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.
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]
Taking into account that the average employee spends 3,515 full days in the office in their lifetime – not to mention an additional 188 days of overtime – it’s no wonder that top firms are reviewing the ways that their headquarters feel, function and flow. Now Midlands-based aquarium design company and SBID Accredited Industry Partner, ViDERE, has developed a remedy in the form of interacting with fish-tanks and it hopes the discovery will help more employees keep their heads above water.
Poor mental and physical health diminishes an employee’s ability to function and perform well at work and can also negatively impact their wider social community. It is also common knowledge, through both research and anecdotal evidence that humans experience physiological, emotional and cognitive benefits from interacting with nature (Ulrich, 1984; van den Berg et al, 2003). Thus, the correlation between connections with nature and improved wellbeing has led to a cultural shift in the way we design buildings and public spaces.
Nature as a key design element
This cultural shift has been a driving force behind occupational psychologists and designers taking a holistic approach in incorporating different elements of nature into the structure, furnishings and operational activities of businesses and corporations. The approach of ‘Human Centred Design’ encapsulates a multitude of disciplines and expertise, to enable companies to positively shape the working environment of their employees both physically and culturally.
One important component of this approach is the introduction of nature as a key design element to create greater appeal and improve wellbeing. Research has shown that on average, humans instinctively prefer to be surrounded by elements of nature (Ulrich, R. S., 1981). Our perception of what is ‘beautiful’ is greatly skewed towards landscapes, and areas that are rich in biodiversity (Dennis Dutton, 2009). The extensive body of research in this subject area has made the integration of nature as a corner stone in the approach of design that improves the human experience.
At a time when workplace stress is on the rise, with recent research showing that it costs UK employers over £43bn a year, ViDERE dove deeply into researching the effect that interacting with aquariums has upon key stress indicators. This study was carried out during the summer and autumn of 2019 and specifically, looked at the impact of spending time looking into an aquarium and how this affected the stress and anxiety levels of employees working in a web development agency, Lightbox Digital, who are based in Birmingham.
Studying the therapeutic impact of aquariums
Individuals working in the digital marketing sector often experience prolonged periods of workplace anxiety and stress, partly due to heavy workloads and extended periods in front of a screen. Therefore, the focal point of the study was collecting data on each employees’ heart rate and blood pressure before and after each individual looked into their office fish-tank for ten minutes and looking at how this data varied.
Overall, the results across the board show that looking into the office’s planted aquarium for 10 minutes led to an average drop in blood pressure by 15.6% and an average drop in heart rate by 3%, reinforcing ViDERE’s initial theory that fish-tanks have a positive effect on mental wellbeing in the workplace. It’s also notable that all but two participants’ blood pressure fell into the NHS’s recommended blood pressure range for a healthy adult of between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, after the 10-minute therapy.
The correlation between lower stress levels and biophilic design elements highlighted by the study is a factor that more businesses should consider as they expand both their teams and workspaces. From this pilot study, we can draw some preliminary conclusions and inferences about the potential benefits associated with having an aquarium in a business interior for the staff and management teams that work there. The findings from this study also suggest that an aquarium not only has a positive impact on the appeal of a space with its high biophilic value, but can be used as a therapy for stress recovery. Thus, the more businesses invest in their office infrastructure and multi-functional design features, ultimately, the more they will improve their employees’ well-being within their workplace; which in turn, enhances productivity.
What does this mean for employers?
Discussing the results, ViDERE founder and pioneer of the study, Akil Beckford, commented: "The research into biophilia and the impact that the natural world has on our human emotions has risen in recent years and has shown staggering results. While our own study was on a small scale, the universal impact that it had on our individual test subjects is testament to the impact that simple changes can make to the bigger picture for businesses. All companies are made up of teams of people, and if they are feeling better, the business performs better… it’s simple!"
"The world seems to be constantly pushing high-tech boundaries and striving for smarter homes, offices, and community areas; but we are in danger of losing touch with nature, with potentially catastrophic results on our own health and wellbeing. Of course, we aren’t saying that technology is bad – quite the opposite in fact! – but it does serve as a warning that if we don’t start thinking about the way that the two can co-exist symbiotically, and designing our spaces to reflect that, then our wellbeing may well suffer."
Akil and his team at ViDERE intend to continue educating people in the business community about how they can better facilitate wellbeing at work. Having already worked with the likes of Interface, Poggenpohl, and Clements and Church, seeing first-hand the impact that aquariums have had, Akil is confident that he can continue to lead the way as an advocate for biophilia in the Midlands.
Click here to read the full report.
About the Author
Akil Beckford is an aquarist and designer who is passionate about connecting people to nature. For over 15 years, Akil has been designing and installing aquariums into peoples homes and business's, creating globally recognised designs and displays.
This article was written by Akil Gordon-Beckford, Founder & Director of ViDERE Aquariums
If you'd like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a cool, clean and industrial-inspired residential design located in a conservation area in leafy Balham, South West London. SBID Accredited Designer, Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture was tasked with fully refurbishing, re-configuring and extending the five-bedroom Victorian family house. The project involved adding a large open plan ground floor extension to the rear of the property, whilst configuring the rest of the ground floor to include a formal sitting room, utility room, ground floor guest toilet and extra storage. The rest of the house was sensitively restored and redecorated with one bedroom being converted to a study and both bathrooms redesigned.
Practice: Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture
Project: Balham House
Location: London, United Kingdom
What was the client's brief?
The brief was to completely transform a much loved (but very tired) family home into a place suited to modern living, without losing that feeling of belonging. Being very keen gardeners, I was also asked to make the garden more of a feature from within the house.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
My clients love for their house was clearly a driving factor in my approach and their new found enthusiasm for the industrial aesthetic allowed me to explore the use of exciting elements and materials such as the metal framed windows, glazed brick slips, polished concrete flooring and engineered brickwork.
Wrap around windows were used to form the connection to the garden and a living sedum roof was installed to give a verdant view from the bedroom windows. I also used crazy paving for the patio, substituting the mortar with moss to soften the transition.
Other interesting touches were to re-use salvaged Victorian tiles from the original demolished conservatory floor and installing a custom made mural of a vintage map showing the local area when the house was first built.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
Due to initial delays caused by bad weather and because of a very long supply lead time, the windows had to be ordered before the openings were formed meaning that all of the responsibility was on my shoulders if they didn't fit, but thankfully they did!
The decision to re-use hundreds of the original Victorian floor tiles salvaged from the old conservatory seemed like a good idea at the time, but it turned out to be a complex, challenging and time consuming process as there were so many different shapes, sizes and colours to contend with. They all had to be labelled and sorted before the jigsaw puzzle could begin.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
Seeing my clients move back in and immediately feel settled and at home, even though everything had changed!
Questions answered by Richard Dewhurst, Founder of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture
We hope you feel inspired by this week's Residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a comforting, patient-focused healthcare design, click here to see more.
Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here to find out more.
Following on from my last comment on challenges designers face, in these critical times where projects may have stopped midway - or not begun at all, it is critical that both designer and client are in agreement on amendments to the contract.
SBID’s role is to guide designers to deliver on their remit and where necessary, when things go wrong to guide and direct them back on track, but also on occasion when designers are having unscrupulous clients, to assist and support them in recovery.
By collating the statistics we can share the data with the government and together, if necessary, amend the law so that it would become unlawful once signing a contract, to withhold payment. We accept that there is a lot of work required to reach that stage - so let’s continue. The campaign was launched in 2017 and has grown momentum. We are successfully resolving disputes for the public and their designers who have to date each been non-members of SBID and are grateful for the guidance. When matters are more involved, with a government partnered Mediation through the Intellectual Property Office, the SBID have provided a speedy route in a binding and confidential agreement to review the dispute and reach a binding agreement. This is and has proved to be a welcome and immediate solution for most situations but it doesn’t address all issues, it’s theses items that SBID in association with government want to create a resolve binding by law, only in this way will we put a permanent stop to it for the industry.
Getting paid by a client at the end of a project can be a thorny issue for interior designers; it is still one of the biggest challenges designers face. We are the first in and the last out of every project, which leaves us vulnerable and exposed to any faults generated during procurement by any other trade involved that creates ‘the dominoe effect’ This can leave designers susceptible to criticism or unnecessary conflict as pressures mount to complete projects on time. Blame is sometimes directed at the last trade on site, i.e the designer and, in some cases, the contractor too. What we need to avoid is a constant in-house ‘blame game’. We need a structure, a process an accountable audit trail to pick up changes during procurement of works to prevent issues arising and we need enforcement when clients simply choose to withhold funds. Working with a pro-active government is essential, and in this government, we finally have that much needed willingness to listen and act with speed.
When money runs out due to procurement overspend, clients look to save from alternative destinations. With construction professionals and designers the most unregulated, they are vulnerable to client abuse. Notably when the sums are substantial, some clients believe it’s worth chancing non-payment. Building contractors and designers are two trades where all-encompassing skills are required therefore withholding payment puts the designer or contractor under financial burden, making them more willing to settle for a lower sum than the due amount. The costs and delays incurred by court proceedings often outweigh the sums in question, a factor that is heavily leaned on as negotiations between client, contractor or designer begin.
This unfair and very common industry injustice is a challenge I am addressing. Along with industry recognition, the issue of non-payment is something I have raised regularly at cross-party government meetings in Parliament as the representative for Interior Design; and is one of the many reasons that ten years ago I set up the Society of British and International Design (SBID).
This year the SBID is celebrating ten years in business. It is the largest interior design organisation across Europe and the British representative of the European Council of Interior Architects. I am now on the second phase of this journey. It’s unacceptable in 2019 for a recognised business, industry or individual to be prevented from achieving a fair legal conclusion to an injustice, based solely upon financial restriction – whether that restriction is the cost of appealing the injustice or client knowledge that financially withholding payment is a negotiating tool for discount or sometimes worse.
The skills and responsibilities involved in interior design is misunderstood by most of the public. The perception is an interior designer is, for many, based upon years of television shows that incorrectly label the protagonists as interior designers when they are often, in fact, interior decorators. Challenging the misconceptions surrounding the role of a professional designer is something I have spent many years addressing at cross-party government meetings in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
I don’t like to lose so I won’t fight unless I can win, even when it has taken years to achieve a successful outcome as in a recent case you can read more about here. When a win is achieved it’s proof that the determination not to fold and the effort invested to fight an injustice is worth it.
Written by Dr Vanessa Brady OBE
Award-winning Interior Designer, CEO & Founder of the Society of British and International Design
With the deadline to enter the SBID Product Design Awards officially extended, and the judging process primed and ready to commence, get to know the remaining judges for 2020!
A technical judging panel will determine the finalists to be announced, with the impressive international jury set to contribute 70% to the final winners’ scores and the remaining 30% taken from the public vote!
Henry Reeve | Director of Interior Design, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
Henry is Director of Design at InterContinental Hotels Group. He is responsible for creating the interior design and guest experience for IHG’s Kimpton and Hotel Indigo brands across Europe. Since joining IHG in January 2015, Henry has worked across some of IHG’s most celebrated and award-winning design projects, including the launch of the first Kimpton hotel outside of the Americas – Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam. He has led the teams responsible for the design of all new Hotel Indigo properties over the last 5 years. As well as designing new hotels in IHG’s pipeline, Henry has worked on more than 20 refurbishment projects across IHG’s existing hotels.
Kar Hwa Ho | Head of Inerior Architecture, Zaha Hadid Architects
Kar first worked with Zaha Hadid Architects in 1985 following his studies with Zaha Hadid at the Architectural Association. After completing his studies in the UK and USA, Kar worked on projects around the world for Kohn Pederson Fox and Louis Vuitton Malletier, with a focus on interior architecture, commercial developments and retail design before re-joining ZHA as Head of Interior Architecture in 2014. His residential interiors, in particular, have won numerous awards and have been widely published.
Trevor Cotterell | Managing Director, Areen Design
Trevor Cotterell became the Managing Director of Areen Design in 1989. Since then, he has led the UK based group through many successes, including the acquisition of Richmond International in 1991 and Pascall+Watson in 2015. Trevor now leads over 120 interior designers, architects and procurement specialists in delivering fast-paced, large scale projects in some of the world’s most challenging regions and the group now employs over 350 people across 6 offices, worldwide. As a director of each Areen Group company, Trevor drives the strategic growth of the Group by fostering the skills and specialisms of each company, encouraging cross-pollination and opportunities to put the Group’s complementary skills into action.
Dr. Jeff Ning | President, Wanda Hotels and Resorts
Dr. Ning is the President of Wanda Hotels & Resorts. During his tenure at Wanda, he has led the design, construction and operation management of over 100 upscale and luxury hotels. Under his leadership, these hotels have won many prestigious international design awards, including the SBID Awards, Gold Key Awards, IIDA-Best of Asia Pacific Design Awards, Hospitality Design Awards and many more.
Heinz Richardson | Principal, Jestico + Whiles
Heinz is the Principal of Jestico + Whiles. He has been instrumental in building up the size and international reputation of the practice for high quality client focussed design. He has a respected expertise within the design world in the fields of sustainable design, residential and complex and demanding projects. Most recently he has overseen the multi-award winning restoration of Sir John Soane’s Pitzhanger Manor. Heinz has lectured widely, both here and abroad and is a Civic Trust awards assessor. He is also a client advisor on a number of projects. In his time as a Director he has overseen numerous award-winning projects and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Katharine Pooley | CEO and Founder, Katharine Pooley Ltd
Katharine Pooley is one of the most sought-after interior designers working internationally today. Recently named ‘British Interior Designer of the Decade’, ‘International Designer in Asia of the Year’, and ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, her design ethos is both highly respected and uniquely far reaching. Overseeing her team of 47 interior designers and architects, her eponymous Knightsbridge Design Studio was established over 15 years ago and continues to create unmatched luxury interior designs for landmark commercial and residential projects in London and Worldwide for the most discerning clients.
Carolina Sandri | Creative Director, Casa Forma
Carolina has more than a decade of experience on the design and implementation of high-end interior design and architecture projects in London and around the globe. Trained as an Architect, she established her own architectural business in her native country Brazil before moving to London 15 years ago. As the Creative Director at the award-winning luxury design studio Casa Forma, she is responsible for delivering leading-edge residential schemes for international high net worth individuals and property developers.
Nicholas Cowell | Director, Cowell Group
Nicholas Cowell is the Co-founder of The Estate Office and most recently the Cowell Group. He is responsible for residential and commercial acquisitions and specialises in advising on the sale and acquisitions of large portfolios. Nicholas is also a Director on the Board of a number of successful property companies, working closely with joint venture partners and high net worth local and overseas investors. His knowledge of the property market is unparalleled through 30 years’ experience and working deals to maximise returns.
David Chang | Founder & Design Director, David Chang Design Associates International
David Chang, founder of David Chang Design Associates International (DCDA), a registered Professional member of NCIDQ, ASID, SBID and IIDA, has over 25 years of experience in hospitality and high-end residential interior design and management experiences in North America and Asia.
In 1998, David Chang founded David Chang Design Associates International (DCDA) in Vancouver, Canada, and expanded to China market in 2006, established firms in Guangzhou, Beijing and Taipei, to provide exclusive upscale design services on landmark projects for local top developers.
Lesley McMillan | Interior Designer, The City of Edinburgh Council
Lesley is an award-winning interior and architectural designer. With a 20-year career spanning residential and commercial design. Wellbeing is paramount in Lesley’s designs with a passion for holistic, sustainable, inclusive and therapeutic design, particularly applicable to the diverse range of public buildings she has designed interiors for in her role at City of Edinburgh Council.
Graham Robinson | Showroom and Design Manager, Halcyon Interiors
Graham is the Design Manager at Halcyon Interiors flagship, on London’s Wigmore Street; a road that has become the epicentre of kitchen design. Over the last 20 years he has developed a passion of contemporary design and honed his eye for meticulous detail, allowing him to create practical kitchens that look stunning for many years to come.
Simone de Gale | CEO & Director, Simone de Gale Architects
Simone de Gale Architects (SGA), is based in exclusive Belgravia, London, UK, whose style is grounded in luxury developments. Winner ‘Architect of Year’ 2017, ‘International Entrepreneur of the Year’ 2018, ‘Westminster Lion’ 2018, SGA is now developing its international portfolio, the first project, a £200m masterplan in Tbilisi, Georgia. As well as securing a large scale masterplan project, the company has secured other international projects; in Croatia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, and USA, as well as developing current opportunities in Ukraine.
Constantina Tsoutsikou | Founder & Creative Director, STUDIO LOST
Constantina is the Founder of Lost, a brand new studio focusing on high-end, hospitality, residential and boutique commercial projects in collaboration with the industry’s most respected global brands. Having led the European arm of International hospitality giant HBA for many years, Constantina has worked on award-winning hotel projects around the globe, creating also an array of bespoke products and furniture lines for her clients along the way.
Click here to view the full judging panel.
Entries for the SBID Product Design Awards 2020 are still open!
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidproductdesignawards.com
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a comforting, patient-focused healthcare design. Needing a new Cancer Center, Virtua Health chose an old Acme Supermarket adjacent to their new Health & Wellness center for the project site. FCA Architects reimagined how that old Acme Supermarket could be re-purposed as a bright, warm place of healing. Creating easy-to-navigate paths through the space with a central gallery, which serves as a landmark for patients and families. This concourse then leads to smaller intimate waiting spaces that provides a more personal scaled spaces to interact with clinicians and staff. By reframing a former basic retail box for ambulatory oncology, they not only provided a community setting for a needed service, but avoided the decay of a structure that still has viable physical life. The new Cancer Center is an inspiring, patient-first facility that accommodates radiation oncology, an infusion treatment suite, and a cancer administrative suite.
SBID Awards: Healthcare & Wellness Design finalist sponsored by Stone Federation
Practice: FCA Architects
Project: Virtua Samson Cancer Center
Location: New Jersey, United States
Virtua wanted to relocate their Cancer Center from an outdated existing hospital to a new facility that would incorporate the latest technology; a facility that would improve the delivery of cancer treatment to patients as well as provide a community health care resource. They wanted to provide community-based cancer care to their patients in a way that would be deeply accessible to the surrounding community.
The main design goal was to provide a soothing patient experience within a very large footprint without overwhelming patients and their caregivers. For the interiors, the Design team emphasised access to natural light and views to provide a sense of place and orientation. A long skylight was created within the existing solid roof to provide an organising circulation element above the Main Gallery. For the exterior, starting at the front door, the White Box of the entrance is an off-balanced entry point: it reminds the visitor that, though cancer is not normal, it too is something we can pass through.
Virtua selected an old Acme Supermarket adjacent to their new Health and Wellness center as the project site. The existing facility was built to suit the intended supermarket retail function with a very large footprint to perimeter ratio and very high floor to ceiling height, as well as poor access to natural light. The new proposed Cancer Center program consisted of smaller rooms that required acoustic privacy and regular ceiling heights, and warm natural light.
The design team strategically placed treatment rooms to serve both patients that are sensitive to natural light versus those that aren’t impacted by natural light. Skylights were installed above the Main Gallery to provide diffuse, controlled light that eases the deep distance of the gallery through the centre of the building’s footprint. The site’s high ceilings led to the Main Gallery being designed to prioritise the access to natural light to improve patient experiences during visits and to provide clarity of circulation to the interior. It also prompted a challenge for smaller rooms that require acoustical privacy: in these cases, a substructure was implemented to allow the ceiling and lighting to be suspended, minimising the need to construct full-height walls to the full height of the structure.
The White Box: a monumental entry dressed in semi-opaque white panels, its elevation slightly at odds with the sidewalk. The mass is “supported” by three white column legs, an implied fourth leg absent. This is because cancer is not a normal event. It is disruptive. The White Box is not an everyday, straightforward entry point – it’s off-balance. But it is also a beacon: bright, warm, and uncluttered. It reminds the visitor that, though cancer is not normal, it is something we can pass through. At the bottom of the White Box, and above the columns, is a canopy. From a distance, the canopy and columns appear as a pair of hands, shielding visitors. From outside the building, the Main Gallery is visible through a full-height glass opening that allows visitors to orient themselves before entry. Beside this glass opening is a wall clad in the same material as the canopy, which is repeated in the entryway, transitioning the visitors through the White Box, into the Cancer Center. This serves as a visual connection between the white Box and the interior. These wayfinding elements go beyond functional necessity - they serve as opportunities to both differentiate the facility and make a brand statement, emphasising that cancer patients’ needs require a unique design sensitivity that differs from other patients.
Why did you enter the SBID Awards?
The opportunity for our work to be recognised by a larger audience of our professional and international peers.
Questions answered by Jennifer Kenson, IIDA Principal of FCA Architects
We hope you feel inspired by this week's Healthcare design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a boutique townhouse in Notting Hill with bespoke luxury detailing, click here to see more.
SBID Awards 2019 | Healthcare & Wellness Design finalist sponsored by Stone Federation
To commemorate 100 years of Bentley motor cars, SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Alexander Joseph in collaboration with DMark Concepts produced a one of a kind cordless lamp, named Mulliner. The design of this exclusive premium lamp not only pays homage to the luxurious specification of Bentley’s prestigious interiors and their brand-new convertible model, but does so sustainably.
Made completely by hand in their UK workshops, the Nickel lamp body has been cushioned, replicating the decadent seating synonymous with the Mulliner specification. In collaboration with Bentley, the lampshade has been crafted in Vegan leather, then hand stitched in the iconic quilted diamond shape. The piece took 5 months to complete and represents approximately 600 hours of meticulous labour! The lamp also benefits from cutting edge, patent-pending battery technology and software, which delivers 3-4 weeks of use on a single charge. After the briefest of visits to the Geneva Motor Show, Mulliner will be offered for sale privately via a small number of Interior Designers with an appropriate client profile.
Sharing his insight to the key factors driving industry change and how makers should respond, we interviewed Mark Robinson, Managing Director of Alexander Joseph to find out more about what went in to produce this Bentley-inspired, vegan lamp!
What social trends are driving change and how do your designs respond to them?
Consumer desire for ethically made and sustainable products forces makers to think hard about their products, often this means using new techniques or materials where traditional methods are now considered morally redundant. This in turn can affect the way a designer must think about a piece to ensure whatever the item happens to be can be made cost effectively.
Manufacturers ignore customer demands for ethical and sustainable products at their peril. It’s no longer good enough to “carry on as normal”, customers have started to vote with their feet, or wallets! Brands should see this as an opportunity to inspire new design and perhaps techniques, rather than a begrudging obligation.
A great example of a brand adapting to what the market wants is one of our most iconic British brands, Bentley. The company recently introduced a range of vegan leathers for their vehicles.
Can you talk us through the manufacturing process. How did you take the initial design concept to achieve the final end product?
Alexander Joseph partnered with DMark Concepts to make this piece. The two businesses have worked together on other projects and discussed how to produce something unique. DMark who are also based in Dorset are best known for handmaking body parts for vintage cars you simply can’t buy.
The concept for the Mulliner lamp came following a meeting between the two companies for an unrelated piece destined for a luxury yacht. During a conversation about Bentley, Mark Robinson mentioned their drive to become more environmentally aware, this in turn led to a conversation about new Bentley models including the upcoming Mulliner. Within 10 minutes the group at the meeting had sketched out the initial concept.
In rudimentary terms, the piece can be broken down into three parts. The body, the shade and the technology. We decided to make the body from copper, primarily because it is an easier material to roll than most. It also lends itself to being highly polished as well as being the perfect plating surface.
A single sheet of copper was hand rolled, then using a laser light, the sheet was painstakingly worked over a wheel to create the pillowing synonymous with Bentley Mulliner models. This section of the lamp took almost 300 hours to create.
The technology for this piece also had to be reworked onto a new platform as the internal space wouldn’t allow for our existing electronics layout. This in turn meant we had to redesign the charging system for the lamp!
How was the choice of materials important? Why did you choose to use Vegan leather?
Our initial idea was to make our first carbon neutral product, just to see if it could be done. Using Vegan leather for the lampshade was an obvious and easy choice. We approached Bentley about the project, and they were able to give us all the information we needed to see the piece to conclusion.
The black vegan leather we eventually selected was then sent to a car upholstery specialist who formerly worked for another car brand, Aston Martin. He was able to hand stitch the material, replicating the Mulliner specification in Bentley cars.
Your products are manufactured by hand in the UK. How do you see ‘Made in Britain’ trend evolving after Brexit?
We don’t fear what Brexit means to ‘Made in Britain’. In fact, we see it as another opportunity. As a country we may struggle to compete with other regions for lower priced high-volume products, but nobody does quality engineered and hand-made products better than Britain. We see no reason why this wouldn’t continue. If anything, it could be argued that an overt independence only enhances the cache of Made in Britain.
How do you go about sourcing your materials locally? Why do you do this?
We ensure every component used in our lamps come from UK suppliers. When we launched our business one of our proud claims was that our lamps were 100% British - and this is still the case today. We audit all our suppliers to ensure everything they supply to us has been sourced and made in the UK. Wherever possible we buy from local suppliers with around 80% of our raw material coming from firms within a 20-mile radius of our workshops.
Sourcing specialist components and materials from UK suppliers is challenging, the research is time consuming, as is the administration of controlling the supply chain, but we think it is worth it.
All our pieces have a serial number. We record every component that goes into a customer lamp, so in the future if the piece is damaged, we can replace a part without the cost of replacing the whole lamp. As a result, we also know what date we received every component and which batch it came from. We even record ancillary information such as the depth of plating, or the colour density of glass.
Questions answered by Mark Robinson, Managing Director of Alexander Joseph
ceo and founder, Katharine Pooley Ltd.
Katharine Pooley, ceo and founder of Katharine Pooley Ltd., is the recipient of numerous high-profile British and international awards. Established more than 15 years ago, her Knightsbridge studio comprising 47 interior designers and architects creates landmark luxury commercial and residential projects in London and around the world for the most discerning clients. Katharine’s highly personal approach of immersing herself in every detail in her clients’ complex projects has resulted in a loyal international fan base. Her aesthetic is very much client-driven, and she prides herself on being a complete design chameleon.
Katharine also has a standalone retail boutique in South Kensington that, as well as her website katharinepooley.com, showcases a range of curated accessories sourced from around the globe.
How are lifestyle changes influencing the way products are designed?
Nowadays it's all about timing, materials and costs. We really want to design our own bespoke products for clients rather than just buying things off the shelf. We want to create something that's very special. Many of our clients are high-net-worth individuals who are looking for unique items – although we’re also still buying a lot of antiques. It’s lovely to mix a bit of new with a bit of old.
The new generation wants cleaner living spaces. They’re not that into clutter or, ironically, antiques. It depends on the generation and the age of the client. In the Middle East, for example, they’re looking for items that are dust-free, so they don’t want pieces designed with shadow gaps that cause them to have to clean all the time. Some people have been quite fussy about glass and frames, some are saying they don't want polished chrome and others want bronze because it requires less cleaning. It’s all because we have less time nowadays and more stress than ever before. People are looking for an easier, more balanced life.
How is the luxury market changing?
Luxury is very different for many different people. For me, time is a luxury because I never seem to have it. For those who have so much wealth and so many assets, luxury is all about layers: wanting something bespoke that no one else has got and that is so unique, it can’t be bought for anyone else. To be honest, I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. I think it's far better to take the approach that less is more, but that's just my opinion.
We’re talking more than ever about the economy and the climate. I do an awful lot of international work. For example, in Hong Kong, there were the riots, and now the coronavirus, and then in Australia, the flooding, it’s one drama after another. What I would love to look at this year is trying to encourage our clients to be happy with what we've got. But also, to think about the environment and maybe not using shagreen, not using rosewood, and trying to protect the Earth as we can. I was recently asked at a conference how we ship products for our overseas projects. Well, it’s absolutely right everything can go by boat, which helps the environment. But at the same time, maybe there are things we can choose locally. I really do believe in quality, and in Britain we're very blessed to have the best, so it's important to get it right the first time. I'm very into the ethos of the environment and preserving the world.
Is more always more? How do you balance patterns and materials to avoid visual overload?
For my clients, there’s no such thing as overload. They want more and more and more, whether it's a trim on a lampshade or whether it's a different material within the pleats, or whether it's three trims on curtains. It’s amazing, they just want that attention to detail. One of my favourite designers is Kit Kemp, who has the most amazing ability to add huge amounts of different fabrics and materials. Look at Martin Brudnizki’s design of Annabel’s private members club - you can’t get more fabrics in one room, can you? There is a way to make it work. But is it sustainable and is it liveable? That’s only a matter of personal choice.
More and more, my clients say they’d rather trust my opinion. If I think something is too much, I have no qualms about being honest with them. We’ve had times when clients say, “No, I’m going to have it,”, but then really hate it. So, we have to be careful. But look, interior design is about fun, isn’t it? It's always enjoyable to be able to have some play areas and some that are calmer. It’s also about trying to find the calmness for one’s life.
Where do you find your treasures? Do you have a network of scouts who keep an eye out for quirky pieces?
I'm always travelling, always on the go and on the lookout for different things. I feel very blessed. I do go back to the same people, but I also try new things. Nowadays, it's so hard to find unique things because clients have access to all the shows like Maison et Objet. So, it's quite important to try and find unique things. For two really big projects we’re doing now, I’ll give my sources carte blanche to find something and then if I don’t like it, they’ll go off and find other things. They’re always sending me fabrics and I’ll say what I like or don’t like, and then that's how we reach agreement with a client. Some clients don’t care about, and some really do. It depends on the clients themselves.
We end up designing a lot of our own stuff, which gives us an advantage and also helps us deal with the issue of copying that is quite a big concern now.
What inspires you both professionally and personally?
Travel, without a doubt, inspires me professionally. I'm very blessed to get to travel and have always been inspired by different cultures. I grew up in the Middle East when my mother and stepfather were posted to Bahrain. I feel very comfortable living and working in the Middle East and have an office there. I also lived in Hong Kong for 16 years and am very into the Asian life and ethos. I feel very blessed to have a multi-cultured background that enables me to understand different cultures.
Personally, because I'm so in love with so many different designs and styles, I’m always wanting something like that in my house and end up with a complete museum of my projects. For example, I loved a panel by Palestrina, a division of Turnont & Gifnon, it’s amazing. My husband keeps saying to me. “Oh my god, what now?” All I’ve learned inspires me personally.
Katharine is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
The SBID Product Design Awards 2020 entry deadline has been extended!
partner, Dexter Moren Associates
Herbert Lui, partner, Dexter Moren Associates, has extensive experience working on complex mixed-use developments on challenging sites. Along with a strong awareness of stakeholder aspirations, he has a proven ability to convert constraints into opportunities. A graduate of Westminster University and the Architectural Association in London, as well as the National University of Singapore, Herbert joined DMA in 1999 as a project architect and was appointed a partner in 2008.
In 2018 he secured planning consent for the 252-room Bicester Heritage hotel. Located on a former Royal Air Force base in the heart of "motorsport valley", the property is close to a number of Formula One teams and the Silverstone Circuit. In November 2019, he achieved consent for the third and final major phase in the refurbishment and expansion of the Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone, London.
Herbert has also brought his hospitality experience into the multifamily residential/private rental sector in London’s Canary Wharf and has been the design leader for several hospitality schemes in North Africa and Nairobi.
What changes do you forecast we will see in the design industry in the years to come?
Environmental concerns and sustainability will be a driving factor. Dexter Moren Associates belongs to Architects Declare, an initiative committed to creating architecture and urbanism that has a more positive impact on the world around us. Careful selection of certified and sustainably sourced materials will be an even greater priority moving forward. This will affect how we build, and indeed, what we build.
Does incorporating public realm into private rental sector and hospitality sites encourage acceptance by a community that may be reluctant to change, and why?
Enhancing the public realm is integral to the design of all our hospitality projects. Creating places where people want to stay or live is one of Dexter Moren Associates’ core values, and the creation of high-quality outdoor spaces improves the setting of our buildings while also helping regenerate streets. Improving the public realm is a key aspect in planning negotiations as it is a means of giving back to the community. I’m working on a project in the Tooting area of South London where the delivery of a high-quality communal public space has been a key influence on the project. Allowing public access for non-hotel guests is important for encouraging social inclusivity.
You’re a specialist in working on complex mixed-use developments on tricky sites. What’s one of the toughest challenges you’ve had to resolve in your career?
Unlocking value through good design and efficient space planning is the key to whether or not a project progresses beyond the first sketch. I’ve been involved in several projects where clients explored multi-basement hotel developments. Ensuring that the design quality of subterranean hotel rooms is not compromised is a challenge. With our London Road project in the South London area of Croydon, achieving planning consent for circa-600 guest rooms across four underground levels required us to challenge existing perceptions of the locale and win over the authorities through contextually relevant designs that would enhance the neighbourhood.
Is there a product that makes your life as an Architect easier?
A Leica Laser Measure, which takes accurate site measurements and is a lot quicker than a traditional tape measure!
Herbert is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
interior designer, City of Edinburgh Council
Lesley McMillan, interior designer, City of Edinburgh Council, is an award-winning interior and architectural designer with a 20-year career spanning residential and commercial design. Wellbeing is paramount to Lesley’s designs, with her passion for holistic, sustainable, inclusive and therapeutic concepts particularly applicable to the diverse range of public building interiors she has created for the City of Edinburgh Council. She is passionate about community participation in co-designing spaces with end-users, and her recent projects shortlisted in the SBID International Design Awards included a library; a home for children and young people in care; a crematorium; and nursery schools.
As the SBID Education Council chair and SBID’s Scotland regional director, Lesley is keen to promote best practices and expert knowledge within these sectors of interior architecture.
How can the design of learning environments help students prepare for the future?
My current role with Architecture and Design Scotland really has two elements: co-designing with pupil, teacher and community involvement, which in turn helps schools transition to agile learning environments. Digital transformation has recently gone from analogue to digital, and now, to virtual with the introduction of augmented reality. For the schools we’re building now, we need to consider that teaching methods and learning spaces are changing rapidly. We’re creating learning environments that encourage children to develop the skills they need for the jobs of the future, work that will require creative and collaborative critical thinkers.
So, much like the introduction of smart technology into offices, the design and furniture for schools must reflect these new capabilities. We will be taking inspiration from spatial learning typologies such as “campfires in cyberspace”, with adaptable configurations that let students gather in different group sizes for shared and collaborative learning. The furniture doesn't necessarily have to be tables and chairs, it could be a comfortable sofa or a beanbag.
Can your designs help students grow into better adults?
I'm currently creating a process and guide to encourage the co-design process of inspiring and agile learning environments that looks not only at environmental sustainability in furniture and material specifications, but also social sustainability. Something I’ve done for my own projects, and which I encourage local authorities and pupils from other schools to do, is work with Scottish supported businesses, which are companies with at least fifty percent of staff who are disadvantaged or disabled. We’re exploring how the teaching environment can help people to be kind by reflecting on factors such as the ways environmental conditions can affect moods. It might just be that in a more pleasant atmosphere with natural air and comfortable surroundings, people are more likely to be happy and kind. Or perhaps spaces that have more organic and natural patterns, shapes and colours, which fits with biophilia; the idea of bringing nature into the interiors. We’ve really just started looking at it, but we are considering how we can make learning spaces socially sustainable with procurement and the creation of inclusive environments. We’ve done a lot of work with the Education Council to create spaces that feel comfortable for pupils and adults who require additional support for learning needs, addressing issues such as acoustics and how high stimulus colours contribute to sensory overload.
How do your designs encourage students’ capacity to learn?
Deep learning occurs when pupils are happy and relaxed, so my designs for learning environments consider their wellbeing with spaces that feel nurturing and comfortable. Biophilia has a big influence on my concepts. It’s proven that bodies release serotonin in the outdoors, which means people are happier and more comfortable when they’re outside. Lots of studies show that bringing natural materials, colours and patterns into interiors promotes that same sense of wellbeing, so I really try to apply this to the schools I design. I no longer like to call them “classrooms.” I prefer “learning spaces” because with so many different breakout and outdoor spaces that can be used, learning can happen anywhere.
What's the best way to get people to participate in the creative process and accept new designs?
When co-designing a space, particularly a learning environment, it's good to look at the school’s local community and the context of the local site. I often ask pupils to look at local nature, landscapes and history for inspiration, and then we pull from that, whether specific or in broad terms, to create a design narrative.
For example, involving the pupils and the parents in the design of St Margaret’s Primary School gave them a sense of ownership. We looked at Queen Margaret’s journey when she came to Scotland. She was responsible for the creation of the Queensferry crossing that resulted in the construction of three bridges over the Firth of Forth. Since she travelled by sea, we took shapes and colours from the coast to create a “learning ship,” and also incorporated graphics of the bridges and lyrics from the school’s song about Queen Margaret to give the space an identity.
What needs to change in the design industry?
SBID is already doing a great job but, we can do more to strengthen interior designers’ reputation in the design industry and as a profession. Appointing an interior designer on a job isn't a luxury. We bring benefits to public projects by creating environments that consider wellbeing, pedagogy, sustainability, and inclusivity. We can consider the design of nurturing and comfortable places such as children's homes where my aim has been to create more therapeutic environments. An interior designer is an integral part of a design team and should be appointed from the outset. There’s the unfortunate misconception that interior designers just come along at the end and pick some colours and put in some cushions. But if we are actually appointed at the beginning of the project, we help form the interior architecture to ensure it works. In addition to providing decorative aesthetics, the job of an interior designer is complex. It is the only discipline within design that interacts with almost all other areas of the design industry such as architects, furniture designers/makers, surface pattern and textile designers, product designers, and graphic designers. We are aligned with all other building professions, from mechanical and engineering to architecture, etc and are highly experienced in refurbishing or re-purposing spaces. Qualified interior designers – with an accredited degree from a university - spend a lot of time on Continuing Professional Development and have a wealth of professional experience – something demonstrated by SBID Accreditation.
Lesley is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
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