The SBID UK Interior Design Icons were selected to recognise leading design practices throughout the UK who have consistently displayed exceptional standards within our esteemed industry network.
This week’s instalment of the SBID Icon Insights series features Quadrant Design. They are an award winning boutique agency providing interior, environmental and digital design services for brands and individuals.
For us, it is all about utilising and placing the right skill sets for the right piece of work. We recognise skills and expertise so often we will work collaboratively throughout the company, bringing in team members for key areas of a project where best suited. We do a lot of workshopping which always starts with pen and paper, scribbling out and drafting our thoughts and visions between us. We also love to collaborate with other boutique agencies and suppliers where we value their expertise for a specific part of a project to make it the best it can be.
Between us, we are forever travelling the country and globe seeking the latest openings and drops from brands, however for us, it isn't just about physical spaces to visit, it's keeping an eye on online trends, fashion, new brands, new exhibitions & movements which inspire our creative vision. Keeping up to date with these trends help us stay on top of the ever changing dynamics of how people shop, eat, play & work. Being based in Soho also allows us to be inspired daily, just walking out our front door on Berwick Street we are forever discovering new pop ups, immersive experiences and soaking up the undeniable energy of Soho.
We also have a monthly whole company workshop where we showcase our latest work, as projects are delivered so quickly it's an opportunity to celebrate the work achieved by the team and what we learnt from that project.
We are forever educating ourselves with the latest materials and methods which enhance the sustainability of a design. As a company, we have an in-house FF&E designer who focuses purely on materials and organises monthly CPD’s for the company to have access to the latest materials, products and suppliers. We also attend trade shows and explore what other brands have done in their physical spaces, exploring and discovering how materials and processes have been used in different ways.
As cost and timescales can often be a challenge when specifying sustainable materials, we always try to approach materiality as early as possible in a project timeline to ensure that we can achieve the desired effect.
It really is all about having a great brief. Our style must be in sync with brands we are designing for so our talent is in pivoting and adapting our style between clients to ensure it is authentic to the brand. Our approach always starts however, with a deep dive research period where we really get to know the brand. This may involve researching the history or a brand or may be working in their spaces, speaking to the team and the customers to really understand the essence of the brand.
Eton in New York is one of our most iconic - located down the world famous Madison Avenue and the first flagship in the USA for Swedish menswear brand Eton. We started working with ETON Shirts in March 2023 to create their global design concept for both Shop in Shop concession spaces as well as flagship stores worldwide.
We worked with Adidas in 2019 to complete this 5 storey Flagship store on Oxford Street, London. Adidas LDN followed on from New York and Paris, as the third new global flagship store. Initially we were brought on board to assist the main contractors, however as the project progressed we quickly assumed the role of Lead Technical Architect to deliver the project, alongside the Concept Design team in both the UK and Germany.
Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Just as we work seamlessly within our own team, we take the same approach with architects, engineers, and other consultants. With our deep experience in the process, we understand how to contribute effectively at every stage, ensuring proposals are developed on time and in line with a mutually agreed programme.
It’s always a team effort—the collective input of every consultant shapes the final outcome. The smoother and more enjoyable the process, the better the finished product. I always stress to clients when assembling a team that delivering their vision should be an enjoyable experience. But that only happens when you have the right, solutions-focused people involved. Anyone who isn’t on that same page makes the process far harder than it needs to be.
Everything we do relies on collaboration with suppliers, manufacturers, and brands, it’s integral to the process. While we select partners on a project-by-project basis to ensure the best fit, we’ve built an extensive ‘black book’ of trusted contacts over the years. This network allows us to bring in the right expertise, materials, and innovation to deliver the best results for each client. Rather than rigid partnerships, we value flexibility and the ability to curate the right team for every unique brief.
About Quadrant Design
Quadrant Design is an award winning boutique agency providing interior, environmental and digital design services for brands and individuals. A group of 25+ gifted and big-hearted people who think, create, and grow together. Every member of the team plays a vital role, each project builds on the last, and our strength comes from the way we collaborate, adapt and push each other to do our best work. We’re proud not to have a house style, we answer the brief, challenge perspectives, and expand our clients' minds from that foundation. We design spaces that don’t just look good but work hard, because great design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about product, experience, flow, and, ultimately, making the tills ring.
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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a fun and photogenic restaurant design by 2023 SBID Awards Finalist, Quadrant Design.
Quadrant Design was commissioned to design and specify the finishes for EL&N London in Atelier La Vie.
SBID Awards Category: Restaurant Design
Practice: Quadrant Design
Project: EL&N, Atelier La Vie
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
The brief focuses on creating a completely unique concept in each EL&N cafe, allowing the customers to experience something different when visiting different branches across the globe. EL&N cafe’s want a fun atmosphere that encourages customers to take photos and share these on social media, which the brand has become recognised globally for. EL&N want to create special ‘instagrammable moments’ in each of their cafes and create an environment where customers feel that every seat is the best in the house.
The brief for every EL&N restaurant is that each should be unique in its own way, linking to the location, so we based our inspiration for this site on the French Riviera, with the development in Jeddah being fondly named Atelier La Vie taking inspiration from the French Riviera as it is positioned within a warm, large and captivating development in Jeddah. Inspired by coastal colours, geometric shapes, iconic, bespoke patterning and bold architectural arches, we created a two storey oasis where every seat is the best seat in the house.
We used a mixed palette of materials which were bright and bold in tone and texture, mixing Fabrics, solid surfaces, florals, metal chains and bespoke terrazzo finishes throughout. Many materials used for this location were created as bespoke finishes to create a truly unique space, including bespoke wall coverings, fret cut metal screening with bespoke geometric prints, custom poured terrazzo tiles, printed metallic chains which span 6m in length. We also worked with Panaz fabrics to create bespoke fabrics especially for this project, creating custom patterns and prints which linked to the styling and colour ways of the French Riviera.
The ground floor was designed as an external garden space with custom made concrete blocks to create the striking bar and cake counter, geometric flooring tiles and garden flower wall linking in with the Riviera coast. The 6m tall hanging chains with printed illustrations grabs the attention of visitors and features EL&N founder, Alexander Miller. We wanted to bring the outdoors inside by creating the ground floor terrace space which in turn allowed us to create a unique space on the first floor. We designed the space so that every single seat is the best seat in the house, with every cover having a unique and striking Instagram backdrop.
We wanted the two areas to offer a different experience, with the first floor providing a luxurious dining space with plush seating, opal lighting, custom Instagram garden swing and neon wall paneling all accessed by a floral lined staircase. We created bespoke wall coverings which adorned the staircase wall and first floor, along with a bespoke geometric fret cut brass screen which encased the stairwell.
Being positioned along the boulevard with a strong vista to the facade from the roadside, we accentuated the double story shop front facade by creating vertical illuminated portals to all of the window apertures as well as highlighting the secondary double height arches we installed within the space to really make the building sing at night time. The whole building glows proudly on the boulevard and can be seen from afar both from the road and within the development. The space also boasts of a large external dining terrace which seats 40 covers, encased with floral displays and air conditioning units & parasols to create the perfect al fresco experience.
Working between the UK and KSA, we remotely managed the project using video conferencing facilities and keeping great communication throughout the project lifespan. The most challenging element to coordinate was the ceiling custom Kriskadecor chains which needed to be coordinated with existing M&E services and structural fixing details. With the chains also being supplied from Europe, the coordination was tricky but great communication and commitment between us Quadrant Design, Kriskadecor and the local team we were able to deliver and install and beautiful feature ceiling!
We absolutely love working with EL&N, as each restaurant across the world features completely unique design and finishes. The team loved working on Atelier La Vie, creating the design concept based specifically on its location, taking inspiration from the French Riviera creating a space which feels authentically European.
We got to work with exciting colours, patterns & materials, such as Kriskadecor metal decorative chains in which we printed a bespoke illustration of EL&N’s founder, Alexander Miller and suspended it from the 6m high ceiling void. The chains also sweep across the width of the store, creating a unique waved ceiling feature made from a selection of 4 types of pink metal links.
All of the upholstery materials throughout the space were all created as bespoke graphic patterns which we then had printed to create our very own Riviera fabric collection. We wanted all of the interior elements to be customised to suit the localisation of the site as much as possible, so as well as creating our own patterns and prints for the fabrics, we also created our own wall coverings which feature bespoke illustrations and prints to link in with the EL&N brand.
The SBID Awards is a huge celebration of global talent for interior design projects and we knew it would be a privilege to be shortlisted alongside some great designer studios in a number of categories. We worked on some amazing projects last year so we entered in the hope we would get the opportunity to celebrate the teams' achievements, and reward individuals for their hard work. This was a very large space for EL&N and their first in Jeddah, the finished result is a very striking restaurant that we’re very proud to have been involved with. The restaurant has been a huge success locally and has also gained global attraction from Bloggers and Design enthusiasts who have celebrated the design from afar.
It’s been fantastic to be recognised for this project, and two other projects in different categories, at the SBID Awards. We were so proud to have created the concept for this unique project, so being shortlisted for restaurant design at the SBID Awards is the cherry on the cake.
Questions answered by Sonia Brown, Head of Design at Quadrant Design.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a rustic and sleek restaurant design by 4SPACE Design, click here to read it.
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