SpeakEasy with Vanessa Brady OBE
The SBID teamed up with Pierrus Agency to launch the new ‘SpeakEasy’ podcast series. Hosted by founder, Grant Pierrus, we’ll be sitting down for insightful and thought-provoking conversations with leading design professionals across the field of interior design, from international interior designers to innovative product suppliers to uncover their unique perspectives on the industry, the key factors driving industry change, and what they intend to do about it!
Grant gets candid over a coffee with some of the biggest names in the interior design industry. The first episode in the new 'SpeakEasy' series will feature a conversation with award-winning interior designer and founder of SBID, Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, where she sheds light on how climate change is effecting the interior design and construction industries.
Vanessa comments on how she can see the design sector unfolding in the next decade; driven by the newly emerging consumer attitudes which weren't so prominent in the 90's, where people were more concerned with showing off their wealth.
"For very first time designers, and people in general, have a conscience ... and that conscience says people are interested in how things are made. Obviously if you're in business you have to be looking at the bottom line - but it's not the only driver. It's a social conscience on the things that are involved in making a business tick - giving back, looking after other people, being decent again, and I think that did get lost a little bit in the past."
Armed with over 30 years expertise in the design industry, she continues to share her thoughts on the broad topic sustainability, how integral this will become for the future of design and what role technology, innovation and manufacturing will need to play in this process.
Highlighting important considerations for designers, whether of interiors or of products, she adds "Sustainability is something that effects everything, from the beginning of the idea to the end user, so it is a sort of cradle to grave process. And I think it's not just during the use of a product ... it's when its use is over. What happens then?"
Tune in to the whole conversation to discover more.
Upcoming episodes will feature the talented founders of Hill House Interiors, Helen Bygraves and Jenny Weiss, as well as director of Life Kitchens, Oliver Stephenson.
Stay up to date with the latest episodes and click here to find out more.
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]
We delved behind the scenes with SBID Accredited Interior Designer, Annette Frommer, Founder of Israeli-based design studio, Annette Frommer Interior Design. Serving an international client base and specialising in interior design in Jerusalem, Annette stresses the importance of staying inspired to keep designs fresh and original, and shares how essential our smart phones have become when it comes to doing business!
Can you describe your current job?
I am an interior designer based in Tel-Aviv, Israel. My clients are from abroad and looking to have a second home in Israel whether in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
What is your background and how did you get into interior design?
I was born and raised in Belgium and have been living in Israel for the past 35 years. I am fluent in six languages which certainly helps when interacting with my international clients. I always knew that I was going to somehow be involved in a creative profession and admired beauty and design, whether in architecture, art, or fashion.
Describe an average day in your job role..
Luckily I do not need too many hours of sleep in order to function, and I can honestly say that I spend most of my day working. Yes, I am a workaholic. I get up very early, prepare my coffee and then straight to the computer. I receive many mails at every hour imaginable since my clients, and some suppliers, are located in many different time zones. I like to feel that I start the day with a relatively clean slate.
I then go to my office, another cup of coffee, and meet with the team. We go over projects and other matters at hand. Next is the field. I am a great believer in being hands on in every project, so I visit all my projects on a weekly basis meeting with the builder, other professionals, etc. There are days of course dedicated to “shopping” and “choosing” – those I love the most.
I usually return home at about 7pm and after a quick bite, it is back to work. Again I answer mails, go over plans and documents, gather samples, and prepare all that is necessary for the next day. I don’t know how we once worked without a computer and without a smart phone.
Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?
The world today moves at an incredible pace. We are bombarded with an overwhelming amount of information. I believe that most of us wish for homes that are serene, tranquil and that provide a sense of safety. Rewarding to me is seeing my clients happy with the result of my work – with the way I planned the space, chose the colour palette, textiles, lighting etc. Often times I am given ‘carte blanche’ and make all the decisions on behalf of the client. So it is definitely rewarding to see a big smile on their face.
No matter what the style, I always endeavor to achieve beauty, harmony and elegance. Elegance is key and it is achieved when there is cohesion, softness, subtlety, so that the final result appears to be effortless.
Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
Yes. There is one project where I am planning and designing 5 apartments with the same layout for 5 siblings. It is a challenge designing each apartment unlike the other and making sure each sibling feels that his apartment is unique and designed especially for him!
Another project is a 1,000sq townhouse for a single family - with many bedrooms. The challenge here will be to make this vast space with so many bedrooms feel like a home, and not a hotel.
What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?
Coming across problems in the field, and coming up with solutions that are exceptional and actually make the space look even better.
What has been your favourite project to work on?
We were commissioned to review the plans and bring a halted project (a stunning mansion located in the suburbs of Jerusalem) to completion utilising the existing layout and partitions. The basement was especially problematic as the space was long, narrow, dreary and windowless with very low ceilings, and we had to transform it to be a prominent billiard room with facilities.
The final result includes an elegant billiard room, an inviting and relaxing bar/ lounge area complemented by an adjoining decorative wrought iron cellar door that leads to a state-of-the-art wine cellar, with walls covered in authentic old bricks and floors with reclaimed ancient stones.
The Italian woodwork is finely designed and crafted with onyx backlit ceiling panels cleverly disguising a maze of pipes and ducts; creating the illusion of height.
As for the mansion: the result is characterised by ornate and neoclassical décor that is opulent and lavish. The rich woodwork, the gold and silver gilt-accented furniture, the layered textures in muted pinks, light blue and aqua hues define the formal ambience of this home. The grand entrance with refined marble flooring embodies elegance and romance.
What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?
I think that as a designer, it is extremely important to continuously be inspired, be creative, and to strive for quality and distinction. The biggest problem is when I see more of the same, when I see copy/paste designs. It is challenging to remain fresh, original and timeless.
Which people do you admire the most in the industry and why?
There are a few which stand out to me! Andree Putman; a scion of her time, her projects are very classical and designed to perfection. India Mahdavi, for her creative use of colours and shapes; and lastly, Peter Marino whose work is fearless, bold and non-conformist!
If you were inspired by Annette’s story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.
Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here to find out more.
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
If you'd like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more.
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.
Click here to view the full judging panel.
The SBID Product Design Awards 2020 entry deadline has been extended!
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidproductdesignawards.com
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.
senior partner, Conran and Partners
Architect and designer Tim Bowder-Ridger, senior partner, Conran and Partners, is passionate about creating authentic experiences centred around cultural spirit and personality. Drawing on his hospitality and residential experience, Tim leads the design direction of the practice as a whole, as well as being responsible for its operations. Recent projects include the conversion of the Brutalist-style Centre Point in London from an unused office tower into residences, and Kita Aoyama, a high-end residential development in Japan.
As senior partner of Conran in Hong Kong, Tim is also responsible for the overall leadership and coordination between the UK and HK subsidiary and has been building the company’s reputation with new work in Japan.
How do your projects embrace the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, the celebration of imperfect, impermanent and incomplete beauty?
Our approach in Japan has been to use authentic materials in their natural forms, for example timber that patinas with age to add further life and spirit. We call that the “honesty” of the material, with every piece being unique compared with artificial printed timber that always looks lifeless compared to the true thing. The Japanese and the British cultures have a similar connection to the landscape and nature, a romantic view about enjoying them. We tend to use a lot of natural materials, but Japan has particularly good techniques for concrete, which is used a lot due to earthquakes. Being a poured material, there are always imperfections, but even these are embraced as beauty.
How is COVID-19, the coronavirus, affecting your work?
We are reducing our long-haul travel a bit, which is probably not a bad thing, and our Hong Kong studio are all working remotely from home at the moment. We have a very good technical team here who’ve set up the computers to work, so there’s not been a hit on our productivity nor our new business development. But I think it’s a bit too soon to know where it’s going to end up, really, and the commercial knock-on effect of China being shut down. Statistically you’re far more likely to die of flu than coronavirus but the difficulty is whether people have confidence in their various government actions. We just review it on a case-by-case basis - but give it another four weeks and we might have a clearer idea of which way we’re heading. The fear is that so much is made in China that it will have an impact on construction stages. Luckily, at the moment we have a lot of pre-construction work.
How do the lifestyle preferences of Tokyo urbanites compare to those in London, and how did your design approaches for Kito Aoyama and Centre Point vary to accommodate these differences?
Both are world cities but different in the sense that London is more international, more akin to New York than Tokyo. Tokyo feels distinctly Japanese, which is why we all like going these because it’s such a unique place. However they are both prime residential markets where people are well-to-do and well-travelled, so those individuals probably have more in common than they would otherwise. It’s less nationalistic as people are from the same global tribe. There was a lot of commonality in our approaches, but with Centre Point the apartments react to the existing structure of the 20th century heritage building, whereas Kito Aoyama is a new build. For all our projects around the world we’re determined to have a sense of place, we try and engage in the context, local culture, all those things. One specific Japanese requirement is the way you pass into an apartment. There’s one entrance, but then doughnut-shaped circulation paths with private family areas in one direction and public reception spaces the other way. In traditional Japanese houses, people step over a threshold – although today they are level. And then there’s a small space to pause and greet one another and, then a separate, and sometimes quite large, room to take off and store your shoes.
There’s a layer of privacy that creates a physical manifestation in the apartment while still trying to enjoy all those different moments and thresholds. It’s like landscape design, a layered approach of being led from a sculpture to a temple to a lake. The difference is that with Japanese apartments, we do it twice, one way for the family and the other for guests. The kitchen and dining spaces are where it all comes together. Even in Tokyo where space is a premium, they make it work. We’re also working in Hong Kong, and the reason why people eat out so much for entertainment is because their apartments are so small. Even there we try to create a layering of experiences.
What qualities make a product’s design exceptional?
It's very simple: combining functionality with emotion. You can see that with Apple products or the ultimate cliché, BMW cars. They function very well and are desirable, so therefore sellable. It’s about effectiveness, intelligence in functionality and cost. With architecture and interior design, it’s very complex because it’s just about the world's most collaborative profession to be in with so many different people involved. The job of the architect is really to distil that into a single point-of-view that balances all these different requirements. If you apply that to running a business, like I do, it's no different. There are so many different things I need to bear in mind that I am forever designing the business. There’s a lot of crossover between running a business and designing a building, given the complexity and judgement – that’s where the creativity comes in.
How does good design equate to good business?
That depends – is business just about selling things or is it our business, a big part of which is trying to leave the world a bit of a better place than we found it. Terence Conran, our founder, always used to say that good design improves lives and it is absolutely the partner of commerce. When he founded his businesses, what he was doing and what we still try to do is provide ideas people want but might not even know they want until their exposed to it. That’s where we’re adding value. The future of the British economy has to be entirely about providing ideas. The creative industry is the UK’s largest after finance. Our great design schools and artistic heritage have a real worth that feeds creative ventures for their continued growth. Whilst this adds value to the world, it can also benefit business and the economy, which is key in the current post-Brexit climate.
Tim 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 will close for entries on 13 March!
ceo and director, Simone de Gale Architects
Not only has Belgravia, London – based Simone de Gale, ceo and director of Simone de Gale Architects, been named Architect of the Year in the 2017 Women in Construction Awards; the International Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018; and a Westminster Lion in 2018, she is also the inventor of a patented materials defence technology developed in partnership with the Ministry of Defence. SGA is currently working on a £200m masterplan in Tbilisi, Georgia as well commercial and residential projects in Croatia, Abu Dhabi, the Caribbean, the USA, and a feasibility study for the London Hammersmith Flyunder.
Automation and technology. Our clients expect their homes to have the same kinds of tech found in commercial spaces. For example, we’re designing residential bathrooms with sensors to automatically turn on the lights and taps. This kind of demand will continue to intensify.
How will your pioneering work with the Ministry of Defence influence the way products and buildings are created in the future?
We invented a process that can make any material stronger, whether a metal or composites like S2 glass and carbon fibre. It makes materials more resistant to blasts and can be used to protect soldiers in armoured vehicles from IEDs. The patent has been granted for BASL (Blast Absorption Systems Ltd.) technology, and I’m the main inventor. We’re working with companies to make their items blast-proof. Products made using this technique are stronger and lighter than those without it, so for example, the ground floor of a skyscraper could be reinforced with ,high-performance materials for the flooring, wall panels, and hybrid composites that look like stone but perform better while being heat-resistant, more durable and low maintenance. Prestressed bending causes the material to react in a mechanical way that makes it stronger on one side. The prototype has been monitored at the MOD’s blast testing ranges, and the calculations done so it’s ready to be used in industry.
How do your designs anticipate your clients’ future needs?
It’s all about spatial planning. We try to give clients a unique design but with a robust shell and core that gives them flexibility without needing to make major changes in the building structure. For example, we’ve designed commercial co-working spaces that have a stage so they can also be used as a wedding venue or for Christmas parties. Workstations intended for hot-desking can be packed up at night to make room for a DJ and compere. We always use pure geometry like a circle or square or natural forms like a butterfly. Squares are particularly good because they have 100% useable space.
Architecture and interior design are quite far behind compared to other industries. The principles of product design need to be applied to buildings and infrastructure. For example, the iPhone is initially designed at a very high-level, but then specs are sent to manufacturers who roll it out on a mass scale. We’re getting there with modular prefab construction, but the ambition is to deliver precision manufacturing in building systems. Once a design is completed, it is fed into computers for robots to build. BIM is helping achieve that. In order to reach higher standards and cost efficiency in shorter periods of time, our mindset should be to design according to manufacturers’ standards, using new materials and advanced technologies to model spaces and coordinate work with other teams.
What wisdom can you pass on to interior designers and architects who are new in their careers?
It’s the same advice given to me – only work on a design if you’re passionate about it. There will be a range of options and materials in the design process, and it’s important to follow your heart and go with something you can develop. If you’re the lead designer, you have to push a concept forward, and believing in it will reassure your clients’ questions, doubts and ambiguities.
Simone 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.
regional managing director; London, New York and Paris, Wilson Associates
A self-described “hotelier at heart,” Monika Moser possesses over two decades of hospitality industry experience in her current role as regional managing director (London, New York & Paris) for Wilson Associates. Born in Venezuela with a German citizenship, Moser earned a Certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University and an MBA in Hospitality Management from ESSEC Business School. She brings a deep understanding of luxury hotel service and a unique cultural perspective to each of Wilson Associates’ global strategic initiatives. Moser has a passion for art, music, literature, and linguistics –– she is fluent in five languages. In her free time, she frequents the opera.
What is your definition of luxury? And how do Wilson's designs exemplify its future?
Luxury is defined differently by everyone. For me, luxury can be any type of hotel; it doesn't need to be a Parisian palace, it can be in a smaller boutique hotel. Luxury is having the flexibility to be able to choose how you want to live, how you want to act, how you want to be in the hotel. So, it can be anywhere, anytime, in any form. Luxury, in that sense, is personal. It’s where you position yourself in terms of what you are used to having. Nowadays people are used to being surrounded by luxury, so maybe time has become a luxury or the possibility to spend your vacations in a hotel away from all physical luxury. For Wilson, creating a luxury hotel means designing something that is exactly what the client wants it to be with products specifically catered for their clientele. We design for the future through hotels that are flexible enough to adapt to the client's needs, which might focus on being more meaningful than in the past, being more aware of local environments, traditions, and connecting with people.
How do you see Brexit impacting hospitality design, both in the UK and in Europe?
This is the million-dollar question! I haven't seen any changes, and when I talk to lawyers, accountants, operators, etc…, they haven’t seen any changes, either. I don't think that it will have too much impact in terms of hospitality design. That said, we’ll have to wait and see.
How does staying connected with the latest designers and trendsetters “rub off” on your hotels and understanding of the current zeitgeist?
It’s completely dependent upon the client. Our projects are adapted to what they want; we will not impose a design. Trends and influences mainly come from what clients wish for and what the hotel has to become based on their preferences, along with requirements from the operator and local regulations. For example, we work with Tristan Auer for our interiors, and he has different layers of style versus a specific look. If it’s a historical project like the Carlton Cannes or Hôtel Scribe in Paris, he pays attention to that rather than trends. Design is more forward-thinking when it comes to lifestyle hotel trends that combine services in open, undivided spaces, but hotel operations are still old fashioned with different services for separate areas. This needs to be clarified at the start of a project, otherwise the vision that the designers are trying to achieve will not work from a programming perspective. Having that distinction between different spaces isn’t a way of providing exclusivity, it’s just another way of doing it for a different type of clientele. That’s why hotel operators have so many brands to capture different kinds of guests.
What fires your imagination, and what’s the best way to build a team that is creative yet aware of operational requirements?
Being on the business side I don’t need so much imagination! However, I manage a team of designers who nourish their creativity by going to exhibitions, museums and shows; meeting suppliers and learning about their products; and travel. I hire designers that can tell me which museum they visited recently or what movie they liked, because I get the impression that they’re actually out there finding new ideas. These creative designers need to be aware of operational requirements, too, so we share a lot of information. While our project managers understand both sides, I also share everything in terms of contractual topics of revenue so they get all the information to understand how their project works. It’s very important because they need to understand how they are able to design a project that is viable - or not. It helps them grow and become more aware that how they work impacts a project and the financial outcome of a company like Wilson Associates.
Monika 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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