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UPFRONT 10 16 Seven...
Inside 27
PROFILE 68 68 Ineke Hans
18 Perspective
72 Glen Vaus Tribute
20 Forward Thinking 23 Material Matters
REVIEW 62
24 Desert Island Desks
62 MixInspired Manchester 76 Mixology17 88 NeoCon
SPOTLIGHT 27 30 The Big Question 32 Project Review
ROUND TABLE 50
THE FINAL WORD 96 62
CASE STUDY 56 56 The Alan Turing Institute
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The cover
The logo The inspiration for the logo was to highlight the importance of the ‘interior’ within a space. The letters create a cubic outline to an internal area, in the middle of which is a floating circle that pins the composition together, literally ‘dotting the i’. The cube itself is just simple lines, which, when multiplied and placed on an angle, creates the borders. The design borrows from 90’s/early 2000’s digital graphics, but incorporates a modern palette and the warm tones of the HASSELL orange. www.hassellstudio.com The cover image Johnson Tiles’ Subway Lab is dedicated to creating architectural shapes that convey the illusion of dynamic movement. Turning simplicity and sophistication on its head, a variety of 3D surface effects transform interiors. Available in seven colours, 11 shapes, two finishes and two sizes, the range of glazed ceramic wall tiles allows for endless creativity. www.johnson-tiles.com
A Word
from Mick There was a moment of shock/mild panic behind the scenes at the recent Mixology. Our superstar DJ, Paul Oakenfold, had scoped the venue and audience – and then promptly announced that he was heading back to his hotel! Our poor (and brilliant) events team must have had their hearts in their mouths. This is the great Paul Oakenfold after all. Maybe the vibe wasn’t right. Maybe the thought of playing a ‘corporate’ gig was too much for him. We needn’t have worried. The reason for his brief exit was, so rumour has it, to pick up more music. Apparently, the incredibly cool and affable Mr Oakenfold had taken one look at you lot (in all your splendour) and decided that the music he had with him
was a bit to straight and corporate, and he needed something with a bit more oomph. So well done to the DJ (and thank you for an amazing set) and well done to our beautiful audience. We’re really proud of the fact that Mixology is seen as such a ‘cool’ event – and so much of that is not down to our choice of musical act or the choice of venue, it’s down to you, our guests, clients and sponsors. Every year I hear one or two mumblings about how certain guests aren’t ‘obeying’ the black tie rule. And my answer is, this is a creative industry and people should be allowed to express themselves. Furthermore, anyone who’s been to Mixology will be only too aware that I’m not exactly a stickler for the black tie rules. Thanks everyone – have a great summer.
Get in touch Back issues Contact us to buy back issues: rebecca@mixinteriors.com MIX INTERIORS 175
With more and more devices using USB the demand for traditional sockets on the desk is falling. Chip is a stylish and fully integrated 4A USB charging module that simply connects to your under desk power, using a Wieland or plug, to offer 2 USB power supplies capable of charging all leading phones and tablets.
Mix Interiors 175
June 2017
Street
Editorial support Rebecca Sabato rebecca@mixinteriors.com
Address Mix Media Limited 2 Abito 85 Greengate Manchester M3 7NA Telephone 0161 946 6262
Director David Smalley david@mixinteriors.com
Contacts t: 01709 385470 e: sales@cmd-ltd.com w: www.cmd-ltd.com
JUNE 2017 KD3263UK_MIX Interiors Front Cover_233x300mm_PRINT.pdf
With more and more devices using USB the demand for traditional sockets on the desk is falling. Chip is a stylish and fully integrated 4A USB charging module that simply connects to your under desk power, using a Wieland or plug, to offer 2 USB power supplies capable of charging all leading phones and tablets.
MIX INTERIORS 174 ZOE MOSS w CHRISTIAN LACROIX w BSI GROUP w 30 UNDER 30
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Contributors Steve Gale Andy Swann
Sales director Gary Williams gary@mixinteriors.com
ROCKETSPACE DODS PRODUCT DESIGN SPOTLIGHT CDW REVIEW
wroom
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Editor Mick Jordan mick@mixinteriors.com
Contacts t: 01709 385470 e: sales@cmd-ltd.com w: www.cmd-ltd.com
Mix Interiors 174
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Designer Georgina Nicklin georgina@mixinteriors.com Managing director Marcie Incarico marcie@mixinteriors.com
MAY 2017
Founding publisher Henry Pugh
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e-mail editorial@mixinteriors.com Website www.mixinteriors.com Twitter @mixinteriors Instagram @mix.interiors
Get your own! To ensure that a regular copy of Mix Interiors reaches your desk, please call 0161 946 6262 or e-mail: rebecca@mixinteriors.com Annual subscription charges UK single £45.50, UK corporate (up to 5 individuals) £140, Europe £135 (airmail), Outside Europe £165 (airmail). Printed by S&G Print ISSN 1757-2371
Positive spaces create moments that let you thrive. The pod where you collaborate, the sunlit corner where you go to focus. The best spaces have the power to influence and move people. To learn how you can create positive spaces, contact your account manager for more information, or visit Interface.com Global Change - Shading colour Evening Dusk and Global Change - Glazing colour Desert Shadow. Installed Ashlar
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DON’T
7 December 2017 Manchester Central Manchester
MISS OUT
- Table availability ALREADY limited - Book NOW to avoid missing out For further information visit www.mixology-awards.com To sponsor the event email david@mixinteriors.com
Our sponsors
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The UK’s most prestigious award ceremony and winter ball created for the dynamic and innovative interior design community
“One of the best events I have attended I was blown away” Darren Robey - DLA Piper
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Mixology Manufacturer of the Year 2016 & 2017
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We are so proud to be named Mixology Manufacturer of the Year for a second consecutive year. A big thank you to all the customers and staff who made our Priority Collaborations happen this year. View more Priority Collaborations at www.sjg.co.uk.
Upfront
ELECTRICS BOOGALOO OE Electrics recently opened its doors and invited customers up to Wakefield for a tour of its new facility, followed by dinner and a boogie into the early hours. The new head office is a purpose built manufacturing site offering the latest technologies in the production of OE’s power and cable management products. Part manufacturing and part office, the building also functions as a working showroom. Visitors were introduced to a brief history of the company, learning about the humble beginnings of Richard and Tim Hobbs. The father and son partnership began with just one product and two members of staff in a small rented warehouse. Today, the Group boasts over 200 members of staff, based in several locations around the globe. Staff members became enthusiastic tour guides, explaining the different areas of the business and the breadth of their product range. The main office is a spacious, open plan environment that allows for a logical flow of processes to ensure customer enquiries go to the right people and aren’t held up.
Every OE product was evident and in use around the offices and we even saw future developments in their impressive Research and Design Lab. Throughout the tour there was a general feel that the staff felt part of the company and definitely took pride in their work. The manufacturing side boasts its own moulding facilities, paint shop, engineering department with CNC capacity and state-of-the-art socket automation line, which has the capability to produce more than one million sockets a year. It was important that the new facility provided not only a practical space to work, but an enjoyable one. With a modern, spacious canteen hosting internet access, well-equipped kitchen, gym, table tennis and showers, OE wanted to make sure its staff were happy. There were certainly plenty of smiles throughout the day. After the tour, visitors were treated to an evening meal, accommodation and surprise guests, Showaddywaddy! After such amazing hospitality, there were very few pretty little angel eyes the following morning!
SAILING THE C’S
NEW IN THE WEST OF ENGLAND North East furniture maker Godfrey Syrett has successfully completed a £1.2m contract for the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol for its new business school. We have featured Godfrey Syrett a few times of late, as the firm has completed more than its share of university projects throughout the UK, including De Montfort University, University of Leicester and Sheffield Hallam. The new £55m UWE facility brings together students and staff from both Bristol Business School (BBS) and Bristol Law School (BLS). Designed by Stride Treglown, the building features two showcase law courts, a City trading room, a 300-seat lecture theatre, two Harvard lecture theatres, technology enhanced and flexible learning spaces, IT suites, meeting facilities, a central social space and a café.
i Flight chairs, Lift desk and Hugg i pod
Techo’s recent showroom renovation is a complete transformation, not just aesthetically, but functionally. The aim was to create a vibrant and memorable space for clients to visit, whilst simultaneously providing a dynamic environment for its staff to work in. This aim focuses primarily on the ‘four C’s’ of the workplace environment: Communicate, Collaborate, Concentrate and Circulate. The entire space has purpose, in both a promotional and functional perspective, with every inch highlighting this philosophy, whilst also showcasing Techo’s diverse range of products.
e chairs with i Pana loung ffled fabric ru d an wood leg
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max_
Simple to specify, Simple to use_ At the heart of the Max task chair lies a sophisticated synchronised mechanism with automatic tension adjustment. Recognising that we are all individuals, we aim to take the complexity out of selecting the right task chair. Simple, versatile and adaptable seating should be the standard for all ergonomically designed chairs.
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PIXEL may look like a box, but it can also be a table, a bench, a stool, a platform and so much more. PIXEL is the flexible building block that creates new possibilities for teamwork.
Upfront
med i Baltic Li
ut area
GLOBAL CHANGE REFERENCES FAMILIAR LANDSCAPES
Oak breako
Interface has introduced Global Change, the first global launch from the company’s Lead Product Designer, Kari Pei. Global Change is Interface’s most versatile collection to date, pairing nature-inspired biophilic design with Interface’s modular flooring system expertise. The collection offers an integrated range of design options that can be composed to solve a variety of unique business challenges. The collection offers architects and designers the ability to bring biophilic inspired flooring into their spaces, leading to more positive experiences and improved wellbeing for the people who use them. The collection evokes foliage through artistic interpretation of tree and leaf shading patterns. Global Change features seven face styles, available in six organic colour palettes.
LISTEN OUT Karndean Designflooring has introduced a new collection with acoustics at its heart. Korlok offers the highest performing acoustic qualities to date. With 12 new authentic wood designs (1,420 x 225mm) inspired by European and North American woods, Korlok can reduce noise transfer to rooms up to 19dB, without the need for separate underlay – perfect for the workspace and those high heels. ‘Unlike other rigid core products and click laminate flooring, Korlok can be scored and snapped for ease of installation, like our established Gluedown and LooseLay ranges,’ Karndean’s Matthew Speck enthused.
ARCTIC SURVEY Milliken’s latest carpet plank collection – Arctic Survey – takes its inspiration from the Arctic. The in-house design team studied the organic patterns found in giant ice structures, with the result being the new Arctic collection, which has a highly textured finish. The collection is produced in a plank format (250 x 1000mm rectangular carpet tiles), with Arctic Survey composed of three designs: Isotherm, Expedition and Shackleton. The Isotherm design, much like the lines on a weather map, links points of equal temperature. Expedition offers a latitudinal/longitudinal feel with a strong crosshatch shape featuring more colour and contrast. Shackleton is the most literal interpretation of ice and represents the way water cracks and forms in layers. We’re told the colour range is ‘made up of ethereal neutrals and punctuated with hints of the magical spectacles to behold there’.
RICS WINNERS We keep hearing lots about CUBRIC (Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre) – not least from the good people at Momentum, who were clearly delighted to be involved in furnishing the building, working alongside architects IBI Group and BAM Construction. It was therefore good news for all concerned when CUBRIC was announced as the winner of the 2017 RICS Project of the Year and the Design through Innovation award at the recent RICS Awards, Wales. This was soon to be followed with another win, with CUBRIC picking up the award for the Life Science Research Building category at the 2017 S-Lab Awards, beating off UCL’s Sainsbury Welcome Centre and the Allen Institute’s new headquarters in Seattle. We suspect it won’t be their last gong! ‘CUBRIC is indeed a special place,’ says Professor Karen Holford. ‘It is home to world leading researchers and a combination of facilities not found anywhere else in Europe.’
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ENGINEERED ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATIONS
UNA MOVING ON
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We first met Una Barac at one our Roundtables and naturally kept in touch, while she has kept us up to date with projects and has been a timely help when we needed. The latest from Una, however, is that she is leaving Scott Brownrigg after a great 14-year innings to, like a number of other great female practitioners we have reported on recently, start her own business. This is what she had to say when we caught up with her post-Mixology: ‘I started my career at Foster + Partners, where I spent the first seven years of my career, focusing largely on commercial schemes. This was followed by a move to Scott Brownrigg, focusing on the residential and hospitality sectors. ‘After an amazing experience at two leading practices, I felt strong enough to do a management buy-out and create a new brand offering my clients a more bespoke, personal and boutique service.’ Together with her business partner, Ante Marić, Una has founded Artelior, where the duo aims to make a success of their great experience and passion for architecture, art and interior design. Expect a first term report very soon.
HISTORY BOYS We know Clerkenwell Design Week has been and gone but we did want to say a belated well done to Umbrella, who provided the most interesting exploration of the history of office design throughout the festival. The showroom became a physical manifestation of the Umbrella motto – ‘Design led people rather than sales people’. Tracing this journey using social, technological and economic stencil markers, such as the first computer, the exhibition provided an extensive look at the trends, materials, aesthetics and attitudes throughout the past century of design.
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WORD
This month we’re taking a less than serious look at another industry buzzword – upcycling. This has, of course, permeated way beyond the world of workplace, although many organisations now see it as an extension of their sustainable programmes. It’s a bit like the salted caramel of sustainability.
SPACEMAN After 14 years of working with the A&D community, most recently as Group Marketing Manager for New Design Group, Andy Green has made the leap to the creative sector with his new company Spaceman Creative Studios. As Founder and Creative Director, Andy will be providing creative marketing services including interior and product photography, graphic design and social media to the design community. Working alongside specialists in their field, Andy tells us that he will also be looking to provide animation, rendering and design services. Through his experience in sales and marketing within the industry, Andy has worked on projects of every size and application – from primary schools to social media companies and international law firms. Good luck to another mover after 14 years (see Una, opposite) – we wonder whether there is a trend emerging here?
upcycling
End user We’re extremely keen to introduce an upcycling programme into our sustainability mission. Upcycling means less waste, ticks in boxes – and if we badge it as upcycling we can get away with bringing all our rubbish old furniture with us! Talk about savings.
Dealer Does this mean we can clean up some dusty old chairs and tables and flog them as ‘upcycled’? We like that. You know our motto – no, not the client is always right. Our motto is ‘think about those margins!’
Interior Designer It’s vital that our clients embrace upcycling. After all, we’ve got BREEAM, SKA and all sorts of other ratings to achieve. What could be easier than reusing a bunch of old furniture? Sorry to all you manufacturers – we know you’ve spent a small fortune on pitches and mock-ups for new kit – maybe next time!
Manufacturer Does this mean we can clean up some dusty old chairs and tables and flog them as ‘upcycled’? We like that. You know our motto – no, not the client is always right. Our motto is ‘think about the dealer’s margins!’
KAREN’S MOVIN’ ON UP The widely respected Karen Lambert has been promoted to EMEA Marketing Director at Interface, having previously held the position of Marketing Director UKIME. In her new role, she’ll be leading the marketing strategy and activities including the development of commercial growth initiatives across the EMEA region. Karen was keen to talk more about product than herself when she told us: ‘We’ve got some exciting developments at Interface, including our recently launched LVT product range, Level Set, in addition to a number of innovative sustainable solutions, including a prototype carbon negative carpet tile, Proof Positive.’
Mix Also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. Upcycling is the opposite of downcycling, which is the other half of the recycling process. No kidding!
cm@spatial.co.uk / 0161 850 9005 15
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Upfront
quick ways to improve biophilic design in your workplace
The benefits of incorporating biophilic design into workplace strategy are gaining widespread recognition – and they are difficult to argue against. Who doesn’t sit at their desk and daydream of being on a beach, a country walk or just sitting in a park? We love being surrounded by nature – in fact our very survival depends on it. Not all of us can design our dream office from the ground up, so here is a non-exhaustive list of ways to introduce biophilic design into an existing space without blowing your budget. Thanks to KI’s Jonathan Hindle and to Joseph Clancy for this month’s submission. 4
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1. TWEET, TWEET Close your eyes, listen to the office soundscape, and think about this: Our evolutionary instincts make it virtually impossible for us to filter out human voices, so pop music could exacerbate distraction-rich open plan offices. Conversely, natural sounds such as birdsong have profoundly positive effects on our brains. The presence of birds signifies an absence of predators. Sounds of gently flowing water or trees rustling in a light breeze can also reduce anxiety and stress.
2. JUST ADD WATER The importance of water to our survival cannot be overstated. Audible and visible cues to the availability of fresh water have a pronounced effect on our psychology. By adding a water feature, aquarium or source of drinking water, we can change the mood of an office, but it should be visible from workspaces, not just at reception. 3. PLANTS AND FLOWERS Whether real, artificial or a combination of the two, the addition of plants is the most obvious way to bring the outside inside. Add planter boxes to storage units, large pots on the floor, desk plants, terrariums or vases of flowers.
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4. WHAT A LOVELY BREEZE! The air in the office can have a significant impact on wellbeing, aside from never-ending too hot/ too cold arguments! Air circulation and movement in an office can mimic the atmosphere by the addition of some strategically placed fans, as long as air movement is random and gentle. Also consider the ‘smellscape’. Biophilia works best as a multisensory experience, so don’t forget powerful olfactory stimuli – add fragrant flowers and plants or even fragrance diffusers.
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5. DECAY AND RENEWAL Decay, decline and renewal are all part of life’s cycles. The absence of these can make an environment seem sterile – so, where practical, choose materials and finishes that change and age over time. Changing seasons, evidenced by deciduous trees, flowers and plant growth, keep us connected to nature’s cycles. Growing edible plants inside the office can make this even more tangible – especially if staff tend to them.
6. LET THERE BE (VARIED) LIGHT! Spatial configuration can help improve access to natural light and views, whilst reducing distractions in our peripheral vision. External views and natural light can have a dramatic effect on our circadian rhythms and wellbeing. Less uniform lighting creates an office rich with options on the ‘light menu’. We don’t all need uniform bright white lighting all the time. The key is variety – throughout the day and throughout the office.
7. DÉCOR AND ARTWORK Natural materials such as wood, leather, cotton, linen, and wool age well (see 5) and can stimulate our sense of touch. Artwork depicting nature helps remind us of the natural world, through images, textures, patterns, colours and shapes. Additionally, artwork can be readily changed and rearranged.
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Neil Usher
Upfront
HI NEIL. SO WHAT’S NEW? ARE YOU GETTING A LIE-IN NOW? With two young daughters I think I have been rewired to have no idea what a lie-in is. I haven’t had one for 10 years. But then again, I rather love the morning and wouldn’t want to miss it. I did have a sneaky extra hour after the Mixology awards. Thanks for recognising Sky Central! YOU’RE VERY WELCOME. WHAT’S NEXT/NOW FOR YOU? I’ve just started some freelance advisory work, and am really enjoying it. I’d like to spend my working time doing what I love, and seeing the inner machinations of as many organisations as possible. That’s going to need at least a day a week of research and thinking too, to keep up. I’m always amazed at how few people do that, or see it as valuable. I’m also writing a book, about the Elemental Workplace – my model of the 12 core components of fantastic space. I’m just over halfway through, but I haven’t re-read any of it – that part is agony. I know I’ll have to do it but I’m kind of hoping someone else might. WHAT IS A PROPERTY & WORKPLACE LEADER? I could have said ‘Corporate Real Estate Executive’ like many do but I would probably have needed to ask Old Nick for my soul back. I can do the real estate strategy, transactions and FM but it’s the workplace that has always fascinated me, so I wanted to call that out specifically. People often overlook the fact that Sky was the first time in my career I have specialised in this area – most of my roles have been looking after the full property lifecycle. That gives me a useful perspective on workplace because I can reach into what comes before – and what happens afterwards. I do think that workplace is a discipline in its own right and it’s time it was recognised, so I’ll take any opportunity to draw attention to it.
Perspective Neil Usher is a leading Property and Workplace Leader, having worked for a number of blue chips, including Warner Bros, Honeywell, Rio Tinto and most recently Sky. Now undertaking a new freelance advisory role, we thought we’d ask Neil to give us an insight into his career – past, present and future.
DOES IT FEEL VERY DIFFERENT TO BE ‘OUT ON YOUR OWN’? It’s very early days, but yes it does – very much so. I keep having to remember that I’m only accountable to myself. Of all things in corporate life, I certainly won’t miss setting objectives and the annual appraisal. That said, I have to bear in mind that I am my own harshest critic so I’m expecting a tough journey.
designs I see are characterised by trying to be too clever for their own sake, just to be different. We also created change programmes that were open, honest and appealed to people’s good nature to allow them to go on their own journey. We didn’t do any etiquette training, or ever use the word ‘adoption’. That’s totally counter to what happens almost everywhere – and it worked beautifully.
IN A SENTENCE (OR TWO) TELL US ABOUT YOUR FOUR-YEAR LONG SKY EXPERIENCE. It was amazing. It was a privilege to be involved in projects like Sky Central, the Hub and Leeds Dock, having the opportunity to push the boundaries of workplace design and thinking, and to experiment with a radically different approach to change. Sky moves at an incredible pace and with the degree of transformation we were undertaking, it was a phenomenal learning experience too.
WHERE IS THE WORKPLACE HEADING? Into the ether. Workplace is becoming increasingly digital as well as physical. That means we exist in two spheres simultaneously. What may appear to be static, individual activity could be engaged, knowledge-sharing and social activity in a digital space. Organisations need to wake up to what the digital space can offer in connecting their experts and their expertise. The physical workplace will progressively develop to support our digital presence, which means our profession has to grow its awareness of what this means. We’re way short of what’s needed at the moment.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM THOSE FOUR YEARS? History and media attention will probably suggest that it’s Sky Central – and it would be tough to argue with that, but it was also punctuated with other minor successes that massively improved the environment for our colleagues across the portfolio – a café here and there, an upgrade of an old space on a budget. Sometimes it’s the smaller, underplayed changes that make the most satisfying difference. YOU’VE CLEARLY WORKED HARD TO CHANGE SKY’S WORKING CULTURE. HOW DID YOU APPROACH THAT? Sky is an amazingly integrated business, and so much of the focus was on making it possible for people to work together. This is perhaps an overplayed aim in a world demanding choice, so we balanced this with the opportunity to focus ‘on demand’. A major aim, however, was simplicity. People haven’t got time for working out how space is supposed to function for them. It has to be intuitive – soft visual cues. Too many
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WE LOVE WORKESSENCE (NEIL’S BRILLIANT BLOG), BUT WHAT’S WITH THE POETRY? Thanks for the blog thumbs up! It’s 250 posts in, and every time I think I’ve exhausted the subject, something else crops up, because there is still so much to do. I used to watch the ‘punk poets’ like John Cooper Clark, Linton Kewsi Johnson and Atilla the Stockbroker. They would support bands in those days, and the audience would fall silent as they used just the spoken word. They were acid, funny, political, irreverent and razor sharp. I’ve been writing since those days but about six years ago decided to try writing about life at work within the constraints of Pecha Kucha, so it comes at you at quite a pace, just with a few less expletives than the punks gifted. It’s got to be better than bullet points and pie charts, don’t you think?
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The Full English Steve Gale likes words as parcels of meaning, but they sometimes need a bit of unwrapping. The PowerPoint slides flickered and the spoken words rained like a summer shower. I was in a seminar which had cost real cash to attend, and bound once again into a format as familiar as my old school assembly. It is impressive how Microsoft has taken our imagination hostage, and how rarely we resist its shortcuts to a predictable near-death experience. Standard fonts, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides with too many words are universal currency in business communication – recognised, accepted, consumed like harmless sandwiches that someone else has paid for at a meeting. But today, zooming out of the presentations, some of which were genuinely engaging, were words that meant nothing at first sight. I wondered how a reasonably educated person like me would get stumped by plain English, delivered for my edification, in a setting that I had subscribed to. For the most part, about 90% of the time, I found the spoken words were meaningful and mainly comprehensible, but I felt the slides that clicked over and under the speech were an interference, invariably confusing, distracting and irrelevant. But when the stories were told, I sat up and listened. And what I heard were phrases, words and acronyms which left me cold sometimes, or puzzled in others. I did not interrupt the speaker’s flow by asking for clarification, preferring to find out afterwards, make assumptions, or in some cases learn about their meaning as the story unfolded and a workable inference could be drawn. Examples will show you what I mean, and expose my ignorance, but I reckon some of these conkers will help make my point that our language can move in a mysterious way even when listening to speakers at a fairly nontechnical teach-in.
I have some meat and potato jargon, the usual three and four letter acronyms, misappropriated nouns, tortured phrases, and some perfectly grammatical ones, all capable of making your cheeks twitch in annoyance – and all delivered in a clear voice, with a straight face, and without explanation. The morsels I offer are from memory. I have no record of the six presentations, and this means there are plenty I have forgotten. So let’s start with ‘uberisation’. I think I can work out the implication here, in fact I quite like the cheeky feel of it – its knowing deprecation
Some phrases just need a good wash and dry as they are too comical to be delivered by a sober person not in a courtroom and urbanity. Next, does everyone understand the meaning of ‘accelerator’ when it’s a building but not in Geneva with protons flying around at the speed of light? ‘STEM skills’ were mentioned as something that would diminish in value as AI tightened its grip on the working population. I have to admit I looked this one up when I got back to the office. It means Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, but the prediction is at odds with what I have recently read about people educated in these disciplines being in increasing demand. I am not going to expand on AI, that one’s too easy – and no fun anyway. The word ‘python’, used to describe another skill, woke me up – but later I assumed it was the programming language my son talks about. Other easy bits of jargon are ‘ransomware’,
Steve Gale is Head of Business Intelligence at M Moser Associates. SteveG@mmoser.com
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‘thin client’ and ‘generation z’, but I foundered on ‘locational snapchat’, ‘digital framework’ and ‘collision coefficient’. BYOD and IoT have entered our everyday lexicon it appears, but are you okay with LiFi – and could you explain what blockchain technology means, if pressed? Some phrases just need a good wash and dry as they are too comical to be delivered by a sober person not in a courtroom – like ‘chief happiness officer’, ‘smart contracts’, ‘predictive regulation’ and ‘freedom within boundaries’. But we all have our favourites, so let’s hear it for ‘ingrained functional inconvenience’ and ‘productivity leakage’ being both blisteringly redolent with innuendo and too slippery to nail down, even when heard in context. What a marvellous thing our language is, and long live the mutants and mongrels we breed and tolerate. (For completeness – BYOD is bring your own device, and IoT is the internet of things, both of which will change our lives IMHO. There I go again, just getting into the swing of this!)
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Material Matters
In this month’s Material Matters, the team of experts at Material Lab explores how subtle changes can make a big impact. www.material-lab.co.uk
Light & Space by Dulux Trade promotes a brighter future Creating the illusion of more space is a problem that affects us all. Without moving, it can seem an impossible task. However, through its Light & Space range, Dulux Trade is transforming poorly lit surroundings into airy and bright areas through colour. Utilising groundbreaking Lumitec technology, light levels will be enhanced rather than absorbed – as is the case with conventional paints. As a result, less artificial light is required and significant energy savings can be made over time. www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk/brands/dulux-trade
Gerflor creates eco-responsible solutions for design-led walls and floors Combining technology, design and eco credentials, Gerflor offers wall and floor coverings for all manner of sectors – from education to retail and offices. Utilising recycled materials across all of its products, the looselay ranges reduce the use of adhesives and facilitate re-purpose while advocating 100% vegetal plasticizers. Once installed, Gerflor promises simple maintenance through lasting durability. With design also at the company’s heart, creativity is no object. www.gerflor.co.uk
Johnson Tiles guarantees impact with dynamic Subway Lab range Subway Lab, by leading UK manufacturer Johnson Tiles, is dedicated to creating architectural shapes that convey the illusion of dynamic movement. Turning simplicity and sophistication on its head, a variety of three-dimensional surface effects transform interiors. Available in seven colours, 11 shapes, two finishes and two sizes, the range of glazed ceramic wall tiles allows for endless creativity. Ideal for feature walls, it’s guaranteed to make an unforgettable impact. www.johnson-tiles.com
Bamboo Acoustics create environmentally sound panels for walls and ceilings Offering a sustainable alternative to traditional wood veneer acoustic panels, Bamboo Acoustics calls on the natural benefits of the humble bamboo plant to serve as the ideal accompaniment to renovation projects – from schools, to sports halls and office buildings. As bamboo is one of the world’s fastest growing plants, it presents a sustainable material from which to make such a product. And with a selection of four designs – carved, perforated, line or grill – Bamboo Acoustics certainly doesn’t skimp on the design aesthetics. www.bambooacoustics.nl
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Desert Island Desks
Una Barac is an award-winning architect and founder of Artelior – an architecture and interior design studio with offices in both London and Croatia, specialising in the hospitality and residential sectors. Current Artelior projects include Trent Park London for Berkeley Homes, Park Plaza County Hall London, Art’otel Berlin and Cologne and Four Seasons Hvar in Croatia – to name a few. Here are the items Una would wish for if stranded on our desert island. Kindle
Le Creuset pots
I absolutely love reading so top of my list would be my Kindle, which would be full of books that I haven’t read or ones that I want to re-read. Sadly, at the moment I don’t have enough time to read, so this could be the perfect opportunity to catch up. Books would include a mix of classics like Jane Austin, for the eternal romantic in me. I’d include a few spiritual authors like Kahlil Gibran and the Dalai Lama, along with The Little Prince and The Book Thief, as they are my favourites – plus lots of action-packed thrillers by Ian Rankin and Dan Brown.
I really enjoy cooking, as it’s a great way to express creativity. To enjoy a delicious meal as a reward at the end is such a wonderful bonus. I hope to find lots of interesting herbs and vegetables to cook alongside grilled fish… Would I have to catch them? I’d also be hoping for some amazing birds to lay nice eggs. And I’m not planning on eating meat – catching and preparing fish would be hard enough!
A boat with a skipper
So I can leave when I wish! I’ve always been fiercely independent and I like being in control of my destiny. A boat would also be good for exploring. I love travel as I find it an incredible way of learning and expanding horizons.
A Missoni bikini
Being an eternal optimist I’d hope that another person would already be on the island, so covering my modesty would be important! I love catching the late afternoon sun. I grew up spending my summers at the Adriatic Coast – so I asssociate sea and sunbathing with some of my happiest early memories.
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Tel 01925 850500 Email info@sixteen3.co.uk
Moleskine sketch book
Being an architect, I love sketching and find it an essential way to express my thoughts and ideas. If I don’t have my sketch book I’m waving my hands in the air whilst speaking, or pulling a pen out and drawing on napkins. A note book is also good for penning down thoughts and reflecting. And I love writing lists as it keeps me focused and organised. Ticking things off a list is hugely satisfying and gives me a great sense of achievement.
My phone
Whilst there won’t be any network or electricity to charge it, I’m working on the assumption I could charge it on my boat. I’m a people’s person and I’d miss talking to my friends and family. I’d also miss working, as I can’t switch off for long. My phone has all my photos and music on it. A phone would also be fun to take photos with. And practical, as it has a light!
A radio transmitter
As mentioned earlier I love communicating with people. Some solitude is great for reflection and personal growth and development – but interaction with people is equally important for the same reasons. I’d love a radio transmitter (solar powered, obviously) so it could also be used to call for help. My practical side always kicks in!
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"The carpet is a blank canvas upon which to express my passions, drawings, collages, prints in black and white or in colour, albums of old pictures from my personal archives." Monsieur Christian Lacroix
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Spotlight
KSS
Project Review
The Big Question
Project Review
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Spotlight - Project Review
THE GREAT MIX PROJECT REVIEW It’s easy for us at Mix HQ to get carried away and assume everyone is familiar with Mixology. If you are one of those that isn’t, here’s a summary of the event we held in London on the 22nd June; now some 12 years old, the awards are divided broadly into People, Projects and Places. The constituent parts of the night are; the awards, the party and the networking fest – and we give measured thought and planning to ensure our guests get just what they are looking for. Whilst we never take anything for granted, we are pleased that we regularly get over 90% ‘happy’ ratings from our guests. In addition, this year we were also awarded the best event by independent panel of judges compared with every other business award in the UK. Whilst winning is great, without the quality and number of entries, any awards can lack integrity.
We therefore do our best to encourage entries in all categories, and particularly in the ones that pay all our bills – the client schemes. Over the next dozen or so pages, our Spotlight will feature all 53 projects that were entered into the Mixology awards this year. They cover five project areas: commercial office large, medium and small, as well as hospitality and public sector. From the UK’s leading practices and many organisations that support those firms, this month’s Spotlight represents some of the best work of the last 12 months – and, frankly, world-class designs. Furthermore, this month’s Big Question (page 30) contentiously asks about the future of the workplace and, more pertinently, the future of the desk – if it even has one?
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Q
THE BIG UESTION
Ma n y o f t h e p roj e cts w e’v e cov e re d ov e r t h e p a st 12 m o nt h s h a v e o n e p a rt i c u l a r t h i n g i n co mmo n - fe w e r fix e d ‘w o rki n g’ a re a s. Are w e n o w a p p ro a c h i n g t h e d e a t h o f t h e d e sk?
KEN GIANNINI, MCM ARCHITECTURE
MARIANNE PAULSEN, MORGAN LOVELL
CHRIS SCOTT, DAMS FURNITURE
‘The desk is dead’ was a statement I made at the CoreNet Amsterdam Summit in 2013, at the end of a presentation called ‘In-Between Spaces’. I am a firm believer that what makes a great workplace is the in-between spaces…spaces away from the desk, that define an organisation’s culture, image and are democratic for all and support a dynamic range of activities. It’s about prioritising spaces – not whether you have desks or not.
While we’re certainly working with a lot of change in how and where people work, I think there is a major revolt yet to happen if the desk is to completely die. There are few organisations who are willing to let it go entirely and (let’s face it) functionally the desk does do a superb job of being a flat surface on which to type/write/draw. We will see its function dressed up in all manners I am sure, but even if you don’t own it and it comes in a timber leg frame with a lamp built in, I doubt it will disappear completely.
Not at all! However, the world of office desks is changing faster than ever before. As a UK manufacturer of office furniture for 50 years, Dams understand that employees today want less conventional workspaces and a flexible approach to working. The modern workplace is no longer seen as just the desk but also the area around it. New technology has allowed people to choose where they work, whether it is a fixed location with a height adjustable desk, or a more collaborative, agile workspace.
ANGHARAD POCOCK, STREAMLINE INTERIORS
ROSIE HASLEM, SPACELAB
CARL GEARING, PWC
We are realising more and more that there is We’re certainly approaching the death of plenty of opportunity in many work styles to the ‘fixed’ or ‘allocated’ desk. Spacelab not be stuck in one place, embracing the idea have found that, on average, across all the of the shared, non-owned workspace. In fact businesses that we’ve worked with, only 44% it is not only more productive in many cases of desks are in use at any time, as people’s to ‘float’ around the workplace, interacting working days are increasingly diverse and with other colleagues, getting away to a collaborative. The workplace needs to both quieter spot or even to a busier area, but it reflect and support this. Of course, certain is also much healthier, both physically and tasks may still be best performed individually, mentally. We place wellbeing at the forefront at a screen on a flat surface, so a ‘desk-style’ of design and challenge our clients to think set up won’t ever die, but it will need to be about the workplace environment as a whole, complemented by other types of workpoint, not just a desk and a chair. can better accommodate other tasks. Umbrella editorial banner Mix Interiors JULY 2017.pdf 1 14/06/2017which 12:10:48 C
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As technology improves, it allows us to be more flexible, giving us the freedom to work in different settings – but I’m not sure it’s the death of the desk. There are many people whose function at work is still deskbound, as technology has not caught up with what they do and they need the ergonomics. Also, what is a desk? It’s a surface to keep paper off the floor or, nowadays, a laptop. A desk can be any shape and size – but we still need that working height for the laptop. The question is, when the software on tablets gets better, will that be the game changer?
luxury + craft
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Spotlight - Project Review 0 HLW International – Booking.com, Monument The scheme celebrates London’s history and hidden world through one of it’s main and most iconic global arteries, the London Underground. A network of colours were used to incorporate this through the colours and materiality. Graphics were used to celebrate travel and to create a journey through the space. The HLW design team utilised unconventional materials and bright colour applications in order to bring variation and texture.
WINNER 0 align with Studio Juice & Dick Bird – Omeara London Omeara London is an intimate new gig venue and bar situated within a railway viaduct in London’s Bankside area. The 350-capacity venue is the brainchild of Ben Lovett from Mumford and Sons and includes the bar, event space and new-build courtyard block with roof terrace.
0 NoChintz – Lews Castle by Natural Retreats NoChintz have been working with Natural Retreats to bring the unique Lews Castle back to life as a notable hospitality destination. With fabrics woven on the island, British and Scandinavian furniture brands were paired to deliver a contemporary yet appropriate vision for this Scottish castle.
WINNER 0 Cushman & Wakefield Interior Design – Aptos Following the acquisition of an existing UK company, Aptos required expansion and relocation to form a new EMEA UK headquarters at the prosperous Marlow International Business Park. The Aptos space required a considered design, with an open and edgy feel, met by strict attention to detail and construction techniques.
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0 Area – Reward Gateway Reward Gateway’s new London headquarters is the perfect representation of a forward-thinking, well designed workplace. Housing 85 employees, the flexible and agile model works in tandem with the versatile space, supporting the mobile workforce in a way that maximises the square footage and promotes a sense of organisational energy.
0 Spatial Office Environments – Camira Showroom, Clerkenwell This is Camira’s stunning new showspace in the heart of Clerkenwell. The flagship showroom is a beautiful, relaxing environment, thoughtfully designed to bring Camira’s fabrics to life through a carefully choreographed display of colour and texture.
0 Scott Brownrigg – Park Plaza, Nuremberg This beautiful hotel boats interiors inspired by Nuremberg’s famous citizens Albrecht Dürer and Martin Behaim. Modern tones of pink, gold, purple and grey hues, combined with geometric shapes, light features, ceilings, furniture, artwork and sculptures combine to create a relaxed, luxurious atmosphere, which respects the history of this 1930’s building.
0 HXR Special Projects – Bucks Music Group HXR designed the new offices for Bucks Music Group. Reused shipping containers formed the building and demonstrated a green and suitable building solution. Design and detailing embraced the shipping containers industrilaism, material and form to produce a working environment reflective of the company's music biz ties and progressive image.
0 KKS – BW, London BW’s vision was to create a showpiece as a leading interior fit-out contractor. St Paul’s proximity helped KKS style the interiors, along with a social gathering space at the workspace’s heart. Attention to an integrated design statement upon arrival, with exquisite attention to detail and community spirit, are at the heart of the scheme and BW’s culture.
0 Rhino Interiors Group – Marel Whilst carefully aligning to corporate guidelines, Rhino Interiors Group produced an interior to reflect Marel’s Icelandic background and the quality of the technologically advanced equipment they manufacture, whilst delivering both high-quality finishes and excellent customer service. The result is a unique and inspiring workplace – all in seven weeks.
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Spotlight - Project Review
0 Spatial Office Environments – Premier Group, Reading Premier Group, Reading is the perfect example of how to boost staff productivity through the environment. This is a stunning, highcalibre office space that has been meticulously designed to maximise staff morale, retention and productivity in the hectic, fast paced world of recruitment.
0 Scott Brownrigg Interior Group – Craigewan Craigewan’s new office was designed to reflect this newly established high-end residential property developer’s vision of creating remarkable places. Occupying five floors, including two outdoor terraces, the result is a series of elegant, beautifully detailed and highly functional spaces.
0 Interaction – The Castle (money.co.uk) Interaction has created the ultimate workplace for money.co.uk in Cirencester. This is a space where you can sneak through a secret door in a bookcase, put your feet up in a ski chalet, traipse through an ice cave, battle against suits of armour and experience a cinema in a galaxy far far away...
0 Skansen Group – Kambi: The Sports Betting Company Skansen’s innovative and vibrant design and build scheme reflected the image of Kambi Sports and integrated seamlessly into the existing CAT A fit-out, which has a modern, bright feel with exposed services. Skansen met and exceeded the business needs and aspirations of the client.
0 Saracen Interiors – Audatex Saracen Interiors designed and delivered a full fit-out for Audatex, translating this global leader’s brief to deliver showcase offices for the purposes of welcoming and hosting visitors, as well as providing a more agile, open plan work environment for all employees.
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Spotlight - Project Review
0 BuckleyGrayYeoman – The Bloomsbury Building
0 Woodalls Design – BTS Woodalls created a unique office space for BTS that excites the eye and inspires the mind. Every turn of a corridor reveals something new to draw people through the office. This new space has been transforming for BTS and was a delight for Woodalls to bring to fruition.
BuckleyGrayYeoman completed a Category B fit-out for The Office Group – the leading flexible workspace providers. The Group wanted a variety of spaces, both co-working and private offices of various sizes, with shared communal spaces for work and socialising.
0 BDG architecture + design – Maxus
0 5plus architects – AstraZeneca, Academy House, Cambridge
This space offers touches of fun and the unexpected, in a refined and dynamic setting. Designed first and foremost for people, this workplace exists for those who work in it. It’s a way of releasing them to do their very best work in dynamic, beautiful and occasionally playful surroundings.
Academy House is a 30,000 sq ft fit-out of AstraZeneca’s head office in Cambridge. The concept, spun from atomic structure, reflects the business’ aspiration to enhance connectivity between its people and places globally. The design promotes AstraZeneca’s activity-based working principles, encouraging informal, chance meetings and offering a very high level of workplace flexibility.
0 HLW International – Sky, Thomas More Square Sky tasked HLW with transforming two floors in a Cat A refurbished building in Thomas More Square so that it would support their staff by creating an efficient and collaborative environment in which to work. The project programme was extremely fast paced due to the client’s end of lease date. Costs needed to be kept low, so the design team used innovative methods to ensure a vibrant and flexible office was created within budget.
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furniture
0 Morgan Lovell – Costa Coffee This unique project demonstrated strong collaboration between design and function. The beautifully designed BREEAM outstanding scheme provides Costa Coffee with an environment to further enhance its global brand. Flexible, carefully planned spaces were implemented to focus on enhancing productivity and user experience.
0 HLW International – Lendlease, Elephant Park LendLease are helping to regenerate the Elephant & Castle area by developing Elephant Park – a new mixed-use site that aims to be Central London’s ‘greenest new place to live’. HLW’s challenge was to design an on-site space that could bring together the Lendlease development staff, construction staff, contractor offices and operative welfare for the entire project, under one roof, for the first time. Keeping costs low whilst delivering in a very short timeframe added an extra layer to the project and pushed the design team to produce innovative, creative solutions.
0 Cushman & Wakefield Interior Design – Clear Channel, Golden Square The full refurbishment of Clear Channel’s London office was undertaken to generate a modern media space reflective of their brands and continued transformation into the leading player in digital out of home (DOOH), creating the opportunity for greater collaboration, flexibility and agility. The technologically enabled and client focused space allows Clear Channel to demonstrate their products through state-of-the-art presentation facilities.
0 Claremont – Shoosmiths, Thames Valley Claremont has created a dynamic agile environment for Shoosmiths. The new Thames Valley office reflects the growing impetus for legal firms to embrace business agility and the power of purposefully designed flexible workspaces in the search for improved productivity, greater efficiency and recruitment gains.
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Spotlight - Project Review 0 HLW International – Alzheimer’s Society
0 Create Interior Design – Ascential PLC
HLW has designed a workplace for the Alzheimer’s Society that fully supports their working methods whilst also opening up new options for their future business. Agile working has enabled a change in the culture and the way they work, and has been a seamless process. The HLW team worked closely with the company in order to ensure that the scheme was dementia-friendly and would actively help those affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s when they are navigating and using the space. The overall result was that of a contemporary and very functional office space.
The client’s vision was clear from the start – to create the best events company, bar none. Growth and talent attraction were key drivers to achieving this goal. The workplace design played a key part; delivering a functional, attractive and flexible space within an incredibly tight programme was paramount.
0 WATG – Goodwin, London The design for Goodwin’s new London HQ at 100 Cheapside draws on a muted palette of limestone, walnut and bronze anodised aluminium, and applies them to a hybrid cellular/open plan layout that breaks the perimeter office line at points to create pocket ‘neighbourhoods’, enabling daylight to penetrate into the floorplate.
0 BDP – Boxpark, Croydon Boxpark Croydon is the second project for Boxpark, the brainchild of CEO Roger Wade. Building on the success of the Boxpark Shoreditch scheme, Boxpark Croydon takes the brand thinking a stage further to create a unique street food, restaurant and event venue formed entirely out of upcycled shipping containers.
0 HLW International – Lendlease International Quarter, Stratford Lendlease’s full site consists of 22 acres, so in order to manage such a large scale project, the client needed an office on site that would last approximately 10 years and support a large number of activities and different groups, from site workers and contractors to hosting prospective clients. HLW has created a sustainable space that conveys the Lendlease brand, is highly welcoming and efficient, whilst also keeping to a strict budget.
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Award winning Super Acoustic Bricks
Change your environment in minutes... 1. Choose the size, style, colour and quantity of bricks for your space
London Showroom 20 Old Street Clerkenwell London EC1V 9AB
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Ocee Design Design House, Caswell Road Brackmills Industrial Est. Northampton, NN4 7PW
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01604 674674 @OceeDesign ergonomics@oceedesign.com www.oceedesign.com 40
Spotlight - Project Review
WINNER 0 TTSP – St Helens Tower When Aviva chose to transform their business to make it fit for the digital age, what better place to start than its London headquarters, with a vibrant TTSP design that makes an iconic 60’s tower once again ‘sing’ in its urban context and delivers stunning interior spaces and amenities?
0 Woodalls Design – Dods Dods is a historic Parliamentary Affairs business that sought new space for its team. Woodalls created an amazing new office on the 11th floor of The Shard, complete with a winter garden, a grand central walkway (meeting area), an enlarged coffee area and eye-watering meeting rooms.
0 Morgan Lovell – AMC Networks AMC Networks wanted to create an inspirational London HQ for staff and clients. The project included audio and edit suites, a cinema, varied meeting facilities and a new staircase, which connects the floors. The aim was a highly collaborative, truly welcoming space to house the brand for years to come.
0 Office Principles – Exterion Media Office Principles completed a stunning office design and fit-out for Exterion Media, London. An agile working strategy was implemented to improve workplace efficiency and employee productivity. Exterion Media achieved SKA Gold on the fit-out and has become an employee of choice, whilst realising huge cost savings.
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Spotlight - Project Review 0 AECOM – National Grid, 35 Homer Road A deconstructed start-up design concept was created; a stripping back of the ‘corporate-ness’ of National Grid sites nationally. The space was imagined around the vitality and energy of the city experience, referencing how connected National Grid is with society and how the business carefully husbands energy security for the nation.
0 HASSELL – Sky Central Workplace This vast workplace unites more than 3,500 people across three levels and is one of the UK’s largest flexible workplaces. The HASSELL team worked with Sky to develop a highly flexible, connected space that is both energetic and surprising, yet simple, intuitive and people-centric.
0 Gensler – Microsoft London In a move to consolidate its offices across London, Microsoft decided to move several of its business groups to this new office location in Paddington. Having worked on numerous Microsoft workplaces globally, the client partnered with Gensler to craft a vibrant and creative space, bringing HoloLens, SwiftKey, Xbox, Lift London, Bing and many other groups together under one roof.
0 Arney Fender Katsalidis – Deloitte, Toronto Deloitte’s Toronto headquarters was developed as an extension of the firm’s business tools, enhancing connectivity and the exchange of ideas. Specially developed work settings provide choices for people to work in a space that is uniquely and thoughtfully Deloitte-branded through materiality and form.
WINNER
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Review - Mixology North16
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Spotlight - Project Review
0 ID:SR Sheppard Robson – Arcadia Group Headquarters Arcadia’s vision was to fully transform a tired 1980’s office building into a fun, connected and inspiring workplace to support their brands and people’s day-to-day activities through the next generation.
0 KKS – Land Securities Relocation to Victoria reinforced Land Securities’ commitment to regeneration. KKS created a collaborative and innovative environment, transforming a conservative silo company from eight levels to one space for 470 people. This truly agile solution allows creativity and engagement.
0 HLW International – Booking.com, Amsterdam HLW helped Booking.com move multiple teams from seven different buildings in Amsterdam into a single consolidated space. The history of Amsterdam was woven into the design and a diverse scheme was created that gave unique personality to every room and floor. The HLW team paid close attention to ensuring that wayfinding tools were integrated throughout to assist the navigation of the many visitors the office receives.
0 LOM architecture and design – 184 Shepherd's Bush Road Customer science company dunnhumby’s new HQ was delivered by LOM architecture and design. The conversion of a Grade II listed former car showroom blends early 20th century gentility with modern day working practices for dunnhumby’s 1,250 Londonbased, data-savvy staff and is a destination for the company’s prestigious clients.
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Spotlight - Project Review
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0 Gerflor – Highgate School, London When Highgate School in North London carried out a refurbishment, it insisted on modern detail throughout, whilst remembering the school’s past. The design of the flooring needed to support studying in a host of areas. The school chose Gerflor’s award-winning Creation 70 LVT to deliver the look and feel.
0 tp bennett – UBS, 5 Broadgate Totalling 700,000 sq ft across 12 floors, 5 Broadgate is London’s biggest groundscraper and the city’s most ambitious blueprint for progressive working practices within what is a traditionally conservative banking industry. The design incorporates flexibility, wellbeing of employees and the fusion of work and lifestyles.
0 Space Zero – Holywell Learning Campus Holywell Learning Campus is a showcase of considered, methodical design principles, strategically delivered to result in enhanced experiences for its learners and educators. One of the key projects in Wales, demonstrating exemplary performance of BIM, the project has generated new jobs and created a sustainable community environment.
0 MCM Architecture – The Estée Lauder Companies As a family-founded business, the vision for the new headquarters for The Estée Lauder Companies centred around the themes of family, home and community to support collaboration, agility, creativity and innovation. It was crucial that this was reflected in the design of One Fitzroy.
0 iDEA – OGA & Ofwat Both organisations wanted to support staff with maximum flexibility to enable them to take control of their work environment and have a choice of work settings to best suit their needs. Working to an extremely tight budget, iDEA has created a vibrant and thriving workspace.
0 KSS – Anfield Main Stand KSS’ designs for the new Main Stand at Anfield celebrate Liverpool FC fans and their unique passion for the club and city. The redevelopment has propelled the club into the 21st century, setting the benchmark for a new stadium experience.
0 BDP – Oldham Town Hall Oldham Town Hall is a landmark Grade II listed building situated on a steeply sloping site in Oldham Town Centre Conservation Area. BDP’s design unlocks the potential for the adaptive re-use of the former Town Hall building and reinstates it at the heart of a wider town centre regeneration within a revitalised Cultural Quarter.
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Spotlight - Project Review
WINNER
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Spotlight - Project Review
SOCIAL SPACES FURNITURE FOR BREAKOUT AREAS
Beautifully crafted and elegant in design, Ray offers an informal refuge for employees and small groups to encourage creativity and inspire collaboration. Ray is a traditionally styled, smart, angular soft seating design of great quality and comfort which allows for a more creative look in the workplace, providing a retro vibe that will never go out of fashion. 48
Designed & manufactured in the UK by
Yo u r O f f i c e F u r n i t u r e W h o l e s a l e r
Spotlight - Project Review 1 CDS Wilman – Harry Ramsden Restaurant & Bar The brief was to create a new flagship location for a 21st century Harry Ramsden restaurant within the framework of an iconic Grade I listed building. It was CDS Wilman’s aim to create an experience that not only captures the essence of what makes Blackpool Tower unique, but also enhances the overall visitor experience.
2 Koncept ID – Novotel, Canary Wharf Novotel Canary Wharf is a 39-storey new build hotel that boasts 313 rooms and 26 individually designed suites. Taking its inspiration from the history of the port’s rich heritage, the scheme uses authentic materials, patterns and textures from the produce once imported. Industrial past into the present, with a few surprises.
4 HLW International – Sky, Brick Lane Sky wanted a dynamic and stimulating space to attract and retain technology engineers and developers. HLW renovated a former clothes factory from shell and core, creating a unique workplace that celebrates the raw and authentic architectural layers of the building. A variety of atmospheres were created for different working tasks.
0 AECOM – AECOM, Aldgate Tower This project was always about more than the building itself. It was also about using design as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration and growth, transforming the way AECOM works and redefining its culture. It reflects AECOM’s strength in creating, delivering and building inspiring places to live, work and play.
5 KKS – Silvergate Media Think Mad Men with a twist! KKS’ client was focused on creating a unique environment to support his start-up businesses in fashion and media. KKS created a special space unlike anything it has designed before – dark colours, integrated art and 50’s furnishings combine with texture, colour and diversity.
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REGIONAL NEWS
NORMA BRESCIANI, SERVEST Norma joined Servest in April 2013 to lead the company’s drive into the London hotel market. Originally from South Africa, she has extensive experience in the UK facilities sector, holding senior positions in a number of support services companies. Prior to joining Servest she was a consultant to FM providers and clients, specialising in change management, sector strategies and brand development. When has a hotel provided great hospitality (GH) for you? I was once given a bottle of bubbles and a personalised note.
TOM HUPE, PERKINS + WILL Tom is the Director of Hospitality at the global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will. He has worked exclusively in the hotel and leisure sector for the past 20 years, during which time he has been responsible for the design and delivery of a diverse range of hotel projects. Alongside this role, Tom is a hospitality conference speaker and a judge for the European Hotel Design Awards. GH: A glass of champers from the GM – who I knew was away from the hotel at the time.
NICK RAYNER, EPR ARCHITECTS Nick is a Director in EPR’s highly regarded hotel and hospitality team. In over 12 years at EPR, he has led an array of hospitality projects for developers and operators across the luxury, select-service and boutique sectors. Nick says, ‘I love it that hospitality design is people-focused. First and foremost it’s about that personal connection to serve guests and give them a great welcome’. GH: Travelling with our young family, the hotel had put teddy bears and colouring books into our daughters’ room and found some girly bed-linen for them. Such a great welcome for us all at the end of a particularly difficult journey.
TAMIE ADAYA, HOTEL SHANGRI-LA Tamie Adaya is CEO, President and Creative Director of Hotel Shangri-La, which originally opened its doors in Santa Monica in 1939. She oversaw a $30 million renovation in 2008, in which she conceptualised and designed everything. The Santa Monica Conservancy awarded Tamie Adaya its preservation award for an exemplary restoration of a historical property. She was honoured for her leadership, creativity and business achievements at The Los Angeles Business Journal 2015 Women Making a Difference Symposium and Awards ceremony. GH: My initials embroided onto a pillow.
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LAURA BLOOMFIELD, SATELLITE Laura is the head of interior design for an award-winning practice, Satellite Architects. Laura focuses on mid- to high-end hotel and commercial properties. In this role she has acquired a great amount of experience in managing a wide variety of projects, working on all key stages in the development process from implementation/project management through to completion. Laura’s interior design/project management skills in this sector have given her a great eye for perfection, precision and efficiency across a range of budgets. GH: I was once upgraded when the electricity went out.
SIMON WILLIS, PRINCIPAL HOTELS Simon Willis is the Brand Director for PRINCIPAL, a collection of landmark, city-centre hotels across the UK that launched in November 2016 in Manchester, York and Edinburgh. This year the Group will open a second hotel in Edinburgh as well as its flagship London hotel on Russell Square, while the pipeline includes Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Oxford. GH: Staying in the Soho Grand Hotel, NY. I was listening to a fantastic DJ – and the next day they gave me a mixed tape from the night before.
Over the past 12 months a weak pound has provided a boost from overseas travellers to the UK leisure market. However, the hotel market has a number of ‘threats’ to deal with; most notably, concerns about security, restrictions on corporate travel budgets and, according to the latest PwC report, ‘…an above average supply growth (especially in London)’. General growth in the key regional cities of Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff and Liverpool is evident and forecasts for these cities indicate occupancy rates of 77% – only marginally down on London’s 80% – although room rates average half of those of London. Our panel looks at the issues facing the hotel sector and assesses how the regional markets are overcoming the current uncertainty. So does the hotel experience differ outside of London?
SIMON: London is a key feeder for a lot of the regional cities. People’s expectations are fairly similar. The big challenge is that London commands high rates and you don’t get those rates in other cities around the country, yet guests still expect the same level of service. TAMIE: London sets the standard for sophistication – but it’s how close a hotel is to its brand promise. Babbington can still command £500 a night! Even within regionalism, there’s almost a caste system. The more urbanised sophisticated traveller actually wants to go to the countryside now. People want to get away and go to places like farmhouses, forest retreats… NORMA: Brand is sacrosanct. In terms of the bigger brands, you have an exacting GM who wants that brand standard and everything on top. People go back because they get something exceptional. SIMON: But if that hotel was in London, you would be almost doubling those rates. TOM: Location will always affect the guest experience. If you have everything on your doorstep, guests get a better experience. If you’re in a more rural area, you need to ensure everything’s available in-house. It changes the dynamic of the design and what’s contained within those four walls. IN ASSOCIATION WITH
TAMIE: If it’s got to be out of London, it has to be a destination in its own right. u
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Or made into a destination. There has to be something that draws people there. LAURA: I agree – there has to be something within that hotel that attracts you to it, but it can be anywhere. We’ve been working with a client for many, many years now and what we’ve worked on has really evolved over those years. They started with a cookery school and a farmhouse – and these are places where you can go and cook and eat the food and have a glass of wine – and then you’re stuck! It’s off the beaten track. So we’ve evolved it into a bigger scheme. We’ve now got 11 rooms, we have planning for 20 more, there will be glamping…
One of the emerging markets is that people coming into hotels in the cities are looking for a lifestyle. They want all their needs to be catered for – not just for business but for their family too.
TAMIE: That’s the key! Intimacy allows for that escape from an urban environment. You want it to be you and nature. SIMON: Regional doesn’t always mean rural though. NORMA: One of the emerging markets is that people coming into hotels in the cities are looking for a lifestyle. They want all their needs to be catered for – not just for business but for their family too. The weekend is all about the family. There’s real opportunity here. For example, people are looking for a true gastronomic experience.
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SIMON: I think food and drink is a game changer. Hotels cannot get away nowadays with lethargy.
You now have to open your doors and bring in the local community.
NICK: There’s been a well-understood cultural shift between work time and leisure time – there’s been a melding together of leisure and business time. And that translates into what hotels offer. People are travelling for both work and leisure. The places people stay at have to serve both of those angles. Hotels need to facilitate that while also allowing the guest to connect with the place that they’re in, with the community. The sense of place and identity within the hotel has to be embedded in the design. TOM: You now have to open your doors and bring in the local community. People want to stay in the hotels that leave them feeling like they’ve experienced that community. NICK: Food and beverage gives the opportunity to connect with a specific region. It’s an easy one to latch onto. I struggle with the notion of hotels in London and the regions a bit – that slightly condescending u
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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stereotype of each area. You have to work hard anywhere to identify what encapsulates that sense of space. TOM: You can let hotels define themselves by opening the door to the local community. You still try to build a narrative around that hotel SIMON: You do need to position yourselves before you open the door. If you look at The Refuge in Manchester, it’s the restaurant and bar that have really given it that connection with the city – and that has enabled us to then layer up all the other partnerships. If you have the people of Manchester coming in, they become the best ambassadors in the world. NORMA: I personally think a lot of the country is watching Manchester – just look at The Refuge, The Gotham, The Hilton Deansgate – there’s something for everyone. TOM: Soho House is coming, so is The Zetter…
Manchester’s not been this exciting
TAMIE: Manchester’s not been this exciting since Tony Wilson and The Hacienda!
since Tony Wilson and The Hacienda!
SIMON: The brilliant thing about Manchester is that there’s such a will to make it work and succeed. You don’t get the same level of cynicism as you do in the capital. NORMA: I’m not quite as excited by Bristol – but I think it is also starting to find its own way. They’re not quite the trailblazers, but it is good what’s happening there right now. TAMIE: I’ve noticed this trend in hospitality design; people are intuitively craving a connection. They’re looking for environments that are organic and offer the human touch. I’m noticing that couches aren’t as big as they used to be – things have changed. Furniture is getting smaller because people want warmth, intimacy…they’re craving a connection with nature and each other and design has to reflect that. TOM: People are now looking for a personalised experience that they can adapt to suit their stay – curating the space so it becomes personalised for them. This is a challenge for designers – to create the shell, and let the guests decide on the rest. The difference now is that Google trend
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analysts look at how the hotel is using big data. It’s not utilised to the level it should be. When hotels really connect with predictive data they can gather more specific information on their customers than pretty much any other industry because they are so in touch with them. SIMON: You can definitely profile guests but it does take time and there are downsides as well as upsides. People want privacy. When a guest does something, we should respond – but I don’t think we should be in their faces. TAMIE: There was this one experience that really blew me away. This hotel used to personalise pillowcases when people came in – the finest cotton, cotton that felt like silk. NORMA: I think hotels are really late adopters of big tech. The tech that is now available can circumvent complaints. For example, I have an App on my phone where I can pick things up immediately.
The thing that is really important right now is the competition from the sharing economy
TOM: The thing that is really important right now is the competition from the sharing economy; what hotels offer is hospitality and service. Hotels can try and bring experience into what they do, but the trick is to use the data to provide a personal touch. NICK: People crave personal connections; providing that welcome, that place of refuge, safety, a great experience, luxury, surprise, a great place to sleep and stay… It comes down to a welcome and a personal touch. I think that the majority of those working in hospitality are fundamentally creative people. It’s about how to innovate and change the game. It’s about offering something that has more of a continuity about it.
CONCLUSION There is no one answer to the question of how you succeed outside of London. As Tamie says, ‘There are no rules as long as what you’re doing, you’re doing well’. Successful new regional hotels look to bring the community and the outdoors inside, and blur the lines between work and leisure, while the fundamentals still apply; great food and drink, great night’s sleep and great service. l
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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The Innovation Game We’re surrounded by some of the greatest minds in the data science community. No, we’re not in the Mix office – we’re actually in the heart of the British Library, the home of The Alan Turing Institute.
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Graphic wall dividers create a strong aesthetic
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Founded in 2015, The Alan Turing Institute is the national body for data science, named after the scientist who cracked the German Enigma code. The Institute’s aim is to make the UK a world leader in the area of data research, and the creation of a new space to house its research community was an integral step towards this goal. The Institute’s founding partners are the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Universities; Cambridge, Edinburgh, Oxford, UCL and Warwick. Morgan Lovell was tasked with designing an office that reflected the Institute’s heritage while ensuring it had a space to achieve excellence. We head up to the library’s first floor and, looking at the busy scene surrounding us, search for the Institute. We don’t have to search for very long. With its brightly lit framing, we’re instantly drawn to the contemporary entrance that distinguishes the Institute from the library. As you enter the Institute, you instantly and intentionally know you’re in a distinctly different space.
Case Study - The Alan Turing Institute
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Lockers and hot-desking spaces support all visiting students and staff alike
It also helps that Morgan Lovell Senior Designer Anna Dejlova and the Institute’s Communication Manager Shana Tufail are waiting for us, along with two PhD students, Merve Alanyali and Chanuki Seresinhe. As we walk into the Institute, we see that the contemporary look and feel of the entrance continues. We shouldn’t be surprised. Having covered numerous impressive, forwardthinking education and public sector projects over the past 12 months, we should expect nothing less than a bright, contemporary and open environment here. ‘They were looking for a space that not only reflected their personality, but provided researchers with facilities to carry out their work and collaborate with peers,’ Anna tells us. ‘The space will bring together some of the brightest minds in advanced mathematics and computing science, so it had to be inspirational, collaborative and functional.’ The dynamic yet peaceful design incorporates a variety of working environments into a single space; from closed concentration and open work pods, to a large collaboration area with a communal tea point. Each of these is defined by a particular motif to lend a distinctive feeling to the space. A large suspended ateljé Lyktan Hood pendant identifies the main communal collaboration area, which is a theme that has been used throughout the design to identify the shared spaces. These are defined by red flooring, that emulates the pendant, and fabric seating to help absorb the acoustics.
Acoustic furniture breaks up the various collaboration meeting areas
The quiet working areas are outlined by glass panelling, which also provides acoustic protection from the louder collaboration areas. This clever trick effectively divides the space into different work zones, which boast a mix of desks and seating arrangements; providing plenty of spaces for researchers to contemplate their next piece of work. Also, when inspiration strikes, panels can be written on to jot down light bulb moments! As we begin to walk through the space we can immediately see that there have been plenty of light bulb moments – judging by the (to us at least) unintelligible equations that adorn many of the panels. ‘The business team here are pretty fixed,’ Merve tells us, ‘But there is quite a bit of movement when it comes to the research teams –due to the fact that researchers are here for maybe a year from one of the partnering universities. We also have visiting researchers who might stay here for a couple of months, so the space does need to be quite fluid and we also need to be able to expand without disrupting the permanent researchers. ‘The business team are here every day, while researchers might be here just once a week, so we need to accommodate them. We are still growing – and have already added more desks to this space.’ The Institute already expects to expand its headquarters into a new build space as part of a major development behind the Library. Back to the current home, we head past a series of smart high-back sofas. ‘We looked u
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In Short Named in honour of Alan Turing (1912-1954). The Institute is the national institute for data science. Founded in March 2015. Founding partners are the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, Oxford, University College London and Warwick. The Institute’s CEO is Sir Alan Wilson.
Case Study - The Alan Turing Institute
at different ways of working and focused on how students work and how their expectations of learning environments are more agile,’ Anna explains. ‘Incorporating different types of seating and working areas was key, in order to give everyone, from staff to students, as well as visitors, the choice of environments. Whether at a table sitting, or standing, on the floor, the windowsill, in the lounge seating or on a bean bag, individuals have a choice in their environment to suit their working needs. ‘Managing sound was an important part of the brief, as we had to bring together researchers with different working styles into a single space,’ Anna continues. ‘We created areas that embrace these differences, and through a clever use of technology and acoustics, we’ve been able to deliver a workplace that provides a logical way for staff to work creatively and productively. ‘We added acoustic dividers, which break up the open nature of the space and allow people to work in a variety of ways.’ The new branding of the Institute, introduced last summer, is an important part of the transformation, not just the space itself, but the Institute as a whole. The new brand is proud, confident and modern – and this is reflected throughout the workspace. In terms of attracting new researchers, this is absolutely key to the continued success and growth of the Institute. Walking back through the Institute, we note that everyone has a locker rather than pedestals, while the vibrant main hub features an impressive tea point, breakout seating and tables. Furthermore (and vitally) the coffee here is excellent – and can be ‘ordered’ via
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The wide variety of work settings in the office support any work style
Through a clever use of technology and acoustics, we’ve been able to deliver a workplace that provides a logical way for staff to work creatively and productively.
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Essentials Client The Alan Turing Institute Interior Design Morgan Lovell Systems Furniture Herman Miller Task Seating Herman Miller Breakout Seating BuzziSpace
Is your furniture harming the environment?
Feature Pendant Lighting ateljé Lyktan
Discover the journey of a sustainable product... mobile phone. We’re told that not only was this a great icebreaker, it was also what the researchers took to Twitter about! With our furniture spotting hats on, we can see Herman Miller systems and task seating, together with cool BuzziSpace acoustic breakout seating. ‘Everything started as a radial, coming from the circles here,’ Anna reveals. ‘The red delineates where there is a more casual breakout space. Beyond the hub we’ve put in a series of private, focused one-person booths and beyond that we’ve got a variety of work and meeting settings, from formal glazed meeting rooms through to long collaborative benches and standing desks. Interestingly, although we’ve put in writable surfaces throughout, the mathematicians still prefer to use blackboards and chalk!’ ‘If people are going to have a long conversation, they are encouraged to go to the kitchen area or book one of the meeting rooms,’ Chanuki explains. ‘The researchers do need to focus on their work so the open u
THE BETTER EFFECT www.kinnarps.co.uk/thebettereffect
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Case Study - The Alan Turing Institute
Data science is quite interdisciplinary and everyone needs to be open-minded and ready to work with people from different disciplines
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Single acoustic meeting booths create a natural divide throughout the office i
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A clever use of furniture creates spaces for minds to meet
space here tends to be quiet. It works really well – people do respect one another and the fact that they are here to work. Similarly, they like the fact that they have these collaboration spaces where they can interact with fellow researchers and the business team.’ ‘There is little hierarchy and a wide range of ages working here,’ adds Merve. ‘Data science is quite interdisciplinary and everyone needs to be open-minded and ready to work with people from different disciplines. I think this is one of the reasons why everyone here is open to innovation and new ways of working.’ Before we take our leave, we head upstairs to a second space recently converted by the Institute. Featuring four private booths and bright open workspace, this is much needed extra space for the growing Institute and will be home to a new research library. Again, Miller and BuzziSpace are present, together with rows of pristine Apple monitors. The Alan Turing Institute is definitely on an amazing journey. Right now though, it could not be in a better place. l
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Our Panellists
Vaqas Farooq Managing Partner, Shoosmiths LLP Vaqas leads Shoosmiths’ real estate Manchester team and is also the Office Head. He is a well-known, highly respected development and regeneration lawyer. Vaqas has also led the team on the design and fit-out of the firm’s move to the flagship XYZ building.
Our recent MixInspired Manchester, the third seminar held in Manchester and the 8th in the series, was aimed at the A&D, D&B and general property market. The event was held at the fantastic new Bruntwood office space, NEO, in the heart of the city.
The theme of the event was The People and Culture Shaping Tomorrow’s Workplace, with our expert panel debating the future of the workplace and who is going to deliver it. Guests got an insight into the workings of end users and the property ‘food chain’ from our guest speakers who hail from forward-thinking organisations Sky, Shoosmiths and The Hut Group. As well as an unmissable panel, we were delighted to have a crowded room, full of the great and the good of Manchester and the North West’s specification sector, in a great new venue. We would, of course, like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors – Colebrook Bosson Saunders, European Furniture Group and Spatial Office Environments. We are extremely grateful for their support and encouragement. Also, thank you to Bruntwood/NEO for allowing us to take over their space for the evening. Our esteemed panellists for the discussion were Jon Saunders – Head of Technology at Sky, Lesley McPhee – Group Director of Property at The Hut Group and Vaqas Farooq – Managing Partner at Shoosmiths. And we really couldn’t have asked for better speakers. Each was open, refreshingly honest, entertaining and offered scores of brilliant insights into not just their own businesses but also where
Thanks to our Sponsors
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Lesley McPhee Group Director of Property, The Hut Group After 23 years working for various Design & Build companies across the UK and South Africa, Lesley joined The Hut Group as Head of Design, but after only four months has been promoted to Group Director of Property, and is now in charge of managing the design and delivery of the The Hut Group’s portfolio.
Jon Saunders Head of Technology, Sky Jon Saunders is the Head of Technology for the Sky Sports and Sky News digital content platforms and products. Jon started his career building systems for publishing before developing through insurance, e-commerce and financial markets, finally settling in the exciting world of digital web and app experiences.
they feel the future of workplace lies. Here are just a few of those insights, starting with Vaqas and Shoosmiths’ very recent workplace revolution. ‘About two years ago I had an epiphany – and that epiphany came about as a result of talking to a lot of people, and in particular to a lot of clients – especially clients in London. These people were living and breathing this ‘workplace revolution’. To be honest we were quite stuffy at the time – we liked our desks and we liked our rooms and that journey started by talking to these developer clients in London, who were creating this really cool new space and were telling me that the revolution really was happening. ‘That was the start of a two-year journey – and three days ago we moved into 32,000 sq ft of new space at XYZ, Allied London’s development at Spinningfields. Three days in, we have created a revolution – and we’re incredibly excited about it. ‘To begin with I think out of 199 colleagues, 198 were doubters. We went on a huge consultation with colleagues that lasted two years – and that was really, really important. That drove the design, it drove the amenities – it drove the whole concept of wellbeing. We put wellbeing at the very top of the list. We didn’t put saving money or saving rent at the top of the list – we put wellbeing there and when you put wellbeing at the top of the list it drives all sorts of things; talent retention, talent recruitment – all sorts of things. ‘As a result of that consultation, we came up with something truly unique. I’m not talking about something unique for our industry, but something unique for any industry.’ Vaqas explains that one of the inspirations for his unique scheme was Sky’s Leeds Dock scheme. He’s asked what he took from that Sky project. ‘Open space collaboration,’ he considers. It makes sense, of course, to bring John in at u
“About two years ago I had an epiphany – and that epiphany came about as a result of talking to a lot of people, and in particular to a lot of clients – especially clients in London”
“We went on a huge consultation with colleagues that lasted two years – and that was really, really important” 63
Review
“We saw this as an opportunity to create a permanent staff base who would be really engaged with the products ”
this point – the man who knows more about Sky’s Leeds Dock project than just about anyone else. ‘We’ve got 560 people across three buildings,’ John tells us. ‘We were looking to move our digital capability to Leeds. We found these retail spaces – this was probably two years ago – and up until then we had about 40 people up in Leeds, so we’ve expanded quite considerably. ‘There are about 50,000 people working in digital in the M62 corridor. In London we have a lot of contract staff and we saw this as an opportunity to create a permanent staff base who would be really engaged with the products. ‘Wellbeing for those people was also one of our main concerns. On top of that, we’ve got Sky Sports, Sky News and Sky.com – all the digital teams together – so this was a great opportunity to get them all collaborating. ‘The concept is that we have tribes and within these tribes we have squats – a set of people who work on a single particular product. We want everyone to be together and everyone has their own desk – but what we do is we move them around. While people go to a desk everyday, that desk may change depending on what product they are working on.’ Lesley’s background, before moving client-side with the Hut Group, was with Overbury. She’s asked what she’s found to be the major differences between the two sides. ‘No two days are ever the same,’ she reveals. ‘The Group is run by two guys – Matthew Moulding and John Gallemore. Matt, who is the CEO, has a farm and a house next door to the business. He will phone me up and say, ‘I’ve got these properties – what do you want
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Review - MixInspired
“We want everyone to be together and everyone has their own desk – but what we do is we move them around ”
to do with them? What do you want to build?’ Essentially, he’ll then just let me get on with it. He’s very much a 24-hour a day man. He never stops. ‘In the past year the Group has gone from 800 people to 3,500 people. We’ve got two people sat at one 1,200mm desk, we’ve got people hot desking with PC’s – as you can imagine, it’s very difficult on a daily basis to handle that level of growth. ‘We now have buildings earmarked on a park in Northwich – in fact we have a total of six buildings earmarked for the park, we have a warehouse on the M62, London offices, America…’ We ask our panelists about the chief points raised by staff during that vital consultation period. ‘We had a temporary office outside of Leeds,’ John tells us. ‘We got people to look at how they use different spaces – at how they collaborated around breakout areas, how they u
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Review - MixInspired
“I’m a great believer that we’ve got to move away from the default setting of the desk. When it comes to design, a lot of people still start with the desk – we started with open collaboration space”
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use meeting rooms, how they work when they’re at their desks – and the fit-out revolved around that essentially.’ ‘Traditional offices have a lot of closed spaces – small, dull meeting rooms etc,’ Vaqas continues. ‘The biggest thing that came out from our consultations was to have more open space. In the last three days, walking around our new space, I’ve seen people in all sorts of these nooks and crannies that we’ve intentionally created – and not at their desks. ‘That leads me to think that desks are dead as a concept! I’m a great believer that we’ve got to move away from the default setting of the desk. When it comes to design, a lot of people still start with the desk – we started with open collaboration space. The desk is just another work setting. We don’t want our people to sit at a desk all day. It’s not healthy.’ We hate to do this to you, but we’ve simply run out of space – and, would you believe it, just when it was starting to get really interesting! l
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Super Hans We haven’t got time to register. We haven’t even got time to see if ‘the people’ are out on the streets. It’s the first morning of Clerkenwell Design Week 2017 and we’re excited – not just because the sun is shining and we have what is certain to be a great three days ahead of us.
In Short Ineke Hans graduated with an MA in Furniture Design from the RCA. She set up her studio in the Netherlands in 1998. STUDIO | INEKEHANS designs industrial furniture and products as well as handmade items produced in smaller batches. Ineke’s porfolio inlcudes work for Cappelini, Magis, Offecct, Royal Ahrend and Hitch Mylius.
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Profile - Ineke Hans We’re particularly excited because our first port of call is the Malmaison hotel, where leading British furniture manufacturer Hitch Mylius is unveiling its latest collection. We’re not just here to see the new range however – we’re also here to chat with its multi-award winning and critically acclaimed designer, Ineke Hans, who has now collaborated with Hitch Mylius. Ineke set up her studio in the Netherlands in 1998 after studying Product Design in the Netherlands and graduating with an MA in Furniture Design from the Royal College of Art. In 2015 Ineke moved back to the UK to set up studio|salon: design studio & research salon. Today she is based in London, from where she works with her studio in Holland on design projects for leading international design manufacturers. With the salon she explores ‘the future of furniture design’ and ‘the changing position of the designer’. STUDIO | INEKEHANS designs industrial furniture and products as well as handmade items produced in smaller batches. Next to that the studio works on exhibitions and architectural commissions. Ineke started off by initiating furniture and product collections herself, which are still sold via INEKEHANS | COLLECTION today. Her early work centred around pictograms and archetypes, but has evolved in many ways; investigating the psychological roots of products, perceiving and playing with the interaction between people, objects and space. Ineke is recognised for her down-to-earth and simultaneously hybrid design approach with a focus on detail, function and clarity, an interest in the vernacular and of things to come. All her work is based on the interest to design and define projects that fit into new ways of living, new materials and appropriate production methods. Old and brand new production methods are used in intelligent, unconventional ways. Crafts, industrial methods, and digital production are equally important: ‘We have to cherish all skills,’ she explains. ‘Designers can use them to make products by challenging the old techniques, just as they have to stretch the limits of a
You now have a whole generation of people who aren’t so interested in possessions anymore – they are interested in the experience
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modern laser cutter and recent open source methods. Innovative materials and production techniques and thinking about future human values and habits have become most important triggers for new work and make it multi-layered, playful and social.’ Ineke’s portfolio contains work for leading international manufacturers including Arco, Cappelini, Iittala, Lensvelt, Magis, Offecct, Royal Ahrend, RoyalVKB, and for clients such as Cooper Hewitt Museum (NY), Royal Dutch Forestguard, Shorefast Foundation (CA) and Dutch governmental organisations. Now, Ineke has collaborated with our own Hitch Mylius for the first time. The result of this collaboration is FLIX – a playful system that works for both formal and informal spaces, offering multiple and single seating options. With a minimum of components it’s possible to create a range of configurations for office, hospitality and co-working environments. FLIX also offers many options to play with materials, fabric colours and textures. u
Profile - Ineke Hans ‘When we first talked, they really wanted something that was a little more soft,’ Ineke says, recalling her initial discussions with Hitch Mylius. ‘They have quite a lot of ‘hard’ furniture. They also spoke about the possibility of high backs – but at the same time there are high backs everywhere, so I didn’t really want to do just another high back. ‘That’s why I thought more about the idea of starting with a system – so basically there’s the same mould for the shells, you have a low arm and then you have a different back. There are a number of backs you can choose from – there’s a low one, a higher one and a super-high one, which means that you can play with the system. It’s a bit of a Lego system. ‘Then there are three different bases – a swivel base, a wooden base and a metal tube – and you can make it into two-seaters, into three-seaters or even into a whole beam. You can play with it – it’s very flexible and it fixes situations. That is why it is called FLIX – although my son is called Felix, so it is a nice combination of those words! ‘Above all it is softer. Spaces are getting smaller and contract spaces are getting a lot more domestic, so it gives a slightly different touch. Contract clients are looking to reconfigure, to change and at the same time they want the comfort. ‘This is not rocket science – it is a system that can help people to organise their spaces. If you look at offices today, you no longer have the classic situation of a desk, a swivel chair and a filing cabinet. Filing cabinet makers are having a really hard time! Now, because we are so mobile, we work anywhere and the only reason a lot of people go to work in the office is for meetings. Therefore, these flexible areas are now so important – more important than ever. I’m really happy that we’ve been able to create a system that works in many different situations and, according to the fabrics you put on it, can be much more serious or feel much more domestic. ‘ We ask Ineke how familiar she was with Hitch Mylius before the FLIX collaboration. ‘As you know, I studied in London and I worked here for quite a while before returning to Holland,’ she tells us. ‘I knew Hitch Mylius from the time I was studying here. I knew Tristram (Mylius) at that time – and this was a long time ago now! I only properly reconnected with the company about four years ago – although we always seemed to be talking about doing a project together, somehow it never seemed to work out. So when I moved back to London two years ago, we decided it was finally time to do something together! ‘We had a couple of conversations. They told me about the projects they were working on and what their clients were saying they wanted and needed for their projects. ‘One of the reasons I came back to London was that I did a research project last year. When I was working in Holland in the studio I realised that – and this wasn’t about being in Holland in a studio – it was about working in design, working in furniture and you know that a lot of things are changing around you…and when you’re stuck on your own treadmill it is not easy to pay attention to everything that is changing in furniture around you. So I decided to set up salons here in London. I set up 12 in
Spaces are getting smaller and more expensive – especially here in London, which is really under the magnifying glass.
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How furniture manufacturers can benefit from R&D tax relief Whether you are trying to improve your existing processes or launching a new product line, manufacturers of interior products may be eligible for tax relief, say R&D tax credit experts Jumpstart From the design and prototype stage through to production, manufacturers face challenges at every stage of the process. Maybe you’re having to work with new or updated materials, or adapt existing processes to increase efficiency or take account of changes in standards or health and safety concerns. Activities like these inevitably incur an element of risk and may require major investment. The good news is that in many cases, companies can claim significant amounts in R&D tax relief to help offset the cost. What projects would qualify?
London last year. I specifically wanted to do that in London because furniture is what I studied here and furniture is also where my heart lies. ‘As I was saying, spaces are getting smaller and more expensive – especially here in London, which is really under the magnifying glass. We have seen that the classic ‘hardcore’ contract furniture companies have struggled, so this was a great opportunity to see how design and designers are changing. Furniture has had to change and the way it is delivered has also changed. You now have a whole generation of people who aren’t so interested in possessions anymore – they are interested in the experience. These kids have a completely different idea of how they want to live and how they want to work. They can’t stand the idea of sitting at a desk for an entire day – that is completely alien to them. They are the ones who are now starting to dictate how and what we design in contract furniture and what the office looks like. ‘You have to be honest – some things you can do with furniture and some things you can’t. You can make your furniture reconfigurable. You can at least try to organise your product in such a way that it is a set of ingredients you can play with and configure for specific situations. What’s more, the interior designer has their own experience – they get to play with the Lego!’ l
Here are just a few examples of what might be eligible: • Improvements to manufacturing processes or machinery - doing things faster or better • Reducing waste or emissions • Better ergonomics – making products easier to use • Computer models – for example, to evaluate stresses or fluid flow • Developing ways to manufacture new products However the rules are complex and it is best to get expert advice in each case. As the UK’s leading R&D tax relief specialist, Jumpstart has a proven track record of more almost 3,000 successful claims. We know what to claim, how to claim and the many pitfalls to avoid. And if you don’t ultimately qualify for R&D tax credits, you won’t owe us a thing. Why not contact us to discuss your project in more detail?
Ian Wolfendale Business Development Manager tel: 0131 240 2900 | mob: 07531 448 053 tel: 0370 218 5414 www.jumpstartuk.co.uk
Profile
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Tribute - Glenn Vaus
Tribute to Glenn Vaus Glenn was widely respected within the design community and by his clients and often remarked that he was incredibly fortunate to be able to pursue a design career that was his hobby. Indeed, he never switched off as a passionate designer. He was supremely proud of helping, together with his partners, to build Forme UK Design and Architecture into a thriving, award winning company, recognised within the industry for its excellence. Whether travelling around the world on holiday or for work, exploring favourite cities such as New York or enjoying shopping and going out in London, he always took inspiration from everything and everyone around him. He loved fashion and was known for his passion for a designer label and trendy trainers. Food, and in particular watching cooking shows and experimenting with all flavours of homemade ice cream, was also a great pastime of his. In keeping with his love for entertaining and design, he most recently helped to design and organise his daughter’s 18th birthday celebrations, with LED lights that turned the exterior of the white family house bright pink. His character, quiet determination and principled beliefs carried him through to achieve what he did throughout his life and he was hugely influenced by his roots in London’s East End. Glenn began life in Bacton Towers, a social housing block designed by YRM who, some 21 years later, coincidentally, became Glenn’s employer in one of his first interior design jobs after leaving university. He spoke about how lucky he was to have spent his childhood enjoying the surroundings of places and spaces that were to become recognised as designer masterpieces. Family and friends lived in Berthold Lubetkin social housing; he swam in York Hall; he visited Old Spitalfields Market when it was a working market and he cycled across what would become the Olympic Park. u
Forme UK Design and Architecture has very sadly announced the passing of designer Glenn Vaus, one of the original founding partners of the practice. At the time of his sudden death at the age of 53, he was engaged on major West End refurbishment projects and had recently completed a global research facility project.
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Tribute - Glenn Vaus
i Greater London House Reception
i Greater London House Reception
Glenn’s spirit is an indelible part of Forme UK and it will never be lost. We are so pleased that Linzi has found the strength and determination to drive the firm forward, as Glenn would have wished
Glenn had never wanted to be anything other than a designer. Having shown talent and enthusiasm for art while at secondary school, he went on to study for a diploma in art and design at East Ham College, where he was to meet his wife, fellow designer, Linzi Coppick. After completing his BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture at Middlesex University, he joined Fitzroy Robinson. He then spent several years at YRM Interiors working with David Skeels as first a junior and then senior designer. The opportunity to be involved in the restoration and extensive refurbishment of The
Michelin Building on Fulham Road in Chelsea and the UK Expo 92 in Seville, foretold what would further drive Glenn’s passion for design. Glenn then went on to Sheppard Robson where he helped David Skeels to develop the practice’s interiors division. Glenn joined as a practice partner when David established Forme UK Design and Architecture in 2001, together with Mark Twigg and Franco Greco – and all four have been responsible for Forme UK’s continuing success. As Creative Director at Forme UK, Glenn worked with the world’s leading companies in
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the corporate, hotel and healthcare arenas. With every project he set out to deliver the highest standards of design quality and to make a real difference with the environment he created. Nowhere was this more apparent than with his work for public sector projects, where he wanted to improve the surroundings for occupiers with inspiring environments. Those who worked with him remember how he was always the gentleman who was able to accomplish results through gentle persuasion. Glenn was always valued for his frank and sincere guidance and advice and for the way in which he was able to talk to everyone. He formed longstanding partnerships with many clients, which developed into friendships. He was also a champion of junior designers, acting as a mentor to students who gained valuable experience with Forme UK. He was very much a family man, dedicated to his wife, Linzi, and treasured daughter, Yasmin. His family has set up a Just Giving page in his memory at justgiving.com/fundraising/ Glenn-Vaus. The four partners of Forme UK were not only business partners but also great friends from their days as young professionals. ‘We have lost a good man but we are determined to carry on his legacy,’ says Franco Greco. ‘Glenn’s spirit is an indelible part of
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Forme UK and it will never be lost. We are so pleased that Linzi has found the strength and determination to drive the firm forward, as Glenn would have wished,’ says David Skeels. Mark Twigg, who was also part of that team at Sheppard Robson, added: ‘Together we had a blast of a time on projects all over the world. It was the three of us that secured the massive RBS project for SR before we all left – and we had a whale of a time implementing it with Mr Goodwin. If only we had known how things were to turn out – or maybe we did!’. ‘Although I’d never worked with Glenn I had known him for probably 30 years as a very good friend of very good friends of mine,’ BDP’s Mark Simpson tells us. ‘He was a great guy, who was well liked in the industry and well loved by his family, colleagues and friends – a lovely, gentle man and a sad loss.’ l
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Inspired by Innovation
Portfolio, a brand new collection which blends superlative craftsmanship and innovative technology, with a gorgeous array of colours, textures and styles. Created around four inspirational themed ranges, each door whether from Portfolio’s ‘Natural’, ‘Exotic’, ‘Contemporary’ or ‘Classic’ range - offers real personality. With inspiration coming from a host of sources Portfolio’s design team took cues from headline interior and catwalk trends - the range offers designers, specifiers and architects luxurious pieces with no compromise on quality. The Natural range - Scandinavian doors with a luxurious look would suit traditional spas or intimate restaurants. The Exotic range - Wenge and Ebony, offering fiery shades and tempting textures. Both deliver a dramatic, evocative and exciting twist for any space. The Contemporary range, with its clean lines and fresh design, takes its inspiration from all things modern. When added to a slick, city apartment or stylish bar, the doors - there are nine styles in the range - really come into their own. Complementing the design team’s inspiration for classic features, the Classic range comprising of six beautifully-finished doors. From quality materials and rich shades, the collection brings a heritage feel and touch of elegance. For a copy of our Portfolio brochure, or to request samples, please call 0844 209 0008
Birthwaite Business Park, Huddersfield Rd, Darton, Barnsley, S75 5JS Email: ukmarketing@premdor.com www.premdor.co.uk/portfolio
Real Veneers Consistent Grain Consistent Colour Never Identical
Review
Perfecto
Day
We were definitely in the mood to celebrate at Mixology17. Not only had we been incredibly fortunate with the weather, avoiding both rain and scorching, uncomfortable temperatures, and not only had we finally managed to secure the services of superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold and his awesome Perfecto brand, we’d also recently been on the other end of the awards experience.
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Review
So, as well as handing out some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, we were also celebrating our own win – in the shape of two major awards at the recent Awards Awards, including the Gold Award for Best Event by a Publisher over 700 people…but enough about us! The perfect weather ensured a packed terrace, with guests enjoying a cocktail and a glass of fizz by the river – just one of the reasons we all love Old Billingsgate so much! Mixology17 witnessed many celebrations, with tp bennett scooping Design Practice of the Year, Northern Ireland’s Specialist Joinery Group picking up Manufacturer of the Year for a second year running and Day2 winning Furniture Provider of the Year for an unprecedented third year in a row. Speaking of Day2, and following the firm’s amazing hat-trick, MD Jim Meier was deservedly presented with The Henry Pugh Outstanding Contribution Award. There were a total of five major project categories, with awards going to Area Sq (now rebranded as Area), TTSP, HASSELL, iDEA and align. The night’s big product award winners included Lily Latifi, Milliken, Ocee and Connection, while Hart Miller were presented with the Product Designer Award. We couldn’t do it all ourselves, of course, and there are a number of people we need to thank for their contributions. Firstly, a huge thank you to all our sponsors – we really couldn’t do it without you. We’d like to say a big thank you to Morgan for the matchday programme – and thanks to Connection for the ever-popular photo booth. We’d also like to say a huge thank you to our awards judges for their time, efforts and expertise. So thank you to BDP’s Mark Simpson, Edge Design’s Steve Edge, AECOM’s Nick Lintott, Shannon Pope-Ellis from Estee Lauder Companies, Canary Wharf Group’s Karen Rogers and British Land’s Philip Tait. Once the award ceremony was over, the dancefloor immediately filled as Paul (we’re on first names terms now!) showed exactly why he’s been one of the world’s greatest DJs for so long (he was twice voted the number one DJ in the world by DJ Magazine), mixing the likes of U2 and The Killers with his own inimitable dance and electronica style. It might have taken us a full decade to acquire his services, but it really was worth the wait.
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COLOUR COMPOSITIONS
Review
Harmonious and balanced or challenging and unexpected, explore colour and form with each individual floor composition. Colour Compositions - a new collection of carpet planks, offered in 75 colour choices.
T +44 (0)1942 612777 www.millikencarpet.com Artwork by Ditty Ketting—Netherlands, b.1952 Untitled 375, Courtesy of Rocket Gallery, London
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Mixology17
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Mixology17
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Review
Rooms by Connection Designed to define space and create a sense of place www.connection.uk.com sales@connection.uk.com 01484 600 100 See Rooms in our showrooms: London, Manchester, Huddersfield 81
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ROB SOLLOM – CHICESTER COLLEGE
Furniture Makers’ Company) Sponsored By KI
Student Designer of the Year (in association with the
Rooms’ architectural structure offers a suggestion of an enclave, with visual and acoustic privacy solutions and offers colour and texture to create a multitude of settings. Our judges felt Rooms was...‘Cost-effective and simple to install, it has an organic feeling of being outdoors indoors.’
CONNECTION – ROOMS
Sponsored By Umbrella
Product of the Year - Furniture
Designed with the user in mind, Reward Gateway’s new workplace includes a number of spaces, which support staff wellbeing – including a secret garden, a reflection room and an on-site library. ‘We were impressed by how the project really works for the client. Area ticked all the boxes here,’ our judges said.
Congratulations to Rob! Rob wanted to create a modernised take on a gothic style. Functionally, the wide arms allow space for a coffee cup or glass of wine. This award was voted via an online poll – and Rob was a clear winner.
Both OGA and Ofwat wanted to support staff with maximum flexibility to enable them to take control of their work environment. The judges thought this...‘An impressive project that represents incredible value for money and clearly supports the client’s working practices.’
IDEA – OGA/OFWAT
Sponsored By Camira
Public Sector Interiors Project of the Year
Lily has used natural felt to achieve both high visual and acoustic comfort when the system is used in interior hanging applications. Our judges said: ‘You can immediately see the sounddeadening qualities the system provides, it is very simple yet also visually elegant.’
LILY LATIFI – ‘NAMAD’ PLEATED PANEL SYSTEM
AREA – REWARD GATEWAY
Sponsored By CMD
Product of the Year - Surfaces
Sponsored By Connection
Small Commercial Interiors Project of the Year
The HASSELL team worked with Sky to develop a space that is energetic and surprising, yet simple, intuitive and people-centric. Our judges felt the scheme was...‘Clever, with witty ideas. For such a large space, it still shows huge amounts of creativity.’
HASSELL – SKY CENTRAL
Sponsored By Colbrook Bosson Saunders
Large Commercial Interiors Project of the Year
Fabricks are super acoustic bricks made from foam and wool fabric, designed to look fabulous, divide space and reduce noise. ‘A really clever, innovative product, which is quick and simple to use,’ enthused our judges.
OCEE DESIGN – FABRICKS
Sponsored By Interface
Product of the Year – Lighting, Technology & Interior Accessories
Colour Compositions is a new carpet plank tile collection from Milliken. The judges felt that Milliken had produced an extremely usable and beautifully presented collection.
MILLIKEN COLOUR COMPOSITIONS
Sponsored By Triumph
Product of the Year - Flooring
When Aviva chose to transform their business to make it fit for the digital age, they turned to TTSP to revitalise their London HQ at St Helen’s Tower. Our judges said: ‘The firm addressed the brief perfectly. There is a real fluidity to this scheme.’ Congratulations TTSP!
TTSP – ST HELEN’S TOWER
Sponsored By Office Furniture London
Medium Commercial Interiors Project of the Year
MIXOLOGY17 WINNERS
Omeara London’s venue is the brainchild of Ben Lovett from Mumford and Sons and includes the venue, bar, event space and newbuild courtyard block with roof terrace. Our judges enthused…‘A fantastic use of space. It’s a venue that we’d all like to come and visit.’
ALIGN WITH STUDIO JUICE & DICK BIRD – OMEARA LONDON
Sponsored By Yarwoord Leather
Hospitality Interiors Project of the Year
Day2’s mission is to take the pain out of sourcing furniture. Day2 strives to help deliver workplaces that inspire and invigorate. Furthermore, it’s a Mixology hat-trick for Day2! Our judges said that the firm had again ...‘Shown impressive growth and delivered on a number of extremely major projects.’
DAY2
Sponsored By Kinnarps
Furniture Provider of the Year
Camira’s key initiatives include their ecosensitive bast fibre and recycled fabrics, apprenticeship scheme, 0% waste to landfill rate and closed-loop recycling programmes. Our judges felt that…‘Camira has clearly practiced what it preaches. Even the award entry addressed the company’s focus on doing things right!’
Environmental & Sustainability CAMIRA
Jim Meier is the Founder and Managing Director of leading London-based furniture supplier, Day2. He has over 30 years’ industry experience, is universally liked and respected – and runs a team that has won a Mixology award for three years in a row!
JIM MEIER – DAY2
Sponsored By Orangebox
The Henry Pugh Outstanding Contribution Award
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Agile, responsive, with personal levels of service, OD Group prides itself on being reactive, with access to directors/shareholders 24/7. Our judges commented that this is… ‘A really nice business that has shown impressive growth over the past 12 months.’
OD GROUP
Sponsored By Johnson Tiles
Fit-Out Company of the Year
Hart Miller Design have designed furniture based on their belief that people are influenced on an emotional level by the environment that surrounds them. Our judges were...‘Impressed by this husband and wife team, who have created an impressive brand and are a great example of innovative British design.’
HART MILLER DESIGN
Sponsored By Platfform
Product Designer/Design Team of the Year
tp bennett have streamlined their work in key sectors and expanded into new markets. Our judges felt: ‘The firm have shown great consistency over the past 12 months, winning and delivering a number of impressive projects.’
TP BENNETT
Sponsored By KI
Design Practice of the Year
SJG reatined it’s title – by building their brand reputation through environmental project advocacy and by creating a dynamic new service offering. Our judges commented that the firm was...‘Once again heavily involved in a number of great projects – many of which we’ve been looking at throughout the judging.’
SPECIALIST JOINERY GROUP
Sponsored By Plus Finance
Manufacturer of the Year
Review
THE TH O O B O T O PH Sponsored by
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Review
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Review
The American Experience It was our Director David Smalley’s first trip out to the incredible city of Chicago. Of course, this was no holiday – he did have a bit of work to do in the shape of reviewing the USA’s largest and most important trade fair. Here David reports back on his jaunt across to see NeoCon for the first time. obviously a terrific place to spend some time. In my view, it’s like a Canary Wharf with style, resplendent in the delightful summer sunshine of around 34 degrees, except for Wednesday’s thunderstorms, which appeared to affect most UK-bound guests. I was only there for two days (Monday and Tuesday) but was reliably informed that the show appears to be extending somewhat, with many heading out on Sunday evening, while the once dead Wednesday is now very much alive. I spoke to one manufacturer who is already looking to stay an extra day next year so that the team can have that all-important ‘pause and assess’ moment before they get back into the heat of the battle of work. Monday morning started with a couple of stops on the Blue Line – a mix between the old Moscow Metro and the packed London Tube – and then came my first impression of NeoCon, which was quite overwhelming. At 9am the queue for registration was over 17 million! Camira’s Ian Burn told me, ‘I’ve never seen queues for the elevators or the registration desks as long as they were on the first day of NeoCon for a very long time’.
‘How was NeoCon?’ I have been asked 57 times since returning to the mother country. My response has been varied – from excellent to fascinating, terrific and maybe even a little cool (clearly not!). My journey there and back was an adventure I’d rather forget, but it was completely overshadowed by a most excellent experience in Chicago. Here’s a summary of NeoCon for those, like me a couple of months ago, who may not have been au fait with the show. It is an annual exhibition for architects and designers, held in the 1930’s Merchandise Mart in the middle of downtown Chicago. 50,000 visitors, mainly from the US, visit for the usual exhibition fare of what’s new in the world of products, learning from the cerebral offering of seminars and talks and generally meeting other folk from the industry. The building has 25 floors. Some have permanent showrooms (much like Clerkenwell) on floors 3, 10 and 11 and some, such as the 7th floor, have a myriad of exhibition stands (much like Designjunction). I was told so much about this metropolitan city and whilst I didn’t have much in the way of free time, it is
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Sensitile Installation - Infinity 88
Hon - Empower
Review - NeoCon
FIRST IMPRESSIONS It is perhaps inevitable that I would compare NeoCon with the other fairs I have attended over the last 12 months. What struck me on the first day was that this wasn’t a male dominated, suited affair like Orgatec. Helen Owen from Bisley said, ‘NeoCon is always an entertaining show and I felt this year the audience and themes were more diverse than ever’. Another observation was how focused the designers appeared to be. It was clear that they were there to learn and at almost every stand I overheard ‘So what is new’. Their aim appeared to be to find out about the benefits of the products and then move on – quite different from the party atmosphere of Clerkenwell Design Week. Alison Kitchingman from Milliken suggested many of the designers only travel to this one big show, therefore they are here to make the most of it. Bryan Daisy from FREM put it a little more strongly when, after a very successful first day said that, ‘The audience in general is far more enthusiastic in the US than we are used to in Europe’.
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NeoCon Showroom
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Boss Design
Whilst we are making comparisons, the sales guys also appear to have great enthusiasm and professionalism (not being critical of our UK brethren). I was told by Boss Design’s Oliver Ronald that many of the sales guys are on commission only – therefore I guess this provides a real helpful focus, particularly when you are earning 10-15% of sales. Even when I was having a drink with the delightful Jon Crawford, Senior Designer at Senator, quite late on, one of his colleagues was chaperoning a group of four designers through the showroom with such enthusiasm, I felt a little guilty…for two sips worth of time! I did set out to attend at least one seminar and the one I attended didn’t disappoint. It was led by a couple from HOK (Pam Light and Brad Liebman) and was titled Rise of the Human Factor. Much of what was discussed was exactly what you would expect in the UK; instead of real estate we should be talking about people; the most flexible part of the office is not the walls or furniture but its people. Also, there were insights into the characteristics of Gen Z – one I hadn’t heard was the acronym KIPPERS (Kids In Parents’
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FREM
Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings). We were shown a series of maps delivered as a timeline, revealing the level of obesity by state, year by year in the US. Shown in such a graphic way, it made uncomfortable reading. Pam suggested that the US market should already be thinking about making larger chairs! I bumped into the UK-based Carl Gearing (PwC) a couple of times and his take on the show was that, whilst much of the design has softened, it is ‘still very corporate and conservative’, suggesting that straight lines and aluminium were the order of the day. Whilst after a couple of days I wouldn’t necessarily agree 100%, I did walk past a couple of showrooms that reminded me of how to respond when shown a photograph of someone’s baby. If the baby is beautiful you can say ‘gee, she’s pretty’ but if the baby is not the most attractive, then the code is ‘ooh doesn’t he look like his dad’. I felt a little like that in a couple of the showrooms. One had a monstrous (code for not my cup of tea) marble boardroom table with matching pointy shiny chairs. I thought I’d misheard when I overhead someone suggest it was incredible.
Review
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Review - NeoCon
THE SHOWROOMS Senator had all the big guns in attendance on the stand, quietly confident about the future, following the announcements of plans to significantly increase manufacturing capacity to 100,000 sq ft. After winning two awards the night before, and boasting a completely packed stand, who would bet against them? I met Boss Design’s new US Director of Global Accounts, Sandy Yokeley, in Clerkenwell in May and again had the good fortune to bump into this force of nature at their new large permanent showroom. As most will know, Boss are on a role, with some terrific new products including Trinetic, which is a real hit with designers, not least of all because it is devoid of the meddlesome manual user adjustments. Myriad, meanwhile, is a soft seating combination that has a myriad of combinations. Tarkett (Desso) had a very large showroom – apparently nearly three times bigger than last year. I was certainly struck by the wonderful array of flooring, only spoiled somewhat by the people in the way. I met Rob Terpstra (Head of Facilities and Real Estate) at Haworth, who was a real star and gave me a great tour of their wonderful stand. New products included Poppy, which was launched last year but is now bigger and more of a lounge chair (yes, he did mention America’s obesity issues, but added the bigger chair was not necessarily because of that). A trend that we understand only too well in the UK is making the most of valuable real estate, and Rob showed me Haworth’s Suite. Designed by Steffen Lipsky, it’s as simple as turning a private office into a meeting room by having a lockable sliding wall. A further interesting point was Rob’s regular mention of Patricia Urquiola, the Spanish born designer who it seems is having a softening effect not just on Haworth but also on other major US manufacturers.
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Allermuir - Mozaik
Herman Miller’s stand was a frenzy of activity. I arrived as Richard Holbrook was describing the value of his new creation – Prospect. It is not quite a pod, more of a semi-circular freestanding piece that can fit 4/6 people who are looking to collaborate. Richard explained his aim was to create a place that helped improve collaboration, the result being ‘co-creation’. However, he did go on to say that team members should do their own focused work before arriving to the meeting. ‘As a designer, I’m interested in creating experiences that enhance life and wellbeing. With the Prospect portfolio, our goal was to create places that support a more creative life at work – that give people a place where they can find privacy and focus in independent work and the courage to contribute in collaboration with team mates,’ he explained. One showroom that caught my eye was Davis. It looked more like something you would find at the European furniture expo, Orgatec. I spoke to Ashley Davis Williams, who explained that the boss (her dad) spent a lot of time in Europe looking for ideas for the US market. The result is a series of licensing agreements with leading European manufacturers. Their mission is to be the leader in contract furniture industry and be known for superior design and function with an international contemporary influence (you get the trend!). Another of the great big showrooms on the third floor was HON (part of the HNI group). A company created in 1944 as Home-O-Nize, with the idea of providing work for returning troops. I was shown around by Jackie Celske, formally of Surrey, now very much American. I got the sense that these guys are big on their functional creations and proud of their manufacturing investment. Jackie told me that they have brought back a lot of the manufacturing and now most of the ‘lifetime warranty’ products are born the USA.
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Mohawk Group - Lichen 91
Also part of the HNI group are Allsteel, Gunlocke and HBF. Allsteel had a distinctly European look to it. I was photographing some mini chairs when I heard someone behind say ‘He’s touching your chairs!’ – not the first time I have heard that. It turned out it was Simon Legald, who is the Danish designer responsible for the Form chair in question. He wanted to create something that ‘looked good from every angle’ and had hundreds of permutations’ Their lovely PR person, Carol Vanderkloot of WD&A, told me that Allsteel were specifically after a ‘Danish designed’ string to their bow. Buzzispace were creating a buss as usual. Els Kerckhof took some time out to show just why they are so well respected for doing the simple things well, with acoustics being a key part of the showing. A perfect example of this is BuzziPleat, a flower shaped ceiling suspended affair. I also completely loved the method of providing technical information for the designers. Think simple lined drawings with technical specifications in a similar system to IKEA. You simply tore off the A6 sheet from the note pads on the wall. Another European we all know from Albemarle Way in Clerkenwell is Germany’s Dauphin. They were showing off their stunning 4+Relax chair by Roland Zünd. Jonathan Hindle from KI gave out two awards at Mixology on 22nd June. At NeoCon, KI were themselves the recipients of three awards. Clearly proud, he said, ‘The new Ruckus collection, which we will introduce to the UK in September, was created after substantial research and product development, resulting in a design that is unlike any other chair on the market. Designed specifically for educational environments, it also has applications in healthcare and workplace environments. Its versatility is borne of an unusual design, which intrigues at first, and delights when demonstrated’.
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SMALLER STANDS The 7th floor is home to the smaller exhibition stands. One of the most colourful and busy was Caimi Brevetti and their product Snowsound. Featuring funky Acoustic material, export supremo Federico Biffi told me, ‘There’s a rising sensibility in the USA concerning acoustics. This is the fourth year in a row we have participated and it’s always a great success because it gives us the opportunity to display the results of several years of research and development both form a technical and a design point of view’. One of my first stops was to speak to Dean Kuch from Thinking Works. On the back of an approach at Orgatec last year, Dean now has an agreement with Darran Furniture to assemble and distribute in the US – a smart and relatively minimal risk strategy to see if some of their new products such as the Jones & Partners designed ThinkingQuietly will take off. No doubt they will. Another product that struck me on the 7th floor was Sensitile Systems, created by Abhinand Lath after no one would back his product. Think unbelievable surface materials that combine amazing colours, lighting and structure. I discovered that it is available in our very own Material Lab – well worth checking out. Abhinand told me, ‘We were very pleased with both the volume and quality of the A&D community turnout at NeoCon 2017. It was wonderfully gratifying to witness the pleasure of discovery on the faces of designers as they
experienced and interacted with our newest materials’. Yet another ‘something a bit different’ was Zahner, who produce metal products that have historically been used externally by architects but are now being taken on board by interior designers. ImageWall is a system for creating functional but attractive metal architectural elements for inside and out. Sean Kelley told me that this was the first time exhibiting here and he hoped the products would be specified in much the same way as fabrics. I loved that he said, ‘We say yes to everything!’ Jabbrrbox caused a bit of stir. ‘You must see this’ I was told in the press lounge. A great piece of kit, as they say. But nothing you won’t see in most of the case studies in Mix Interiors. In other words, this is a product for someone looking for a private space (48 x 48 x 90 booth), instead of having to go into the stairwell. Also creating interest was Cubii, which is billed at the ‘the world’s first smart under-desk elliptical machine’. Think the bottom part of a gym cycle. It can be connected to a Fitbit, and will no doubt appeal to some. Turkish giants Koleksiyon were constantly busy showing off Boccaporto, the pod system that was so successful at Orgatec, and Calder, a flexible modular seating system that gained lots of attention. Koray Malhan, Brand and Design Director, was clearly in a good place. ‘In our third year at NeoCon, we were honoured to receive the HiP award with our Boccaporto… and the Metropolis Likes award with our Calder seating solution.’
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LATER One person I always manage to bump into is Ken Kelly from The Furniture Practice, who was holding court at a Monday evening congregation. There were also three significant US dealers present: Michael Gerla from The Atlantic Group, Tina Conway of Systems Source and Tracy Fillmore from Total Plan. Asked how the show had gone so far, Tracy said, ‘Having worked in this industry for quite some time, the ‘stand out’ for me was how much the office culture has evolved; far less individualised workstations – more interactive and collaborative. Also, I love that manufacturers have been able to bring a more residential feel to office furniture.’ Moe’s Canteen was the place to be on Monday evening for the Humanscale party, where I had the pleasure of meeting Tim Hutchings, Mesve Varda and Lynda Dehn. This was definitely the place to meet a nice crosssection of people, relaxing after a fierce day’s worth of looking around. I saw for myself what many of the great European brands have seen for some time. Massive chunks of the US market, a year behind in workplace design and agile furniture provision – but they are on the march and opportunity is certainly favouring the brave. The good news for those companies only just spotting the trend is that America is big – really big! NeoCon is 50 years old in 2018. I’m already looking forward to next year.
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Jabbrrbox
Review Review - NeoCon
‘We were obviously super excited to see new variants of our Keyn Chair Group on show across the Herman Miller stand. However, the Herman Miller highlight for me was LIVE OS – a glimpse into the near future of digitally enabled, connected and personalised workplaces. ‘My over-riding take-out from NeoCon this year was the increasingly blurred boundaries between workplace and residential. This was evident across all the major competitors stands and it’s exciting to see the different directions each is taking.’ RICHARD STEVENS, Founder, Forpeople ‘Biophilic Design was an interesting trend that
How was your NeoCon? ‘…the mood was a positi ve one. There was a cle ar at tempt from the major manufacturers to sof ten their spaces, with an incre ased emphasis on sof t and collaboration furniture pieces, cre ating a more neutral domestic feel around their workplace solutions – nothing ne w to us here in the UK marke t!’ ANDRE LOOSEMORE, A&D Director, Humanscale
‘I didn’t pick up on much that was completely new but to see the topics from Salone and CDW applied to the US was interesting. ‘What was noticeable was how small the gap is between the desking products
I noticed at NeoCon this year... At The Atlantic
showing in Europe and those chosen to lead at NeoCon…in fact, for many, the
Group we’re known for finding the best solutions
gaps have disappeared completely.
for our clients, so we always return from NeoCon
‘Darran had some lovely new products, including the ThinkingQuietly desk,
with innovative ideas and knowledge that we can incorporate into their work environments.
where the detailing under the work surface was as considered as above, and I
For example, one of the challenges clients can
liked Myriad, the modular soft seating system by Boss Design for its flexibility
face with an open plan office environment is
and comfort.’ HELEN OWEN, Director of Business Development, Bisley
distraction from noise, which can lead to difficulty focusing. Seminars like ‘Are Headphones Really the Answer’ give us new strategies for space planning and acoustic solutions that can reduce distraction to help improve employee productivity and satisfaction.’ MICHAEL GERLA, President/ Partner, The Atlantic Group
‘As a facilities leader, the part of the show I enjoyed most was framing up the connection between culture, design and people. Keeping your employees engaged is key to their happiness at work. I have partnered with our VP of HR to put extraordinary focus on this, so talking to customers about it comes naturally...’ ROB TERPSTRA, Head of Real Estate and Facilities Management, Haworth
‘NeoCon 2017 has been one of the most successful on record for KI, with three Best of NeoCon Gold Awards.’ JONATHAN HINDLE, Group Managing Director, KI
‘Two highlights outside the Mart: the Chicago Riverwalk is a fantastic example of modern riverside architecture and seeing 2018 film Rampage being shot from a helicopter outside the Trump Tower had to be seen to be witnessed – to see a low level helicopter flying there was truly spectacular.’ IAN BURN, Director of Marketing, Camira
‘It was the first exhibition we have attended where both quantity and quality of visitors exceeded our expectations. We had enquiries from end users as well as dealers and designers and we were amazed at the response to our booths from the US visitors.’ BRYAN DAISY, Chief
Executive, FREM
‘As the new kid on the block (this was our first time exhibiting at NeoCon), ImageWall was on the must-see list of many who visited our booth. We were surprised that designers began creating on the spot, even thinking of new ways to use ImageWall – such as a ceiling statement or balcony feature. Several people mentioned projects currently in the works and asked if we could help. One designer was so taken with our Dirty Penny Copper finish sample, he wanted to carry it home – never mind that it weighed about 50 pounds!’ CHARLOTTE MATTHEWS, Marketing Manager, Zahner
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‘It was really pleasing to receive a HiP award for best desking product at NeoCon (ThinkingQuietly), and nicer still to hear the positive reaction of the A&D community on the ground. No one does a show like the Americans; the energy was amazing.’ PHIDIAS LEONIDA, Director, Jones & Partners
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SIGNATURE STYLE FROM WILTON AT LONDON LUTON AIRPORT
GRANORTE’S BITE MATCHES ITS BARK!
Luton Airport’s new prestige passenger facility for Signature Flight
Granorte commissioned two third party organisations to independently
Support was designed by Hi Design. They turned to the quality and luxury
test its product, proving that cork is one of the leading flooring choices
of bespoke wool-rich woven axminster from Wilton Carpets, creating a
for acoustics, thermal insulation, comfort and shock absorption. The end
series of three coordinated stripe designs. Featuring in meeting rooms,
results of testing the acoustic credentials showed that Granorte cork
VIP lounge, bar and crew facilities; each area has been given a bespoke
is capable of offering up to 19dB of sound reduction, demonstrating its
variant on the stripe sequencing and colour selection, creating subtle
suitability. The performance of Granorte’s thermal insulation, comfort
distinction between areas, while providing notable links to the next.
and shock absorption in the three areas was benchmarked against leading
www.wiltoncarpets.com
products in laminate, LVT and ceramic. www.granorte.co.uk
Ntgrate woven vinyl flooring from Quadrant is now available with
TELL YOUR OWN STORY WITH DESSO’S NEW ‘MAKE IT YOUR OWN’ COLLECTION
Whisper, an acoustic backing that can reduce impact sound by 22dB.
DESSO, a Tarkett brand, has launched ‘Make It Your Own’ in response to
Whisper equipped floors, whether tile or sheet, are just as practical
the growing trend for individual spaces, designed to inspire architects
as original Ntgrate. Standing up to wear, scratch-resistant and
to tell their unique story across the floor. Theme one – Combining
needing simple maintenance, Ntgrate Whisper is a step-up for woven
Textures – presents a new carpet tile range, Carved, which is inspired by
vinyl flooring in today’s collaborative working environments. ‘Spaces
the chiselled textures of classic woodwork designs. Theme two – Colour
are designed to be collaborative, so it seems only right that flooring
Layers and Intensity – offers Stitch, which is inspired by the subtle
accommodates this principle in its functionality,’ explains James Scully,
intricacies of hand-woven textiles.
Managing Director, Quadrant.
www.desso.co.uk
IT’S ALWAYS THE QUIET ONES
www.quadmod.com
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MODULEO EXTENDS MOODS COLLECTION TO INCLUDE ALL TRANSFORM AND IMPRESS RANGES
BIOPHILIC DESIGN THROUGH ENGINEERED COLOUR
Flooring manufacturer Moduleo is extending its Moods Collection to
Flooring Systems’ Tessera Seagrass planks, capturing the essence of
incorporate every shade and texture within its Transform and Impress
biophilic design in a widened palette encompassing 12 nature inspired
ranges. Moods offers the flexibility to create a floor to required
colourways. Forbo turned to Antron Lumena for its ability to offer
specification by using a wide range of tile shapes, patterns and hues.
design flexibility without sacrificing performance and its suitability for
Customers can select up to 120 unique wood- and stone-effect designs in
commercial environments. Stephan Hanke from INVISTA Antron explains:
a variety of tiles, including hexagons and chevrons, as well as traditional
‘With colour an integral part of the fibre make-up, Antron Lumena is fade
squares and rectangles for the ultimately unique floor.
and stain-resistant and can be rigorously maintained without colour loss.’
www.moduleo.co.uk
www.antron.eu
ROCKFON MONO ACOUSTIC RETAIL THERAPY
MILLIKEN IN COLOUR
ACME Architects’ multi-award winning £165million Victoria Gate is a
With Milliken’s Colour Compositions, creative inspiration is drawn from
vibrant new shopping destination in Leeds city centre. Rockfon’s Mono
the large swathes of colour represented in the abstract expressionism
Acoustic seamless acoustic ceiling and wall system was specified for the
style of colour-field painting. The designer, architect or specifier is
project. Specialist Contractor SCS North commissioned certified installer
given the ability to create their own Colour Compositions; to compose
Pacy & Wheatley Acoustics to help with the design and installation. Their
a visual story through placement and arrangement of components.
Acoustics Director, Craig Wheatley, explains: ‘Rockfon Mono Acoustic
Colour Compositions is produced in a ‘plank’ format (250 x 1000mm
was perfect for this challenging installation, which had to meet the
rectangular carpet tiles) using high-performance ECONYL yarn with
specified Class A acoustic performance.’
100% regenerated nylon.
www.rockfon.co.uk
www.millikencarpet.com
INVISTA’s Antron Lumena carpet fibre brings organic texture to Forbo
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What Makes a Project Stand Out? BDG’s Andy Swann asks what it is that really makes that all-important difference. Not that he’s looking for an answer - he has a simple solution of his own. We all see a lot of projects. Whether new product designs, ideas, systems, processes, interiors or entire workplaces, they vary in all shapes and sizes. Some look amazing, but don’t work practically, some take the simplest ideas and deliver understated excellence. What is it that really makes a project stand out – where does the magic come from? In truth, it’s very simple and it all starts from thinking about things in the right way. In my work I help people, teams and organisations to find creative perspectives. Because the human brain works around learned structures, it’s only by breaking those preconceived ideas that we can enable real creativity to happen. Attempting to bolt creativity onto something previously learned isn’t creativity, it’s tokenism. An office designed around aesthetics for aesthetics sake can never be functional or truly deliver an amazing experience for the end user, just as throwing outlandish colours and furnishings into a design for no real reason can never truly offer anything new, because it doesn’t break the mould. Going back to last month’s column, where I mentioned design thinking, to really add magic to a project, it needs to be understood from the start. By breaking down what the project really needs to achieve, we can create a platform for what can truly be delivered, within such constraints as budget and time. At BDG architecture + design, before a line is drawn on paper, the Workplace Strategy team takes the
time to gather thousands of data points to build a picture of the organisation, its people, how they work, how they could work, the space, the possibility and the opportunity. This insight is then used to inform a design, which can then push those boundaries to not only deliver to requirements, but deliver something that adds magic. BDG’s recent BCO Innovation awards for two completely different projects highlight how that approach creates stand-out results. In researching my book, The Human Workplace, I came across many examples of organisations taking on projects – whether in service or process design, workplace, or another area of their work. Those with the greatest success were the ones taking the less-obvious route by breaking the mould, but at the same time retaining a logical approach, by understanding from the start what they were really trying to achieve. Microsoft are using data not to control their people and ensure they are working, but to provide them with the most personalised experience at work, ensuring they have exactly the right tools and environment to be their best as individuals and teams. Schneider Electric are operating global wellness and workplace programmes that give the local teams the opportunity to assess and improve their own conditions, sharing them with the entire workforce and enabling crowdsourced perspectives to be distributed for the benefit of everyone.
The most successful projects are always those that side-step the obvious, by educating themselves with the right level of insight at the start and retaining a connection with their purpose. If you’re not doing something for the right reasons, it will never stand out. If you’re attempting to create a world-class workplace, but your overriding purpose is to save money, it will fail. However, if you create an amazing workplace that allows people to be their absolute best, not only will it likely save money on real estate and operational costs, it will also deliver enhanced productivity and output – creating profit! Either way, unless you truly understand the project through insight, it will never truly stand out. I’ve recently been working with some large organisations, helping them to bring customer insight to inform decisions around new products and services. They realise that the project needs to deliver something for those people, so the end users should be involved in informing the project. It’s not a difficult position, but it’s an important one to remember. As we create projects and we look to make them stand out, it’s our responsibility as creators to stay mindful of and committed to what those projects are for. They are not vehicles purely to showcase our range of creative skills, but to use them sensitively and sympathetically to deliver on very specific needs. When we remember that, we can all do our best work.
Andy Swann is a Human, an Over-Excited Work Explorer and Change Maker at BDG architecture + design. Andy’s book The Human Workplace will be published by Kogan Page in October 2017. andyswann@bdg-a-d.com
T: 0161 402 3340 E: hello@opus-4.com W: www.opus-4.com
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Design: Martin Ballendat Join us for the official launch of Züco Bonito at our London Office Thursday 20th July 2017, all day event from 10:00 am till late. Already available to order
ZÜCO BONITO – BEAUTIFUL SHELL AND COMFORTABLE CORE
This wonderful range of wooden-shell chairs is available in oak or walnut. Whether on an elegant four-legged base in chrome metal, polished aluminium or fine wood, with a steep 4-pointed star base on glides or castors – it can adapt to a wide range of different situations. The comfortable seat cushion comes as standard and as an option with a backrest cushion as well. Bonito embodies the finest seating craftsmanship.
NEW ADDRESS LONDON OFFICE Dauphin HumanDesign® UK Limited 1 Albemarle Way I GB London EC1V 4JB Phone +44 207 2537774 I Fax +44 207 2531629 www.dauphinuk.com I info@dauphinuk.com
With more and more devices using USB the demand for traditional sockets on the desk is falling. Chip is a stylish and fully integrated 4A USB charging module that simply connects to your under desk power, using a Wieland or plug, to offer 2 USB power supplies capable of charging all leading phones and tablets.
Head Office
London Showroom
Contacts
Eastwood Trading Estate Rotherham South Yorkshire S65 1EN United Kingdom +44 (0)1709 829 511
99 Charterhouse Street Clerkenwell London EC1M 6HR United Kingdom +44 (0)20 7251 7080
t: 01709 385470 e: sales@cmd-ltd.com w: www.cmd-ltd.com