of the early 2000s to the ping-pong tables and sleeping pods of modern times, the interior design of offices has evolved dramatically in the past 20 years. At the beginning of a new year, and the start of a new decade, the focus of office interior design is shifting once again. Office interior design is now becoming more and more centred around the wellbeing of staff members.
Work is one of the biggest causes of stress in adults. In fact, national statistics from 2019 state that 602,000 people suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2018/19 and 12.8 million workdays were lost due to the same reasons.
The rise of work-related stress and the emphasis on the importance of mental health has caused many businesses to re-evaluate the way in which they support their staff. Many businesses are aiming to actively improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.
Although improving the wellbeing of staff through interior design is not a new concept, it is becoming a very popular one. The working environment has a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of employees. A quality workspace that’s designed with health and wellbeing in mind can boost moods, increase productivity, reduce stress levels and nurture a positive atmosphere.
Natural Lighting Is Essential
Sunlight is good for our health. Our body needs Vitamin D, sunlight and a supply of fresh air daily to release endorphins and serotonin – the chemicals that boost our mood and give us energy.
However, for office workers, spending eight hours a day indoors is often unavoidable, which is why it is important to expose your office to as much natural daylight as possible. When designing your office space, consider adding skylights or floor to ceiling windows. When considering the interior design, keep large furniture away from the windows as to not block out any light. Avoid dim lighting as this can strain eyes and try to avoid glare.
Consider The Flow Of The Office
Many businesses think they have to choose between two types of offices; an open-plan office or an office with enclosed spaces for privacy. When in reality, a combination of both will be more effective for staff wellbeing.
An open-plan layout encourages the movement of employees, which is great for increasing activity levels. In addition, an open-plan office will also encourage communication and teamwork. Adding smaller, private pods will be beneficial for those employees who prefer privacy and quiet when working. When improving the wellbeing of staff through interior design, you should also include a creative space for brainstorming and team meetings.
Top Tip: Whichever office layout you choose, remember to include space for water coolers. Having easy access to cold water is great for the health and wellbeing of employees.
Bring The Outdoors In
Studies show the wellness of employees who work in an environment enhanced with natural features is 15% higher than those who do not. Add natural elements to your office by having a variety of indoor plants or a living wall. Plants clean the air and are known to reduce stress levels, boost creativity and increase productivity. Perhaps you could even include an indoor flower garden. Another way to add natural elements to your office space is by choosing surfaces made from natural materials, such as wood and stone.
Choose The Right Colours
Different colours create different moods. Soft tones, such as a brown and terracotta are known to evoke feelings of warmth and relaxation, which is why they’re often found in bedrooms. Whereas bright colours, such as blues and oranges are known to energise and yellows are great for promoting creativity.
When improving employee wellbeing through interior design, you should carefully select the colours. Colours that stimulate productivity and creativity should be used in the office area and meeting rooms. Softer shades that evoke calming feelings should be used in break rooms and relaxation areas.
Areas Of Relaxation
To improve employee wellness and reduce stress levels, you should provide your employees with somewhere to relax. Unlike other break rooms, these areas of relaxation should be designed with peace and quiet in mind. Your employees should be able to meditate, read or simply relax away from the bustle of the office.
About the Author
Michael Lawrence is CEO at YourWellspace, a health and wellbeing tech start-up who focus on data-driven wellbeing for teams and workplaces.
This article was written by Michael Lawrence, CEO at YourWellspace.
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a timeless hotel design that has been created through quality details and distinctive furniture. Designed around a contemporary interpretation of Arabic patterns, calligraphy and Omani culture, the Mysk Al Mouj is an internationally branded hotel operated by Shaza Hotels Group. Godwin Austen Johnson designed the hotel public spaces with a sense of location as the main theme. By distilling the essence of the surroundings, the aim was to create a contemporary four-star hotel with a sense of belonging. The sights, sounds, light and materials of the marina together with the Muscat coastline were studied and referenced throughout the interior design.
SBID Awards: Hotel Public Space Design finalist sponsored by Viva Lagoon
Practice: Godwin Austen Johnson
Project: Mysk Al Mouj
Location: Muscat, Oman
The operator’s development objective was to help in the activation of the Central Plaza District of Al Mouj in Muscat and our approach was to create a highly attractive destination point in the heart of this contemporary mixed-use development. Mysk Al Mouj is the flagship hotel for the Mysk by Shaza hotel group and the brief was clear – to design a contemporary hotel that would appeal to both business travellers and leisure guests.
The local Omani culture was the main inspiration for this hotel design and we drew on the country’s rich traditions and tastes; ornate jewellery, elaborate embroidery and traditional dress to guide the design. These enduring traditions have been thoughtfully translated into a number of elements throughout the hotel, from authentic floor coverings inspired by the patterns of local dress, to artwork on the walls featuring imposing forts and woven textiles. We have taken these inspirations and implemented them into the design narrative in a contemporary approach to create unique and appealing public spaces.
During the design development the challenges we faced were largely positive and constructive creating opportunities for design improvement. Trying to source materials and furniture locally was testing but the outcome was successful with the acquisition of a number of pieces and a selection of materials to complete the design intent. Most of the furniture pieces had been manufactured locally and many of the fabrics, where possible, were selected from a local mill to help reduce the carbon footprint.
The feature chandeliers located in the hotel lobby atrium were designed as a unique, custom made and timeless design featyre inspired by Omani jewellery. The aim was to celebrate local artefacts in a contemporary way where humble materials such as brass, opal and rare stones were chosen and displayed in the magnificent double height atrium. The effects of the lighting fixtures reflecting on the vertical atrium panels were expressed in a perforated geometrical pattern.
This was the first year we entered the SBID Awards and we chose to do so because we believe this is an important opportunity to not only highlight our projects but also, celebrate our team’s talent and accomplishments.
The SBID Awards are highly respected within the design industry because they set a standard for design excellence internationally – inspiring design professionals to continue to raise the bar. Thus the finalists are recognised as the very best in the world of interior design.
Questions answered by Rochelle Mojica-Beligon, Associate at Godwin Austen Johnson
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a luxurious, open-plan entertainment space, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s Hotel design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
SBID Awards 2019 | Hotel Public Space Design finalist sponsored by Viva Lagoon
It’s time to talk toilets. Are you wondering what to do with your next guest loo? As the old saying goes, big things come in small packages – and in this case, the toilet! Usually the smallest room of a residential project, SBID Accredited Designer, Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture has much bigger ideas. Who said the guest lavatory can’t be just as lavish as the rest of the house? Richard explains why guest washrooms deserve their time to shine and how he has designed these small, often overlooked spaces with maximum impact – making a statement that will leave a lasting impression on any visitor!
Having worked on many residential refurbishment projects over the years, I’ve come to realise that the smallest room in the house can offer one of the best opportunities to get creative and interestingly, it seems that even the most conservative of clients can be convinced that the guest loo is a wonderful way of showing friends and family that they not only have a fun side, but are willing to push the design boundaries, giving them a bit of added kudos to boot.
On many occasions I’ve been able to spend a disproportionally larger budget on this room than anywhere else in the house, allowing myself to try out new ideas, use interesting materials or simply to specify an item I haven’t had the chance to use before. With the seemingly unending supply of new and exciting products coming to market, this room provides a perfect platform to let one’s creativity shine.
Here are three guest loos I’ve recently designed, which incidentally, are in different but identical houses on the same side of the same street, creating a touch of loo envy between the neighbours!
In this room I decided to go for a strong monochrome look, creating a bold and powerful statement by using different versions of the same hex tile from a range by Mandarin Stone. I further accentuated the geometric feel by using Duravit Vero Sanitaryware and a facetted, brushed & pierced brass ceiling light from Tom Dixon. The moody and sultry atmosphere was further enhanced by painting the walls and ceiling matt black and by using a matt black tap by Dornbracht.
My clients wanted a more traditional look in their loo so I lined the room with new tongue and groove panelling painted in Farrow & Ball Off Black, complimented by a fun but sophisticated Fornasetti feature wallpaper from Cole & Son. The floor was covered in wonderfully patinated Victorian floor tiles salvaged from a recently demolished conservatory and laid in a pattern of my design. I sourced the Victorian sink & stand from English Salvage and after a light restoration, it looked amazing! A pair of lovely art deco taps supplied by Architectural Antiques, a vintage mirror and articulated wall lights by Dowsing and Reynolds completed the look.
Sometimes it’s fun to design a completely unexpected space and I certainly had the opportunity to on this project. The stunning backlit stretch ceiling by Barisol created a perfectly uniform light spread, and the seamless curved polished plaster walls gave a feeling of spatial infinity. This was offset by the handmade turquoise Czech tiles; adding a burst of deep colour and lushness to the room. The concrete sink was by Kast and space-age looking wall-mounted toilet from CP Hart.
Award-winning designer, Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture specialises in quality interiors for the residential and commercial sector. After recently relocating his practice to Portsmouth, Richard is now taking project enquiries in the South Coast.
This article was written by Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more.
As SBID continue to support the interior design industry through recognition, each month we’ll be sharing some of our favourite Finalist projects from SBID Awards 2019! Naturally, in celebration of Valentines Day – the perfect occasion for wining and dining with that special someone, we’re focusing this month’s edition on inspirational Restaurant Designs!
Moto is a new rodizio-style pizza concept where the scene is set from the exterior signage design. The authoritative stamp-like quality of the monochrome logo with a playful ‘t’ motif is then built into the physical fabric of the interior to cement the brand familiarity. Inside, the space boasts a careful combination of colour, materials, textures and patterns to relax, reassure and excite. Taking disparate textures, colours and styles, the team knitted together a cohesive space that is both effortlessly cool and warm and inviting. The floor space is carefully zoned to accommodate a range of covers for lunch and dinner. The open kitchen and wood-fired oven take centre stage, clad in a monochrome mosaic of tiles spelling out Moto Pizza – a striking visual cue to instantly communicate the quality and care of the product, the theatre of the cooking, and to cement the new brand identity.
The brainchild of Greek entrepreneur Lena Maniatis, Ena offers authentic Greek cuisine, inspired by a genuine love for the ‘real’ food you find in homes and villages. In a highly distinctive, modern setting, the restaurant’s interior evokes the experience of sitting on a rocky island, under an olive tree, watching the sea by candlelight. Because Lena insists on using natural ingredients in her dishes, there is a focus on natural materials – especially different types of stone – using them as a backdrop for contemporary Greek artworks. The use of natural raw stone gives the impression of the dramatic rugged terrain and is used as a wall-feature set behind glass, a subtle homage to site excavation as the rock reveals its secrets contrasting with polished stone sculpture.
SMC Design were tasked with creating a modern, fresh interior that evoked the design of a classic champagne and oyster bar for their client SAGA Cruises. The design of the room takes on coastal influences with aqua, teal and turquoise colours found within the soft furnishings, complemented by a dark timber herringbone floor and the clever use of kiln-formed toughened glass and mirrors to accentuate the size of the restaurant. The coastal influence follows through to the specially commissioned artwork by Beth Nicholas set within brass framing. Tan leather ribbed chairs and teal fabric buttoned banquettes offer seating options to diners, with copper cutlery and dining plates inspired by the room signage decorating the tables. Located on the promenade deck of the ship, all guests to this restaurant have the ability to fine dine whilst looking out to the ocean in this modern, crisp interior.
These White Walls was approached by Hedonism Wines to create a concept and interior aesthetic for its flagship fine-dining venue HIDE in Mayfair, which is a joint venture with acclaimed chef Ollie Dabbous. The venue would be a rustic-yet-refined dining haven, set over three floors, housing two restaurants, five private dining spaces, a bakery, wine cellars and a rare spirits bar. The brief was to create an interior that felt hedonistic yet homely, be luxurious yet accessible, and ultimately a unique experience that reflected the personality of its owners. The studio created an interior scheme based upon the theme of ‘dwelling’. The concept takes traditional emblems of domesticity and re-imagines them in unexpected ways, expressing beauty and ethereality. Each floor – Above, Ground and Below – was given a distinct narrative and shifted the palette of materials in relation to nearby Green Park to create an evolving sensual experience for guests.
SOMOS Restaurant is a Mediterranean restaurant and bar space that references the charm and detail associated with local building and spaces within the city. The use of timber, terracotta finishes and decorative hand-painted floor tiles are a direct reference to traditional Mediterranean building materials. Uncomplicated rustic details and simple building methods complement the refined yet effortless local cuisine.
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a private underground entertainment space for an ambitious London client. Nice Brew Design were commissioned to design the 530 square metre space which was built under an existing 1920s detached home in London. Working alongside the Architect and dealing with various restrictions, Nice Brew Design came up with a large open space with the use of visual zoning to divide up each entertainment area, but also ensure the space as a whole was unified through the interior design scheme and layout throughout.
SBID Awards: Residential Design Over £1M finalist sponsored by THG Paris
Practice: Nice Brew Design
Project: Private Entertainment Space
Location: London, United Kingdom
The space needed to include a large gym and shower room, WCs, two-lane bowling alley, dance area and DJ booth, an IMAX cinema to seat up to 20 people, bar area that would double up as a meeting space, a wine room, pool table and various seating areas – including an area with five screens for multi-screen sport watching. The space was going to have various types of end-users; the family, teenagers and friends – but was also going to be used for large corporate events and needed to have a sophiscated AV and lighting system, as well as be hard-wearing where possible.
The Art Deco style was our background inspiration, as well as creating the atmosphere and style of a traditional Gentleman’s club. However, the design concept actually resulted in a more modern, minimal take on this.
The opportunity to work on such a varied project was fantastic. At times it felt like 5 projects in one! Design work started in 2015 with construction kicking off early in 2016 and the project completing in November 2018. As such it was a detailed and an all time consuming project. Finally seeing the designs realised after so much time was definitely the highlight.
Two things stand out. Firstly the acoustics of the space. Noise from music, and in particular the bowling alley, needed to be retained within the basement and it was essential that it didn’t travel into the house or the gardens above, as it is a residential area. Acoustic plaster from Stil acoustics was used on the ceilings; acoustic glass and doors were specified for the glass encased staircase that leads to the main house and the wine room, as well as to the floor to ceiling bronze doors that separate the house and bunker staircase. The bespoke bronze doors to the external entrance at underground level were also acoustic specified and a copper clad box that encases the external staircase from the garden level was designed to further ensure noise was kept below ground.
Another challenge we faced was that the space was restricted. Position was governed by the fact that The Bunker needed to link to the main house above as well as have an external entrance. Originally the project was designed as a two storey bunker but it was then discovered that the existing borehole only went down 6m and a further test resulted in the conclusion that this would be a complex construction and was updated to a single storey proposal instead.
We felt the project deserved to be recognised and the SBID Awards are the one to aim for within the industry!
Questions answered by Charlotte Jackson, Creative Director at Nice Brew Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a stunning Shanghai residence located in the heart of Shanghai’s Pudong district, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s Residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
SBID Awards 2019 | Residential Design Over £1M finalist sponsored by THG Paris
The Society of British and International Interior Design’s inaugural SBID Product Design Awards has been honoured with the Awards Trust Mark at the Gold level, its highest degree of accreditation. This achievement is especially meaningful as only a handful of UK programmes such as The Diana Award for young humanitarians, the Investors in People awards, and SBID’s International Design Awards have been granted this recognition for their ethics and transparency.
The newly launched SBID Product Design Awards celebrate the finest design, innovation and functionality for products within the residential and commercial interior design sectors. Open until 13 March for entries from around the globe, the competition invites product, industrial and interior designers, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, to propose original products realised in the last two years across 17 categories.
The Awards Trust Mark certification was established by the Independent Awards Standards Council, a not-for-profit organisation made up of stakeholders in the awards industry. Created with the aim of raising standards and perceptions of trust in awards competitions, the accreditation encourages a focus on ethics with all aspects scrutinized including criteria, scoring, feedback, transparency and judging.
Chris Robinson, co-founder of the Independent Awards Standards Council, explains why the SBID Product Design Awards is a deserved holder of the Gold Standard level: “The SBID Product Design Awards is an exemplary demonstration of how awards should be operated with attention to every detail, from the transparency of the scoring system, to the quality of websites, the clarity of the entering process, and to the quality of customer service.”
Winners are chosen via a three-part process. A technical judging panel evaluates entries’ professional merit and determines the finalists to be announced 9 April. From this selection, an extraordinary jury of the foremost industry experts will decide 70% of the winners’ scores, with the remaining 30% the result of an online public vote that will be live until 30 April.
Recently appointed as vice-president of SBID, Chris Godfrey knows more than a thing or two about design excellence. The award-winning British architect and designer added another feather to his cap when he was named SBID’s 2019 Master of Design, an honour bestowed on a practitioner who has contributed greatly to the interior design industry. “SBID’s Product Design Awards support the visionary ideas, quality craftsmanship and integrity of materials that characterise the best in product design,” says Godfrey. “It’s appropriate that we should celebrate innovative products as essential parts of an interior designer’s toolkit for creating holistically-considered spaces.”
With winners announced at the glamorous Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London during an awards ceremony on Friday, 5 June 2020, entrants into the very first SBID Product Design Awards can be confident in knowing that the ethics of the judging process is as valued as the originality of their creations.
Click here for more information.
Discussing how the modern home has adapted to societal changes over the years, Henrietta Thompson, journalist and founder of Harth, will lead an insightful panel discussion alongside Maryanne Cartwright, Design Manager at Graham & Brown, and Vanessa Brady OBE, SBID CEO.
Date: Thursday 20th February
Time: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Location: House of Harth, Islington Square
Year by year, decade by decade, our homes adapt to societal changes. An example of this is office areas becoming more and more part of the modern interior. As a society, many are increasingly working from home so naturally our homes have adapted to create flexible and comfortable spaces for work life balance. Aligning itself with the wellbeing trend, working from home is said to promote productivity – the use of indoor plants also help create a healthier environment. Over the last few years, we are gradually bringing the outdoors in, this is definitely a big shift from previous years. Discover more about how the interior landscape has altered to embrace such societal influences and environmental trends, so you can better adapt your interior designs for the modern world.
Maryanne Cartwright
Design Manager, Graham & Brown
Dr Vanessa Brady OBE
CEO and Founder, SBID
Henrietta Thompson
Journalist & Founder, Harth
Please note: Limited spaces are available.
To register your interest in attending, please email [email protected]
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