Skip to main content

When thinking of the use of crystal in the home both as an architectural feature and decorative item, there is no better example of its use than at Villa Rene Lalique, the former family home of Rene Lalique and now a 5 star hotel and 2 Michelin star restaurant which celebrates 100 years this year (2020). A celebration and showcase of Lalique from the wine glasses to the door handles, and Damien Hirst artworks lining the cellar can be bought or made bespoke to suit your schemes from Lalique’s London boutiques.

The origins of Villa Rene Lalique

By 1920, the Rene Lalique the artist had become a master glassmaker of some renown. He decided to build his new factory at Wingen, having been accorded the right to occupy a plot of state-owned forestry land. The location had two advantages: the village was on the rail network, and there was a local charcoal producer to supply the necessary fuel for his furnaces.

In addition to the land accorded by the municipality for him to construct the factory, René Lalique was also offered a plot on which to build a house. This would enable him to live nearby and supervise the progress of construction work. René Lalique paid increasingly frequent visits to the house in Wingen, while maintaining his apartment in Paris.

Today, the façade has not changed in a hundred years; the shutters are still painted peacock blue. The house reflects the traditional architectural features of Alsace: studwork, wooden balcony, apron walls shaped like curule seats beneath the windows, French windows framed in Vosges granite, and three chimney stacks on the roof. Inside, a living room, a kitchen, an imposing central staircase leading to the bedrooms and René Lalique’s study: an ensemble that constitutes an imposing family residence in classic style.

Transforming the villa for luxurious living

On 14 February 2008, Mr Silvio Denz purchased Lalique. In 2011, Silvio Denz, who had been aware of the existence of the house in the village without ever having taken a particular interest in it, had a closer look. He found it virtually intact, aside from some minor leaks in the roof. How could he resist its charm? Silvio Denz decided to refurbish the house for his visits to Wingen. But very soon the idea of turning it into a haven of luxury, worthy of the most elegant stately homes, made perfect sense. The bedrooms were transformed into lavish suites, complemented by an excellent gourmet restaurant. What better setting in which to present the world of Lalique? As much as it had captivated Silvio Denz, the project appealed to lovers of fine cuisine and the decorative arts, as well as collectors. The interior was all about “living Lalique”, and doing so in a contemporary context, amidst rare and fabulously beautiful objects.

The Villa, a veritable showcase for the Lalique art of living and savoir-faire, was unveiled to the public on 18 September 2015.

The exterior of the building was restored to its original state, remaining faithful to its appearance in the epoch of René Lalique; the interior was refurbished down to the finest detail to turn it into a magnificent treasure trove. The interior designers Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli pulled off with aplomb the feat of retaining the authenticity of a family residence while transforming it into a luxury boutique hotel.

Inside the entrance, a selection of crystal pieces from the Lalique collection and new creations from the factory capture the light that enters with the guest, giving a remarkable sense of clarity and purity, the whole illuminated by a magnificent chandelier. This first impression of projected light is an extraordinary experience.

Every detail of the Villa’s interior provides a reminder. From the door handles to the adornments on the armchairs in the lounge, from the cushions of the sofas decked with pieces of crystal to the ebony lacquer of the bar, the view from the dining room to the salon… All is an interplay of light and transparency in the Art Deco style.

To explore Villa René Lalique is to follow in the artist’s footsteps. Six suites are decorated to reflect his various creative periods. The Zeila suite is the sole exception, taking its name from the panther modelled by Marie-Claude Lalique. Guests wishing to spend the night in the bedroom occupied by René Lalique choose the Hirondelles suite, which is reached via a replica of the original black staircase. The Rose suite is decorated in soft powder tones; while Dahlia, with its beige-ivory furniture, is an insistent appeal to relax. All the bathrooms are magnificently decorated,from the made-to measure crystal panels to the crystal taps.

On the second floor, a beautiful balcony belonging to the Dragon suite gives onto the park. The Masque de Femme suite offers spacious family accommodation. This duplex comprises two bedrooms and a salon, a real bijou of the Lalique art of contemporary living.

The five-star hotel, a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection, is run with great commitment and meticulous attention to detail. The renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta designed an extension to the Villa that is an ideal space for a restaurant. It consists of a rectangle of glass, supported by columns of Vosges sandstone, discreetly linked to the hotel’s reception area.

Luxury living with culinary excellence

When Silvio Denz was looking for a chef capable of rising to the culinary challenge in this prestigious setting, history smiled upon him once more. Jean-Georges Klein, chef at L’Arnsbourg, where the purchase of Lalique had been celebrated on that fateful evening in 2008, is one of the best French master chefs, holding three Michelin stars for 13 years. In 2014, he decided to leave the family-run restaurant that he owned with his sister. A happy coincidence led him to cross paths once more with Silvio Denz. The chef dropped all his plans to take on a new challenge: launching the restaurant at Villa René Lalique. The gourmet restaurant was awarded two stars by Guide MICHELIN in January 2016, within just three months of opening.

Lalique table settings are the perfect framework for serving dishes of such delicacy. The tone is set by Masque de Femme napkin rings and the replica 1924 crystal pepper and salt mills. Wine glasses and decanters are quickly filled with the finest crus selected by Romain Iltis, named Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2015, who has worked with Jean-Georges Klein for several years to create perfect pairings of food and wine.

The choice of wine on offer is vast: beneath the restaurant Mario Botta has created a cellar with a state-of-the-art design to house the extraordinary collection of vintage wines amassed by the Denz family.

To travel there now is to immerse oneself in a fabled world of creativity and culinary excellence with crystal at its heart, in the universe of Lalique that is waiting to offer passionate explorers from far and wide the height of excellence.

About the Author

Frederick Fischer is the UK Managing Director of Lalique. Lalique is a French glassmaker, founded by renowned glassmaker and jeweller René Lalique in 1888. Lalique is best known for producing glass art, including perfume bottles, vases, and ornaments

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 a luxurious residential extension and refurbishment in Sevenoaks for a young, growing family. SGS Design worked closely with the Client, Architect, Contractor, M&E designers and a Project Manager for approximately 18 months to turn an ugly duckling of a house into a swan with an elegant design scheme, focusing on clean-lines and touches of character; imbued with the client’s love of art. Raw and honest materials were utilised throughout to compliment the property’s beautiful surroundings.

Sector: Residential Design

Company: SGS Design

Project: Dell House

Project Location: Kent, United Kingdom

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was the client’s brief? 

The Client had purchased a house which they really didn’t love.  It was a bargain for the location and plot but the existing property was a bit of an ugly duckling, we were asked to work with the Architect (Open Architecture, Sevenoaks) to create curb appeal and find the inner-swan.  The Client wanted a home which worked for their two children and newly purchased puppy but also a space which converted well for parties and their large extended families.  The Client wanted to balance clean-lines with character and address some of the layout issues, so our starting point was to work on the interior layouts to benefit from the established garden and address the ‘two-wing’ structure.

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

One of the Client’s is an artist and takes much of her inspiration for her work from organic natural form. We worked to create a scheme to reflect her love of raw, honest materials whilst ensuring a level of polish and luxury.

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

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

There were a couple; firstly the windows. We inherited badly proportioned, dark-stained timber windows with lead-glazing. We proposed Architectural Bronze Casements in dark bronze with a horizontal glazing bar.  It was a large chunk of the architectural budget but the bronze patina and fine-lines of the frames instantly transformed the building and the Client fell-in love with the property for the first time. Secondly, the ‘L’ layout of the building meant the flooring had to turn and travel in different directions from the centre point of the house.  On the ground floor we used large format parquet panels which could be diamond-laid and worked whichever direction you walked in.  At first floor level we used the same timber in wide-planks and made a feature of the floor turning direction with the boards pieced into each other on the corridor direction change. On both floors this floor treatment helped tie the two wings of the house together and improved the interior flow.

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The Clients’ had an extended stay on site in the converted garage and art studio while the project was in process, they lived every moment of the build. There was such excitement when they moved in and having been in very close-quarters for the build period, the youngest daughter was so excited she locked herself in her bedroom and refused to come out she was so happy.

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Questions answered by Sophie Stevens, Founder and Interior Designer of SGS Design

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring an inspiring and thoughtfully designed children’s educational centre and a picture book library, click here to see more.

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

SGS Design | SBID International Design Awards

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

SGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the WeekSGS Design, Dell House residential design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series strives to fulfil the archetypal ideal of the perfect ‘dream home’. These properties offered the prospect of designing a full interior for a show home that would work in conjunction with the original features that form part of the history, uniqueness and beauty of these houses. From the sweeping staircase in the entrance hall, to the elegant Georgian windows and luxurious high-spec kitchen and bathrooms, the property exudes an air of period decadence synonymous with an era of English prosperity. These period features sit comfortably against the more contemporary furniture and furnishings with which the property has been dressed. The muted palette is drawn out through the whole house, with contrast colours used on the furniture to bring depth and richness to the colour scheme.

Company: Suna Interior Design

Project: Ancaster Gate, Richmond

Project Location: London, United Kingdom

What was the client’s brief? 

To provide an interior that would appeal to the potential purchaser for such a beautiful property. It was imperative to enhance the incredible spaces within the property and ‘sell’ how best to utilise the space. This is a luxury property and has been designed as such but we also made sure the interior felt welcoming and like a real home. It was important for us to retain the inherent features of the building, ensuring all aspects of design complemented the historic building and its charming setting overlooking the beautiful Richmond Park.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

We were lucky enough to work on the whole of the interior, designing every aspect of the space such as the bathrooms, kitchens, flooring etc. The interior specification was created well ahead of dressing out the FF&E and formed the back drop to the rooms so this was a massive influence on the completed interior design. Throughout the whole project we worked with the Heritage officer, architects and client on how best to preserve the essence of the original building. This meant we wanted to respect the original features and enhance and embellish the design rather than create strong contrasts. The soft colour palette combining soft neutrals, touches of deep charcoal and vintage oak timbers with the classic marble felt like the best way to achieve this. Where possible we refurbished parts of the interior back to their original glory such as the ceiling rose and cornicing in the kitchen/dining room. We also fabricated replicas of the original door knobs for each of the internal doors. These touches brought an honesty and respect for the original building which is evident throughout.

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

We were keen to use real marble on the floor and walls of the bathrooms but as this was an old building we had to work closely with the architects to make sure the weight of the marble would not damage the property. Reinforcing the structure without damaging the interior was an essential part of the process. We also worked closely with the marble supplier to enable us to use the thinnest slabs possible to reduce the weight. We even designed a bespoke mosaic floor in the Master en-suite which avoided the need for large slabs of marble on the floor.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

I know this is a bit obvious but we really love how the whole design has come together. We sometimes work on the specification but not have the chance to dress out the space (and vice versa) so having the chance to do both on this project and see the fully implemented scheme was a joy. If I had to pick a favourite area it would be the large first floor living room and through the incredible large double doors into the kitchen/dining room with its incredible high ceilings. If that isn’t a place to entertain, I don’t know what is!

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

We have been members of SBID for some years and we have always valued the accolades that come with such a prestigious brand so we are always keen to enter the Awards when we have a project we deem worthy. This design is right up there, so we felt it was more than capable of competing with all the other incredible submissons.

Questions answered by Helen Fewster, Director of Suna Interior Design

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a sky-high commercial property defined by sustainability, its energy-saving ability and modern design, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Suna Interior Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018

 

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a sky-high commercial property defined by sustainability, energy-saving capability and its modern design. The underground avenue in B2 is about 370 metres long and 15 metres wide and acts as a walkway connecting three skyscrapers. The Shanghai Tower is located on levels 2-5, serving several commercial functions which includes acting as a venue for international conventions, a centre for fashion-related activities, a venue for wedding celebrations as well as an exhibition/show space. The 5th level includes a ballroom seating 500 guests, four multi-function meeting rooms, a business club, a VIP room, a garden bar and an outdoor garden. Despite having different functions and appealing to different audiences, the design of this project harmoniously blends culture and business demands while embodying the spirit of the skyscraper: sky-high, incisive and supreme.

Company: Gold Mantis Construction Decoration Co

Project: Shanghai Tower Meeting Centre and B2 Public Underground

Project Location: Shanghai, China

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was the client’s brief? 

The owner of Shanghai Tower is Shanghai Tower Construction and Development Co, which is jointly funded by Shanghai Urban Construction Investment and Development Corporation, Shanghai Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone Development Co, and Shanghai Construction Engineering (Group) Corporation. With the enterprise spirit of ‘passion, harmony, innovation and pragmatism’, the company pursues the construction and development goals of the highest quality, supreme design and precise detail, which integrates multi-party wisdom and resources, and strives to create a concept of humanity and the future with green, sustainable decision-making defining this vertical city.

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

Shanghai Tower is a super high-rise landmark building with outstanding popularity and excellent geographical advantages. Meanwhile, it is also a skyscraper full of cultural atmosphere, using a variety of cultural forms to show the international character of the building. Moreover, the design concept of ‘Nature, Humanity, and Future’ for the building itself is an exciting point to stimulate our project design.

With the city of Shanghai being energised by water, the layout of the whole city follows the meander Huangpu River, generating an organic, geographical flow. The culture of the city therefore changed with the city’s layout, giving it containment. Therefore the main element of the interior design is naturally inspired from Huangpu River: for instance, blue terrazzo flooring which extends gradually in B2 avenue and the blue ripple pattern carpet flooring in ball hall etc. The elements of ‘River’ and ‘water’ are conveyed directly through the design.

The interior design also reflects the facade of the architecture: the form of Shanghai Tower is rotating 120 degrees, standing at Lujiazui financial district. The concept of ‘rotation’ is not only showing dynamic form in physics, it also reveals lots of embedded cultural meanings behind the design we implemented; it showcases the continued eternal flow which stands in the sky space overlooking the city. These forms reflect the spirit of architecture as rotation, filament lines, rhythm, and they contribute to the main style of the space.

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

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

The Shanghai Tower is a complex building with complex functions. Our design needed to overcome many unknown technical problems. The design area we were involved in uses a large number of curves and shaped modelling, and these modellings must take into account indoor physical space, building structure, electro-mechanical equipment, curtain walls, etc. Therefore, the most difficult obstacle we overcame was the accurate realisation of shaped surface modelling.

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlight of this project was that our design concept incorporates regional culture, with the theme of Huangpu River, using dynamic curve modelling: such as the streamlined blue terrazzo splicing ground in the B2 public underground avenue, the rolling wave-shaped aluminium round tube wall of 5F banquet hall,  water ripple effect blue carpet of the banquet hall floor and so on. Seeing this fluid, river-inspired concept translated effectively into the psychical design is a great achievement for us.

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

The SBID International Design Awards, with its considerable attention in terms of international awards, have firmly established its position and specifications in the industry as one of the most prestigious design events. Winning the SBID International Design Award would be a great achievement and honour for designers.

 

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Questions answered by Miaoyi Jiang, Company Executive Manager at Gold Mantis

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a project with complex, architectural elements to create multi-dimensional spaces and structural intricacy, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration Co | SBID International Design Awards 2018

Gold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the WeekGold Mantis Construction Decoration, Shanghai Tower public space design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a project with a core focus on sustainability and the future whilst using complex, architectural elements to create multi-dimensional spaces and structural intricacy. From the architectural planning and design through to the rational planning and design of the layout of the building, it was key to prioritise aspects of sustainability such as achieving low energy consumption, high energy efficiency, less pollution and minimising the use of non-renewable resources. At the same time, in the design process, new material technologies such as various types of membrane that meet EU environmental standards, have been used to achieve harmonious co-existence between man and nature.

Company: MYP Design

Project: Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center

Project Location: Chengdu, China

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was the client’s brief? 

The brief was to design a great space which is creative and in line with the high-end positioning of the project. What’s more, the purpose of the project is to serve as a sales office which the client hopes can play an effective role in helping the sales of real estate, so this is a space to create trust with the buyer, effective communication, and host positive interaction between people.

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

This project has the ultimate advantage of high elevation with vast open spaces and high ceilings. The concept of interior ‘architecture’ was used as the preface in the initial conception. Using structural elements to fill empty spaces with curved lines and rectangular structures, a streamline metope unfolds as the central feature at the entrance to create depth and interest. At the bar area, an array of acrylic rods and deep bronze installation in the middle enhance the visual extension and bring about a new attitude. With the geometric modelling of the truss structure, the bar acts as a focal point which abstracts another meaning to connecting within the space.

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

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

The biggest hurdle was to make sure our design paid respect the space itself whilst aiming to introduce more creative thinking into the space with complex dimensional structural elements to inspire guests and reflect the highest quality of design intricacy.

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The change of facade brought about by the interlaced stair skin creates a change in the abstract nature of the project, with a warp and weft effect. Through such expression, the treatment of stair entrance is strengthened. An ‘experience’ is felt as guests are passing through with the changes in light, entering into a giant, dimensional model and experiencing the raw sculptural tension which surrounds them. The streamline shape hanging high in the air not only forms the carrier of light, but also guides the space. The stark contrast between this space and the next creates a more powerful impact as guests move through the building, using the injection of vibrant furniture and bright colours in other zones to inspire a different mood and atmosphere.

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

SBID is a design competition that is widely spread and has substantial influence around the world. Of course, it is also a high-quality competition. We hope to achieve recognition of our design works from SBID and enhance our brand awareness to some extent. In addition, I also hope to see and appreciate more international cutting-edge design concepts, works and designers with interesting ideas from this platform, so that we can have the opportunity to communicate and make progress together.

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Questions answered by Horizon Ma, Creative Director of MYP Design

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a neutral and luxurious city apartment, designed with the upmost comfort and style, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

MYP Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018

MYP Design, Chengdu Zhongzhou Mileage Sales Center office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place; nestled at the foot of a mountain, providing distant mountain views and beautiful surrounding landscapes. The design aims to revitalise the excellence of Chinese architecture and its traditional aesthetic values by achieving ultimate refinement to present the essence of simplicity and by doing so, create innovation. The design has a soulful outlook and is an elaborate embodiment of ancient architectural values with new design approaches. From magnificence to pristine, refined beauty, from grandeur and solemnity to brightness and sensation, the integration of these values has created a harmonious spatial ambience which is, in some ways, akin to the Forbidden City located in northern China.

Company: Guangzhou Basic Design Co

Project: Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place

Project Location: Sanya, China

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was the client’s brief? 

Huahao Yalong Place covers a gross site area of around 730 Mu (equivalent to 120 acres). The project is consisted of Chinese courtyard villas, high-end apartment buildings, feature shopping arcade and five-star hotspring hotel.

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

The design aims to revitalise the excellent Chinese architectural culture and the traditional aesthetic values by achieving ultimate refinement to present the essence or achieving simplicity so as to create innovative elements.

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

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

In addition to passing on the flame of civilisation, we hoped to create a design that can grant old traditions a young heroic spirit, introduce rhythms of the nature and ingenuity of the creator which stretches across thousands of miles, so that charms of the history and refinement of the art together produce magnificence and elegance of the space. Capturing and honouring the essence of this became a key challenge when producing the design concept for this project.

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

An elegant space was created under a dignified roof. The luxury temperament of the furnishings cannot be concealed by their pristine appearance. Whereas classic romance emerges from the innermost recesses of their souls, reinforcing the noble and refined lifestyle. Within the brand-new palace-like building and penthouse, there is no vicissitudes. Instead, there is a harmony of the nature as well as breath-taking scenes. In the splendid art world, there is a fascinating colourful space. Seeing this vision come together with fortitude was one of the main highlights for me.

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

Winning a SBID International Design Award is a distinguished recognition for designers. As one of the most prestigious events in the interior design industry, to enter the competition means to communicate with and be showcased to a magnitude of excellent interior designers from all over the world.

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Questions answered by Zhide LiangChief Designer and Design Director of Guangzhou Basic Design Co

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a development project which guides the client through an inspiring and dynamic visual journey, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Guangzhou Basic Design Co | SBID International Design Awards 2018

Guangzhou Basic Design Co, Sales Center of Huahao Yalong Place office design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a bold and striking pavilion designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to mark the launch of a make-up collection by II Makiage. Informed by the label’s statement graphic identity, the pavilion’s structure reinterprets the distinctive motif that wraps the corner of all II Makiage’s packaging. Sequential folded black and white structural ribbons generate a powerful rhythm of contrasts along the length of the pavilion. Each ribbon is rotated to have a fractionally different relationship with those adjacent. The dynamism of this rotation engages perception and invites exploration within; creating a distinctly personal space, owned by each visitor on their path of investigation through the pavilion. Alternating gloss and matt surfaces are a further reference to II Makiage’s characteristic packaging, the structural ribbons interlace to describe a sheltered interior for visitors to experience the collection. Lighting installed below alternate structural ribbons and on the mirror surrounds ensures an accurate rendition of the many colours and tones within the collection.

Company: Zaha Hadid Architects

Project: II Makiage Pavilion

Project Location: New York, United States

Zaha Hadid Architects, Il Makiage Pavilion retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was the client’s brief? 

II Makiage has positioned itself as a leading professional make-up brand, and the client’s key objective for the pavilion was to reflect this positioning. “The brand’s distinctive DNA celebrates intelligent, strong, confident women. We spent the last five years developing products that would live up to her high standards…” explains Oran Holtzman, the company’s co-founder and CEO.

The brand is offering customers a collection of powerful beauty tools, with high-end formulas, a variety of shades, and all with uncompromised quality. The aim of the pavilion design is to enhance the brand’s key ethos of luxury look and feel, to be one-of-a-kind, innovative, and to stand out among the existing competitors in the current global retail landscape.

Zaha Hadid Architects, Il Makiage Pavilion retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

The pavilion’s structure reinterprets the motif and branding of II Makiage’s distinctive packaging. A sequence of folded, alternately lit and unlit, black and white structural ribbons generate a concatenation of light and dark, along the pavilion’s length. These ribbons are each rotated slightly against one another, to create fractionally differing relationships.

This dynamism engages the visitor’s perception, and invites exploration within, creating a distinctly personal journey. While open on both sides, the carapace-like structure also creates a private interior space that allows the visitor to engage with the product on a personal level. The structure’s black and white palette is intentionally neutral, to form a backdrop that allows the various product hues to shine.

Zaha Hadid Architects, Il Makiage Pavilion retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

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

The key challenge was to find a structural solution and construction method that would satisfy ZHA’s aesthetic requirements, as well as meeting the client’s budget, while also providing the necessary flexibility for assembly and disassembly so that the pavilion can be transported from location to location.

Zaha Hadid Architects, Il Makiage Pavilion retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

For us, the key achievement was the fabrication of the pavilion and its installation in NYC, followed by the very positive feedback from the client and its customers.

Zaha Hadid Architects, Il Makiage Pavilion retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

We believe that this new retail space embodies an unconventional and unique architectural and technical solution. It enhances the luxury make-up brand’s identity, responding to the key objective of being ‘one-of-a kind’ while also making a clear statement as a strong, self-contained object.

Zaha Hadid Architects, Il Makiage Pavilion retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Questions answered by Kar-Hwa Ho Project Leader at Zaha Hadid Architects

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring the elegance, sophistication and simplicity of a family residence in Ukraine, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Zaha Hadid | SBID International Design Awards 2018

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a feminine yet contemporary take on a fairytale-themed wedding dress boutique in Kunming, China. Designed to epitomise the culmination of every girl’s childhood fantasy, swathed in a beautiful gown at a magical wedding, dancing with a prince. To assist in a bride’s quest for the most dream-like wedding dress, the space evokes a romantic, dreamy atmosphere whilst incorporating the brand’s image with an inherent black and gold tonal theme, diamond detailed elements to create a feature motif and a stunning white marble flooring.

Company: F Space Design    

Project: W.Dresses 

Project Location: Kunming, China

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was the client’s brief? 

First of all, the overall design needed to be consistent with the black and gold colour theme to compliment the company’s branding. Secondly, as the fifth shop of W. Dresses, the design needed to upgrade the brand presence and enhance the brand image, requiring more of a fashion focus and a higher level of synergy with the wedding dresses stocked in the shop.

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What inspired the design of the project? 

Every girl who grew up reading fairytales has fantasied about the idea of being a princess in a mythical world, dressed in beautifully feminine dresses and dancing with the prince. Envisioning a beautiful ending to their imaginary love story with a whimsical fairytale-inspired wedding, with a wedding dress that would realise the dream of every girl’s childhood. Therefore, within the interior design of this project, the designer incorporated black and gold as the main tone throughout; using delicate diamond details and glamorous elements as the design concept throughout the space to showcase this idea of a romantic, dream-like atmosphere.

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

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

The main difficulty which arose throughout the project was the integral design process combining thoughtful interior design with the brand’s branding scheme. In the case of a very short time limit, the primary problem to be solved in the design was how to improve the brand image in limited space and solve the problem of product display to effectively display the wedding dresses.

Another painful fact was that the building process had not always ran smoothly or as perfectly as planned according to drawings and models. This can be due to the lacking of skilful people or inaccurate readings of the plans. And time is always short. Sometimes we have to accept some of the problems which have generated on-site during construction, whilst other times we need to respond quickly to change the design and subsequently reflect this on drawings to counteract further issues and take the opportunity to resolve them almost as soon as they arise.

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The shop comprised of three different styles of dressing rooms, not only to give the bride the different experience of testing, but also for each wedding dress to receive unique treatment, and increase the fun and excitement of the in-store experience. The ubiquity of the details allowed us to intuitively feel the designer’s pursuit of achieving noble quality and to therefore create the most comfortable testing environment for each couple.

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

Entering the SBID International Design Awards was a fortuitous opportunity. One day, my PR company recommended this competition to me. I think it is a good platform for creative communication with excellent designers from all over the world, and also provides a valuable channel to promote my works overseas.

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

Questions answered by Fei FangDesign Director and Xuewan Yang, Executive Designer at F Space Design

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a quirky holiday home set on the Mediterranean Sea, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

F Space Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

F Space Design, W.Dresses retail design project images for SBID interior design blog, Project of the Week

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire features the remarkable design of the Cumberland Art Gallery Suite located within the grandeur of Hampton Court Palace.

The Cumberland Art Gallery is a dedicated space that allows visitors to view artworks from the Royal Collection in a stunning setting, which reflects the Palace’s history as a destination for the work of artists such as Holbein, Caravaggio and Gainsborough. The Gallery occupies a newly restored suite of rooms designed by William Kent in the 1730s as private apartments for the Duke of Cumberland.

With architects and designers Purcell, Hoare Lea Lighting developed a scheme to illuminate the paintings while minimising impact on the sensitive building fabric. Hoare Lea CGI combined its expertise in the niche area of accurate lighting visualisation with a mastery of 3D-modelling and physically-based rendering tools, such as 3ds Max and Vray, to create photo-realistic visuals. The resulting visualisations (created without the benefit of CAD drawings) accurately represented the final, relit Gallery and proved highly effective in communicating design ideas and showing how the Gallery would look.

SBID had the opportunity to speak with Simon Dove, Associate at Hoare Lea & Karam Bhamra, Principal CGI Designer of Hoare Lea.

Company: Hoare Lea

Project: Cumberland Art Gallery Suite

Project Location:  Hampton Court Palace, England.

What was the client’s brief?

The Cumberland Gallery at Hampton Court Palace is a dedicated space for artworks from the Royal Collection. It enables visitors to view the artworks in a stunning gallery setting, which reflects the palace’s history as a destination for the work of artists, such as Holbein, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Bassano and Gainsborough. The Gallery occupies a newly restored suite of rooms designed by the architect William Kent in the 1730s, as private apartments for George II’s son, William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland.

The brief given to architects Purcell and the lighting design team at Hoare Lea was to return the Cumberland Suite as closely as possible to Kent’s original scheme.  Historic Royal Palaces wanted to create a dedicated space to highlight some of the works of the Royal Collection, and to use Art as the lens through which to understand the royal history, stories and material culture of the Palace.

What inspired the design of the project? 

With architects and designers Purcell, Hoare Lea developed a scheme to illuminate the paintings, while minimising impact on the sensitive building fabric.

While remaining faithful to the architecture and finishes, the intent was for the environment to have the feel of a gallery, and the lighting immediately announces that this is a different type of space. Picture rails supply power to LED spotlights, which highlight the paintings. Although, Tungsten has often been used in gallery settings, the quality of the white light now produced by LEDs, together with benefits, such as energy efficiency, small size, high-colour rendering of 95+, warm colour temperature, ease of dimming and the lack of ultraviolet light created, made LED an ideal choice.

The look of each fitting was carefully considered to ensure the scheme complemented the space during the day, as well as enhancing it at night. These fittings, developed in favour of the traditional linear picture lights usually specified in heritage buildings, give a contemporary elegance to the rooms.

To incorporate flexibility, achieve the precise lux levels required, and create the desired visual impression, individual dimming control of every fitting was important. Simon Dove, Associate, Hoare Lea explains: ‘It was a key requirement to dim each luminaire from within the space, rather than from a remote location or via a complex lighting control system.”

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

Understanding the heritage of the space, while creating a contemporary solution, was crucial.  Simon Dove explains, ‘Working within a listed building such as Hampton Court inevitably presented challenges, and mock-ups were used to explore the implications of introducing light fittings and to communicate design ideas.’ For lighting designers, one of the biggest challenges is to communicate the lit impression of their proposed designs, and this is where our use of specialist visualisation came in. Hoare Lea CGI combined its expertise in the niche area of accurate lighting visualisation, with a mastery of 3D-modelling and physically-based rendering tools (such as 3ds Max and Vray) to create photo-realistic visuals. The resulting visualisations accurately represented the final, relit Gallery and proved highly effective in communicating design ideas.

In terms of hurdles we faced for the visualisation of the project – there were no existing plans, drawings or models of the Cumberland Suite. A survey was carried out to obtain basic room dimensions, but this did not include any of the bespoke, heavily ornate detailing present in each room. Producing accurate and realistic 3D scenes to give as true a representation as possible of the proposed refurbishment – including new paint, material finishes, furnishings, artworks and of course the lighting scheme – was a challenge.

The only option was to build our 3D models from reference photographs, which we took on-site. Every room has a different feature ceiling design and none of it was simple! Making sure we captured and modelled all the necessary detail was a difficult and time-consuming task – but well worth it when you consider the realism of the final result.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

‘The lighting was carefully designed to provide beautiful illumination of the paintings using the latest LED technology, but minimising the impact on the sensitive building fabric. The result greatly enhances the artwork and the room’s architectural features.’

The Historic Royal Palaces team we worked with know the spaces intimately, so for them to commend the accuracy of our visualisations was very satisfying. The positive feedback Hoare Lea received regarding how valuable the visuals proved in communicating the design proposals was unanimous across the team.

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

We had followed the SBID Awards Visualisation category but had not previously submitted our work.  This time we thought we would give it a shot as the Cumberland Suite project seemed very different to the visualisation projects usually entered. We felt its uniqueness and the way the lighting design and visualisation worked together to play such an integral role in the project delivery, deserved recognition.

Winning an SBID International Design Award is a real achievement as the Awards are regarded as one of the highest accolades of interior design excellence.

Commenting on the award win Karam Bhamra of Hoare Lea said: “It means a lot to us to have the quality of our work recognised by the judges. We didn’t think we would win as this is the first time we have entered the SBID Awards and the standard in the category is really high… we are absolutely delighted!”

Questions answered by Simon Dove, Associate, Hoare Lea & Karam Bhamra, Principal CGI Designer, Hoare Lea.

To ensure you are kept up to date with the latest inspiration sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media.

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week with InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel’s decadent Presidential Suite click here to see more

Entries were received, finalists deliberated and the winners of the SBID International Design Awards 2017 have been announced! Click here to see the full list.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Hoare Lea| SBID International Design Awards 2017

Join SBID

Join SBID

Find out more about our flexible membership structure.

Apply Online