April Issue - Designer Magazine by designerati Magazine

THE MINIMALIST ISSUE APRIL 2021 248

designer LESS IS MORE THE ART OF KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 / ISSUE 248

Welcome to the April issue of Designer. An age-old conundrum for creatives over the generations has been to try to understand what exactly makes good design. It is one of the most subjective of matters, which is why coming up with a true definition is probably impossible. The closest we’re likely to get are the words of iconic German industrial designer Dieter Rams, whose 10 principles of design serve as the most honest and hard-to-dispute outline you’re likely to find. His list covers all the main bases – including how good design has to make a product useful, is innovative, and aesthetic. He even addresses the need to be environmentally-friendly, evidence of how far ahead of his time Rams really was given that he was speaking of obsolescence being a design crime way back in the 1970s, when sustainability was not widely seen as the same urgent proposition that it is today. But Rams arguably saved the most thoughtprovoking of his principles until last. Number 10 on the list – good design is as little design as possible. Designing by subtraction – taking away to reach the end result rather than adding more and more – is one of the most delicate and taxing skills, not least because it goes against the human urge to keep adding to a creative work, whether it is an interior design scheme, a painting, a piece of music, or indeed a magazine article.

M ar t in Martin Allen-Smith Editor, Designer

e: martin@thedsgroup.co.uk w: designerati.co.uk

@designeratiUK designeratiUK @designeratiUK

SOCIAL

Devotees of traditional and classical design will always prefer to see more detail than some of the minimalist examples we feature this month… but as a guiding principle for getting design right, less really is more.

designerati

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 / ISSUE 248

CONTENTS 28

58 8 SOURCE Our monthly round-up of the people, products and events that matter from across the design sector

36 SINGULAR VISION Designed by design studio Barber Osgerby, AXOR’s new tap range is minimalist in style but with plenty of aesthetic character

16 SHOWROOMS A visit to Carvetii Town and Country Interiors in Carlisle

42 FIRM FOUNDATIONS Often overlooked, flooring can be the vital base on which all great interior schemes are built We consider some of the options

18 EVOLVING MINIMALISM Minimalist design has grown from stark and cold to something more typically clean, simple, but characterful 28 SPACE MAKERS A marriage of minimal design and maximal functionality can be found in this 50 sq m home designed for a family of five

54 CAPTURING THE ESSENCE The design of a high-end spa aims to bring a subtle touch of Morocco to the wellness experience 58 MASTER MAGICIAN Mark Boddington, Chairman of Silverlining, talks to Anna-Marie Casas about three decades

at the top and how materials continue to shape his world 62 DARING TO BE DIFFERENT With nods to its historic surroundings, this London office project pays close attention to detail in creating a fresh alternative to the more traditional spaces in the area 66 EXIT A new exhibition examines the creative parallels and interrelations between East and West German design between 1949 and 1989

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 / ISSUE 248

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EDITORIAL EDITOR MARTIN ALLEN-SMITH martin@thedsgroup.co.uk PUBLISHING PUBLISHING DIRECTOR CLARA DEEKS clara@thedsgroup.co.uk MANAGING DIRECTOR ALLISTAIR HUNTER OPERATIONS DIRECTOR TRACY MEAD ADVERTISING PORTFOLIO MANAGER STUART SINCLAIR stuart@thedsgroup.co.uk

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

Going Green

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

designerati.co.uk USM has introduced a new range of plant accessories that bring nature into the heart of the home with all of the associated health benefits. With an easy-to-integrate design, the new offering is a modular solution for the USM Haller modular furniture system that allows customised greenery to be added to various areas of life. This includes panels with pot cut-outs, specially-designed pots and a watering set. The panels are available in 5 sizes and 14 colours, while the pots come in one size and two colours (terracotta and basalt). The system is suitable for both office and home settings, and can be combined with the USM Haller E lighting solution to offer targeted lighting or dimming for the plants in public or private spaces to create a warm and intimate atmosphere. The new accessories can also be integrated into existing USM furniture configurations.

USM / usm.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

Full Circle Furniture brand Vitra has created its first product made from high-quality upcycled household waste. The first product selected to be manufactured in this new material is the Tip Ton chair, which Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby developed together with Vitra in 2011 and celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The new version is called Tip Ton RE.

amount of glass fibre. No further dyes are added; the grey of Tip Ton RE is the natural colour of the processed recycled material without any additional colourants, causing it to exhibit minute flecks of pigmentation, which makes the surface more vibrant and gives it depth. Tip Ton RE itself is 100% recyclable at the end of its product life span.

To achieve the necessary level of stability and quality, the recycled material is supplemented with a small

Christian Grosen Rasmussen, Chief Design Officer at Vitra, said: “We wanted to keep the material as clean as

possible, so what you see is what you get. In the grey there are tiny speckles of other colours, that will vary a little from chair to chair. But for me that adds interest, it pushes our perception of what plastic is. The slight variation in the recycled material adds depth and gives it a story, like the way the structure of a piece of wood tells you how the tree grew.”

Vitra / vitra.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

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KEUCO’s Royal Midas shower light has a large integrated shower head to deliver a combination of water and lighting through an all-in-one product. The shower light can be set or dimmed between 6500 kelvin (day light) and 2700 kelvin (warm white), allowing the user to have a brighter ‘day light’ shower with a warming effect for body in the morning, with a softer light option during an evening shower to create a relaxing ambience.

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Acquabella’s new Mini compact sinks have been design with small spaces in mind. With a width of 400mm, they are fitted with an inbuilt towel rail in a choice of polished steel or matt black. Fabricated using the Spanish manufacturer’s composite material – Akron – it is available in 10 standard colours, six natural neutral tones and over 2200 custom colours making it possible to create a totally individual look. The Mini’s wall-mounted design can be used in pairs where space allows.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

Clear the Air Appliance brand Gaggenau has launched its Vario downdraft ventilation 400 series. The downdraft ventilation module works in combination with all the Vario cooktop options from the same range – including electric grill, Teppan Yaki, gas cooktop, wok burner and induction cooktop – to create a tailored cooking space. The downdraft ventilation is controlled using Gaggenau’s front-mounted stainless-steel knobs, aligning with the control knobs of the other products in the range. It can also be set to its automatic function, which allows it to self-regulate its power settings during the cooking process. Gaggenau / gaggenau.com/gb 15

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE SHOWROOMS

Carlisle-based Carvetii Town and Country Interiors has recently re-branded and refurbished its towncentre showroom space. Led by CEO and Chief Designer Roy Sweetman, its team of designers handle all aspects of projects and create schemes for all rooms of the house, with furniture created and manufactured in the company’s own workshop in Kendal. This striking contemporary kitchen is the star of the showroom however. The design features oak slatted panelling and oak insets and drawers for the kitchen, with Buster + Punch pendant lighting and LEM seating in black lacquer with black leather seats, a grey smoked mirror, and a Zip Cube tap in matt black. The worktop is a mix of 10mm thick matt black glass and Sensa granite worktop and sink. The kitchen includes a multifunction oven is a Siemens IQ700, with a IQ700 flexInduction hob. The look is completed with a colour-matched Westin extractor.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE SHOWROOMS

CARVETII Carvetii Town and Country Interiors / Victoria House, Victoria Viaduct, Carlise, Cumbria, CA3 8EZ / carvetii-interiors.co.uk

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

EVOLVING MINIMALISM Minimalist design has grown from stark and cold to something more typically clean, simple, but characterful Simple geometric shapes and patterns have long fascinated Spanish architect Basilio Inglesias Lobatón. Over the last decade his practice, Bia Arquitectes, has become synonymous with the design of cool and contemporary homes. Often, these are for high-spec villas, built using the very best, locally sourced materials. One of his latest and most ambitious projects was for a sophisticated beachside retreat, located on the southern coast of Spain in El Puerto de Santa Maria, near Cadiz. Looking to reflect, and enhance, the vernacular of this sophisticated, sun-drenched region, he embraced his preference for clean lines and unfussy minimalism. Conceptually, he wanted to create a space in which the owner could make their mark rather than allowing the architect to dictate it for them. The house would act as a blank canvas which could adapt to the aesthetic and artistic preference of whoever lived there.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

The use of curves within the design was reduced to a minimum, with the architect instead focusing on squares and cuboids to realise his vision. This is yet another example of his drive to minimise visual complexity, demonstrating beauty in simplicity. Lobatón’s preference for architectural lucidity was not solely limited to the building’s design, extending to the choice of materials used. He chose Neolith’s sintered stone for much of the project, using it in its Arctic White and Basalt Black forms to create light and dark contrasts. Although Lobatón was keen to deliver a minimalist building, he had to ensure the property possessed a unique character. Merely using one material to surface the whole home ran the risk of creating a cold, clinical and impersonal atmosphere, so he was keen to incorporate points of visual interest to complement the monochromatic space without dominating it.

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Bia Arquitectes / biz.studio Neolith / neolith.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

SkiDeal is an Israeli tourism company specializing in full-package ski vacations in European resorts. The design for the company’s offices in Netanya, Israel, was to harness the materials, colours, ambience and experiential elements of the world of skiing. The objective was to design a ski environment within the office space that sits in complete contrast to the dry desert climate of its Israeli surroundings, presenting an alternative reality to the outside world. The primary focus of the project was to create an environment where employees and customers would genuinely feel as if they were entering a ski resort. While many design projects incorporate surrounding landscapes as a complement, the SkiDeal office’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea presented views that stood in contrast to the theme of the space. “In addition to the main concept of creating a ski environment, we were very cognoscente of the fact that this is a functional office, so our approach also focused on noise reduction that facilitates the transition,” said Designer Keren Offner. “In terms of ambiance, our choice of materials and colors serve to transition people to the skiing world.” One of the challenges to the overall design was balancing the intimacy of the environment with the concept of an open office space. The solution came in the form of glass walls with pinewood frames, and office divisions that pass through drywall openings. The space’s light grey walls and smooth concrete floors frame a colourful ski world of blue skies, white snow, and green pine trees. All of the office furniture is white, and the lighting design accentuates the architecture to emphasise divisions of space and create focal points. Warm lighting throughout the space creates a cosy environment, while a combined lighting/acoustic solution implemented in the sales area conjures up hints of mountain views. OK Design / ok-design.co.il

Photography: Amit Geron

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

London-based TR Studio worked on this large four-storey family house, excavating a full basement under the existing property to create a family living area. The house had an unusual layout. The living area was on the first floor of the house, and the ground floor had a gym, a study and a bedroom. In reconfiguring the spaces, the ground floor was re-worked to contain three bedrooms with ensuite for three of the children, alongside a cloakroom and utility room. After the renovation the house now has seven bedrooms in total. The basement contains a large open plan living area for the children and with the client having a keen interest in wine, the design saw the addition of a ‘wine wall’ viewable across the courtyard. The architects designed a large courtyard to provide plenty of natural light into the basement floor. The floors in the new basement were finished with a poured concrete, which offsets against the bespoke wall to wall oak storage, injecting warmth to the overall palette. Antique brass accents carry across the joinery, creating a continuous datum and adding a touch of luxury. Tom Rutt, Founder of TR Studio, said: “The property was a 1970’s unusual end of terrace property with a concrete frame construction, and a variety of large glazed openings. The interior sought to reflect the modernity of the building and provide a calm backdrop to the family’s busy lives. The sleek and minimal aesthetic was particularly suited to the basement spaces in allowing the focus to be on the natural light rather than overly fussy detailing.” TR Studio / trstudio.co.uk

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

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Pocket House, designed by Whiting Architects in collaboration with Fisher & Paykel, cleverly utilises every inch of useable space in this minimalist Melbourne terrace. The architects liken the design and construction process of the space – measuring 96 sq m – to ‘building a ship in a bottle’ due to the restricted site access. The house is furnished with Fisher & Paykel appliances which seamlessly blend into the kitchen cabinetry. With integrated appliances, the architects were able to utilise the space on offer without disturbing the minimalist design, allowing a seamless movement between the living, dining, utility and kitchen areas. “The selection of appliances from Fisher & Paykel allowed us to make the most efficient use of space, and in a tight area this made a big difference” says Josie Somerville, Whiting Architects’ Design Coordinator. “When selecting appliances for a project, we like everything to complement each other and work together. The appliances are well designed and slimline, tying them in with the simple and monochrome palette of the kitchen.” Whiting Architects / whitingarchitects.com Fisher & Paykel / fisherpaykel.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

Photography: Maxime Brouillet

The office design for the headquarters of software brand Lightspeed was designed by ACDF Architecture. The space in Montréal, Canada, was conceived to maximize space to accommodate more than 640 employees and transform 10,000 sq ft of storage space into a functional network of training rooms, meeting facilities, and work zones. It was the latest phase of a larger office design scheme on the site. “In keeping with the same conceptual approach as the previous phases, enhancement of the heritage character of the space was a core focus,” said Joan Renaud, Partner and a member of the ACDF design team. “That being said, rehabilitating the attic presented numerous challenges, which undeniably guided each of our design and spatial planning decisions.” In addition to addressing a narrow, cramped, and linear space, ACDF was faced with several constraints inherent in the redesign of heritage buildings, including regulatory issues. To meet emergency exit requirements, the firm constructed a new evacuation corridor for the 6th-floor boardroom, crossing through the exposed wood structure of the attic in order to connect to an existing exit. A further challenge involved developing an exterior roof insulation strategy, allowing the exposed wooden beams of the roof’s interior to remain part of the space’s design. The firm also addressed the issue of limited natural light penetration by devising and implementing an ambient lighting scheme. ACDF Architecture / acdf.ca/en/

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

SPACE MAKERS

A marriage of minimal design and maximal functionality can be found in this 50 sq m home designed for a family of five

ith a real estate market always under pressure and the growing attraction of Paris both locally and globally, small housing is becoming an undeniable reality in the French capital. Small apartments and related challenges have all become more relevant in the context of lockdown when people need to study and work from home. Over the last three years, architecture practice l’atelier has worked on the design of more than 40 small apartments in and around the city, developing a track record for helping clients make the most of limited space. Past schemes for

Photography: Tim Van de Velde

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

example, have included converting a garret (or “chambre de bonne”) into an apartment, adding a bedroom for a new child to an already constricted apartment, or as in this project, designing a family apartment with 10 sqm per person. This project began with a rather surprising apartment tour with a new client. This client had recently bought an old apartment in the south of Paris, and he was looking for an architect to work on a quite ambitious project: converting this 50 sq m one-bedroom apartment into a home for a family of five, comprising a couple and three children aged 18, 15 and 7). The client had seen about some of l’atelier’s past work online and hoped they would be able to meet the challenge given their past work in small housing and small space optimization. L’atelier started the design process with the diagnostic phase. Pierre Escobar, Owner of l’atelier, said: “This step is a crucial one as it reveals the opportunities and constraints of a project. This methodology is inspired by the creative design process in urbanism, where they use the analysis of the neighbourhood as a source of inspiration to design a project.”

For this apartment, the diagnostic phase highlighted several elements. First, the overall floor plan of the apartment is almost square, which is an advantage in order to fit all the required spaces. Then, despite its small size, the apartment runs from the front to the back of the building and is only seven meters long, so every space will benefit from maximum natural light. Finally, the 3m-high ceiling offers lots of opportunities for verticalization. The only constraint in the project is the load-bearing

wall running across the width of the apartment, but this wall already has three openings, allowing flow between each side. Based on these elements, l’atelier decided to create a living area running from front to back of the building to take advantage of the morning and evening light. This space is staggered to create open subspaces, a kitchen and dining room on one side, and a living room on the other. The entrance is integrated as part of this living area, at the junction of the two subspaces.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

Then, the architects – led by project manager Yvanna Herbé, with Lucas Jalife – chose to design a compact and vertical area for the bathroom and the children’s bedrooms. In the boys’ bedroom, there are two 1m-high sleeping alcoves; one is located above the bathroom, and the other one is under the elder daughter’s bedroom. This latter sleeping area is reachable via a Donald Judd-esque staircase in the living room. Another important factor in this project was timing. The two eldest children were soon to be independent, and the request was to design an apartment that can adapt and evolve so that there would eventually be only one bedroom left after the children had left home. Pierre Escobar, Owner of l’atelier, said: “In response to this, we staged the project in three different phases, and included a few easily movable partitions in the floor plan. As of today, the apartment can accommodate five people, and this layout will remain as is for the next three years.

“When the two eldest children leave, the parents’ bedroom wall will be removed to create a bigger living room. Finally, in about ten years, when the youngest boy leaves, the two remaining bedrooms will connect to make a larger bedroom for the parents.” The choice of materials also played a key role in this project. To make the apartment feel more spacious, l’atelier used the same material for all doors and windows; light-coloured pine wood from Poland with a generous yet fairly uniform pattern. Very light pine wood was also used for the floor to optimise natural light.

The Architectural Journey l’atelier describes itself as a ‘nomadic’ architecture studio, based across Europe but not fixed to one location. Owner Pierre Escobar explains: “l’atelier is nomadic. We do not have an official workspace. We work on site, in co-working spaces, cafés, on dropbox, at the train station, on zoom. “But we do have a list of favourite places: Berlin is where we feel home, Brussels is where we interact with inspiring architects, Switzerland is home to our mentors, Albania is where we find inspiration, Paris is where we have most of our clients, and Buenos Aires is home to some of our best architects.”

l’atelier / latelier.work 32

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE B AT H R O O M S

Singular Vision Designed by design studio Barber Osgerby, AXOR’s new tap range is minimalist in style but with plenty of aesthetic character…

ix years after its first collaboration with designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, bathroom brand AXOR has introduced the latest new addition to its range. AXOR One has been created with what the brand describes as a ‘holistic design language’ of slender silhouettes, flat surfaces, soft corners and balanced proportions. Featuring Hansgrohe’s Select function selection technology, the brassware allows the user to press down on its all-in-one controller to start or stop the water, turn clockwise to increase the temperature.

How do you challenge the archetype? Through the pursuit of art and science, invention and interaction. AXOR One provokes the memory of water but heralds a new way of controlling it that is much more precise and incredibly reﬁned. These products are unique, made possible through our design thinking, and realised by the incredible engineering of AXOR. Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE B AT H R O O M S

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE B AT H R O O M S

Mechanical tap handles enable precise, water-saving on/off and temperate control. The thermostat uses large and responsive paddle handles to offer control of spray types for shower or bath, while a large thermostat handle provides precise control of temperature and volume. The overhead and handheld showers feature monolithic forms and a range of Rain and PowderRain spray types, reflected in the distinctive graphic style of

the showerhead’s spray disc. The showerpipe is a combination of overhead shower, hand-held shower, wall bar and wall outlet. Following the introduction of the interactive control element for the shower (2015) and the corresponding hand-held shower (2017), the AXOR One collection includes new complementary products for basin, bath and shower. In total, the AXOR One collection comprises 31 products, including

one-hole, two-hole and three-hole taps, wall-mounted taps, a floor-standing bath filler with hand-held shower, and the AXOR One thermostatic module for bath or shower. Choices in the shower category include overhead showers that combine both Rain and PowderRain spray types, a hand-held shower that features PowderRain, and a showerpipe and shower set with integrated wall outlet. Products are available in chrome, matt black and AXOR’s FinishPlus surfaces.

AXOR / axor-design.com/uk Barber Osgerby / barberosgerby.com

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SLEEK, CHIC & UNIQUE Bring a touch of luxury and unique styling to any kitchen with the new Wi6161 fully integrated undercounter wine cabinet. The innovative design allows you to create a bespoke frame to match your kitchen cabinets, ensuring seamless integration and an uninterrupted finish. With brilliant performance this model has been developed to store red, white and even sparkling wine in optimum conditions. The Wi6161 features perfect temperature, humidity and air circulation controls, with unrivalled low vibration technology to minimise disturbance, protecting the wines’ complex flavours. Always choose Caple for complete confidence in your wine cabinet.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE ADVERTORIAL

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Natural Waltham Oak

Olchon Oak White

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE

Grey Triestino Terrazzo

Anthracite Jura Slate

ADVERTORIAL

The new EGGER PRO Flooring Collection 2021+ is packed full of new decors, available in a variety of thicknesses, board formats and styles. Designed for flooring professionals, it is the latest instalment in the PRO Flooring Collection series, following the success of 2018-2020. Available now, the collection comprises 177 decors across three ranges: PRO Laminate, PRO Comfort and PRO GreenTec. It offers an unrivalled range of choice and flexibility, providing a flooring solution for nearly all aspects of interior design. The design experts at EGGER have categorized all 177 decors into four interior styles. This includes the addition of 69 new decors, which bring the latest design trends to life in both private and commercial settings. Highlighted styles include: Future Retro, with marble, terrazzo and walnut making a powerful comeback; Pure Nature, offering a series a natural, cracked and knotted oaks; Perfect Imperfection, combining rustic and industrial designs with traditional and herringbone styles to create impact; and Light Urban, providing fresh and light designs that fit with the ever-popular Scandinavian style. To support the PRO 2021+ collection, EGGER has developed two innovative digital tools, a Floor Finder and Room Visualiser. Get product and decor recommendations from the Floor Finder based on customer requirements, and upload a project photo to the Room Visualiser to try out different decors. For the first time, distribution customers will be able to choose from 245 PRO Laminate, 25 PRO Comfort and 25 PRO GreenTec products, to create a portfolio perfectly suited to their needs. Each range has been refreshed for PRO 2021+ with upgraded products, realistic textures and a new flexible CLIC it! installation system. They all have bespoke benefits that contribute towards a safe, long lasting, comfortable and functional floor. PRO Laminate is an all-rounder, easy care, hygienic and durable. Available with Aqua+ technology for areas that require water resistance. PRO Comfort is warm, soft and quiet. It features specialist cork layers that maintain heat and absorb sound. PRO Design Flooring GreenTec is robust, water resistant and eco-friendly. It has a class 33 and R10 slip rating so it is suitable for commercial interiors that require a hardwearing floor. All floorboards are manufactured using sustainably sourced, PEFC certified wood fibres, from timber harvested from sustainable forests, and are 100% PVC-free with no softeners or toxic dyes.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Firm Foundations Often overlooked, flooring can be the vital base on which all great interior schemes are built. We consider some of the options

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Flooring manufacturer Interface and interior fit out and refurbishment company DP Designs helped to design a 400 sq m office space for communications agency Liquid. The Birmingham location accommodates PR professionals, designers and marketers, all with differing requirements from their workspace. This meant that Liquid wanted to create a variety of spaces to suit all styles of working, from dedicated quiet areas for concentration to open plan areas for collaboration. Elly-May Horton, Designer at DP Designs, said: “When designing the layout for this office, we created names for the various zones. One is called ‘The Allotment’ – the aim of this space is to bring elements we see outdoors inside the workplace. To support this biophilic approach, we used the mossy textures from Interface’s Human Connections collection which invokes the natural cues we seek in our busy lives. Liquid are also one of the first PR companies in the UK to have a demonstration kitchen in their offices and this was a very important part of the design, we used the flooring to mark out this space to make sure it flowed through to ‘The Allotment’.” To complement the natural patterns of Human Connections, Interface’s Works Fluid was introduced into the design. This product reflects the natural ripples of water to create distinctive visual effects through undulating lines that flow horizontally. To contrast the natural aesthetics, the flooring was integrated with Works Balance, taking inspiration from the architectural perspectives of tall city skyscrapers – a nod to Birmingham’s buildings and industrial heritage. To further promote diversity and movement, the design incorporated the World Woven collection. It is inspired by some of the world’s most interesting textiles, from Scottish tweed to natural wool, meaning that the range brings a distinctive, handcrafted feel to the space. For high traffic areas, Interface’s nature inspired Textured Woodgrains LVT range was used to provide some contrasting and durable aesthetics. Interface / interface.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Above left The new All Round collection from CTD Architectural Tiles is suitable for all project types, from residential kitchens and leisure facilities to restaurants and bars. The range is available in four monochromatic colourways and in six shapes in a glazed porcelain gloss finish. The modular system creates a seamless continuation across all edges and corners, moulding joins and angles resulting in a smooth and uninterrupted appearance. CTD Architectural Tiles / ctdarchitecturaltiles.co.uk Top right UK composite decking and cladding brand Composite Prime has launched

its first product for the interiors market. Touchstone Flooring is a waterproof flooring system that is fire, scratch and indent resistant and has been manufactured with a textured 3D surface to deliver the aesthetics of solid or engineered wood and stone flooring. The new product is suitable for bathrooms and kitchens, is available in 16 finishes and comes with an acoustic underlay. Composite Prime / composite-prime.com Above right IVC Commercial’s Ceppo terrazzo-look LVT and Balanced Hues carpet tiles have been used across 800 sq m of floor space in the Aberdeen offices of EY UK, specified by Wellwood Leslie Architects.

With a design that draws inspiration from EY’s brand, Wellwood Leslie created a floorplan that reflects the angles of the company’s logo and which gives the open plan space multiple layers, simultaneously identifying areas. Mixing between luxury vinyl tiles installed on Flex Pro underlay and carpet tiles has also helped to improve acoustics within the space. Wellwood Leslie has teamed Moduleo 55 Tiles Ceppo 46921, a high-performance LVT in a terrazzo effect, with the duo-tone Balanced Hues 989 carpet tile. The coordinated palette defines areas with transitions from one material to the other. IVC Commercial / ivc-commercial.com

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Play it Your Way Through the multiple shapes of our Studio Moods modular vinyl concept you can unlock affordable bespoke floors off the shelf. With 107 patterns that are available from stock, Studio Moods makes it easy to bring your projects floors that stand out from the crowd. Responsibly made in Belgium using renewable energy and with 50% recycled content, Studio Moods lets you play it your way. ivc-commercial.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Lundhs was used for the flooring and sculptural statement pieces in the high fashion FWSS concept store in Oslo. The scheme includes the manufacturer’s Royal, Blue and Emerald products. Lundhs / lundhsrealstone.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Above left Terrazzo Light Grey tiles from the BerryAlloc Pure luxury vinyl tile (LVT) range by IDS measure 612mm x 612mm x 5mm, and are compatible for use with water-piped underfloor heating systems. IDS / idsurfaces.co.uk Top right British flooring manufacturer Amtico has launched its new nature-inspired Form collection. The hardwearing LVT flooring is designed to suit a variety of commercial applications, including hospitality, retail and office environments. The range is made up of 36 wood and stone versions and three textures of Natural Wood Grain, Emboss Wood, and Ceramic Emboss. Form is also available in four additional laying patterns: Parquet; Basket Weave; Pavestone; and Hex. Amtico / amtico.com/commercial Above right and right Oak Drift Wood Oiled wood flooring from The Natural Wood Floor Company, available in three board sizes. Natural Wood Flooring Company / naturalwoodfloor.co.uk

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Product Shishu Stitch [-CO2] and Sashiko Stitch

LESS CARBON IN THE ATMOSPHERE. MORE BEAUTY ON YOUR FLOOR. The Embodied Beauty™ collection is designed to help restore the health of the planet and lower the carbon footprint of your space with style. The collection features a range of beautiful carpet tile designs, including our first-ever cradle to gate carbon negative products in three unique styles: Shishu Stitch, Tokyo Texture, and Zen Stitch. The collection is inspired by the Japanese aesthetics of minimalism, restoration, and the organic beauty of the natural world. From narrow monochromatic patterns to large scale graphic tufted textures, these styles all combine and contrast tastefully. The Embodied Beauty collection lives up to its name and shows that the pursuits of beautiful design and sustainability are inseparable. In addition to the three cradle-to-gate carbon negative styles, as part of Interface’s commitment to Climate Take Back™, all of the styles that are featured within the collection are carbon neutral across their full product life cycle. Together, we can build a healthier planet. +44 (0)800 313 4465 ukcustomerservices@interface.com interface.com/embodiedbeauty

interface.com #lovecarbon

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Chymia, a collaboration between Mutina and Laboratorio Avallone is the latest porcelain tile collection available from Parkside. Black forms the basis of the design, in a distinctive tone created by designer Gennaro Avallone, with patterns taking on various shades of black all the way through to white. Each of the 22 (11 black, 11 white) designs in the range is obtained by combining the principle black and white structures with 11 patterned textures, achieving a tile that can be used randomly in monochrome compositions. The collection involved research on glazes and raw materials, along with the combination of traditional applications and modern technology to achieve the absolute colours used. Chymia is available in 30 x 30cm porcelain tiles for wall or floor use, supplied in individual patterns in black or white. Parkside / parkside.co.uk

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Tarkett is releasing the new ultra-realistic modular vinyl collection, iD Inspiration. The range uses high-deﬁnition digital printing technology to capture the beauty of wood and stone with subtle details in grain, texture and colour. iD Inspiration is phthalate-free and printed with water-based inks and achieves enhanced environmental and indoor air quality standards. Tarkett / Tarkett.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE FLOORING

Top Moduleo has expanded its latest collection, LayRed, with four new wood designs, 24 new shades and a new larger plank size. The update brings new colours across Moduleo’s wood designs of Sierra Oak, Laurel Oak, Country Oak and Mountain Oak. Moduleo / moduleo.co.uk Above EGGER introduced its EGGER PRO Flooring Collection earlier this year. The range builds on the manufacturer’s existing offering with upgraded products, new decors, realistic textures and a new flexible ‘CLIC it!’ installation system. Designed for both private and commercial interiors, the wood-based collection comprises Laminate, Comfort and Design GreenTec flooring. EGGER / egger.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

Capturing the Essence The design of a high-end spa aims to bring a subtle touch of Morocco to the wellness experience

Photography: Oculis Project

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

AAZ Wellness & Beauty is a spa located in Dubai’s Jumeirah neighbourhood designed by interior design firm VSHD Design Dubai and its Founder Rania Hamed. Set across two floors, its interiors are reflective of Moroccan and Berber heritage combined with minimalistic modern design elements. Traditional Moroccan and Berber architectural and design elements can be found throughout the spa, dressing each space in a look inherent to Moroccan culture and history, with a particular focus on elements from southern Morocco.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

The design of ZAAZ, which took 12 months to complete, required the sourcing of specific material, custom-design elements, and heritage items, including Tadelakt, a waterproof plaster made in Morocco, for the hammam on the second floor. There are also

specially-made Zellij tiles, which can be found throughout the spa. A distinct feature of ZAAZ is its simplicity. The spa provides a taste of Morocco in an understated way, focusing on the beauty of the materials, the lighting, lines, and proportions inherent in each spa.

The design of the space attempts to uphold Morocco’s aesthetic traditions and heritage as well as its renowned beauty rituals through a minimalistic design rich in materials that offers a sense of peace, serenity, and escape.

VSHD Design / vshd.net

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE MINIMALIST DESIGN

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE INTERVIEW – MARK BODDINGTON

THE MASTER MAGICIAN Mark Boddington, Chairman of Silverlining, talks to Anna-Marie Casas about three decades at the top and how materials continue to shape his world

Monochromatic Glow, Provenance Collection

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE

e’s a scion of the famous brewing family who opted out of the beer business in favour of a life at the bench and drawing board. Mark Boddington’s love affair with furniture-making started at the tender age of five and has led to an illustrious career ‘making magic’, as he calls it, as one of the industry’s leading names. From Hollywood commissions for David Bowie, Madonna and Tom Ford to designing pieces for the world’s most luxurious superyachts. We catch up with Boddington as Silverlining, the double-winning Queen’s Award for Enterprise company he founded 35 years ago and continues to lead, launches its latest collection, Provenance. DESIGNER: You started Silverlining because you wanted to ‘create furniture that is unlike anything else’. What were the essential components that underpinned this ambition? Boddington: My love affair with furniture making started at the age of five when, together with my mother, I made my first bookcase. In school holidays, we visited National Trust properties such as Harwood Hall, Petworth, and Saltram House and Chatworth where I witnessed the very best art, design and craft of the past, such as Grinling Gibbons, Thomas Chippendale, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Robert Adam and William Turner. My mother read widely and had a natural flair for the arts and crafts, which also ran in the family through generations. Her grandfather, George Rae, was well-known for his patronage of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and his commissioning and acquisition of works, including Rosetti’s The Beloved, commissioned in 1863 for £300. I believe the essential components of my ambition were a natural curiosity for the world around me as well as broad interests – from my love of the arts to the passion for vintage cars and an eye for the

INTERVIEW – MARK BODDINGTON

latest technologies. It’s the alchemy of these elements that led me to the founding of Silverlining and creating furniture that borrows from various industries and genres, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces. DESIGNER: Has the formula evolved or been changed in any way over the last 35 years? Boddington: Whilst the formula didn’t change, my role in the process of making Silverlining furniture has. As the business has grown, I have built a team of talented designers, makers, engineers, and project managers, each bringing their expertise to the process of designing the Silverlining pieces, with every team member sharing my ambitions and curiosity for their specialism. It’s the coming together of great minds and outstanding skills that contribute to what we call ‘making magic’. I believe Silverlining provides a place where young designers and makers can flourish without the worries of running a business – self-employment without the responsibility.

Mark Boddington

DESIGNER: How does your design process work? Boddington: The process of ‘making magic’ can be experienced at the heart of our workshops, where designers, craftsmen and women from across the world come together to test the limits of contemporary furniture making. At the marquetry workshop, a-state-of the-art £140,000 laser cutting machine translates designers’ drawings into precisely cut pieces while at the leatherwork workshop, ‘Big Bertha’, a 75-year-old, 10-tonne German press, is used to create the most intricate patterns using embossing plates created on a robotic CNC router. Further departments include research and innovation, leatherwork, cabinet making, and finishing with Silverlining’s made-toorder pieces often combining skills from across the workshops.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE INTERVIEW – MARK BODDINGTON

Big Bang, Elements of Time

Collaboration, exchange of ideas, and having an open, perceptive mind are essential to our design process. It’s what our clients love about working with us – that with a piece of furniture, we can tell a rich and compelling story, one in which international inspirations coming together in a one-of-a-kind aesthetic. DESIGNER: Sourcing materials is a never-ending pursuit for you. What drives you? Boddington: Curiosity and play, first and foremost. It’s very rewarding to find new materials to work with, or to think differently about materials that are widely available, and through new design techniques and processes turn them into what I like to call ‘neo-luxury’. And secondly, together with the team, I love testing the limits of 21st-century craftsmanship, finding materials that we can put under a variety of processes, to create new and unexpected finishes. Our material research and development also focus on working with sustainable materials and materials traditionally considered as ‘waste’. We increasingly use new sustainable techniques to give those materials a new lease of life. Once a month, all the company can spend an afternoon doing whatever they like – we call it ‘Innovation Friday’. It’s amazing if you say to people, “do what you want”, what they invent.

Aztec Apexes from the Provenance Collection

DESIGNER: What’s the biggest material challenge in designing a bespoke piece? Boddington: The challenges vary from piece to piece, as all our designs are made to order for our clients. The making of our new Aztec Apexes finish, from the Provenance Collection, for example, involved an unusual process of stacking leather to achieve three-dimensional inverted pyramid shapes, cascading out into Santos rosewood and ebony inlaid marquetry with etched metallised resin decoration. It’s the first time such a finish has been applied on a 3D object at the Silverlining workshop. For the Monochromatic Glow finish, on the other hand, we worked tirelessly to create a striking combination of perforated soft fir wood and smart material called Fenix. The two together, with the addition of a 3D triangular pattern and LED backlight, resulting in a striking contemporary finish, reminiscent of the finest watch and automotive designs. DESIGNER: Which material takes your breath away? Boddington: I’m entranced with new materials and new ways of working with traditional materials. At heart though, I’m always drawn to the honesty of working with wood. That’s how I started my journey, under the mentorship of John Makepeace.

Wood is an amazing sustainable material that is found in all sorts of colours and patterns; it provides our everyday needs from when we enter the world to when we leave this world, it provides shelter and heat, and in my world, it allows us to create lasting low-carbon objects that will be used and admired by many generations to come. DESIGNER: And your least favourite material? Boddington: I don’t think I have one. I’m an optimist at heart and love the challenge of finding solutions when working with unusual materials, or ones that might be hard to manipulate at first. Very often, it’s at the point of pushing through that feeling of discomfort, where innovation happens. DESIGNER: How much of a consideration is sustainability in the materials you choose? Boddington: Sustainability was the key focus for one of the most recent collections, ‘Elements of Time’. It’s been a key consideration, not only when choosing the materials we work with, but also when finding ways of working with waste and implementing sustainable processes. We have been working alongside the Welsh Bangor University‘s BioComposites Centre to achieve new and fully sustainable techniques for wood and plant fibre bleaching, bonding, dyeing, and finishing.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE INTERVIEW – MARK BODDINGTON

Molten Helix, Provenance Collection

The Big Bang design from the collection is a result of an investigation on how to create decorative finishes from small fragments of wood veneer and other leftover materials. These elements can be seen at the centre of the design, surrounded by rhomboidshaped fragments of blue-dyed quilted maple, rippled sycamore, and myrtle wood veneer. The fragments are retrieved from the wood waste of laser cutting and suspended in bio-resin derived as a by-product of the corn and soya to create a luxury finish. For the Lunar Halo design, we have worked with oak which is a sustainable plantation grown species found all over Europe. Non-toxic salt bleaching whitens the oak and the traditional Japanese charring technique called ‘Shou sugi ban’ creates a deep charcoal-black – taking an ordinary oak finish to a new, naturally citrus, waxed black and white finish. One of my personal favourites is the Prussian Vectors finish. Here, we have disguised waste scratched leather with decorative carved/ gouged and heat-indented lines. The design also uses plantation grown teak with a natural, non-toxic salt bleach finish. DESIGNER: How much has technology changed the way you do things? Boddington: Technology has always been an integral part of my work.

Prussian Vectors, Elements of Time

At Silverlining, we pride ourselves on a design process that sits at the nexus of design, craftsmanship, and innovation. Our research and development department is on a constant lookout for new technologies we can work with, to champion the progressive nature of our work. What excites us the most is the ability to combine these technologies with time-honoured craftsmanship techniques, to create truly unique pieces. Having said this, when I started, things were made mostly using basic machines with extensive use of hand tools – there were no computers, CNC routers, sanders, laser cutters or 3D printers. Machine technology and material science allows us to exploit the very best of today in design, materials, craftsmanship structure and finish. DESIGNER: Tell us more about the Provenance Collection and what has inspired it? Boddington: Provenance – from the French ‘provenir’, meaning ‘to come from’ – is the place of origin, but more importantly the beginning of something. It is the start of a journey, a client’s vision made real. It is the story of a maker’s craft, the inspiration behind a designer’s creative spark, and the discovery of unique material. It is creating a legacy. With every design from this new collection, we wanted to test the

limits of traditional materials and new techniques. From the lasercut and sand-shaded feathers of the Floating Feather sample to the polished metal ribbons and urushi lacquer of the Molten Helix, the Provenance Collection finishes also combine time-honoured techniques and traditional craftsmanship with new materials and surprising contemporary combinations. Global inspirations are at the heart of the Provenance Collection, responding to the interests of our international clientele. From constructivism to Piet Mondrian’s work, the terraced fields of Asia to Monarch butterflies’ migration, each Provenance collection design encapsulates the beauty of the arts, nature, and travels. DESIGNER: What exciting projects are coming up for Silverlining for the rest of this year? Boddington: We’re currently working on several residential projects in Asia that include very large, three-store-high leather and wood marquetry contemporary artworks, a private nightclub in the Middle East, an office and coastal house in the East and West coast of America, and one of the largest, most innovative, hydrogen-powered yachts in the world.

Silverlining / silverliningfurniture.com

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE W O R K S PA C E D E S I G N

DARING TO BE DIFFERENT

With nods to its historic surroundings, this London office project pays close attention to detail to create a fresh alternative to the more traditional spaces in the area

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE W O R K S PA C E D E S I G N

Photography: Freddie Marriage

hite Red Architects have completed an eye-catching 9,000 sq ft office refurbishment in London’s Covent Garden. 12-13 Henrietta Street comprises the refurbishment of speculative office space for client Royal London, including a new reception and common parts, taking inspiration from the surroundings and the nearby London Transport Museum. The architects’ aim was to give this historic building back some of its personality, and a stronger character that would connect it positively with the people that work there. They decided to step back from the traditional approach of focussing on the office floor plate and instead designed the shared reception as the centre of the scheme. Joe Haire, Director at White Red Architects, said: “We didn’t want this to be just another indistinct, speculative office project. There was an opportunity in this historic

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE WORKS PP LACE DESIGN

building to tackle the challenge of office refurbishment differently and create something that prospective users might be really fond of. We were determined to adopt a daring design in this prestigious location and were grateful that our client embraced this approach.” The shared reception area is the key component. Being visible from the street and the first space you enter, it is vitally important to the overall sense of the building. It has been designed to double-up as both a traditional reception, controlling the flow of people into the building, but also as a space that invites users to wait, to socialise or work, making it a natural extension of the office spaces above. A solid oak ‘dining’ table occupies the centre of the space, inviting groups to sit and talk while more discreet high benches around the perimeter and in the windows are placed for individuals to sit and work. This activity in the building’s entrance makes for a more attractive space to spend time and is an attempt to activate a previously dormant facade.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE W O R K S PA C E D E S I G N

Colour and shape have been used to add character. Racing green is already present throughout much of Covent Garden and this classical colour has been carried through the building in paint, floor resin, handmade tiles and acoustic panels, linking the spaces together. The distinctive arches that line the reception come from the beautiful Victorian ironwork of the semicircular green windows of the London Transport Museum nearby. Also key to the character of the building is its historic facade. After years of neglect and pollution, the stone mouldings, brickwork and metalwork had dissolved into the background. The facade was thoroughly cleaned, brickwork repointed with lime mortar and the metalwork repainted, bringing the frontage back to life. The central attribute of the office floors is the racing green ductwork with golden ‘top hat’ diffusers against the structure of the concrete waffle slab above. Exposing structure and services is not typically seen in commercial spaces in this more traditional part of Central London, and so it was crucial that this was designed and set out neatly.

White Red Architects worked closely with the M&E consultant in Revit to design and model every conduit, duct and detector. These were reflected in the developing CGIs and passed on to the contractor during construction, allowing the team to collectively control the process and be confident of the outcome. The services are fed by a central spine running down the centre of the long floor plates, concealed with a raft of acoustic panels. These panels are made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. The fit-out and finish of the two office floors were approached differently. The third floor is finished as far as Cat A and more traditionally without colour, whilst the second floor is finished to Cat B, in full colour and includes meeting rooms, floor finishes, kitchen, desks, sofas and storage. This is the show floor and immediately ready for a prospective tenant to move in and start work. The furniture and furnishings have been selected in line with the character of the design and is intended to offer something bolder and more adventurous in what is typically a very reserved office market.

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE EXIT

EXIT

One last thing from this month’s magazine…

Clockwise from top left: ★ Otl Aicher pictogram for the1972 Munich Olympics (courtesy of ERCO) ★ Peter Ghyczy's Garden Egg Chair, 1968 (photo: Jurgen Hans) ★ Fall of the Berlin Wall, 12 November 1989 (photo: Tim Wegner / laif) ★ Kangaroo chair by Ernst Moeckl, 1971 (photo: Jurgen Hans) ★ GDR women's fashion, 1978 (photo: akg-images / Gunter Rabitzsch) ★ Multi-receiver radio designed by Dieter Rams, 1963, and Stereo-Phonosuper by Rams and Hans Gugelot, 1956/60 (photos: Andreas Sutterlin)

A new exhibition explores the dynamic and bold design output from across Germany during the years it was divided between East and West. ‘German Design: 1949 – 1989 Two Countries, One History’, presents an overview of post-war design in two Germanies, offering a comparative selection of design from East and West and

profiling ideological and aesthetic differences as well as parallels and interrelations between the two very different societies and cultures during this time. Exhibits range from iconic pieces of furniture and lamps to graphic, industrial, and interior design to fashion, textiles, and personal ornaments.

The exhibition runs at the Vitra Design Museum in Will am Rhein, Germany, until 5 September. The museum will also be hosting a series of online opening days on both its YouTube channel and Instagram Live until 8 April 2021.

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WORKING FROM HOME Integrate a space to work from home with Crown Lifespace which perfectly complements your kitchen or bedroom. Crown Imperial has been innovating for over 75 years. Become a retailer with one of the finest furniture manufacturers in Great Britain for long lasting success. CROWN - INNOVATIVE THINKING

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K I T C H E N B E D R O O M LI VI N G

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