The Society of British and International Design is set to tackle a persistent taboo in the interior design industry – the issue of non-payment – during one of its biggest annual events for design professionals.
This all-too-common industry injustice is a challenge SBID will address head on during the forthcoming SBID Meet The Buyer event in October 2019. A panel discussion featuring an expert line-up will outline the issues and examine what’s being done to protect professionals. Designers, specifiers and manufacturers are all welcome to take part in the discussion.
Getting paid by a client at the end of a project can be a thorny issue for interior designers and is still one of the biggest challenges they face. With construction and interior design among the least regulated professions, many professionals in these industries remain at the mercy of clients when it comes to payment. When a client chances non-payment, which often occurs where the sums are substantial, the costs and delays incurred by the professional for court proceedings often outweigh the sum in question. In these cases, the designer or contractor is more willing to settle for a lower sum than the due amount.
Joanne Frances Interior Designer
Stephen Probert Head of the Government IP Office Mediation
Dr Vanessa Brady OBE Interior Designer & Founder of SBID
Speaking on the panel will be interior designer Joanna Frances, who recently won a case against a client for non-payment; Head of Intellectual Property Office Mediation Service, Stephen Probert and SBID CEO, Dr Vanessa Brady OBE who has recently had her own experiences of non-payment.
As a campaigner for regulation in the interior design industry, Vanessa Brady, has raised the issue of non-payment regularly at cross-party government meetings in parliament, and is now inviting the industry professionals who are likely to be or have been directly effected by the issue to openly engage with the experts and their peers to discuss their thoughts and experiences in one of the exclusive SBID Meet the Buyer Business Seminars.
The seminar will take place at 10.30am on Thursday 24th October as part of the SBID Meet The Buyer event, which brings together the UK's best interior designers, along with visiting International designers who attend SBID's annual 3-day event, to meet face to face with leading design-led product manufacturers from around the world.
If you're interested in attending this year's event with access to the exclusive business seminars, click here to enquire about booking.
SBID caught up with this year's SBID International Design Awards sponsor for the KBB Design category. Margaret Talbot, Marketing Manager at VitrA UK shares more about the story behind the brand; from its very beginnings as a Ceramic Factory in Turkey to it's current standing in the international sanitary and brassware market, VitrA highlights some of the incredible work they do with interior designers and the industry.
What are the origins of your brand?
VitrA’s heritage can be traced back to 1909, when the renowned Turkish pharmacist Süleyman Ferit Eczacibaşi began producing bathing and cologne products in his pharmacy in Izmir. The Dr Nejat Eczacıbaşı Ceramic Factory, as it was then called, was the forerunner to VitrA. After the Second World War, there came economic revival and an increased demand for ceramic sanitaryware. In 1958 the company opened its first modern production plant and by 1966 became known as VitrA. In order to diversify the company, a brassware plant was opened in 1979. The brand, now an uncontested force in the market, was launched internationally in 1983.
How do you work with interior designers?
When working with an interior designer, a clear and open dialogue is crucial. The VitrA team immerses themselves in each project, gaining full understanding of the designer’s aims, as well as the challenges that any individual project may pose. To ensure the VitrA team clearly understand the designer’s vision, the first step is for them to provide a brief and an initial mood board to define the scope of their work and provide valuable details on materials, colours and their initial considerations for the bathroom design.
Then follows the conceptual development stage. At this point, a layout design with more technical information and specifications is produced. A specification manager from the VitrA team will use their technical expertise to anticipate and solve any potential problems before they arise to ensure the project runs smoothly all the way through to completion. The designer is heavily involved and works closely with the VitrA team at every stage – this means that both parties, as well as the end client, are pleased with the finished project.
What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?
VitrA is passionate about challenging traditional views of the bathroom as a purely functional space and enabling designers to express their creativity in an often-overlooked area.
Led by our Design Director, Erdem Akan, VitrA’s highly accomplished in-house creative team represent the backbone of our design philosophy and culture. They are supported by the multi-disciplinary teams at the VitrA Innovation Centre, which was built as a place for architects and designers to free their imagination and express flair in their product design, while also feeling safe in the knowledge that our specification managers are on hand to ensure that all products meet both the technical and aesthetic demands.
This creativity manifests itself in VitrA’s collaborations with world-renowned designers such as Claudio Bellini for Equal, Ross Lovegrove for Istanbul, Terri Pecora for Plural and Matteo Thun & Partners for Water Jewels.
How does your offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?
Superior quality, supply of product and reliable versatility are hallmarks of the VitrA brand, and every component of the bathroom benefits from VitrA’s strong focus on advanced technology and imaginative design. The dedicated team of VitrA product designers collaborate with top global experts to establish new and innovate ideas that enhance not only bathroom aesthetics and functionality, but also each interior designer’s projects.
What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?
The new ‘Living Bathroom’ concept presents the bathroom as an informal living space. This evolution of the bathroom ritual celebrates wellness and the joy of spending time in the bathroom. American designer Terri Pecora’s Plural collection for VitrA presents the bathroom as a social hub where people can meet and reconnect. Another big trend of note is the use of geometric shapes and monochrome tones, as used in the Equal collection by Claudio Bellini. Using clean, minimal borders and industrial, metallic accents, Bellini’s designs emulate the structures found in modernist architecture.
Why did you want to become a sponsor for the SBID Awards?
We are pleased to be a sponsor of the SBID Awards as they are one of the most prestigious interior awards in the design calendar. VitrA is keen to support interior designers and their fantastic work in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom sector.
The SBID International Design Awards winners for 2019 will be announced on Friday 25th October!
To book a table to attend this year's prestigious Awards, click here
To find out more about sponsoring the SBID International Design Awards next year, click here
With the up and coming SBID Meet the Buyer event approaching next month, and spaces continuing to fill, we approached the SBID Accredited manufacturers and designers to share their perspective on attending the event.
Which supplier(s) did you make contact with after attending the Meet The Buyer event?
"We had an introduction to the showroom and work of Nicholas Anthony, made contact for samples from Craig & Rose, and have also had several meetings with Vessel and Mottura with regards to upcoming project needs!" – Clare Gaskin Interiors
"As an international entrant, it’s good to come and understand a different design market to ours (in New Zealand). The companies I contacted were very helpful and I will be keeping them in mind for the future! Some of them include Yves Delorme, Alexander Joseph, Vitra, Taylist Media!" – Celia Visser Design
Chelsea Waterfront project by Morpheus London
Did you purchase or use any products from suppliers within a project after the event?
"Yes, we based an outdoor furniture scheme on Sutherland Perennials range! Chic and contemporary. We chose a selection of products from the ‘Poolside’ collection which were used to dress a number of terraces and outdoor spaces - it looked fantastic!" – Barclay Interiors
"We specified and ordered from Naturalmat for 2 projects; a bespoke mattress for a daybed in the nursery of our Islington Townhouse project and a more standard mattress for our Wimbledon Common project. We also found the perfect slab from MGLW Stone for a feature island in the same Wimbledon project. We have also specified products for current projects from Vessel (for a family house in Putney) and Mottura (for a penthouse in a new development in Fulham)." – Clare Gaskin Interiors
"I had further meetings with ABB and Craig & Rose. I also renewed our working relationship with Gradans ironmongery suppliers, who are based two hundred metres from our office but it took a meeting at the SBID Meet the Buyer event to sit and talk to them over the issues that had developed." – Cumberland Group
"We purchased two pieces of art for two different projects from Artfinder! The projects were Chelsea Waterfront, Hutchinson Development and Centre Point where we dressed a show apartment for Almacantar. For Chelsea Waterfront, we picked a piece that sits in the open dining/lounge area, complementing the rippling water of the Thames which the penthouse overlooks. In Centre Point we used a tryptic piece of artwork in the showroom." – Morpheus London
What did you enjoy most about attending?
"We felt there was a good range of suppliers, varying from furniture to lighting to ironmongery." – Barclay Interiors
"I really enjoyed Meet The Buyer as I was looking to see products that were new to me that I could use in the future. I also loved the talks in between the intervals and found them really useful. Plus. I met so many new people in the industry so came away with some great contacts." – Celia Visser Design
"We were really happy with the suppliers at the event and wouldn’t expect those suppliers to present more than they did. It definitely helps when they have their tangible products to look at rather than those with more of a service." – Morpheus London
How many leads did you generate from attending the event?
"We had 10 prearranged meetings with 8 additional impromptu meetings resulting from our display stand! Almost all of these were then followed up with product demonstrations at the designer’s studio/showroom!" – Alexander Joseph
"We generated about 12 leads from the day and a number of those were even from Scotland (where the brand is manufactured) which is a great link!" – Craig & Rose
"We were able to generate around 10-12 leads and found this to be a good event for quality rather than quantity!" – Vectorworks
Have any of your products been featured in a designer’s project from SBID Meet the Buyer?
"A number of the contacts we made at last year’s event have resulted in our products being used in or specified into projects. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these was being specified for a new luxury hotel in Asia by an international design group!" – Alexander Joseph
"A number of our products have been featured in projects from Cochrane Design as result of SBID Meet the Buyer event!" – Yves Delorme
"It is great to attend an event that ensures all the participants are prospective customers." – Alexander Joseph
"The event provided the perfect opportunity to meet and network with designers throughout the day, not only within the meetings, but also during breaks and lunchtime." – Craig & Rose
"The event gave us a good opportunity to talk to potential leads who were really keen to find out more about our product, without the distractions that you would have at a big exhibition." – Vectorworks
What advice would you give to other manufacturers looking to attend?
"To get the most out of the event, use your social media channels to engage with SBID prior to the event, and have a clear view on what you want the show to do for you." - Alexander Joseph
"Present the maximum of your bespoke services and focus on key products!" – Yves Delorme
If you're interested in attending this year's diverse day of networking with design and industry professionals, click here to enquire about booking.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a new office designed to be a place overflowing with inspirations to help spark the imaginations of clients who visit in search of creative ideas. DRAFT Inc, a Tokyo-based interior design company, relocated its Tokyo office due to the expansion of the business and its personnel. The vision was to explore materials, styles and concepts, not favouring any particular style or single taste, so that anyone who comes to visit the office could find inspiration in at least one design concept or theme. In addition, the design caters for various working styles, to achieve maximum performance outcomes, using bespoke furniture such as meeting benches and concentration booths. The result explores the scope of office interior design for the next generation.
Sector: Office Design
Company: DRAFT Inc.
Project: DRAFT Office
Location: Tokyo, Japan
What was the client's brief?
There wasn’t any specific client requirements because it was my own office project, but my aim was to create an office which provides a source of inspiration and insight about office design and interior design to our clients. As DRAFT is a Tokyo-based interior design studio, the office needed to create a design that makes everyone happy - including client, designers, and the people who visit the place in line our philosophy, all happy by design.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
This place was envisioned to be an informative and inspiring place for clients. As we invite and welcome various clients to the office who seek ideas, from interior space to urban planning, we wanted to implement the use of different design themes and materials. I explore and experiment with the combination of materials, such as exposed concrete for ceilings with soft oak for floors and luxurious marble tiles so that clients can find at least one design element that aids their imagination. The design is a mixture of a rough and sophisticated look, which I call a neutral mix style. This style captured the ethos of our
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
We used to occupy the full top floor of a 12 stories building, but the new office is located in the second and third floor of a low-rise building. Therefore, I had to set about connecting people who work on different floors and consider how to map out departments and communal spaces with this in mind. To increase the level of interaction and generate social encounters between employees, I arranged the cafe space and all the meeting rooms at the very end of the lower level so that people would be encouraged to move around the office to get around. It turned out very well - offering designated meeting spaces for employees meant they can separate 'work time' and 'down time'. Seeing them gather around the cafe to communicate, relax, and socialise with others during lunchtime and meetings improves morale and keeps a positive atmosphere.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
The entrance features a concrete ceiling with oak flooring, while the corridor laid in a diamond pattern of black and white marble tiles that conveys a sense of depth. The meeting rooms combine extended glass sashes with a leather-upholstered door with entrance door lighting that evokes the feeling of exterior design into the interior. The office area, which divided by three meters high wooden doors, succeeds in capturing the natural light and the beauty of the exterior views by glass partitions. Combining the luxurious marble floor tiles with aluminium spandrel walls and wood stamped concrete pillars, we have expressed a neutral design that does not lean towards any single design taste. The raised floor area is equipped with concentration booths and sofa seating that can be freely used by members of staff.
I kept secret about the design details except very few design team members. At the night of the moving, I took every staffs on the other side of the road of the building, and lights up the interior after the countdown. I was so glad to see that everyone surprised and enjoyed the new office.
Why did you enter the SBID Awards?
SBID is one of the greatest international interior design awards as far as I know. The design level of the nominated projects are very high and inspiring, so it is a privilege for me to attend the yearly award ceremony as a finalist.
Questions answered by Taiju Yamashita, Interior Designer at DRAFT Inc.
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a prestigious residential design in the heart of Mayfair with classical yet contemporary interior, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's office design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
SBID International Design Awards 2018 Finalist | Office Design category sponsored by KI Europe
SBID Members, Bespoke by Evans use their expertise in the art of tailored textiles to comment on how bespoke fabric design can enhance care environments and contribute to improving wellbeing, engagement and style within an interior design.
Designing bespoke textiles for care home environments is far more complicated than simply making fabrics look pretty. Unique textile designs that are tailored to specified interior design projects go beyond simply the look of a design and incorporate the everyday needs and demands of modern care. Guests, residents and staff alike are all important considerations whilst also addressing the specific age, mobility, sight, hearing and memory the care home cater to.
Whilst the style and aesthetic are still important (especially when relatives are going through the process of finding the right home for a loved one and first impressions count), substance and practicality need to be provided. Of course, as an easy option, a generic interior fabric from the many pattern books available to an interior designer could be chosen for a care home, but it raises the question, “will a generically designed fabric better support staff and help residents enhance their lives, each and every day?”
Home away from home
Each care home is different and so too is every resident. A bespoke fabric designs allows for the flexibility to adapt surroundings to specific needs; chairs, cushions, curtains, bedding and more can reflect desired characteristics within the care environment whilst overall, enhance the personality of a property. There is a strong public misconception of care homes being outdated or clinical, but with the ability to create any design, pattern or colour, a care home can easily be made into a ‘home-away-from-home’. In recent times, there has been a strong emphasis to create domestic-like appearances in care. This domestic-like appearance may help with the transition into care and also help residents to understand their new surroundings – what better way to make a space feel like a home by allowing a personal touch with a bespoke design?
A bespoke textile design will offer endless possibilities. Whatever your inspiration, it can be become a finished fabric. Stimulating textures, rich colours and contrasting patterns on bespoke fabrics can be used in private rooms or communal areas giving a coordinating warm look across a care home. Previous research suggest that colour has a profound impact on wellbeing; with bright colours leading the way in helping us feel energised. Designs married to these colourways can help us engage in everyday activities, remind us of the times gone-by or boost well-being through a more personalised approach.
Safety and comfort
Style is nothing without substance. Every fabric that is used for soft furnishings within a care environment has a requirement to meet the British Standards. Every care home has a duty of care to ensure everything in their power is done to reduce the risk of fire and improve the safety of their guests, staff and residents alike. A simple change to inherently flame retardant, British Standard certified fabrics will reduce the fire risk in any environment and can be coupled up with a multitude of designs through a bespoke fabric design service.
The considerations of a bespoke design on flame retardant fabric may encourage residents to retain and indeed regain some independence, help address impairments associated with old age and promote positive emotions through visual stimulants. A good example of when bespoke designed flame-retardant fabrics can provide both safety and comfort is on the chairs and sofas around a care home. As an everyday piece of furniture, chairs and sofas are an imperative soft furnishing item. The fabrics used as such, should offer prevention from any long-lasting damage that could be caused by accidents; easily wipeable, waterproof and durable. Having breathable fabrics will also be much more comfortable for residents when they are sat for prolonged periods of time. With the possibility of being able to get any designs printed and upholstered onto a chair, residents can benefit from contrasting coloured panels to help remind people with cognitive loss of where to sit, help reduce confusion and lessen any distress.
Other benefits of specialist healthcare fabrics may include infection control with anti-bacterial properties, blackout or dimout fabrics offering optimal light entry/exclusion and the ability to easily disinfect and wipe down the fabrics.
Choosing the right specialist fabrics
Selecting the right fabrics that are ‘fit for purpose’ and the right textile design partner is of paramount importance if you wish to enhance not only the look but the wellbeing of a care home environment. At Bespoke by Evans, our highest priority is you and your client. We’re able to offer a dedicated textile designer to deliver artwork catered to your next interior design care project. In doing so, we will help you create comfort, safety and wellbeing for the residents.
Whether your next care home project is a simple refresh or a full renovation or new build, we’re happy to deliver on your brief and budget. We take the hassle and time out of looking through generic pattern books and we would never ask you to settle on a design that you aren’t completely happy with. We offer our expertise, so you get the exact design that meets your clients’ requirements. Our bespoke fabric design service is tried and tested amongst some of the UK’s leading interior design agencies and offer care homes stand out, one-of-a-kind fabrics for their guests, residents and staff alike.
Bespoke by Evans are a proud SBID partner and unlike other bespoke fabric services, the initial design concept is completely free of charge. There are zero charges on fabric samples and no bulk commitments on orders – you can order from as little as 10 metres per design or colourway. To find out more or request a complimentary brochure visit www.bespokebyevans.com or call 0161 320 2121.
Having the right professional contacts can be an essential part in helping to grow your business, spread brand awareness and open the door to new opportunities. Networking events are generally one of the best ways to achieve this. To be successful at networking events however, it’s important to make a good first impression and make sure you are ready to utilise the day ahead.
SBID Meet the Buyer is not your ‘traditional’ networking event. With its unique meeting format, event structure and the high standard of attendees who are likely to be in attendance, we’re sharing some useful advice on how to make the most of your time in the hot seat!
This year’s event on 24th October 2019 is primed and ready to bring you a room full of quality, potential clients which comprise of some of the industry’s most respected designers and design practices from around the world. With international designers looking to build their supplier database or specify for upcoming projects, we suggest you brush up on your networking skills, practice your handshake and follow our useful tips to make sure get the most from the SBID Meet the Buyer event.
1) Come prepared!
Of course it’s important to know your product inside out, but remember your audience is specialised in the interior design sector and has a keen eye for detail!
The designers you meet may already have relevant projects underway or on the horizon which they need to specify for – so it’s all in the fine print! Make sure you bring and / or have access to any useful information designers might need (laptops, iPads and marketing materials are permitted as part of booking your meeting table). So don’t risk drawing a blank when it comes to providing essential details such as specs, supply availability, budgets, timescales and capabilities. This will help you find out if your offering is relevant and feasible for the designer’s needs – and if they are a relevant client for you!
2) Showcase with samples!
Designers are visual, so use your space wisely! Utilise your allocated display space with product samples – pictures may be able to tell a thousand words, but nothing leaves a more lasting impression in a designer’s mind than visual stimulation and physical interaction – so accommodate their desire to get touchy feely and let your product do the talking! Whether you have a large display space or some room for samples on your meeting table, you could attract even more than you bargained for if you showcase your products in the right way!
3) Don’t forget to scan the designers you meet!
Make sure you use the electronic badge scanners provided! This will be an essential part of the day which will help build your contacts and follow up on all those potential leads you have gathered. We know it seems a little high tech, but it saves fumbling around with a handful of business cards or perhaps misplacing them on the train on your way home…
You will have 10 pre-arranged meetings already booked, but there are lots of chances to interact with and meet designers throughout the day. The back-to-back meetings will be divided up over breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks – so ensure you get out there and scan who you can!
4) Manage your time efficiently!
We like to keep the meetings short and sweet, so get to the point and keep your communication concise and effective. Keep the designers engaged and ask them the questions! Find out what upcoming projects they will be or are currently working on; what type of projects they tend to specialise in and what sector they are looking to specify for. This will help you think about how your offering can compliment their projects, or even discover ways you can innovate or customise what you offer to meet their requirements. Asking the right questions can go a long way in building a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with the designers sitting in front of you!
5) Have your say and engage with the industry!
The exclusive business seminars SBID host during the day are not just for the designers – manufacturers and suppliers can attend to! This is a good chance for you to engage in industry topics and participate in panel discussions with the experts. Use these seminars as your time to get involved and discover more about the sectors that you or your target audience may be working within; this could help you spot future trends, inspire you with ideas on how to grow your business or just give you a more rounded understanding of the environment that could impact you or your potential clients.
This year SBID will feature talks about what makes a superbrand, as well as a revealing panel discussion about the industry’s ‘dirty little secrets’, such as issues with non-payment and protecting your copyrighted designs post EU exit.
If SBID Meet the Buyer sounds like an event that could benefit you or help you meet the right contacts to suit your business objectives, make sure you get in touch to find out more about attending.
Click here to enquire about booking a place at this year's SBID Meet the Buyer event or email [email protected] for more information.
Member of the SBID Education Design Council, Lucy Richards is the Creative Director and Founder of StudioLR. Her practice is committed to how design makes people feel. They cut through complexity to connect with people and create experiences that improve everyday lives. Lucy shares her expert advice when it comes to designing learning environments and making sure your client's needs are taken into consideration.
We all know that the most effective design comes from listening to the people we’re designing for. But are we listening to the right people? Our client’s needs are important but it’s vital that we understand their customers so we can respond to what they need. . .
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This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a prestigious residential property in the heart of Mayfair with the restoration of a grade II listed townhouse in one of London’s most illustrious addresses for the rental market. Working in close collaboration with Schiller Beynon Interior Design, Shape London, and Cumming Corporation, Portview applied their artisan skills in craftsmanship to uncover a plethora of classical, period features that complement the chic, contemporary interior. Spread over five floors, the spacious property is the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of city living, with large, expansive rooms that boast opulent ceilings and ample natural light. Positioned just 0.1 miles from Hyde Park and 0.6 miles from Bond Street, the property offers the city’s most popular leisure destinations just around the corner.
Sector: Residential Design
Company: Portview Fit Out Specialists
Project: Mayfair Townhouse Restoration
Location: London, United Kingdom
The brief was to inject the house with a new lease of life by restoring the beautiful period features throughout the property and combine them with new, premium quality finishes and a contemporary colour palette. Essentially, our task was to mix the old with the new to create a very understated, yet luxurious interior that is compatible with modern living.
As this was a residential refurbishment for the rental market, we used our experience in restoring listed properties to deliver an interior that retained its historical integrity to uncover and develop period features into a number of unique selling points.
The house comprises of two reception rooms, a large dining room, and a ground floor drawing room that is located just off the main entrance hall where a stunning console table made of marble, metal and painted wood, awaits. The vestibule area on the first floor - dressed minimally with beautiful basket weave oak flooring - is particularly impressive as an ideal space for entertaining guests.
The master bedroom occupies the second floor and benefits from a separate dressing room and marble clad bathroom that has been finished with a bronze trim and matching brassware. An additional three bedrooms are located on the third floor, each tastefully dressed to the same exacting standard.
From top to bottom, elements of surprise await guests at every level. A great example of this is a roof terrace which boasts stunning views of the surrounding area, ideal for relaxing in the sunshine or socialising casually with friends.
For the lower ground floor, a further bedroom (and bathroom) can be found. In addition, the family kitchen offers a more informal dining space and features a rear, private entrance via the patio garden.
Working with a listed building presents a number of unique challenges. In this case our biggest challenge was the grand nineteenth century staircase, which was actually installed in the mid-1800s from another building. To make it structurally sound, we had to work closely with our engineers and the listed building officer to position the staircase in the correct place, level it out and make it fit for purpose.
In addition, the basement comprised of a lot of small, tiny rooms that needed to be opened out to create more classically proportioned spaces that are in keeping with the architectural style of the building.
The transformation has really been quite remarkable and it’s all largely down to the great relationships we have with our project partners. The Portview team work tirelessly to ensure every detail is carefully considered and that every finish is crafted to the highest standard. The biggest highlight by far is the fact that we exceeded the client’s expectations and that they are very happy with the finished look.
Questions answered by Simon Campbell, Managing Director at Portview
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring Discovery’s new, inspiring and 5-star green rated head office which stands as an architectural landmark in South Africa, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Portview Fit Out
MAISON&OBJET PARIS (M&O) has been around since 1995 as the international trade fair for the lifestyle, decoration and design sector, and today more than ever it has become the not-to-be-missed event for industry professionals seeking clever design solutions to help attract and retain customers.
The workplace revolution: new living spaces
Our new relationship with work, driven by social change, is reinventing the office. Digitisation is making us more mobile and liberating us from traditional work settings. Work is now nomadic. Collaborative and participatory tools have led to the rise of co-working spaces, which offer a more enjoyable and interactive way to work. ln the age of social media and rugged individualism, employees are taking ownership of their workspace and personalising it. Faced with these new challenges, manufacturers, distributors, space planners and fitters are turning to residential design to give workspaces more personality and make them more friendly, comfortable and creative, helping companies attract and retain talent.
MAISON&OBJET: a laboratory for expressing today's new art of working
ln September, MAISON&OBJET will be turning the spotlight on a brand new theme: WORK!, uniting the entire sector. The very best furnishings for today's offices and work spaces will be showcased in a dedicated zone of 1.000 sq.m and accompanied by a special WORK! trail pinpointing all the exhibitors offering work related design solutions. The theme's most exciting new finds, curated by Chantal Hamaide and staged by Philippe Boisselier, will be featured in one of the "What's New" zones, highlighting some of the many furnishings, items and accessories that can help add personality to a new workspace.
This edition will also feature a conference programme dedicated to WORK! and presented by market experts, notably giving visitors the opportunity to discover exemplary projects with an international emphasis. Business meetings will raise bring all those responsible for finding office design solutions face to face with manufacturers and designers over the course of the 5-day event.
Last but net least, an expert will present his architect's vision by staging a zone that focuses on interaction: an immersive experience showcasing today's new sociable work spaces.
Serving up inspiration for Hoteliers and Restaurateurs
Nowadays, anyone who steps through the door of a café, hotel or restaurant is looking for so much more than tasty food or a comfortable place to stay. Today’s customers are demanding, ultra-connected and increasingly aware of how their surroundings look, even if they’re just there to grab a quick coffee! They’re keen to explore new vibes and discover “Instagrammable” venues offering one-of-a-kind experiences that don’t just satisfy their taste buds but stimulate every single sense.
M&O showcases a vast range of solutions that can help hospitality professionals give the 2.0 customer exactly what they want by catering to the industry’s changing needs. The upcoming edition of MAISON&OBJET PARIS is set to celebrate the art of hospitality, sharing and savouring. The perfect opportunity for industry professionals to explore new concepts, make new contacts and discover thousands of brands.
To help café owners, hoteliers and restaurateurs find their way around the abundance of aisles, a special trail has been put together focusing on their specific needs. Not only will the trail enable them to explore cookware and tableware solutions from iconic brands such as De Buyer, Revol, Gien and Serax or furnishings and design solutions from big names such as Normann Copenhagen, Duravit and Bloomingville, but it will also invite them to discover coverings, design pieces and furniture that suit the hotel and restaurant trade’s specific usage needs, including the need for customisation.
Lastly, conference sessions chaired by industry experts will offer a brand new insight into the impact interior design is having on the hotel and restaurant trade. Triple Michelin-starred chef Frédéric Anton and the architect Aline Asmar D’Amman will take to the stage to chat about the design of the prestigious Eiffel Tower-based restaurant, the Jules Verne, whilst the Managers of the La Réserve group will offer an insight into the secrets behind their confidential hotels’ closely cherished identity.
You can discover more about the exhibitors set to attend this year, here
SBID Members are entitled to complimentary tickets to attend M&O!
To claim your free ticket, email [email protected] by midday on Monday 2 September
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the bold architectural statement that is Discovery’s new head office which now stands as a prominent landmark located on the highest point of Sandton in Sandhurst, South Africa. Internally, the building is divided into three carefully designed spaces, namely a central atrium, and one each on the left and right side. Each area is designed to foster an environment of creativity, innovation and collaboration. The main entrance is open and welcoming, to reflect the mores of discovery. The central atrium allowed Paragon Interface to explore the concept of a concourse, driven by Discovery’s requirement for the building to be active. This was not only translated effectively into a dynamic design aesthetic, but also into an active public street populated with seating areas, cafés, streetlights and tree canopies. It served not only as the main thoroughfare of the building, but also constituted a welcoming space for visitors and clients. The development has also scored a 5-Star Green Rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). According to the GBCSA’s report, Discovery’s new home is a clear reflection of the company’s core values, ambition and purpose with emphasis on its rigorous environmental and waste management processes during construction, the building’s “green roof” (partially covered in vegetation), CO2 based demand control of fresh air, and the harvesting of grey and rain water for irrigation and flushing of water closets and urinals.
Company: Paragon Interface
Project: Discovery Place
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
The decision to consolidate all of Discovery's different premises into 1 Discovery Place was based on their commitment to bringing their people together, within a dynamic and collaborative lifestyle driven facility that reflects Discovery's core values. The swooping, curving patterns and shapes that define the architectural identity of the building not only influenced the interior design, but has resulted in it becoming one of the most progressive workspaces in South Africa.
A proud history. A bright future. The start of a new journey, not the culmination of a dream Simple beauty. Iconic, yet simple and beautifully elegant Tangible energy. A hive of activity created by people moving through spaces that encourage unplanned interactions. Instilling a culture of collaboration. Activity-based workspaces that nurture optimum conditions for innovation, balance and personal rejuvenation. Embodying wellbeing and movement. Encourage and enable a people-led culture of wellbeing and engagement. A global player, proudly South African. Our vision is global, while we stay true to our South African roots. Environmentally responsible.
A 5-Star Green building that is energy-efficient, resource-efficient, and environmentally responsible.
This doesn’t make for good media coverage, but the building was so big, with so many variations that the entire team worked tirelessly to complete the project on time, on budget. Taking a base building and evolving it from just a base building that was tailored in a bespoke manner, that became so much more than was originally expected.
I think one of the most memorable highlights from completing this project was winning the SBID Award 2018 for Best Office Design! It really underpinned all the hard work our team had put into this project and showcased our work to a global audience.
Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?
We were very proud of the project and with the support of the client, we thought that it offered a world class solution to a South African scenario in office design.
Questions answered by Claire D’Adorante, Project Leader at Paragon Interface
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a historic high-rise which was transformed into office space with striking elegance, click here to see more.
Paragon Interface | SBID International Design Awards
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