Mix interiors 161 by Mix_Interiors

Mix Interiors 161

February 2016

Sit. Stand. Move. Repeat. At Herman Miller we have always believed in the importance of changing your posture throughout the day. The Ratio height-adjustable desk enables a smooth transition between sitting and standing. www.hermanmiller.co.uk/ratio

Mix Interiors 161

Robert Mustoe

14 Upfront 14 Seven from Bisley 18 This month...

Inside

29 Material matters

Profile

30 Desert island desks

56 Robert Mustoe, Senator

Spotlight

Case Studies

34 The big question

62 Octopus, London

36 The dealer report

68 Soho Works, London

54 The dealer map 1

74 Review 74 Regional review - London 84 Stockholm Design Week

88 Just an idea

Mix Interiors 161

The cover The logo

We like reading maps, they take us places. When looking at a map of London you're immediately drawn to the contours of the Thames. The contours of the river form the logo with only a few exaggerations. Where the M meets the I you’ll find our office. www.pmdevereux.com

The cover image In partnership with ZSL, Interface’s Net-Works programme provides financial opportunities in impoverished communities whilst cleaning up our oceans and beaches. The programme enables fishing communities in developing countries to sell waste nets, which are then recycled into a source of nylon for carpet tile production. www.interface.com

Back issues Contact us to buy back issues: rebecca@mixinteriors.com COZAWMixAbstractCover.pdf

MIX INTERIORS 160

CBS

JANUARY 2016

CMY

Mix Interiors 160

18/12/2015

10:40

January 2016

word

from Mick It didn’t come as a great shock when Perkins+Will recently announced that its London office, Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, is to be fully integrated within the firm. Described as a strategic development that allows clients to benefit from a unified brand with worldwide resources, reach, and expertise, the full integration means that the London practice will now be referred to exclusively as Perkins+Will. Again, no great shock. Let’s face it, we read about such strategic business developments and integrations of businesses and brands every single week.

This does, however, sadden me a little. It’s a personal thing. Thinking back to those early days of Mix Interiors, Pringle Brandon (or ‘Pringles’ – as every salesperson in the industry affectionately referred to the firm) was an aspiration for us. We wanted to feature their projects. We wanted to get to know and work alongside their designers. I’m sure Perkins+Will will continue to flourish and continue to be one the firms that we all want to work with – and we wish them well. We’ll also miss Pringles though – a name that was synonymous with London’s exciting new generation – our generation.

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

DEFINING MOMENTS

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 Founding publisher Henry Pugh

Twitter @mixinteriors Contributors Mark Eltringham Neil Tague

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

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Mix Interiors 160

Synergy. 75 colourways.

Mix Interiors 160

in Concrete

Mix Interiors 160

Volume Innovative modular desk system in concrete designed by Paul Crofts Visit our new Clerkenwell showroom 1 Sans Walk, London EC1

+44 (0)20 7388 8599 9

info@isomi.com

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Mix Interiors 160

By enabling fishing communities in developing countries to sell waste nets back into a global supply chain – the local community receives long-term incentives to protect their natural environment and Interface receives a fully recycled source of nylon for carpet tile production.

#BeautifulThinking is providing financial opportunities for impoverished communities whilst cleaning up our oceans and beaches.

In partnership with www.interface.com/beautifulthinking 10

Mix Interiors 160

Amado Blanco and Rosemarie Apurado from the Net-Works™ team

Equal Measure EM552 – Park Ave., Human Nature HN840™ – Pumice

Mix Interiors 160

The ideal working environment is different for every individual. This is why a better understanding of the relationship between personality types and office landscapes can help enhance productivity & wellbeing. Find out more: www.kieurope.com/loveyourworkspace

#loveyourworkspace Mix Interiors 160

KI’s portfolio of workplace furniture helps some of the world’s leading organisations create happy, healthy, high performing working environments for their people.

KI Europe New Fetter Place 8-10 New Fetter Lane London EC4A 1AZ E: workplace@kieurope.com W: www.kieurope.com 13

Upfront

Ways to make friends and alienate people at work Think you're the most popular person in the office? You might well be – although you might also be delusional. Our friends from Bisley explain how you might be

inadvertently sending your colleagues round the bend. 4 BE THE SOCIAL SECRETARY Raising the bar one Christmas Party at a time. Burlesque-trapeze-cheesemaking-wine tasting-exhibition-touring-go-kart-racing...and still your colleagues will complain. But you don’t mind. You’re really just booking parties for yourself.

1 BE A SPACE INVADER Back. Off.

3 BE A JARGON BUSTER Don’t say: ‘Just reaching out to schedule a face-to-face brainstorming session to develop a strategy going forward in regards to procurement of a no-brainer communal sustenance.’ Do say: ‘Can I get some petty cash for biscuits when you’ve got a ‘mo’? BTW. Don’t: Run out of biscuits

2 BE A FEEDER Home made or from the airport – it makes no difference. Cakes. Biscuits. Chocolates. Alcohol. But not fruit. All the ‘good’ stuff – which equals all the popularity points in the office.

Upfront 5 BE THE HEALTH NUT Make sure to impart useful health tips you’ve learnt along your journey into fitness to your ‘ever-so’ interested colleagues. They totally appreciate it, take it on board and do not at all go away thinking you’re a judgemental arse who should probably spend less time looking at pictures of celebrity Instagrammers’ gym selfies.

6 BE THE ‘EVERYTHING-TO-EXCESS’ You. Are. Mental! OMG! Ladz! Crazy ladies! Going to industry parties four days a week?! I don’t know how you do it! Actually, I do. We all do. We used to do the same. Enjoy. But hold back on the morning blow-by-blow recounts of the night before. A quick roundup of the highlights please – if you can remember them.

7 BE A MILLENNIAL Being one of the youngest in your office is great. It may not feel like it when you’re held back from promotions by inexperience, or everyone seems to cock their head to one side when they speak to you and end sentences with a patronising, high pitched ‘Will you be ok with that?’ You might want to kick a waste paper bin over when it’s your turn, again, to go to the post room or pack away the Ocado delivery. But on the flipside, you get cut more slack than anyone else, you get to look like a bloody NASA engineer whenever someone is struggling with their laptop or smartphone, you’re learning all the time and you are at the most exciting time of your career – you’re not held back by anything. Embrace it.

9.00 am

9.05 am

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Upfront

HANSGROHE OPENS ‘THE WATER STUDIO’ IN CLERKENWELL 1st March 2016, marks a historic chapter in the story of German bathroom specialist, Hansgrohe, when the Black-forest based, award-winning manufacturer opens its first specification centre in London. Located at 12-16 Clerkenwell Road, in the heart of London’s design district, The Water Studio will act as a hub of inspiration, collaboration and resources for all those serious about creating show-stopping bathrooms and washrooms.

TIMELESS, ELEGANT AND MINIMALIST And that’s just the Creative Director of Johnson Tiles – who have taken a fresh, modern twist on classic minimalist surfacing trends with the launch of two brand new ranges, Refine and Minerals. These stunning p o r c e l a i n wall and floor tile ranges showcase the natural elegance of stone, subtly blended with elements of on-trend, exposed

polished concrete. Available in warm, organic colours, Refine and Minerals perfectly complement any environment and create a contemporary, calming effect. These new additions to the Absolute collection have been carefully designed in a range of sizes for seamless installation, with a wide choice of layout opportunities. This includes the ontrend 1,800x600mm format to meet the current demand for large-scale tiles that create flowing, uninterrupted surfaces across floors and walls. Johnson Tiles’ Creative

Director, Darren Clanford, says: 'It is important to us to give our creative team freedom to explore new twists on our most popular a n d enduring looks, by both championing new ideas and responding to the trend-led market.'

Upfront

LTS ARCHITECTS LTS Architects has won planning permission this month for the design of the Science Gallery at King’s College, London. It is due to open in 2017 with a mission to bring together researchers, students, local communities and artists in an effort to engage younger audiences in science and art. It is estimated to attract over 300,000 visitors per year and will be free to visit. The Science Gallery site is located within the Boland House wing of the original Guy’s Hospital opposite London Bridge Station and the Shard. Boland House was bombed during the Second World War and largely rebuilt in the 1950's. The project includes the refurbishment of the historic Guy’s Hospital quadrangle, creating a significant new public space for Southwark. LTS is a London-based practice founded in 1996. Recently completed buildings include the Shree Swaminary Temple community hall and offices in Kingbury, Brent, Townsend Street Housing in Elephant and Castle, London and the Cicely Saunders Institute of Paliative Care in Camberwell, London.

51%

in the UK say they have no places in the office to relax and rejuvenate

33%

in the UK say they can’t move around in the workplace and change postures

One third of workers in the UK report being stressed and overwhelmed with distractions, according to a recent global poll carried out by Steelcase. The Steelcase poll interviewed 1,334 office workers in nine countries and shows that feeling overwhelmed is cross-cultural and cross-generational. The distractions reported ranged from too many emails and loud conversations, through to problems with technology. Almost half of respondents admitted to feeling stressed and overwhelmed at work and a third reported difficulties concentrating. Bostjan Ljubic, Vice President of Steelcase UK and Ireland, says: 'The average worker switches between tasks every three minutes, is interrupted every 11 minutes and it takes them 23 minutes to return to a level of deep concentration to deal with a complex task after being interrupted.'

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Upfront

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

LONDON CENTRAL AND LONDON GENERAL TRANSPORT, MERTON ‘Being a restoration of an old building, this was a very serious job with relation to controlling and ensuring that the final costs were within budget,’ PENSON’s Lee Penson told us as we walked around this converted pub. ‘It has been nerve-wracking at times, but the best part is that they love it.’ AND NOW part of the Go-Ahead group of passenger transport posted £3,215.2 million revenue in June 2015.

MAGNERS GB, LEICESTER SQUARE ‘One of the things that we were very keen to do was to create an entirely new business that wasn’t perceived by our employees, our customers or our other stake-holders as a bigger, better Magners or a bigger, better Gaymers,’ Magners MD Gordon Johncox told us. ‘We wanted to create something that was fundamentally different.’ AND NOW Magners, part of the C&C Group plc Consolidate their manufacturing to Clonmel, Tipperary.

PERNOD RICARD, CHISWICK PARK ‘In terms of the look and feel of the space here we looked at both the heritage of Pernod Ricard and the future,’ TTSP lead designer Beatriz Gonzalez told us. ‘One of the first items we selected was the whiskey barrels – Jameson supplied 60 barrels and we then found a company in Scotland who works closely with the local community there – with people who have problems integrating into society. AND NOW Beatriz is Associate Interior Designer at Scott Brownrigg.

WHO

GARY WHEELER, GENSLER DIRECTOR OF WORKPLACE EUROPE ‘When I first came here I was shocked! Things that I talked to my clients about in the United States, that I thought were daring, are commonplace here. The only people we could get to consider some of these things were media firms and advertising agencies. In London, law firms are doing it!’ AND NOW Partner at WheelerKanik LLP based in Richmond.

FRED ANSON ‘Looking good is important but I think architects still give to much emphasis to aesthetics. You can do all the grand designs you like but if you don’t know how it’s going to happen, the onus is on the contractors. It’s why the design and build sector’s grown. If a contractor says it can’t work, then it can’t work.’ AND NOW Fred Anson is Senior Project Manager at Structuretone.

LEADING INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER ANDREAS KROB ‘There is a big difference between designing office and designing furniture for the home,’ Andreas considers. ‘When designing furniture for the home you are more emotional, whereas furniture for the office is much more professional. There is far more to think about. You have to consider so much.’ AND NOW Andreas has been running Bureau4Dimensions Krob with his wife Uta for 12 and a half years.

WHAT

BULO’S PHILOSOPHY ‘The type of products and projects we do are different from what the big manufacturers do,’ Bulo General Manager Bart Busschop told us. ‘They are not interested in 20 workstations. You do not always have to have 600 workstation projects with 70% discount – and we can’t compete anyway. My client is not buying office furniture. He is buying Bulo.’

CLIENT COMMUNICATION ‘As designers, we all know that listening is at the top of the ‘must do’ list,’ BDG Joint Managing Director Phil Hutchinson told us. ‘However, this is wasted if we are not able to play the back to our clients in a common language that we can all understand.’ AND NOW Coming up to 30 years at BDG, Phil is now Director of Strategy.

WHAT STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR ‘We have to admit that we were a little nervous about the new layout of the halls, but the result has blown away our expectations. It feels like both Hall A and Hall B are of high quality and it is clearly noticeable that the entire industry is doing well,’ said Asplunds’ Thomas Asplund.

RELAYPLUS

the latest addition to the Relay system with sliding tops for easy connectivity

T 0844 800 1904 INFO@TANGENTFURNITURE.CO.UK WWW.TANGENTFURNITURE.CO.UK

SHOWROOM AT THE GALLERY, CLERKENWELL THEGALLERYCLERKENWELL.CO.UK 21-22 GREAT SUTTON STREET, LONDON EC1V 0DY 19

Upfront

75 SHADES OF NOT GREY Camira, the global textile manufacturer, is launching Synergy, a high-performance seating fabric which includes its largest colour offering of 75 intelligent shades. Synergy is a natural evolution of Camira’s bestselling wool fabric, Blazer. It’s softer and stronger, lighter and brighter. Made from premium New Zealand wool and combined with just 5% polyamide, Synergy has a finer finish whilst achieving an impressive abrasion performance of 100,000 Martindale cycles. Hayley Barrett, designer of the Synergy range, commented: 'Creating Synergy has been a journey of discovery. We wanted to give architects and designers the full spectrum of colours that complement one another. Experimenting and using colours together, or selecting tones that work well with other materials, opens up new colour combinations and surprising colour stories.'

INSIGHTFUL INSIGHT It was announced this month that Steelcase Solutions been rebranded as insightful environments (ie). Though still owned by Steelcase, it will be run in the UK under the leadership of Managing Director, David Hay. Coinciding with the company’s launch, a new London ie studio will showcase cutting-edge design, technology, products and an insights-led approach to visitors. From interactive touch-screen screens to flexible spaces for privacy, collaboration and socialising, the ie studio will fully incorporate different work settings based on research to ensure maximum output and productivity for any organisational space and working environment. David Hay commented, 'insightful environments heralds a new marriage of research, insights and market leading products...our growing team of over 65 has decades of experience, insights and product knowledge at their fingertips.'

GLAZED CLAY Glazed washes of layered colour and puddles of opacity combine with the alchemy of the earth’s most natural elements. A rediscovered art form where traditional craftsmanship meets instinctive artistry. GLAZED CLAY—a new modular carpet collection available in a palette of 30 colours, all featuring ECONYL® 100% regenerated fibre.

T +44 (0)1942 612777 www.millikencarpet.com 21

Upfront

WALTER KNOLL TAKES ON COLOGNE Walter Knoll has launched a total of 12 new products and range extensions at the International Furniture Fair in Cologne. New products include a dining chair designed by Foster & Partners, The Fishnet Chair by Sadi & Neptun Ozis, new sofa/chair by EOOS and Walter Knoll’s Classic Editions a series of chairs re-issued to mark the company’s 150th year.

UNIVERSITY OF KENT – CARGO BAR The University of Kent turned to Karndean Designflooring to complete the look of its award winning CARGO bar and bistro at Liberty Quays, Medway. Designed by London interior design practice Stiff +, the student hospitality venue offers a nautical and industrial-style design complete with a statement concrete-effect floor design. Taking inspiration from its maritime base at Medway, the university’s in-house team chose Karndean’s large rectangular Opus Urbus SP213 design with its stormy mix of light and grey tones. 'Having initially considered a real stone floor, we were immediately concerned with the practicalities of maintaining a concrete floor, and ensuring it retained its original beauty,' explains Keith Williams, Head of Trading at University of Kent. Looking to distinguish and zone out the bar and bistro areas, Karndean’s Urbus tile has been paired with the company’s mid-wood rustic timber effect Opus Ignea WP313 planks.

Upfront

New Design Group

ALTO

Design: High Design

by 26

redefining value

3 Nelson Trade Park South Wimbledon, SW19 3BL t : 0208 540 9513 info@newdesigngroup.co.uk www.newdesigngroup.co.uk

Upfront

Forward Thinking Neil Tague tells us everything we need to know about MIPIM but were too afraid to ask. Cards on the table. I’m a MIPIM fan. It has its detractors – Massive International Piss-up In the Med and all that – and true enough, it’s one for those who enjoy the social side of property. But property’s a people business, and if you’re doing MIPIM right, you’ll put your shoe leather through its paces every bit as much as your liver. 2016 will be the 11th time I’ve covered MIPIM. The first few years I went, it was ludicrous. The UK cities all had yachts – on top of the exhibition stands and apartments. There was champagne everywhere, and some frankly barmy talk. Leeds went out on a limb, talking up how it was topping Manchester to have western Europe’s highest living spaces, with Lumiere. If you’ve not heard of it, that’s because it didn’t happen. Jumped the gun a bit there. After the roof fell in, things changed a bit. Some cities disappeared completely, which seemed to be an admission that they never really believed their own hype. There were a couple of subdued years for the UK delegation, during which Russia and their mineral-rich former Soviet partners stepped forward. The re-emergence of the UK cities has brought with it a more cerebral approach. Cities promoting their ideas and fleshing out the reasons investors should take a look, rather than just blithely talking up sites and shiny models. Now the market is buoyant again, it will be interesting to see if the cerebral mood remains, or if it’s more an air of celebration. So, in those years, what’s been learned about how to get around Cannes without burning yourself out mentally and physically? Read on… Accommodation I’ve stayed in pretty much every corner of Cannes, although if you have the budget to

book one of the top-end hotels there’s frankly nothing I can do for you. If you’re leaving it late to book, you might be offered stuff out of town – I’d avoid these, the trains don’t run late into the night and finding taxis can be murder. The furthest out you want to be is La Bocca, which has a courtesy bus service, but to which taxis are only €20 or so. You probably don’t need worry too much about how nice the place looks – you’re not likely to be using it for much more than sleeping and showering. One of the great myths of MIPIM is that you have to book your accommodation for the whole week – this may be the case through the main booking agents, but in the last few years I’ve used booking.com and have been able to book just the nights I need. That said, there’s plenty to see if you want to stay on for a few days, from beautiful seaside villages to Nice, or even this year, for cycling fans, the end of the Milan-San Remo race, just over the Italian border. Time management People always say 'book yourself lots of meetings, but leave enough space to arrange things on the spot'. It’s true, you do need some sort of plan, but also time to spare, so you can turn chance encounters with contacts old or new into potential business. Keep on the move. Really, the hard-working, event-heavy part of the week only runs from Tuesday lunchtime through to Thursday afternoon. Pack stuff in – wander the stands. Have a look at the MIPIM website before or during to see what looks interesting outside your immediate circle. Every year I see some people hanging around with the same people they spend all their time in Manchester with. They must get something out of it, but for the life of me I can’t see what.

Food and drink The restaurants that line Boulevard de la Croisette, the main seafront stretch that houses the Palais des Festivals (where the event actually takes place) do fill up, not unsurprisingly given that there’s 30,000 or so property bods in town, all of whom need feeding. You’re well advised to look away from the front. Use Rue d’Antibes, the main shopping drag, to get your bearings and work from there. There are loads of decent places on and around Rue Hoche, which you can reach by heading up Rue des Serbes from the Croisette. Ten minutes away, heading west around the harbour, restaurants tend to be quieter, and if you head around the Radisson Blu onto the Boulevard du Midi Jean Hibert you’ll find sea view restaurants for a spot of lunch – as good as the beach restaurants, if you disregard the traffic in between you and the beach. It’s also worth heading uphill to the streets around the market hall, where there are lots of little bistros. 'It’s going to cost you…' Cannes is not cheap. But the week needn’t cost you the earth, unless you’ve agreed to foot the bill for lunch before realising it’s going to be for a boozy table of 20 at the Grand Hotel’s Michelin-starred Le Park 45. Of course drinks will cost you a hefty sum at the Martinez, but there are tons of bars where you can grab a beer for €5 or so. Mix it up. If you’ve not got a dinner arranged, you can find pizza and pasta places (one of the benefits of being so close to Italy) all over the town. And if you’re after a lunch in a hurry, the blue and white sandwich kiosks on the promenade have a ready supply of baguettes and croquemonsieurs. There you go – enjoy Cannes!

MIPIM 15-18 March 2016. Neil Tague heads up Tague Media an independent content creation company. neil@taguemedia.com. Article originally written for OBIproperty.co.uk.

Upfront

KARNDEAN TALKS: OFFICE FLOORING VGW102T v

Creating the right office environment is important. Offices are places for thought, discussion and creativity, and choosing the right flooring finish is key to creating a space that’s comfortable, inspiring and practical.

REN113 s

>> Our Opus collection is ideal for creating a sense of space with extra-large tiles and wide planks. Perfect for creating statement floors and zoning in large office spaces.

WP313 s

SP213 s

Use statement white furniture mixed with a classic oak for a contemporary look.

Sometimes you want to give your client something extra special and this is where Karndean Designflooring can really come into its own. Incorporate design strips or borders to give your finished room plenty of wow.

LLP92 s

VGW85T s

If you’re out on site with a customer why not use our augmented reality app to demonstrate what their floor could look like right there and then. The app lets you select and view different floors in the space of your choice and take images to share and compare. See www.karndean.com/app for more details.

If you’re looking for a product that’s quick and easy to install, look no further than Karndean LooseLay. Our format LVT features a friction grip backing that holds the product in place. It’s also suitable for raised access flooring and is easy to repair.

For more flooring ideas visit us online at www.karndean.com/office 28

Upfront

Material Matters This month the team at Material Lab take a closer look at the latest trends in contemporary surfaces. www.material-lab.co.uk

Blending exposed elements of polished concrete at Johnson Tiles Johnson Tiles has taken a fresh, modern twist on classic minimalist surfacing with the launch of its brand new range, Minerals. Inspired by the ‘deconstructed’ trend, the range features exposed elements of polished concrete and material fragments smoothed over to produce an elegant look. Five colours, two finishes and eight sizes are available, including the on-trend large format – as big as 1,800x600mm – for that seamless and uninterrupted, contemporary style. www.johnson-tiles.com

Heliot & Co create bold feature walls with 3D effects Louvre, a new moulded plastic tile range from the dynamic surface designers at Heliot & Co, has been hotly tipped on the awards trail this season. Featuring a simple but elegant design that plays with 3D effects and angles, it offers a structured contemporary surface that reflects light to a dramatic effect. Louvre is perfect for creating a feature area with a multi-faceted tile face to add high-impact design. www.heliotandco.com

Tektura launch metallised painted textures for a modern look The wallcovering experts at Tektura have recently launched several exciting new ranges that capture the latest colour, pattern and texture trends in surface design. Seen here, Pax is a metallised painted texture produced in a choice of stylish metallic colours. Inspired by cave paintings and distressed effects, it produces a high-quality finish that expresses modern luxury with an on-trend industrial edge. www.tektura.com

Cutting-edge, abstract design from Solomon & Wu Solomon & Wu specialises in applying contemporary design to traditional mouldings, to create something new and extraordinary. Its latest project is a collection of coffee tables composed of solid brass frames and poured polished surfaces, in a bold colour palette. Hand poured by artists and designers at its UK studio, the resulting colour pigments interact with each other to form varying organic shapes, resembling the abstract paintings that inspired them. www.solomonandwu.com

Upfront

Desert Island Desks

This month’s desert island castaway is I-AM Group Partner and Director of 3D Design London, Pete Champion.

3 MONDAINE WATCH Not sure how much use the time of day will be, but this one has the day and date on it, which might keep one sane, I guess, long after the iPhone battery has died. Since buying this watch, I’ve just never felt the need to buy or wear anything else. Its simple elegance and sense of proportion is perfection, in my humble opinion.

1 GIBSON LES PAUL My weapon of choice for ‘could’ve-been-a-rockstar’ fantasies, this object is not only beautiful to look at, but a joy to play. I’m hardly worthy to pick one up, given its significance in the history of music; from Les Paul to Jimmy Page and Slash – but it’s a genuine transportation device for the soul. I’m assuming that on the island I’ll be able to rig up some kind of solar powered amp contraption...

4 VICTORINOX MINI-SWISS ARMY KNIFE KEYRING My team will tell you how I maintain that, attached to the keys in my pocket, I have the key (ha!) tools for pretty much every occasion – bottle-opener, the 50% discount key fob from Pizza East and my Victorinox. I fully envisage being able to construct my island home and create all the mod cons I need with this little bit of design genius.

2 THE SPITFIRE I defy anyone not to be uplifted by the joyful, primal sight and sound of a Spit. To me it’s so perfect – it looks animalistic: as if nature created it, not us. Absolute beauty in form through function, to say nothing of the freedom it helped secure for us all. Heck, if we arrange for a two-seater I’ll write a message in the sand and get my lift home in it.

Tel 01925 850500 5 SABATIER KNIFE Although, as I’ve said, my little Victorinox should meet most requirements, it might be nice to take a longer blade, mainly for preparing my sashimi, but also just in case I need to get primal with bears or anything (where is this island anyway?). There are lots of ‘high design’ knives around, but for me none can improve on the iconic Sabatier.

Email info@sixteen3.co.uk Web www.sixteen3.co.uk

6 TOLOMEO LIGHTS FROM ARTEMIDE BY MICHELE DE LUCCHI I haven’t filled my home with by-the-book ‘design classics’. It’s nice to explore with an open mind and (I hope) a decent eye, but the Tolomeo family is part of the set-up. I like all the sizes; the Mega is superbly flexible and the light quality is warm and lovely when dimmed. Look-wise, they’ll be an unusual contrast to the rustic vibe of the island, but we all like a juxtaposition.

7 BOTTLESHOWER One of the retired partners at I-AM, Tim Jeffrey, invented this brilliant product, which could make a huge difference in disaster zones or your typical summer festival (the ablutions scenarios in either amount to the same thing). Plugged into a bottle of water, it optimises the flow and makes it last so much longer than just pouring – it’s hard to believe. Brilliant for the world and ideal for staying fragrant whilst marooned.

London Showroom The Gallery, 21-22 Great Sutton St. EC1V 0DY / Manufacture/Showroom Chesford Grange, Woolston, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4RQ

Mix Interiors 161

36 The Big Question

Re po r

Dea le

Spotlight

38 The Dealer Report 33

54 The Dealer Map

Spotlight

The Big ? uestion Other than service, what is the most important thing you offer your clients?

Industry-leading service was the driving force behind the formation of Day 2, but so much more is required in 2016. As professional teams (architects, designers, project managers, main contractors etc) face ever-increasing demands on an ever-diminishing resource (thanks to the market pressure on fees), we have found a gap for a holistic project resource. We aim to offer expert advise to every project stakeholder, from creative specification consultancy and value analysis through to meticulous project planning and implementation.

Paul Glaister Workpattern

I was once told by a good client that we don’t sell, we help our clients to make the right purchases. It’s something that at the time made me feel very proud – and still does today. I believe this sums us up perfectly. Plus, with the growing choices in the market and an increased emphasis on workplace performance, I am convinced this is something a client will value even more today than at any other time.

Matt Clarke Umbrella

Mark Phillips K2

Justin Bass Sketch Studios

Steve Fitch Dovetail

Jim Meier Day 2

Our clients want their partners to be workplace experts. We offer them a consultative approach, ensuring that their office design is appropriate for their business needs and industry sector. Our highly experienced and respected team focus on delivering perfection on furniture and fit-out projects. We specialise in supporting our clients with these solutions throughout Europe and we are currently undertaking projects in Zurich, Madrid, Paris and Berlin.

Our main aim is to bring workspaces to life and, although this may come across as a cliché, we’re all about the people. And our people have the knowledge, experience, maturity, creativity and sheer talent it takes to truly make a difference. Sketch, as part of Fourfront Group, has recently made the ‘Sunday Times Best 100 Small Companies to Work for’ shortlist and we wouldn’t be able to do that without genuinely caring about our colleagues and our clients. Without hopefully sounding cheesy, we’re a (sort of ) family. Occasionally we might argue but we stick together!

That’s a difficult question because what else is more important than service? However, we would consider that we offer an independent take on the most suitable products for each project or environment. This in turn offers transparent advice from which the client will feel comfortable in their decision, and ultimately, that they are getting value for money in the final furniture solution.

Whilst exemplary service is vital to Dovetail, in many ways that is the everyday expectation of a dealer. It is important to me, and my colleagues at Dovetail that we are also the furniture experts, with the best knowledge of product out there, so we can offer advice and opinion to clients. It is our job to be on the cutting edge of new products, developments and trends too.

Loose Furniture Specialists E: matt@umbrellafurniture.com www.umbrellafurniture.com

THE FURNITURE SPECIALISTS

Umbrella Banner Mix Interiors July 2015.indd 1

17/06/2015 17:31:57

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Combining style and elegance with comfort, Sebastian comprises large foam & feather seat cushions and feather back cushions to provide a truly inviting and relaxing sit.

THE HOSPITALITY EDIT Head Office T: +44 (0) 1242 584 897 London Showroom T: +44 (0) 20 7253 0364 E: sales@lyndon.co.uk www.lyndon.co.uk 35

Part of the Boss Design Group

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The Dealer Report Ok, before we begin in full, let us just say that, in very much the same way that we don’t have any issues with

RECENT PROJECTS – MILLER INS Spacecraft

Spacecraft were appointed to supply workstations, task chairs, storage an Lane. We worked closely with the client and their architect Scott Brownrig The big win the selection and specification of workstations, task chairs and storage. Spacecraft was delighted to be appointed to supply workstations, task chairs, storage consultants to oversee the coordination and integration of AV into the furnit and all loose furniture for Miller Insurance’s move to 70 Mark Lane in early 2015. 'We worked closely with the client and their architect Scott Brownrigg, as well as Cordless,

the AVmanagement consultants, to oversee the coordination integrationwith of AVthe into the furniture Our project team workedandclosely client and their co solutions. used in included Knoll Scope workstations and Knoll Generation task seamlessly andFurniture on time a single phase. chairs, as well as Brunner meeting tables and chairs. A particular favourite has been the Fritz Hanson Ro chairs we placed in reception and lounge areas.

Since completion, we have been asked to supply and install furniture for th 'Our project management team worked closely with the client and their contractor Overbury to ensure that all products were installed seamlessly and on time in a single phase. This was a significant job for Spacecraft and one which we’re proud to say ran smoothly, and with great results. In fact, since completion, we have also been asked to supply and install furniture for an additional space taken by Miller Insurance on the first floor of the same building.'

the phrase ‘trade mag’, we also don’t find any negative connotations with the word ‘dealer’. These influential, providers of service, product and connections are an invaluable and incredibly important part of the specification process – and by using that word, we’re not intending to belittle their market role in way, shape or form. And at least we know where we stand when we say dealer! Over the next 15 or so pages we’re going to give our finest dealers the floor. We’re going to find out what they’ve been up to over the past 12 months – the ins and outs, the big wins and the key moments. Furthermore, we’ll be showing some of the dealer market’s key stats and even opinion from the biggest and best players. Enjoy.

Amaryllis What’s new with you? 2015 saw continued interest in our ‘new and refurbishment’ solutions. We have championed the concept of updating, upgrading and extending the lifecycle of existing assets whilst specifying new products to achieve design objectives. This approach not only makes sense in terms of sustainability but also potentially releases additional budget for investment in higher specification new solutions. The big win Our ‘proudest’ achievement was being shortlisted as a finalist (again) for the Premises and Facilities Management Awards in the Partners in Sustainability category. The award was in recognition for our work with Job Centre Plus. Amaryllis and Telereal Trillium proposed an innovative solution for the digital roll-out programme by combining the remodelling and reuse of redundant desks from vacated Department for Work and Pensions office buildings, and involving ‘social giving’ initiatives for the manufacture of additional requirements. Moving forward We remain committed to driving the ‘circular economy’ approach within the market. Companies do not necessarily need to ‘own’ their furniture and equipment assets – they do need a workplace that meets their operational and staff welfare needs – truly a ‘win win’. 36

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Offizone What’s new with you? 2015 has seen a very healthy organic growth for Offizone. We are a 3rd generation family business, majoring on full turnkey office interiors solutions and furniture projects.

insightful environments What’s new with you? As one of the UK’s largest workspace providers, insightful environments, formerly Steelcase Solutions, has unveiled a new brand in response to market needs. The new brand will be used as a platform to offer a broader portfolio of furniture, technology products and associated services, underpinned by world-class workplace knowledge and insights. We’ve also just opened a fully immersive new London ie studio which will showcase market-leading systems and ancillary furniture, technology, and an insights-led approach for clients and their specifiers and professional teams. The business will still be owned by Steelcase, benefiting from the stability and access to its leading insight and knowledge that this provides. The big win We have already worked with many leading organisations this year and completed installations for a number of prestigious HQ projects as well as many smaller schemes for up-and-coming companies. Moving forward We look forward to continuing the recent investments in our business to further the experience we deliver for our clients, developing our new brand and consolidating our position as one of the leading workplace providers in the UK.

The big win Our biggest project through 2015 has been the complete refurbishment of the solicitors offices of O’Neill Patient. It has played a significant part in helping them to be one of the very few UK law firms to secure the ISO27001 Information Security Standard. The refurbishment includes the addition of a new reception and meeting rooms suite, which has enabled them to expand their workforce to 250 people. Moving forward We are very pleased that our clients are taking massive steps to change their work environments and that they now see it as a very tangible investment in their staff, their business and their property. We work with some of the best and innovative manufacturers of furniture, furnishings and technology and really enjoy seeing our client’s enthusiasm when they see our ideas come to life. It is even better for us when they recommend us to future clients or call us back to transform another location within their business.

Rainbow

What’s new with you? We expanded our roster with three new members of staff who have been excellent additions to Rainbow. The big win We had two fantastic ‘big’ projects in 2015, with 700 workstations each. One saw a long-standing client move into state of the art offices in Wimbledon, with interiors designed by TP Bennett, and the other a new client: we worked with Resonate Interiors on the new headquarters of Ipsos MORI. The scope of works included systems and loose furniture, as well as working with the client to facilitate the reuse of existing product, with refurbishment and reconditioning where possible. Both projects were a great success but very different in terms procurement and product selection. Moving forward Our aim for 2016 remains the same as it does every year: to keep our eyes open and ear to the ground for the latest trends and products so we can keep our clients and specifiers informed and updated should they require our services. Really, the expectation is for workplace trends to continue full steam towards improving wellbeing practices. Employers and employees alike are realising the benefits of healthy staff members, sit-stand desking, positive workspace design and flexible working, and are implementing them more and more. 37

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Momentum What’s new with you? 2015 has seen Momentum working more closely in collaborating with architects and designers to increase our sales in the UK and internationally. Large private houses in Israel and Australia, London and the Midlands, have featured alongside the new grandstand at Cheltenham Racecourse, local Welsh offices and Cornish hospitality projects and even Council offices in Warwickshire. The year has shown how the market is changing and how we have to respond.

BOF As an independent brand, we are not biased towards a single supplier. We provide you with the furniture you need, sourced from homegrown and global manufacturers. We boast a portfolio of work, which spans the Education, Public and Private sectors, including small office spaces to large campus developments.

The big win One unique project in 2015 was to furnish the entire new Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, a major new internationally-renowned medical research centre. Momentum was appointed to work on a collaborative project with IBI Group architects, BAM Construction Wales and the team from Cardiff University to provide all of the furniture for all Management and open plan offices, test areas, breakout spaces, study labs, reception and meeting areas and specialist facilities. The result is one of the best projects I have worked on in my 35 years in this business, a complete team effort. Moving forward Full service dealers who are close partners with their manufacturers, independent, fullytrained furniture specialists can really add value to projects and the procurement process. These dealers will understand good design, be knowledgeable about their product portfolio and promote their manufacturers to the design community.

Dodds and Shute What’s new with you? We’re working on some of the most exciting restaurants in London and have expanded to work on several projects abroad, including Australia and Hong Kong. The start of the year has seen an uplift in residential and office projects. In the office sector, we’re helping interior designers and architects realise the role design plays in creating an energetic, social and creative workplace. The big win We worked with the branding agency, Ragged Edge, a contemporary and creative firm that wanted their offices to showcase how they work and what makes them unique. The end result was a very cool environment which Ragged Edge were delighted with. Moving forward We believe the market will continue to move away from the large business mentality and old fashioned corporate culture. Companies will continue to encourage employees to create inspiring work by offering them inspiring surroundings. Budgets will continue to be tight this year and so we have expanded our portfolio of high quality but more affordable and unique brands for the commercial and hospitality sectors.

I am delighted that from a purely personal view there appears to be a major shift in the way that furniture dealers are perceived by architects, designers, customers and possibly even within the industry itself. PJ Statham, Momentum

Future Office What’s new with you? The biggest change in 2015 was the diversification of project work we were involved in. We incorporated our own fit out team, allowing us to undertake flooring, ceiling and building works for clients such as EDF Energy, where our commitment to Safe Working has given us a competitive edge in a difficult sector. The big win Amongst the smaller office refurbishments we manage on a day to day basis, we incorporated the completion of northern HQ for Bluefin Insurance in Harrogate along with a number of other regional offices for the client. Amongst our most unique was a finance package for over 250 Mesh Office Chairs at the HQ of Cross Country Trains in Birmingham, our first use of finance in this significant sector. A large win, again with Mesh chairs for AXA Insurance in Glasgow and Tunbridge Wells, meant we had another big year with Mesh. Moving forward Through 2016 we would like very much to continue this evolution and already have projects scheduled into April. Critical to this is the stability in the marketplace and we see the option of finance for furnishing and office refurbishment as very useful for clients.

2015 SEATING SALES = £450 MILLION

Dealer: £314million I Direct: £136 million

Langstane What’s new with you? 2015 has proved to be one of the most challenging years in the office furniture industry for Langstane. With the current downturn (oil industry), this has resulted in many high value relocations and office moves being put on hold or cancelled altogether. However, Langstane’s strong presence in the public sector has helped us remain buoyant across our four locations (Aberdeen, Dundee, Livingston and Inverurie). The big win South Glasgow University, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, The Teaching and Learning Centre administration (office) block. Langstane was proud to be awarded the furniture contract for all three of the above buildings. All in all Langstane delivered and installed over £1.6million worth of office and patient care furniture to The South Glasgow Hospital Campus. All deliveries and installations were completed on time and on budget and received incredible compliments from client and staff alike. Moving forward With the Scottish Government pledging more money than ever before to the health service and education markets, we at Langstane hope to benefit from this with our Scotland Excel and NHS office furniture framework status.

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Hunts Office

2015 STEEL STORAGE SALES = £118 MILLION

What’s new with you? Wellbeing and flexibility in the workplace was a major push for us. We proudly saw the launch of our acclaimed £280k Steelcase Worklife Centre – the largest outside of London. We also ventured further in to the world of interiors and, as a result, have expanded our in-house and delivery team by 28%.

Dealer: £89million I Direct: £29 million

The big win Our biggest win last year was a major desk rollout for Capital One in Nottingham which comprised 1,000 sit-stand Steelcase Ology desks – Steelcase’s largest Ology order to date. We saw the completion of a 4-floor project for CATS College in Cambridge. This was a great win in the education sector, we introduced CATS to a host of new pedagogys using specialist Steelcase educational furniture. Steelcase were so impressed they flew their filming team in from America to complete the first ever UK case study video. Moving forward We kick-started the year with four new team members and we are near to completing our new £300k Ground Floor Showroom – due to launch around April 2016. Our in-house design team have officially moved over to REVIT, putting us in line with the design and build industry. This year we are proud to celebrate 25 years of Hunts Office.

Opus 4 What’s new with you? This year we celebrate our 20th Anniversary. As part of the celebrations, we will be opening a brand new ‘Secret Garden’. This will be a new outdoor social space where staff can touch down and work in the sun, client and staff meetings can take place and where we can dine and have fun.

EOS Interiors What’s new with you? We are delighted to welcome Leah Shutkever to the team in 2015. Leah joins us as our new Design Manager and brings a wealth of experience in architectural design and new ways of working. Whilst we are delighted to be part of a resurgence in the Birmingham commercial property market we have continued to develop our London client base and are really pleased to be working in and around London The big win New ways of working and new technology came together with a few traditional touches to deliver a new headquarters for Cala Homes PLC. We worked alongside the professional team appointed by Cala to design and build this 20,000 ft office in Solihull in just nine weeks. We took care of detailed architectural, mechanical and electrical design too. Moving forward We are delighted to be working with Herman Miller once again as their main Birmingham dealer and have already seen great success in specifying some great new products. 2016 will also see a significant expansion of our office and showroom space. Once completed we will offer the largest commercial furniture showroom in Birmingham. 40

The big win Our best project win in 2015 was by no means our biggest, but it was our best for so many different reasons. Firstly, we are proud to say Nando’s is now one of our key clients. As part of the design and research phase on a project, we tend to get very close to our clients – understanding the ethos to their business and the way they work. The Tree House project was also enjoyable because we managed to overcome doubts from the client that we could take such a derelict space and transform it something that was productive and beneficial to their business. Moving forward We think that now, more than ever, it’s the best time to be involved in commercial interiors. We are finding that clients are far more receptive to design-led changes to their workspace and understand the role that a creative, inviting office has in attracting and retaining a talented workforce.

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TSK

2015 DESKING/SYSTEMS SALES = £345 MILLION

Moving forward TSK would like to see: continued recognition by organisations of the need to invest in their workplace to attract and retain employee talent.

Dealer: £204 million I Direct: £139 million

The ‘northern powerhouse’ attracting inward investment and corporate occupiers across the region, as Manchester has done so successfully over recent years. The media to be positive about the economic situation!

Phusei Corporate Workspace What’s new with you? 2015 marked our strongest year since our formation in 2001. This trend has certainly continued into early 2016 and the outlook for the coming year is very optimistic indeed. The big win 2015 saw many noticeable wins our most satisfying win was our appointment to provide a turnkey solution for the offices of B. Braun Medical in Sheffield with a budget of £1.5m. This was the culmination of a five-year relationship with the management team at B. Braun following the successful completion of their Business Centre and Auditorium in 2011. Moving forward Our main hope is that the positive upturn seen in 2014 and 2015 continues. We are seeing increased construction activities in our home geography and although we have nationwide capability we would relish the opportunity to increase our local client base. As well as traditional routes to market we have developed alternative marketing streams including social media and a new website, a trend we hope to develop further.

What’s new with you? Actually we are pleased to say nothing changed! We have a great team with more years’ experience than we care to mention – we work to our strengths. We continued to win fabulous projects; we added another two great charities to our client list – following on from NSPCC we now support Amnesty International and Youthscape. We continue to grow business outside London – winning the prestigious new manufacturing facility for Rolls Royce Aero Engine Controls in Birmingham and another major project with the Co-op in Manchester. The big win Every win is big, no matter how small. Hachette UK brought eight of their publishing companies together under one new roof – the stunning Carmelite Building overlooking the River Thames. Each company needed to maintain its own distinct identity whilst the overall look and feel of the interior remained harmonious. Phusei worked collaboratively with HOK and the client carrying out workshops with each business to ensure the aesthetic look and feel of the furniture reflected the character of each company and the books they published. The end result is a beautiful interior, full of colour, design and hundreds of thousands of books! Moving forward Our hopes remain the same as every year; to continue working with our amazing clients who have supported us over the last 13 years; to, in turn, carry on supporting the design community specifying new and interesting products and to work with quality manufacturers delivering inspiring projects.

Every win is big, no matter how small. Tim Nisbet, Phusei

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Storage and breakout solutions with a difference...

Clerkenwell Showroom

104-110 Goswell Road, EC1V 7DH T:020 7422 8220 F:020 7426 2014 43

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Tsunami Axis & Flourish LLP What’s new with you? Andy Huckerby has joined us to spearhead Tsunami’s new office in Manchester. Our international division secured an LOM/FDP designed multi-million pound branch refurbishment rollout throughout Ghana, for a large banking corporation. In the last quarter of 2015, the Tsunami teams in both London and Edinburgh were simultaneously running live projects amounting to over 3,150,000 sq ft, occupied by circa 15,000 people; in addition to Herman Miller, we supplied over 50 manufacturers' loose and collaborative products. The big win Tsunami’s sister company, Flourish Healthcare, representing Herman Miller, secured the write up, task seating and private office package for the new HOK (working with PLP Architecture) designed Sir Francis Crick Institute’s 1,000,000 sq ft multi-disciplinary biomedical research facility in Kings Cross. Over 1,300 specialist write up positions, 140 private offices and meeting rooms formed the package. It was a privilege to play a part in the creation of this architecturally stunning facility, with a purpose that will see academics, doctors, computer experts collaborating with the common aim of improving people’s lives through research into today’s biggest health challenges. Moving forward The combined factors of wellness in the workplace, the evolution of collaborative working patterns and the impact of technology in all strata of the workplace has been a great catalyst for commercial office furniture designers and manufacturers. Moving into 2016 it is our hope that these drivers will continue to push the boundaries of office design and that our teams will play a meaningful part in helping to build projects and turn ‘products into places’ for our clients to thrive within.

Day2 What’s new with you? 2015 was another record breaking year for Day2, with the highlight (of course) being named Furniture Provider of the Year at Mixology! Our turnover has doubled in two years, easily passing our target of £10m annually, and the team continues to grow with a focus on attracting bright young talent to bring fresh ideas into the business. The big win Whilst our biggest news was the win at the end of the year for 2,500 workstations and loose furniture for Google’s new premises in Kings Cross in 2016, British Land’s refurbished headquarters was our major installation of 2015. We like a challenge and the fact that the office remained live throughout the fit-out certainly presented that! After considerable planning, our teams worked closely with the main contractor to refurbish three floors of office areas over seven five-day phases. Moving forward 2016 is shaping up to be another big year for the business, with landmark projects on site for UBS, Google and Sky, amongst other new opportunities. Despite the doom and gloom emanating from Whitehall, we have never been busier and there are still plenty of projects in the pipeline, so we remain cautiously optimistic about the coming year. 44

Showcase Interiors What’s new with you? 2015 saw another year of growth for Showcase with the recruitment of 11 new members of staff. Showcase was placed number 87 on The Times Fast Track 100. It was Showcase’s growth from 2012 to 2014 that caught the eye of the Fast Track 100 research team. From 2012 to the end of 2014’s financial year the business grew by a phenomenal 319%. The big win One of the world’s largest banks, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, became a client of Showcase’s in 2015. CBA were relocating their trading floor and back office facility to a new home at 1 New Ludgate and called upon Showcase to assist with the furniture procurement and installation of their fantastic office space, trading floor and client entertainment rooms. After they successfully carried out a huge furniture installation project at VW Financial Services in 2014, they were invited back in 2015 to fit out their Brunswick Court offices and help them to achieve the desired mid-century retro look and feel, incorporating modern industrial elements. Moving forward Showcase has now agreed the lease of new office space in Essex, providing a 13,000 sq ft facility combining storage, technical support, operations, and finance departments as well as our AV division. The London Commercial team are also moving to new larger premises within The Leathermarket, London Bridge. 2016 looks to be another amazing year, with recruitment still towards the top of the list!

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Image courtesy of FaulknerBrowns

JS Office What’s new with you? David Rimmington, our Managing Director for the last 20 years, has retired and handed the baton over to Chris Johnson. Chris is eager to move the company forward and has implemented a number of changes including an annual client satisfaction survey of which 96% rated JS as good or very good in 2015. The big win Our best and biggest win of 2015 was ‘Project A2 Dominion’. JS were instructed by A2 Dominion Housing Group to act as Furniture Consultants to assist with the procurement of furniture for three offices, including their new HQ at the Point, Paddington. JS were there at each phase from inception and selection right through to delivery and installation and day 2 needs. The project was delivered on time and within budget. Moving forward We expect that, by offering a high level of service and specifying products that meet our clients needs, we can offer the complete package to ensure we continue to see growth. On a personal note, UK manufacturers have designed and produced some world class products within the soft seating sector that look fantastic and have certainly helped maintain margins but desking and operator seating seems to have become a simple commodity. We would be eager to see products that bring genuine value within this sector in 2016.

Workpattern What’s new with you? How we work ourselves has been the biggest real change in 2015. It’s been great to finally practice what we preach and embrace new technologies to improve our own agility and internal collaboration. The big win Our biggest win in 2015 was South Tyneside Council’s refurbishment, providing a complete new furniture package to support its agile working program. We also need to mention Hebburn Hub, finalist in the Mixology awards 2015 for FaulknerBrowns. This project has challenged us to tailor solutions and take us beyond our comfort zone. The results have made the project even more rewarding and something we are immensely proud of. Moving forward We are delighted to have started the year with two very significant project wins, probably our two best projects ever and we can’t wait to share these. In addition, we are excited to be starting work on our own 4,000 sq ft workspace and showroom. We are sure the new space will surprise and delight a lot of people.

Paragon Interiors (Connect Space) What’s new with you? Being an independent dealer enables us to fuse the very best ideas and products from an industry worth billions of pounds. What’s really exciting is the adoption by smaller regional companies. We have seen one of our local accountancy practices change desk allocation from 80% of their space to less than 50%. This is not a large international practice but a business that turned to us to offer an exciting, flexible, agile and branded environment that seeks to attract staff from their competitors. The power of dealer options has never been more impactful and has resulted in our business advising major corporations such as JLR, Capita and some of the UK’s leading universities. The big win 2015 was a year bursting with great furniture projects. When global pharmaceutical research company Parexcel was seeking furniture for over 800 staff in their newly acquired 72,000 sq ft office, they ultimately turned to their design and build partner. Paragon Interiors where able to put the Connect Space response team in to action. We were able to offer options from UK and European manufacturers and this independent and impartial approach gave the customer genuine choice – they were not forced down a particular route. This independence also formed the basis of HMRC new workplace format now to be used as the format for workplace change effecting over 50,000 staff over the next seven years. This month Connect Space and Paragon Interiors will install all the furniture in Loughborough University new facility in the former Olympic village. 45

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Dovetail What’s new with you? We implemented a graduate recruitment scheme, the success of which resulted in new core members of our sales team. We have also expanded our project management team to support our growth within the UK and internationally. Driven by the market demand for more eclectic styles within interior design, the number of manufacturing partners we work with doubled in 2015 to over 220. The big win Our broad range of high profile projects in 2015 includes CIMA, Bilfinger GVA, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, DLKW, Maxus, Hitachi & CBS Interactive. The largest project was Ogilvy & Mather Group's move from Canary Wharf to the landmark Sea Containers building on the Southbank, which comprises 18 operational companies under one roof, accommodating over 2,000 staff. It has been a wonderful project to be involved in and the space is amazing. Moving forward At Dovetail, we are observing an increasingly diverse mix of products specified on projects year on year, and we are being asked to source unusual, statement, non-mainstream products such as reclaimed and vintage furniture. The most exciting step for Dovetail is in response to this growing trend, in the form of Dovetail Vintage…more of that to follow!

TOTAL OFFICE FURNITURE SALES 2015 = £992 MILLION

Dealer: £672 million I Direct: £320 million

K2 Space What’s new with you? We continue to work internationally, supporting our clients as they grow in Europe. Our furniture installation teams will be in Mayfair one week and Madrid the next. 2015 was a record one for us and we helped our clients in cities including Amsterdam, Budapest, Copenhagen, Paris and Zurich. The big win A significant project for us in 2015 was the Adobe office in Dublin. As a furniture dealer with a design and build team, we delivered the fit-out and the furniture for this space. Another notable win was helping Blackstone spin-off – PJT Partners – open its first European office in Mayfair. Moving forward Our hope is that facilities and HR professionals continue to provide a range of workplace settings for their people and don’t neglect focus and investment on appropriate workstations. We will continue to leverage our strategic alliance with New York based Empire Office, the world’s largest furniture dealer, and help our mutual clients with a consistent global service.

Ultimate Group What’s new with you? In 2015, to support our continued growth, we added several new team members. We opened new offices in Newcastle to strengthen our commitment and presence to working in the North East. We also ventured in supplying furniture and complete turnkey fit-out to the Hotel & Hospitality market. The biggest project undertaken in this sector was the complete refurbishment and furniture supply of 163 bedrooms, restaurant, lounge and bar for Accor, Mercure St Paul's Hotel in Sheffield. The big win We recently completed a former mill building into state-of-the-art office facility for Pure Data Solutions in Leeds. The project took 12 weeks working to a budget of approx £700k (landlord and client works). Moving forward Our new showroom will be used as a design hub for us to present all the latest furniture and interior products and trends, allowing us to host workshops in-house for architects, designers and end users, presenting the opportunity to specify a complete project in one place, further supporting our current one-stop, turnkey offering to the industry. 47

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London Showroom

32 Clerkenwell Road London EC1M 5PS +44 (0) 203 397 4878 uksales@thinking.info thinking.info

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Think furniture What’s new with you? Think Furniture are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year. We are a furniture only company and do not touch fit-out and we prefer to remain independent of any significant ‘tie-in’ with major manufacturers that would prejudice our judgement on what we propose to our clients. The big win With several large wins in 2015, the one we recall best was the set-up of a new head office in Sevenoaks for First Title Insurance. The remit was to create a light, modern and spacious feel whilst (of course) hitting the headcount required. Often these two aims are incongruous to one another but with some great design by our design and build partners we pulled it off.

Wellworking What’s new with you? In 2015 our growth drove us to move to larger and more practical premises in West London. After a record-breaking year online for us, that still left time for a new website in December (www.wellworking.co.uk), showcasing the services that we offer and the fantastic manufacturing partners we work with. The big win Much like parents with their children, a company like ours should never admit to a favourite project, but we would have to admit to enjoying working with MHBC and EDGE tremendously on Starcom’s move to the centre of Clerkenwell. The focus on collaboration throughout the five floors allowed an element of fun within the work areas, which has fuelled user creativity and enjoyment, and resulted in a space we are very proud of having played a part in creating.

Moving forward Looking forward to 2016 and beyond we would anticipate that the continuation of ‘softening’ the work environment will gain momentum with more woods/ acoustic elements and of course the (ahem) rise of sit/ stand. Big questions such as China's slowdown and a UK exit from the EU are too far away to accurately predict – and again, being a small ‘furniture dealer’, we are able to shift and adapt to these changes quickly should they occur and create an economic challenge.

Moving forward We go into 2016 with a very strong order book and project pipeline thanks to some exciting projects from both new and existing clients. More than ever we believe that dealers will need to demonstrate their worth by focusing on and delivering their key value-added differentiators. We are hoping that our selection as a finalist at the prestigious Institute of Customer Service Awards later on this year is a sign of great things to come in 2016.

Sketch Studios The big win Our biggest and best project in 2015 was with Herbert Smith Freehills. This was a big win for us in terms of value, style and the level of engagement that was required. We were asked to refurbish one of the floors in their London office over a period of 32 weekends. The space, which was in occupation with 300 members of staff throughout this time, had to be entirely remodelled in order to reflect an agile-work environment. The law firm asked us to fit height adjustable workstations for their users – quite a big and different thing in this particular sector. Mirroring our mantra, Herbert Smith actively care about wellbeing in the workplace and is one of the first legal practices to be pushing this. Frankly, we were damned excited to be working with the first legal practice on an agile-working brief.

Moving forward We’re hoping we’ll soon be free of this ‘boom/bust’ cycle. The market is rapidly expanding but it’s also maturing as it does so. Businesses are beginning to realise that value isn’t just about price - quality also plays a massive part. As such, the smaller firms with lower margins are being ousted by the businesses that instead offer quality and professionalism. This is what we’re all about so we hope this continues because the British business landscape can no longer get away with forsaking quality. In terms of our hopes, we want to continue breaking into new markets, making people aware of who we are and what we offer and, ultimately, become more established and recognised within the A&D community. Ultimately, we want to be known for delivering the best possible projects. We want to be proud to take people to other people’s offices and say ‘we did that’. 50

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Morgan Lovell

2015 was the best trading year in

What’s new with you? Working alongside a robust team of five furniture specialists in London and the south, Morgan Lovell has strengthened its design capability over the last year with the appointment of a number of new designers. In June, Morgan Lovell’s southern team also celebrated its own relocation and refurbishment, moving from Wokingham to a purpose-built office in Bracknell. The workspace features a range of interesting furniture pieces that serve a dual purpose, defining work zones for staff and providing an informal ‘showroom’ for clients.

the company’s 112-year history. John Brown, Wagstaff

The big win Furniture was a key component of disability charity Livability’s new national office. Although not the biggest contract of 2015, the package was a real opportunity to shape end-user experience and reinforce culture through furniture. Emphasising accessibility, Livability wanted to design its office to better reflect the charity’s brand. After rigorous testing with a client user group, Morgan Lovell created a bespoke furniture solution. This included height-adjustable desks for wheelchair users, inclusive breakout booths and workstations with a good-sized turning circle for wheelchairs.

Wagstaff What’s new with you? 2015 was the best trading year in the company’s 112-year history – increasing our turnover from £31-52 million in 12 months was an incredible achievement. Our performance was attributed to a mix of business from our group services, including fit-out, furniture, hire, move management and reuse/recycle, all of which have seen an increase. Our seven regional offices, including our head office in Clerkenwell, contributed to our success. The big win 2015 saw Wagstaff awarded the largest single tender in our history. We were successfully awarded the systems furniture package for Aker Solutions new 335,000 sq ft HQ in Aberdeen. The building consists of office space and related facilities, including a fitness centre with squash courts, catering facilities, a nursery, medical facilities and an auditorium. Moving forward We hope to continue to be the country’s leading specialists within the interiors industry – striving to maintain the successful delivery of high quality office products and refurbishments across the country. We are looking closely into having a Wagstaff showroom in every major city in the UK, building on the success of our newly refurbished flagship showroom in Clerkenwell, which has been extended to showcase more world-class brands and to demonstrate our creative abilities to transform working environments.

Sources: Mix Research, BCFA 52

Moving forward Morgan Lovell is well-placed to take advantage of a number of office schemes progressing through the development pipeline in London and the Thames Valley. With strong client and furniture supplier relationships, dealer track record and delivery capability, Morgan Lovell will continue to trade strongly in the office design and build market, as well as grow its furniture only offering. Furniture trends are also an exciting opportunity for the team, especially with the popularity of agile and flexible working, meaning fewer pedestals, less individual workstations, more lockers and greater uptake in free-standing pods.

Spotlight

COLLABORATIVE SPACES FROM

EDEN consists of 1 and 2 seater high back units, low back options and a modular range

sales@pulse-design.co.uk

01254 673400 53

www.pulse-design.co.uk

Belfast

Edinburgh

Dealer Map

Lancaster

Spotlight

Leeds

Newcastle

Bradford

Silsden

Aberdeen

the country over the past 12 months.

editorially and in our endeavours up and down

great successes in 2015 and supported us both

made the headlines (in the right way), enjoyed

pick of the leading UK dealers – those who’ve

him to compile this amazing map, showing our

more pressure than usual this month, asking

We’ve put our poor designer, Rob, under even

West End

Clapham

Islington

Waterloo

Park Royal

High Wycombe

Birmingham

Wimbledon

Clerkenwell

Cardiff

Bridgend

Macclesfield

Warrington

Liverpool

Greater Manchester Nottingham

Brentwood

Bromley

Dagenham

Greenwich

City of London

Harringay

Surrey

Braintree

Berkhamstead

Profile

Leading Questions Some 12 years ago we sat and chatted with Colin Mustoe, Chairman of The Senator Group. Back in 2004 the

company was vying for the number one slot in the UK

furniture market, with a turnover touching £50 million. Today we’ve returned to Lancashire to talk with Robert Mustoe,the Group’s Managing Director (and Colin’s son, of course). It’s no exaggeration to say that we’ve been looking forward to chatting with Robert on-the-record for the best part of a decade now! The Senator Group is no longer vying for that number one position. Vying doesn’t even come into it. With a turnover in excess of £130 million in 2015, there is no doubt who’s top of the table. The Senator story started in 1976, when Colin began designing and manufacturing office furniture. Some 40 years on the company remains an independent, family owned business –although Robert didn’t originally expect things to work out quite the way they have. ‘I never presumed that I was coming into this industry,’ he reveals. ‘I was 18 and I went to work at Wetherby Office Chairs – a small 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 sticking my nose into things. I never went back to college. 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. ‘I’ve always had the advantage that I’ve got my father there. He’s not involved in

the business on a daily basis now – but he’s there if I want him to be. I’ve got a great relationship with him – and he’s still the best ambassador we’ve got. He’s great at what he does. To be fair, whatever I’ve done in this business there’s always been money in the bank and I’ve never had to take the risks that dad had to. If I want to spend money on new machinery and believe it’s the right thing to do – then I can go and do it. Dad started in his garage with £250 in his pocket! I think he had it a lot harder than I’ve ever had it.’ We’re at the Group’s awesome Altham headquarters, which today boasts state-ofthe-art manufacturing, company offices and impressive showspaces for the Senator and Allermuir brands – although Robert tells us that there are even more grand plans in the offing. Before that, however, we ask about those ever increasing numbers. ‘We’re doing alright,’ Robert modestly tells us. ‘We had a record year last year. We’ve been growing in most markets we’ve been playing in. We’ve had particular growth in the US – where we’ve put in a lot of money and a lot of effort. We’ve got two showrooms in Chicago now, we’ve got a showroom in New York – just off 5th Avenue – and a big thing for last year was that we bought 27 acres of prime land and built a new production facility in Michigan which is about 45 minutes out of Detroit. We’ve got just short of 100,000 sq ft there – including k 57

In Short OWNERSHIP The business remains family owned, founded by Robert's father Colin GROUP BRANDS Include Senator, Allermuir, Torasen DESIGNERS Include PearsonLloyd, Justus Kolberg, Jonathan Prestwich, Q Design, Simon Pengelly, Mark Gabbertas, Wolfgang CR Mezger and Paul Brooks EMPLOY Over 1,300 people FLOOR SPACE Over 1.27million sq ft of international manufacturing space, spanning Europe, America and Australasia

Profile

Our job is to give the best product with the best price and the best service. We’re still about service and doing what we say we’re going to do.

manufacturing, showroom and office space. It is now our US hub – previously we were using rented space. ‘I think the US really likes European designs when it comes to soft seating and loose furniture – they don’t particularly want European design when it comes to task chairs. This, however, is European design, made in America, which you can have in six weeks! It is a different market, but I think our job is to cater for different needs and different demands. It’s easy to over complicate things – when you cut through everything, it’s still relatively simple – if you like something you buy it, if you don’t, you don’t! ‘Our job is to give the best product with the best price and the best service. We’re still about service and doing what we say we’re going to do. I think, consistently across the industry, we still give the best service and the best reliability.’ This reminds us of a quote Colin gave 12 years ago, where he proclaimed that ‘Design is the absolute key to our future. Service and support is a given’. ‘That’s exactly what we’ve tried to do,’ Robert agrees. ‘Our background is the ‘me-too’ market, so the best way of differentiating yourself was to provide better service and better reliability. That’s still the cornerstone of the business.’ You only have to walk into one of the Group’s showrooms or onto an exhibition stand to see just how much time, effort, expertise and serious investment has also been put into design. The Senator and Allermuir portfolios boast innovative products from a number of Europe’s leading design protagonists, with an unashamed leaning towards UK designers. PearsonLloyd, Pengelly,

Gabbertas, Brooks, Kolberg, Ballendat…the list goes on. Despite this enviable array of talent and of course the mind-boggling numbers that this collection of products has helped the business achieve, there is very little shouting or showing off from the Managing Director. ‘The way my father brought me up was to play down what we do,’ Robert considers. ‘We’d rather over-deliver than under-promise. As a business we’re now around 1,300 people. I’m not really into doing things like this – into doing profiles. We’re about the business, not the individual. We’re about the people who work here – from the people in the canteen through to the salespeople out on the street. ‘We’re the largest employer in the area by some significant distance. The best part of 1,300 employees of those people are from this area. That gives us enormous amounts of pride. ‘We also enjoy being a manufacturer. A lot of people want to outsource more and more. We want to buy more equipment, buy more machines, build more factories – it feels much more tangible. We take real pride in what we do. We like the hassle! If it’s hard to do something, then it becomes even more rewarding to do it. We like employing people – we want to do things ourselves. As a k 58

Profile

Freeflex — Design by Justus Kolberg

I LIKE THE WAY YOU MOVE — thesenatorgroup.com 59

Profile

I N D U ST R I A L L A N DSCA P E N o 5 - B LU R

Inspired by the streets of London and the gritty backdrops of railways,

The new Industrial Landscape collection is a series of seven carpet

tunnels of factories, workshops and warehouses. The surfaces – cracked

designs created by Tom Dixon in collaboration with ege carpets.

paving stones and brick blocks make up the crumbling industrial

Available in tiles and broadloom transforming into different expressions

landscape while the massive tidal River Thames splits the city in two,

that reinterpret the rough, raw everyday surfaces that define the London

and the new reflective glass towers start to dominate the skyline.

landscape.

London – The Industrial Landscape. New carpet collection by Tom Dixon. UK launch: Clerkenwell Design Week 24-26 May 2016

Profile

business, we’re control freaks! We want to control as much as we possibly can. We don’t sit around tables talking for hours on end – we just get on with it. This is the only way you can achieve those levels of service and reliability. ‘You have to have your own garage and your own transport, for example. You have to be able to control where and when you deliver. We might be a bit quirky, but we’ve got eight mechanics here!’ This (and please excuse the pun) drive will see further significant developments in 2016, starting with the aforementioned garage. ‘One of our biggest investments this year will be a brand new 15,000 sq ft garage with eight pits,’ Robert reveals. ‘We’re planning on doing quite a bit of building work this year. We’ve got a second facility just up the road from here and we’ve just extended that facility to help with exports – we’ve added approximately 25,000 sq ft over two floors. We’re also going to build a new recycling centre on that site – and that’s going to be another 25,000 sq ft. Recycling is a major thing for us. We don’t do it because we have to do it or as a sales tool. We do it because we think it’s the right thing to do. It should be very important to any company – and it is a very important thing for us. The centre is also going

to have a new waste boiler to power the whole site. It is a £4-5 million investment – but it feels like the right thing to do.’ We’re very aware that we have to get ourselves back to Manchester shortly and we’ve hardly mentioned the furniture itself. So what can we expect on that front for 2016? ‘Another of our big developments this year is to separate our brands a little more,’ Robert continues. ‘We’ve done a big push with our literature to differentiate the brands – and we’ve also now got a dedicated Allermuir showroom in Clerkenwell, which will stand alone from the Senator space in Euston. Allermuir and Senator are very different propositions and I think we just needed to reinforce that. ‘This fits in with how the market is evolving – there are an awful lot more specificationled projects out there right now. The need for individuality is there. We’ve got a number of very important seating launches and a new desking launch this year for Senator – which we’ll be launching around NeoCon. Then we have six new ranges for Allermuir, which we’ll launch at Clerkenwell Design Week. We’ve always got a lot of stuff going on – but on the product side we’ve made a conscious decision to do slightly fewer things and make sure we do them better.’ l

Case Study

Eight Legged Move Machine Forget about policemen looking younger or

even football managers (never mind the players) actually being considerably younger, our new

indicator that we’re getting longer in the tooth is when we realise that a ‘new’ building has already had its own nips and tucks.

Take 33 Holborn Street – which many of you will know as the Sainsbury’s building – as an example. It’s only a couple of years old isn’t it? Apparently not. PENSON’s Lucy Penson forgives us our senior moment and tells us that our age radar is some way off. ‘It’s actually quite an old and dated building now,’ she reveals. ‘Octopus Investments and Lightsource went through a full office makeover that has put the life back into working days and we have created yet another office that people will actually look forward to going to work in. We had to change the light and update all the M&E. When you look from

the outside now you can clearly see the 6th and 7th floors because they are lit up the most with the new lighting systems.’ We ask about the origins of the project. ‘Octopus’ facilities manager had heard about PENSON and asked us to pitch alongside one other firm. They liked our visuals for 60,000 sq ft over two floors, and we had a very quick turnaround to complete the project. ‘Octopus and Lightsource were previously located at Old Bailey, but they had completely outgrown the space. Although they are a relatively young company, they needed to change the way they were working as well k

Case Study

Essentials Client Octopus Investments/ Lightsource Interior Design PENSON Construction Modus Group Furniture Moroso, Allermuir, Icons of Denmark, Fritz Hansen, Modus, Kusch, Gabi, Naughtone, Jennifer Newman, Nude, Sancal, Knoll, Bisley, Humanscale, Staverton Flooring Forbo, Altro, Desso, J+J Invision, Gerflor, Artigo

Case Study

as the environment they were working in. As a workspace that thrives on welcoming clients in, Octopus and Lightsource needed a lively, flexible and entertaining space that would drive socializing and financial collaboration.’ Given creative control of both floors, the team had the challenge of creating a line of visual continuity whilst giving each floor a distinct style and artistic theme, using authentic features specific to Octopus and Lightsource. PENSON has based the design around a welcoming and unique working environment that would ooze character and has kept everything running smoothly in busy communal areas. Octopus and Lightsource wanted their clients to pop in, if passing by, so the HQ is very much a home from home for everyone. ‘Octopus work in an open plan office, with a large entertainment area at the entrance so that any of their companies can come in and use the business lounge and the facilities,’ Lucy continues. ‘They also host several events which work well in this space, and they now have the option to spill out onto the terrace.’

They also host several events which work well in this space, and they now have the option to spill out onto the terrace.

There are many facilities and hideaways, with booths for one-to-one meetings or padded rooms for a private conversation. The HQ is shrewdly designed to make the most of the office space and in doing so enhances functionality. To ease communication and promote flexible working, PENSON has introduced a variety of informal meeting areas including a coffee bar and Pick‘n’Mix stand at the heart of the client hub. Here clients and partners can meet for a quick chat over a cup of tea or grab a few fizzy cola bottles to get themselves through the last hour of the day. Octopus wanted a bright, open feel. Walk out on the 6th floor and you will find an area dedicated to one mysterious creature in particular – the octopus. The reoccurring k

New Autonomy Pro Case Study

Revolutionising the sit-stand desk experience

The Autonomy Pro height adjustable sit-stand desk helps keep you accve at work or in the home oﬃce. Raise and lower the desk from 640mm – 1300mm at the touch of a buuon - one of the largest variable movements on the market. The digital display and controller is equipped with an up and down buuon, a home buuon, and two memory set buuons. The controller operates the movement of the three part telescopic legs at a rate of 30mm per second and is able to evenly lii up to an incredible 130kgs.

CENTURY OFFICE

Showroom: Unit 4 Brunel Way l Severalls Industrial Park l Colchester l CO4 9QX T. 01206 844541 E. sales@century-oﬃce.co.uk W. www.century-oﬃce.co.uk 65

Case Study

Lightsource really wanted the space to tie in to what they do – hence the living wall and the green, environmental elements.

theme of its arms in manifestations and other décor elements add a stamp of PENSON authenticity as well as reinforcing Octopus’ brand image without being too exuberant. In the old office, we're told, there was a lot of octopus paraphernalia, but now they’ve just got the one modest – and rather cool – bronze octopus at the front. Walk out onto the 7th floor and the living wall behind the reception desk of Lightsource fantastically blurs the line between indoors and outdoors. With many different types of plants, PENSON ensured that key elements of Lightsource ethos, such as sustainability and appreciation of nature, are visible the moment you walk in. ‘Lightsource really wanted the space to tie in to what they do – hence the living wall

and the green, environmental elements,’ Lucy point out. ‘As this floor might change in the future, it did need to have a great deal of flexibility. Lightsource did, of course, want a smart, stylish reception space – which I think we achieved. I must say that the client didn’t over complicate things for us. It was a really nice design process – although it was also very quick!’ ‘Both companies were open and forwardthinking. This is an extremely different look, feel and style from their previous building. The HQ is not fussy, clutter or gimmicky. It’s clean, crisp and modest. Some companies take a long, long time to go through that process of change management – but they were very open and very cool.’ As are their new homes l

Case Study

Essentials Client SOHO WORKS Interior Design Soho House & Co in-house design team Task Seating Humanscale Sit/Stand Systems Humanscale Loose Furniture Vintage Open Plan Desking Bespoke Fabric Kvadrat Task Lighting Humanscale

Case Study

Time For Tea It’s now more common

than not that, while walking through workplace projects, we hear phrases such as

‘Virgin Upper Class Lounge’, ‘Boutique hotel’ or ‘Soho

House’ used in relation to the look and feel of those collaborative, interactive, multipurpose spaces oft

referred to as third space.

Case Study We jumped at the chance, therefore, to take a look at Soho House’s own interpretation of the workplace. After all, the rise of the Soho House network and its agile, creative members has coincided with ‘The Office is Dead’ headlines. Or is it a coincidence? Do people need a desk? Do they need dedicated working spaces at all? This is the ‘work anywhere, anytime’ generation. Surely, all they need is a smartphone, laptop and a Soho House membership! Or maybe it’s not quite so cut and dried – Soho House & Co certainly doesn’t believe it is. Founded in London in 1995 as a private members’ club for people in the creative industries, Soho House & Co has gone on to establish clubs across Europe and North America, as well as restaurants, cinemas, spas and bedrooms. The group opened its first House in London’s Soho in 1995 and now has 15 clubs around the world, with more in the works. The Houses are in diverse locations – from Chicago and New York to Istanbul and Berlin – although the mission has always been the same: to create a comfortable home from home for its members. Now, however, the group has developed a new string to its oh-so-cool bow. Soho House has launched SOHO WORKS Shoreditch – the first of an international network of 24/7 workspaces designed for the creative industries. Located in East London’s iconic Tea Building, SOHO WORKS Shoreditch is a 24/7 workspace for individuals and businesses in the creative industries. SOHO WORKS launched at the end of 2015 and is open to both Soho House members and

A lot of really successful businesses have been started at our houses across the world. non-members. The concept has been created for individuals and businesses that want a dedicated workspace but with the Soho House design ethos, functionality, service and attention to detail so many strive for. ‘SOHO WORK Director Tanya Nathan notes: 'We’ve seen a lot of members launch businesses from their laptops, sitting in the clubs, and we love this. It is undeniable that more people are lap-topping and working in a more mobile way. Members are more than welcome to keep doing that from the clubs, for some people that’s all they need, but we’ve noticed that there is a demand for something more – a space that gives them the tools that they really need to do their work. That’s where the idea for SOHO WORKS came from. The space is open 24 hours a day, we’ve staff on-site overnight. There is no 9-to-5 anymore and we are seeing members that work all hours.'

bespoke STAIRS & BALUSTRADES

Ecobuild E6140

The 16,000 sq ft layout hosts 23 ‘Private Studies’, each of which accommodates one to 10 people, together with multiple banks of shared desks and a variety of ‘Sitting Room’ spaces for touchdown working. We ask why the Tea Building was chosen for this first SOHO WORKS site? 'The space became available in the Tea Building and because it has a physical connection to Shoreditch House we were fortunate to get first refusal. It seemed like a great place to launch and test run our first SOHO WORKS – with the safety net of big brother next door. Saying that, all future sites are stand-alone buildings separate from the clubs. We have plans to open in Istanbul, LA and New York this year, and a flagship site in Clerkenwell the year after that.' SOHO WORKS offers five different types of membership. These include Sitting Room; a monthly hot desk membership, Shared Desk; a monthly guaranteed desk with lockable storage, and Study; a monthly secure space for between one and 10 people. Further options include Night Owl; a monthly night-time hot desk membership, and Day Lark, a day-time hot desk membership (for Soho House members only). Members share the space with other like-minded businesses, providing a creative support network around them. The facilities here include the on-site all-day café and bar, members’ kitchen (with all you need to k

British engineered stairs, balustrades and handrails for commercial and residential environments, installed throughout the UK & abroad. Visit our London Showroom located in the heart of Clerkenwell. Clerkenwell Architectural Showroom 11-12 Great Sutton St. London EC1V 0BX Ecobuild | Clerkenwell Design Week | 100% Design | By Canal Engineering Limited | +44 (0)115 986 6321 | www.canal.gb.com

Case Study

make your own food), bookable meeting rooms, phone booths for private calls, breakout spaces, a studio space, a library and reading room, a roof terrace, showers and lockers and a workshop (complete with crafts, tools and a 3D printer). There is also access to the neighbouring Shoreditch House for existing members. The SOHO WORKS space has been designed by Soho House & Co’s lauded in-house design team, and offers a mixture of vintage and contemporary furnishings. We find 19th century Victorian dining room tables and brass midcentury chandeliers sitting beside bespoke Humanscale ergonomic furniture, providing a carefully curated yet fully functional working environment. Stylish sit/stand Float desks with new black tabletops (for the first time ever!) are suited with Freedom task chairs (Remix fabric by Kvadrat has been used in blues and purples uniquely for SOHO WORKS) and Element Disc task lights for a complete ergonomic working solution throughout the open plan spaces and Private Studies. Aside from Humanscale’s fine range of state-of-the-art products, the Private Studies are pretty much plug-and-play blank canvases. We’re particularly taken with the scrolling brown paper that provides a simple yet functional alternative to a whiteboard or flipchart and blends perfectly with the overall look and feel here. Very Shoreditch! The workplace is a constantly changing, ever-evolving thing – and, despite recent reports of its demise, is in fact cooler than ever. It must be if these guys are getting involved! l

Each of the brands has its own neighbourhood...

The workplace is a constantly changing, ever-evolving thing.

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Review

Having taken the Mix Inspired ‘beast’ out on the road towards the end of last year, 'swooping and conquering' both Glasgow and Manchester, we recently took on the biggest venue of them all – London. Photography by Philip Vile

Maine storage & filing

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sales@maine.co.uk T. 01908 271688

Review Speaking of venues, we commandeered London & Partners’ amazing space at More London for the afternoon, which gifted our audience of leading specifiers with astonishing views over the Thames, Tower Bridge and the City. We’re delighted to say there wasn’t an empty seat in the room as we began our inaugural London event by immediately getting our audience involved in a series of True or False statements: (Answers on page 79). 1. Cock Lane, near Holborn Viaduct, didn’t get its name due to any association with poultry, but because it was the only street to be licensed for prostitution in medieval times. 2. There are no ‘Roads’ in the City of London. 3. Harrods sold cocaine until 1917. Our brilliant panel of experts comprised Katie Kopec, Development Director at JLL and Adviser to London & Partners on Regeneration & Development, Andrew Cooke from London & Partners, Peter Murray, Chairman of New London Architecture, PwC’s Jason Adams and Anthony Brown from BW: Workplace Experts. Katie opened the evening’s content by giving a brilliant insight into where London's commercial property landscape currently sits on a global scale and what is going to impact greatly on the city over the next few years – and where we can expect to see the greatest developments and transformation. Katie revealed that London is not only the largest but also the fastest growing city in Europe, with a population exceeding 9m estimated by 2020 and 10m by 2031.

London’s GDP growth has remained consistently at over 3.5% for the past three years.

Furthermore, London’s GDP growth has remained consistently at over 3.5% for the past three years, which easily surpasses the figures for Europe (0.5%) and the US (2.3%). Increasing demand for housing within the city – opportunity areas offering brownfield sites ready for development. Huge transport under construction – tube upgrades and Crossrail will increase capacity by 30%. The enthralled audience comprised London’s leading specifiers, who were keen to ‘tap into’ our panel’s wealth of knowledge. The panel was asked, from a workplace perspective, what is the biggest single current threat to London? ‘I think the cost of housing and the difficulty in getting staff in London are huge threats that we all know about,’ Peter Murray answered. ‘Also, the search for wellbeing in London is also a key issue. Not only is wellbeing specifically key to the design of offices, we’re now in a situation where around 1,000 people a year are dying prematurely from the quality of the air in London. Oxford Street has some of the worst air anywhere in Europe. Compared to many places in the world, we perform very badly. ‘We also don’t get enough exercise. I’m a great supporter of the idea of active travel – so you coordinate walking and cycling with public transport rather than having everyone get in their cars. It’s essential that we encourage this in the workplace. We need to bring together health and the design of workplaces. One of the key things is to design offices with staircases k

Review that people can find and use. They changed the building regulations in New York so that if you go into a new office building you can see an access on the first three or four flights.’ The panel was also asked which workplace scheme they felt most embodied the concept of ‘the office of the future’? ‘We were involved in a project where the client had some 35 brands,’ Anthony Brown explained. ‘It was a very interesting challenge from an office point of view. What was really interesting about the project was that it was the first time I’d been involved in a scheme where the technology disappears to the point where you don’t need IT people to work it. ‘The meeting rooms work off near-field communications where your smartphone senses which one of the 35 brands you work for and brands that meeting room accordingly. Another fascinating question was: should London be thinking more about building upwards rather than outwards? ‘I think that densification is the way forward. It used to be gentrification – and now it is densification,’ Katie Kopec considered. ‘I think there will be a need – especially if London wants to keep pace – to go denser, and easiest way to go denser is to go up. This is across all uses, including residential. ‘I think there are now more people who are prepared to live in this kind of environment. Certainly, the new generation has no problem

Should London be thinking more about building upwards rather than outwards?

with this. I remember the scariest day of my life was when I landed at Central London Poly – as it was then – and I went up to the 17th floor of the block, which is where I was to live. I was a country girl and I’d never been up that high! It’s part of what people do now. ‘This is already happening on a commercial level. We’re now seeing much more of an opportunity to build clusters of taller buildings. It might be less comfortable for everyone to see taller residential buildings – but there is definitely potential there.’ Jason gave us an insight into how, for a business like PwC, the process of developing and delivering brilliant workplaces in London can be very different from other UK centres. ‘With London, because of the enormity of it, you almost have to design by committee. When we go to somewhere like Spinningfields in Manchester, on the other hand, we have steering groups, which are cross-sections of the business; different grades, different ages etc. ‘These user sessions are becoming more and more important in us gathering the brief from the client.

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‘We develop a brief with them – we start by letting them talk. We want them to tell us their visions, and they do have real inspiration and fire questions at us! They put the challenge back to us as a design team.’ Andrew revealed the story behind the development of our wonderful venue. ‘London & Partners was formed four years ago, bring three existing organisations, each of whom was involved in the promotion of London, together in a coherent way during and after the Olympics. We wanted to create an environment here that would showcase London to its best effect. As a government agency, we did need to justify us being here – so we wanted to ‘sweat the assets’ and help drive a culture change. ‘We can only promote this city in conjunction with a whole range of partners – and so we wanted this to be a hub for those partners.’ We should, of course, say a huge thank you to our brilliant panel, to everyone who took time out to attend and to our generous hosts, London & Partners. A very special thank you must also go to our sponsors – Alea Office and Maine – for their invaluable support l

I think that densification is the way forward. It used to be gentrification.

(Answers: 1. TRUE. 2. FALSE – there’s only one, Goswell Road, which only became part of the Square Mile in 1994 after boundary changes. 3. FALSE – it was only until 1916!)

T A L L O R D

Review We live in a world, particularly in many of the megacities such as London, that is growing at such a pace that going UP or OUT is the only choice to sustain the needs of those living and working in those cities. At our recent Mix Inspired event (page 74) it was highlighted that the drive for development in central London has created an unexpected issue. Developers have focused on the lucrative residential central London market which has led to a loss of potential office space. New London Architecture (NLA) estimates that 23 million sq ft of commercial space is required over the next five years and, of the 263 buildings considered as part of their annual research, the vast majority of the tall buildings proposed are for residential development (212 / 81%) with office next, but some way behind at 8%. Therefore, for the office developers, what is the choice? One option that is being readily pursued is the use of brownfield sites, known as Opportunity Areas, that have significant capacity for development for residential and commercial, which not surprisingly are part of the

strategic transport plan that includes Crossrail and Crossrail 2. Signs are, however, the choice of going up is increasingly being grasped. Going up started in earnest in Chicago as long ago as 1885 with the first skyscraper but a wonderful example of one-upmanship, which we see today around the world, can be seen in San Gimignano, Italy. In the 12th century two rival families, the Guelphs and Ghibellines, built increasing taller tower houses which resulted in no less than 72 houses of up to 70m in height. Worth a visit. Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone created the precedent in London with the towers of Canary Wharf and clearly that trend appears to have been reignited. Many investors and developers will be gearing up for great things in the next 10 years, perhaps with one eye on the views of the new Mayor of London. (NLA's next London Tall Buildings conference is on Wednesday 9th March 09:00 – 13:00hrs at The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT)

As part of our focus on London we thought a moment of reflection on the much considered subject of tall buildings would be appropriate.

NLA and Hayes Davidson created some 'before and after' shots of key viewpoints which indicate the visual transformation that is coming to London. Waterloo to South Bank and City

Nine Elms towards Vauxhall

Nine Elms from Lambeth Bridge

NLA and GL Hearn research focused on the Tall buildings of over 20 storeys, here are some key points.

263

in pipeline across London (up 11% on last year)

70 under construction (+56%)

months 80

Planning decision approximately eight months after validation of the scheme

Review

LONDON'S TALLE ST OFFICE S

1 One Canada Square

2 Heron Tower

3 122 Leadenhall Street

=4 8 Canada Square

Meters 235 Floors 50 Ownership Canary Wharf Group Fact Tallest building in the Canary Wharf business district Occupants Coutts, Euler Hermes, JP Morgan, NatWest, Trinity Mirror

Meters 230 Floors 46 Ownership Heron International Fact Named Best Commercial Workplace at the 2012 British Council for Offices Awards Occupants McDermott Will & Emery, Partnership Assurance, Harvey Nash, Salesforce.com

Meters 225 Floors 46 Ownership British Land & Oxford Properties Fact Second-tallest building in the City of London. Nicknamed 'The Cheesegrater' Occupants Aon, Amlin, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

Meters 200 Floors 42 Ownership Qatar Investment Authority Fact HSBC has announced it will keep its headquarters in the UK (16 Feb 2016) Occupants HSBC

=4 25 Canada Square

6 Tower 42

7 30 St Mary Axe

8 Broadgate Tower

Meters 200 Floors 42 Ownership Quinlan Private & PropInvest Fact 25 Canada Square was built in tandem with 8 Canada Square Occupants ChinaNet.com, GfK NOP, Truphone, GDF Suez, Skrill, Crossrail

Meters 183 Floors 47 Ownership Nathan Kirsh Fact Once the tallest structure in London, completed in the 1980's. Formerly the NatWest Tower Occupants Samsung, Majedie Investments, Piraeus Bank, CPQS, Coriolis

Meters 180 Floors 40 Ownership Joseph Safra Fact On the former site of the Baltic Exchange and Chamber of Shipping. Bombed by PIRA in 1992 Occupants Standard Life, Regus, ION trading, Hunton & Williams

Meters 164 Floors 35 Ownership British Land & GIC Fact First skyscraper to be built in London since One Churchill Place at Canary Wharf Occupants Reed Smith, Hill Dickinson, Henderson Group, Liquidnet

Approved developments

9 20 Fenchurch Street

10 One Churchill Place

Meters 160 Floors 37 Ownership Canary Wharf Group & Land Securities Fact In 2015 it was awarded the Carbuncle Cup for the worst new building in the UK in the previous 12 months Occupants Kiln Group, RSA Group, Tokio Marine, Harry Townsend

Meters 156 Floors 32 Ownership Canary Wharf Group Fact Planned to be 50 storeys in height, but was scaled down to 32 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks Occupants Barclays

Sources: Mix Research, NLA, Hayes Davidson, GL Hearn 81

22 Bishopsgate

Lansdowne Road Tower

Metres 288 Floors 63 Where City of London

Metres 199 Floors 51 Where Croydon

Riverside South Tower 1

Riverside South Tower 2

Metres 237 Floors 45 Where Isle of Dogs

Metres 186 Floors 37 Where Isle of Dogs

North Quay Tower 1

Heron Quays West 1

Metres 221 Floors 40 Where Isle of Dogs

Metres 185 Floors 40 Where Isle of Dogs

North Quay Tower 3

40 Leadenhall Street

Metres 203 Floors 38 Where Isle of Dogs

Metres 154 Floors 34 Where City of London

CREATIVITY & CRAFT COVERED Join the celebration in London’s creative heart. See the best in furniture, product and lighting design from across the globe.

Review

STOCK PILE

We had a severe case of FOMO when we realised that, due to hectic schedules and imminent deadlines, we weren’t going to be able to visit one of our favourite events of the year – the Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair.

However, there’s no fear of you lovely readers missing out, as we were able to commandeer a merry team of expert industry pros, who were happy to give us their views on the show. And this leads us to the first of this year’s trends. It appears that quite a few more visitors from the UK were in Stockholm this year – including a strong number of specifiers and a few superstar dealers to boot – but we’ll leave the real trend reports to our friends in the know (and in the snow). The fair now attracts around 40,000 visitors, whilst around 6,000 foreign buyers, architects, designers and press from more than 60 countries travel to Scandinavia’s premier event. Approximately 700 companies, of which 300 are international, exhibit in Stockholmsmässan’s 70,000 sq m. Furthermore, around 80% of all of the exhibiting companies come from Scandinavia.

Keeping with the Brit theme, this year’s Guest of Honour was top British design studio Barber & Osgerby – who also designed the impressive, eye-catching lounge for Stockholmsmässan’s Entrance Hall. Speaking of design, the official winner of the Best Product Award for 2016 was the w164 Alto for Wästberg, designed by Dirk Winkel, whilst the Best Stand Award went to Foscarini. But who and what really stood out for our expert team? Let's start with our good friend Ben Capper, who knows his furniture inside out, and has swapped the freezing climes of his new home in Switzerland with...well, the freezing climes of Sweden! So, favourite products Ben? 'The Gärsnäs Julius chair and sofa by Färg and Blanche. Founded in 1893, Gärsnäs are renowned wood master craftsmen, known to produce high quality, often reserved and slightly traditional

furniture. For the Julius collection, designers Färg and Blanche developed a revolutionary technique they call ‘wood tailoring’ to stitch the wooden panels of the backrests together, resulting in a unique blend of Gärsnäs craftsmanship and their pioneering design. Simply put – there’s nothing else like this. 'The Offecct Montparnasse Easy chair by Christophe Pillet – who took inspiration from ordinary camping furniture, then added elegance, quality and an understated modern design to produce the Montparnasse chair. You can see both sides of its design journey just by looking at it – the initial ‘campsite’ inspiration and then the refined and transparent underframe which gives a timeless feel. Very comfy too! 'Also, the Bla Station Honken Armchair by Thomas Bernstrand + Lindau Borselius. Bla Station are known for wacky designs. Maybe they are toning it down a bit, or maybe I’ve really

Review

grown into them. This comfortable and spacious easy chair/workstation is fun, quirky and cool. Designed with longevity in mind, the frame can be resprayed and re-upholstered after it reaches the end of it’s (first) life. Bang on.' So what was your favourite stand/product display? 'Tough one. Just because it was so different I’ll go with Gubi. They covered a lot of the material trends I expected to see such as marble tops, copper, brass and black frames, but added their own unique spin. Thick rugs, opulent velvet, burgundy accents and striped fabric upholstery. It actually reminded me of a 60’s American hotel scene film set. I also enjoyed the Gärsnas stand as their new products were different and groundbreaking, but fit so well for them as a business. A kind of natural evolution. Other great stands included Hay, Abstracta, Kvadrat, Bla Station, Offecct and Foscarini, for me.

And overall impression? 'Loved it. Nicely busy but not too much and I enjoyed the size of the show. Big enough, but we’re not talking Milan or Cologne, so you don’t go furnitureblind. As it’s not too big you bump into pals in the cafe for a chat and a break. Transport to the fair from the city was fast and easy too, which helps! 'As you’d expect the fair itself was Scandinavian led – and these guys use the show to launch their new products. 'As far as trends go, there were lots of lovely wooden frame chairs (as you’d expect in Sweden!) the colour burgundy (see my blog!) every stand has a barista (no complaints there) acoustic panels everywhere, hints of art deco themes and lots of 50’s and 60’s style. 'Any negatives? You’d think after a winter in Switzerland I’d be used to the cold, but on the Friday as I trudged around Stockholm in k

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wind and snow showers I found myself pining for Milan in April. Great city, great show – just take a great jacket with you.' Check out Ben's own full review of the show at www.furniturestrategist.ch ‘The Stockholm Furniture Fair was fantastic!’ Edith Galloway from Fabric Interiors and Architecture enthuses, ‘so many amazing things to see and write about. ‘Swedish design company Bolon created a beautiful stand that was the highlight of the fair, with a new piece of art and design to discover around every curve. The stand was created in collaboration with acclaimed London based design duo Doshi Levien, merging art and flooring with the launch of the new collection of Bolon By You. The stand brought to life the possibilities of the bespoke customisation of Bolon, with stunning results. ‘Classically Danish and continuing the tradition of good design, By Lassen is a design company that owns the rights to the creations of two Danish architects, Mogens and Flemming Lassen. The company mission is to release design icons that have been brought to life from the back catalogue. My pick was the stunning new icon 'Saxe' folding chair in leather with brass details. The designer was inspired by the German design school Bauhaus. The launch

of Pallisade collection by French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Hay was another highlight. The outdoor furniture collection was presented on the outside wall of the stand and had all the visitors to the fair looking up. The curving slatted surfaces of the furniture were refreshingly simple in contrast to the colourful stand within. ‘There were so many great stands at the fair, and one of my favourites was the Design House Stockholm – the publishing house for Scandinavian Design. Essentially a beautiful collection of Scandinavian design, each piece is something you want to own and was displayed at the fair with accompanying striking graphics. ‘So many great stands exhibited with style and elegance. The Scandinavians are known as the masters of monochrome and we weren't let down, but there was a noticeable lean towards vibrant rich colours with &Tradition showing off beautifully styled vignettes in bold colours of orange and blue. 'The fair was busy, gaining momentum throughout the day, with all the exhibitors I spoke to mentioning how busy it was over the last few days. I expected to be wowed by great Scandinavian design and it didn't disappoint – I came away with great inspiration, products and new suppliers. ‘The unexpected surprise of the fair was the student exhibition in the Greenhouse – with such a high calibre of work, it impressed everyone. I took away a few names to look up – one to mention was the winner of the Rising Star award, Studio Bey.’ Jo Casselle, Senior Designer/ Associate at HLW was also impressed by Bolon’s latest offering. ‘My favourite new product was Bolon’s By You. Bolon have released six different new designs, of which Geometric, Lace and Stripes would be my top three. The striking Stripes design makes the flamingo orange weft appear

neon in certain lights and the Lace design is unlike anything I have seen before for contract use. Lace is verging on the domestic market, a market trend that is increasingly infiltrating the commercial contract market. ‘I was also excited by the Bolon stand as its imposing height really drew me to it – so different to any of the other stands around it. ‘The show was great, it was different to other fairs I have recently attended as it was a very manageable size, full of good quality products – not only commercial furniture and lighting but domestic too. ‘It was busy, but not too busy, with plenty of space to walk around and view the products with attentive (but not overtly so) sales reps. The continuing trend of copper, velvet, green and blue hues was still prevalent, however Gubi, probably one of the first companies to showcase this trend, have moved away from these slightly; their stand was painted in a strong ox blood colour and had more toned down neutral colours – as leaders, perhaps these colours could be the next big thing? Rosalind Poerwantoro, Senior Interior Designer at tp bennett, was just as taken with the lighting on show – and Flos Lighting’s products in particular. ‘Simple in the way they were displayed with really clean lines,’ she tells us. ‘I loved the Jasper Morrison lamp that played with light temperatures to create different ambient lighting effects. It resembled a piece of jewellery, really elegant and striking. My favourite stand designs were Hay – brilliant use of colours and styling, with a clever use of space – and & Tradition. I loved the use of natural stones, stained timbers and metals. ‘I was really impressed by the Greenhouse student hall – really striking innovative ideas from students that I can’t wait to see out on the market. Loads of copper, electric blue and peacock greens – this seemed to be the trend, as well as an emphasis on planting, which was a real highlight for me.’ l

Mix Interiors 161

DORMA UK DORMA UK has launched HSW EASY Safe, the horizontal sliding wall system with frameless doors offers easy planning and installation to create client-convincing solutions. In addition to using Toughened Safety Glass (TSG) panels, DORMA’s new Clamp & Glue Technology provides the option to use Laminated Safety Glass (LSG). The new 3-in-1 Multilock can be fitted in three ways to meet the requirements of the project. www.dorma.com

Moduleo Luxury vinyl flooring manufacturer, Moduleo, has hit Scotland’s television screens on STV Glasgow’s Live at Five. The show’s production team opted for the brand new Persian Walnut, from Moduleo’s Transform collection, as a result of its outstanding acoustic properties, durability, and second-to-none slip resistant rating. Moduleo handles every stage of the design and manufacture process from start to finish at its state-ofthe-art, eco-friendly facility in Belgium. www.moduleo.co.uk

Granorte Granorte is once again proving it’s the leading innovator in cork flooring with the introduction of Vita Décor, a stunning new collection of digital designs for 2016. Alongside 14 parquet effects, Granorte is turning up the heat with a range of seven extraordinary tile patchwork designs. Echoing Parisian apartments and Moroccan Cadiz, these exciting new designs bring the latest in interior style with the beneficial properties of cork. www.granorte.co.uk

Quadrant Carpets Quadrant Carpets has won the contract to supply 2,500 sq m of carpet for the refurbishment of the Friston Building at the University of Sussex, Brighton. Previously, the building’s acoustic condition had been rated as poor, in particular with regards to reverberation and noise transfer between floors and wall partitions. Quadrant proposed a multi-layer flooring approach. Utilising a specialist acoustic underlay – InstaLay 30 – together with Quadrant’s Resolute carpet tiles, which complement the textual and colour concept for the building, the outcome was a 30dB weighted reduction of impact sound levels measured in accordance with BS EN ISO 140-8:1998. www.quadrantcarpets.com

Justan

Mix Interiors 161

idea

When somebody next tells you the office is dead or dying, point them at the commercial property markets in London and other cities where demand for office space continually outstrips supply, writes Mark Eltringham. You don’t have to look very far to find somebody or other proclaiming the death of the office. A quick Google search will come up with over 73 million results for the past year alone. This has been going on for decades, but a search engine gives you a far better idea than the occasional feature in a trade magazine of just how the idea has evolved into a full-blown meme. The idea has become so entrenched that the people who use it – typically the ignorant, the self-interested, the lazy and the ill-informed – rarely have their premise challenged. Usually it is an idea appended to some disruptive trend. At the moment, office kryptonite comes in the form of coworking, where once it was flexible working or mobile technology. And yet, for all the non-fatal wounds these innovations have inflicted on the traditional office, the idea of people travelling to work alongside each other in shared buildings endures. There are at least two key facts that counter the narrative of the death of the office. The first is that even the most hi-tech firms, who have all the technology and right-minded people they need to do away with offices completely, continue to build and occupy them. The most high profile new offices anywhere in

...the capital is unable to keep up with demand for office space...

the world tend to be the huge, ostentatious tech palaces being built by the likes of Google, Facebook, Apple and LinkedIn. The second, and more telling, fact is that the construction and property industry can barely keep pace with the demand for offices. In Manchester, for example, there will be no Grade A office space available anywhere in the city this year according to a new report from Colliers International. If anything, the situation in London is even more pressing. A report published by RICS at the end of 2015 found that the capital is unable to keep up with demand for office space, especially in the tech and financial centres where the big beasts of the City, who once

were the only businesses able to afford the rents in certain districts, now have to compete on an equal footing with tech and creative firms. Adding to the pressure on supply is the change in the Permitted Development Rights law that makes it easier for landlords to convert what were once commercial buildings to domestic use. A 2015 report from the BCO found that this had already removed around 6 million sq ft of offices from England’s commercial property supply. So, things are getting pretty brutal as firms compete for whatever space is available. According to RICS, rents are spiralling as a result, while another study from IPD suggests that competition is also encouraging occupiers to take on longer leases. The alternative for firms caught up in this perfect storm does not appear to do without an office but to move somewhere else. Hence the spread of Tech City into neighbouring areas and the ‘Northshoring’ of other firms to Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Birmingham. Some firms are even fleeing to the countryside, according to a report published this month by RICS. Some 25% of rural land sales are currently for commercial, non-agricultural use as firms seek to find a home away from London and other big cities.

Mark Eltringham is the publisher of workplace design and management website Office Insight. mark@officeinsight.org

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