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January 2016
Living Office Comes to Life
Living Office is our human-centred approach to workplace design Learn how Herman Miller is bringing this approach to life around the world: hermanmiller.co.uk/livingoffice
@hermanmillerltd Herman Miller Ltd
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Regatta, Manchester
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12 Upfront 12 Seven from ege 27 Material matters 28 Desert island desks
31 Spotlight
Inside 50 Profile 50 Stuart Allen, AAID
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32 The big question
Case Studies
34 Anniversaries
56 Regatta, Manchester
42 Defining moments
62 Visualsoft, Stockton-on-Tees
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68 Focus 68 Herman Miller’s PortalMill
74 Review 74 Regional review - Birmingham 80 Mixology North 15
88 Just an idea
The cover The logo
Developed using a combination of limited form and shape, Gensler questioned what mix of characteristics were needed to inform a simple typographic approach. A contrast between positive and negative space that creates a logotype verging between a word and a recognisable symbol. www.gensler.com
The cover image Boss Design’s Coza is a task chair that boasts amazing comfort and dynamic support by using the natural flexibility of a single ribbon of material. Coza is visually and functionally unique, shattering preconceived expectations of task chairs. www.bossdesigngroup.com COZAWMixAbstractCover.pdf
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Back issues Contact us to buy back issues: rebecca@mixinteriors.com
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from mick A belated Happy New Year to you all. So, before we know it, we’re the best part of the way through January, and this is, of course, the month of the detox. I know a good number of you will now only vaguely remember what alcohol and carbs taste like, and some will be turning green at the thought of, well, even more greens! For those of you struggling, I may have a solution. Firstly, my ‘dry’ January is somewhat different from most – I’m only drinking dry gin, dry white wine, dry vermouth and dry cider. Secondly, I’m completely cutting out carbs by throwing the pitta bread away – only kebab meat, salad and chilli sauce for me! What’s more, I’m absolutely sticking to this harsh diet – haven’t wavered once. I’ve also noticed more and more people talking about digital detoxes. I’ve even seen breakfast TV presenters visibly recoil in horror at the thought of their phones being prised away from them for a mere hour. To start with,
you’re presenting a television show, so why do you need your phone? Secondly, who are you calling, Tweeting, emailing or whatever at 7.30am? Get over yourselves. Could you ‘endure’ a few hours without your own phones, tablets and laptops? Probably not – and that’s more than likely because these devices are your chief business tools and, in this ultra competitive market, the last thing you need or want is to be seen to ignoring your boss and your clients. I’ll wager that the majority of you would love to switch your devices off (even for a little while) if you knew you weren’t missing out on anything important. Me? I can’t wait for February and the chance to tuck into pitta bread once more. Speaking of tech, do check out our newlook website – just go to mixinteriors.com. Before I sign off, I would like to pay tribute to the late, great David Bowie. Groundbreaking, innovative, brave, game changing…I could go on and on. RIP.
Get in touch Editor Mick Jordan mick@mixinteriors.com Editorial support Rebecca Bignell rebecca@mixinteriors.com
Address Mix Media Limited 2 Abito 85 Greengate Manchester M3 7NA Telephone 0161 946 6262
Director David Smalley david@mixinteriors.com
e-mail editorial@mixinteriors.com
Designer Rob Jozefowski rob@mixinteriors.com
Website www.mixinteriors.com
Managing director Marcie Incarico marcie@mixinteriors.com
Twitter @mixinteriors Contributors Rob Crawshaw - Photography
Founding publisher Henry Pugh
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Subscriptions To ensure that a regular copy of Mix Interiors reaches your desk, please call 0161 946 6262 or e-mail: sales@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
WE HAVE LIFT OFF!
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website.
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Who knew fish heads and chocolate could be a recipe for success. By looking for innovative ways to create our products we’re continually discovering and defining what it is to be a truly sustainable business.
#BeautifulThinking is powering a carpet tile factory on dead fish heads and chocolate waste.
www.interface.com/beautifulthinking 4
Near & Far NF400 & NF401 - Felt
Nigel Stansfield VP & Global Chief Innovations Officer
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The workplace is changing. This is our response. 6
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London Showroom
32 Clerkenwell Road London EC1M 5PS +44 (0) 203 397 4878 uksales@thinking.info www.thinking.info
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in Concrete
+44 (0)20 7388 8599
info@isomi.com
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Lintel Innovative modular desk system in concrete designed by Paul Crofts Visit our new Clerkenwell showroom 1 Sans Walk, London EC1
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Upfront
Movie quotes you might remember Some movie quotes are unforgettable simply because
they are pronounced in a genius way. All movie lovers can recite their favourites – Jan Magdal Poulsen from ege carpets reveals his.
1 GHOSTBUSTERS - 1984 ‘Don’t. Cross. The streams. It would be bad.’ New York – home to a working fire station (Hook and Ladder 8), this was one of many in Downtown Manhattan involved in the 9/11 rescue operation but also served as the headquarters of another (fictional) rescue outfit in Ghostbusters. It isn’t officially open to the public but knock on the red door and the staff might just have time to show you around.
3 WITHNAIL & I - 1987 ‘We want the finest wines available to humanity. And we want them here, and we want them now!’ The British black comedy cost just £1.1million to make by George Harrison’s Handmade Films (a company set up originally to release Monty Python’s Life of Brian after its funding fell through). Based on writer and director Bruce Robinson’s life in London in the late 1960’s, the plot follows two unemployed young actors, Withnail and I (portrayed by Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann), who live in a squalid flat in Camden Town in 1969, while waiting for their careers to take off. Needing a holiday, they obtain the key to a country cottage in the Lake District belonging to Withnail’s lecherous gay uncle Monty. Unsurprisingly, the holiday is less recuperative than they expected.
2 TAXI DRIVER - 1976 ‘You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I’m the only one here. Who the f**k do you think you’re talking to? Oh yeah? OK.’ In the 1970’s Times Square was a den of vice. As such, it was much beloved of insomniac and gangster-slayer Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) in Taxi Driver. The famous spot where Bickel strolls nonchalantly out of a porn cinema can still be found on the junction of 8th Avenue and 47th Street.
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Upfront 6 THE GODFATHER - 1972 ‘I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse’ The line occurs three times in The Godfather, each time in reference to the career of nightclub crooner Johnny Fontane – Vito Corleone’s godson. The fact that Don Corleone refers to his questionable idea as an ‘offer’, despite the fact it can’t be refused, says a lot about his character. While he has no problem using violence and intimidation to get what he wants, he still wants his transactions to maintain some semblance of businesslike behaviour.
4 THE SIXTH SENSE - 1999 ‘I see dead people’ This scary movie develops around a child psychologist’s (Bruce Willis) attempts to help a troubled boy. When Dr. Crowe asks patient Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) what his problem is, Cole replies ‘I see dead people’. This goosebumps provoking line immediately became a catchphrase in pop culture and is still recognised today.
4 6 5 A FEW GOOD MEN - 1992 ‘You can’t handle the truth’ Do you remember this classic courtroom drama? A US soldier is dead, and military lawyers Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee and Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway want to know who killed him. ‘You want the truth?’ snaps Colonel Jessup (Jack Nicholson). ‘You can’t handle the truth!’ Astonishingly, Jack Nicholson’s legendary performance as a military tough guy in A Few Good Men really amounts to a glorified cameo: he’s only in a few scenes, but they are killer scenes!
7 WHEN HARRY MET SALLY - 1989 ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ It’s the scene everyone remembers when they think of ‘When Harry Met Sally’. Meg Ryan (Sally) performs a faked orgasm in a crowded restaurant as Billy Crystal (Harry) is mortified by the overthe-top display only to be further embarrassed when a woman seated nearby exclaims ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ and, to be honest, who wouldn’t? Katz’s Deli, founded in 1888 as a kosher deli, has appeared in many films but this was probably the most memorable.
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Upfront
SURFACE DESIGN SHOW 2016 Surface Design Show is the only event in the UK that focuses solely on interior and exterior surfaces, connecting innovative and exciting materials with a specifying audience of architects and designers. Returning to London’s BDC next month, the 2016 show will be the largest and most exciting edition, occupying both the ground floor and all of the mezzanine level for the first time. The packed programme of events will include the Preview Evening Live Debate and the ever popular PechaKucha Evening – an informal and fun presentation of inspirational slides. Future Thinking is the show’s annual look at the future of materials, highlighting colours, topics and surface trends for 2017, and new for 2016 will be Surface Spotlight Live curated by Sally Angharad. The two sector spotlights highlighted will be Health + Wellbeing and Retail Design, featuring materials that make a significant contribution to both areas. First introduced to Surface Design Show in 2014, Light School has established itself as the UK’s main event for architectural lighting. Presented by Light Collective and supported by the Institution of Lighting Professionals, Light School consists of three parts: The School Room, Product School and the School Newspaper.
ARCHITECT FIRM HLM OPTS TO BRING LATEST CONCEPTS TO LIFE Zappar, experts in Augmented Reality (AR), have announced a partnership with HLM, using Zappar Studio to create their own AR content and bring their latest concepts to life. The partnership comes as HLM exhibits its newest concept, ‘Room to Grow’, which was shortlisted in the NLA’s New Ideas for Housing competition in September, addressing the issue of evolving housing requirements. In order to clearly and interactively demonstrate how the housing model would work, HLM has used the Zappar Studio augmented reality content create tool to develop a ‘bathroom wall’ which can be peeled away with a simple ‘zap’ to reveal additional living space next door. Matthew Ward, HLM Associate, says, ‘The concept of Room to Grow housing is that it is designed to allow the easy addition or subtraction of rooms and/ or living space. As an individual’s financial circumstances change, they have the ability to grow or ‘shrink’ their floor space within a development. Zappar supports our concept by demonstrating the vision clearly through Augmented Reality. It delivers complex information in a visual way and through this we can demonstrate the true value of the concept and the impact it could make as a viable solution to the housing issue.’
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SixE LEARN
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MILLIKEN LAUNCHES NEW LUXURY VINYL TILE RANGE With the introduction of a fresh and exciting Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) range, Milliken is now able to offer a complete floor covering solution: from carpet and entrance matting through to LVT, there’s now an enviable offering of finish, construction and price point options. Milliken’s new LVT provides a remarkably durable and resilient floor covering, engineered to the highest quality. It’s suitable for heavy traffic environments where design and durability are crucial such as office, education, retail and hospitality interiors. Milliken Luxury Vinyl Tile provides an industry-leading sustainable solution for hard surface flooring. As a FloorScore certified product, Milliken LVT meets strict indoor air quality and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission criteria for LEED, BREEAM, CHPS, the Green Guide for Health Care, NSF/ANSI 332, and other green building certifications. The environmental footprint of the product is third party verified through a product specific EPD (Environmental Product declaration) enabling SKA credit to be awarded.
LIFE OF RYAN Back in November RYAN Furniture launched its Monday PopUp! Showroom and Design Competition. Exhibiting alongside sister companies Chorus and Cambridge Park at the fantastic Ferrious Showroom in Manchester, RYAN showcased a selection of its beautifully made products, whilst simultaneously showing off the entries for the eagerly anticipated A&D Product Design Awards. The culmination of the successful week was a convivial evening of fine foods, great company and a drink or two and, of course, the announcement of the competition winner. The first prize went to the team from SpaceInvader (yet another win – there’s no stopping them!) who were presented with a fabulous RYAN sofa by leading product designer Simon Pengelly. Cambridge Park and Chorus Furniture announced the acquisition of RYAN Furniture and with it, the creation of New Design Group last summer. RYAN has been working successfully in the Interiors market for almost 30 years, manufacturing products in its factory in Gainsborough. Quietly providing high quality but beautifully designed soft furnishings and meeting room furniture, RYAN has grown into a brand that supplies some of the biggest companies in a wide range of sectors. As part of this acquisition the RYAN brand has also undergone an invigorating revamp including the updating of fabrics and finishes across its range of products.
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JOHN ROBERTSON ARCHITECTS - WEWORK John Robertson Architects (JRA) has completed the 65,000 sq ft fit-out of WeWork Spitalfields. The workspace is one of six WeWork locations in London and occupies six floors of British Land’s award-winning 199 Bishopsgate building at the northeast corner of Broadgate. Festus Moffat, Director of John Robertson Architects, says, ‘We are delighted to have worked with WeWork to deliver their Spitalfields location at 199 Bishopsgate. WeWork is an exciting new force in the UK workspace market and we’ve had a great exchange of ideas with them on this project as they balance their offer for the UK.’
This latest addition to the WeWork global portfolio marks the brand’s success as it steadily grows with over 35,000 members in 63 locations across 18 cities. London has quickly become the company’s second most successful city after New York. WeWork’s UK Design Project Manager, Kimberly Kolkovich, explains, ‘The struggle is how to keep the same raw design feeling while making sure that each space feels unique – and JRA have delivered just that.’ Working with teams from British Land and WeWork, JRA’s knowledge of the building and collaborative approach allowed them to quickly
LOOSE FURNISHING DEMOUNTABLE PARTITIONS BESPOKE JOINERY
form an efficient delivery plan for this turnkey project. The delivery of WeWork means that 199 Bishopsgate is now fully occupied. Bernard Heersche, Asset Manager at British Land, tells us: ‘WeWork adds to an already diverse mix of occupants at 199 Bishopsgate. This diversity reflects not just the quality of the building but also its location, close to the growing Shoreditch Market, the City and to Liverpool Street Station. ‘We expect Broadgate to benefit from the opening of Crossrail in 2018, and are investing across the campus to enhance its appeal to a broad range of sectors.’
info@progressfurnishing.co.uk London 020 7836 3636 HQ 01634 290 988 www.progressfurnishing.co.uk
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This month in...
Here we take a look back through the Mix Interiors archives 1, 5 and 10 years ago
2006 2011 2015 WHERE
WHERE
WHERE
BBC MEDIA VILLAGE IN LONDON’S WOOD LANE Kris Grant, Land Security Trillium ‘Because it is an open plan environment, we didn’t want the Director to be placed in a box as it were – even a glass box office…but because of the need for confidentially and privacy, the space is separated by a single glass screen.’ AND NOW: The 17-acre site was closed as the BBC headquarters on 10 July 2015.
HARGREAVES LANSDOWN’S PETER HARGREAVES ‘I compared our culture to the Vietcong. The generals and the troops all ate the same food, slept in the same rate holes – but they beat America! We’re the same here at Hargreaves Lansdown – we have one firm culture.’ AND NOW: UK’s number one ‘investment supermarket’ for private investors with over 727,000 clients.
BrandOpus, award winning design agency since 2006. Gurvinder Khurana from design firm Align, ‘We did a number of creative design session with the team here, and in one of these sessions we were looking at the geometry of the staircase and the space itself and this whole debate start about nature and Fibonacci…’ AND NOW: BrandOpus is a multi award-winning design agency, with a turnover of over £8.5m.
WHO
WHO
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BDGWORKFUTURES DIRECTOR LYDIA NEY Talking of her time at an engineering consultancy ‘I worked in the engineering consultancy for about three or four years, and found myself increasingly sitting in meetings and arguing on the side of architects and designers, which became frustrating.’ AND NOW: Lydia is now Lydia Randall and has been at BDG for 18 years, where she is Associate Director.
ADRIAN MCNEECE ‘Workplace Strategy as a developing design discipline is about understanding people, processes, organisation and their limitations or opportunities within commercial office property. It’s about understanding complex problems and helping to deliver real measurable solutions.’ AND NOW: 10 years as the founder of McNeece Consulting, based at York Way, London.
PREDICTIONS We asked leading industry figures for their hopes for 2015. Brian Murray, Boss: ‘That the market remains stable and allows for steady growth and increase in margin’. Mark Simpson, BDP: ‘To continue to win great projects to produce great work and grow… and have some fun while we do it’. AND NOW: In this issue we ask about ‘defining moments’ – see page 42.
WHAT
WHAT
WHAT
KAREN WARNER FROM INTERFACE ‘On one of my trips I had the pleasure of joining the staff of our distributor, BP Ergo, for their internal brand launch party. Picture this: a room full of men, a disco and a dancefloor. Hmm, I thought, this is never going to work! How wrong I was.’ AND NOW: Karen is now Karen Lambert, Marketing Director UK/Ireland at Interface.
NEW HQ OF CATLIN ANNOUNCED – 125,000 sq ft space was to feature Catlin’s statement red line will appear throughout the new space – moving from the reception areas on the escalator, continuing throughout the building in varying modes and manifestations! AND NOW: A Bermuda-based specialty insurance and reinsurance company. Went on to operate in more than 55 offices worldwide, before being acquired in May 2015.
JOHNSON TILES – THE POPPIES STORY. 888,246 ceramic poppies filled the Tower of London’s famous moat between 17 July and 11 Nov 2014. Created by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper, around 8,000 poppies a day were made by the team at the factory in Tunstall. AND NOW: Johnson Tiles continues to innovate and show off its Made in GB credentials. Both the artist and designer received MBE’s for their work.
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Upfront In the year that a Picasso sells for US$179.3 million, Ireland votes to legalize same-sex marriage and Greece becomes the first advanced economy to miss a payment to the IMF in the 71-year history. 2015 was also a year for people movement. Here are just a few of the people that needed new business cards in the last 12 months. From Mix Interiors – good luck in your new roles, either at the same place or with a new address.
Who Oliver Ronald From Connection Position Sales & Marketing Director Time 2 years To Boss Position Sales & Marketing Director
Who Ken Giannini From Morgan Lovell Position Managing Director Time 1 year To The Interiors Group Position Director
Who Richard Blackwell From Bisley Position Sales & Marketing Director Time 26 years To Bisley Position Chief Executive
Who Dan Callegari From Area Sq Position Creative Director (Regions) Time 1 year To Area Sq Position Design Director
Who Tony Barker From Tangent Position Sales & Marketing Director Time 7 years To Dynamobel UK Position Managing Director
Who Raymond Chu From Morgan Lovell Position Senior Designer Time 1 year To bluu Co Position Senior Designer
Who John Irwin From Bisley Position Chief Executive Time 9 years To Tangent Position Managing Director
Who Paul Rogers From Kent County Supplies Position Head of Business Time 12 years To Rhubarb Position Business Development Director
Who Fergus Bowen From Ahrend Position Managing Director Time 2 years To Task Position Director
Who Oliver Bond From Herman Miller Position Sales and Commercial Director Time 2.5years To Connection Position European Sales Director
People
Moves
Who Diana Monkhouse From Aukett Swanke Position Interiors Principal Time 17 years To SpaceInvader Position Director
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THE BRIGHTEST LIGHTS COVERED Join the celebration in London’s creative heart. See the best in furniture, product and lighting design from across the globe.
Register free at clerkenwelldesignweek.com CDWfestival 22
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CHETWOODS DELIVERS SAINSBURY’S SCHEME A newly discovered Super Basement has not only helped to attract the best talent, productivity has improved, and a new way of working has made the usable space 30% more efficient. The recently opened Digital Lab, in the basement of Sainsbury’s Foster-designed Holborn headquarters, has already improved the speed of attraction of talent to the retailer’s new Digital Services Team. ‘The Digital Lab is enabling us to attract the best talent to our Digital Services Team to help us steal a march on the competition. It has become a huge part of what we are,’ says Charlotte Briscall, Sainsbury’s Head of Digital Experience. During the design process, a volume of unused space was discovered between the basement and ground floor that has allowed a new mezzanine level to be inserted. Together with filling the void over a lower basement level, this created 320 sq m of new usable space. This discovery, creation and more efficient use of space has also added wider commercial value with the release of valuable space elsewhere in the building. ‘We got everything we wanted. Just look at the smiles on people’s faces as they walk in!’ enthuses Tom Gilhooly, Sainsbury’s Digital Lab Project Co-Ordinator. ‘We will change the building to reflect the way people work today, making it more communal,’ said Mike Coupe, Sainsbury’s CEO in Management Today in June 2015. ‘There will be a digital lab space – so we can exploit the fact that London is the third biggest digital development centre in the world.’
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EGGER’S LATEST PRODUCT INNOVATION MAKES ‘PERFECTSENSE’ Two new products from EGGER UK give designers, specifiers and architects the opportunity to reflect the enduring popularity of high gloss, and the emerging trend of velvet matt surfaces. Thanks to a revolutionary UV coating process, EGGER’s new PerfectSense Gloss and PerfectSense Matt boards provide a particularly hardwearing surface with a premium look and feel at a realistic price. Both ranges are available now and have a core of super-smooth MDF. ‘The gloss boards offer a combination of a real mirror finish with a tough, smooth and flawless surface – something of a novelty in this product area,’ says Amy Muir, EGGER UK Category Manager for Specification. The dimensions are 2800 x 2070mm, with a thickness of 19mm and all of the PerfectSense finishes have matching edging. Colour matches in complimentary textures to create a coordinated look with other panel products are also available. ‘Gloss in itself is not new, but with PerfectSense we believe we have raised the bar in terms of durability and the sheer depth of the shine,’ Amy adds, ‘which responds to the high demand from end-users.’
The home of innovative surfaces for architects and designers Incorporating:
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Upfront
Material Matters This month we’re exploring creative materials that offer a new take on
classic design. This selection of contemporary surfaces demonstrates fresh
approaches to enduring styles and new ways of using traditional techniques. Svensson create a new take on upholstery using traditional Scandinavian design Sweden’s leading manufacturer of contemporary textiles, Svensson has 128 years of experience in traditional Scandinavian fabric design and textile production. The new plain upholstery weight collection, ‘Rocks’ by Eva Larsson, has been developed primarily for the commercial interiors market to meet high demands for function, durability and timeless design. The pattern has been created in the vein of an oil painting, with a dark base and lighter tones overlaid. It is available in 30 colours, which are all made using Eco-label wool. www.ludvigsvensson.com/interior-textiles
Organic beauty of the sea inspires new Ensis tile from Giles Miller Giles Miller Studio specialises in truly innovative surfaces and interiors projects. Originally inspired by creatures of the sea, the new Ensis tile fuses the signature Giles Miller Studio texture and concept with a more organic form. Featuring a sloping face with elegant detailing at the joints, this tile tessellates to create a graphic composition, while its individual appearance results in capturing the organic beauty of the sea. www.gilesmiller.com
Fresh looks for technical upholstery in the leisure industry from the Design Guild Design Guild is the UK’s leading lifestyle company designing and producing fabric, wallpaper, paint and home accessories collections worldwide. This season sees the launch of two new fabric ranges for the hotel and leisure market. ‘Maggia’ fabrics offer tailored glazed linen-looks, with subtle two-tone weave effects to create depth, in their signature deep and vibrant colours. ‘Tweed’ is a technical upholstery collection in classic wool tweed and linen texture looks. Smart modern colours create crunchy, contemporary plaid and soft neutral greys. www.designersguild.com
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Unique decorative panels produced from recycled plastics with Smile Plastics Smile Plastics has been crafting decorative panels from recycled plastics since 1994. As well as creating bespoke commissions, they produce sheet products using everything from plastic bottles and yogurt pots to recycled chopping boards. Each panel is unique and laid up by hand, 100% waterproof and rot proof, making them ideal for kitchen and bathroom applications as well as exterior furniture and architecture. The products have been used in commercial spaces, high fashion boutiques and museums spaces all over the world. www.smile-plastics.com
Upfront
Desert Island Desks
This month’s desert island castaway, BDG
Associate Architect Toby Neilson, has clearly
thought long and hard about his work/life balance – despite being stranded in a tropical paradise. We like his rigor!
3 ERCOL WINDSOR EASY CHAIR These look great anywhere and are still one of the most comfortable armchairs I’ve sat in. My aunt’s house was full of Ercol furniture, which she bought in the 60’s – and it still looks and feels fantastic. A great British classic!
1 PAPERMATE PLASTIC PROPELLING PENCILS Drawing and sketching is still an invaluable skill in architecture; these pencils are (arguably) infinitely more versatile and reliable than your laptop or PC and cost about 50p!
4 MASSAI SHUKA TRIBE BLANKET This is pretty much all you need in Tanzania or Kenya, so I would guess it would serve me well on the desert island! Keeps you warm on a cold night and cool on a hot day. Can be a bed, a towel, clothing, shade, shelter etc. They are also made in a huge range of beautiful colours – strangely similar to Scottish tartans!
1 2 A PAIR OF HAVAIANAS FLIP FLOPS My wife is Brazilian so it seems only right to include one of Brazil’s most successful exports. Like so many great products they grew out of necessity and were first produced as simple workers’ footwear. Affordable and hardwearing, they are incredibly comfortable, tough, they float and come in a mind-boggling number of colours – the list is endless. I’ve worn mine for everything from taking out the bins to my brother-in-law’s wedding (although this is apparently a cultural faux pas!).
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Tel 01925 850500 5 OLYMPUS E1 DIGITAL CAMERA This was the ‘first removable lens digital SLR’ – specifically designed for professional digital photography. As such it is an icon in its own right. I bought mine second hand about 12 years ago for £150. It was already old then but is built like a tank and still out-performs some modern digital cameras. I’ve dropped mine on train platforms, rocks, in the sand and once into a waterfall – the camera has survived mechanically unscathed and is still going strong.
Email info@sixteen3.co.uk Web www.sixteen3.co.uk
6 TAKEMINE ACOUSTIC GUITAR Takemine made their name being the first company to massproduce electro/acoustic guitars. In true Japanese style they are a wonderful combination of traditional craft and cutting edge technology, meaning the guitars work as well as an acoustic or a full-on electric guitar. They are available in huge number of styles but one their trademarks is the use of a natural timber finish which gives the instruments a largely ‘uncoloured’ natural sound – unlike some of the more popular American brands, which tend to be finished in thick shiny lacquer.
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7 COPY OF LEONARDO DA VINCI’S SKETCHBOOKS The ultimate polymath, Da Vinci filled over 13,000 pages of sketchbooks. Before knowledge was artificially split into romantic and classical or artistic and scientific ways of understanding the world Da Vinci was doing it all – science, art, engineering, architecture, medicine, mechanics, mathematics. Although he didn’t invent 2d perspective, he was hugely influential in its use and development as an artistic tool – and inadvertently critical to how we illustrate and represent design and architecture today, in 2d and 3d. His sketchbooks are an infinite resource of inspiration and the drawings are beautiful – precise and expressive in equal measure.
London Showroom The Gallery, 21-22 Great Sutton St. EC1V 0DY / Manufacture/Showroom Chesford Grange, Woolston, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4RQ
IT IS ALL ABOUT
GOALS
INTERACTION
AND YOU.
Smarter together. USM helps you create collaborative work spaces: leveraging synergies and tapping the full creative potential – one spirit, one team, one table.
#usmmakeit yours
Visit our authorized sales partners or our USM Showrooms in Berlin, Bern, DĂźsseldorf, Hamburg, London, Munich, New York, Paris, Stuttgart, Tokyo 30
www.usm.com
Mix Interiors 160
Spotlight Defining Moments
32 The big question
34 Anniversaries
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42 Defining moments
Spotlight
The big ? uestion In your time in the market what has been the most significant, defining moment?
Ged Couser BDP
Mike Mckeown Paragon
David Batchelor Alea Office
Alan Stanton Viasit
Nicki Matthews Plus Finance
John Williams SpaceInvader
Without question the use of BIM technology in the construction industry has revolutionised how we do things and has given us greater creative opportunity. For example, it would have been difficult to design the complex geometry of Alder Hey without it, particularly given the speed of construction expected in the current market. The specialist joinery supplier Garrif Construction produced shop drawings using Revit, which we could coordinate directly with our model. We are now pushing the technology even further and are using Oculus Gear headsets to present concepts to clients and end users in virtual reality.
For me it’s not a moment but a period when technology finally released us from the shackles of working in bland offices, breaking down the barriers of time, language, distance, race and nationality, allowing us to work rest and play whenever and wherever we wanted to. A whole new world of ideas, opportunities, knowledge, communication, interaction and fun was suddenly at our fingertips, and it has changed the way we think and plan, what we did then, do now and will do in the future. This technology is not without its negatives but these are far outweighed by the positives.
Whilst we cannot say that a shift in the generation is a single defining moment, we must give recognition to the way the Millennium/Generation X are deciding how and where they work. Technology has shaped their world with Google, Facebook etc. all being core to lifestyles and deemed basic intuitive means of communication. This generation group is growing into the decision makers and because of their high level of self-confidence, are influencing decisions on how to attract more like minded and culturally attuned individuals. One might consider this group as self-centred, which counters the argument for collaborative workspace.
I would say that the most defining moment in my 20 years of financing furniture and fit-out was the end of 2008 when the financial crisis hit. The country went into immediate recession with businesses putting moves and refurbishments on hold. But more fundamental for us was the fact that our funding lines for financing the fit-outs just dried up. Thankfully, eight years on, our funding is more available then ever!
In the early 80’s, Canadian entrepreneur Lyle Blair saw desking and chair design change but file cabinets, whose drawers ate up corridor space in America’s new skyscrapers, were a problem. Design engineer Scott and production engineer Greg turned the cabinet through 90 degrees and the Lateral File was born. The Storwal cabinet revolutionised office design. Lyle bought Maine Engineering in the UK and I became part of that order-taking team.
The most significant moment has to be when Simon and I addressed the room at our 5th birthday celebrations back in 2014… looking out at the packed room at Manchester Central Library, a space we designed, and seeing so many great clients and partners, who were all there to support us, was really quite humbling. Talking about our achievements over the years, seeing our incredibly talented team looking so proud to be a part of it and realising that this was just the beginning was amazing.
Loose Furniture Specialists E: matt@umbrellafurniture.com www.umbrellafurniture.com
THE FURNITURE SPECIALISTS
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Anniversaries Milestones have often been reached at significant personal sacrifice, therefore for our annual anniversary round up, it gives us great pleasure to reflect on some of the good stuff. In a world too often focused on the negative, we are more than happy to shine the light in the right direction – simply because they are one year older – happy birthday y’all.
Owen Jones published ‘The Grammar of Ornament’ – key principles of interior design and decoration
William Morris founded the decorative arts firm Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co
1856
1861
All-Steel-Equip Co launched by Charles H. Lembcke and John Knell
Jean Prouve opened workshop producing modern metal furniture
German architect Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus School
Original design of the Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe
Frank Lloyd Wright created Fallingwater based on his philosophy of harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture.
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1935
k 1912
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BDP 1961 Multi award winning architectural practice with six offices across the UK and five overseas
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years
Elite Office Furniture 1986 Moved into brand new 22,692 sq m factory, providing major economic boost for the local economy
30
years
Gresham 1976 Occupying an impressive 10-acre site, the Bolton based independent company is run by the evergreen Julian Roebuck
40
years
WCEC Group 1976 WCEC Group is an outstanding national design group based in Chesterfield with five directors and three further regional hubs
40
years
Ultrafabrics 1966 Pioneer in polyurethane synthetic leather, with Jonathan Hinton leading from the (UK) front
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Reps 2011 5 years Reps (Real Estate Project Solutions) helps clients relocate, refurbish and move office. Reps also works with companies to understand the impact of relocation and help them manage effectively in new operating environments. Led by Jerry Williams and Caroline Pearce-Browne, Reps has just celebrated five years in the business, having already won industry awards (BCO Fit-Out last year) and landed prestigious contracts, with clients including Bank of China, AJ Gallagher and Tikehau.
KIs Postura+ 1996 20 years
Squire & Partners 1976 A British architectural firm of formidable reputation and not short of some impressive examples of their work over 40 years
Postura was the first one-piece polypropylene chair introduced to the UK education market in 1996 and has been manufactured locally since 2008. Over the past 20 years, KI Europe’s iconic Postura+ has become the UK’s most popular classroom chair and has helped generations of students across the UK to reach their true potential. The ergonomic design, durable construction and vibrant colours of Postura+ help create the learning environments that students love. Having been specified for the 2015 RIBA award winning Burntwood School earlier this year, it’s clear that Postura+ will continue to support future generations of students.
Hitch Mylius 1971
years
Johnson Tiles 1901 One of the most creative manufacturing companies in the UK with a deep rooted loyalty to its Staffordshire home. Each Johnson Tiles manufactured product contains up to 12% recycled ceramic material
Founded by designers Tristram and Hazel Mylius. With all products prefixed with ‘hm’ they are now showing hm991 range
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years
115
Ray / Charles Eames created Lounge Chair Wood (LCW).
Dorothy Draper designed special automotive interiors for Kaiser-Frazer Corporation and Packard Motor Car Company
Building Design Partnership founded by Professor Sir George Grenfell Baines
Initial designs from Nanna Ditzel of her Egghanding chair
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1952
1961
1963
Paul Schaerer and Fritz Haller created the pioneering USM Haller system
Robin Day is best known for his injection-moulded Polypropylene Chair, originally designed in 1963 for the firm of S. Hille & Co. and still in production today
years
The Robert Propst designed Action Office launched by Herman Miller
Gensler founded
1964
1965
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Ergon Chair 1976
Paragon 1986
The era of ergonomic task seating began thanks to this collaboration between the late, great Bill Stumpf and Herman Miller
Winner of the Mixology North ‘Fit-Out Company of the Year’, this £46m Midlands success story is clearly a good place to be right now after being recognised for the second time in The Sunday Times accolade ‘100 Best Small Companies to Work For 2016’.
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years
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years Milliken 1866 150 years
‘Innovation has been at the heart of Milliken’s success since 1865,’ explains Joe Salley, President and CEO of Milliken. ‘From our early beginnings as a general store, we have transformed from an investor to manufacturer to innovator in operations and R&D. That enables the development of products and services that can change how we think about textiles, performance materials etc.’
Solus Ceramics 1996 20 years
Brunner GmbH + Co 1976
Solus Ceramics, a leading supplier of innovative and inspiring architectural wall and floor tiles, kicks off its 20th anniversary year this month. Solus Ceramics is an established porcelain, ceramic, glass, metal and natural stone tile supplier, offering a huge range of over 100,000 products, directly sourced from manufacturing partners.
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Brunner GmbH + Co celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2016. Led in the UK by the charming David Shirley, who himself celebrates an impressive 45 years in the industry this year.
Working with architects, interior designers and other professional specifiers, the company delivers technical and aesthetic solutions into a wide variety of tiling projects across Europe.
Foster Associates founded by Norman Foster
Vitra introduced the Panton Chair by Verner Panton – the first cantilever chair made out of plastic
Richard Sapper created the Tizio desk lamp
years
Erno Rubik, Department of Interior Design, Budapest Academy of Applied Arts and Crafts invented the Rubik’s Cube
Apple founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California
1974
1976
Richard Rogers Partnership founded
Herman Miller launch Ethospace system
k 1967
1972
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Hansgrohe 1991 25 years In 2016, Hansgrohe celebrates 25 successful years in the UK. ‘During that time we are proud of our influence on changing the face of British bathrooms,’ UK MD Martin Mongan tells us. With design, quality and sustainability as core attributes, Hansgrohe has been specified for a wide range of high profile projects including Heathrow’s Terminal 5, Shangri-La at The Shard and Battersea Power Station – Phase 1. Industry leading innovations like the Raindance shower family in 2003 – the first hand shower to infuse water with air – has helped inspire us Brits to become a nation of showerers! Collaborations with celebrated international talents such as Philippe Starck and Antonio Citterio have ensured that specifiers have the latest designs, ergonomic operation and state-of-the-art colour finishes for their projects. 2016 is a landmark year, with Hansgrohe opening a new London specification centre – The Water Studio in Clerkenwell this Spring.
BIID 1966 50 years The British Institute of Interior Design will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary Year in 2016. BIID President Daniel Hopwood comments, ‘The British Institute of Interior Design is the pre-eminent professional organisation for interior designers in the UK. Our growing national and international membership represents both the commercial and residential sectors, from heritage to cutting edge. In addition to rigorous entry requirements which assess training, experience and professionalism, we require our members to continue their professional development throughout their career to ensure continued expertise in design processes, practice and regulatory matters.’
Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf designed the Aeron Chair for Herman Miller
1994
Mix Interiors launched
Niels Diffrient designed the Freedom Chair
1995
1999
Philippe Starck designed Kartell Louis Ghost Chair
Mixology launched in London
2002
2005
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Canal 1996 20 years In the mid 90’s, Canal Engineering bought the latest laser cutting equipment, enabling it to move into new areas of architectural manufacture and production. Over the next six years there was a good deal of modernisation and streamlining, which caught the attention of John Lord, who acquired Canal Engineering, starting a large expansion programme. The company went on to employ 30% more people whilst increasing its turnover and further modernising its facilities and equipment. It was only in 2002 that Canal Engineering identified that the strength it had developed in architectural metalwork would be the key area for growth. Projects were secured at the Urbis Centre and the new Imperial War Museum in Manchester, the Magna Centre in Sheffield and several private commissions from leading London-based architects, including Norman Foster himself. Canal Engineering, today led by Martin Price, has been split into five separate divisions. The Canal Architectural division was established, and its bright orange branding has become synonymous with prestigious bespoke staircases and architectural metalwork, which has been installed in London, Jersey, Bermuda, Dubai and beyond.
Clerkenwell Design Week launched
2010
SpaceInvader wins Design Practice of the year at Mixology North
2015
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Defining moments All businesses have a defining moment. Richard Branson has 63! For Tim Martin, founder and chairman of Weatherspoons, it was their first pub called Martin’s Free House in Muswell Hill, in 1979. What’s yours? The following selection highlight both the diverse nature of our sector and people’s different, amazing experiences.
Chris Sweet
Pernille Stafford MD, RESONATE
DIRECTOR, EMSEA Over the last 10 years we have seen a continued increase in demand for our services from the A&D sector. Our most significant event in the commercial interiors market was our involvement in the design and manufacture of the impressive art structures at South Place Hotel, London. Interior designers Conran and Partners worked alongside designer Natasha Webb to develop the blueprints inspired by botanical foliage and branches. Emsea was then tasked with technically engineering and producing the five-storey high polished aluminium sculpture alongside three ‘floor to ceiling’ interior screens and a floating ceiling for the hotel – one of the Big Six Art Hotels. Provided only with the artistic illustrations, our skilled engineers focused on the technical conundrums; for example the 21m feature ceiling for the Angler Restaurant, which needed to be suspended above dining tables and lit from within. We knew it was vital that the designers should not compromise on the look and beauty of the designs and thus Emsea delivered ingenious technical solutions in order to achieve the brief. This year we are celebrating 10 years in our current facilities and will now be expanding further, having just bought an additional fourth unit to cope with the rapid increase in A&D contracts. As more and more designers move towards bespoke UK manufactured products we are investing heavily in new technologies to ensure the capabilities are truly endless!
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Our defining moment was when we were shortlisted for the SBID awards, up against some huge international practices, for an investment bank in the city. For the team this was a moment when we all realised that we were producing work of a global standard and that our hard work and diligence was being recognised. Suddenly it felt like we were on the map! It was an incredibly challenging project with difficult details which pushed us architecturally but the end result is something we are really proud of.
Phil Jones CEO, JAMES TOBIAS ‘All of our team are immensely proud of being part of the James Tobias family,’ Phil recalls, when his predecessor said his final goodbyes and handed the baton to him. The machines were stopped, the staff gathered around and his last words were, ‘And I pass you over to your new owner’. Phil climbed the stairs and addressed the staff, realising how important that moment truly was. He says, ‘Working with peers changed in eight short steps to one of huge expectation, belief and accountability. I was responsible not only for building on the heritage of this great brand that had been admired for nearly 25 years, but, more pertinently, for the livelihoods of each person there and the families behind them’.
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Tony Attard CEO, PANAZ HOLDINGS I have a very clear defining moment. While at university I happened to be in Piccadilly, Manchester, when the Woolworth fire claimed 16 lives. I realised at that time, as a student of textile design and technology, that those lives could have been saved. The fire was caused by furniture catching fire in the showroom. By creating desirable and durable flame retardant fabrics, those deaths and many in the future could be prevented. I am sure that the determination of Panaz to do this has led to many lives being saved.
Rodney McMahon MD, MORGAN CONTRACT FURNITURE A defining moment for our young company came when we manufactured 698 Readers’ Chairs for The New British Library, which had been designed by Ron Carter OBE. This iconic building, wrought through great opposition by Colin St John Wilson, was completed in 1998. We were invited to tender for the manufacture of this chair through support from Peter Oldfield Murray, then MD of the BCFA, who was very encouraging and persuasive. The manufacture was exceptionally exacting and complex as the specification called for virtually unfigured European Oak for the body of the chair and a formed ply outside back with an equivalently unfigured veneer. The seat and backrest are upholstered in green leather with curved and chamfered shapes and detailing that was extremely difficult to achieve in that material. Each of these four elements was individually scrutinised by a team of three architects, who visited us for several days, and then the assembled chairs were closely examined for internal consistency and consistency when grouped together. Despite this demanding standard we achieved this with few rejections and felt that we were exonerated as a manufacturer of genuinely handcrafted products, able to withstand comparison with world class manufacturers.
Kelvin Bromley MD, CONNECTION SEATING The most significant shift in thinking came through the design and launch of our Hive range. The unprecedented demand for this product highlighted to us how modern workplace environments demanded more smart thinking products which delivered on both agile working and flexibility. From the detail in the fabrics to the smart acoustics, we have repositioned our whole Connection brand to be about the development of innovative products which support the varied ways of working we see within the modern workplace. 2016 will see us continue to combine consumer and lifestyle trends with the reality of what people want in their office, to really personify how we ‘make space work’.
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Nigel Stansfield VICE PRESIDENT, INTERFACE In 1997 I was working at Firth Carpets when it was acquired by Interface. For me, meeting Interface’s founder, Ray Anderson, in 1998, brought Interface’s Mission Zero vision – to have zero impact on the environment by 2020 – to life. Inspired by Mission Zero and the need for more sustainable innovation, I moved into research and development in 2001.
Steve Edge OWNER, EDGE DESIGN 33 years ago I bought a building in Shoreditch for threepence to give Edge Design a sexy base to set up home. Back then Shoreditch was literally a ditch, but with time it became the Shoreditch we know today – buzzing with creative energy in the heart of one of the greatest cities in the world. 13 years later, as I sat in that same Shoreditch studio, a doddery 300-year old posh voice, claiming to be from Fortnum and Mason, called. I was convinced it was a setup. But then she handed me over to a Mr Hamilton — who I soon discovered was the Managing Director of the store at that time. ‘Hello?’ I asked dubiously. ‘Hello Steve, this is Mr Hamilton of Fortnum and Mason. You’ve been highly recommended and I need you to help us,’ he said, confidently. After a few more exchanges, I knew he was the real deal and Edge Design’s relationship with Fortnum and Mason had begun. By the end of the call I only had one more question: ‘Mr Hamilton, what’s your first name?’ ‘Jerry,’ he said. ‘Can I call you Jerry instead?’ I asked. After a brief pause, he replied, ‘I’d prefer it if you didn’t.’ ‘In that case, Jerry, I’ll call you Mr Hamilton!’ I realised then that this was one of the greatest moments in my business history and we worked closely with Fortnum and Mason over the next 15 years, giving us an unprecedented boost into an old British luxury brand. Mr Hamilton was a charming, cosmic man and he became known to me as simply ‘H’. Up to this very day, H and I remain very close friends.
David Clements MANAGING DIRECTOR, FUTURE DESIGNS The most significant shift in commercial lighting since the early 1960’s is happening right now, that being the mass adoption of LED technology along with all its benefits in terms of reduction in carbon output, energy costs and maintenance. Four years ago a mere 7% of our products involved LED Solid State Technology. In 2015 95% of our manufactured product was LED. In 2016 it is FUTURE Designs’ 25th anniversary, so there is a lot to celebrate! 44
Interface’s sustainability mission is not just about environmental leadership, but also social leadership. Ultimately we want to have a positive impact — or as Ray put it — to become restorative as a business. In 2004 we started to explore this with our ‘FairWorks’ initiative. FairWorks was our first exploration into a socially inclusive and ‘fairly traded’ supply chain, and it became a defining moment for me with the realisation that social sustainability was just as important as environmental stewardship. The learnings from FairWorks ultimately led to the development of our highly successful NetWorks programme. Net-Works is an inclusive business. It is a partnership with The Zoological Society of London and Aquafil, designed to tackle the growing environmental problem of discarded fishing nets in some of the world’s poorest coastal communities – to this day, the Net-Works program remains one of Interface’s most remarkable achievements.
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Ian Weddell CEO, USM March 2014 was pivotal for me. Being presented with the opportunity to establish USM UK as a trading entity within the British market was hugely exciting. We invested in our Central Street, Clerkenwell showroom and employed showroom manager Mark Harvey, and A&D sales manager Paul Bender. USM has been rewarded with a fantastic 2015, including major projects of 250 USM Haller workstation for The Office Group on two floors of The Shard, as well as USM Haller storage for Stanhope’s brand new offices in New Oxford St. Prospects for 2016 are looking very good. I’m particularly delighted to be back at my spiritual home having been inspired by meeting Professor Haller in the 80’s, working with great colleagues in the market sector I love.
Brian Murray CHAIRMAN, BOSS DESIGN Without a doubt, the defining moment for The Boss Design Group was in 2009 when we scooped the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development. Normally granted to those companies whose approach to management has had major benefits for the environment, society and the wider economy, we received our award based on our commitment to embedding sustainability through the life-cycle of both our furniture products and operational activities. A Queen’s Award is the ultimate standard of business excellence and is almost akin to a company knighthood. Not only has it served to further enhance the Group’s reputation within the industry, both in the UK and overseas, it has certainly made an impact internally and externally. The award provided the catalyst for multiple new business opportunities and also generated larger and more lucrative opportunities from existing clients. Receiving our crystal chalice and scroll from Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, was such an honour, as was attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace. We have proudly displayed the Queen’s Award emblem throughout our advertising, marketing and packaging and we recognise that this award is for life. The entry process for a Queen’s Award is rigorous and highly competitive, with a success rate of around 20% each year. We are proud to have been granted such an accolade.
Shane Kelly DIRECTOR, TP BENNETT I have recently celebrated my 11th anniversary at tp bennett – and there have been many highlights along the way! To single one out, in 2008 I had the privilege of working with Guardian News and Media on their Kings Cross HQ – a personal defining moment. An organisation with clear sense of purpose and proud heritage, the project was a perfect combination of ambitious client, respected brand, challenging brief and exciting base-building architecture. Reaching far beyond pure physical relocation, the project was a catalyst for change, approached strategically to support the organisation in a fast evolving media landscape. Although the measure of success should always be a happy client, the Guardian project was also acknowledged by various award programmes including (five years after completion) the 2014 BCO test of time award for longevity – bringing back very fond memories indeed for myself and the team involved. 46
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Steve Fitch DIRECTOR, DOVETAIL CONTRACT FURNITURE Dovetail is a really exciting place to be at the moment, not least because we have installed the entire furniture package, comprising over 60 suppliers, to provide for circa 2,000 staff in one of London’s most iconic buildings, Sea Containers. We will also be launching a new arm of the business that will take us in new and interesting directions. Watch this space…
Enrico Caruso PRINCIPAL, GENSLER When is the most defining moment of my career? Perhaps it’s now…January 6 marked the start of my 20th year working in Gensler’s London office. Compared to other agencies, starting at the 35-person office in 1997, I was struck by Gensler’s open, friendly and entrepreneurial culture. Fast-forward to 2016 and those same qualities continue to flourish and shape Gensler’s shared DNA. Looking back, I’m proud of the work and opportunities my colleagues and I have developed and nurtured so far. No client list touches Gensler’s and from our home in London we’ve delivered world-class design across the UK, Europe and the Middle East with an offer that spans architecture, masterplanning, workplace, hospitality and retail.
Andrew Bartlett DIRECTOR, HARMSEN TILNEY SHANE
And in our newest base in Birmingham, those same qualities of openness, friendliness and of encouraging entrepreneurship will help me divide my time between our home in London and the start-up nimbleness of a boutique agency that Gensler Birmingham will be.
Summer 1982 – I had graduated the previous year and it was time to get a ‘proper’ job. I sent out a bundle of hopeful letters to well known practices and got a bundle of thanks but no thanks in return. I then spotted an ad in Design magazine for a junior designer in an unknown practice based in the South London suburbs. Off went the CV and back came a phone call to go and see them. I was overwhelmed at the quality of their work – wonderful joinery details and visuals – all hand drawn. This was what I wanted to learn. Gordon Murray, the practice Principal, was clearly less impressed with me, but offered me a three-month work placement. I was in. I vowed that I was either going to make a go of it or find something else to do with my life. I was with Murray Symonds Associates for the next 15 incredible years, working with a small but brilliant team on projects that those bigger name practices would have died for. Thank you Gordon, RIP.
Anthony Brown SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, BW For BW, 2015 was a year of positive change. We reorganised the business, rebranded and have worked on some amazing projects including the high profile Estée Lauder Headquarters and major law firm, Watson Farley & Williams. All of which has culminated in us hitting our turnover target of £100 million. But there is still a long way to go to hit our ultimate goals and we can’t wait to get on with 2016! 47
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Mark Simpson DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, BDP ‘My defining moment is probably the day I was interviewed by Rodney Cooper at BDP, on the 12th July 1985 – the day before Live Aid. I was 20, straight out of college and walking the streets of London lugging a portfolio (remember them?) the size of a football pitch around, trying to get an interview. I had received a letter (remember them?) from Rodney explaining BDP only employed fully qualified designers and to re-apply ‘if and when’ I graduated. I took a punt, rang him from a phone box (remember them?) on Charlotte Street and he agreed to see me. In his office (remember them?) he explained his team were all nutters and offered me a job. He was right, in fact he was the biggest nutter of the lot but I learned a lot from those people – many of them are still very good friends. I came back fours year ago after a 23 year hiatus – another defining moment for me. A lot has changed, new-fangled computers for one, but a few familiar faces, a lot of very talented new friends and still great work on the boards…sorry, screens.’
Tim Jennings DIRECTOR, TTSP Seminal moments…there are three. The first was being given a nudge in 1982 after six years with my first employer, museum designer Robin Wade, leading me to secure a job at TTSP where, unintentionally but mostly enjoyably, I’ve enjoyed a long career. The second, after becoming MD in 2004, was realising I needed some external business input from the excellent Cranfield Business Growth Programme, particularly as my mentor of 17 years, John Cossins, had retired and sadly died soon after; leaving me with a realisation on more than one occasion since, that ‘you’re on your own chum! The third is non-business, except it supports my strong belief that people need a passion outside work; the first time I sat in a pub, six or seven years ago, and sang with my guitar in Open Mic – scary at first, but to this day hugely important, creating and collaborating musically with a great group of friends.
Mark Bailey MD, BY BAILEY My career defining moments are all showroom openings! I opened the first in 1986 and another in 1996. 30 years on I’ve opened my first showroom with my own name above the door. And it’s gratifying that my son will be joining me later this year, at almost the same age I started.
Richard Blackwell CEO, BISLEY In more recent times the biggest game-changer for Bisley has been the launch of Be by Bisley, a product range that challenges the perceived wisdom that storage has been treated solely as a sedentary and purely functional element of a workplace, and repositions it as the pivotal and dynamic hub of the office landscape. Uniquely, Be by Bisley is a powered piece of office furniture – simply a WIRED frame, which means it brings into play a plethora of technical applications and the opportunity to fully exploit a modern working environment.
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Bronte Turner
David Keirle
MANAGING DIRECTOR, HLW INTERNATIONAL
CHAIRMAN, KSS
For me it’s about many moments and career decisions coming together; firstly, my choice to study Business at University (which seemed like the wrong choice at the time, but is now invaluable in my role as MD at HLW ), then to study Interior design at University; secondly, my move to the UK – to join an exciting and fastpaced industry in London (minus that little blip 2009-2011), and lastly, but most importantly, the decision to join HLW. Someone once said that the things that are the most challenging are often the things that prove to be most rewarding – that is so true both at work and at home! I believe in making the most of opportunities, in the reward of hard work and following my gut and heart – having passion for design, genuine care for our clients and colleagues and believing, wholeheartedly, in mentoring and valuing the team around me.
As this is an anniversary issue, it’s fitting that KSS’ defining moment is maybe just around the corner. KSS is a multi-skilled design practice that is defined by the success of its projects, its people, and its broad range of clients, many of whom have generated repeat business and become lifelong friends. Over the past 25 years, the practice has honed its design skills, embraced collaborative working, invested in technology and nurtured its people, particularly the next generation. Its recognised expertise in the sports, education and residential sectors has seen it through difficult times, when its combined architecture, interiors and graphics skills has set it apart from other design companies. KSS is especially proud that its long term contribution to the sports sector was recognised by the winning of the Football Business Awards 2015 ‘Best Professional Business Serving Football’. We will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of KSS in June, and would like to thank all of our clients, staff and fellow consultants who have contributed to this fantastic achievement.
Robert King FOUNDER & CEO, HUMANSCALE OfficeIQ is in line with our focus on solutions that are inherently simple and easy to use, yet have a real impact on wellness in the workplace. It will help to ensure that sit/stand equipment users gain the full benefits of their ergonomic workstations. No-one is talking about utilization but this is critical data for the evolving office environment. It can generate energy and cost savings and help employers see real returns on their investments in developing healthier and happier places to work.
Robert Mustoe MD, THE SENATOR GROUP I never presumed that I was coming into this industry. I was 18 and I went to sweep the floors at Wetherby Office Chairs – a wholesaler my dad owned. After the first week I came home and told my dad that I thought it wasn’t being run properly! After a month I was really sticking my nose into things. I never went back to college and then, without anyone really realising, I started making a real impact. I was almost running the place. It all grew from there. I was in the business! If I’d been told that this was what I was going to do I probably wouldn’t have had it – I probably would have rebelled. Now, I wouldn’t want to do anything different. I really enjoy it to this day. 49
Profile
In Short AAID Stands for Allen Architecture Interiors Design BORN Stuart was born in the UK and raised in Texas CLIENTS Client portfolio includes HSBC, Torishima, White & Case, Booz & Co. HQ Headquartered in Media City, Dubai ON THE UP Firm now boasts 20+ employees
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Stuart
It’s now a few hours since we were sat with AAID Managing
Director and Founder Stuart Allen in the firm’s studio, in the heart of Dubai’s Media City.
Earlier, we were only too happy to get our reddening heads out of the intense heat of the afternoon. This evening we’ve met up with Stuart once again – under very different circumstances. We’re at the AcouLite 10th birthday party in the amazing Cielo Sky Lounge at the Dubai Creek and Yacht Club (and it is as grand as it sounds). The view across to the financial district is incredible, the temperature is now more than manageable and drinks are flowing. We’re chatting with Stuart about mutual industry friends, which is exactly where we started all those hours ago in the AAID studio… ‘You come highly recommended by a mutual friend,’ Stuart smiles as we take a seat in the blissfully air conditioned studios. ‘So do you,’ comes our reply. Indeed, a number of friends and contacts in Dubai have urged us to go and see Stuart while we’re here in Dubai. Stuart, we discover, isn’t alien to intense heat, having been raised in Texas. ‘I was born in the UK and left in 1984 to move to Texas. My dad was in the oil business. After I finished high school I decided I was English and needed to move back – so I went to Brighton Polytechnic. This was 1990 – the Zap Club, the start of Britpop and all that. It was a brilliant time. ‘I then decided that I had no right being at university at that point in my life – or rather my
parents pulled me out of there quite quickly! So I ended up back in Texas and went to university there. From there I went to New York, to Puerto Rico, to San Francisco and on to Dubai. ‘I studied architectural engineering. I always knew I was going to be in architecture and interior design but the engineering side was really fascinating for me – learning why buildings stand up etc. I was intrigued by the mathematics behind it all. It might have been a slightly backwards way to go about things but I think it has given me a great all-round perspective on things. ‘My sisters came to visit me and said ‘Why are you still in Texas?’ One of them was living in New York and persuaded me to go there – so I just packed up and went. ‘I had nothing to do with commercial interiors in New York – it was all high-end domestic and retail. It was quite an experience. I was in New York for 12 years and I still consider it as home.’ Following the crash in 2008, Stuart was presented with an opportunity that was simply too good to ignore. ‘A friend of mine was in the music business – and the music business had crashed as well,’ Stuart continues. ‘He got some investors together from the UK and set about designing a hotel in Puerto Rico. He brought in a renowned architect and asked me to help him out – to co-ordinate with the engineers and architects. k
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Profile ‘I was out there for nine months and then decided to head out to San Francisco and try my luck out there. Again, the market was really slow – which is when the opportunity came to move out to Dubai. ‘My sister was working with the London based practice, Artillery and there was an opportunity to work on a project in Dubai, so I joined the team with a three-month stint in mind, and five years later I’m still here – and now we are looking to take the take the business to the next level.’ When Stuart joined the Dubai office he had to rebuild its structure. ‘It wasn’t easy at that time – but there was enough here to really get going. It was a two-man show at the time – which wasn’t working. I started from scratch with one existing client, and then picked up a couple more clients. One guy became two guys and then three guys – and then it was time to get an office. We just built things up as the work came in. Five years later we’re now 20-strong and I’m really proud to say we’ve got a great reputation. ‘I’ve got to admit that I did find the culture in this market very different – especially having been in New York where post ‘Enron’ there is complete transparency in business . I started meeting suppliers and I told them ‘No
...I’ve got to admit that I did find the culture in this market very different...
incentive needed! If your product’s good, I’ll use your product’. They were receptive to that. ‘I knew absolutely no-one here at the time. I’ve worked in enough places to work out that the process is generally the same – although there is always some kind of nuance that you have to get your head around. Here it is statutory approvals and how the process works. This is a village though – it is a community. Sometimes you don’t want to be involved and you need to keep people at an arm’s length. We’ve built a good reputation by doing just that. We have integrity, we’re bold, we’re bespoke and we never try to be anything we’re not. It was tough to start with – but it’s certainly paid off. We’re now going up against the really big boys. It’s fun. We have really good relationships with them – it makes sense to do so because sometimes they’ll call us up and tell us that they’ve got a job that they can’t do. ‘We’re not going to buy work. We’ll happily compete – but we want to win on merit, on design. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. I think that’s a good way to be.’ Stuart tells us that British heritage certainly helps to open doors in the k
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Profile
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Now they have got the Expo here in 2020 it has gone insane! Emirates – particularly with western businesses looking to stake their own claims in the Middle East. ‘Initially I did need the support of the head office in London,’ he admits. ‘I needed to show that I could deliver. I learnt pretty quickly that people aren’t particularly favourable when it comes to using resources from the UK to do a project though. That’s when I started bringing staff in. It was a really big but really good learning curve.’ So has everything settled down over the past 18 months or so? Of course not. ‘It’s been another huge period of transition,’ Stuart smiles. ‘You can’t put all your eggs in one basket – commercial interiors – out here. The market constantly goes up and down. What is stable out here is hospitality and retail and you really need to touch all aspects in order to make good out here. ‘Artillery’s experience isn’t in those areas – but David Back (Artillery MD) gave me carte blanche. David’s a good guy. I have a lot of
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respect for David and really enjoyed working for him. With David looking to retire, the opportunity then arose for me to take the business over.’ And so AAID was born. Today the firm is some 20-strong, with Stuart recently being joined (out of London) by his sister Deborah in the business. Stuart tells us that, thanks to the constantly buoyant hospitality and retail sectors, business is booming. ‘We’ve never had so many proposals out there,’ he enthuses. ‘Now they have got the Expo here in 2020 it has gone insane! The number of new hotels and refurbishments being planned is mind blowing. Dubai doesn’t have the same dependency on oil as, say, Abu Dhabi – tourism is the thing here. ‘I think this has now really become the gateway to the East. This is now a destination. So much is coming through here – it’s an incredibly exciting place to be right now.’ l
Case Study
Great Indoors We’ve got to be honest and admit that we’re
feeling a little smug right now. The reason for
this is not that we’ve come to see a multi-award winning project.
Instead it’s that we’ve returned to the site we first visited in the middle of 2014 – which has, we’re delighted to say, progressed to become said multi-award winner. It’s always nice to be ahead of the curve. We’re a brisk hop away from Manchester’s Trafford Park to take a look around the new HQ of leading outdoor clothing retailer Regatta, which today boasts stores nationwide and a quartet of successful brands - Regatta Great Outdoors, Craghoppers, Dare2b, and retail offerings Countryside and Hawkshead Outdoor. The site is virtually unrecognisable from our previous visit. The tired brick building is a thing of the past and is now replaced with an impressive timber exterior. Rather than working our way through paths at the front, we’re taken through to the back of the site where we find a grand entrance. We’re in absolutely no doubt that this is the new Regatta. We’re joined once again by John Mulvihill, Regatta’s Group Commercial Manager, and also SpaceInvader’s Simon Millington and
Jason Oak – whose scheme here has not only helped transform the way in which the business is able to work, but has also earned a design gong or two, most notably the Mixology North Commercial Interior Project award. Moving through the smart entrance and past the reception desk, we find ourselves in a light, open space which has the main open plan working space and a series of meeting rooms to the left and brand showspaces to the right. These facilities are smart working areas, designed to look, feel and work just like retail units for each of the brands. Aside from the lack of tills and shoppers, you could easily be across the road in Trafford Park rather than beginning a tour of a new HQ building. ‘This is essentially their shopfront,’ Jason tells us. ‘This is about them being able to bring in their buyers and getting people from all around the world to see the products. They’ve never had a facility like this – and rather than going to people they can now bring them here.’ Heading back across the central atrium, we can see through to the real heart of Regatta – the open plan working space. We should k
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Case Study
Essentials Client Regatta Interior Design SpaceInvader Furniture Supply Margolis Desking Utility+ Task Seating Interstuhl Lighting Enigma Lighting Loose Seating Connection Canteen Furniture Jennifer Newman & Untothislast Flooring Interface, Karndean, Altro, Axis House Planting Urban Planters
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Each of the brands has its own neighbourhood...
say that, although this is essentially a corrugated structure, you don’t feel that thanks to the clever use of lighting and acoustic products. As if to prove the point, the rain outside is on the heavier side of torrential, although here in the atrium there is very little to indicate that. As we enter the open plan space we ask John if he and the Regatta team are settled in. ‘I’d say so,’ he grins. ‘There are one or two little things still to do but it’s been really good. Happy, happy, happy.’ So what were the main challenges faced by the design team? ‘The biggest challenge was that we’ve got four separate brands across a 70,000 sq ft floorplate and we didn’t want it to feel like a big call centre where everyone is part of a big group,’ Simon reveals. ‘Each of the brands has its own neighbourhood and then in the middle we’ve got the Camp Site – everybody has access to this and it’s really the space that everything else spins around. It really breaks up the floorplate.’ ‘The difficulty was that we have four brands that have three distinct identities,’ John continues. ‘They each have their own ideas and their own distinct ways of doing things – and their own designs and look. We didn’t want to merge all that together. We wanted the brands to retain their own identity. I think this has been done incredibly successfully.’ We’re stood at the edge of the Dare2b zone, which, just like the other zones here, has been designed with the particular brand in mind. The zone has its own design studio, a mezzanine and a display room as well as the open plan working space. ‘They are able to imprint their
own identity on it,’ John says as we look across the Dare2b zone. ‘Even though these guys are in the open space, they can stay within their own world when they need to, but this also allows the sharing of ideas across the business.’ Simon and Jason tell us that the studio and display facilities here are bespoke designed, with the design teams sat adjacent so they can easily spin around and relocate when necessary. ‘These work really well,’ John admires. ‘These guys get great use out of their space.’ As we step inside the design studio we’re met with smiles and warm hellos. The team here, we’re told, are working on spring/
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summer 2017 collections – and it’s only winter 2015! Ever the enquiring journalists, we ask what the mezzanine is used for. John leads us up to reveal that there is currently a lunchtime yoga class in full swing – although the mezzanines are more commonly used as breakout and meeting space. Moving on towards the middle of the space, Simon explains how a clever piece of thinking has further broken down the wideopen nature of the office without the need for walls. ‘Although the grid here is obviously 90 degrees, we have placed everything within at a 45 degree angle – which breaks it all down and adds a dynamism to the interior.’ k
Case Study
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Case Study
‘We’ve used five different timbers throughout – and every brand has its own timber,’ Jason tells us. ‘The finishes slightly change as you walk through the space, so you get the slightly different feel of each of the brands coming through.’ Reaching the centre of the floorplate – the Camp Site – we’re again faced with a plethora of beautiful finishes and design touches. Again, nature and natural materials are at the heart of it. Although the team has been determined to keep certain natural elements, such as the rain, away there is a definite feel of the outdoors indoors – as John had suggested all those months ago. ‘It really was about bringing the outdoors indoors,’ Jason confirms. ‘We’ve used a lot of planting and green and natural products and materials throughout to reflect the brands here.’ ‘This looks fantastic,’ John grins as we walk past a stunning vibrant green moss wall on the
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Case Study
way into the Camp Site. John also tells us that he’s particularly proud of the striking trees, which were brought over from Holland and are now placed throughout the open plan area. ‘The original design for the Camp Site was that it had big hoods over it and lots of tents structures throughout,’ Simon recalls. ‘There was a concern that, for the people working next to it, there would be a lot of noise and food smells, and they felt that we should close it all up – which at the time felt like an absolute tragedy! ‘One of the hardest things we had to do, therefore, was to find a way of putting a ‘lid’ on the Camp Site without it breaking down the flow and the views. I’ve got to say that it is now probably the most successful part of the scheme.’ ‘We’ve used as much glass as possible to keep the views across the floor,’ Jason adds. ‘There is a wall on one side, but it doesn’t go full-height. That way you can still see outside without feeling as though you are in a goldfish bowl. We treated it almost like a pavilion in the middle of the space. There was also an issue when it came to the lighting – we didn’t want it to feel as though it was an enclosed space, so we’ve used roof lights, which light the space and also give it a real sense of height.’ As it is lunchtime right now, the impressive Camp Site is extremely busy and buzzing. John tells us that the facility is extremely well used throughout the entire day, giving people a chance to grab a drink, food, meet, chat and simply get away from their desks for a while. ‘The acoustics here are fantastic,’ John enthuses. ‘There’s no way we could have had this open. It’s a very popular spot and a lot of people come in here and bump into colleagues they wouldn’t normally see otherwise. I think this and the kitchenettes we’ve placed in each of the zones have really helped to create that interaction.’ We cross the Camp Site and exit on the far side where our hosts explain that aside from the circulation route, there are intentionally no defined routes through the space – further encouraging chance encounters and staff interaction. Clever. We can see exactly why this scheme keeps picking up awards. l
We’ve used five different timbers throughout – and every brand has its own timber
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Case Study
Essentials Client Visualsoft Design & Furniture Provision Dale Office Interiors Task & Reception Seating Viasit Desking Narbutas Power & Data CMD Tables, Chairs & Stools Frรถvi Flooring Interface Personal Storage Lockers Lion Steel
Visual Effect Visual Effect 62
Case Study
We might be a long way from home, but
thanks to a combination of the unseasonal
warm weather, the equally warm reception
we’ve received and the brilliant facilities we’ve decamped to for the day, we’re feeling more than comfortable thanks very much!
We’re in Stockton-on-Tees in the North East, and more specifically we’ve come to see the new working home of leading dedicated eCommerce provider, Visualsoft. Situated on a smart, modern, riverside business park on the outskirts of town, we’re already feeling revived despite the lengthy drive. Visualsoft exclusively designs, builds and markets outstanding online stores. The company also delivers managed support and specialist hosting, which allows it to build long-term relationships with every retailer it works with. In addition, since opening its doors in 1998, the business has grown in tandem with the eCommerce sector. Today its workforce includes over 200 staff based across four offices in Stockton, Newcastle and London, and its impressive portfolio features hundreds of clients, ranging from independent sellers to multi-chain retailers and internationally known brands. Dale Office Interiors was selected from 10 design proposals to deliver a vibrant, collaborative work setting that was totally in line with Visualsoft’s talent acquisition strategies, and the firm’s Mark Haynes is happy to show us around this forward-thinking facility. Before we do, however, Mark reveals that Visualsoft doesn’t operate like most firms
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do. The company’s CEO, Dean Benson, has a unique philosophy to business, with people very much at the heart of everything. And this isn’t just talk or lip service. Dean believes it is all about people; happy staff = happy clients! Mark tells us that Dean did unlimited holidays before Richard Branson. Everyone here gets breakfast and protein shakes and a gym and a crèche are coming shortly. First, however, we’re extremely keen to see what’s already been delivered. We head up to the first floor, where the majority of those Visualsoft people are based. Even before we’ve reached the floor we can hear the unmistakable ‘clack’ of pool balls. The signs are very good indeed. We are greeted at reception with huge smiles and can already hear and feel a sense of vibrancy and activity beyond. The long, rectangular floorplate is split by a central hub, which sits behind the reception area. This hub features an all-mod-cons kitchen space, which is surrounded by domestic -styled breakout areas. There are smart coffee machines, refrigerators, icemakers, relaxing seating and, of course, a recreational activity or two on hand. Emanating from this central hub are the two ‘wings’, each of which provides clean, contemporary, bright working space. k
Case Study
All photography by Rob Crawshaw
‘The guys here are able to sit pretty much where they want to,’ Mark tells us. ‘There are general teams and zones but no strict allocation. They really figured out adjacencies etc by themselves. We did a pretty basic maximum occupancy plan with 1,600x700mm desks to start with – and then we showed them something else and that first plan went out of the window! They really found their own space and their own level. ‘The culture here is great. They are free and vibrant and wanted to be able to express that – to live and breathe it. They did have the Viasit chairs in the Google colours to start with – but they decided the green was a step too far! From there they said that they love their games – so we provided those too. We make our way back down to ground floor level to meet with Dean and the team responsible for this amazing working culture. Here we find another open working space, which features a suite of smart glazed meeting rooms along one side. Complete with river view! We take a seat in the largest of the rooms, where we are joined by CEO Dean, Creative Principal Adrian Foster and Brand Manager Sarah McCormick. We begin by asking about what is clearly most important to Dean – the people. ‘That has been one of the biggest challenges,’ he admits. ‘We’ve got over 200 staff now – but when we first engaged with Dale Office we only had 160. We never know if we’re going to increase staff numbers or stay still or go down. Historically, over
17 years, we’ve kept going up – but you just don’t know. I think we’re in a fortunate industry. We can’t be sure where eCommerce is going to go or where on-line marketing is going to go, but we’ve got some really clever people here, so we’re going to enjoy it! ‘The feedback we’ve been getting is fantastic. We already have some really interesting stats that show the building is really working for us. Sickness levels are pretty much irrelevant here. People still do their jobs!’ ‘We’ve been here for two months now,’ Adrian tells us. ‘We did a staged move to minimize disruption.’ So has the business always been in Stockton? ‘We started in Middlesbrough – when there were just three people in the business. As it started to grow the guys moved just down the road to Stockton-on-Tees – and we’ve always moved to a new location within a two-mile radius since then. ‘Our last office was massively different to this. It was an old Grade II listed council building, so we couldn’t really put our stamp on it. It had a lot of small rooms, which could only house a maximum of about 12 people, the corridors were really small and tight and people were in and out of these different rooms all the time. It really was at the other end of the spectrum from where we are now.’ k
The culture here is great. They are free and vibrant and wanted to be able to express that...
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Case Study
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Case Study
‘It was so compartmentalised,’ Adrian agrees. ‘We even suffered when it came to adjacencies because the rooms couldn’t support our teams and departments. So we’d find that bigger teams who needed to be close to one another were forced into rooms at opposite ends of the building. I think because of the way that we work it didn’t affect us too negatively, although it did create small problems. ‘We knew that we would combat that over here. We were able to get the floorplates working for us, not against us. The speed at which we’re able to communicate and work here is amazing.’ ‘It even got to the point where we’d have colleagues from London come to visit and, because of the layout, we weren’t even aware they were here!’ Sarah tells us. Adrian and Sarah tell us that, over the 17 years, the business has outgrown its premises on a number of occasions. ‘We’ve had to keep moving on to larger, more functional offices,’ Adrian explains. ‘Hopefully we’re here to stay for a while. We also have plenty of space to grow into here.’ As we’ve already seen upstairs, this new scheme offers far more than much needed space and functional office space. ‘The kitchens in our old place consisted of sink, a kettle and a microwave,’ Adrian agrees. ‘We didn’t have a commercial kitchen as it were. The kitchen here is always busy – people head there throughout the day for drinks or something to eat or simply to meet and sit with their laptop. It really draws people in – which was very much part of the original intention.’
Each of the brands has its own neighbourhood...
Another massive improvement is the meeting facilities, we discover. ‘These rooms here are multifunctional,’ Adrian continues. ‘They are used for both client meetings and for internal meetings – although our guys tend to favour the breakout spaces upstairs for internal meetings. We don’t like to clog up rooms with people having half-hour internal chats.’ Our hosts tell us that the original brief was for solely for the central kitchen/breakout facility. Having put that out to tender, astonishingly, only a few firms actually wanted to come and visit the space! Dale Office was very much an exception – not just visiting the space, but also immediately showing a willingness to go above and beyond, as Adrian reveals. ‘When Dale Office came up here they had a look around and said to us, ‘You might be missing a trick here. You’ve got this blank canvas – do you mind if we present some ideas to you?’ We said ‘No problem, you pitch it how you want to’. Essentially, the final brief was written around that – it was a wish list of things we wanted! Dale Office’s interpretation of the brief was spot-on. They nailed everything and then expanded upon it! I liked one of the other designs as well, to be honest, but everyone in the room was wowed by what Dale Office delivered.’ We’ll leave the final words to Dean. ‘Ultimately, the measure of whether this space is working for us is down to staff happiness and the output of the company. From here, this now just about tweaks – about our guys coming up with new ideas. We don’t like to stay still here!’ Worth the drive? Absolutely. l
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Focus
Miller’s Tale As much as we get excited by new product developments, we also love getting underneath the chrome, wood, mesh and fabric. Product innovation comes from advances in manufacturing processes and we are firm believers that, if you want to understand a manufacturer, you have to take a look at said manufacturing processes.
Therefore, when one of the true pioneers of workplace products invited us to look at a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, we were hardly going to say no! Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, recently opened Herman Miller’s new UK manufacturing facility. Known as PortalMill, the new facility in Melksham, Wiltshire, is the third building Sir Nicholas has collaborated on with Herman Miller. His first project for the company was in 1975 when he was chosen by Max De Pree, son of founder DJ De Pree, who commissioned a custom-built factory on the banks of the River Avon in Bath, when the US manufacturer expanded its UK operations. Described as an ‘Action Factory’, the innovative building, which was designed with modular removable panels, has recently received a Grade II listing in recognition of its place in industrial architecture. His second building – BlueBuilding – was completed in 1983 and enabled the company to further expand its UK operations and manufacturing capability. PortalMill represents Herman Miller’s ongoing commitment to UK manufacturing and will ensure a long-term presence in the South West, while investing in the future growth of the business supported by a highly skilled workforce. In addition, the new facility will ensure that the company can better respond to customers’ needs
whilst maintaining the innovative products and high quality that Herman Miller is known for. The building’s footprint is an L-shape, with an impressive social/office space tucked into the centre of the L. This layout (in contrast to a traditional rectangular shape) enables the volume of space to be maintained but the distance and travel time from one side of the building to another is greatly reduced. PortalMill also offers Herman Miller the opportunity to house its operations, research and development, options and supply chain teams together in one space. The building is designed to provide an open and flexible space, allowing for greater collaboration between teams, whilst having a variety of workspaces to accommodate the different needs of each team. The 170,000 sq ft building houses 200 highly skilled employees, using state-of-the-art equipment and lean manufacturing process, including Herman Miller’s proprietary Performance System and ISO 9000 accredited operations. Products produced here are shipped to customers in over 8,000 cities worldwide, from FTSE100 blue-chip companies to smaller start-ups. The location was formerly RAF Melksham, a training base which at its peak housed around 10,000 personnel. The RAF station opened in 1940 and over the k 68
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Focus following 25 years recruits undertook basic training and courses, in particular for the Instrument and Electrical trade schools. Following the closure of the base in 1965, some of the accommodation was refurbished to become local authority housing, with many of the larger buildings taken over by local businesses, which gradually became the industrial estate it is today. ‘Herman Miller and I both share a unified approach to design and the built environment, so it was a pleasure to work with this revered company again,’ Sir Nicholas said at the official PortalMill opening. ‘There are similarities between this building and the original I designed in the 1970’s, with democracy of space key to the project and a social hub placed at the heart of the building.’ Sir Nicholas was joined at the opening by Herman Miller’s Chief Executive Officer Brian Walker, who commented: ‘I am delighted that I could be here today with Sir Nicholas to open Herman Miller’s newest manufacturing facility. PortalMill ensures that we can continue to deliver our award winning office furniture
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across the UK Europe and the Middle East, now and into the future. By bringing our wood processing, chair assembly, logistics, research and development and operations teams under one roof our staff can work together more closely to better serve our customers with faster, more efficient solutions.’ We ask about the choice of location. ‘We wanted to stay close-by because we wanted to retain the workforce,’ Brian tells us. ‘It was not easy to find a site that was going to work from the workforce perspective and would also give us the space that we wanted. We looked all over the place – we did think about whether we should be here or not be here. The conclusion was that the economics were right and we really did want to keep our people. ‘This is our largest market in Europe so being right here in the heart of it is really important to us. ‘It is within easy reach of the motorways and the railway. Bath is lovely city – the problem was that we simply couldn’t get our trucks in and out of there any more. The city has sort of grown up around us – and that was problematic.’ k
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Oasis
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Sir Nicholas, of course, was there at the start of Herman Miller’s association with the West Country, and we ask why Bath was chosen in the first place. ‘Bath was always known as a furniture town. Right next to our cream building was always Bath Cabinet Makers and there were joinery companies all along the river.’ ‘It fitted our culture,’ Brian adds. ‘Our founder’s son – Max De Pree – picked the location. I think he felt that the company had such a connection with architecture and the idea of being surrounded by this beautiful architecture made sense. Often, our buildings were not where everyone else would put a building. He though about the proximity to people and architecture – that’s what he felt was important.’ Sir Nicholas and his team reconnected with Herman Miller some four and a half years ago, we discover. ‘We knew that our lease in Chippenham was coming to end, so we had to do something with one of our buildings,’ Brian explains. ‘Over time the Bath building, which had served us super well for many years, was getting harder and harder to operate out of. We decided to take a leap.’ Sir Nicholas and Brian reveal that the first plans for a consolidated site date back some 20 years – when Brian was working here in the UK. Those grand plans for Bath never came to fruition, of course, due to operational and economic considerations. Now, however, Herman Miller can boast one of the most impressive facilities in the UK. We’re told, for example,
that one of the main production lines here will deliver a new chair every 50 seconds! ‘This site does have its challenges,’ Grimshaw Principal Architect Ben Heath tells us. ‘It is actually quite an awkward footprint – but this led to the idea of the ‘elbow’. This was essentially the process of bringing two buildings together. We worked closely with Herman Miller to understand the operations and functions. By placing the social heart in the centre it enabled us to get the footprint right.’ ‘There were some social issues too,’ Sir Nicholas continues. ‘There was an old athletics track on the site and we’ve ended up building a whole new sports pavilion to keep the sports side happy. They didn’t have to do that, but I was very impressed with that.’ ‘Often in today’s world you need industry and the global community to come together,’ Brian considers. ‘This was a win/win for us as we want our people to be able to live close to where we are and we want to create great places that people are attracted to. It’s good for us and it’s also good for the area.’ We ask our hosts about the other major challenges faced here at PortalMill. ‘One of the 73
major challenges in Bath was always access and distribution,’ Ben explains. ‘Here we have this great vast service centre behind us, which is fantastic from an operations point of view but sits within the natural environment. We’ve been able to completely screen this from one side so it now feels as though you are arriving at a smart office environment rather than a distribution centre. We really wanted to create that sense of arrival. Once we had ‘wrapped’ the building, that all started to fall into place. ‘The key to all this is the social space in the centre. In reality this is simply the space between two simple buildings, but you can have exhibitions here, presentations here…it enables you to mix things up and use the space in a variety of ways.’ ‘This space allows everyone here to be involved,’ Sir Nicholas adds. We’ll leave the final words to Brian. ‘We don’t just want the hands – we want the whole person to be involved! If you involve people and allow them to move around then their creativity goes up and they end up identifying improvements – and they have a happier, healthier life!’ l
Review
BRUM BEAT Our latest regional review brings us to the middle of the country and the (still) underestimated and undervalued city of Birmingham (at least by those who don’t know it). We’re relatively regular visitors to the city and we’re also big fans. Here, with the help of an expert panel of industry pros, we’re hoping to dispel a few myths and do our own bit of PR for ‘the second city’.
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Review
We’ve come, fittingly, to the amazing Custard Factory and the new Birmingham home of Gensler where we’re joined by Gensler’s own Alistair Cory, Enrico Caruso and Gurtake Singh, Associated Architects’ Steve Townsend, Overbury’s Joe Huddleston and, from our sponsors Connection, Oliver Bond and Debbie Smallman. We say fittingly because Digbeth’s Custard Factory is a perfect example of ‘new’ Birmingham. This genuinely feels like the heart of the city’s creative and digital revolution – think Shoreditch’s Tea Building on tour. Just a few minutes’ walk from the Bullring, the Custard Factory is home to over 500 businesses and hosts to fairs, festivals and gigs, along with corporate events and weddings.
We begin by asking our panel to tell us about how they feel about today’s Birmingham, starting with two designers born and bred in the city. Steve Birmingham is our (Associated Architects) only office. We’ve considered opening offices in other cities, but our business plan is to stay the size we are and to keep a regional focus. Approximately 60-70% of our project work is within two hours of Birmingham. I’ve got a real passion for the history and industrial heritage of the city. I ran a project called Hidden Spaces, where we sussed out all those little pockets of the city that the public didn’t know about.
building lasting relationships in Birmingham and the surrounding Midlands. There’s very much a feeling of pride and optimism from our boys from Birmingham, but how do the ‘visitors’ around the table view the city?
...I think Birmingham is really capturing the new digital revolution right now and the creative culture of this place is critical...
Joe I’m very passionate about Birmingham and where it’s heading. I think Birmingham’s really coming up – there’s a lot happening right now and I’m thrilled to be creating a small part of it; 75
Oliver At Connection we are really focused on a regional approach, whether it be Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh etc. Birmingham is a market we’re taking really seriously right now, we believe it represents a real opportunity for us, so much so that we are looking to strengthen our resources here. Alistair I joined Gensler just over a year ago with the specific intention of leading Gensler’s strategy into the UK regions – into the key cities. There are incredible opportunities in regions such as Birmingham and the Midlands in general. We could have overshot and gone to Manchester, of course, but we chose Birmingham because we see so much potential here. Just look at the investment in HS2 and Curzon Street – and all the things that Birmingham City Council and the city are trying to do right now; the notion that the city and the Midlands is a real powerhouse and deserves to be as recognised, if not more recognised than the North – Manchester and Leeds. All the embedded reasons that make this region fantastic, all the firsts that have come out of here – the police whistle, the jewellery, the industrial revolution…and I think Birmingham is really capturing the new digital revolution right now and the creative culture of this place is critical and is why we (Gensler) came here k
Review
rather than heading into the CBD – where people might expect us to be. We want to be able to look out of the window and see the most exciting part of the city – the HS2 development etc. Gurtake I’m also Birmingham born and bred, but moved away to London. I was originally reluctant to come back to Birmingham because London offers so much to a young, enthusiastic interior design graduate who wants to change the world. When I did come back it was a little bit slow to start off with, however, today it is phenomenal. The transformation you can see just by walking around the city – the number of cranes, the amount of work going on…there’s so much to offer now, especially here on the creative side of town. It’s exciting times. Joe I agree. Birmingham has just got better and better and better. I believe it now has more Michelin stars than any other city outside London. Design is definitely on the up and there seems to be more people in the city centre. I think the Bullring kicked that off. People now get dressed up to go shopping – it’s become a day out, an experience. People are realizing that it’s not a ‘concrete jungle’ – it has so much to offer. Also, it is in the centre of the country, with good links to other cities and fantastic educational facilities. Steve Walking around this part of the city you find a real open door culture. You know everyone in the building and there are so many opportunities for collaboration.
In London we often struggle to get to together with other designers around a table and talk like this
Enrico Certainly one of the big reasons why I’m excited about being involved with working alongside Alistair and the team here is because it is a shared community. We can all benefit from these shared resources. I’m excited to see Steve and Joe here. In London we often struggle to get to together with other designers around a table and talk like this. Can you imagine certain firms in London doing this? I think there’s room for all of us – and we can share and learn from one another. Oliver It’s clear that Birmingham is doing a great job of attracting interest and excitement from outside of the other big cities, it seems to be gaining momentum really quickly. Alistair It’s interesting to compare Birmingham and Manchester. How have they responded to the critical issues that make a successful city? One of these is having that cohesive vision. Manchester’s had that. I think the catalyst, sadly, was the IRA bomb. There was a cultural coming together. Maybe it was so damaged that they had to do something. There was a real healing process. For Birmingham there is perhaps no equivalent
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thing, but HS2 has the potential to divide as well as unite. There is a really mixed opinion to it and to the investment. It’s about building confidence. It’s a different type of catalyst, but one we can all get behind. The other thing is the global perspective in and out of the city – marketing Birmingham properly and acknowledgement of investment. There are now grand plans in place which will work – and there’s a steady stream of investment coming through on a grand scale. Steve These investments and plans are also transforming what were big, empty spaces and dilapidated areas of the city. We’re now starting to see the core of the city expanding outwards. The council’s strategy and the fact that they’ve got a masterplan is very positive. The Big City Plan is the best thing they could have done – to show the outside world that Birmingham has a plan and deliverable targets. I think this is quite aspirational and shows the ambition the council has. Alistair Birmingham still has a lot of hurdles to get over – it has so much potential, but funding investment is always an issue. I think it needs to embrace the private sector – whether it is designers such as ourselves or investors, we’re really keen to come in and partner with the city, to put our creativity and our investment behind it. I think this has happened with the university. Areas such as Digbeth are focused on developing investment and retail – but there is also a determination not to do this wrong, not to do this too fast. This should be allowed to grow from within with the right time of investment and the right people. l
Review
The fast track Birmingham has not always had good press, often described as ‘punching below its weight’. The much loved/ hated Jeremy Clarkson suggested of Birmingham, ‘There are signs directing you away from Birmingham but nothing enticing you in’. Whatever your standpoint
on
Birmingham’s
relative popularity, from a commercial office point of view, without doubt the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming truck.
Prime office rents as at Sept 2015 Location (UK)
£/sq ft
Location (London)
£/sq ft
Manchester
32.00
Mayfair
125
Birmingham
30.00
Victoria
80
Edinburgh
30.00
City Core
66.5
Bristol
29.50
City Outer Core
53.5
Leeds
27.00
Midtown
65
Cardiff
22.50
Paddington
62.5
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Gensler’s move to Birmingham’s Custard Factory in Digbeth may be relatively small (3,000 sq ft) in the scheme of things but none the less significant as a clear sign of confidence from the global design firm (see page 75 for their rationale). While we have seen a number of professional firms move their back office out of London (Freshfields to Manchester, Herbert Smith and Allen & Overy to Belfast) it is less common for front-office function to be moved, until now. A fission of excitement would have been palpable in the corridors of Marketing Birmingham as HSBC announced its intention to relocate its new headquarters and Deutsche Bank its trading operations. What has changed? The proximity of London, once regarded as a problem by many corporate financiers who bemoaned ‘deals’ going to London, has a current journey time of 1hr 23mins and regarded as entirely positive by most. Many, however, regard the key change in fortunes for Birmingham to be the stifling cost of living that many London employees see as so significant — needless to say Business Birmingham will not have been slow to point out the benefits of moving two degrees west and 125 miles north – and that by 2027 the journey time will be an hour. k
Review
Regional pros and cons As we take a closer look at the regions, the third in our series, Birmingham is our next stop. At Mix Interiors we believe the whole of the property food chain is of interest to our readers, therefore we will use this anniversary issue to reflect on the UK property market over the last 12 months. All round, 2015 was a good year for commercial property with strong returns for investors and increased rental growth and demand. However, many expect the property market in 2016 to be more a challenging environment. With the likelihood of rising interest rates; potential adverse media coverage surrounding Brexit; challenging export conditions and a host of international risk factors. According to the Construction Products Association, the office market is projected to in 2019 to be valued at £9.8 billion, which is still 17.9% below the peak of 2007. That being said, most commentators suggest that key UK centres will continue to deliver good returns for those involved in commercial property. As we go to press we will be hosting a Mix Inspired (seminar), looking at the Capital’s current commercial property position and more crucially what our panel’s collective response is to the future of London as it aims to continue to thrive under a multitude of pressures. London continues to lead the way in terms of commercial real estate investment (worldwide), but many investors are looking for better yields in some of the UK’s regional markets. Regional centres such as Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham have all benefited recently as a result of adverse conditions in London, however all suffer from lack of prime developments. Whilst significant develop has taken place in the last 12 months, it is still behind the required level. It is in Birmingham where it is perhaps the most acute and where we turn out attention to this month.
Population
People of working age
Jobs
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
High value Business, Finance and Professional services.
Private sector employment growth.
Advanced manufacturing hub.
Public sector.
Low proportion of high growth firms.
M42 corridor.
Reliance on key firms.
City Centre Enterprise Zone (EZ).
HS2.
Automotive sector.
Skills profile.
Birmingham airport.
Jobless growth.
High unemployment.
Young population.
Diverse population base.
Land Constraints.
Earnings.
Visitor economy.
Location.
Location.
Location.
Advanced manufacturing. Location.
According to Knight Frank there was less than six months’ supply of office space at the end of 2014, which was probably the reason the reaction was over £1m sq ft of new space approvals. As our in-depth report shows, key protagonists in Birmingham are considerably more upbeat, not least of all with the redevelopment of Snow Hill and Paradise Circus – let’s not underestimate the inherent value of Birmingham New Street after years in the doldrums. CBRE reported that office transactions in central Birmingham had almost doubled in the first nine months of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 (732,044 sq to 372,296 sq ft) with Will Ventham, Director at CBRE’s office agency team saying, ‘We haven’t seen take-up figures as strong as this since 2008, before the recession. The bulk of the deal activity took place during the second quarter of the year, with the commitment of HSBC’s retail banking headquarters to its new 212,000 sq ft offices at
1,074,300 690,500 482,000 78
2 Arena Central the stand-out transaction of the year’. Further good news for the West Midlands was announced by the Chancellor last year (November 2015) as Greater Birmingham agreed to form a combined authority that brings together seven councils across the sub region. The £1.2bn handover is seen by many as the most valuable to date and silenced many who felt the region was being left behind by Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. Andy Street, Chairman of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, said: ‘The announcement is hugely welcome. It has many impressive features, among which confirmation that the city centre enterprise zone will be extended around the Curzon Street HS2 terminal is important. The proposed deal will also support the delivery of the wider HS2 Growth Strategy; critical to realising all the benefits of this once in a generation investment.’ l
Review
Regional developments A re n a C e n tra l
East side Locks
Paradise Circus
Where The redevelopment of the former Central TV studios opposite Centenary Square
Where Near the new Curzon Station (Digbeth / Eastside)
Where City centre, close to the new Library of Birmingham and Centenary Square
What The 9.2 acre (3.7ha) Private residential apartments, office space (1 Arena Central 135,000 sq ft), leisure, hotel and new public realm
What Mixed space including a 185 bed hotel, office space (650,000 sq ft), residential and student accommodation and retail space
What Redevelopment of a 17 acres (6.9ha) site into office space, leisure facilities, cultural civic amenities, a 4* hotel and enhanced public realm. 1st phase is two offices (350,000 sq ft)
Development / when HSBC UK plans to move its HQ to 2 Arena Central .The 210,00 sq ft development is set for completion in 2017/2018 Holiday Inn a 250bed hotel, set to be completed in 2017
Development / when The development is set to be completed in 2026 Who Goodman
Who Miller Developments
3 S no w h i l l
Where Snow Hill What Includes Grade A office space (360,000 sq ft office), retail, leisure and associated car parking Development / when Due for completion in 2018 Who Ballymore / BAM
Sources: Mix Research, RICS UK Commercial Market Survey, Birmingham.gov.uk, Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE.
Development / when
Demolition of the former Central Library will continue through 2016 with the first construction of the first two office buildings beginning in 2016/2017 Who Argent / Carillion
Soho Loop Cit y
Where 12 acres of land at Dudley Road, Heath Street South What 504 private sector rented (PRS) apartments across four blocks, retail units, a gym and data centre Who City & Provincial Properties / Urban Splash
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HS2 and Curzon Station
Where Curzon Station (Digbeth / Eastside) What Construction starting on Curzon station (141 ha) in 2017 and the eventual completion of phase 1 (Birmingham to London line) by 2026
Review
Cats that got the cream
Despite the fact that the Beetham Tower was delivering a slightly menacing hum due to the increasing winds in Manchester, the temperature was red hot inside the Hilton Deansgate’s ballroom as, with the 2015 Mixology North awards presented and celebrated, our guests reveled in a top set from Cream Ibiza Classics. Any menacing hums were replaced with whoops of delight as our DJ opened with Happy Mondays’ Kinky Afro. Manchester’s finest grooving to Manchester’s finest. Speaking of finest, the aforementioned awards revealed the cream of the North for 2015, with the biggest winners of the night being the city’s own SpaceInvader, who picked up Best Large Commercial Project for Regatta HQ and Design Practice of the Year. Another firm who enjoyed a momentous year was Orangebox, who deservedly scooped the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year award following the opening of a new production facility in Wales, a grand new Clerkenwell showroom and no less than 70 new product introductions. As ever, we must thank our esteemed judges for giving us their valuable time and expertise – a massive thank you to
Aukett Swanke’s Diana Monkhouse, Stephenson:ISA Studio’s Roger Stephenson, HLW’s Mustafa Afsaroglu, Peldon Rose’s Chris Jenkins and our special guest judge, Manchester’s own Ben Capper, who flew in from his adopted home in Switzerland to be part of the panel. Further thanks must go to our invaluable sponsors – Alea, Camira, Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Connection, Experian, Gresham, Humanscale, Johnson Tiles, Jumpstart, KI, Milliken, Orangebox and Panaz – we say it every year, but we mean it when we say we couldn’t do it without your great support. Winners, sponsors, judges and guests filled the dancefloor until well into the early hours, oblivious to the torrential rain outside. What a great night – even if we do say so ourselves! Even the Beetham Tower was merrily whistling away.
80
Review
It’s a great recognition for the team involved in this project. The brief
from the Trust was that they wanted a hospital that didn’t look like a
hospital – that was one of the biggest challengers.
Ged Couser, BDP
After winning this award I feel we
have arrived. When you set up on your own you tend to disappear but key
people like Brown & Bancroft have
supported us over the last five years.
Simon Millington, SpaceInvader
81
Review
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1994
1958
1931
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Product of the Year Surfaces
Product of the Year Interior Accessories & Technology
Winner iDEA MECD Elements
Sponsored by Johnson Tiles
Product of the Year Furniture Sponsored by Camira
M i x o l o g y
N o r t h
1 5
Sponsored by Gresham
Winner ALUSID Sustainable Surfaces SilicaStone
Small/Medium Commercial Interiors Project of the Year Sponsored by Alea Office
Winner Boss Design Group Coza
Environmental & Sustainability
Winner Desso
Sponsored by Colebrook Bosson Saunders
Winner Structural Interiors Victoria Quays, Grain Warehouse
Large Commercial Interiors Project of the Year Sponsored by Milliken
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Winner SpaceInvader Regatta HQ
Review
Public Sector Interior Project of the Year Sponsored by Orangebox
Winner Camira Apprentice Excellence Scheme
Design Practice of the Year
Winner SpaceInvader
Sponsored by KI
W i n n e r s
Design Team / Designer of the Year
Fit Out Company of the Year
Winner Paragon Interiors Group
T h e
Giving & Social Impact
Winner BDP Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
Winner Johnson Tiles
Manufacturer of the Year Sponsored by Experian Corpfin
Sponsored by Panaz
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Winner Orangebox
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Th e o t h o b o t o Ph Sponsored by
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Mix Interiors 160
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QMotion Wire-free window covering specialist QMotion UK is thrilled to announce that its range of hi-tech automated roller blinds are now stocked by renowned national retailer John Lewis. QMotion roller blinds operate at just the touch of a button via a remote, smartphone or tablet and via their patented manual override, with absolutely no wires for control or power and no need for an electrician. The state-of-the-art design combines counterbalanced springs with battery power, resulting in exceptional battery life. www.qmotionshades.co.uk Granorte The stunning NuSpa concept by Granorte is rewriting the rule book when it comes to sanitaryware with baths, sinks and sink units machined from a block of agglomerated cork which take an elegant sculptural form, harnessing the beneficial properties of this wonder material. Already in receipt of recognition from the iF Design Award 2015, the Green Good Design Award 2015 and shortlisted for the German Design Awards 2016, NuSpa represents a technological breakthrough for cork. www.granorte.co.uk,
Mix Inspired is aimed at the A&D, D&B and general property market. You will learn something new, meet some great people, and get some CPD points
Quadrant Carpets Quadrant has expanded its commercial flooring portfolio with the launch of Koeda, a carpet tile that offers effortless modern style in a compact range of subtle colours and textures. Inspired by highly stylised Japanese rock gardens, Koeda carpet tiles offer a simple, contemporary style created with hard wearing materials. Simplicity of design has crafted a highly flexible collection that is ideal for the modern workplace. The Koeda collection folder is available to order now through the Quadrant Carpets website. www.quadrantcarpets.com
s t n e v re e
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View next month’s issue for a review of Mix Inspired London www.mixinspired.com 87
Justan
Mix Interiors 160
idea
We expect to come across a lot of trends forecasting at this time of year, Mark Eltringham muses, but are things really changing as much as we commonly assume? At this time of the year, the media tends to constipate itself with retrospectives and forecasts. These days most of them tend to be shaped into lists, because that’s how the Internet likes these things. That is all perfectly natural and we are free to make our own mind up which of these features are meaningful and which are the cookie cutter products of the permanently unimaginative. No football pundit was ever fired for stringing together clichés rather than talking and no marketing person has ever lost their job for publishing a list of Ten Trends. One thing all of these lists seem to share is an assumption that many of the ideas they reflect are new. That’s understandable. Nobody wants to think that what they consider to be ‘on trend’ has all been seen before. The young people roaming around with wedge haircuts and ripped jeans won’t thank you for telling them they are 80’s throwbacks. So it is for many of the office design trends that underpin these features. 20 years ago, office design really was undergoing a complete rethink and much of this was captured in a series of books that attempted to make sense of what was unfolding. One of the best of these was undoubtedly Frank Duffy’s The New Office which is replete with ideas and language that could be transposed into 2016 with no trouble at all.
The young people roaming around with wedge haircuts and ripped jeans won’t thank you for telling them they are 80s throwbacks.
The reason the book works so well is firstly that Duffy understood that the major tension that drives changes in the way we design offices is that which exists between the building, human beings and technology. The second reason is that he provides a snapshot of how this tension is being resolved with case studies, rather than theorising. Firms often find themselves unknowingly innovating in the way they use their offices because they are addressing the tensions that exist in their business in a purely practical way. Of course, the major change in the relationship between the three key elements that make up a workplace when Duffy was writing was technological. The mid-1990’s was the point at which the world was tipping from
analogue to digital, from fixed to mobile and this is clearly reflected in the examples used in the book. What is intriguing is just how many of the underlying ideas would still now be presented as a ‘trend’. So here we have Chiat Day’s vivid and playful New York offices designed by Gaetano Pesce, the progenitor of all the TMT offices that clog up those Cool Offices lists. Here we have a firm called Michaelides and Bednash working around a single shared long table that clearly announced the arrival of the bench desk that was to become the de facto default desk solution in the years that followed. Here too is the urbanisation of space in the work of Niels Torp for SAS in Stockholm and BA in London. We have informality and collaborative working at Sun Micro in California and Digital Equipment in Sweden. We even have an early form of co-working in the form of the aWarehouse in California in which a group of young designers came together to share space in a converted warehouse. These ideas remain constant and universal because, for all the change driven by technology, there is always one element of the workplace that remains largely unchanged and that is the people inside it. They are the reason why our forecasts of trends don’t differ that much from year to year as we may suppose.
Mark Eltringham is the publisher of workplace design and management website Office Insight. mark@officeinsight.org
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