This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features an office design and members club. 2019 SBID Awards Finalists Squire & Partners designed this first social workspace and private members’ club by Ministry of Sound as the antithesis to a nightclub environment. Housed in a former Victorian printworks in London, light-filled flexible workspaces for 850 people are as suited to morning coffee and lunch meetings as evening networking and social events. A concept of ‘premium raw’ was established, with stripped back raw elements of the existing building contrasted with a layer of premium finish including refined furniture, artwork and lighting. The bold aesthetic delivers a distinctive and desirable offer for different sized organisations and pushes the boundaries of current workplace culture. Combining the creative and social aspects of a members’ club with dynamic workspace for those in music, film, arts, fashion and technology sectors, the aim was not just to offer a place to do business, but to provide an environment for a convivial and creative way of life.
SBID Awards: Office Design sponsored by KI Europe
Company: Squire and Partners
Project: The Ministry
Location: London, United Kingdom
Image credits: James Jones
What was the client's brief?
Ministry of Sound’s brief pushed the boundaries of current workplace culture, referencing film, art, fashion and music, and sought to create a bold aesthetic that would allow them to deliver a distinctive and desirable offer for The Ministry’s members. The space needed to adapt for an evolving series of uses over the course of a day – from working breakfasts through to social evenings – and be capable of increasing its tempo in all senses as the week progresses. Ministry of Sound required an original response that would distill the raw ingredients of its brand and extract the DNA from the historic industrial building to develop a vision that would be completely authentic to both and create something unique.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
Combining the creative, social and networking aspects of a members’ club with dynamic workspace for up to 850 people, the aim was not just to offer a place to do business but provide an environment for a convivial and creative way of life. The design concept stays true to the origins of the mother brand by retaining the bold, raw elements of the former print works and contrasting this with a layer of refined furniture, lighting and artworks to establish a ‘premium raw’ aesthetic – a stripped-back simplicity with a high-quality finish. This established a highly creative and energetic environment that transforms throughout the day and has the ability to shift tempo through the week and evolve between seasons. This concept underpinned every creative decision, from the furniture and fabrics to the branding, uniforms, fragrance and art.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
Our challenge was to create an aesthetic style for the new brand that was different from the clichés of shared workspaces and members’ clubs and create a link back to the Ministry of Sound's mother brand in a more fundamental way than displaying logos everywhere. The first thing we did was go back through the brand’s creative archive and select key characteristics that ran through its best work – we then used these as the building blocks for The Ministry, and in doing so we effectively remixed Ministry of Sound for a new industry.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
Highlights include the unexpected tequila bar outside the washrooms and the bespoke Polish ‘pajaki’ chandelier hanging above it, handmade by Karolina Merska using the same intensely coloured polymer cord as the suspended daybeds by Patricia Urquiola from Moroso that the hanging sculptures are paired with. What also stands out is the appreciation of light, smell and sound, where we carried the design aesthetic through to all of the senses using a carefully crafted layer of visual stimulus, house scents and curated soundscapes by sound architect Tom Middleton. These moments, along with guest services create a holistic experience for members and visitors.
Why did you enter the SBID Awards?
The awards celebrate international design excellence and so the chance for new work to be showcased internationally and recognised by our peers is rewarding for the whole team.
Questions answered by Maria Cheung, Director of Interior Design at Squire & Partners
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a Bejing Hotel, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a luxury hotel suite design by 2019 SBID Awards Finalist HBA. The Beijing Wang Fujing Mandarin oriental hotel is made up of 80 suites and is the only hotel in the very heart of Beijing, with amazing views of the forbidden city a few hundred meters away.
Company: HBA
Project: Wang Fujing Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Location: Beijing, China
The project inspiration came from the rich history of Wang Fujing and the Chinese courtyard mansions that used to occupy this important area of Beijing. At the centre of this project, and perhaps in a wider sense at the centre of the dialogue between the Chinese architectural tradition and modernity, is the theme of tension between privacy and intimacy versus openness.
The client’s brief was very simple and challenging: they had been discussing the possibility of planning a small luxury hotel in a property they owned in Wang Fujing for a long time; space was limited, especially in the context of Beijing where properties tend to be very large so they told us, it has to be like a small precious hidden gem.
The main inspiration was the architectural experience offered by the courtyard mansions that used to populate this area of Beijing; their conception as a series of specialized courtyards gives a sense intimacy and seemed to respond to the briefing and to our desire as architects and designers to connect with such an amazing physical and historical context.
Some time ago, When I was first put in charge of a project, I remember having a conversation with a senior executive and he told me: young man, remember that “best” is the worst enemy of “good” … In this project, because for the prestige of the owner, the amazing location and our own ambition, we were all compelled to do the absolute best and we all suffered the psychological burden of having to achieve “the best”.
“The best” is per se an unmeasurable quantity and a target that will always leave you uncertain and unsatisfied as it’s always possible to improve upon something extremely good.
The project took 8 long years, we went through many ideas and several iterations of the design, getting each time closer to what felt like increasingly good… but was it the best?
Looking back, I think we gave ourselves the biggest hurdle by setting our collective goal as achieving “the best”.
When we started this project we were in a phase of our career where our main focus was food and beverage design; so to us, the highlight of this project remains the combination MO bar and Café Zi as it represents the most mature work of our team in what has been a long time obsession: We’ve never accepted the limitation of the built environment to adapt to changes in mood, to different situations; and this combination of spaces is all about adaptation and change.
The restaurant offers 3 different menus at breakfast lunch and dinner and the MO bar transitions alongside the restaurant from a cheerful courtyard in the morning where breakfast is served to an intimate and somewhat den-like environment at night. The décor is carefully studied to constantly change at the “flip of a panel” and hopefully, it will surprise endlessly. I’d like to invite the guests to visit the restaurants at different times and find for themselves.
We consider SBID one of the few truly international design awards and we thought that entering SBID with our project was a great way to measure how close we got to designing "the best".
Questions answered by Federico Masin, Partner at HBA, and Chief Designer for MOWF.
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a Chicago residential refurbishment, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a complete townhouse conversion. Prestige Design, in collaboration with Martini Interiors, were involved in the design and construction of different rooms of the villa, among which the living area and the kitchen stand out. The latter, in white lacquered and with steel details, was arranged in a horseshoe shape and equipped with a large central island, an imposing hood and marble worktops.
The living area, on the other hand, is characterized by marble and lacquered wood furniture in pastel tones and is completed by sofas, armchairs and home accessories that give the room a unique style and a metropolitan vibe, but always in a luxury key.
Company: Prestige Design & Martini Interiors
Project: Stylish Chicago Townhouse
The customer wanted a classy classical design, thanks to which he could share his status with friends and colleagues. The furnishings had to be very welcoming and warm, for a home to live in.
The homes length was particularly narrow. This architectural characteristic inspired the entire design: custom-made furnishings to take advantage of every inch of space and symmetries.
Undoubtedly the shape of the house, which on the one hand made this project fascinating, challenging and extremely rewarding.
The coordination of the different phases, from the first design to the realization of the furnishings, up to the final installation. During each phase we checked the quality, keeping attention to detail in each step.
Questions answered by Serge Belferman, CEO and President of Prestige Designs.
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a Victorian residential refurbishment, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a beautiful stucco-fronted Victorian residence situated in St John’s Wood, a tranquil village in the heart of London that sweeps along the side of Regent’s Park.
Company: Roselind Wilson Design
Project: Carlton Hill
The owners had reached a stage in their lives where their children had left home, and it had been over a decade since they previously renovated and refurbished the property. They felt it was time for a change as their personal style and lifestyle had changed dramatically and they wanted their home to equally reflect this.
Spanning 5 floors and circa 5,000 sq. ft, Roselind Wilson Design was appointed to refurbish, including the interior architecture, interior design, and project management of this five-bedroom, five-bathroom home. The space is arranged with the entertaining areas on the lower ground and ground floors and the bedrooms on the upper floors. A sweeping staircase allows for an elegant and graceful division between the entertainment and sleeping areas, which are all set against a backdrop of exquisitely balanced proportions, harmonious symmetry and classical detailing.
The brief comprised the complete refurbishment of the existing property; revising the current layout and making changes that would befit the client’s new lifestyle; which included both now working from home. The interior also needed to consider an entertaining space to accommodate up to 16 people on various occasions and had a requirement for a formal living and informal living space as well as a suitable dining area that could be an open plan as well as accommodate more intimate dining. The kitchen and all bathrooms were to be redesigned together with new services including integrated lighting, audiovisual and security services.
The interior design and interior architecture focus on creating harmony and balance within the space. Delicate furnishings and uncluttered décor allow for timeless elegance and graceful grandeur, while the colour palette showcases neutral blues, soft greys, dusky pinks and flat whites. This perfectly marries the interiors of handsome beauty, modern-day luxury and contemporary styling. The carefully considered interior design scheme is balanced – the furniture, fabrics and colour palette all work in harmony with the architectural backdrop within the property. The tiniest of details have been used to inject colour, texture or character to create an opulent interior – from incorporating striking cornicing to adorning the walls with elegant and sophisticated light fixtures.
Without doubt, it was trying to get the enormous 3 metre by 1.5 metre porcelain tiles we specified for the master bathroom into the first floor of the property! Working alongside our contractor on various options, we came to the solution of lifting them in through the window of the adjoining dressing room with the help of a cherry picker. A successful solution and fantastic result as the tiles look absolutely stunning on the wall.
It’s incredibly rewarding to experience first-hand a client’s reaction to their completed project – this is always a highlight for us. In this instance, the design journey and close collaboration between us and our client allowed them to realise their dream home - one that is elegant and sophisticated as well as warm and inviting.
Questions answered by Roselind Wilson, Owner & Creative Director of Roselind Wilson Design.
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a residential villa, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a custom furniture design of a villa with a strong Italian vocation. Martini Interiors added essential Italian-inspired details for the luxurious kitchen, bathrooms and custom furniture.
Company: Martini Interiors
Project: Italian Style Villa
Location: Washington, DC
In this case the client of the interior design was the builder of the villa. The intent was clear from the beginning: to seek details of Italianisms to be applied to the entire villa. For this reason the famous Lecce stone has been imported for the cladding and the entrance has a reproduction of the vault of the Pantheon in Rome. Nothing can be more exciting than being able to express your being Italian in this context.
Italy, in form and substance. We wanted to give this residence all that Italy could offer through a meticulous attention to detail and a targeted insertion of classic Italian decorations.
If on the one hand we felt honoured to represent Italy in the capital of the united states in this villa, on the other hand we deeply felt its weight.
In our opinion, the bathroom and kitchen are elegant and sober, as well as showing unequivocally the idea of Italianity of the entire villa.
Questions answered by Roberto Guiotto, sales manager of Martini Interiors.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's villa design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a residential design, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a residential kitchen design by Ledbury Studio. The brief was to design a kitchen for a large new-build property on the edge of the Peak District. The clients had been in their previous home for more than 30 years and retained strong ideas as to how they would require the design to work for them at their new home.
Company: Ledbury Studio
Project: Cheshire kitchen
Location: Cheshire, United Kingdom
The fundamental requirement was to create a relaxing and comfortable space that would instantly be the heart of their home. Our clients wanted a kitchen that could just as readily accommodate a relaxed evening for husband and wife, as play host to the regular charity events that form part of their extremely busy social lives. So, the brief was about incorporating multiple ‘cherished items’ into the design, whilst maintaining impeccable functionality and achieving a unique aesthetic.
The inspiration was actually quite complex. Firstly, the finish on the cupboard doors was inspired by our client’s extensive collection of antique pewter-ware. Working with 1.5mm-thick pewter, we created an aged finish which directly empathised with the pewter pieces. We also had to incorporate display areas into the design so these treasured items could be placed on show within the kitchen.
Our second major point of inspiration was to create a kitchen with a proper furniture feel. Of course, we needed all the functionality of the best-fitted kitchen, but we also needed to integrate several pieces of antique furniture – including a sizeable Georgian mahogany break-fronted display cupboard. I decided that I could best balance my design by focussing on the freestanding credentials of my furniture.
There were two main ones – the island and the breakfast store cupboard. The island was 3.6m long, and so required joins. We had chosen a Bianco Macaubas quartzite and it took two attempts to create the best joint. On the second, we were able to achieve an extremely precise match on the unique and complex veining of the stone. We did this by photographing the slabs digitally and then generating the best match via our software program before actually executing the cut. This was made at a slight diagonal to achieve minimum open joint – it’s less than 1mm finished.
Then on the breakfast store cupboard, the large all-pewter doors opened into pockets. Each of these doors weighs over 80kg, and the fact that we achieved smoothly opening doors in this situation is a testimony to the calibre of our design and our craftsmen. The doors look amazing and work beautifully.
This was the first project sold by Ledbury Studio, so it was a massive positive for us to pitch our designs and our product against the most established high-end kitchen brands in the UK, and to win our client’s trust to carry out their project. This high stayed with us throughout the project, right to the point when the client moved in.
Questions answered by Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a modern kitchen remodel, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a residential kitchen design. The client wanted a space that seemed large and really easy to move around in, without feeling too empty, and definitely not too grand. Mark Taylor Design worked on this project for 12 weeks, inserting beams, building a glass wall, moving all plumbing and fitting a kitchen. This included designing, building and fitting a mobile island as well as flooring. The end result transformed the existing, dark kitchen into a light, open-plan area fit for entertaining and relaxing.
2019 SBID Awards Category: KBB Design Sponsored by: Vitra UK
Practice: Mark Taylor Design
Project: Skinny Shaker-style Kitchen
Location: Buckinghamshire
The clients wanted a space that seemed large and really easy to move around in, without feeling too empty, and definitely not too grand; a modern look, but not flat, or minimalist. They also wanted an island, but one for many people to stand around, not something small. It should almost create a showpiece for the kitchen. There was some debate about exactly where this should be. They wanted a table that would seat 8 to 10 people max, near the patio garden at the back of the kitchen. It was important to create a sense of light in what was a really dark space, with low ceilings and not a lot of sun. They wanted a pantry, to avoid food in cupboards, and if possible, wanted a french larder fridge, if it would fit. Ultimately, they wanted to use a combination of paint in the kitchen area and wallpaper in the sitting area, to differentiate the spaces.
A couple of things; a photograph of a 150-year-old french furniture piece which the client fell in love with, and which formed the basis of the moveable island, and the feeling of space and cleanness that a flat, concrete style floor provides in good industrial working kitchens. Just these 2 elements set us off. We had also recently designed a skinny shaker door and wanted to include this on the base units. Finally, to try and create different spaces that complimented each other. We looked at the romantic nature of a Welsh dresser, dating back 250 years, that was already in place in the old kitchen and created a warm, wallpapered area around that.
What was the toughest hurdle you/your team faced during the project?
Poor light and different, low ceiling heights made lighting a challenge. We put in place 5 different levels of lighting; floor lights to illuminate the walls and reflect off the white ceiling, mid-level lighting on the walls for creating a warm, soft ambience, task lighting placed in the ceiling above the work surface, LED linear lighting recessed into ceiling lighting channels to cast an even light across the ceiling, and; a window wall comprising 2 sets of bifold doors at the back of the kitchen, where the maximum amount of natural light could be brought into the dining space.
We were also tasked with positioning the french larder fridge in an under-stairs recess which was slightly too shallow. Our builders cleverly removed a small portion of the stair winder to accommodate this and it looks made-to-measure as a result. Another challenge was getting light into and through the walk-in pantry, so that it would feel separate from, but connected to the main kitchen was achieved by using two porthole windows in the swing doors.
What was your highlight of the project?
Completing the project, including building work to insert beams and build a glass wall, moving all plumbing to create a new utility room and larder, building a snug, designing, building and fitting a kitchen, including a mobile island and flooring – all in 12 weeks, ready for Christmas!
Did you enter the project into the SBID International Design Awards? If so, why?
Yes. Our Skinny Shaker-style kitchen is the newest addition to our MeThD custom kitchen collection and it features a beautifully modern take on a Shaker-style door. Opting for base units along one wall without any wall units created a stylish kitchen with clean lines and a more modern look. To add to the look, we designed and created a bespoke movable island unit. The end result transformed the existing, dark kitchen into a light, open-plan area where entertaining and relaxing would be key.
Questions answered by Mark Taylor, Director at Mark Taylor Design.
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a Parisian-inspired hotel public space, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a hotel public space redesign. Virserius Studio completed the second phase of the redesign of the Renaissance Paris La Défense in Summer 2018. This involved a partial renovation of the lobby, removing the existing executive lounge, and creating a destination restaurant. Virserius Studio took into consideration the owner’s concerns by blending of older existing elements like the classical towers while incorporating more contemporary design elements. The aim was for the hotel to not just be for guests but for it to be a place the public in this busy section of Paris can incorporate into their busy day, whether it’s grabbing a coffee from the brasserie kiosk or a glass of wine on the way home or meeting on important matters during the day.
SBID Awards Category: Hotel Public Space Sponsored by Viva Lagoon
Practice: Virserius Studio
Project: Renaissance Paris La Defense Hotel
Location: Paris, France
The brief for the project was to reflect the La Défense neighborhood and its surroundings through carefully curated art and lighting. This involved a partial renovation of the lobby, removing the existing executive lounge, and creating a destination restaurant. We wanted the hotel to not just be for guests but for it to be a place the public in this busy section of Paris can incorporate into their busy day, whether it’s grabbing a coffee from the brasserie kiosk or a glass of wine on the way home, or meeting on important matters during the day.
First, we wanted to pay homage to the art and fashion of Paris. However, we wanted to add elements reflecting the landscape of the beautiful French countryside, located not too far away.
Renaissance Paris La Défense belongs to 3 political districts, which presented a logistical and construction challenge. We had to file permits in each district; some were liberal, and some were more lenient. There were many stakeholders, complicating the process.
Light sculpture that spans 3 floors, focal point 50 ft, visible from everywhere, custom designed by V/S to connect all three floors to penetrate all three level. It’s handblown glass representing algae, but more like snowflake or flower.
A design excellence award distinction from SBID is one of the most prestigious a firm can receive in this industry. With each completed project, we want to present our work to a jury of peers, and recognition is always appreciated.
Questions answered by Therese Virserius, Founder and Lead Designer at Virserius Studio.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's hotel design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a residential design making use of its surrounding nature, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a lakeside residence designed for an active couple approaching retirement. The client sought to create a home that celebrated the environmentally protected nature surrounding them, where they could enjoy aging in place while granting space for another generation to visit and entertain around lake life. Nature is brought indoors through the extensive glass and is emphasised by the mixed material palette including reclaimed wood, granite, and earth-toned walls. The home’s incorporation of sustainable and accessible design elements ensures that Arcadia House will be the heart of the family for generations to come.
SBID Awards Category: Residential Design Over £1 Million Sponsored by THG Paris
Practice: Visnick & Caulfield
Project: Arcadia House
Location: Massachusetts, United States
The client wanted a home that would act as a gathering place for family and close friends. They felt the home should celebrate its natural surroundings and experience nature indoors. Most importantly, the clients, an active couple, are nearing retirement and wanted their space to accommodate aging in place.
The space is inspired by its immediate surroundings, by being immersed in nature, and by the site’s relationship to the water.
Working within the constraints of the environment proved challenging. The design and construction of the home contended with multiple setbacks surrounding the water, undeveloped land, and sloping topography throughout its uniquely shaped lot. The team overcame the environmental protections in place by using them as interest-driving constraints to derive the form and placement of the house.
Seeing the client fully immersed in their home is immensely rewarding. The highlight of the project is seeing it become a setting that we as designers envisioned – one which brings together family and friends.
We were inspired by the variety and quality of work at the SBID Awards, and hope to take part in the field with such international talent.
Questions answered by Cora Visnick, Architect at Visnick & Caulfield.
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a 1960’s inspired hotel, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a 1960's inspired Hotel Public Space. 2019 SBID Awards Finalist, Smallwood, had the challenge of ensuring a strong arrival moment for guests, given that the hotel entrance shares a lobby with the office tower and the residences. It was therefore important to give the guest a strong visual impact and to zone the arrival experience of a Waldorf Astoria that could easily compete against the multiple design languages of the adjacent office and residential lobby spaces.
Practice: Smallwood
Project: Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The client’s brief called for a mid-modern approach, and unusually for Dubai, without any cultural references to the locale but a design that reflected the styling of the exterior architecture.
The client gave the styling of the American television series “Mad Men” as the design direction, so a strong New York sixties feel to the interior architecture and FF&E was used throughout.
To create a series of zoned spaces across Level 18 that prevented square meterage from being lost to circulation. With a total interior width of 25metres and a length of over 80m, Smallwood created ‘rooms within rooms’ so that the spaces interconnected, obviating the need for multiple circulation routes.
The opportunity to design an interior of a hotel in the Middle East with a cool aesthetic very different from the more typical hotel projects in the region.
We believe SBID is a highly prestigious design awards competition and it is a great way to showcase our new projects across the region to both operators and developers.
Questions answered by Joshua Rayner Roger Judd, Interior Design Director at Smallwood.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's Hotel Design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week, featuring a charming Chicago Hotel, click here to see more.
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