Creatives in the name of Sir Terence Conran

The artist working on the sculpture in Carrara marble, a modern interpretation of a moment of reflection and suffering with which humanity has identified for centuries.

© Massimiliano Ricci - www.creeo.it - instagram.com/massimilianoricci_ph

Tim Bowder-Ridger, Principal Partner at Conran and Partners, talks about the legacy left by the founder, how they work as a collective of creatives between London and Hong Kong, their new headquarters in Clerkenwell, their upcoming projects and their design approach: “Individuality is key”

Conran and Partners is the architecture and interior design practice, based in London and Hong Kong, founded by Sir Terence Conran, renowned for designing contemporary ways of living. One year since his passing, the founder he left a big legacy: “Terence clearly had an enormous influence on Conran and Partners, and in particular through the way we look at design”, says Tim Bowder-Ridger, Principal Partner at Conran and Partners. “One of Terence’s greatest strengths was the curation of creatives. This approach of bringing together different creative viewpoints into a coherent approach remains fundamental to our practice”. With a unique approach: “Besides designing thoughtful, beautiful and award-winning places to live, our role as designers is to create a backdrop for neighbourhoods to naturally evolve. There is no doubt that bringing people into the design journey is where the magic evolves, ensuring we create a place with authenticity and meaning”.

author: Francesca Gugliotta portrait photo: courtesy of Conran and Partners projects photo: Philip Durrant, Toby Mitchell, Forward Stroke, Taran Wilkhu It is one year since Sir Terence Conran passing, what is the legacy he left you? Terence clearly had an enormous influence on Conran and Partners, and in particular through the way we look at design. Our approach continues to be disciplined by common sensibilities centred around keeping things simple, honest but also joyful. Personally, having worked with Terence for almost 2 and a half decades, he also passed onto me an enduringly love for the good things in life, of course great design, but also a broader lifestyle built around the joy of eating and drinking with newly acquired friends (something he credited to his time in France as a young man), often our clients or collaborators. More often than not, in these occasions barriers come down and creative discussions and relationships begin and endure.

You have recently moved into a new HQ in Clerkenwell, London, designed by you. How did you imagine the space? And how did the new post-pandemic way of working affect the project? 2021 has been a year of re-calibration for us as a practice, following a period of great change including moving to a new location. In many ways, the turbulence of the last couple of years gave us the opportunity to reconsider what we wanted and needed to thrive and grow in the future. Moving to a new studio, which we were able to design ourselves, enabled us to physically manifest our design approach to modern workplace. After nearly 18 months of remote working, we wanted to create a space in which people not only can, but actually want to spend their time. The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the blending of people’s lifestyles, and our new studio has been designed to provide a release from the claustrophobia of working from home and offering a variety of environments that enable us to come together as a team, collaborators and friends. Fluid and varied spaces with tactile and intimate materials and lighting, are all designed with a view to enhance the creative energy in a supportive and collaborative environment.

The Penthouse at LUMA, a residential development by Argent in King’s Cross, London

Kita Aoyama, a residential development in Tokyo, Japan

Among your recent projects, there is Luma Penthouse, a luxury penthouse in Kings Cross for developer Argent. Please, could you tell about the project, and, in general, how is the residential market transforming in London? We were commissioned by Argent to design the interiors at Luma, a new boutique residential development in the heart of King’s Cross. Taking inspiration from our hotel design experience, as part of this we also designed and dressed the penthouse, coming together as the culmination of the project as a whole. Our design was centred around creating a sense of calmness and tranquillity, with a focus on bespoke, carefully sourced and curated elements that bring a peaceful quality and allows you to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind you. Whilst remaining in the heart of a new urban neighbourhood. Along with workplace, the pandemic has been a watershed for residential development, particularly in UK cities. For some years now residential design has followed the lead of hospitality, and this has now been accelerated by the expectation that people will be spending more time in their homes. It will therefore be unviable to deliver schemes that do not include the amenity and break-out spaces one would expect in a quality hotel, nor will it be possible to design

without a consideration for homeworking – even if it requires apartments, in particular to get a little more generous. However, in our cities we must ensure that projects have a desirable and unique sense of place and spirit that attracts people away from the romantic drift to the countryside, now that is made so much easier by technology.

In Luma Penthouse, as in your others apartments, you create unique and very personalized places. Is it important the use of customized furniture to achieve this result? Individuality is key. We do not believe that ‘one size fits all’ approach to design. Instead, we approach each project from first principles, usually taking inspiration from the location, the building and its proposed users, to create a narrative that sets the tone of the design. In this project we layered our response to suggest that not everything is off the shelf, creating a distinct personality and a distinguished but inhabited aesthetic to a new build. For example, in the Luma penthouse, the dining table is a bespoke shape of an existing design. The chairs were vintage that we had reconditioned and re-upholstered. The pendant light over the dining table is also vintage. Artworks, the headboards and numerous pieces of furniture were custom made too. Mixing old with new creates an impression of objects across a vast length of time and design eras. Meanwhile, through careful consideration to the layouts and the use of bespoke details, such as natural stone vanity units with fluted hardwood timber panelling and exaggerated bevel-edge details to the kitchen islands echo the faceted form of the building. The apartments were designed to blend seamlessly with the existing architecture, to create a unique identity to the building as a whole.

You recently designed the interiors of The Peninsula Boutique & Café, a new boutique and cafe concept at the luxury 5* Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong. Please, could you tell more about this project? We created a new multifunctional retail and café boutique in one of the world’s most iconic heritage hotels, The Peninsula Hong Kong, located below the hotel’s famed baroque-style lobby. The 350sqm open-plan emporium houses a central space showcasing luxury teas, seasonal gifts, chocolates and baked items with an area for tasting teas. The space also occupies a cosy café area and an Assouline

The Peninsula Boutique & Café, Hong Kong