Hotel Lobby Infused with the Excessive Glamour of Dubai

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a spacious hotel lobby design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Bishop Design by Paul Bishop.

What was the client's brief? 

SLS Hotels are renowned for breaking stereotypical molds, in sophisticated fashion, and The Sky Lobby at our Dubai destination is no exception. The brief itself was to create a world of true luxury, something that would leave guests overwhelmed with awe.

What inspired the design of the project?

Our creative concept became inspired by the story of Midas, infused with the SLS spirit and excessive glamour of Dubai. This narrative translates through the design and artwork, which perfectly capture these sentiments in a subtle tongue-in-cheek way, enforcing unforgettable connections with guests.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Our toughest hurdle started when we inherited the project late on and the construction had already started off the back of the previous design. It was a race against time to redesign the whole project without compromising the construction programme. There was minimal guidance from operations in terms of brand or standard hotel requirements forcing us to create one.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Even with the restrictions of the build being carried out during covid, it is known that we have now set a new benchmark for all SLS hotels going forward. An undeniable highlight for us and testament to the standard of work that was carried out.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

SBID Awards celebrate the best in design and it is events like this where validation surfaces in recognition that what we are doing is right and that our designs are of global standards.

Questions answered by Paul Bishop, Owner & Founder, Bishop Design by Paul Bishop.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a residential design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

St George's Hill is a 964-acre (3.9 km2) private estate in Weybridge, Surrey, UK, with golf and tennis clubs and approximately 420 houses. The Hill became a leisure location and home to celebrities and entrepreneurs when the land was divided into lots in the 1910s and 1920s and Walter George Tarrant built its first homes. Ringo Star, John Lennon and Sir Cliff Richard are a few of the notable people who have lived there.

Harwood House is one of the original homes; at just under 500 square metres, it sits on about 1.77 acres of land. Late Victorian in style, the house was last renovated 20 years ago and was not done to a very high standard. New rooms were added, like the conservatory; the kitchen and lounge area were opened up; and the use of rooms was changed.

What was the client's brief? 

Prior to our renovation, it was empty for three years, which meant that damp and other issues where left unattended. The main issues to sort out before moving on to the interior design were the electrics, the plumbing and the building works.

The clients wanted to use the existing floor plan, with some changes to door openings and a new kitchen and bathrooms. The old library was turned into a girl’s bedroom – we were able to use existing carpentry and change door openings. The house had five bedrooms, but we turned one into a shower room as the master bathroom didn’t have a shower. All bedrooms except one have their own bathrooms and there are two guest toilets on the ground floor.

What inspired the design of the project?

Interior design-wise, in line with the Ana Engelhorn signature style, we aimed to achieve a perfectly imperfect mix of antiques and contemporary pieces that suited the clients and the house. The clients had a lot of eclectic art, as well their own pieces from Africa, which complemented the design perfectly.

We were given free rein to choose colour and, fortunately, the clients were happy with our suggestions. Two of our main paint suppliers were Francesca’s Paints from the UK, who make bold and strong colours, and Bauwerk from Germany, who use a more washed-out, uneven look.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The biggest job was the kitchen. We overhauled it completely as the owners are avid cooks and wanted to have adequate cooking and prep areas. The two outbuildings were converted into a gym and an office, with the same style flowing from the house to the outside rooms.

There was extensive work to do with curtains and upholstery. Some of the older pieces we were able to reupholster and reuse. The furniture was a mix of what the client brought from previous homes and what we supplied from the UK and abroad.

All the lighting was new and signed off by a trusted lighting supplier to ensure that, with the daring colour scheme, the lighting effects inside the house were effective.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Overall, the project went smoothly, without too many hiccups. Amazingly, considering the renovation took place during the first Covid lockdown, the clients were able to move in on time and everyone was happy with the final result.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We entered the awards to see people’s reaction and shine a light on our work. We loved doing this project and are very proud of it. Sharing it with other interior designers hopefully inspires them in their own projects or homes.

Questions answered by Ana Engelhorn, Founder, Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a whimsical hotel suite design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Blue Sky Hospitality.

THE GYLE is an intimate 33-room hotel, crafted from three heritage-listed Victorian houses, built in 1845, located on Argyle Square, across Kings Cross station. It takes its name from the Duke of Argyle, Chief of Clan Campbell, who used to own property in the area.

What was the client's brief? 

Convert a set of three 19^th century listed buildings into an upscale boutique hotel that reflects the history of its location, drives high room rates, and acquires a high reputation.

• Optimise the internal volume and reduce impact of constraints.
• Draw inspiration from its location.
• Provide a joyful environment for staff and customers.
• Offer a unique, memorable social space.
• Enhances the neighbourhood of Kings Cross- St Pancras.

What inspired the design of the project?

The quirky boutique hotel has been conceived as a complete work of storytelling design by British artist and designer, Henry Chebaane, based on his first novel soon to be published. The design tells a story about Kings Cross and Scotland in 1880, blending facts and fiction.

The design narrative evokes the residence of a fictitious character from Nova Scotia, who while fighting a conspiracy, becomes caught in a space-time rift caused by Victorian scientists. The result is an irreverent juxtaposition of steam-age heritage, whimsical details and 21st century modernity…inspired by 19^th century St Pancras coal and gas industries, and Kings Cross steam trains to Scotland. This is manifested through a layered palette of black, silver and greys accented by moss, fern and juniper greens.

The bespoke furnishing, made in Britain are all elements of storytelling that juxtapose past and present, facts and fiction, style and humour in a quintessentially British fashion. THE GYLE is truly ‘a surreal townhouse in a real London square’.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Optimising the internal layouts to make it efficient to operate and provide a pleasant customer experiene, while respecting the Health & Safety and Grade II Heritage to maintain period internal layouts and façades.

A discrete extension was added behind the original houses, this increased the key count to 33 and provided a common footprint at ground floor, in which to set up the public areas.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The creation of a fully immersive art installation that functions as the resident lounge and whisky bar. The resin floor is a seamless image of the sky reflected in Loch Fyne, while the whole ceiling is an upside-down lawn ripped open by a 40 feet long ‘space-time’ rift from which lighting strikes and odd sounds emerge throughout the day.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We entered the SBID Awards to thank our client for the trust and confidence in our work.

Questions answered by Henry Chebaane, Creative Director, Blue Sky Hospitality.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features modern and fun bathroom designs for a contemporary apartment by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Studio Modha.

What was the client's brief? 

The client wanted a complete refurbishment of his flat, opening up the space as much as possible, drawing inspiration from hotel suites and nature around it.

This flat had not been updated in over 10-15 years. We completely refurbished the flat, transforming it from a two bed, one bathroom and one wc to a three bed property with two full bathrooms. The client requested a modern and fun scheme, which we layered with complimentary colours and features. We revamped the whole apartment, from the kitchen to sanitary ware, flooring, lighting, window treatments and hardware.

What inspired the design of the project?

The Project was based in the docklands, surrounded by so much nature, e.g. river Thames and local parks. We wanted to bring in the earthy tones and textures, for example with the terrazzo effect tiles and the warm greys, browns and blues throughout. In addition, the client wanted to feel like he was in a different space through-out the property so we used different colours and textures in each space, including dead salmon from farrow and ball. Not a colour we get to use often and definitely a brave one!

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

We had a soil pipe that was really far off the ground in the guest bathroom, and because it was in a flat we couldn't move it!  This created a huge issue as the client had his heart set on a wetroom shower. We ended up having to raise the floor significantly (a whole 25cm)  which brought up the issue of ceiling height (which wasn't huge in the first place). We ended up having to increase the height of the shower head and create 2 step ups instead of 1 to make it look like the 'step up' was intentional. Luckily it all worked out in the end and made the shower area feel even more lux!

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

It's got to be overcoming the hurdle I described in the previous question, we went back and forth for weeks thinking of a solution so you can imagine the joy when we finally came up with one. Another thing to mention is that our client didn't want to see any of the progress on site, so the look on his face when he saw it all finished was really rewarding to see.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Honestly, it was Studio Modha's first year running and one of the first projects we completed. I have always admired the caliber of designers/studios and projects within the awards and only dreamed of being a part of it. It was a huge shock when I received the congratulatory email!

Questions answered by Neha Modha, Director, Studio Modha.

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features an intricate historical bar design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, SHH.

SHH created new design strategies for The Bar at The Dorchester alongside proposals for transforming an adjacent under-utilized space into one that complimented the function of The Bar. Proposals needed to ensure that each of the spaces be versatile in that they could be used comfortably by guests, and that these guests’ needs could be functionally provided for, during mornings, afternoons and through into the evening, guaranteeing constant usage of the space throughout the whole day.

The requirements for The Bar included an ability during the day to operate as a lounge serving small plates and bar snacks, and doing so without compromising its essential use as an evening cocktail venue. The design proposal balanced display, visibility, intimacy and privacy with seating flexible enough to adjust to smaller pairings and larger groups.

Making use of a richly detailed palette of materials, the design interwove references to the history of the bar and hotel, references to the sites pre-hotel past, and to the stories and events that have taken place within its walls.

What was the client's brief? 

A significant amount of time had passed since The Bar had been refurbished, so the first part of the brief called for a new design that better reflected the character of the hotel and its brand, the buildings architecture, and the interiors of the other public areas within The Dorchester.

Secondly, a solution was needed that would allow the space to extend its operating hours beyond solely evenings, enabling it to be used comfortably by guests throughout the whole day.

The third part of the brief was to propose uses for an adjacent mezzanine area, and for which we designed a day-service tea room that could transform into an intimate evening whiskey and cigar bar.

What inspired the design of the project?

Honestly, we were spoilt for choice when it came to inspiration.

There was the personality of the bar manager Giuliano Morandin and stories of past guests and long-term residents like Sir Percival David, the collector of Chinese porcelain who kept large parts of his collection in his suite at the hotel and which was subsequently bequeathed to the British Museum.

There is the building itself which is that hybrid of Art Deco and Classicism. And period interior details such as fluted panelling; hand-painted wall panels depicting equestrian activities in Hyde Park; colour palettes combining gold, blues and greens.

And then there was Dorchester House that use to occupy the site and was the home of the Earl of Dorchester, the 3^rd Marquess of Hertford, and towards the end of its life the home of the American Ambassador whose guests included Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt. When the house was demolished one of its chimney pieces entered into the collections of the V&A.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The Bar at The Dorchester was last refurbished in 2006 and whilst the refurbished bar had a character of its own it felt alien to the rest of the hotel. The bar manager emphasised that existing guests and patrons were very attached to spaces in The Dorchester, meaning that any proposed changes needed to be done with sensitivity, addressing the desires of these existing guests at the same time as creating new appeal to attract a new generation.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The most amazing thing was designing a space within a building that had a history of its own, with its own stories to tell, architecturally and about the people who have and continue to pass through its doors. Digging into this past created extremely fertile ground around which we could build our design.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The SBID provides a great platform for recognition to practices who wish to showcase their work to a talented audience by bringing together high standards of work from across the world.

Questions answered by Brendan Heath, Director Hospitality & Commercial Interiors, SHH.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a colourful and design-led kitchen design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Pikcells.

What was the client's brief? 

To create a 'Kitchen of the Year' focusing on current trends such as working from home. With the kitchen space being the hub of the home and centre of different social activities, it must be suitable for not only cooking, but the kids doing homework and serving as a multifunctional entertainment space.

What inspired the design of the project?

We did research into the current use of kitchen space, how work from home areas are being adapted from other spaces (in our case we used what would have been a boot room). Colour and pattern trends also inspired the design using green and pink hues, chequered terrazzo tiles, marble worktops and backsplashes, as well as internal crittall doors creating a 'broken-plan' space and pantries.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Working within a more attainable size setting whilst still being able to incorporate all of the design features we just mentioned.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Creating a bold, impactful colour palette for the scheme, and also successfully incorporating a functional desk area into the design to improve the client's lifestyle and use of their kitchen space.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We felt the design was strongly influenced by current trends and consumer needs for kitchen environments, designed for modern living. Also it showcases that luxury-looking bespoke kitchens can still be attainable and affordable.

Questions answered by Tanya Bailey, Senior Interior Designer, Pikcells.

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a dual café design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, 4SPACE Design.

What was the client's brief? 

The client wants to elevate the interiors of Coffeetea's new branch in Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) that will reflect its branding identity and the story behind the name “Coffeetea”.

What inspired the design of the project?

Coffee, tea, or both? Give it a gentle stir and get ready to indulge your taste buds in a unique blend of taste and flavors. This unique perspective gave 4SPACE an idea on how to elevate the interiors of the new branch of Coffeetea located at the financial hub of Dubai, DIFC.

This 200 sqm café has a split concept that is derived from having a split personality between a coffee lover or a tea lover. The green represents tea and the brown represents coffee. It’s a very literal translation but the result is outstanding. A distinctive visual style that creates an inviting destination and international appeal. This café is designed to offer an experience that disconnects customers from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The ceiling design was inspired by the coffee bean in its original form while it’s on the Arabica Tree; the green preserved moss replicates the leaves while the red glass characterizes raw coffee beans. On the floor, we used a German Technology called Stein Art, an exclusive sandstone that gives the space a distinctive mood.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Aside from the tight deadline, the client has a tight budget as well. As designers, it is our responsibility to look for alternative solutions that will suit the client's budget but are still aesthetically appealing and functional.

We sourced materials which are available locally and are sustainable (with low VOC). We made sure that all the materials being installed are durable and as per the original design intent.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The symmetrical pattern of arches on the wall and the floor provides layers and design features that are very minimalist and refreshing. The façade projects a sense of grandeur welcoming the customers with a vivid and nostalgic color palette. There’s a feature for brick walls with recessed plants in the shape of a tree that promotes a biophilic approach. To add the feeling of an outdoor backyard, a window with droplets was created to deliver a cozy ambiance. The contrasting hard and soft colors and design details reflect the characters enhanced by the branding integrated into the café through the signage.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We’ve been participating SBID awards for 7 years, and our Co-founders are both SBID Members. We believe on its vision and so we are always proud to share our projects to the SBID audience, this time it is “Coffeetea”. 4SPACE have designed and created an imaginative and evocative space that has a relaxed and indulgent atmosphere; a hospitality experience infused with local café culture.

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

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a residential home design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, The Furniture Union.

What was the client's brief? 

The client approached us with a sentimental and emotive brief, to refurbish and redesign her mother’s house – the home she grew up in. The home is steeped in family history and fond memories.  Situated on a beautiful and rural winding country road in Dorset, ‘Dorset Place’ stands opposite a picturesque village church. What looks from the front of the property to be a detached, red brick two storey home deceives the eye.

The objective was to create a family home, suited to entertaining and building on the family ethos of memories and quality time spent together. It was also a fabulous example of self-expression; the client who themselves was the founder of an interior design practice. Her keen eye for design and naturally explorative nature made this project an exceptional example of design meets functionality. Toying with adventurous and modern finishes, technology and sumptuous furnishings an entire space was formed with a collective concept.

What inspired the design of the project?

What can only be described as a visual “Tardis”, the front door leads to an extended open plan living space; divided from the exquisite garden with sliding, full height glazed doors. The glazed doors to the garden completely slide back onto return flanks, allowing the first floor to hang in space! The first floor is cantilevered over the living space, kitchen and terrace. We took inspiration from Le Corbusier’s open plan approach, bringing the outdoors inside. The poured concrete floor finish runs seamlessly throughout the property and extends into the garden to form the terrace space outdoors.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The staircase proved to be the toughest hurdle getting the position right In the centre of the floor plan, we positioned a floating staircase, casting the first few treads in poured concrete, the rest of the staircase transcends into black veneered treads and wall panelling to tie in the black wooden floor that runs fluidly through the first floor. We created a sculptural chandelier arrangement to hand down from a raft ceiling with an ambient glow around the perimeter.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The clients en suite was completely clad in Dekton Laurent, with brushed copper brassware and black glass basins, which float on a black and walnut wall hung unit. With a range of suppliers such as Antonio Lupi, Geberit and Gessi the key design element here ties in the darker aesthetic found on the first floor.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

This exceptional home is contemporary with flare, personality and built on family values. We believe the house expresses our company values and showcases our teams skill in everyway.

Questions answered by Bella Gough, Design Director, The Furniture Union.

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a daring yet cosy apartment design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, IDA SRL & RS Interiores.

Take a tour!

What was the client's brief? 

Our client was looking to design their home, an apartment with earthy tones. They had not thought of any style or hadn't stumbled upon ideas that they would have liked in detail.

What inspired the design of the project?

The inspiration for this design came from my clients own personality, once we sat down to talk about them, I had the picture in mind of what their home would look like. A sleek super simple yet edgy design, industrial yet comforting spaces.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The hardest hurdle to overcome was choosing the correct colour tones, shades of neutral and nude colours to go along with such a daring yet laid back design concept.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

I just loved the way everything came together, from the textures, colour tones and overall furnishings.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

I have been an SBID Member and former winner for a few years now; I believe in the community, we are a group of professionals in design who support each other and push each other to be better - this is why I enter the SBID awards each year.

Questions answered by Rosadela Serulle, Head Interior & Lighting Designer, IDA SRL & RS Interiores.

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a modern high-tech office and urban farm design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Wolter & Yu.

Within a factory in an industrial district of Hong Kong is the future of farming - a high-tech urban aquaponics farm, sustainably growing high quality vegetables and flowers.
Part office and part grow room, the design takes the concept of flexibility and mobility to the extreme: Ceiling-mounted, bi-folding glass panels create a private meeting room when needed, but opens up the whole room for other needs. Dry erasable paint, is applied across the entire office wall, facilitating the free flow of ideas. Height-adjustable desks and ergonomic chairs create comfort for employees, behind HDTVs displaying operational metrics.

The plant room uses 3D printed plant walls mounted onto movable archival track shelves to create dense vertical grow farms. Nutrient rich water from a fish tank and electricity to power perpendicular panels of light are funnelled across the ceiling and down each movable shelf. This allows the farm to adjust the distance between each light panel according to the requirement of different types of vegetation, while excess water is filtered and returned to the fish tank, creating a closed ecosystem. The result is a sustainable, compact, flexible office and urban farm design. You can view a virtual tour here.

What was the client's brief? 

The brief for Full Nature was to convert a 180sqm unit in an old high-rise factory building in Hong Kong, into a high-tech urban farm that specialises in growing sustainable, aquaponic vegetables and edible flowers. The office is divided into 4 areas: 1. Entrance corridor, pantry & print zone; 2. Office Area (work zone & meeting zone); 3. Farm / Grow Area and 4. Washrooms & Shower.

The design responds to the client’s objective to find ways to improve sustainable farming. While aquaponics uses fewer resources compared to traditional farming, the design is a multidisciplinary approach to create use space more efficiently by introducing flexibility for both the company and the product. More importantly, we created a scalable modular system for the grow area by tackling product as well as spatial design.

What inspired the design of the project?

The words flexibility and mobility really drove the concept – instead of creating spaces that are dedicated to hosting clients and visitors, or plant rooms with corridors between each rack of plants planted in soil, we sought an intersection of design: hospitality, office and coworking, product, agriculture, and technology. For example, by using 3D printing to create vertical pockets of vegetation, we reduced the amount of soil needed, vertical water pipes mean no excess water would pool in one area but not another, and the amount of light and electricity required to run the whole farm was significantly reduced. It is definitely an unconventional project. We ventured into a collaboration where Full Nature had the urban farming know how, and we brought in our design knowledge, to create a comfortable office design that was also doing something good for our planet.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Definitely space – one of the biggest tasks was to increase as much production as possible, without the detriment to the office and its employees. We wanted people to also feel happy to work there, and for guests to come in and feel in awe of the product. So we used only glass to divide the office room from the plant room: Every day you are going to work in an industrial building but no view, but you get greenery and bright warm light coming through while you work! The other difficulty was when we were designing the movable track system – trying to get water and electricity connected to long heavy shelves that move is very difficult and took some trial and error. We created prototypes with 3D printing to test out our ideas until we found a solution that worked.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The nature of the project is unique, current and forward-thinking. It’s not every day a client who wants to improve farming approaches you and says ‘I want to increase efficiency of my office and farm, but also make it look good!’ It’s a project that responds to current global issues, sustainability, limitation of resources and space. When we first started talking about this project, we found it was so well received amongst industry leaders but also the general public, so it’s a great feeling to have our design doing something good for our city, and having the great response to it afterwards.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The esteemed SBID awards is well known, well regarded and well received. We wanted to share our experience and work with other designers and industry leaders. Being an SBID  finalist is an honour, and we look forward to entering other interesting projects in the near future!

Questions answered by Christina Yu, Lead Designer, Wolter & Yu.