Q&A with David Collins Studio: Apartment Design Showcases British Artists

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Show Flats & Developments category, David Collins Studio, Iain Watson reflects on the experience of working with a multitude of makers and artists, and discusses designing colourful yet refined spaces.

David Collins Studio was chosen to design and deliver the latest 3-bedroom show apartment at The Bryanston, Hyde Park for London-based developers Almacantar.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

Our Show Apartment at The Bryanston was designed to showcase a thoughtfully curated selection of artists, designers, makers and craftspeople who exemplify British luxury. The design was developed in collaboration with Nick Vinson of Wallpaper* Magazine. In addition to the artists whose work is featured within the apartment, the space also showcases a selection of iconic David Collins Studio furniture from our 38 years of hospitality projects, reimagined for a residential setting.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

Collaborating with Nick Vinson from Wallpaper* meant that The Studio was able to mine both its own, and Nick’s, ‘little black book’, as well as bringing a third party’s point of view when editing the selection of Studio furniture pieces that would feature in the apartment. Working with the multitude of makers and manufacturers to realise the furniture in new and custom decorative finishes brought another dimension to the design and process.

Working with Nick was very inspiring as he brought his editor’s eye and an editorial process to the process. The final apartment showcases pieces from a lot of different provenances which brings a sense of authenticity to the space.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

Winning an SBID award was incredibly important to David Collins Studio. It is amazing for our work to be honoured in this way and speaks volumes about the hard work of the design teams and The Studio. Given that we re-worked furniture pieces from a variety of projects, the award feels extra-special! Awards of this nature are so important to our BD process and customer journey.

The apartment has lots of different design elements, colour stories and, it seems, styles. What was the inspiration behind that and how did you accomplish creating a cohesive design featuring different elements?

Almacantar’s brief to us was to be bold. Part of the reason for our selection for this project was our bold yet refined use of colour. From the outset, we wanted the apartment to comprise a series of strong colour stories. This was essential to provide a point of difference not only between the rooms themselves, but from a lot of the other show apartments on the market. The colours all had to work within the context of the setting and inherited base build, as well as a whole, so that the journey from one room to another felt considered, connected and balanced.

How did you find the process of working with different artists for commissioned artworks? Was each piece created for a specific room based on its design, or did you collaborate throughout the entire design process?

All the makers we worked with were incredibly professional and went the extra mile for us. Everyone had to work to a fixed program and some makers had more experience working to a commercial brief than others, but the project team was able to use its combined experience to manage the delivery process and allow the artists the creative headspace that they needed. David Collins Studio collaborates with makers and artists on all of its projects and so the process felt very natural to us. 

The apartment’s design was created holistically, in that we wanted to feature as many of the makers from our shortlist as possible. We worked very hard to ensure that each room showcased makers and key stories that could be used within the client’s marketing. For example, the Lucy Smith pink jesmonite hallway relief featuring an iris motif that connects the apartment with Hyde Park and the dining table made from a plane tree felled in London by Sebastian Cox. The Simon Hasan study furniture inspired by Charlotte Perriand furniture seen through Simon’s own understanding of the decorative arts and industrial design, and the commissioned Bethan Laura Wood timber bedframe that was based upon an original piece designed with Phillipe Malouin that Nick had seen exhibited in Dresden in 2016, re-scaled for The Bryanston.

How do you transform nature and the surrounding environment into an interior design?

Creating a definitive sense of place was key to our design concept -  a connection with neighbouring Hyde Park and the immediate areas of Marble Arch, Marylebone and Mayfair. Lucy Smith and Sebastian Cox worked very literally in this way, meanwhile Geraldine Larkin created an abstract topographic map of Hyde Park, realised in three colourways of Loro Piana cashmere. Many of the accessories and art pieces were selected for their connection to the park, such as Shannon Clegg’s press floral vases. There are more subliminal design elements within the apartment that have been chosen to bring a connection to the locale, including a series of custom arch mirrors by Alguacil & Perkoff which echo Marble Arch itself, and commissions from local stores such as Perfumer H in Marylebone. We also carefully selected a series of books and auction catalogues that resonated with the location, as well as the design references within the apartment. Finally, we managed to source an original Henry Moore lithograph for the apartment, which connects to his park sculpture, The Arch, and cements the concept behind the space!

Questions answered by Iain Watson, CEO and Founder, David Collins Studio.

What are the origins of the brand?

Since its founding in 1985, Vectorworks’ software has always been a 3D modelling program devoted to helping designers express their visions more clearly to their clients and collaborators and to design without limits.

From the beginning, Vectorworks has played a critical role in the CAD field, having created one of the very first CAD programs, one of the first 3D modelling programs, the most successful CAD software for the Mac OS, and the first cross-platform CAD application to market. Vectorworks was also one of the first in the design industry to introduce BIM capabilities to our software offerings and was the first major BIM authoring platform to run natively on Apple’s M1 Family of Chips.

Today Vectorworks has evolved into a sophisticated suite of products that address a wide range of needs, from fundamental drafting and modelling to advanced design, documentation, and analysis.

How do your products and services enhance interior design projects?

Our product, Vectorworks Architect, allows interior designers to collaborate with other project stakeholders in one central platform, minimising errors that can occur when transferring between various platforms and software programs.

Vectorworks Architect also provides interior designers with built-in templates and reports to assist with not only commencing projects but also with the ease of extracting relevant and needed information.

The simplicity of the interface allows for the incorporation of plug-in tools from a wide range of partners to make the design process a complete one. From space planning layouts, design intent drawings, and construction drawings to spreadsheets and rendering capabilities, Vectorworks Architect includes a wide range of resources, ensuring you have the best possible opportunity to convey your design idea to your customer.

What value does your specialist sector add to the industry?

Vectorworks’ software offers designers new tools and resources built on cutting-edge technology. These advances allow users to showcase their designs to clients in new and exciting ways. For instance, our recently updated Nomad mobile app features Apple's room scanning framework, RoomPlan, allowing users to quickly scan an existing room layout using their iOS mobile device to create a robust reality capture that is accessible and easy to use. Plus, presentations for tours and boards created in Vectorworks Cloud Services can be shared with collaborators and clients with a QR code, link, or email.

Vectorworks offers improved accuracy throughout the full design process compared to older, traditional processes. Data management, visualisation, and revisions are all simplified by offering and centralising everything in one comprehensive program.

In addition, Vectorworks is known for its flexible approach to designing, with a wide range of modelling capabilities such as history modelling, Nurbs, subdivision, and parametric tools capabilities. Designers can spend more time designing without letting their software or tools hinder their creativity.

How do you work with interior designers?

As a company, we work with interior designers in many ways, and as an industry specialist, I have the chance to speak to designers on a regular basis. We have online and in-person training opportunities from one on one to group sessions.  Vectorworks University also allows designers to learn on their own schedule and obtain necessary certifications.

For companies that are transitioning to Vectorworks, we also over a tailored approach with support to get the workforce up and running in a very efficient way through consultancy.

By joining organisations such as SBID and attending tradeshows, we frequently network with designers from various sectors, such as residential, retail, hospitality, commercial, and more. It gives us a chance to hear feedback and ensures our software is always evolving to include new features.

To conclude, as one of our company’s core values, inclusion is something we continue to strive to promote and foster. As part of this, our DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee is dedicated to supporting the interiors sector by sponsoring or donating to charities and initiatives looking to improve access to this industry for all individuals. For example, so far, we have worked with the United in Design Charity, and we continue to remain open to additional opportunities to get involved and give back.

What has been your most significant company highlight or success from the past year?

It’s very hard to select just one highlight as we’ve had many exciting developments over the past year. We launched the latest version of our software, Vectorworks 2023, which focused on reengineering some of the core architectural tools, expanding our interoperability with additional file format imports, and offering additional modelling capabilities for quicker design creation.

The launch of this release also included a customer Design Day event at Euston Square, London. This event offered designers the opportunity to speak directly to Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar and other executives about their experience with the software.

In addition, we launched our Vectorworks Embodied Carbon Calculator (VECC) to assist designers in their steps to design and execute more sustainable projects.

We also successfully changed our purchasing options to subscriptions, giving customers the freedom to manage their licences as their workload pauses or expands.

The list continues, however, the final highlight I would like to mention is our sixth Vectorworks Design Scholarship. There were over 1,000 submissions and scholarships were awarded to 30 students for 22 projects in the architecture, interior design, landscape, and entertainment industries.

The winning project of this year's grand prize was interiors focused, with Michelle Wanitzek taking home the coveted Richard Diehl Award for her project ‘Nomad Coworking.’

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

In the past year, there were a lot of requests for Crittall openings; doors and windows, and an increase in setting up company standards to improve efficiency.

However, one of the latest trends I have noticed this year is a demand for extracting data from a CAD/BIM model.

Once the designer has conceptualised their project within Vectorworks, with custom data attached and object parameters set, exporting the necessary information to create types or reports, schedules, and legends is fairly straightforward.

We currently have many tutorials and webinars focused on the topic of data within Vectorworks University for those who want to elevate to the next step.

How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead?

There has been a lot of discussion regarding reducing our carbon footprint in all the various industries we support, and the interiors section is no different; whether it’s at a tradeshow or through a customer project – I can see that there is an emphasis on doing better for the planet and making a difference, with a circular design; reusing, recycling and innovating new products from waste. There is a sense of urgency regarding sustainability, and I believe this will continue.

In addition, we are still recovering from the pandemic and developing new ways of living and working. There is also a need to create spaces that sustain an excellent quality of well-being and wellness. So, whether the focus is on air, light quality or just making sure that there is a varied layout option to suit the different business and social needs, adaptability and flexibility are key.

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

We recently transitioned our purchasing options to subscription licences, which can be purchased directly from our website. This is extremely exciting because we have the opportunity to release new tools and features more frequently.  Not only that, but this has been a popular request from freelancers and sole practitioners over the past several years. Now, these designers can factor the lower subscription fees directly into their business structure as they work on various projects.

Moreover, at the moment, there seems to be a real buzz around the hospitality and retail industries and using those industries to drive consumers back out. This is especially exciting for me as I will be creating a new example file for designers in these sectors with specific tips and tricks so that they can continue to design as effectively as possible.

For other sectors, there are also example files on Vectorworks University, so I encourage everyone to explore those resources.

What does being an SBID Accredited Industry Partner mean to you?

As an individual and an interior architect, the SBID offers a wide range of network opportunities that allow me to be among like-minded people and discuss topics that affect our industry.

As a company, it means a lot to support and maintain the quality of the industry by offering high-caliber CPDs and training amongst the members.

If you’d like to feature your project news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Retail Design category, L'Atelier Five, Jasmine Bagaria talks about portraying the brand's heritage in a modern way, using technology to aid storytelling, and the challenges of working in a pop-up space.

The team elevated the brand's assets through digital and luxury art installations in an immersive digital tunnel, which portrayed the rich heritage and storytelling of the Panthère. 

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

The brief was to create an interactive and luxury experience in the Harrods Exhibition windows. Celebrating the story and heritage of Panthère de Cartier through a series of experiential rooms and playful takeaways. We used the internal Cartier guidelines to start the initial storytelling and then elevated the experience in true LA5 style. Pushing the boundaries and showing the client how we can create an impactful and modern pop-up.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

The most challenging part of this project was having to design during a lockdown. Most of the design was done over zoom meetings and phone calls whilst we were all under government orders to stay at home. This was the first project where we had to consider social distancing, covid screens and general covid safety into the design. It was a completely new scope to introduce and of course we wanted to ensure the features moulded well with the concept and didn’t seem an afterthought.

Another challenge was to develop the strong heritage of the Panthere de Cartier and showcase the assets in a modern and immersive way. We had a lot of assets to work with and we wanted to create an area for engaging with them, that allowed the story to shine but in a contemporary way. We came up with the infinity tunnel and turned the assets into an impactful digital timeline that took over the space. Using a series of digital tiles and mirror, we managed to create the first ever digital room in the Harrods exhibition windows. As it was the first, there were also some challenges in terms of production. However we worked closely with all parties involved to ensure perfect execution.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We are honoured to have won the award as it shows our hard work, dedication and passion for what we do. As a business it has inspired us to continue to go further and push to create unique experiences.

The design of the space uses a lot of digital elements and installations. How do you think technology can help tell the brand’s story and connect with the customers?

The use of digital allows you to showcase content in new and exciting ways. Compiling all the assets in a dynamic, moving visual, that pulls people in to explore. You only have a few moments to catch someone’s attention and playing with these elements creates more intrigue than plain text.

What are some considerations of working on a pop-up space design? What are the biggest challenges and how do you overcome them?

We always want to provide a 360 experience, so the visitor can take home a piece of the pop up with a memorable takeaway. Whether through branded giveaways or bespoke photo moments.

It can be challenging at times to translate the Brand guidelines into a space that has their own guidelines. We love to push the boundaries and ensure the pop-up is unique and stands out as a brand activation. Hence why we work closely with all parties to create the ultimate experience.

How do you hope Panthère de Cartier design will impact the customer? What impression are you hoping to leave?

With all our projects, we hope to leave a memorable impression on all visitors. We love creating modern and impactful experiences that engage the visitors and ensure commercial success and brand awareness.

Questions answered by Jasmine Bagaria, Lead Designer, L’Atelier Five.

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Contract Fit Out Project of the Year category, Portview, Paul Scullion discusses the sustainable elements of the project and how to ensure a customer journey is considered within design, as well as challenges of designing a basement space.

Portview were appointed to deliver a mixed-use residential development venture between Canary Wharf Group & Qatari Diar, London’s South Bank - a serene city oasis where residents can escape to relax, unwind, and reinvigorate.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

Southbank Place Spa forms part of a unique mixed-use development in Waterloo, London. The ultra-sleek design of the lavish amenities was conceptualized by Goddard Littlefair, with an experiential focus to create a serene city oasis where residents can escape to relax, unwind and reinvigorate.

Portview's material prowess sees the use of unique and innovative fittings throughout the spa. A light and calming palette of sensitively selected natural materials paired with ambient lighting to create a cocoon-like space within an uber-contemporary spa setting. Residents can enjoy a luxury hotel-standard spa experience within their dynamic city-living environment.

Sustainability was crucial on this 2,000 sqm spa and wherever possible, greener fabrics and finishes were implemented. Sustainable timber that is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council was used throughout the facility, including the reception and spa entry areas. The timber was used for the flooring, timber panels, doors and various other joinery. The saunas' hemlock and spruce bear the ‘Blue Angel’ quality certificate label, for particularly low-emission products made of wood and wood materials. The knotless, robust wood of the Canadian hemlock fir and Aspen are not only beautiful, but are also durable and resin free.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

The bespoke and exclusive nature of the details of the spa design is evident in many areas. Despite the challenges and rigours of working in a hot and humid environment, tactile luxury has not been ignored. Panels of marine-grade faux leather have been embroidered and stitched by artisans, with Portview ensuring the detailing of the high-specification design and custom joinery throughout the entire area was converted to reality.

Providing users with a sense of privacy and exclusivity through cleverly zoning spaces was critical in this design, and was rewarding to deliver. One example of this is the use of beautiful custom-made burnished rock crystal screens in the reception area.

The key focus of the design layout was the guest journey. Could you explain how the design process looked while following this concept?

The guest journey was hugely important in the design of this project, with the recognition that while some users will want to be energised through a hard-hitting workout, others want to relax. These two elements can therefore be accessed separately without overlap to heighten the experience.

The spacious reception area acts as a hub and a social area for residents to meet one another, therapists or trainers. Two fully equipped gyms are available along with separate studios, which can be heated for a hot yoga workout or cooled for a dynamic spin class. The alternative wet and relax route takes residents through plush changing rooms, the gentlemen having a dedicated sauna area, while ladies can enjoy their own vitality pool, sauna and steam room.

On the pool deck itself, the heat experiences continue with a stunning 25m heated swimming pool, accompanied by a further vitality pool, sauna and steam room along with social relaxation spaces for residents to enjoy. In addition, calm yet luxurious treatment rooms are available where selected therapies including beauty treatments are available.

This Spa & Fitness Suite looks rather different from the average fitness centre - it is light, serene, and minimalist. Did you stumble upon any challenges that were particular to your chosen design style?

A challenge of the project was its basement location, which meant there was no natural light. Portview introduced a system of sensory experiences throughout the spa to create warm and radiant ambient light. The design creates an immersive feeling of light and space through carefully concealed architectural lighting that casts warm glows across rich surfaces, while decorative lighting provided beautiful accents through the space. The glowing feature lighting in the pool area was created with each glass drop specifically crafted to allude to the flow of water, contributing to the serene atmosphere.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

To achieve the extraordinary, industry leaders need to work in collaboration, which is exactly what Goddard Littlefair and Portview did to deliver Southbank Spa. The award from SBID highlights to the industry that Portview should be the trusted partner of any client or designer who wants to turn their vision into a reality. The team at Portview are genuine, ambitious and hard-working, which I could have told you before winning this award, but it’s extra special to have this recognised by SBID too.

Questions answered by Paul Scullion, Contracts Director, Portview.

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Healthcare & Wellness Design category, Mane Design, Mane Mehrabyan explores the concept of the project and shares how they achieved set goals, including respecting personal space in a public setting.

The fitness club’s concept focuses on individual training and visitors’ personal comfort. The premium level is finely emphasized by the club-style design.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

The main point of the realization of an exceptional health club’s design was the creation of a comfortable, elaborated, multifunctional sports territory for humans with personal space values. It is a fitness club that upgrades health via sport. The training hall is intended for individual pieces of training accompanied by a personal trainer and not more than five people at a time. Visitors’ personal space and comfort were the priority that is successfully brought to life by our design studio.

Modern style combined with sumptuous materials is an ideal match for the design of this close-type club.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

When I see the magnificent result of our work after the completion of each project brought into life from the scheme, I always feel great moral satisfaction and joy.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We are so very happy and appreciative to the competition for such a high valuation of our work. It is very precious for our studio to have such a high-level international award.

What tools/techniques did you use to ensure the visitors’ personal space and comfort are respected in such an open and public environment?

The Club concept provides only five-person training at a time, and there are well-thought comfortable men’s and women’s locker zones.

Each shower box consists of the cabin itself and a prebox dressing personal area if the clients prefer not to be in the common area.

What is the key to designing a beautiful sports centre, where the equipment is prone to creating a feeling of cluttered space?

The key to a beautiful sports centre is comfortability and correct logistics. Each zone must be in its correct place for a cozy stay in the club. What concerns the design, it must provide the feeling of an atmosphere of non-cluttered space.

Can you tell us about the choice of lighting for the project?

All lightning was created and realized by our studio specially for this club. We are proud with coping with such a complicated task.

Questions answered by Mane Mehrabyan, Founder and Head, Mane Design.

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Hotel Bedroom & Suites Design category, Brime Robbins, Maria Brime & Garrett Robbins shine the spotlight on the intricate details of their project, discuss their design approach and talk about connecting the world and translating the stories and culture through design.

Brime Robbins were commissioned for the interior design at Andaz Prague, the first Hyatt hotel in the Czech Republic and the first luxury lifestyle hotel in Prague. In the historic building known ‘Sugar Palace’ Brime Robbins worked to not only preserve and elevate the historic features of the building but create an experience integral to the identity of Prague itself.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

In transforming the historic Sugar Palace building into a luxury Andaz hotel, Brime Robbins harnessed the central design inspiration of Czech myths and legends; making “the global local”, and transporting guests to a legendary world beyond the restored casement windows and crown mouldings.

Awoken from their slumber within the dormant building, the characters from the legends emerge from the walls and floors to greet guests and guide them through an unforgettable journey through Andaz Prague. This design approach connects visiting guests with a strong, passionate sense of place, reconnecting native people of Prague with their childhoods and engaging with local artists and craftsmen with modern and refined materials. Guests are immersed into a world of never-ending stories, which inevitably they will pack into their suitcases and take home with them, telling friends and family far and wide...and hence creating a larger, more global story from the heart of Prague. It is this sharing of our hearts, which then makes the entire hotel experience intimate, unique and very personal.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

The biggest and most positive takeaway from this project was the exceptionally strong emotional, visceral connection between the people of Czech Republic and the stories anchoring the design. Often when designing spaces, there is a core concept and/or story which can be just as interesting and unique but have come nowhere close to the personal connection for each and every person in Prague, and Czech Republic.

For this project, we spent a lot of time at the concept stage – mesmerised by Czech Republic and Prague being so enchanting and rich in culture – that is how we came to that heritage and culture being such a focal point to be harnessed and encapsulated into the design.

It truly has been amazing how something so simple could have such a large, withstanding impact. During tours and events, some people have been on the verge of tears with such an emotional connection to the design that remind them of their grandparents reading them these stories and so on.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

To achieve such recognition and an overwhelming positive response to our concept and design has been unbelievable. Such recognition from the industry and wider design community has really propelled us to strive for nothing less than ‘award-winning’ concepts and designs going forward. It has really highlighted how crucial the symbiotic relationship is between concept and design and the integration between the two.

Winning an SBID award has meant greater exposure in the UK and Northern Europe from such a prestigious and well-respected body, truly catapulting our designs from the local, to global.

On top of this, winning the award adds great value to the property itself, whilst nurturing our current and future relationships with our clients. This should also hopefully support us when approaching future projects as such proven success and positive track record highlights how universally, the BR approach, is an approach like no other. This recognition puts the spotlight on how being so intrinsically personal and emotional can create a strong connection with the place itself, whilst simultaneously creating an unbreakable bond with guests through the design and narrative.

For this project you were asked to create an experience integral to the identity of Prague itself. What is your approach/design process for this kind of brief, especially being a design practice based abroad?

As we mentioned, we spent a lot of time and concentrated efforts during the concept phase to ensure the stories and narrative could truly shine through and connect to one and all. We spent a lot of time speaking to people in Prague, gathering research, and fundamentally immersing ourselves into local cultures to support such an enriching narrative.

We became in love with the idea of retelling these stories but in a more uplifting style that would translate into interior design. It’s been an unbelievably fun process to now see these stories emerge from the walls in front of you.

It is important to note, we were not trying to imitate Czech culture but to create an authentic representation by translating such rich culture to a relatable and mesmerising narrative widely understood across the globe. There truly is something wonderfully innate about engaging in a story or fairy-tale, something universal that supports an immersive experience - often providing a stronger understanding of ourselves during the process.

Hotel rooms too often create a feeling of coldness and unfamiliarity. How did you ensure the guests would feel at home staying in these suites?

For us, it is vital to capture interest and create moments to pause and engage. Very much like the narrative within a story, it’s important to create areas to be in awe of, encouraging a moment of pause, reflection and enjoyment. And this was key for Andaz Prague, especially for such an enriching lifestyle brand.

We explored touches of residential styling and sensibilities to create a ‘home from home’ experience along the way. From the smallest details that connect guests to something they may have in their home or are familiar to a home they know. It’s important to design in a way that makes you literally want to dive into and feel at home.

From damask, textured wallpapers to a distinctive chaise longue and umbrella stand. With high quality craftsmanship and materials that reflect a sense of home and warmth, guests can feel like they’re in a special place; their very own luxury, their own little world.

Can you tell us more about your company ethos? What role does interior design play in “making the global local”?

Our ethos to ‘make the global, local’ represents a wonderful synergy and the opportunity to make such a large, fast-paced world, feel smaller, connected and intimate.

There are so many things to fall in love with about each and individual culture, and this couldn’t be truer about Prague and Czech Republic. The designs for Andaz Prague create deep connections coupled with a sense of mystery and intrigue, a unique unforgettable experience for all. Guests will find reasons to return, relive and indulge through the experiences presented through the design.

This rich emotional connection is formed through multiple layers of detail within a 360 design approach. Throughout the immersive journey, you are faced with hidden treasure after hidden treasure, with guests longing to pack up these experiences in their suitcases to take home with them. Making the global, local.

It is important to recognise local cultures from a global perspective, creating an ambience that guests want to pocket and travel with so that these stories can be retold globally, day after day, whether verbally or visually in the ever-growing world of social media. As small as the world is, people can feel connected to Czech Republic without even having visited.

Questions answered by Maria Brime & Garrett Robbins, Co-founders, Brime Robbins.

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Residential Budget Up To £50,000 category, Co-founder of ID4U Studio, Viktoriya Moshchynska shares the concept and decisions behind the design, approach to enlarging a small space and working within the budget.

This small apartment was made for rent. It was important to create space that would fit a lot of people’s expectations but preferably for a young couple. The building is situated in beautiful place surrounded by nature.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

Because this property was made for renting the main idea was to create a simple design which can easily meet expectations of working singles or a couple. We also wanted to replan the space so it could look bigger and lighter and every inch of it could be functional. Our work started with layouts and constructive documents. Because our budget was limited I had to use some materials that were in stock at that moment. For example, we chose this simple white textile for the kitchen but decided to put it in a chevron way and make the black seams.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

We never thought about this project as of a special one. We just tried to create a nice place. Our client gave us full freedom within the budget and this worked out very well. This means that the best result is achieved when your client trusts you.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We are from Ukraine. We know that there were 16 Ukrainian projects that got into the final in 2022, two of them won a category. I think, it shows that the interior design sphere is well developed in my country, and the work of our architects, designers and manufacturers, as well as my work personally, meets international standards and trends. It's an important message that we as Ukrainians send to other European countries.

How do you approach design projects with a limited budget? Do you have any tactics you use to get the most out of it?

After 14 years of work I now know exactly which parts of an interior are worth spending on and which are not.

Space changes that require constructive works are worth spending on. I also never use cheap bathroom sets and taps, etc. The rule is simple: you shouldn't save on things that are in-built within the apartment.

The other important rule is never buy fake. I can always find interior objects within the budget. I like to buy small furniture and decor from mass market producers. At the same time I only use authentic Art for my projects. It's my favorite mix of something expansive and something cheap. Like when you wear an H&M t-shirt with a GUCCI skirt.

The wall inside the apartment was replaced with a glass one - what was the inspiration behind it and were there any difficulties/considerations that came with that?

In my strong opinion, inner architecture is the main thing of future interior. Standart planning never works. Rooms in this apartment were divided by a wall. It made them small and dark. Decision with a glass wall came to my head the first moment I entered the apartment. I instantly knew that we needed it. The only thing that stopped us was the price. But we assured my client that it was worth it. And she never regretted it. The wall completely changed the space by making it look bigger and lighter.

The space, although small, seems spacious and airy. How did you achieve this effect in this project?

Apartment used to have a covered separated gallery. We decided to add it's space to the living room. We demolished the wall between the living room and the gallery. The living room became bigger. But the most important thing is that we could now enjoy this wonderful view over the Dnipro river through big windows which we didn't see before. A lot of natural light now fills the whole apartment through the windows and the glass wall and makes it look airy.

Questions answered by Viktoriya Moshchynska, Co-founder, ID4U Studio.

4SPACE is celebrating its 10 year anniversary. Can you tell us how the company grew to this stage and what your visions are for the future? 

From humble beginnings, 4SPACE has grown from a small, humble office and a team of two to a buzzing design entity with over 20 employees with an expansive and vibrant office in the heart of Dubai.

Founders Firas Alsahin and Amjad Hourieh always dreamed big. They understand that dreams without goals are merely dreams. They set appropriate goals and put in place a comprehensive 10-year plan to provide a roadmap for the necessary steps to achieve success. By the tenth anniversary, Design Middle East Awards bestowed 4SPACE the prestigious boutique firm of the year award in 2022. 4SPACE continues to grow, and the team aims to be the top international architectural and interior design firm by 2032, with branches across Europe and Asia. They have various projects in the pipeline, including hype entertainment venues, government commercial spaces, unique food and beverage concepts and a hospitality project.

Within the next five years, 4SPACE intends to transform from a boutique design studio to a much larger design firm with at least 50 employees by 2027 and over 140 by 2032. They aspire to be one of the top five design firms within the region by 2027. They aim to have a sustainable business model and dynamic company structure so that the company can expand into new areas of business, clients and markets. 4SPACE targets companies and private clients seeking a one-of-a-kind design and superior service. They are adopting a new company structure, systems, workflow, techniques and a sophisticated hiring strategy to achieve these changes. They anticipate that 4SPACE will promote much of their team to take on additional responsibilities and be involved in managing this vision and development.

How have you found that projects, their requirements and client expectations have changed throughout your years in practice?

Client expectations and requirements vary depending on market trends. Pre-pandemic, clients wanted open and shared spaces for a collaborative environment. During the pandemic, privacy and partition-closed spaces became necessary, with the online market and cloud kitchen prevalent. Post-pandemic, clients want innovative and sustainable designs. 4SPACE created many mind-blowing ideas from various techniques and 3D software programmes. Because of these changes, the team at 4SPACE has adapted, followed trends, learned new softwares and techniques and explored a host of different materials and designs.

Do you think the Metaverse will impact the interior design profession? What opportunities could it present for interior designers?

The Metaverse is having an impressive impact on the design industry. Alsahin explains, "Brands and businesses will be more and more willing to be a part of the next big thing; they will need to exist where their customers exist and in order to achieve that, they need to invest in the virtual world”.

Alsahin believes that the Metaverse is a stepping stone to cultural evolution and a limitless capacity for art. There are many more opportunities for designers inclined to use 3D software programmes. They used to quote, "From sketch to reality" with the formation of Meta4SPACE, the mantra has changed to "From sketch to metaverse world". Alsahin continues, “In the near future, users will be able to use augmented reality smart glasses, which are wearable computer-capable glasses that add extra information; ideally 3D images and information such as animations and videos, to the user's real-world scenes by overlaying the computer-generated or digital information over the user's real-world". Now that everything is limitless and with the advent of various Metaverse environments, the industry will need skilled designers and architects who can master future virtual and AI technology. “Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technology will become important not just to present a designed space as a visualization method, but rather to be a designed form of space itself”.

What are the most notable achievements 4SPACE has accomplished over the past decade?

It takes many years to create something special. Over the last decade, 4SPACE has created a great team, has access to better technology and creating new goals. The team has received numerous awards and recognitions from internationally acclaimed award-winning bodies, including the SBID overall winner in 2018 and Design Middle East Awards boutique firm of the year 2022. With project requirements increasing, there is a new wave of employment opportunities post-pandemic. The new office space is fully automated and includes a new architecture company and Meta4SPACE and increasing staff levels. Power 50 nominated Alsahin for fourth place in this coveted award.

What key advice would you give to emerging designers for building a successful interior design business? 

As the old saying goes, "no man is an island". Building a company in a foreign land has its challenges. Success requires sound finances, and self and team trust are hugely important. 4SPACE has created a great team, ensures that no one is self-sufficient and encourages the team to rely on and support each other. Together, the team has various goals, ensuring they achieve them no matter what. Alsahin and Hourieh encourage their teams to succeed, be inspired, share insights and do better each day. They understand that physical and mental health is important and inspire their teams to have a healthy work-life balance, enjoy the fruits of their labour and pay it forward.

Questions answered by Firas Alsahin, Co-Founder, 4SPACE.

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

Dornbracht manufactures high-quality designer fittings and accessories for the bathroom, spa and kitchen. Proportion, precision, progressiveness, performance and personality – these are the five design principles that distinguish each of our products. Combined with uncompromising quality, they ensure the longevity and stylistic confidence of the fittings – for many years to come. Furthermore, our curated range of finishes offers numerous design options.

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

The individualisation trend reflects the central principle of the current age: Self-determination and self-realisation, uniqueness and personal freedom of choice are becoming the driving force more than ever. This can also be transferred to the interior sector. Whether with a high-quality mix of materials or coloured elements – our customers expect the greatest possible choice to design their bathroom and kitchen according to their own ideas. We meet this demand with a wide range of products and our x-tra service, which realises special designs.

Questions answered by Stefan Gesing, CEO, Dornbracht AG & Co. KG.

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

Our project managers provide guidance when it’s come to writing your specification and will take the pressure off by providing you with a completed specification with any supporting documents you may require including mood boards, brochures and samples. They can offer their advice and expertise through specification appointments whether it be on site or remotely, making the whole process as easy as possible.

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

As we work with office, hotel and commercial projects our main trend is simplistic washrooms with a luxurious feel. The need for full height cubicles and superloos is increasing with the demand for unisex and privacy washrooms. We have seen an increase in black and metal fittings e.g. copper are being specified in washrooms, we have worked closely with our new product development team to create new fittings which meet this demand. Finishing touches such as Solid Surface vanities are becoming increasingly popular and we are working hard on including more bespoke vanity profiles for a more inclusive offering. Throughout this process we make sure we do not compromise our position on sustainability and environmental impact.

Questions answered by Hana Aubad, Marketing Executive, Sylan.

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