Light.iQ Break the Traditional Way Department Stores are Lit

This week’s instalment of SBID’s Product of the Week series features an unconventional lighting design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Light.iQ.

Shin Kong Place South (SKP-S) in Beijing has opened its doors on December 2019, and it promises to change the way luxury retail is perceived. Gentle Monster and SKP wanted to engage all our human senses (by hearing, smelling, seeing, and touching) once we enter this department store. All luxury brands embraced this unusual concept and created innovative interiors.

The lighting departed from the traditional forms of shopping illuminations too. Dark and moody corridors were introduced instead of flat and evenly lit ones. The result is an immersive experience full of art installations combined with interactive displays to keep customers on their toes even when they are circulating between shops.

Sans Souci, Czech designer and creator of glass lighting and architectural installations, introduces lighting installation in the centre of Burj Al Arab’s new lobby in Dubai. The stunning chandelier was adapted from Sans Souci’s signature Symphony collection and is comprised of 210 crystal tubes, weighing around 450 kilograms.

The installation seamlessly integrates heritage craftsmanship with the latest nano-technologies. Using cutting-edge techniques, each glass tube was coated in gold and engraved with a unique leaf motif taken from the luxury hotel’s wallpaper.

Designed by KCA International for Jumeirah Group, the newly renovated Exit Lobby features the magnificent spiral chandelier as the bespoke centrepiece for the interior. The installation’s design plays with light to create a glowing piece of art in the heart of the new space.

“Burj Al Arab is a globally recognised symbol of Dubai and luxury so we were delighted to work on this project” commented Elie El Khoury, Managing Director of Sans Souci Middle East. “We wanted to create a unique installation for the new interior that embodies the opulence of this iconic hotel.”

Jiří Krišica Head of Design at Sans Souci, added “The core design for this piece is taken from our Symphony collection and we then worked with the design team to create a truly unique chandelier that highlights the stunning interiors of the hotel. The final effect is an installation that plays with light and shade, creating a beautiful focus for the space.”

Burj Al Arab’s new Exit Lobby opened in October 2021. This installation adds to the list of Sans Souci’s projects in the Middle East which includes the W Hotel The Palm, Waterfront Market, Central Park Towers in Dubai or Al Rayyan Hotel in Doha.

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In this week’s interview with 2021 SBID Awards winner for the Lighting Design category, REPUBLIC OF II BY IV partners, Dan Menchions and Keith Rushbrook answer questions on the winning experience, the creative process behind designing the Boga Collection, and what’s in store for the company’s future!

The internationally renowned interior design practice, II BY IV DESIGN was founded in 1990 by Dan and Keith – both dreamed of a creative firm that was deeply rooted in design and guided by a passion for constant innovation. “Continually travelling the world, we seek out art, architecture, fashion, theatre, food and culture to fuel our imaginations, while inspiring globally celebrated designs.”

How important is it to enter the SBID Awards & receive industry recognition for your work? What are the benefits?

The SBID Awards are regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades in the interior design industry representing talent and design excellence across all corners of the industry.

Being named a finalist for a SBID Award is a notable achievement but being a category winner has made our studio tremendously excited and thrilled. We are truly honoured to receive this recognition, especially considering the products of all the other finalists.  

The benefits of receiving an SBID are vast but most notably the acknowledgement and exposure within the international design community. It gives immense credibility to our product to win a world class award.

What do you think made this particular design an award winner?

The simplicity of the design. It is truly a study in form and shape. It’s elegant and refined. The purity of the design comes from a simple line. Our design team didn’t want to overcomplicate it. Sometimes less is more and it’s important to keep it simple.

Having said that, the design is only as strong as those who manufacture it. So, we celebrate hollis + morris’ true craftmanship and their team for fabricating this product. It’s a true partnership and we share this great accolade with them.

Our team wanted to evoke emotion, we hope everyone who sees the fixture is inspired and curious by the design.

Tell us about the creative process behind the Boga Collection – what inspired the design, and how did you approach bringing the initial concept to life to ensure it functions effectively?

Boga, which takes its origins from the Old English word “bow” was inspired by the wonders of how wood can be transformed. The bow in archery is so powerful and we wanted to emulate that with a lighting fixture.

Inspired by narrow natural wood material, the Boga Collection pendants maximize the surface area available to emit light, delivering glow with absolutely no shadowing. The substantive solid wood frame supports its elongated scale and lends to its striking yet whimsical presence. Customizable, and dimmable from cool to warm tone, with wood finishes offered in primarily natural ash, walnut and black stain, the Boga Collection is an elegant complement to any residential, hospitality or commercial interior.

As for bringing this concept to life, we had to ensure to was structurally sound. So, we 3D printed small samples then a full-size model once we had our design perfected. Each pendant is milled out of one natural wood piece using 5-axis CNC technology to follow the natural curve of the wood grain. The design teams focused on creating a pendant that embodies a natural wood grain finish that flows into the piece with intentional joinery resulting in a pristine and clean aesthetic.

What are the most important considerations when designing lighting solutions? How far does II BY IV’s background in interiors influence the products you design?

First and foremost, it must be able to be fabricated. You can’t create a super complex design that will only make it to the prototype stage. Also, you must keep in mind finances. The cost of fabrication directly leads to retail price. We keep in mind fabrication in order for it to be affordable or what we like to call ‘affordable luxury’. We wanted this piece to have a mass market appeal with a high-end look.

The materiality is a huge consideration as well. For all our projects, we factor in the environmental aspects. Minimizing our carbon footprint is very important to our studio so we ensure it is locally sourced and fabricated.

Our background of over 30 years in interiors definitely influences and contributes to how we approach the products we create. We think about how specifiers and the public can use it in their spaces. Ensuring the product can have as many applications as possible.

After all, light is so very crucial to a space, without lighting there is no design.

Now that you’ve won an SBID Award, what are the next steps? Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?

We are always planning our next steps at REPUBLIC of II BY IV. We have more lighting lines being developed with local and international manufactures, working with existing, well-known brands as well as completely new brands. We are also launching a brand-new wallcovering line. 

Our studio has a lot planned for 2022 so be sure to follow us to stay up-to-date! @republicofiibyiv

What advice can you give to young designers starting out in the design industry?

This is such a great question and many thoughts come to mind but the one that sticks out the most is, dare to be yourself. Authenticity is what lasts in this industry. Don’t just follow the trend, start the trend.

It’s imperative to have your own point of view on design and always push the envelope. Be willing to take risks and dare to be different. You need to stand out in this business.

Focus on materials that do not harm the environment and don’t just design for the sake of designing. Always design with a solution in mind. Add your clever take to the design and be mindful of the craft. Celebrate as much as possible and look for inspiration everywhere.

Questions answered by Dan Menchions and Keith Rushbrook, Partners of II BY IV DESIGN and REPUBLIC of II BY IV, proud members of SBID for over a decade.

SBID caught up with this year’s SBID International Design Awards sponsor for the Public Space Design category. Dominik Cienciala, Business Development Manager at Sans Souci talks about how the Czech provider of tailor-made light fixtures use their refined skill, expertise and drive for innovation in the art of decorative glass fixtures to deliver superior lighting and glass solutions for interior designers.

What are the origins of your brand?

Sans Souci is a Czech designer, solution maker and producer of decorative glass lighting fixtures, glass objects and architectural features. Our know-how combines many years of experience, knowledge of blending traditional production of crystal installations with latest technologies such as nano-coating, as well as 3D printing. Our bespoke installations can be found across the world, from the USA to Japan, either in hotels, private residencies or super yachts.

How do you work with interior designers?

We closely cooperate with interior designers from the beginning until the end of a project. The company has representatives across the world, who are experts in glass objects, lighting and delivering the best solutions. Our aim is to collect information about a project through personal meetings and discussions over mood boards. Our internal designers work alongside with clients and we develop visualisations and concepts together. Then we deliver drawings, final solutions and moving to our production. We focus on smooth and effective cooperation which leads to stunning installations and the client’s satisfaction.

What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?

Sans Souci is understood as an explorer and visionary in the glass industry. Our vision is to deliver great and quick service with innovative solutions. Therefore, we educate designers and partners about our capabilities as well as latest technologies. For instance, our nano-coating technology uplifts the characteristics of glass with practical features such as anti-reflex properties and unique colour finishes.

How does your offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?

We are flexible and quickly responding to the demands. In close cooperation with our production in the Crystal Valley in the Czech Republic, we give immediate answers about the production feasibility. Also, our trained representatives are capable of delivering immediate solutions and benefits of crystal finishes. We also believe that crystal and natural light plays a significant role in lighting up the spaces and designers/clients can benefit from our know-how, uniqueness, flexibility and follow the latest trends in natural settings of interiors.

Why did you want to become a sponsor for the SBID Awards?

Our cooperation started 7 years ago and its an honour for us. Through this opportunity we believe we can raise the visibility of Czech crystal production beyond the Czech republic and educate the world about our heritage, tradition and innovation.

The SBID International Design Awards winners for 2019 will be announced on Friday 25th October! 

To book a table to attend this year’s prestigious Awards, click here

To find out more about sponsoring the SBID International Design Awards next year, click here

With the New Year upon us, The Society of British and International Design have given us another exciting and inspiring opportunity to network and learn at 2014’s first Continuing Professional Development networking event. This month’s agenda was lighting design, an evening filled with talks from both commercial and residential industry experts, along with a panel discussion on the increasing use of LED lighting in design.

A handful of SBID members and guests filled the impressive Roca London Gallery, a highly stimulating, curvaceous space designed around the themes of water and fluidity, from the eponymous Zaha Hadid Architects.

First to present was Calvin Caunter of Vision Accendo, commercial LED lighting specialists. Calvin emphasised the numerous benefits of LEDs vs. incandescent lighting, including their energy efficiency, their longer life cycles and low maintenance properties, as well as the long term financial advantages.

Lucy Martin, Design Director at the award-winning John Cullen lighting, delivered an engaging presentation on the fundamental importance of lighting in residential spaces. She touched on the emotive and behavioural impact that lighting has on us, along with the visual control that lighting grants us – enabling us to create focal points around our architectural features, to make smaller spaces appear larger and to make large spaces more manageable. The consideration of surfaces and finishes was also discussed; the way these elements will affect the colour of the lighting and therefore the overall mood of the space. Lucy’s persuasive approach during the talk allowed her genuine passion for lighting to resonate and the overall importance she places on educating people into truly understanding the impact of good lighting design.

The third and final speaker for the evening was Kevin Grant of Buro Happold Lighting. With a portfolio of large-scale commercial lighting projects in London, LA and Saudi Arabia to name a few, Kevin provided us with an interesting and impressive overview of the company and their approach to challenges associated with lighting. With spaces in which natural lighting is required but limited, Kevin discussed their use of sun blocking, a technique to channel natural sunlight into a space through tubes which reflect and refract the light, whilst at the same time blocking out the sun’s negative UV affects.

The inspiring talks were followed by a Q&A session. An opportunity for Vanessa Brady, President of SBID, along with audience members, to pose questions to the speakers and to challenge some of the points raised. Issues such as the quality of LED manufacturing in many parts of Asia vs. Europe were debated; how to compete with a thriving market elsewhere in the world. The consideration of obsolescence in LED lighting products from design to implementation was another point of interest discussed.

With the overall thought for the evening, ‘LED is the future’, I was no doubt more convinced of this conclusion by the end of the event. With the lights dimming, I left the curvaceous tunnels of the gallery inspired by the wealth of knowledge I’d accumulated on the subject and the invaluable conversations I’d had with others in attendance.