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Architecture and interior design practice, SHH has been engaged by The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) to deliver design enhancements to an array of Food & Drink facilities around the Grounds, all part of cementing Wimbledon’s reputation as the world’s leading premier sporting event and ensuring the highest quality visitor experience.

SHH was initially engaged in 2013, and since then has embarked on a redesign masterplan, which encompasses the development and refurbishment of several hospitality facilities catering to different groups of guests attending The Championships.

Photography credits: Gareth Gardner ©

For every project, the brief was to complement the AELTC’s design ethos of “tennis in an English Garden”. The colour palette clearly reflects this with green, purple and pink shades offset by oak features. The refurbishment effort aims at bringing the outside in, using indoor planting and floor to ceiling windows, flooding each area with ample natural light and affording uninterrupted views over the landscaped areas. Enhanced wayfinding signage delivered clear communication for those visitors using the facilities.

SHH redesigned sites include the Champions’ Room, the Media Restaurant and a suite of cafes, brasseries and restaurants spanning a variety of different tier dining options to suit the vastly diverse visitors at The Championships.

Photography credits: Gareth Gardner ©

The Media Restaurant

SHH was initially approached by catering company Compass to carry out upgrades to the Media Restaurant. The restaurant is situated beneath Courts 14 and 15 – a large basement space wrapped around three sides of a light well – which provides catering to hundreds of accredited press and broadcast journalists during The Championships. Operating as a 24-hour facility, it is zoned into three areas providing a deli, pizza bar and coffee offer on an assisted service-type model. All aspects of the design were particularly important given the international nature of the user group and their experiences at competitor venues around the world. The space was designed in a Scandinavian and minimalist theme throughout.

Photography credits: Adam Woodward ©
Photography credits: Adam Woodward ©
Photography credits: Adam Woodward ©

The Champions’ Room

The Champions’ Room is an exclusive hospitality venue for Centre Court debenture holders at The Championships providing an elegant and relaxing space for  fine dining or afternoon tea. Working with the AELTC , SHH designed and delivered fresh, elegant interiors starting from the entry point through to the design of the tableware, creating a complete portrait for the restaurant in finite detail. This was reflected in the refinement of the space, with exquisite details and subtle use of colour to reflect Wimbledon’s ethos and the prestigious event it celebrates.

The Courtside Restaurant and Brasserie

SHH’s brief was to combine two offerings within the same large space: a walk-in brasserie and a more formal white-tablecloth sit down area. The new area needed to guarantee flexibility between the two catering spaces facilitating pre-booked volume and walk-in demand. The brasserie affords external views across the courts while the main courtside restaurant features adjustable sliding screens and walls to allow the space to double up as a conferencing and training facility, providing useful space for AELTC Members and staff throughout the year, not just during The Championships.

The Walled Garden

The Walled Garden was completed ahead of The Championships 2018.  The area consists of several different catering offerings: the Walled Garden Food Market, Aorangi Bar, Aorangi Larder and Aorangi Café. SHH’s design approach was to relate to the architecture of No.1 Court, by establishing a material connection with the courtyard and the new catering spaces. The colour palette mixes different shades of green, grey and oak. Servery areas have been upgraded with a variety of glazed green terracotta counter fronts and oak panelled counter fronts. Floor to ceiling oak-panelled screens with plants help delineate areas by creating impact to this vast open-air catering space.

Photography credits: Alastair Lever ©

The Terrace

The Terrace is the most recent project undertaken by SHH for the AELTC and was completed the summer of 2020.  The Terrace is one of the dining facilities that caters for Centre Court debenture holders during The Championships, but is also used year-round for larger events, such as drinks receptions, in conjunction with The Courtside.  The main focus of the refurbishment was to improve the servery area, which could get congested at peak times. SHH’s redesign significantly enhanced the flow around the area by increasing the space behind counters for food preparation and facilitating the quick and easy movement of visitors. The Terrace is a long and relatively narrow room, which resulted in visitors tending to linger near the entry during drink receptions without using the full capacity of the space. To address the issue, SHH has introduced moveable oak panelled waist height screens to help delineate areas where required and improve flow. The original look and feel of the space, including the floor, walls and furniture, was dated and required a revamp to reflect the style of the rest of the facilities around the Grounds. Ribbed oak fronted counter screens, oak slats on the ceiling, and shades of green, grey and purple reinstated the “Wimbledon” colour palette and style. Floor to ceiling sliding window doors around the perimeter of The Terrace guarantees ample natural light, while the furniture remains very practical with light, easily movable tables and chairs.

About the Author

Created in 1991 by David Spence, Graham Harris and Neil Hogan, SHH is an award winning Chartered Architectural and Interior Design practice working globally and based in London. SHH works across sectors – Residential, Hospitality and Commercial, and across disciplines – Architecture, Interior Design and FF&E. Offering a multifaceted bespoke design service, focussed around achieving the best possible end result.

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more. 

The finalists for SBID Awards product design categories were revealed earlier this month! Receiving entries from 49 countries around the world, the SBID Awards 2020 has been the most globally represented edition to date.

With the public vote open until 30 September, you can vote for your favourite products across each of the 17 categories and have your say in which designs have what it takes to take home a prestigious SBID Award!

Accessories

Arteriors - Lesley Large Sculpture

This category is dedicated to all interior accessories such as cushions, bed linen, tableware, stemware and decorative items including art and photography.

Bathroom Product

Not Only White BV - Aim Collection

This category focuses on any products suitable for use within a bathroom ranging from bathroom cabinets, mirrors and towel rails to shower doors and screens. Both residential and commercial bathroom products are eligible.

Brassware

Waterworks - Bond

This category is dedicated exclusively to brassware. Entries can include but are not limited to mixer, pillar and dual flow taps and shower heads.

Cabinetry & Joinery

King Slide Works Co. - Simlead Drawer Box System

This category focuses on interior cabinetry and joinery such as wardrobes, doors, fitted furniture and bespoke pieces.

Fabric & Textiles

Linwood - Omega Prints II

This category encompasses all commercial and residential fabrics and textiles, upholstery, curtains and curtain accessories. Textiles and fabrics can be synthetic or made from natural fibres.

Flooring & Floor Coverings

Tsar Carpets UK Limited - Saltwater

This category focuses on interior flooring and floor coverings. Entries can include but is not limited to carpet, laminate, tile, vinyl and rugs.

Furniture – Contract

KI - Colonnade

This category is dedicated to all furniture for use within a contract or commercial interior such as a hotel, restaurant or hospital. Furniture can range from tables and chairs to sofas, banquettes, benches and stools.

Furniture – Residential

Powell & Bonnell - The Strand Swivel Tilt Lounge Chair

This category is dedicated to all interior furniture solely for residential use. Furniture can range from tables, chairs and sofas to benches, stools and beds.

Heating & Cooling

Bisque - Optic

This category focuses on heating and cooling in an interior space. Eligible products range from fireplaces, radiators, stoves, grills and underfloor heating to air con, comfort cooling, and fans.

Ironmongery & Metalwork

Armac Martin - MIX

This category is for ironmongery, metalwork and architectural hardware including hinges, locks, handles door knockers and door furniture. Products can also include inset metalwork and bespoke forgery.

Kitchen Product

Quooker UK - Quooker Flex with CUBE

This category rewards skill and innovation for kitchen products such as appliances, kitchen cabinets, and kitchen worktops.

Leisure & Wellbeing

Grace of London - The Crystal Bathe Collection

This category can include any interior product used within a leisure or wellbeing facility such as a gym, spa or games room. Eligible products include gym equipment, spa equipment and associated wellbeing products to games tables and associated products.

Lighting

Catellani & Smith - Petits Bijoux

This category is dedicated exclusively to lighting design. products can include general, ambient, mood, task and accent lighting for both residential and contract interiors. Lighting products range from architectural lighting, chandeliers, lamps and desk lights to ceiling lights and bulbs.

Outdoor

Winch Design - Arc By Winch Design For Summit Furniture

This category is solely for outdoor products for either residential or contract use ranging from outdoor furniture, outdoor lighting, signage, garden furniture, sun protection, fire pits, BBQs and grills.

Sanitaryware

Bette UK - BettePond Silhouette Bath

This category is dedicated to sanitaryware including baths, sinks, shower trays, bidets, urinals, wash planes etc.

Sound & Vision

Zaha Hadid Ltd - Loop

This category is for audio visual and/or lighting schemes as well as individual products. AV/lighting schemes are eligible for both residential and commercial interiors. Entries should reflect how the concept meets the needs of both the client and the end user. Individual products such as TVs, speakers, home automation and music systems are also eligible.

Surfaces & Finishes

Parkside - Spectre

This category is for architectural and interior surfaces and finishes. These include but are not limited to panels, wallcoverings, stone, veneers, ceramics, wood, acrylic, glass, mouldings, paint and tiles.

Voting closes at 5pm (BST) on 30 September.

Visit www.sbidawards.com to find out more! 

The finalists for SBID Awards interior design categories were revealed earlier this month! Receiving entries from 49 countries around the world, the SBID Awards 2020 has been the most globally represented edition to date.

With the public vote now open until 30 September, you can vote for your favourite projects across each of the 17 interior categories and have your say in which designs have what it takes to take home a prestigious SBID Award!

CGI & Visualisation

IMA - 42 The Calls

This category rewards skill and innovation in the use of visual software. The entries include any interior design visual or CGI that has been created on a visualisation programme, including AutoCad, CAD, 3ds Max, InteriCAD and Vectorworks.

Club & Bar Design

Rockwell - Little Sister

This category is solely for club and/or bar interior design projects. Nightclubs, private members clubs and bars are eligible for this category – they can be permanent, pop-up or temporary. 

Healthcare & Wellness Design

Dseesion - Quintessence. Center for Mindful Change

This category includes any interior project within a hospital, healthcare facility, care-related property or wellness centre. It will take into account innovative approaches to healthcare environments and how the patient/visitor is engaged. Gyms, spas and well-being centres are accepted within this category too.

Hotel Bedroom & Suites Design

Virserius Studio - Guest Rooms & Suites, W Atlanta Midtown

This category is dedicated exclusively to bedrooms and suites within hotel interiors. Entries include full or part refurbishments, both new builds and restoration projects, and show high levels of creativity and innovation.

Hotel Public Space Design

OMO - Radisson Blu Kyiv

This category is dedicated exclusively to public spaces within hotel interiors. Entries include a full or part refurbishment, both new builds and restoration projects and should show high levels of creativity and innovation. Projects can include lobbies, spa’s, ballrooms and meeting rooms.

KBB Design

Cronin Kitchens - Queenstown Kitchen

This category welcomes kitchen, bedroom and/or bathroom designs within a residential space. Projects can include a single room or several rooms within a property.

Office Design

Oktra - Adidas

This category is dedicated exclusively to office design. The entry should reflect how the concept creates a pleasant, efficient workspace and meets the needs of both the clients and the employees who work in the space.

Property Development Asia Pacific

Maudea Design - San Jiang Du Hui

This category is exclusively dedicated to properties located in the Asia-Pacific region. Projects include residential developments; development sales centres or buildings that market newly built apartments and mixed-use developments. Projects can be a complete refurbishment or just the public areas within these buildings.

Public Space

Rockwell - Edge

This category is dedicated to all interiors of public spaces created as a service for the community, such as airports, libraries, schools, museums, universities and religious buildings. Projects can be complete refurbishments or smaller commissions within these buildings.

Residential Apartment Over £1M

ET Design & Build - Oscar Crescent

This is the premium category of residential interior design for an apartment. It focuses on design trends and the wow factor of residential projects with an overall value of over £1 Million. Projects can include a single room, several rooms, or a whole property.

Residential Apartment Under £1M

Maison Arabella - Ultimate Loft Style Penthouse

This category focuses on interior design projects with an overall value of under £1 Million in residential apartments, and recognises not only the achievement for the budget but also functionality and aesthetics. Projects can include a single room, several rooms, or a whole apartment.

Residential Budget Up To £50k

DARE SOLUTION - The Orient's Pearl

This category is specifically for projects that have delivered the best interior design solutions to meet the client’s brief for the budget available up to £50,000. Projects can include a single room, several rooms or an entire house.

Residential House Over £1M

Big Fish Design - Yuyuan Courtyard Villa

This is the premium category of residential interior design for a house. It focuses on design trends and the wow factor of residential projects with an overall value of over £1 Million. Projects can include a single room, several rooms, or a whole property.

Residential House Under £1M

chains interior - The Echoing Green

This category focuses on interior design projects with an overall value of under £1 Million in residential houses, and recognises not only the achievement for the budget but also functionality and aesthetics. Projects can include a single room, several rooms, or a whole apartment.

Restaurant Design

Bishop Design LLC - BOHO Social

This category is solely for interior designs within restaurant interiors projects. Judges will take into account functionality, compliance and fit-for-purpose design. This can include permanent and temporary restaurants or cafes for hospitality services. 

Retail Design

Qianyi Design - Saturday Mode Fashion Bank Pop-Up Store

This category covers all commercial interiors created for retail outlets including shopping centres, shops, showrooms, pop-up shops and art galleries. Projects can be a complete refurbishment or smaller commissions within these buildings.

Show Flats & Developments

Hirsch Bedner Associates - The Bund 1898 Show Flat

This category is for marketing suites and show homes, focusing on functionality, aesthetic and the ability to translate the developer’s vision and engage the end-user.

Voting closes at 5pm (BST) on 30 September.

Visit www.sbidawards.com to find out more! 

This month we’re serving up the stylish interior inspirations from the SBID Awards 2019 finalists in the Show Flats & Developments category; from trendy residential apartments in the city to contemporary luxury villas abroad. As we look to upgrade tired interiors now we’re spending so much more time at home, browse through these interior designs for award-worthy styling ideas.

Show Flats & Developments

Angel O’Donnell – Poland Street

Contemporary interior design for living area and kitchen
Contemporary interior design for living room with bespoke built-in shelving
Bedroom interior with green velvet headboard and gold details
Bathroom design with hexagonal floor tiles

19-20 Poland Street is a stunningly curated, warehouse-style development in the heart of Soho. The lovingly restored building is host to nine exceptional apartments on the upper floors and a ground floor restaurant. The design of the building created reams of light and heavenly rooftop terraces, together with revealing the original steel frame, exposed brickwork and stunning Crittall windows and doors for the ultimate New York-style loft living in the heart of London’s West End. Angel O’Donnell crafted a sensational show suite that reflected the building’s location and character. By maximising space, using bold colours and textures, the scheme delivered a wonderfully curious home, coupled with a tailored choice of books and objets, to create an end result that reflects the very epitome of life in Soho.

Beijing Serendipper Space Design – Royal Palace Xia Die

Contemporary living room interior design for luxury apartment with concrete surfaces and modern seating
Contemporary bedroom interior styling for residential apartment
Concrete surfaces in modern bathroom design with oval bath tub
Hallway interior with biophilic design featuring cactus planter

Royal Palace Xia Die is another demonstration of the designer’s continuous concept of ecological protection as the whole design respects nature. By introducing the colour forest green and using colourful furniture as well as delicate artworks, the designer creates a breathing green garden that conducts a dialogue with nature. The whole design expresses a life attitude of ecological protection and reveals the pursuit of an ideal natural lifestyle.

The space features a Chinese and Western kitchen, an oriental-style tea room, and a delicate and elaborate fragrance-blending room, together they form a comfortable and flowing space, while at the same time depicting the pursuit of a high quality of life. Artwork adds intrigue to the space to provoke deep thinking and the exploration of lifestyles of the urban elite.

DA GROUP – Jingrui Providence Place Model Villa

Living area interior design featuring marble flooring and blue sofa
Playful children's bedroom interior with pastel colour scheme
Luxury cinema room with red contemporary sofa and atmospheric lighting

DA Group was invited to design a model villa of the residential development Providence Place by Jingrui Real Estate Group. Situated in Ningbo, China, the project combines both functionality and aesthetics to present quality living. The designers applied minimalism to the interior design and created a dynamic and diversified spatial effect. The unique duplex space brings more privacy. With a modern and minimalist style, every inch of the space was fully utilised and optimised.

Elicyon – Chiltern Place Apartment

Close up of bedroom furnishings with artistic headboard and luxury bedding
Open plan living area with light wood floor and statement rug
Interior styling details for residential apartment in London

This unique and eclectic show apartment, located in one of London’s most prestigious postcodes, was created by Elicyon. A fresh, warm base palette is complemented with nude and blush tones, enhanced by bold patterns and bright accents of aqua, sky blue, peach and raspberry. A characterful collection of artwork and antiques, carefully selected by the Elicyon team and sourced from an array of antique fairs and galleries, elevates the scheme of the apartment.

Layered textures and finishes throughout the space, lend the apartment a distinctive look that’s enriched with personality, which is further complemented by wild and rustic floral arrangements that bring freshness and femininity to the scheme. Bespoke and made-to-order pieces were designed to maximise the space in the property and enabled the team to be explorative with interesting pattern and fabric that perfectly complemented the style of the home.

HONKY DESIGN – Petite Route de Campagne

Modern dining room interior setting with velvet blue seating and grey kitchen cupboards
Bedroom interior styling with panel wall feature and velvet yellow details
Bedroom interior design with gold wall panelling
Light living room interior with abstract artwork

HONKY DESIGN created a luxury, yet relaxed design aesthetic by introducing a mix of pared back, minimal furniture with bold art and textures. Combining a blend of soft textures, natural materials and bespoke elements created a refined feeling of luxury that is still family friendly.

Jeffrey Beers International – 108 Leonard

Open plan living interior design with large feature rug, light wood floor and marble kitchen island
Modern white kitchen design with marble island and black bar stools
Bathroom design with black marble wall feature and double sink vanity unit

108 Leonard is an elegant landmarked condominium conversion located in Tribeca. Originally constructed in 1894, the McKim, Mead & White architectural masterpiece will house more than 150 condominium residences within the Italian Renaissance revival-style exterior, which was meticulously restored to its original glory. The ornamental majesty offers dramatic details of scale, proportion and volume paired with contemporary design by award-winning hospitality design firm Jeffrey Beers International.

World-renowned SLCE Architects was enlisted as the architect of record for the beloved landmark, which pays homage to a gilded bygone era. On the inside, JBI has designed a bright canvas of modern restraint, ready to adapt to homeowners’ individual lifestyles. Soaring ceiling heights ranging from approximately 10 feet to more than 14 feet, architectural windows and five-inch wide oak floors bring authentic European glamour to organically flowing layouts.

Rigby & Rigby – Project WC2B 130

Luxury dining room interior design with blue velvet seating and abstract art
Living room interior with statement green sofa and parquet wood flooring
Interior decor featuring black fireplace with contemporary circle mirror
Bathroom interior design with marble detail and central free standing bath tub

Rigby & Rigby had the opportunity to develop and drive a full-scale revision of two contemporary residential apartments, one lateral and one duplex penthouse in the central thoroughfare of Covent Garden. The brief was to provide a design scheme, which accentuates the original features of the building with contemporary furniture and fittings. With close proximity to Covent Garden, the scheme captures the dynamic and vibrant atmosphere of its surroundings, while marrying with the traditional Edwardian architecture of its own, and its neighbouring buildings.

SWS GROUP – Shanghai Arch Showroom II

Located on the banks of Huangpu River, the project is developed by one of Hong Kong’s largest real estate developers, Sun Hung Kai Properties. Situated in the core area of Lujiazui, the show flat overlooks the river and takes in the Pudong skyline and its shimmering city lights.

The 2020 edition of the SBID Awards is open for entries!

Entries close this Friday at 5pm (BST) on 14 August.

Visit sbidawards.com to enter now!

As shops have gradually been reopening across the UK with new social distancing rules, the retail industry will be sure to face challenging times ahead. Interior design plays an integral role in curating the retail environments we currently know and love, and as we now look to the future of retail with a degree of uncertainty, we’re sharing some of the inspiring retail design concepts from the SBID Awards 2019. As for how the impact of coronavirus will change the way retail interiors will be designed and adapted in practice, only time will tell! 

Retail Design

Tobias Oliver Interiors – Luxury Lifestyle Showroom

The purpose of the luxury lifestyle showroom to provide access to high-end interior design to the doorstep of Berkhamsted, an affluent town in Hertfordshire. Londoners have the amenity of luxury department stores and especially interior design showrooms in central and west London. Tobias Oliver Interiors brings this resource to Berkhamsted, making exceptional design accessible to the local community.

Jeffrey Hutchison & Associates – Jade Boutique

Creating a unique and contemporary architectural vocabulary was critical in establishing a new direction for this women’s luxury multi-brand retail store located in Jakarta’s Plaza Indonesia Mall. In much the same way as fabric drapes over the human body; Jeffrey Hutchison & Associates used architectural materials to wrap the space and create a dramatic sensual envelope. The architectural forms and materials were layered and folded on top of one another. The store is divided into four rooms, three of which house individual designer boutiques. The curved storefront becomes a unifying element for the project, with four separate entries, which highlights the three designer boutiques. Again, the use of a layered material palette of stone, glass and brass brings the concept of the interior to the outside and establishes the strong design vocabulary for the project.

I-AM Associates Istanbul – Turkcell Pera Flagship Store

Turkish telecom giant Turkcell briefed I-AM to develop a flagship experience for its beloved store in Pera – one of the most nostalgic neighborhoods of Istanbul. With that in mind, I-AM created an experience-based retail store, integrated with the street spirit, comprising of three main zones, where customers can easily interact with the products in a relaxed and friendly environment. Offering the latest innovative IoT products, the new Turkcell store presents a customer journey embracing the latest mobile technologies both in music and sports. The customers are greeted with the touchstone of this particular neighborhood (Istiklal Street) – the tram unit, with which I-AM aimed to design a store that is an organic extension of the street. After the store has opened its doors with its new concept, it was highly appreciated by its customers. This innovative store concept drives the brand into the next level of retail experience.

gpstudio – Hershesons Harvey Nichols

Following the successful opening of Hershesons ‘one-stop beauty’ flagship in Fitzrovia, the brand has now launched their greatly anticipated new site in Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, London. Much like the vast, 5000 square foot space opened on Berners Street last year, this super salon is a one-stop shop for its customers’ beauty needs. Rejecting conventional ideas surrounding the traditional salon model, it’s now the turn of the Harvey Nichols location to experience the new concept, but of course with its own iterations. Led by the vision of Luke Hersheson, gpstudio, working alongside architect Racheline Michaels, were tasked with creating a beauty destination offering far more than just hair services, with a café, nail bar, pedicure station, VIP rooms, treatment rooms and much more.

Arizon Design – JoyCity Kid’s World

The Kid’s World on the sixth floor of the South Building in Shanghai Joy City is the spatial extension of this love-themed shopping mall. This area of entertainment and retailing is delicately designed for kids aged 3-10, and provides enriching, interesting and diversified experiences. It encourages the kids to indulge in their everlasting innocent imagination, and to follow their instincts, to explore the nature in their own way. The architecture is inspired by Dandelion Hill, imagining the form of hills when adopting the rhythm of contouring lines in an undulating geography. In this space of 4,200 square metres, the retailing stores and public entertainment areas are merged into the circular moving stream of visitors.

German Kitchens – UnserHaus

The client, BSH Home Appliances NZ is the importer and supplier of high-end German home appliances – Bosch, Neff and Gaggenau – and they were setting up their own dedicated showroom to display their appliances in a retail environment.  BSH needed a place or ‘house’ where the space did not feel or look like a normal everyday appliance showroom. BSH wanted a living space that told a story and was familiar to retail consumers who would feel at ease in the space and, most importantly, feel at home. Ideally BSH wanted a space that represented the brands individually but also harmoniously to reinforce the uniformity of the three brands under the BSH umbrella. The space had to be like no other in New Zealand and this kind of showroom was to be the first independent BSH retail space in the world and thus the world was watching.

The 2020 edition of the SBID International Design Awards is open for entries.

Entries close on Friday 14 August. Visit sbidawards.com to enter now!

Work life, and the commercial landscape as we know it, has changed immensely. In as little as five months, the corporate world experienced a mass exodus of workers, who retreated to the safety of their own homes in response to lockdown.

Throughout this time, cloud communication has enabled businesses to continue operating remotely with relative ease. Indeed, many who were formerly reticent about the merits of working from home, are now reconsidering the future of their own workspace environments in a post-pandemic world.

With employees arguably communicating with each other more than ever before through virtual means, it raises the question – can employees still feel part of a team, when physically apart?

This is something employers need to consider before deciding how they recalibrate their offices. For whilst remote working offers verbal, written and oral communication in abundance, it does not offer us the wide spectrum of non-verbal ques that are essential to promoting productivity, imagination, and positive workplace culture.

Facial expressions, body language, gestures, touch, and physical presence are all fundamental parts of the communication mix and if we cut these out completely by working solely from home, then it’s only a matter of time before employees start to feel disengaged, uninspired and demotivated.

The solution is simple. We need to give employees the freedom to work from home or in the office, depending on which is safest and the most productive for them.

Build a better workspace, together 

For some employers, like Portview, lockdown has presented the opportunity to take stock of work priorities and adopt a more holistic approach to workspace design.  Far rather than causing the ‘death of the commercial office’, the pandemic has prompted us to reimagine a new one – one where employee wellbeing, community and culture is the central focus.

Whilst for now it’s important to navigate our way through the pandemic safely and responsibly, Portview has decided to take a leap of faith and invest £2.5 million into new corporate headquarters, which together, we will design, build and fit-out ourselves.

This not only signifies the dawn of a new era for us, but also gives our team something to look forward to during a time of uncertainty and displacement. It’s about empowering our team to collaborate and come up with innovative ideas that will help shape and build the new Portview.

A happy employee is a productive one 

In truth, it’s still too early to know exactly what the ‘new normal’ for office environments will be, but one thing we are sure of, is that a happy employee is a productive one, therefore, organisations must focus their efforts on elevating the workspace experience through thoughtful design.

By providing a functional, comfortable and visually appealing environment, employers will instil a positive workplace culture that employees feel safe, comfortable and proud to work in.

Connect with nature

From our perspective, we will incorporate many biophilic elements into the design of our new offices. This includes an external terrace and balconies, glazing, rooflights, and plenty of indoor plants and foliage, to help connect employees to the natural environment – a method that has proven to reduce stress and enhance creativity.

In addition, the new headquarters will feature a nurse’s office for private consultations, and a large state-of-the-art gym, complete with treadmills, spin bikes, training equipment, showers and changing facilities.

Give it space

The extra square footage will enable us to come up with an effective space planning strategy that will give employees the space they need to follow physical distancing rules. When the regulations are lifted, our team will then have the freedom to work collaboratively in one of one our many formal or casual meeting rooms, breakout zones or creative hubs. For those who wish to work from home, they can easily connect with colleagues through video conferencing facilities.

Each team will have their own office with glass wall partitions to help create a sense of community, openness, and transparency, whilst still maintaining a safe level of privacy and structure.

Take a stand 

Research by the Sax Institute shows that replacing one hour of sitting with standing, can increase an employee’s lifespan by at least 5%.

With this in mind, we will be introducing seating options that are more supportive, adjustable, and flexible, in addition to adjustable desks that will allow employees to sit or stand at their workstation. These ergonomic solutions will promote better posture and physical wellbeing.

Design down to a fine art

Carefully crafted, contrasting materials and textures often prompt engagement and productivity amongst employees by adding visual weight to a space and giving them a unique environment to work in.

However, it’s important to remember that high-quality, statement pieces need to withstand the test of time. Choosing the right materials and how to mix them – whether it be reclaimed wood panel installations, exposed concrete or woven fabric – is key to ensuring longevity and achieving an overall polished look.

A bright creative workspace can also make employees feel more productive, lower stress and increase wellbeing. Therefore, we will be looking to enrich our new offices with vibrant graphics to help stimulate the minds of those who visit and act as key points of interest.

Whilst the safest thing for us to do right now is either stay at home, or return to an office with stringent COVID-19 precautions in place, we believe that in time and with the right design sensibility, the office space will make a comeback.

For offices have a much greater purpose than offering employees a desk and computer screen to work from. It’s a social environment that reminds us that we’re not alone in this experience, for we’re surrounded by the same people, working towards the same goals, at the same time, in the same place. We can see, hear, feel and sense kinship all around us through face-to-face interaction and the quieter periods of productivity in-between. Offices give us the freedom to share a coffee with our peers and tell them of our plans for the weekend.

And that’s just something virtual communication can’t replicate.

About the Author

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.

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more. 

Project of the Week

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the complete transformation of the lobby area of a 30-year-old office tower. Once a series of dark, awkward spaces lacking in a clear axis or flow of movement, the lobby is now a bright and airy volume defined by a graphic screen that emphasizes 30-foot-high ceilings. Toronto designers Bartlett & Associates were commissioned to reimagine the space as a welcoming amenity that would attract a stable of noteworthy new tenants. The design team took an architectural approach to the project; removing a disused storage space made way for a public café, while the custom-designed screen was added to anchor the front desk and delineate the elevator bay. The striking black sculptural screen plays off against a dazzling white wall with a surface of subtle peaks and architectural texture.

Practice: Bartlett & Associates

Project: Crown Lobby – 5255 Yonge Street

Location: Toronto, Canada

What was the client’s brief? 

The mandate from our client, Crown Realty, was to reposition a dated office tower’s lobby for the 21st century. The building is right on Toronto’s north Yonge Street, a prime location that offered the potential to create a significant destination. Crown wanted a space that would inject new vitality into this rather tired building and position it as a desirable location for a more vibrant class of tenant. Our design transformed the lobby from an uninspiring entrance to an energetic amenity that makes a compelling impression on visitors – including prospective leaseholders.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

It’s the challenges of a project that typically inspire the best ideas and in this case we were dealing with a modest budget and an awkward space that was completely covered – all the floors, all the walls – in a very dated and dull granite. Tearing it out was cost-prohibitive, so the new surfaces were something we put a lot of thought into. Nature is also a constant source of inspiration for us and adding biophilic elements is something we try to do with all of our projects. As we spend more and more time in our urban office buildings, immersed in digital worlds, it feels increasingly important to make those connections to nature wherever possible. This is often achieved through very subtle interventions, but with this project the scale of the space presented an ideal opportunity to do something big – something a bit more direct, really impactful. So of course that was the screen, and beyond that we used a lot of wood- and stone-look low-profile surfacing that was applied right over the granite to avoid spending a lot of time and money on demolition and to avoid creating a lot of waste.

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

Resolving the awkwardness of the space while keeping the budget in check was huge. Originally the effect of the high ceilings was all but obliterated by this bulkhead wall that sort of cinched the walls inwards about a third of the way up. It loomed over the elevator bay, feeling very heavy with its stone cladding, and made that space feel a bit ominous. And then the corridor running off the east wall was this dark, narrow tunnel – it was all very uninviting. In the end we tore out a single short, angled wall to open up the corridor and make space for a public café. Then the screen was an amazing solution that both masks that bulkhead and transforms the elevator bay into a cozy little annex. Walking behind the screen to access the lifts offers this sense of discovery, which is a much nicer way to start your work day than trudging through a dark hall. Overall it feels like a cohesive sequence of usable space now, rather than a patchwork of hallways that were strictly for moving through, not for stopping or spending time in.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The screen is definitely the highlight for us – it won an award for the project before the space was even finished and it was also reimagined as an installation piece for the Design TO festival, which is part of Toronto’s Design Week in January. It’s obviously a stunning feature that is also functional, but there is a bit of hidden genius going on there as well: Not only does it hide that awkward bulkhead, but it’s actually supported by a mounting system originally installed for the granite cladding. Most of the granite was left intact and simply covered with low-profile materials, but by removing a bit of stone from the bulkhead, we were able to avoid creating customized brackets to hold the screen. That was a big cost-saver and just one of those eureka moments that you want to have on every project.

Questions answered by Inger Bartlett, lead designer and president, Bartlett & Associates.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s Office design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a contemporary loft apartment situated above the famous Soho Theatre, click here to see more.

SBID delved behind the scenes with SBID Accredited Designer, Katie Malik, founder and creative director of Katie Malik Interiors to find out about her journey in the interior design industry, and how proper training and experience helped her get there.

What is your current job?

I’m a creative director at Katie Malik Interiors. I manage a small team of passionate, dedicated design experts, who help me bring our clients dreams to the reality.

Kitchen design scheme by interior designer Katie Malik

What is your background and how did you get into interior design?

My background is in linguistics, but as a daughter of a very talented furniture designer and maker, design has always been a big part of my life,  My career in interior design started in 2011 when I decided to retrain. I have always wanted to run my own business, but I knew I needed to train first and gain hands-on knowledge and experience, so important in the design industry.  After I gained my qualifications at Chelsea College of Art, I was lucky to have my first internship in a high-end interior design studio based in Mayfair. After that, the door to other interior design studios opened to me, and I was offered the second internship and then a position at 1508London, which specialises in high end residential and hospitality interiors. Then, I was ready to move on to work on residential projects under my own brand: Katie Malik Interiors.

Retail interior design scheme by Katie Malik Interiors
Retail interior design scheme by Katie Malik Interiors

Describe an average day in your job role..

I typically start my day with a good breakfast at home, and of course with an Instagram flick through and Inbox check for anything requiring urgency or priority. I typically arrive in the studio quite early, as I like to make a head start. Then it’s the order of the day, setting tasks, checking the order of priorities, communicating with my team, and depending on the day, it could be a lot of very focused designing, building schemes, client meetings, site meetings, procurement etc.

Interior design scheme for home office by interior designer Katie Malik

Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?

I love everything that being an interior designer encompasses, but there are two parts I enjoy the most, one of them being designing, coming up with design solutions to meet and exceed clients’ expectations, and the second one being the final project installation, when the designs become the reality and our clients’ dreams come true.

Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?

We are working on a number of exciting projects at the moment, and each of them being very different, provides a lot of creative stimulation, but I am also very excited about finalising my first book ‘Love your space’ which I have been collecting the material for for the last 4 years.

Kitchen design scheme by interior designer Katie Malik

What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?

I would say the job itself is quite challenging, which I enjoy, but one of the most challenging aspects is managing procurement aspect of the job, ensuing everything arrives on time, in the right condition, and is installed correctly; there’s a lot of time involved in this part of the process, and however wonderfully rewarding, it’s also one of the most challenging aspects for someone who is a perfectionist.

What do you wish you knew before working in the field?

That being an interior designer is so much more than the design, and that in order to run a business, one must also learn about how to become a businessman/businesswoman.

What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?

Follow your path and what you love doing for hours without looking at the clock- that is your true calling.

Interior design by Katie Malik Interiors - Behind the Scenes (4)
Interior design by Katie Malik Interiors

What has been your favourite project to work on?

I really don’t have a favourite one because all my projects make me genuinely proud and I enjoy working on all of them. However, if I had to chose one, I would say a redesign of a kitchen with dining and a conservatory which gained quite a lot of attention and landed its own editorial in the Ideal Home magazine in February 2016 and on Houzz in April 2017.

I also loved working on a costal redesign project, which was a refurbishment of the whole property located in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. The project received a UK Property Award 2019 for the Best Interior Design Residence in the South East.

What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?

I think there’s a lot of misconception about the profession and what interior design experts can do for homeowners and business owners. Also, I believe there’s a lot of potential issues that can arise in connection with products that interior designers specify from trusted trade sources and which homeowners can find online for less.

If you were inspired by Katie’s story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.

Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here for more information.

SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Schneider Electric provide energy and digital automation solutions to residential and commercial markets with an emphasis on efficiency, reliability, safety and sustainability. Committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, Louisa Buckley, Residential Segment Marketing Manager at Schneider Electric tells us about the brand’s 180 year history, and how they are moving even more towards a sustainable future.

What are the origins of your brand?

Schneider Electric is originally from France and was established over 180 years ago by the Schneider brothers. It is a global organisation specialising in Energy and Digital Automation solutions. Our technologies ensure that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone at every moment. Schneider Electric has gone a long way since it first started in the steel and machinery industry in 1836. A few years later it then entered the emerging electricity market. After experiencing two world wars, Charles Schneider restructured the company in 1949. Throughout the 20th century, different companies were acquired and the focus was more on electricity. Then, during the beginning of the 21st century more on products and solutions. Schneider Electric has always kept efficiency, reliability, safety and sustainability at the heart to all of products and solutions for their customers.

As a global company, we committed to the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ to help end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. As part of these goals, we have committed to carbon neutrality by 2030. We are committed to help our customers on this journey to help the planet with our products and solutions.

How do you work with interior designers?

Our electrical accessories are built to complement inspired interiors. Designed by award-winning craftsmen in the Schneider Electric Design Labs, our range of light switches bridge the gap between form and functionality to perfectly fit in any interior. We have a wide range of beautifully crafted, high-quality devices to suit every taste and budget.

Scheider Electric Smart Home Solutions on radiator home interior

What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?

Introducing Electrical Safety, Smart homes, Style and Net Zero products and solutions. This is important for customers who want to be stylish but still be sustainable. Wiser, KNX and C-Bus are smart home solutions that can be implemented in the home to help contribute towards net zero.

How do your services/offering enhance an interior designer’s projects? 

We have an inspirational and visualisation tool called ‘Find your Style’. Our smart home offerings will help futureproof interior designer’s projects e.g. C-Bus/KNX/Wiser. We also have a tool on our website to find an Electrician/Installer to come and install our products for peace of mind. They are approved partners who have had all the relevant trainings to safely install Schneider Electric products and solutions.

What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?

Sustainability. This is a ‘hot’ topic at the moment from the government and press. Our customers want high quality products that meet their styles whilst improving the energy efficiency and comfort of homes.

Why did you want to become a sponsor of the SBID Awards?

We are proud to sponsor the SBID International Design Awards. This is a great opportunity to connect with Interior Designers and other professionals from the interior and décor industries. It is a brilliant place to also view some of the best interior design projects, which will support us in inspiring our customers.

Residential Apartment Under £1M Category Sponsor  |  SBID International Design Awards 2020

To find out more about becoming an SBID Awards sponsor, click here or email [email protected]

Head of Marketing at Yves Delorme UK, Prune Allain des Beauvais reveals how the heritage of the French luxury brand has shaped five generations of exquisite embroidered and bespoke bedding and linen homewares, from timeless classics and fashionable prints, to unique customisations and original hand-painted artwork.

What are the origins of your brand?

Yves Delorme is the French luxury linens brand for the home and our passion since 1845. Since then, the name Fremaux has been synonymous with home linen and the company is proud to be one of the oldest businesses of its kind in Europe. 1845 was a special year which saw the creation of a linen weaving mill near Lille by Ernestine Fremaux and her husband. Time and generations have gone by, the company has grown, consolidated its experience and know-how and achieved a strong authentic personality: creative, demanding and courageous. A creativity which was increased tenfold in the early 80’s, with the association between Dominique Fremaux, the current president and Yves Delorme, who was then renowned for his bath linen collections. The excellence of the Fremaux-Delorme’s heritage can be found in the history of the men and women who have built the company, its expansion and all its products to the point that the passion and know-how of five generations are woven into every sheet, every towel and every tablecloth branded Yves Delorme. A member of the Comité Colbert since 2001, Yves Delorme today epitomises a lifestyle which is truly exceptional, when luxury living is a daily experience.

Yves Delorme luxury bedding collection
SBID Awards

How do you work with interior designers?

For their projects, Interior Designers usually use our classic collections; our percale (Athena collection) and sateen cotton (Triomphe collection) lines. We also have an amazing collection of luxurious quality towels called Etoile. Yves Delorme collaborates directly with interior designers, selecting from our Bespoke catalogue of fabrics, embroideries, monograms and colours to customise a truly unique set of linens. Begin the creative endeavor with a pristine canvas of the finest long staple cotton in percale or sateen, then build from a choice of distinct Yves Delorme embroidered designs, with a selection of 48 stunning thread colours and a range of monogram styles and placements for a personalised and made to measure design.

Yves Delorme Bespoke options apply to flat sheets, duvet covers and all sizes of pillow shams and cases. Monogram services are also available in our Etoile range of bath linens in 19 fashionable colourways. Yves Delorme also offers the option for made to measure sizes.

What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?

Our values are Poetry, Audacity, Excellence and Savoir-faire. Maintaining the highest standards in the selection of natural materials and fine fabrics, and in the excellence of finishings and attention to hand-made details, the Yves Delorme design is recognised for timeless classics and fashion prints, integrating original hand-painted artwork and heritage to Haute Couture. Yves Delorme shares with the designer community its passion for luxury linens!

SBID Awards sponsor, Yves Delorme luxury bedding collection

How do your services/offering enhance an interior designer’s projects? 

Our monogramming service is very popular. We can add initials, logos or bespoke designs on any of our products to enhance interiors with unique, personal touches.

What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?

Today, the desire for beautiful, embroidered and bespoke linen has never been so strong, which is why we founded Yves Delorme Couture. A timeless collection in endless white tones, fresh and delicate percales, silky soft white satins, featherweight cloths and classic linens. A collection designed to be transformed, played out by your imagination to take you beyond wonderland…

Why did you want to become a sponsor of the SBID Awards?

We are proud to sponsor the SBID Awards. We have been partners for the second year and it is a great opportunity to connect with other professionals from the interior and decor industry.

Hotel Bedroom & Suites Category Sponsor  |  SBID International Design Awards 2019

Sponsorship for the SBID International Design Awards 2020 is now open.

To find out more about becoming an SBID Awards sponsor, click here or email [email protected]

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