Mix Interiors 168
October 2016
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INTERSTUHL.COM/UP PRODUCT DESIGN: ID AID, SVEN VON BOETTICHER
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COLOGNE, 25.- 29.10.2016
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UPFRONT 13
Inside 72
PROFILE 72 72 James Burke – Acrylicize
14 Seven... 20 Forward Thinking
REVIEW 78
23 Material Matters
78 MixInspired Cardiff
24 Desert Island Desks
82 Regional Review: Cardiff & Bristol
SPOTLIGHT 27
PREVIEW 86
28 The Big Question
86 Orgatec
31 Hospitality 50 50 Profile – Chris Webb, Senior Director of Interior Design EMEA, Hilton
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56 Round Table
CASE STUDIES60 60 Print Rooms 66 Deezer
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The cover The logo
Collaboration and synergy has been the basis for creating this logo. JRA's designers worked together to weave their design into the rich background. The delicate lines of the logo wrap around and mimic the angular texture of the tiles while the pop of colour gently invites the eye to read between the lines.
www.jra.co.uk
A Word
from Mick
The cover image Leading UK tile manufacturer, Johnson Tiles, believes that when it comes to making a statement, texture should be the first port of call. Peak – from the Subway Lab by WOW range – illustrates this perfectly, creating bold impact through its subtle colour palette and cutting-edge, angular structure.
www.johnson-tiles.co.uk
Back issues Contact us to buy back issues: rebecca@mixinteriors.com MIX INTERIORS 167
CMD's New Inca power and USB charging module has been designed specifically for communal areas and meeting rooms. It is available in black, grey and white and has four faces that can be configured to provide a range of power and charging solutions for any working environment.
Mix Interiors 167
September 2016
Although you could be forgiven for thinking that UKIP would have made a better job of organising certain areas of the London Design Festival, there were also clearly some huge positives to take from this year’s event. Firstly – and when I say firstly, I mean firstly by a country mile – was the choice of King’s Cross as new home for Designjunction. While young design hipsters couldn’t help but inadvertently raise the odd eyebrow (they don’t really do enthusiasm!), others stared open-mouthed at the fantastic development of what was, let’s face it, a borough you wouldn’t have sent your worst enemy to 15-20 years ago.
Indeed, older friends and colleagues who hadn’t been fortunate enough to visit King’s Cross in the last couple of years, were wowed by everything they saw, from the business development through to the college, the bars, restaurants, food trucks and, indeed, Designjunction’s own temporary home. Easy to get to, amazing facilities, great connections – perfect. Speaking of which, we can be pretty certain that this month's Orgatec will, as usual, be beautifully organised – and we hope to see plenty of you on the Alter Markt of an evening. Finally, don't forget to book your Mixology North tables before they run out!
Get in touch
SEPTEMBER 2016
Editor Mick Jordan mick@mixinteriors.com
Regular Contributors Mark Eltringham Steve Gale
Editorial support Rebecca Sabato rebecca@mixinteriors.com
Address Mix Media Limited 2 Abito 85 Greengate Manchester M3 7NA
Director David Smalley david@mixinteriors.com
THE INNOVATION GAME
Telephone 0161 946 6262
Designer Georgina Nicklin Managing director Marcie Incarico marcie@mixinteriors.com Founding publisher Henry Pugh
e-mail editorial@mixinteriors.com Website www.mixinteriors.com Twitter @mixinteriors
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Subscriptions To ensure that a regular copy of Mix Interiors reaches your desk, please call 0161 946 6262 or e-mail: sales@mixinteriors.com Annual subscription charges UK single £45.50, UK corporate (up to 5 individuals) £140, Europe £135 (airmail), Outside Europe £165 (airmail). Printed by S&G Print ISSN 1757-2371
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I N D U ST R I A L L A N DSCA P E No 6 - BRICK
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 expres-
landscape while the massive tidal River Thames splits the city in two,
sions that reinterpret the rough, raw everyday surfaces that define the
and the new reflective glass towers start to dominate the skyline.
London landscape.
4 London – The Industrial Landscape. New carpet collection by Tom Dixon. Learn more at egecarpets.com
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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 6
#loveyourworkspace KI’s portfolio of workplace furniture helps some of the world’s leading organisations to create a happy, healthy, high performing working environment for their people.
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Mix Interiors 160
Our UK Concept Design Team are a unique resource providing inspiration and advice to help designers create individual floors using Interface carpet tiles. We can guide you through the design process, from inventive carpet designs using square and plank product ranges, to recommending how to maximise the floor design within your allocated budget — we are an in-house resource and here to help at any stage of your project.
#BeautifulThinking is using our in-house concept design service to create design-led workspaces that inspire your customers.
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1. Monochrome – Meadow; 2. Composure – Retreat; 3. Glen Weave – WW895; 4. Unity – Pumice; 5. Raffia Weft – WW870; 6. Scottish Sett - Plaid Raffia; 7. Glen Warp – WW865
Jun Lam, Sarah Tilbury, Laura Light — Interface Concept Design team
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Scottish Sett – Plaid Raffia
Upfront
Featuring International DJ
8th December 2016 Manchester Central
Mixology North 16 sponsors
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Upfront
Tickets on sale - limited avaliability For more information visit www.mixology-awards.com Or email us at rebecca@mixinteriors.com
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Upfront
Executive furniture at its best.
frem.co.uk 12
Upfront
LIBRARY FINE Overbury has completed conversion works at the iconic Library of Birmingham ahead of the Brasshouse Language Centre moving its operations into the multimillion pound building. The conversion works to the 1,200 sq m space included the construction of 16 new teaching rooms, with solid and double glazed partitioning used to provide a high degree of acoustic separation whilst still allowing light to fill the building. In addition, new reception, tea point and toilet facilities have been provided. Currently located on Sheepcote Street, next to Brindleyplace, the Brasshouse Language Centre offers language courses and services in more than 30 languages. The move will provide students with significantly better learning facilities, as well as access to a range of resources not previously available.
MODERN CLASSIC Interface Hospitality introduces World Woven, a global collection of skinny planks and squares that pay homage to the woollen textiles found in Scottish Tweed and Saori hand weaving. Designers are now more commonly seeking materials that are simple, uncomplicated and bring a distinctive, handcrafted feel to hospitality interiors. Developed by Interface’s exclusive product designer, David Oakey of David Oakey Designs, World Woven adds dimension to biophilic design by helping create spaces that support man’s innate attraction to nature and, in turn, improve wellbeing.
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Upfront
Seven fascinating facts about jeans – that essential wardrobe staple
To celebrate the launch of its brand new sustainable designer carpet range – Jeans from the Essentials II collection – Desso has rounded up seven amazing facts and modern uses of the iconic denim jeans – a number of which may surprise you.
1. THE BIRTH OF THE WARDROBE STAPLE Originating from the town of Nimes in France, denim was used to clothe Italian sailors in the 1600's because of its durability. Its official name was ‘Serge’, often referred to as Serge De Nimes, before being shortened and Americanised to 'denim' in 1864. Today, jeans have become a worldwide wardrobe staple, with 2.2 billion metres of denim produced every year.
3. INSULATION Levi Strauss & Co recently turned its old denim jeans into insulation and installed it in its company headquarters. Other companies have since followed this example and denim insulation is increasingly growing in popularity. Indeed, denim jeans have all the properties of a good insulator with the added bonus that they serve as a barrier to both heat and sound.
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4. STATEMENT FASHION 'I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity.' Yves Saint-Laurent was just one of the many people who knew how to appreciate the powerful and practical look of denim jeans.
2 2. TIMELESS STYLE From Marilyn Monroe to Kanye West: jeans have been the apparel of choice for style icons across the generations. Bing Crosby became the most famous advocate for jeans after he was refused entry to a hotel for wearing them. In response to this, Levi's designed a bespoke denim tuxedo, complete with jeans, which became one of his most iconic outfits.
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Upfront
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5 5. CRIMESTOPPING Not many people know this, but denim jeans can in fact be used to solve crime mysteries. When jeans are washed, the dye fades in a unique pattern. Crime investigators from major security organisations, including the FBI, have been known to analyse these patterns, comparing them to photos taken of criminals’ jeans at crime scenes. Suspects with matching jeans have been convicted in this way.
7 6. FISHING & FLOORING Did you know your jeans might well contain fragments of used carpets and fishing nets? Levi’s are redefining the denim industry by teaming up with Aquafil, an Italian company that recycles waste materials into good-as-virgin nylon fibre. Together they are developing a new collection of jeans composed of Econyl, a regenerated yarn derived from recovered fishing nets and used carpeting.
7. THE MODERN UNIFORM Jeans are making their way back to the workplace, harking back to their utilitarian origins. Even Wall Street banking giant, JP Morgan Chase, recently relaxed its office dress code to allow for jeans. This is an emerging trend in the evolving workplace, as top graduates are drawn towards leading companies like Facebook and Google, where denim jeans are the norm.
yuno The smart alternative to the folding table.
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Upfront
BHAVIN IT! White walls and large blackboards provide a monochromatic design scheme that is accented with bold splashes of yellow and blue, creating a modern and timeless office space for ASI Data Science. To meet the client's needs, Bhavin Taylor Design developed a large glass wall that divides the office into two whilst maintaining a bright and airy feel. On one side of the glass, custom plywood desks and ergonomic chairs house the permanent staff and on the other a multifunctional space that offers meeting areas, hot desks and a large open space that can be adapted by the use of occasional furniture for the company to hold presentations and workshops.
VITAMIN SEAS Milliken tells us it has joined 'Healthy Seas, a Journey from Waste to Wear'. Healthy Seas aims to recover discarded fishing nets from the seas and to regenerate them into high-quality ECONYL yarn, which is subsequently turned into brand-new products such as Milliken carpets. Alison Kitchingman, Director of Marketing and Design at Milliken, said: ‘In line with our commitment to making a positive impact on workplace health, wellbeing and the environment, we are delighted to now be a part of the Healthy Seas initiative. Joining enables us to demonstrate our support to this worthwhile project. We look forward to contributing in a practical hands-on manner to future clean-up operations.’
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Upfront
In a new and wholly irreverent regular feature,
WORD
we’re going to look at how a number of industry and common use words can be interpreted in very different ways by different people.
COOL NAKED BY GALA WRIGHT & MAGNUS LONG The ‘Naked Chair’ by Gala Wright & Magnus Long comprises a simple powder-coated metal frame with a perforated steel seat and backrest. Based on raw metal beginnings, this naked seat can now be specified with a new upholstered and cushioned seat panel which can be added to the chair as required or simply zipped off when not in use, making this stacking cafe chair fit for a wider variety of environments, both indoors or out. The ‘Naked Table’ is the second new addition to the range. A simple cafe style Bistro table with the same perforated styling, the table is also suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
End user Agile, open, vibrant – but I do want to be able to see everyone from my office to make sure they're working – oh, and please shut the door on your way out, it's too bloody noisy!
Dealer Margin. Of course we'll wrap everything up in a pretty bow as well. What is really cool is when the contractors stand on a brand new £3,000 credenza, scratch it to buggery and we get to supply a replacement but don't think we're paying for it!
Designer Agile, open, vibrant. If I could I'd have no desks at all! I've spent half the budget on a sculpture/Skittles dispenser. It's all about individuality. That's why the Eames chairs in the boardroom are a slightly darker shade of black.
Manufacturer Anything less than 60% discount! Getting a look in ahead of Miller and Vitra! Sit/stand – at last we can charge real money for furniture again!
Mix When your accountant is the drummer in a proper rock'n'roll band (shameless plug for our Rob: check out Partisan on YouTube - Tunes!).
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Soft Touch luxur y faux leather
w w w.panaz.com
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performance
fabrics
Upfront
KNIGHTSBRIDGE, LONDON Recent Mix profilee Mark Bailey has utilised over 30 years of experience in the office furniture industry to create an edit of top quality, functional, stylish furniture, lighting and accessories for the office at By Bailey. The result is a mature and elegant working environment. It is Mark’s knowledgeable eye that saw the potential in the contemporary furniture designs by British stalwart Knightsbridge, a Northern contract furniture firm who are unique in their production of market-led design. The in-house team at Knightsbridge has built up a collection of chairs, tables, stools, soft seating and benches for workplace environments, incorporating their knowledge of making high quality furniture for healthcare and hospitality sectors. Knightsbridge officially celebrates its partnership with By Bailey in the Clerkenwell showroom with guests from the A&D community. A variety of Knightsbridge pieces will remain in the permanent display at By Bailey, providing an opportunity for Knightsbridge to take its rightful place in the high-end workplace furniture world.
THINKING INSIDE THE 'BOX IdeaPaint has become the first company to move into Smartworking London – Orangebox’s incredible Clerkenwell home. IdeaPaint is now situated on the lower ground floor, where a 10m wall displays its core product CREATE, a dry erase paint finish that is either white or clear for coloured surfaces. CREATE provides a high performance dry erase surface that erases cleanly every time. Staff and clients at Smartworking are encouraged to use the wall for presentations, meetings and to unleash their creativity. 2017 will see the arrival of Hive and Pivot in Europe – a mobile writable screen and table that will be launched at Orgatec 2016. A collaboration between IdeaPaint, master crafters UHURU and the co-founder of Studio O+A, designer Primo Orpilla, these unique mobile surfaces will make open environments more flexible, seamless and collaborative.
PEAK PERFORMANCE
Following the success of Workplace Week 2015, the annual preeminent workplace-centric event is set to return and will take place from 14th-18th November 2016. In line with the evident need to maximise individual and organisational performance in the face of on-going productivity woes, this year’s theme is ‘The Cognitive Athlete: managing the workplace for peak professional performance’. Organised by workplace consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA), the Workplace Week Convention, taking place
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on Wednesday 16th November at the AVIVA Conference Centre, will focus on how businesses can maximise the brainpower of every person on the payroll. Contributors from the worlds of sport, neuroscience, business and workplace management will question how organisations can create the right workplace conditions that will allow people to be the best that they can be. Tim Henman joins the speaker line up and will discuss the brain’s role in achieving peak performance, thus enabling business leaders to unleash the cognitive athletes within their organisations.
Upfront
Forward Thinking M Moser's Steve Gale, tells us that hospitality is a smartphone and a robot butler The hospitality sector has some funny old words and acronyms to separate it from the normal world. I have come to terms with OTAs, ADRs and the concept of SaaS, but I am still not comfortable with manchising, and it also has a great definition of a GIT! Separation is normal in the industry that invented the terms front and back of house, where things must appear smooth and organised while frantically paddling below the water line. You order your dinner, you don’t see the kitchen, and you get clean sheets without visiting the laundry. For the bits we can see, industry experts describe changes in the near future which we punters will definitely notice. They see a future driven by technology, demography, sustainability and a spin-off from these, the sharing economy, and for most commentators that means Airbnb. Their technology vision has elevated the smartphone to the status of a vital organ. Your smartphone will be so important by 2020 that it will control every aspect of your room ambience; temperature, lighting, content streaming on the telly and any services from the hotel. Not only that but check-in desks disappear because facial recognition does everything, and your smartphone or watch lets you into the room with a Bluetooth signal, and if you order stuff it is delivered by a robot butler. Gone are the concierge, telephone and key card. This is backed up by the rationale that people prefer to avoid human contact and would rather do it on their phone via a menu. I am not convinced. Service providers with a human voice attached, or even
better, a face, do it for me every time. But guess what? There are big cost savings to be had here. The technology future is supported by the prediction that millennials are expected to supersede baby boomers as the dominant hospitality customers by next year – and they love their tech. This demographic shift is expected to force hotels to refocus on things beyond their front door, like the local area, restaurants and attractions, entertainment venues and city transport. Many travellers will want to see the city rather than the inside of
Their technology vision has elevated the smartphone to the status of a vital organ.
a hotel. This model leans towards simplicity and a lower price – and right now in the UK the majority of hotels in the development pipeline are budget and super-budget versions. These budget hotel rooms are going to be pretty stripped out too. According to Hotel News Now, bath tubs will go, it will be showers only. Cupboards and wardrobes will go, with exposed hanging space instead. The desk, round table and chairs disappear because room service is not asked for and millennials prefer to work in bed – oh come on!
Steve Gale is Head of Business Intelligence at M Moser Associates. SteveG@mmoser.com
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At the other end of the market there will be more luxury hotels. Barry Sternlicht, the hotel king and former Starwood CEO is investing heavily in remodelling the 'grandes dames' like the Hotel Russell in London. He believes that wealthy customers will grow as world travel continues to increase, and Chinese customers are at the vanguard. These are places for memorable experiences, not just a night’s sleep after being out all day. Smartphone bivouacs at one end, palaces and shrines at the other. And in the middle – Airbnb. The hospitality change is incredibly similar to what is happening in the workplace. Both at the budget and luxury end of the hotel market a common theme is choice and personalisation. Clients ask for and get more control – it’s part of modern life. Gone are the days when you could only watch a TV programme when it was broadcast, or you only find an address by asking for directions. The journalist Daniel Finkelstein tells of visiting a (shared) bathroom in Blackpool to find it locked with a sign saying 'bath night – Thursdays'. At work the chief reason for turning up is frequently for human interaction. The office is no longer the place where the special equipment and files are kept. So you get choice of settings for your interaction, a choice of things to eat and drink and increasingly things to do for recreation. In the workplace 'one size fits all' is wearing as thin as the Thursday bath night routine. It’s all about choice.
Upfront
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Material Matters
In this month’s Material Matters, the team at Material Lab explore a range of surfaces that offer far more than initially meets the eye. www.material-lab.co.uk
Arun Sispal creates dreamy aesthetics for bespoke interior solutions London-based designer Arun Sispal specialises in material interaction and surface relationships – combining Jesmonite, metal and colour, with either a matte or polished finish. The juxtaposition of materials and surface effects provides a dreamy aesthetic, with each bespoke surface offering multiple solutions – from interior accessories to domestic wall applications. Through unconventional processes, Arun offers an exciting and engaging addition to the market. www.arunsispal.com
Versa takes a graphic approach to grouting By changing the orientation and colour of grout, Versa is a tile that provides a seamless and customisable graphic ceramic surface. The grout no longer ‘breaks up’ but makes up a pattern – and the grooved design allows for simplicity in cutting to specification. Underpinned by an ethos of British design and manufacturing, the trailblazing new product – developed by the founder of A White Workshop – is produced by leading UK tile manufacturer Johnson Tiles at its factory in Stoke-on-Trent. hello@awhiteworkshop.com
Rachel Howarth creates eye-catching Aluminium Art Rachel Howarth’s debut range showcases an eye-catching selection of Aluminium Art. With colour at the forefront, the boundaries of digital printing have been pushed to achieve smooth and beautiful blends. Looking at details within modern and geometric architecture, and in particular the sky reflected within the structures, the prints reflect complex linear patterns. Mixing Rachel's signature blues with a metallic surface provides new depth to the on-trend hue. The aluminium shines and catches the light at different angles to provide a contemporary statement for interiors. www.rachelhowarth.co.uk
Luxury LooseLay Longboard by Karndean Karndean Designflooring has introduced a new specification to its loose lay vinyl range in the form of its 1.5 metre plank design, as part of the LooseLay Longboard collection. Featuring 12 contemporary wood designs, each piece is inspired by authentic European, American and Australian woods, including pine, walnut and spotted gum. The unique collection offers quick and easy installation to suit challenging timescales, and ensures bold impact in large commercial spaces, such as open plan offices, retail facilities and hospitality areas. www.karndean.com
Visit the Material Lab Hub at UK Construction Week's Surface and Materials Show (18-20 October 2016).
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Desert Island Desks
This month’s desert island castaway is Blacksheep Founder and CEO Tim Mutton.
2 SEEDS One of the greatest enjoyments I get from my work is watching the brands we partner with grow and develop. In the simple life of the island, nurturing seeds to vegetables would bring me a lot of joy.
2 1 SPANIEL I feed off the company of others, so if no other humans are allowed, I’d have to turn to man’s best friend to give me some companionship (and maybe help out as a watchdog).
3 THE STONE ROSES I listened to this album a lot when I was just heading to art college. I really love the story of the album cover, which was inspired by a man the band met in France who always carried a lemon with him because sucking on it cancels out the effects of CS gas. He still believed the government in France could be overthrown one day. He’d been in the protests in ’68 and he wanted to be ready to help on the front line if it did. It just all looks and sounds like rebellion and kicking against the norm – which is, I suppose, how I felt then and when we set up Blacksheep. It would be nice to remind me of that spirit. Mikasa!
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Tim on the question of 'Why Blacksheep?' 'I always had trouble conforming to the rigidity of our education system and then the predictable formula of a design practice. Maintaining a style to impress just didn't feel creatively fulfilling. I found my place by setting up Blacksheep (and naming it so) as somewhere that looks to break the mould and represent those that want to stand out through bespoke design solutions that ultimately improve people's lives.'
4 4 LAMY PEN AND PAPER For me, you really can't beat a pen and paper for ideas.
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Tel 01925 850500 Email info@sixteen3.co.uk Web www.sixteen3.co.uk
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5 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE SCRAMBLER A beautiful piece of machinery, for me this is the ultimate symbol of freedom. This might be a bit out of place on the island – but if I’m not able to actually ride it, at least it will be nice to look at.
6 6 COCOON TREE A lightweight spherical treehouse. I think I’d feel a lot safer cocooned in this, suspended from the trees a few feet up from any roaming bears.
London Showroom The Gallery, 21-22 Great Sutton St. EC1V 0DY / Manufacture/Showroom Chesford Grange, Woolston, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4RQ
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Spotlight
Hospitality 50
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The Big Question
Hospitaity 50
Profile – Chris Webb, Hilton
Round Table
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
The Big ?uestion What is your favourite hotel experience?
Stephen Shakeshaft Woods Bagot
Richard Fogarty Bruce Shaw
David Morris Studio Proof
Volker Pflueger Forpeople
Phillip Millership Denton Corker Marshall
Robert Allen The Commercial Company
Mine was my honeymoon experience. We went to a place in Uluru called Longitude 131, which was effectively a series of tents – they are the closest tents to Ayer’s Rock. They are canvas rooms with air conditioning units and it was a really nice, laid back experience where you see virtually no one else – which is exactly what we wanted.
In 1999 I had just finished my studies and went to New York looking for work. I was on my own and didn’t have a place to stay. I ended up in the worst hotel – everything about it was sleazy. It was fantastic. It was everything I wanted and I stayed there for a long time. It was like being in a Cohen Brothers movie!
I’d have to say it was being fortunate enough to stay at Le Manoir – Raymond Blanc’s place. It was quality throughout – the attention to detail was incredible, as was just how attentive the staff were.
On a personal level we were involved in the Edition London, working with Ian Schrager. We were near completion and Ian came into town. We did a walk of the building with him and were kind of on tenterhooks, hoping everything was ok – which thankfully it was. Working on that building and meeting Ian was a great experience.
Umbrella editorial banner Mix Interiors Sept 2015.pdf 1 18/08/2015 15:29:11 C
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I was on a paid trip to Orlando and Miami – and three days from the end of the trip I stayed at Schrager’s Delano, which was an amazing experience. Somehow, the concierge blagged me into a party – and it turns out it was Dennis Hopper’s pool party and I was surrounded by all these celebrities with big cigars!
I went to a hotel in Madrid where a different designer had designed the rooms for each floor. One bedroom was completely space age. The bathroom was all coiled ceilings and white. It was very, very interesting to see how each designer had taken on the challenge of designing the rooms and done different things with them.
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Rio designed by studio INTEGRATE & Morgan Studio
www.morganfurniture.co.uk 30
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
The Hospitality
50
This month’s Spotlight throws light on the UK hospitality sector. Whilst the focus of our magazine is usually on the commercial office environment, we are aware that many of our readers also either work in the hospitality market or at least have a genuine interest. Our Hospitality 50 will be an eclectic round-up of the past 12 months, looking at the people, places, products, trends and statistics that deserve additional airtime.
NEWS
STATS
FIT-OUT
PRODUCT
TRENDS
Moving Hotels
Studio Proof
INSIGHT
So would you think £40 per person for a hotel would be expensive in the wilderness of China? We met a group of Chinese designers recently who thought it was. When they asked about the £40 price, the hotel operator said it is because the season is too short. Familiar issue for the hotel trade, we hear you say, the approach by Wenjun Ge at Neo Design was however a little different. Creating a hotel that followed the seasons was their idea and Moville was born – the perfect solution for a hotel operator in a vast country. Have a look at Moville on Youtube. q
London-based Studio Proof has recently created the Grand Café Krasnapolsky as part of the firm's comprehensive redesign of all public areas at the legendary Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam, which is part of the NH collection of five star hotels. The new café offers volume and light-suffused space that flows from continental patisserie into an hors d’oeuvre bar and onto an area with sharing tables. Features such as a custom-poured terrazzo floor, bespoke modern chandeliers and beautiful metal elements, as well as great views onto Dam Square, mean the venue has it all, following the great tradition of noble European cafés. Hear more from Studio Proof's David Morris in our London Hotel roundtable on page 56. p
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The Market/ CIPS purchasing managers’ index showed that the UK service sector, which includes restaurants and hotels, recently recorded the biggest month-onmonth increase in the survey's 20 year history
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Accor hotels
At our recent hotel roundtable with Hansgrohe (page 56) our guests talked about the increasing segmentation of the hotel market. Well we are just about to see another example with the recent announcement of Jo & Joe by Accor hotels. The hotelier says that the new brand 'blends the best of private-rental, hostel and hotel formats'. We are told that it plans to have 50 properties by 2020 including Warsaw, Paris and Rio. Aimed at, you guessed it, Millennials and located close to public transport and 'less than 15mins from major points of interest', PENSON took to Twitter, saying 'PENSON have an announcement and it’s their biggest to date!' – we look forward to updates in due course. q
Dishoom When we say Dishoom, two things may come to mind: 'Love it, always recommend and would be happy to queue' or 'The 2016 Indian action-adventure film written and directed by Rohit Dhawan'. You would be right with both but we are particularly interested in the £19m-turnover hospitality outfit that many experienced at the recent Designjunction at King's Cross. Currently in Shoreditch, King's Cross and Covent Garden, Dishoom is now setting its sights on north of the border with its first foray into Edinburgh. The design is a homage to the Irani cafés that were once part of everyday life in Bombay. At Designjunction, without any foreplanning, it became our office, hosting three separate meetings during one morning. Said meetings were certainly helped by wonderful design and great staff.
Hotel meets office We had a delightful chat with our friends from Allermuir at Designunction in London recently, enjoying a quiet half an hour on press morning. When asked about the world of office and hospitality, Allermuir's Alex Gifford offered us his thoughts. 'We've seen a gradual convergence of hospitality and workplace in terms of the style of interiors and the types of products being specified. One example is the rise of co-working style spaces in hotels, bars and
We are told Dishoom will open in Edinburgh this winter at 3a St. Andrew Square. Edinburgh was the city where co-founder Kavi Thakrar went to university and is the first outside of London. When asked about rumours of a Manchester opening we were told that Dishoom loves Manchester and they’d love to open there one day. p
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restaurants, as designers aim to cater for trends in agile working. Despite this, a lot of hospitality furniture still doesn’t take into account issues such as power provision and ergonomics, which are needed for spaces to be functional for working. We see a great design opportunity to design products and spaces that combine style with the practical demands – without one detracting from the other.' q
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
A Woman Worth Knowing Newly appointed Jane Pendlebury has taken over as CEO for HOSPA – the Hospitality Professionals Association. A woman that knows her hospitality finance, revenue management and IT. t
Dragonfly Marriott Belfast is a city on the march. The American-owned Marriott group has announced its first hotel in Northern Ireland and is due for completion in early 2018, based in the City Quays development of the Harbour. Headed by Gilbert Ash, this £20m project is the latest in a series of new hotels in Belfast, with more than 20 projects planned. Visit Belfast tell us that hotel room sales exceeded one million last year, with occupancy at a healthy 78%. A region the Mix team knows well looks finally to be realising its amazing potential (as Louis Walsh would say). p
OCCUPANCY Regions
London
77%
83%
Working with some of the very best property firms, Dragonfly has had an incredibly successful year. Here's a taste for you...q Hotel
Property partner
Hotel La Tour, Birmingham
Galliford Try
Pullman Hotel, Liverpool
isg Construction
Mandarin Oriental, London
Lend Lease
Holiday Inn, MediaCity, Manchester
Lend Lease
Melia Innside – First Street, Manchester
Carillion
Genting World Resorts, Birmingham
Galliford Try Melia Innside, Manchester
AVERAGE DAILY RATE
£69
£144 Hotel Le Tour, Birmingham
Pullman Hotel, Liverpool
Zager for IHG
More beds for millennials. Whilst there are some city oddities, Airbnb is expected to continue its inextricable march to greater market share. Some estimates suggest that by 2018 Airbnb room nights will reach 5 million a year.
From the 1st October Michael Zager will be VP, Operations for Continental Europe at IHG. Zager will join the Operations Leadership Team and will be based at IHG’s Frankfurt office.t
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
How much is a franchise? Hotel
Number of franchises
Cost to open a franchise
Group owner
Ramada
840
$195k - 13.1m
Wyndham Hotel Group
Hampton Hotels
1,963
$3.7m - 13.5m
Hilton Worldwide
10 hotel brands
4,831
$7.2m - 94m
IHG
Days Inn Hotels
1,784
$198k - 7.3m
Wyndham Hotel Group
Eden Project
A trend that will continue to attract the attention of all in the hotel sector, from investor through to guest, is sustainability. Hotels by their nature use an enormous amount of energy (see the Roundtable in our October issue). The Eden Project will welcome a fully sustainable hotel this year, in nearby St Austell.
Hotel occupancy in London has declined for its 6th consecutive year-on-year quarter, according to the latest Hotel Bulletin: Q2 2016
Macaulay Sinclair Treating the Mind
Based in Nottingham’s Lace Quarter, designers Macaulay Sinclair have been showing impressive growth and have been responsible for some memorable projects over the last 18 months, including five stunning interiors for Hawksmoor – one in Manchester and four in London. Have a look at their website for a wonderful mix of styles across different brands. Founders Michael Sinclair and John Stuart Macaulay will now take inspiration from their own experiences in India to help create the eagerly anticipated new Dishoom restaurant in Edinburgh.
The trend of wellness is just one approach that is being taken by hotels to eke out a competitive advantage. We are seeing smaller hotels invest in spa treatments, not least of all in their battle against Airbnb. Perhaps images of a spa 'treatment' come to mind but wellness clearly goes beyond the bodily treatments. Expect to see more hotel promotion focused on the guests' intellectual, emotional and spiritual state. p
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Greater Manchester’s hotel industry had almost 800 new hotel bedrooms delivered throughout 2015 and current pipeline figures suggest that there are almost 3,000 additional new rooms preparing to come into the market in 2016 and 2017. We ask Anthony Bennett from Bennet Hay about his insight into the hospitality sector from a F&B perspective Issues affecting the sector: New payment systems; specifically which ones will stick – with the likes of Apple Pay, FingoPay and contactless cash cards, the possibilities and opportunities are already here, but which will stand the test of time remains to be seen. There is an increase in paying for food as and when you need it, on a price per head basis, rather than incurring the cost of a full time chef and front of house team. The increased demand for fresh food delivery to buildings with no kitchens (deliveroo / Ubereats), leaves room for mass change in the catering and hospitality industry.
We asked Margaret Waters, from Park Plaza Hotel Cardiff, at the recent MixInspired event in Cardiff, what were the most important components of a guest's stay. Not surprisingly, Margaret highlighted the vital but often overlooked element - a good night’s sleep. The National Sleep Foundation advises guests to use their beds only for sleeping and avoid reading, working or eating in bed as those actions will make it more difficult to relax in preparation for a good night’s sleep. Brands that achieve this often-elusive good night's sleep, in our experience, include Hotel du Vin, Radisson Blu and DoubleTree – and just look what Premier Inn has achieved with its clear and consistent message through young Lenny Henry. Premier Inn regularly scores highly for offering a good night’s sleep.
Opportunities for the hospitality sector: The ability to create an experience unique to customers and clients is ever-evolving. We can rely much more heavily on customer data now, using tech to do this. Social media is also a key component to this – using apps, for example, to track or capture customers and encourage them to eat in a certain place or way. Similarly, the idea of pre-ordering food and drinks through an app is on the rise – as we’re on the go more and more! 24/7 services: These are on the rise and should be utilised – people want to access everything at their fingertips, whenever they need it, without having to abide by ‘breakfast between these hours’ and such like restrictions. There are repercussions on how a blended team can respond to the changes and opportunities in the sector. We all rely on the team that are on reception and in hospitality, therefore they need to be trained to respond to a customer's needs. When the coffee baristas have gone home, for example, they can cover everything and at all times.
Hotel rates across major cities in UK and Ireland rose by 9% last year, with London overtaking Zurich as Europe’s most expensive city.
Lyndon Design Lyndon Design has created a delightful collection of handcrafted wooden tables, perfect for hospitality interiors. 10 distinct table collections, from dining and occasional tables, coffee and side tables through to low medium and high tables, plus a new bistro table, the collection personifies the great wood craftsmanship for which Lyndon is renowned. Designed by Mark Gabbertas, the new additions include the ‘Pause’ side table (pictured), ‘Wait’ coffee table and ‘120’ low coffee table. u
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Loungers Here's a little insight into Loungers, probably the fastest growing chain of casual dining/restaurants in the UK, with around 90 Lounge sites and 15 Cosy Clubs, turning over £48m in 2015. With the first opening in Bristol in 2002, it was the intention of three friends to open a place they would want to visit themselves. Since then it has
been non-stop, as founding member and Executive Vice-Chairman Alex Reilley explains: ‘It was selfish really, we wanted somewhere that we would want to go and drink.' They opened the first, simply naming it Lounge, a place to go out without really going out. With the first few being situated in suburban areas, the aim was for a place the local people could go, with a comfortable, casual and independent feeling, a ‘neighbourhood’ place, you might say. With no sign of slowing down anytime soon, they hope to reach 100 Lounges by the end of 2016 and have identified a capacity for 400 Lounges and 100 Cosy Clubs UK-wide. Our good friends (PJ and Alex) at Momentum in Cardiff have been supporting the team at Lounge, commenting on how often they see other bars / restaurants that try and recreate that ‘Lounge’ feel through the interiors. Alex tells us he was flattered, ‘All good ideas are borrowed from someone else. But their style and interiors are always evolving; they're fresh, so by the time anyone copies them, it’s Lounge's last season look!' p
Swissôtel
Swissôtel are introducing their first ever Vitality Room at their property in Zurich. Vitality is a big factor within the Swissôtel philosophy – in Switzerland people enjoy hiking in the Alps, eating organic foods, and staying in shape on their own schedule. Swissôtel is now introducing their own Vitality Room, a holistic concept room designed to help guests 'live it well'. It will be introduced at the Zurich site and will then be rolled out across a number of Swissôtel properties. p
AXOR WaterDream by Front If you have seen the Hansgrohe showroom in Clerkenwell, you will have seen this. Better known for their amazing top of the range products and expertise, we thought the 'WaterDream' was well worth including. We're told that this showering concept allows us to experience the path water takes in its most original form. 'Front shows how something that is normally hidden from view can become a visually appealing and valued spatial construct,' says Philippe Grohe, Vice President of Design Management at Hansgrohe. 'We used our personal perception of the shower and showering to draw attention to the technology behind the wall, which is often concealed,' explains Front's Charlotte von der Lancken. 'For this reason, we played around with the most elementary components that are used to bring water to us – pipes, valves, couplings, and funnels,' adds the design group's Sofia Lagerkvist. 38
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 3.8% through to 2025 – significantly faster than the overall UK economy (with a predicted annual rate of 3% per annum) and much faster than sectors such as manufacturing, construction and retail.
Kaelo
Kaelo is new to the marketplace. This rather neat device creates the perfect drinking and serving experience for the home, bar, restaurant or even super yacht! This ice-less ice bucket keeps a bottle perfectly chilled. We're told that bottles are kept dry in the device thus mitigating the need for serving cloths to catch water drips or condensation. Who doesn’t like a chilled bottle of sparkly stuff? And it uses less power than a 60W light bulb! q
Norma Bresciani Someone we know is a busy person. Norma Bresciani, Managing Director of Hotel Services, Servest. Servest Group is a £500m international group, employing in excess of 40,000 people with operations in Europe and Africa. Their focus is in facilities management, helping a broad range of clients, from across all sectors and delivering exceptional services. We caught up with one of the busiest women in hospitality for her insight. How do you usually start your day? A usual day starts at 5.30 / 6.00am. When your clients operate around the clock, you need to be visible and ready to attend meetings at any time of the day or week. What does a typical day look like? The day always starts with an operational meeting with my team at either 6am or 7am. Then I usually meet with owners, general managers, FMs, operations managers and the housekeeping and procurement teams, depending on the hotel. Discussions range from upcoming events, refurbishment plans, opportunities to expand services, new hotels, trials of new innovation and, depending on the time of the year, conferences and the associated staff requirements. What are your main duties? My key focus areas are identifying opportunities for growth, managing finance and people management. What is it like working with the Servest team? I only meet with the wider Servest team once a month because we all focus on our specific sectors. I look forward to these meetings because the team is fast - paced, dynamic and it’s great to be able to throw ideas around. Also, they’re a great bunch of people to work with. Tell us more about your clients. They’re always pushing for more and better – and rightly so. I enjoy the challenge. They are dynamic, engaging and demanding. Most importantly, we share the same values – placing people at the heart of everything we do and ensuring staff are looked after. What are some of the key challenges? • The industry is ever changing and the current political climate makes the changing landscape of recruitment really tricky to manage. We are definitely feeling the impact of Brexit. • Due to the demanding physical nature of our industry, it’s also a challenge to keep our staff interested and engaged. • The demographic of our clients’ guests is changing, and this will be interesting to watch and to see the impact over the coming years.
Westmont Hospitality Group was founded in 1975. What started with a single hotel in North America, has grown to become one of the largest privately-held hospitality organisations in the world. You may not have heard of them but they run many of the branded hotels you will know and currently stand at over 500 hotels across three continents.
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
European hotel deal activity peaked in 2015 to the highest level recorded at €20.8 billion, a 28% increase in transaction volume year-on-year. The UK accounted for circa 60% of the total transaction volume in 2015 for Europe.
Name three design practices in London that specialise in hospitality. We’ll bet one of them was Blacksheep. What do you know about them? If you have read the Desert Island Desks on page 24 then you will know a little more about Tim Mutton, the firm's CEO. We met him at the recent London Design Festival and it’s fair to say he doesn’t do the norm – which we like. As a youngster he was pragmatic about his ideal job – an assassin; half a dozen 'jobs' a year with lots of foreign travel and no shortage of perks. He didn’t become the Jackal from his favourite film of the time, but instead started working in a bar, and he was good at it. Tim was very good with people and a had keen eye on what worked and what didn’t – right down to the number of steps from the kitchen to the furthest table. Via an art and design course in Southampton, studying interiors at Middlesex University and a placement with Terrance Conran, Tim has gone on to run a successful company with 35 other talented people. Their focus is on food and beverage branded experiences, which ultimately leads to brand growth and 'making the lives of the staff better'. Take a look at the Blacksheep website to see some of the firm's amazing projects. We will be catching up with Tim and the team with developments over the next 12 months, but for the time being at least, you know a little more about this Blacksheep.
Styles&Wood Manchester-based property services business Styles&Wood have had a good year with notable success across different sectors and regions. Two of the firm's North West hospitality schemes include the full internal strip-out and refurbishment of a vacant six-storey site on Liverpool's Castle Street, creating a 70-room hotel. In Manchester, a similar full internal strip-out and refurbishment of a grade II-listed, five-storey building on Dale Street will also be completed, the result being a new 115-bedroom hotel. Tony Lenehan, Chief Executive of Styles&Wood, said that securing work across a range of sectors is a further endorsement of the firm's diversification strategy, which 'continues to bear fruit'.
Vantage Interior landscaping and hospitality specialist Vantage may ordinarily be used to transforming client environments but as it continues its successful growth, the team has recently completed the fit-out of its own headquarters. Established in 1977, Vantage is a £1.8m turnover company that focuses on striking interior greenery and luxury refreshment solutions to more than 400 clients nationwide. The six-month, £210,000 project in Leeds was carried out by Dale Office Interiors with the design influence of Spatial DDB. Commenting on this element of the refurbishment, Vantage’s Managing Director, Robin Edwards, explains: 'We want clients to understand exactly what is possible with Vantage's hospitality solutions. So what better way to inspire them?' The Leeds works have coincided with the opening of a new Vantage showspace in Clerkenwell – which is shared with Maxwood Washrooms and now gives the team a permanent London presence. q
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
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Küng Sauna Wellbeing has featured heavily in this issue. Exhibiting at 100% design in September, Küng Sauna continues to bring its handcrafted Swiss saunas to the forefront of modern design. With smaller hotel properties looking at their wellbeing options, this looks like something we will be seeing more of. The company's Infraflex Trias brilliantly addresses compact spaces. q © 2014 Hitchman Stone Architects
Hitchman Stone
The green light is expected for plans to build a 175-room hotel near Birmingham Airport. If given final approval, the nine-storey structure will be built on a former taxi car park adjacent to Diamond House and Concorde House at the roundabout of Concorde Road, Airport Way and Vanguard Road. Hitchman Stone Architects has designed the hotel on behalf of Castlebridge Hotels. p
Managed by Interstate Robert Crook is Managing Director for the UK and Western Europe at Interstate Hotels – a great business that runs some of the biggest brands, including Hilton Worldwide, InterContinental Hotels Group and Wyndham Worldwide. Already boasting almost 7,000 rooms – we hear exciting news is to be announced shortly. t
The profit five Between them, the following five highly successful groups have over 25,000 properties, some of which are detailed below. Controlled in much the same way as McDonald’s – through franchise agreements. q InterContinental (IHG)
Hilton Worldwide Holdings
Marriott International
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
Choice Hotels International
Kimpton Hotels
Hilton
Fairfield Inn
Choice Hotels
Quality Inn
Holiday Inn
Hampton Inn
Delta
Ramada
EconoLodge
Staybridge
Embassy Suites
Ritz
Days Inn
Comfort Inn
Crowne Plaza
Waldorf Astoria
Travelodge
Rick Stein heads to London
M for Money
M, the London based restaurant group, has raised £1.3m in crowdfunding in just 24 hours. The group, headed by Martin Williams, launched to raise £1.5m on investor website Seedrs. Set to close in December, the funds will support the group’s goal of expanding the M Social concept.
The hospitality industry in the UK employs 1.7 million people – about 6% of the total working population.
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Stein’s Trading Ltd, the £4m+ business which is led by Jill and Rick Stein, has acquired Tideway Restaurants, owners of The Depot. When questioned in the past about a potential London restaurant, the response has always been 'no' but Rick said: 'I went to have a look at The Depot and it struck me how perfect a place it was: overlooking the Thames, being wonderfully close to central London but far enough out..'p
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
Lowry Hotel The £4m spent on the refurbishment of the Lowry Hotel in Manchester is a recent example of confidence in the sector by the owners in its ability to repay their investment. Speaking at a recent MixInspired event in Manchester, the very affable General Manager, Adrian Ellis, was – not surprisingly – upbeat, commenting that ‘the new owners are very supportive and whilst interested in the financial aspects, they also allow considerable autonomy in the operation, which is very much appreciated’. Adrian is also the head of the Manchester Hoteliers Association – so we think a very exciting time is ahead for both the Lowry and the Manchester hotel sector.
UK Tourism is predicted to grow:
+6%
+3%
international demand growth p.a.
domestic demand growth p.a.
And be worth:
£257.4bn by 2025 Providing:
As Cardiff has Central Square, Edinburgh has St James Centre, which is soon to be home to plenty of shops and a 5-star hotel. Demolition started in May with an expected completion date of 2020. Council officials were apparently happy with the retail units – but not all were happy with the hotel. Designed by Jestico + Whiles from London town it was regarded as a little controversial, resembling a coil of golden ribbons (see for yourself – we love btw). Regardless of some dissenting voices, the City Council planning department have approved the plans. p
The US market has a long tradition of allocating a significantly larger percentage of profit to refurbishment than their UK counterparts. However, figures suggest that this is changing – perhaps a response to Airbnb – with figures suggesting that spending on refurbishments is up by 57% to £1.6bn in the past year. Great news for designers and guests alike.
3.7m jobs
From Holiday Inns to Crowne Plaza hotels, the West Kilbride-based Valor Hospitality Europe is undergoing refurbishment on four hotels in Stratford-upon-Avon, Harrogate, Solihull and Plymouth.
Gathering Momentum Momentum recently completed a great scheme at Cheltenham Racecourse (with the not inconsiderable help of Morgan Furniture). It was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal in November last year. The new Princess Royal stand is the final piece in the £45 million development at the stunning racecourse. Working with architects Roberts Limbrick, Momentum supplied furniture for the Vestey bar, the Members bar, Big Bucks Champagne bar and the Owners and Trainers bar. t 47
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
ERCOL British furniture company ERCOL brought an exciting new range of designs to the UK market last month. The new products include the Consenza Corner Group, a corner sofa offering a generous seating option, and the Rho Collection by Matthew Hilton, which is available in a range of Kvadrat Hallingdal fabrics. q
Federico Toresi Federico is now Director of Hospitality at 1508 London. After three successful years at Aedas, Federico joins 1508 to launch its hospitality division. Over the course of his 20-year career, Federico has successfully delivered numerous hotels, resorts, bars and restaurants. He has worked with major brands including Fairmont, Starwood, Ritz-Carlton, Hilton, Radisson and Jumeirah on projects across the UK, Europe, Russia, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Northern Africa. 1508 London’s ethos is to approach each and every project differently and avoid a ‘cookie cutter’ take on design with an uncompromising attention to detail, Federico will apply this to the sometimes predictable world of hospitality design. 1508 London was established in 2010 and has three partners – Hamish Brown, Louise Wicksteed and Shona Patel – with over 40 staff specialising in high-end and boutique interior spaces in the residential, hospitality and commercial sector. p
Trends in hotel F+B
Despite the adverse currency effects and lack of major events to draw in visitors from abroad, it's thought that there'll be over a million more visitors to the UK from overseas in 2016 compared to 2015. According to Visit Britain, 36.7 million overseas visitors will come to the UK this year, compared to 35.4m in 2015
•
• •
The room service offering is certainly making a comeback. The trend of accessing things as and when needed is an increasing trend in life generally; we can certainly see this overflowing into the food and hospitality industry. Foodwise, the health focus on plant-based diets with Middle Eastern influences is a continued trend and seems to be ongoing. Collaborative working continues to develop and food and service are being used to encourage this collaboration. Café areas are being used more for meetings and flexible working and there are less set ‘cafeterias’ in workplaces now.
Contribution: CGA Peach Research, Visit Belfast, PwC, The British Hospitality Association (BHA), Ahmed Mahmoud, Founder of Revenueyourhotel.com, Anthony Bennett, Co-founder and MD, Bennett Hay, Visit Britian
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Photography Oliver Perrott
Spotlight - Hospitality 50
www.jennifernewman.com Showroom 8 Clerkenwell Green London, EC1R 0DE
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Webb Chat
When we first started putting together this Spotlight feature on the hospitality market, top of our wish list was an in-depth conversation with a leading designer from a leading hotel chain. Our wish was well and truly granted, as we were fortunate enough to discuss the current and future state of the hotel market with Chris Webb, Senior Director of Interior Design EMEA, Hilton.
Hilton Paris Opera Bar i
Five years ago, Hilton established an internal design team to create its hotels. We ask Chris why the group had taken this decision. ‘Unlike many other international hotel operators, Hilton has a dedicated team of interior designers and architects, responsible for leading the design of both new-build and restoration projects, working closely with local partners,’ Chris explains. ‘We took the decision to bring the design process under one roof because we wanted greater ownership over the look and feel of our hotels. ‘More and more guests are looking for authentic, standout places to stay that truly reflect their locations. We responded to that demand by building a team of design specialists who have the expertise to bring to life each project’s surroundings.’ So what are the main trends that Chris and the team have identified in current hotel interior design? ‘The integration of technology and the increasing influence of residential design are two of the stronger themes to emerge in recent years within the hotel interior space,’ he tells us.
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‘The evolution of personal technology and the rise of the ‘Internet of Things’ are having a profound effect on the way in which we design and build modern hotels. ‘However, incorporating new technologies into the layout of private and communal hotel spaces in a way that doesn’t compromise on the overall aesthetic can be a significant challenge. ‘A good example of where our team has combined old with new with great success is in the Reichshof Hamburg, part of Curio – A Collection by Hilton. ‘The hotel was originally built in 1910 and in 2015, as part of a full refurbishment, our team reworked the interiors to showcase
the Art Deco design, highlighting the style of the ‘golden 20s’. Just as there was a need to preserve an important local building, we also needed to ensure that it functioned in a way that suited our guests’ tastes today, and sensitively introduced cutting-edge modern design elements. ‘Stunning marble columns, delicate wooden panelling and art-deco lighting are presented next to state-of-the-art LED lighting technology and flat-screen TVs, which feature musical performances and movies. ‘The 278 rooms, junior suites and one bedroom suites have been completely renovated and offer leisure and business travellers a relaxing retreat in the heart of
Hamburg that speaks to the building’s history but serves the modern traveller too – the Reichshof Hamburg combines Hanseatic ArtDeco elegance with contemporary design. ‘The second emerging theme we’re seeing is a greater influence from the residential sector in the design of new hotel room interiors. Guests are now paying much more attention to the inspiration we can take from residential spaces to make guest experiences more relaxing and familiar. ‘Travellers and business guests are now looking for more than just a place to rest their head while travelling – they want a home away from home. For example, there’s a big emphasis amongst most major hoteliers now to introduce textured fabrics and soft furnishings for a sumptuous layering effect. ‘Guest rooms in particular have become extensions of well-proportioned homes with zoning that responds to areas of the home and as we continue to develop our narratives for our brands these values are increasingly reinforced. ‘We have also found that business guests are choosing to complete work, which would have traditionally always been done at the room desk, in communal areas instead. Therefore, we’ve reconsidered the public spaces in some of our hotels to provide opportunities in the lobby and other spaces in our hotels for guests to work and relax. ‘Many are working and surfing the internet on multiple mobile and tablet devices, so in
Hilton Reichshot, Hamburg i
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50 some Hilton hotels – like the Conrad Dublin – we’ve deliberately created a residential table or desk to allow for a bigger chaise or sofa. We’ve also introduced USB ports next to wall sockets in public and private spaces to provide more flexibility in how people use our hotels.’ How does the Hilton design team capture the essence of a culture / location within a hotel’s interior design? ‘Our focus is on providing guest experiences that bring to life the character of either the hotel building, the surrounding area, or both,’ Chris considers. ‘We want to move away from the notion that a hotel serves only to put a roof over your head for a night. Hotels can and should be so much more. ‘When a brief comes in, my team and I spend a lot of time either researching the history of the restoration project ahead of refurbishment, or getting out into the local area to soak up the culture, which can spark ideas for interior themes that thread throughout a project or a key feature that might form a focal point in the hotel. ‘A good example of this is the recent refurbishment of Conrad Dublin this year. This building, which has served as a hotel for some 27 years, has undergone a major refurbishment, to give the hotel a sophisticated, yet locally inspired, luxurious update. ‘Multiple local influences, including The Iveagh Gardens and Dublin's rich literary culture, have inspired Conrad Dublin's multimillion Euro renovations. ‘The lobby redesign has been inspired by the work and vision of Ninian Niven, the architect of Iveagh Gardens, which is also known as Dublin’s ‘Secret Garden’. 'It has been designed to illustrate the beauty of the nearby garden's Rosarium and features an abundance of flora and natural, indigenous materials, which have been used to marry historical influences with a contemporary finish. ‘Other sources of inspiration for the luxury property can be seen in the ground floor lounge and bar, which has taken inspiration from Dublin-born Jonathan Swift’s work – Gulliver’s Travels. References to this international classic have been woven into every corner of this space with, for example, ironwork on the ceiling detailing some of the key islands mentioned in Swift’s book. ‘Similarly, an ancient mosaic floor was recently discovered in the basement of Hilton Antakya Turkey, which is set to open next year. Although the project was originally due to be completed within 18 months, during construction works we uncovered what experts consider to be the largest intact
ancient mosaic floor in the world, in the basement of the hotel. ‘As such, we decided to turn the hotel into a hotel-museum – the second of its kind. The mosaic floors measure just over 9,000 sq ft, are over 2,000 years old and comprise a wide variety of geometric patterns in different colours. Rather than building on top of this or giving the mosaic to a museum, we chose to incorporate the archaeological site into the hotel to celebrate its history, and it has now become a focal point of the hotel in its own right. What impact does all this have on a guest’s stay at the hotel? Do Chris and his colleagues get a lot of positive feedback about this unconventional approach to hotel design? ‘I think our guests certainly appreciate the attention to detail. It’s quite an undertaking and requires a lot of planning and research before the first brick is laid or wall knockedthrough. In my view, Hilton London Bankside best sums up the work of the in-house design team. There are little touches throughout the
What does Chris ultimately aspire to achieve for the design of Hilton hotels? ‘I want to push our design team to create a sense of place for each hotel we’re briefed to create or redevelop. As well as telling the story of the local area, we want to make our facilities a ‘home away from home’, without compromising on the practicality, comfort, and luxury that has come to be expected from our hotels. Two of Hilton’s most recently launched brands – Canopy by Hilton and Curio Collection by Hilton – reflect this approach. How does sustainability manifest itself in hotel design? Is it a movement towards an eco-consciousness, or is it more about ensuring design will remain relevant (and not become outdated) for years to come? ‘Sustainability is of course a very important part of the design process, and it manifests itself in hotel design in various ways. For instance, Hilton London Bankside recently worked with British jewellery designer Alex Monroe to design some newly installed beehives on the roof terrace. The Meadow
Conrad Dublin i
building, a former bank vault, which sits in the heart of Southwark. ‘From the ‘Urban Fox’ motif referenced subtly more than 100 times throughout the hotel, including in the bedrooms – a nod to a fox that would visit the site during construction – to the work of young British artists present throughout the building in a tribute to the Tate Modern around the corner, we want our hotels to tell stories that intrigue and excite our guests.
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London Bankside h
Spotlight - Hospitality 50 was created to help reintegrate greenery into the Bankside landscape and to contribute to London’s green infrastructure. ‘There are also a number of major initiatives we are deploying to control water usage and reduce heat loss, through installing more showers in place of baths and cutting edge glazing technology. ‘Lighting is also a key area we’re focusing heavily on to ensure we’re reducing our energy consumption. The advancement of LED technology is offering continued opportunity to reduce use whilst retaining atmosphere, quality of light and design. Finally, how do Chris and the team preserve period features in some of their more historically sensitive projects while ensuring that it remains a world-class, forward thinking destination? ‘Heritage refurbishments represent the biggest test for the team,’ Chris admits. ‘Getting the balance right between preservation, comfort and modern design is hard to do right. Hilton Paris Opera in the French capital probably best sums up this challenge. ‘Built in 1889 (the same year as the Eiffel Tower), the hotel was originally created to welcome travellers arriving at Saint-Lazare station visiting the World Expo. It underwent a $50m restoration job over a two-year period, reopening in 2015. ‘Although Hotel Paris Opera oozes opulence and elegance, the hotel was refurbished last year to ensure it was suitable for the modern traveller. The listed features are still in place, but they’ve been carefully mixed with the necessities of a modern traveller so the heritage remains – but not at the price of convenience for the traveller.’ l
i
Hilton Paris Opera Enterance h London Bankside i
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Spotlight - Hospitality 50
F U R N I T U R E FO R G R OW N U P S
T H E G A L L E R Y, 3 3 - 3 5 C L E R K E N W E L L G R E E N , L O N D O N E C 1 R 0 D U +44 (0)207 186 1930 I N F O @ B Y - B A I L E Y. L O N D O N W W W. B Y - B A I L E Y. L O N D O N
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE RO U N D TA B L E
BEN REED, HANSGROHE
Few would have predicted the current state of the London hotel market – and those that did are no doubt involved with the good news stories of this sector. So what will the next 10 or so years bring?
VOLKER PFLUEGER, FORPEOPLE
PHILLIP MILLER - DENTON CORKER MARSHALL
HOTEL LO In comparison with the general regional market, the London market remains resilient, protected by its unique attributes and to some extent by a weak pound. However, things can change – as we have witnessed in Paris, as this leading tourist destination has dropped dramatically through a mix of terrorism, floods and French strikes. The ‘Value for money’ sector has seen a dramatic expansion across the UK, including London. The German Motel One chain, for example, appears to have balanced quality with price – and now boasts over 50 hotels. Motel One has become a popular choice for business and leisure, with the only compromise being the size of the room. The question remains, have all the new brands achieved the same success? Is staying in a room without windows for two nights really worth the reduced cost? The bigger international hotel names are effectively focused on building and maintaining their brand as franchised or managed assets. The challenge for the London hotel market is not only to understand the needs of their diverse customer base but also to stay ahead of the ever-changing trends – not something this sector has always got right. The London Hotel market remains a very attractive investment, partly due to the high performance and general resilience. So what’s next? How will technology impact upon the hotel market?
DAVID MORRIS, STUDIO PROOF
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DAVID: We’re already starting to see how the guest experience is changing. Guests will now check in and unlock their room from an App on their phone. Pre-loaded registration will tell them when their room is ready and when they’re finished they can just walk out.
ROBERT: We’ve recently installed that kind of system at the Park Plaza. A lot of people book through their phones, so the hotel will keep in contact with you through the phone and they will then confirm the booking – and you don’t need to go through reception, you can go straight to your room. The advantage of that system to the hotel is that they have now got the guests’ details – and often the booking agents keep those details back. The hotel wants those details so they can get repeat business. Also, the hotel can then text special offers to guests for the bar or the restaurant. The Park Plaza has tablets that control the heating, the lighting etc – and this could also be done through your phone.
STEPHEN SHAKESHAFT, WOODS BAGOT
VOLKER: All these things are extremely helpful and can produce a better guest experience. At the same time there are counter developments for people who travel for leisure which are
KRISTIAN PIOLET, HANSGROHE
NDON 2026 completely technology-free facilities. For some people it’s really nice to get away and to completely let go from technology – to go in the opposite direction, head to a remote place and have a very analogue experience. If we talk about technology, we have to start talking about using VR tools as space becomes more and more pressured.
ROBERT: We’re already starting to do that – people can stay in the hotel but can go anywhere in the world using the virtual experience. So does this all mean that in 10 years’ time we’ll walk into hotels without ever having to go to reception and check in through those timeconsuming traditional systems?
KRISTIAN: I hope so – that’s certainly where I’d like it to go. There’s nothing more frustrating than, at the start of your stay, waiting around for half an hour to get checked in – and then waiting
ROBERT ALLEN - THE COMMERCIAL COMPANY
Some hotels don’t make very much money from food and beverage so there looking at alternatives. Should they get a celebrity chef in? Should they get a key designer in to redesign the restaurant? There’s a little bit of that going on right now. It’s about taking a hotel that’s perhaps not performing brilliantly and looking at how you can improve that performance – how it can be turned into a destination Richard Fogarty RICHARD FOGARTY, BRUCE SHAW
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around again when you need to leave. This is a real bugbear of mine.
DAVID: I’d like to reiterate Robert’s earlier comment. I think there are certain hotel brands that can leverage off the IT and then there are other hotels who don’t want any part of it – they want an old-school, analogue experience because people are paying £500 a night and they are delivering a very different lifestyle experience. We’re all fairly tech-savvy – and we’re mostly around the age of 40 – and then you have the Millennials, who are not getting any younger. You wonder whether all this will go full-circle because we’re constantly looking back even though technology is moving forward. I’m always quite disappointed by how retro everything is! You can bet your bottom dollar that in 20 years’ time we’ll have all this technology and everyone will be pining for a bell push! We move on to talk about the experience and the spaces beyond reception.
ROBERT: Public areas, the use of interactive screens – these will continue to be extremely important.
PHILLIP: We’ve had clients and brands whose whole driver for some of their public areas and communal spaces is what they call the ‘Instagram moment’. So, someone sees something and they instantly take a photograph of themselves, posing in the space. You can have a lift lobby where you have a medieval backdrop and a helmet you can put on – and this then becomes instant marketing for the hotel.
DAVID: It’s important to remember though that we already have people going to hotels as part of leisure stays wanting to digitally detox –
Looking at London, we’re talking about mass urbanization – how we’re going to get 50% more people in London by 2050. Just think how many people that means will be in this tight environment. You’ve then got hotels that are purpose-built to act as a hub. If you think about how Asia uses its hotels – and Singapore especially – it’s become part of the family thing. You all go out on a Sunday to the hotel restaurant. If you think about how the workplace is going – how we’re using offices less and less – and we’re using hubs instead, you can start thinking about the hotels as hubs. You can look at the meeting room facilities on offer – like the Hoxton is doing really well Stephen Shakeshaft 58
There is a bit of a backlash towards technological solutions – because they don’t always work.
they’ve got digital burnout already! People will still want a certain amount of digital experience when they’re staying for business – or if they’re under 30 – but for a lot of people staying for leisure, they’ll want less of that.
RICHARD:
We certainly see that in terms of the supplier market. You have a lot of hotel brands working with younger brands. We try to provide a differentiation between products to suit the designs – but we also have a common theme running throughout. The challenge for us is to try to meet the different briefs – either keeping it simple or giving a little more of an experience.
I think this very much depends upon the client – the owner. A lot of hotels are landmark buildings and their owners are often willing to spend a lot of money just getting a hotel up to a certain standard. Sometimes the budgets can be quite large. Owners want to make a statement. We’re working with hotels right now where the finishes are extraordinary. You have to sit down with the purchasing people, the architect and the interior designer – and getting the link between the architect and the interior designer is important. You’ve got to generate the budget and you need to develop the brief properly – you have to cost everything as early as you can. That can be frustrating for a client because they want to know the costs even earlier. You’ve often got to try to curtail their enthusiasm. Like I said, we’ve got clients who really want to push boundaries and make a statement.
VOLKER:
PHILLIP:
You want technology that makes things easier – not more complicated. It is so annoying when technology makes your stay more complicated – light switches are a classic example of this, as are bathroom products, of course.
We had an experience where our client was a city council and we were trying to come up with a concept, but we were extremely mindful of the budget, which was 3-star – but the brand was 4-star. So there was this constant battle. The hotel brand weren’t prepared to bring money in – but the council needed the brand for their business plan. It was a strange experience and a bumpy road for a while!
STEPHEN: There is a bit of a backlash towards technological solutions – because they don’t always work. A lot of the systems out there aren’t anything like as good as, say, an Apple.
BEN:
ROBERT: Another big issue, especially in London, is security. You have card readers in the lifts to stop the wrong people getting up to upper floors, for example. All this costs, of course. We ask how – or indeed if – budgets have changed dramatically over the past few years.
DAVID: There’s still a huge disparity between where brands spend their money – and it’s not just driven by whether one is 3-star and another is 5-star. It’s driven by whether they are service focused or food and beverage focused – or indeed focused on the quality of the mattress or the bathroom fittings. This is a big deal right now.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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Case Study - Print Rooms
Essentials Client Club Workspace at The Print Rooms Interior Design Frost Architects Main Contractor HG Construction Structural Engineer Fluid Structures M&E Consultant Environmental Design Associates Main Furniture Supplier Contract Chair Co
Print Run
When it comes to co-working space, we’re a bit like a
modern Goldilocks. Hmmm, this one’s a little too hot for us – really smart but too corporate. This one, on the other hand, is too cold – too sparse and quiet. Club Workspace at The Print Rooms, however, feels just right. 60
UK LEADING FURNITURE MANUFACTURER t 01685 352260 sales@triumphfurniture.com www.triumphfurniture.com
Club Workspace is the fast-growing network of business clubs located across London, offering co-working facilities for businesses that do not yet (or may never) require a conventional office. For a monthly membership fee Workspace provides a working environment with business grade Wi-Fi, additional access to high-spec meeting rooms, which are bookable on an adhoc basis, and plenty more additional features. With their unique look and feel, members can tailor their package to suit their business. Workspace currently has 17 co-working business clubs based at exclusive London postcodes. All are designed for both collaborative and mobile working and have a diverse events calendar to allow members to engage with like-minded entrepreneurs, freelancers and professionals. Set in the heart of Southwark, The Print Rooms is the latest Workspace facility and has been developed to offer the perfect office atmosphere for companies looking to grow within a stylish and business-oriented working environment. With its vibrant culture, fantastic facilities and great transport links to the rest of the city, it’s little surprise to us that, on our arrival, the ground floor café space is alive with (largely) young professionals. Few people can be more delighted to see this than the space’s designers – Frost Architects’ Dan Frost and Simon Mellor, who lead us through the buzz of the café and up to the relative serenity of a breakout space overlooking the ground floor facilities. From our elevated perch we can see that it is not just the café that is full of life – the second half of the ground floor features the Club Workspace zone, which comprises cool touchdown working space, and which is clearly just as popular for the members. We’re also joined by two representatives from Workspace, who are happy to tell us exactly who is enjoying the facilities below us and why. ‘This is for small and medium
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enterprises, new growth companies and creative people, so having a space like this is imperative,’ we’re told. ‘We want people to speak with one another – people who might not normally talk with one another – this helps them to grow. This is actually key to everything we do. We don’t just want to have someone sat there behind a desk. You don’t get the same feel and tenants won’t actively want to be here.’ ‘This is a community of like-minded people,’ Dan agrees. ‘This isn’t just a nice idea – it genuinely works. People here do mix with other businesses and that leads to cross-pollination. I think initially there may be some skepticism as to whether a space like this really works – but it does! You do need a space like this to achieve that though.’ Dan’s right. The look and feel of the space is vital when it comes to encouraging people to actively mix, interact and collaborate. ‘The guys at Frost Architects have a long association with Workspace – they know us and they know what we want to achieve. ‘Originally we weren’t going to have the Club Workspace here, but we brought it in towards the end of the project – and it was seamlessly put in. Because they are so used to working with us now, they know that something could come out of leftfield at any time.’ ‘Getting that mix of linking the spaces but also providing privacy and separation to create working areas can be quite tricky,’ Dan explains. ‘You have to look at the space, the furniture, the screens, the lighting…all those things. The lighting here is a key part of the scheme. There is also a desire for Workspace to not be corporate – and that comes from where it started and its traditions of taking industrial buildings and transforming them with simple fit-outs. Now there is a proven aesthetic and a design intent to maintain that industrial feel, but everything is a little bit higher spec.’ We’re told that one of Workspace’s mantras is ‘Location, location, technology’ and whilst we were already aware of the company’s smart location strategy (think Clerkenwell, Islington, Dulwich, Southwark – not West End) it is only now that we are fully aware of the impact of the technology. Top grade connectivity is coupled with full access to vital business utilities here. ‘We have to back everything up with good technology – and we keep control of that. We don’t have the madness of a network of different suppliers – and we make sure the standard is very good. This also means that, when things go wrong, this is our issue to sort – not our members’.
Case Study - Print Rooms
‘This has been vital in the growth of Workspace. Our client profile has changed dramatically over the past five years from quite an industrial portfolio, to creative industries such as architects, web developers and game developers.’ What The Print Rooms gets absolutely spot on is that it offers that seamless bridge between education and the scary, big corporate world. This is not by accident. ‘One of our major clients is a university developer,’ Simon reveals. ‘We recently developed a teaching space for them – and that had a completely different feel from the regular classroom environment. It was a little bit like this – much more relaxed, with a high level bar and screens. It looks and feels more like an airport lounge than an educational environment.’
This is a community of like-minded people...this isn’t just a nice idea – it genuinely works
There is, of course, a whole world of these small creative businesses right above our heads, in the private workspaces that fill the upper floors at The Print Rooms. Our hosts tell us that they have been pleasantly surprised to find that the greatest initial take-up was not
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for the smaller units, as they had originally expected, but for the larger ones. Heading up to the top of the building, we’re very kindly given access to one such duplex unit, which is currently home to Panaseer, a London-based cyber security start-up. The bright, open space features large glazing on both sides and while Frost Architects have clearly delivered a high spec finish here, it has also (very intentionally) been designed as a blank canvas for clients to create their own working home. Panaseer has added a rustic table and high backed sofa for the lower floor and more traditional desk-based work setting for the upper level. Simon tells us that there were a number of challenges when it came to construction and access to the building – not least the fact that the adjacent railway severely restricted
Case Study - Print Rooms
how the team could work and what plant equipment could be used. Not that you’d know it by the results. It would be totally amiss of us not to mention the finishes used throughout the corridors here. Fantastic large-scale abstract artworks break up the cool dark grey walls – as do the brilliant yellow door details and ‘floor mats’ that delineate each of the individual offices. Grey and yellow worked for the Haçienda – and they work just as well here! Heading back down to communal ground floor, we are presented with an alternative view across the space, and in particular a view across the varied and eye-catching suspended lighting that (literally) lights up the space. A cool mesh wall spans the café area, whilst the finishes throughout are more edgy, modern south London bar/restaurant than corporate environment. It’s little wonder, despite the fact that lunchtime past some time ago, that so many members are continuing to enjoy their surroundings.
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Case Study
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THE LEADING TOWER OF DEEZER
Case Study - Deezer
London really is a city of first-world extremes. Just half an hour ago we were surrounded by the monolithic towers of the City. Now we find ourselves entering a peaceful wharf, in a serene part of west London. Gentrification is clearly the word on the street in this borough, with smart independent coffee shops standing alongside craft shops and designer baby wear boutiques. The grand houses here have received sensitive facelifts and even the road surface itself is getting a make over. In fact, if we didn’t know why we were here, we’d be quite surprised to find – just hidden from the main room – an impressive, modern little business park. We’d be even more surprised to learn that one of the residents is amongst the coolest emerging brands around. Deezer is a leading global music streaming service. It allows users to listen to music content from record labels including EMI, Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group on various devices online or offline. Available in more than 180 countries worldwide, Deezer gives instant access to the largest global music streaming catalogue on any device. Deezer is the only music streaming service with Flow, the unique mix of all your
old favourites and new recommendations in one ever-changing stream. Based on an intuitive, proprietary algorithm and created by people who love music, it’s the only place to hear all your music back-to-back with fresh discoveries tailored to you. Making music happen since 2007, Deezer is a privately-held company, headquartered in Paris, with offices in London, Berlin, Miami and around the world. All in under a decade! We are met outside the new Deezer London HQ by Winkworth Interiors’ Ashley Winkworth and Karen Fox, who were responsible for the dramatic transformation of the facility here. Ashley tells us that Winkworth Interiors has itself achieved huge success for more than a decade. Its carefully selected team designs and builds impressive office interiors, a number of which have been nominated for prestigious design awards. Ashley puts this down to a simple formula: ‘A management team consisting of highly intelligent personnel with broad commercial experience who understand the fit-out process and how projects are put together,' he tells us. 'Having a genuine underlying empathy with your client is an important asset when providing the right solution. 'Ultimately an office is a platform for carrying out ones business and thereafter attracting and retaining staff for the
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Photography By: Dave Parker
Essentials Client Deezer Founded 2007 Subscribers Over 6 million subscribers in over 180 countries Interior Design Winkworth Interiors Systems Furniture Task Meeting Table Task
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Case Study
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Case Study - Deezer purpose of a profitable outcome. Get this right and it sets a platform for a successful business.’ Winkworth Interiors operates in a broad but important sector. ‘The area where the client wants high design, utilising some of the most current and best interior design but value engineered to align the end product with the client’s budget. ‘This is what defines Winkworth Interiors and the results speak for themselves when you look at the end product delivered and the high level of repeat business.' ‘Deezer are really on the radar over here now – especially now they are advertising on TV on Saturday night,’ Ashley explains as we walk to the front door. ‘I think their image is probably a bit cooler, a bit more off the wall than the other music download companies out there and the UK has become a real focus for them. ‘What we were tasked with doing was in many ways working with a standard client brief – we want to produce this wonderful space here, but we don’t really want to spend any money, well we do, but we don’t! So we find that line in the middle – the best job you can for the money.’ ‘There are now about 50 people working out of here,’ Karen tells us as we make our way into the space. ‘It was originally quite industrial – and then the landlord decided to take all the industrial elements out of the building and refurb it into a modern office. To be honest, it took all the character out of it. One of the things we wanted to do was to put the character back in, and we’ve tried to do that on a limited budget.’ ‘I think the job itself is absolutely great,’ Ashley enthuses. ‘It’s still got suspended ceilings in it – which is a shame – but they are serving a function. We have created an industrial look using black metal framed partitioning, laid a great floor throughout that replicates highly weathered oak floorboards – we wanted to move away from carpet, as many clients are currently doing – and we’ve included exposed brickwork on the walls to complete the look. The lighting, which was less than adequate, was supplemented with a high impact, low cost scheme throughout, which is massively important to the end result. We’ve addressed all these elements and then worked with Deezer to dress the space in a really cool, unique way.’ Ashley tells us that Deezer UK began life in nearby Shepherd’s Bush – a space that they still occupy and is currently home to the company’s customer services team, while this new building is now home to the creative side of the business as well as being the UK headquarters. 69
Case Study - Deezer Upon entering the space, the very first thing we notice is the brilliant Marshall amps wallpaper which, we’re told, was incredibly difficult to get hold of and can only be used under license by Marshall themselves. It was well worth the hassle though as this fit-out is all about impact! ‘The building incorporates a ground floor main office and then we have a mezzanine floor above. The idea is, because this is a European operation, you’ve got a lot of European executives flying in and out. So we have given them a meeting area here and different desk set ups, sub-divided into different functions, and then you have a series of meeting spaces and offices upstairs, which enable these guys to come and set themselves up.’ We take a peek inside the meeting room just to the right of the entrance, where largescale graphics of a concert crowd cover the entire far wall. Despite the lack of natural light, wall wash lighting illuminates the space perfectly, while the furniture is suitably noncorporate. We particularly like the dark timber table from Task here. ‘We really pushed with the lighting,’ Ashley continues. ‘It might work fine here with normal lighting in August or September – but it will be a different story in November or December’. ‘Fresh air ventilation was also a bit of an issue as some of the new rooms do not have opening windows – so we’ve run metal ductwork along the space and through to the upstairs, which adds to the industrial look. ‘This meant we had to be cost-effective with the furniture,’ Karen adds as we move through to the main working space. ‘We worked closely with Task to develop the tables, where we’re able to supply one unit for four people rather than four individual desks, making it very cost effective. They look quite cool actually – there are fewer lines, they’re not broken up, there’s just one continuous surface making it aesthetically streamlined.’
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‘The nice thing about working with Task is that they are incredibly flexible,’ Ashley tells us. ‘This really helps us create highly individualised solutions both in looks and performance and cost competitiveness. Task wins hands down time after time.' Walking through the ground floor space we pass an antique-styled industrial desk, which acts as the reception desk (and has amazing lights suspended from metallic plumbing gauge pipework above it). We also find funky, lifestyle images on the walls and two more amazing meeting rooms – the aptly named Yellow and Blue rooms, which each boast carefully curated record cover artworks to match the colour schemes. We’re pleasantly surprised by how many of the albums we own! And it’s not too long before we’re surprised once again. Heading up the stairs to the mezzanine, we find a bright and brilliant space featuring a series of meeting rooms /private spaces, together with a bright red coffee bar and generous breakout space. As we wander through, we’re told that one of the meeting rooms here doubles as the boardroom, and boasts the very latest technology, including a twin-screen Cisco videoconference system We take a seat in the breakout space and are joined by Christian Harris, Deezer’s VP Northern Europe, who’s clearly a happy client. ‘We work with a lot of partners from a lot of different sectors – generally well established sectors like telecoms – and they like to come to a place that’s a bit more media, a bit more music and a bit less corporate. This gives a really good brand impression for us – which wasn’t the case with our old office. That’s why we wanted to make a real effort with this space. ‘We work closely with the record labels – they are the main providers of the music that we offer. We try to present ourselves as a bit different – certainly different from our main competitors – and you can see that from our adverts and also the look and feel of our working environment. We also need that different workspace from a staff retention point of view. This is a very competitive market and we need an environment where people want to come and work on a daily basis. It’s not enough – especially here in London – just to offer someone a decent salary and an interesting role – you have to think about the entire package, including the workspace. ‘Attraction and retention of good people is incredibly important to us. We’re a massive producer of music and a massive consumer of music – and we’re looking to capitalise on that. We needed an office that reflects this – and I think we now have one!’
ESCAPE
Case Study
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Profile - James Burke
'cize really does matter In the last issue of Mix you will have seen our comprehensive review of Sea Containers, designed by BDG architecture + design. Not only was this one of the most impressive, forward-thinking, truly agile workspaces we’d seen, it also had people at its very heart. This, we felt, was a space where people were looked after, were free and, equally importantly, were stimulated by their surroundings. It takes some doing to trump views across the Thames in terms of visual stimulation!
Momentum h
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Profile - James Burke
We’ve also been fortunate to speak with a number of experts in their fields to discuss how the look and feel of a space can affect workers’ mindsets. Cool breakout spaces featuring equally cool furniture designs, biophilic design and ergonomically correct environments all help enormously – as do visual stimulants. Although corporate colours and branding works for some sectors and a large number of businesses, we are also now seeing more of a desire to be different – to be truly unique – and to look and feel different. Whilst salivating over the look and feel of a number of projects in the
recent past – not least the aforementioned Sea Containers – we’ve noticed a single common denominator: Acrylicize. The studio’s unique blend of talents realises a fusion of art and design, resulting in some of the most eye-catching, dynamic installations we’ve seen – certainly in the workplace. We’re in the epicenter of cool that is Hoxton to meet with James Burke, Co-founder and CD of Acrylicize. James, we quickly discover, has enjoyed something of a momentous journey, some of which can be seen as we walk through the studio itself. ‘I struggle to throw anything
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away!’ James grins as our eyes dart from Lego figures to cans of spray paint to a WWF championship belt. ‘I can’t throw that away – I’m still the champion. There’s some interesting stuff here, which we’ve accumulated over the past 13 years. We’ve even kept all the passes from our meetings and events over the years.’ In case you were wondering, James and the team here are not just hoarders. This ‘stuff’ is materials and inspiration for the studio’s critically acclaimed designs. Taking a seat in the library/informal meeting room, we can’t help notice just how well organised the books
Profile - James Burke
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www.ultrafabricsllc.com 74
Profile - James Burke here are. Perfectly arranged in categories and then alphabetically within those categories, the library is another important source of inspiration for the team. ‘I always think the idea is out there, somewhere, you’ve just got to see it,’ James muses. ‘Recently we’ve been giving ourselves creative constraints – so we’ve been setting ourselves creative challenges. For example, we take a word out of one of the books, then take a word out of another of the books and those two words have to inspire our idea. It’s strange how that somehow opens up so many doors – it sets you off on a path. ‘When we work with clients we have to find the narrative – to tell a client’s story in a really interesting way. 'We want to be engaging and we want to be accessible, but we also want to go one step further. We want to make the implication, not simply say the thing itself. You should always make people work a little bit – but just a little bit.’ We move on to talk about the Acrylicize route to market. ‘We work with a lot of the leading design firms,’ James tells us, ‘who either bring us in right at the beginning, when they are pitching for the work – to help give their pitch an additional element to it, or
they’re already working on a scheme – doing their thing – and they may have an idea for what they want to do, but they simply don’t have the resource or the time to go deep. We’re set up to do just that.
‘We then work with the big developers – such as British Land – who have great buildings and really want to give them a bit of identity because they’re looking to let them out or to give them something to really differentiate their buildings from others. We’re doing more and more of that developer
work – they’re now starting to realise that for a relatively small amount of money they can really make a huge difference to their building. ‘We also work directly with brands – the end client – and get a lot of referral work, which is always particularly nice, of course.’ So much of the Acrylicize work speaks for itself – as the images throughout this feature clearly attest – but which of the projects is James most proud of? ‘I really like the piece we made with dominoes – it’s called Momentum. It’s a huge spiral of dominoes, where the first few are knocked over while the rest are stood up. It was a project for a developer – so there was no brand to work for, so no story to tell there. It was a pretty ugly 80’s building, so no architecture or history to work with. We really had to work hard to find a narrative, and we eventually drew on the idea that this is a multi-tenanted space where people will come together, so this is about connection, about cause and effect – how people can meet here and what can happen when they do meet. We really had to work hard for that one! ‘I do love that journey though – I always have. It certainly helps nowadays that we have a large catalogue of reference. Our portfolio is over 100-pages now! We don’t expect a prospective client to go through it all, but
Digital Anthill, Southbank h
Dublin Airport h
Bisley Fountain h
We want to be engaging and we want to be accessible, but we also want to go one step further.
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Profile - James Burke I think they do get a sense that there is a real breadth of work here. ‘I think what’s really unique about us is that we’ll do you a huge eight-storey hanging installation but we’ll also design you a fine art print – and we’ll do everything in-between. If the project’s right for an interesting piece, we’ll be all over it. We have people with graphic design backgrounds, sculptural backgrounds…a whole bunch of different skills and backgrounds.’ Speaking of backgrounds, we ask James to tell us about his. ‘When I was about six years old I woke up and found a drum kit at the end of my bed. My parents realised that academically I wasn’t going to set the world alight, so they thought they’d nurture my creative side. My dad played casually and I just took to it. I went through school being interested in art and drawing. I didn’t really have a style or a narrative – I just liked doing it. Then I did a graphic design course followed by an art foundation course. Again, I didn’t really know what I was doing or what I wanted to do – and then, during that course, I really got into graffiti. That was the really key moment for me. I was mesmerised by the graffiti in places like Camden. ‘I eventually went to uni, where I found a creative course where I could combine music and art. I started doing my own graffiti at uni and in my third year everything just came together for me. I just found a narrative – I started making work that was accessible. That was very much my thing. I did all this under the name – the tag – Shesh. ‘I developed a number of prints and came out of university with a whole product concept – and I didn’t want to stop there. I set up with my good friend Paul Arad and started using acrylic – which was a very contemporary material for the time – and I used pop culture images, which you couldn’t help but relate to. I wanted people to walk into the gallery space and have an instant connection with the work and an instant emotional connection.’ And with that the name Acrylicize was born, of course. James continued to refine his work, finding great commercial success along the way – in fact, Wembley Stadium is still decorated with dozens of James’ acrylic prints – which was mirrored by great critical acclaim. The company soon grew into a studio as James looked to bring in new talents and start to incorporate new materials and styles. High profile commercial project work quickly became the studio’s forte – and the name Acrylicize equally quickly became synonymous with inventive, stunning and truly original commissions. It might seem like quite a leap from graffiti to major corporate commissions – but talent will always be talent and Acrylicize not only have it in abundance, they’ve also never lost that young, cool edge. And that’s exciting.
Spin h
Equilibrium h
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Profile - James Burke
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Review It only takes a walk through the centre of Cardiff to see that this is a city in transition – and the optimism and determination to succeed as both a leisure destination and as a major commercial centre was very much at the heart of our esteemed panel’s musings. We were delighted to be able to boast an impressive panel of experts in their respective industries – our fab four being Matt Phillips from Knight Frank, Buro Four’s Judith Richards, Ken Poole from the City of Cardiff Council and Park Plaza’s Margaret Waters – who both informed and enlightened our audience of Cardiff and Bristol’s leading architects and designers at the wonderful Story Museum. Matt Phillips got the session underway by offering a fascinating insight into what is happening in the city’s centre, the current trends and what the good people of Cardiff can expect in the near future. ‘In terms of the office market, we’re looking at just under 11.5 million sq ft,’ Matt informed us. ‘Grade A office product – new offices less than five years old – accounts for 201,000 sq ft, the majority of which is in the city centre, while headline rentals currently stand at £25 per sq ft. ‘Take up in the city averages about half a million sq ft – and last year was a record for us at 620,000 sq ft.’ Matt continued to tell us how both the quality of businesses moving into the city and also the
On a beautiful September day we headed into Cardiff for our 5th MixInspired event – and our first in Wales.
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Review
Talent is the key driver. That’s why businesses are investing more in fit-outs. You look at these innovative environments – they are phenomenal. You’re not sure whether you’re in a workspace or a leisure space. Businesses want to create great working environments primarily so that they can attract the best talent
Ken Poole, City of Cardiff Council
level of fit-out and specification has improved dramatically over the past decade or so. Citing how the client process has changed in the last five years Matt told us now the key decision markers at the start of the process include the HR director and MD, whereas previously it was just the FD. The point being that whilst budget is still a crucial point, a vital consideration is attracting the right people by offering an amazing place to work Judith Richards agreed with Matt’s positivity. ‘I think Cardiff is a really exciting place to work,’ she enthused. ‘I think people’s perceptions of Cardiff have changed a great deal.' Welsh by birth but with most of her work outside the region, Judith's view from the 'outside' has perhaps greater emphasis. Judith and the team at Buro Four recently completed Swansea University’s Bay Campus project (featured in the April issue of Mix) and she made the point that her experience in the world of education shows that there are increasing
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Review
Swansea University was quite a unique project – it gave the university an opportunity to do things very differently. That difference can be seen in terms of both the quality and the types of environments delivered – the third spaces and non-traditional teaching spaces, for example.
Judith Richards, Buro Four
similarities between education and the workplace. Comments from the audience actually suggested that education was in many ways leading the agile office movement. Margaret Waters considered. ‘The city now boasts a number of major events that help attract people here. We’ve noticed that people come here and really enjoy it. That, for us, is the pinnacle – and the future.’ Whilst very positive about the city and its future, Margaret was clear that the single biggest impact on business tourism would be a convention centre. Whilst the City boasts some world class conferences and adequate large venues, it is clear that, in order to compete with major European cities it needs a venue to match those expectations. As head of the Cardiff Hoteliers Association, Margaret is keen to see Cardiff not only as a leisure destination but also one that fully caters for business. The audience agreed that the significant work taking place across the city and the new businesses relocating into the centre will clearly help adjust perceptions in a positive manner. Few people have a greater understanding of Cardiff and its continued development – both physically and culturally – than Ken Poole. ‘The city has changed enormously,’ he told our audience. ‘Cardiff is really beginning to appear on the radar screen a lot more. Why?
The events strategy was the basis of the reprofiling of the city. I think this was a simple and very effective strategy. ‘We’ve been through a major deindustrialisation period – we’ve lost a lot of manufacturing – but we’ve made our mark by investing in retail, by investing in sports stadia and by chasing major events. We’ve brought a lot of people into the city who’ve never been here before.' Ken went to say ‘There’s a lot of activity as the city’s profile continues to rise and the investment momentum continues. We’re not just getting enquiries from businesses but also from hotel operators. 'One of these is a fantastic investment in one of the most iconic buildings probably in the whole of Wales – the old Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay, which has been in severe decline for 30 years. Now a company from Liverpool has acquired the building and is transforming it into a 200-bed hotel. It’s fantastic that investors are now starting to see the possibilities in this area.’ ‘It’s really important for us to be very focused on what our guests want – not just from a bedroom point of view but also from a ground floor point of view,' Margaret added. 'People want to have something better than they have at home. The customer expectation and the demands are different today. They’re
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not in the hotel for as long now – they want a good bed, a good shower, it’s important that it’s quiet – and they want WiFi of course. Because their stay might not be as long and because there is so much choice here in Cardiff, there is less focus on food and beverage than there might have been 15 years ago. ‘We do need to do more. As Matt pointed out, we need to continue to bring major business investment into the city. We’re starting to get real investment – hard cash on a long-term basis, which we’ve never had before. It really has been a remarkable transformation.’ We finished the session by thanking our sponsors for their support and encouragement; Hansgrohe, Herman Miller and Milliken – and a special note of gratitude to Herman Miller for supplying its brilliant Keyn Chair chairs and to Milliken for supplying the carpet for the event. In unison, these fantastic products helped elevate the already impressive Story Museum space. At Mix we are – and always have been – big supporters of the 'regions' and it is clear, as with our visit to Birmingham last month, that Cardiff has challenges – but with people in senior positions like our good panel there is no doubt the next time we visit we will be even more impressed with this fine city.
I think a convention centre is important for Cardiff. We already have a lot of the infrastructure here and I think it would be right for the city to have a convention centre. This would build our business tourism – which is exactly what we are focused upon right now.
Margaret Waters, Park Plaza
Sponsors
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Review
REGIONAL REVIEW: CARDIFF & BRISTOL
To start with, here is a summary of the very unscientific piece of research we carried out prior to MixInspried Cardiff (page 78). We received 40+ responses from business people outside the region and right across the UK. An email was sent asking about their views on whether Cardiff was more of a leisure or business destination We are not statisticians but it is clear that from this small and relatively unrepresentative sample, most people see Cardiff for its great sport, music and cultural assets. Not a bad thing. However, if Cardiff wants to be seen as a business centre it needs to get people into the city to overcome this clear misconception. The following are the percentages and a range of comments:
Is your perception of Cardiff a Leisure or Business destination?
If you have visited Cardiff, was it for a leisure or business activity?
Leisure
Business
Leisure
Business
67%
33%
48%
52%
Is Cardiff perceived as a business or a leisure destination? Here are a selection of comments from our readers outside Wales... u I currently have a project in Cardiff so for me the frequent trips are work related – however, in the past, they have been for pleasure. Especially...the rugby u My perception is that Cardiff is the main business hub of Wales and with Bristol and the west. It also offers a great destination for leisure activities. u We have an office in Cardiff which will be renewed in a few years’ time . I am heading there for work in two weeks’ time. u To be honest I have never been to Cardiff, but my perception is that it is a city with a lot to offer both on the leisure and business side of things.
u A friend’s husband works in Cardiff. Having previously worked in Manchester it must have a reasonably active/interesting business community for him to make the move.
u I was lucky enough to enjoy three football finals in a row at the Millennium Stadium from 2004 to 2006. Win or lose, my experiences were fantastic and memorable. In fact, when I experienced a final at Wembley shortly after, it was nowhere near as enjoyable and welcoming. Cardiff was a great venue for such events and the stadium is so much more personable, with a beautiful setting.
u Cardiff is a city of business and leisure. I have to say Cardiff probably doesn’t sound that attractive a place to those who have never visited but all the people I know and myself have all been surprised by what Cardiff has to offer.
u In much the same way that Media City has impacted upon business in Manchester, the BBC facility in Cardiff appears to have done the same on a smaller level. The waterfront area seems to be developing culturally and bringing spin-off businesses to that area.
u Leisure – there was some fab architecture, and some nice boozers!
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u We do work with a couple of companies in and around Cardiff, but I’d be tempted to say it’s known as more of a leisure destination than a business one. u I see it as very much a city on the up, perhaps sharing the best elements of Manchester and Liverpool in its DNA: Liverpool because it's a city with a sea faring/trade heritage and a bourgeoning music scene; Manchester in terms of its size, the BBC/media links and cultural similarities.
Review
ARTISTIC LIBERTIES Stylised interpretation historically clashes with artistic liberties. Traditional references lead to twisted timelines. Spray-can embroidery stitches together ornate compositions with post punk influences. Timely or timeless, traditional designs are reinterpreted and colour clashes reinvented to change opinion ARTISTIC LIBERTIES—a new collection of five modular carpet designs, all featuring ECONYL 100% regenerated fibre and available on 10 day service.
T +44 (0)1942 612777 www.millikencarpet.com 83
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Number 3 Capital Quarter h Office of 75,000 sq ft – with floorplates from 4,715 sq ft up to 13,475 sq ft. Completion 2017.
The Planning Inspectorate, Bristol – 45,000 sq ft, June 2016 h Having successfully won this competitive Government tender, Amarelle was required to be on site within three weeks of instruction. Within a very tight schedule, the design team transformed a drab, dark office, spread over two floors, into a fresh, exciting, vibrant and flexible place to work. Over 55,000 sq ft of floor area was refurbished with over 450 staff moves, completed over three phases whilst the client was still in occupation of the space. Amarelle’s project and move management teams worked in conjunction with each other to clear and prepare each phase prior to refurbishment works commencing. Each phase lasted only three weeks in total and included complete replacement of all flooring, upgrade of tea point and breakout facilities, lighting upgrades, redecoration throughout and a complete furniture solution.
CUBRIC h The new Cardiff University Brain Research Centre is part of Cardiff University’s ongoing development. The £44 million, 6,500 sq m building is an impressive architectural piece with an interior designed to reflect the International nature of CUBRIC research. Officially opened by HRH the Queen in June 2016, Momentum supplied and installed furniture for the entire building including the reception, management and open plan offices, breakout and meeting areas, test areas, study labs and specialist facilities, working alongside IBI Group Architects Cardiff, BAM Construction and Cardiff University.
Central Square h Five phases of the masterplan due to complete in 2018. Phase two comprises Plots 2 and 3. Plot 3 is the site for the proposed new headquarters of BBC Cymru Wales, five storeys totalling approximately 180,000 sq ft. Completion 2018. Plot 2 (Two Central Square) – office building of approximately 100,000 sq ft. Completion 2017.
Sources; Knight Frank, Mix research, Momentum, Amarelle, Powell 85
Savills, Bristol – 7,800 sq ft, June 2016 i Savills asked Amarelle to refurbish its Bristol offices, which were generally open plan and needed considerable updating. Savills wanted to make its space much more designled, high status and eye-catching but were concerned about change management. The refurbishment coincided with a new lease agreement and so the client needed to be sure that the office would fulfill space requirements for the duration of the new lease. To add more complexity to the task, Savills needed to remain in occupation for the duration of the project. Amarelle’s design team came up with a scheme that addressed issues of insufficient meeting rooms and spaces, and re-worked the entrance into the main office area to provide for a more professional approach into the space. The scheme was delivered snag free in 12 weeks, over three phases. The move management teams worked out of hours in order to create working areas for Savills’ staff, which could be occupied during the works with minimum disruption to ongoing business operations. Vital to the whole scheme was a client facing meeting suite and a reception area that provided a real impact. Reusing the existing partitioning system and doors, Amarelle was able to significantly upgrade these areas with feature lighting, new flooring and a feature reception desk. The team also managed to provide an additional front of house meeting room in a space which had previously appeared cramped and lacking real identity.
Preview
VERY ROUGH GUIDE TO
ORGATEC Orgatec is Europe's largest office furniture and equipment trade fair. The exhibition takes place every two years and is seen by many (especially the German furniture market) as the launch of not only new products but also the latest workplace trends. Regardless of the natural churn of exhibitors and some voices suggesting that things are not as good as they used to be, most in the European furniture world still see this Teutonic giant as the leader. If you're not going out to Cologne this month (25-29th October), look out for the November issue for our post-event coverage.
THREE WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU In our view there are the three ways to say thank you – increasing in 'value'. Even if you only speak English, it's nice to make a little bit of an effort. German Pronunciation
Mix Translation
Context
Danke
DAHN-kuh
'Thanks' – Perfectly ok for an older person but regarded as informal
Danke schön
DAHN-kuh shurn
'Thank you' – Easily the best for all occasions
FEEL-en DAHNK
'Thank you very much' – Pretty much the highest level! Shows strong gratitude in any situation
Vielen dank
BEYOND THE EXHIBITION
EATING AND DRINKING 1 Peters Bauhaus If you love meat go for the
6
Bei Oma Kleinmann
11 Walk Looking for a break from the exhibition. Between the Messe and the River is the Rheinpark. Cross the railway line at the East entrance to the exhibition towards the Staatenhaus. You may stumble upon a 'Comforter Tree' where kids can hang their old comforter and put it to rest.
(German food) The schnitzel
Schlachtplatte (butcher's plate)
capital. If you need something
– between the DOM and Old
substantial, this traditional
Town.
German restaurant is the place for you. Good value too.
2
Mr. Cake Cologne
Regarded as the best café in
7
Ferkulum
Cologne! Just south of Deutzer
(Turkish food) This café has
Brucke and Caketastic.
great kebabs and other Turkish fare at reasonable prices.
3
Papa Joe’s
Run The Mix team are packing their trainers. From the bank directly opposite the Dom run along the footpath that hugs the east bank of the Rhine, heading south. You will see the old town across the river on your right. Carry on beyond Severinsbrücke and the promenade opens out into a grassy area. Cross the river at Sudbrucke and head back up the East side, crossing again at Severinsbrücke and back where you started (around 7km) or for a 6km, as you get to Sudbrucke, don’t cross the river – just double back to where you started 12
Mmmmm.
Tourist pub but good food/drink and friendly staff. Well known to
8
Hommage
Orgatec regulars, particularly
On Friesenstrasse near the
those who like to combine beer
Jameson pub. Second best café
with jazz. On the Alter Markt.
in Cologne!
4
The Corkonian
9
Fischermanns
Irish hospitality, Guinness,
(International food) Slightly out
snacks, music and large-screen
of the centre. We're told this is
football. Industry and ex-pat
one of the best restaurants in
favourite – if that’s what you
town.
like. And we do! Alter Markt. 10 5
AlterWartesaal
8
Tag & Nacht-Cafe Schwarz
Need a pizza, some pasta or
An old train station waiting
a burger after a long night of
room. A bit pricey – think
drinking? Look no further.
Betjeman’s at St Pancras.
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9
10
6 13 Cathedral Cologne's amazing cathedral – the Dom – cannot be missed. Should you still be there on Sunday, High Mass is at 10am. Otherwise open 06.00 – 19.30. The Dom was 632 years in the making and when completed in 1880 was the tallest in the world.
Not in the Old Town (Altstadt): Neumarkt – where locals shop and socialise. Further south, the dockside district of Rheinauhafen – think Bodrum on the Rhine 14 Take a view Take the lift to the rooftop terrace of the Koeln Triangle at Ottoplatz. Offices occupy the lower floors, but the 360-degree panorama from the 103.2m-high top floor (28th floor) makes for great views of the city on a clear day.
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Review 11 Köln Hauptbahnhof station
ORGATEC EXHIBITOR LIST The Messe
5
e logn Cath ra ed
Co
13
l
12 1
14
Köln Messe/ Deutz station
4
3
KOLNMESSE / DEUTZ
12
2
TRAVEL GETTING TO COLOGNE (KOLN)
Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then catch the high speed Thalys direct to Cologne's central station (Hauptbahnhof). Both parts of the journey take around two hours. Suggest looking at (bahn.de) for best deals.
Car 10 motorways lead into the main Köln motorway system. Follow the green signs for Koelnmesse, which are clearly marked on all motorways and main roads. There are 14,500 parking spaces at the Messe. Once parked there is a free Shuttle Bus service to all the hall entrances.
Train (from Airport) Cologne-Bonn Airport is 15km from the city centre. Trains to Cologne station leave every 20-30 minutes on line S13 and take 15 minutes. Get you ticket before getting on the train. Have cash as the machines may not take cards (tram stations don’t). You can select English – 'Cologne Central Station'.
GETTING TO THE EXHIBITION
Taxis from Köln/Bonn airport are pretty reasonable and usually fast – both to the Messe and into central Cologne. You’ll get a spotless Mercedes, so you’ll arrive in style!
Taxi Leave Cologne Main Station via the main entrance.
Train The S-Bahn lines S6, S11, S12 and S13 leave Cologne Main Station from platform 10 regularly towards Cologne Messe / Bahnhof Deutz (3 mins walk to the South Entrance of the exhibition).
By foot Over the Hohenzollern bridge – the railway bridge (locally known as the 'drei Höckern' or three humps).
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Alea Launching four new ranges, including a new concept in benching. Hall: 9.1 Stand: C051 - B050 Bolon Versatile flooring concept created with designers and architects in mind .Hall: 10.2 Stand: J039 Brunner's launch of 'Cellular Office' could be a show highlight. Hall: 8.1 Stand: A60&B61 Camira Rivet is a fixating fabric made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester. Hall: 6.1 Stand: C/070 CMD Chip is a distinctive, fun new desktop USB charging module. Hall: 11.2 Stand: G038 Connection Furniture influenced by macro design trends of space and materials. Hall: 9 Stand: B048-C049 Dauphin The simplicity of movement, healthy task seating for everyone. Hall: 8.1 Stand: 028 & 031 Four Design Part of Ocee International, Four will celebrate Scandinavian and British design. Hall: 6.01 Stand: A/071 Fritz Hansen PAIR is a modern mix of materials, with endless combinations. Hall: 10.2 Stand: K010/J011 Furniko Presenting TUNDRA, an oak inspired table system based around flexibility. Hall: 7.0 Stand:A028 Koleksiyon Hall: 9.1 Stand: C029 & B028 ophelis Modular furniture systems to design modern/networked/communicative working environments. Hall: 9.1 Stand: C059/B058 Scandinavian Business Seating Ltd See the 'Blueprint' concept and the launch of the HAG SoFI mesh. Hall: 8 Stand: A028 - B029 Sedus Hall: 8.0 Stand: B50 Senator / Allermuir Cutting edge design from Senator / Allermuir brands that are designed to change the way we work. Hall: 8.0 Stand: C11 Teknion Zones in collaboration with PearsonLloyd, latest introductions from Studio TK & Luum Textiles. Hall: 9.0 Stand: A30 - B31 ThinkingWorks launch the ThinkingQuietly range exclusively at Orgatec this October. Including the intriguing 'cone of silence'. Hall: 6.0 Stand: C058 Viasit Featuring the showcase launch of four great new products. Hall: 7.1 Stand: B Nr 40 Vitra ‘Work’: the holistic vision of workplace environments in its own dedicated hall. Hall: 5.2 Wagner Seating W5 is a combination of high-tech carbon backrest frame and three-dimensionally movable dondola. Hall: 6.1 Stand: B068 Werner Works Discover new creative solutions which the company has developed with you. Hall: 9.1 Stand: A059 Wiesner-Hager Stacking without folding! yuno – the smart alternative to the folding table. Hall: 7.1 Stand: B031 Wilkhahn Occo by Jehs & Laub is a versatile & vast chair and table range. Hall: 6.1 Stand: B88/C89
Preview
ORGATEC: YOUR PERSPECTIVES Here are some personal views from a number of key industry figures - telling us what they have experienced in the past and what they hope for and expect to find in Cologne this year.
WHAT HAS CHANGED OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME YOU HAVE BEEN GOING?
WHY ARE YOU GOING TO ORGATEC THIS YEAR?
With other industry shows becoming more and more popular, Orgatec has definitely had to up its game over the years. We have seen better quality attendees and a more diverse crowd, not just from Europe but from all over the world. Tasmin Grosvenor, Marketing Manager EMEA, Humanscale
Having visited around 15 times all in all, I’m focused on developing the workplace side of the business and we will be meeting key suppliers for training, forging new strategic alliances and keeping our eyes peeled for fresh opportunities and emerging trends. Ben Capper, Corporate Interior Specialist, Zingg Lamprecht
It has changed in terms of the products being shown – the rise of high back sofas and benching for instance – and in terms of the way people present. It used to be dominated by big brands who would take up whole halls – there’s less of that now, and an increase in brands from eastern Europe and elsewhere that are really upping their game. The show used to be all about desking and task seating, but now there is a far greater predominance of lounge and meeting furniture, as you’d expect. It was interesting to see how investment in R&D changed during the recession and how manufacturers responded to this. Alexander Gifford, Brand and Communications Manager, Allermuir
Three of us from Momentum plan to see existing and potential suppliers, to hopefully see some new furniture and ideas and to network with suppliers, competitors, designers and industry friends. I think it has become an important industry show in many ways. PJ Statham, Owner, Momentum Contract Furniture Whilst I always say 'Never again' when I get on the flight back from Cologne, this will be my 12th consecutive Orgatec. Ever optimistic that I will see something that will change my view of the world! Jim Meier, MD, Day2
Fewer visitors, fewer exhibitors and fewer halls, but sometimes less is more! In the 1990's, there must have been about a dozen halls and up to 100,000 visitors and the show ran for six days over the weekend from Thursday to Tuesday. Now, Koelnmesse has modernised, with its fantastic new exhibition halls and boulevard, and the overall quality of the exhibitors and stand presentation has gone up. Ian Burn, Director of Marketing, Camira It appeals to more International visitors and attracts different suppliers. There is less dull office furniture nowadays and a better mix of suppliers. PJ Statham, Owner, Momentum Contract Furniture
Camira are seasoned exhibitors at Orgatec. This exhibition is a major focal point every two years to showcase our product range and new launches. We have a large customer base who also exhibit at the show, so it is an opportune time to visit / liase / discuss / share and enjoy time with our colleagues and customers. Jane Marks-Yewdall, Senior Designer, Camira It will be my first time this year to Orgatec. Having been in the industry for the last 20 years in various guises, I’m really looking forward to seeing the new concepts that manufacturers think will come to the fore over the next couple of years. I’m also keen to see if there are any new products from the European manufacturers that Rapid could be the first to bring to the market here in the UK. Simon Butler, Rapid Office I’ve been to every one since 2000 and find the changes from show to show in response to the economy and design trends fascinating. It’s like a barometer for our industry. This year I’m particularly interested in the crossover between workplace and hospitality markets and how brands position themselves in this respect. Alexander Gifford, Brand and Communications Manager, Allermuir
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Review
Rivet.
A fixating new fabric celebrating 20 years of recycled textiles.
Launching at Orgatec, Stand C070, Hall 6.1. 89
Preview
GIVE US AN INSIGHT INTO YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES
BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT THEMES DO YOU THINK WILL (OR SHOULD) EMERGE THIS YEAR?
I worry it might just be more 'me too' and not enough really new ideas. New technologies should be giving us better furniture, but many of the recent designs are a bit derivative. PJ Statham, Owner, Momentum Contract Furniture
After being blanked outside of Scandinavia for almost two decades, sit/stand desks are now in huge demand across the UK and mainland Europe. Orgatec will be awash with them, featuring integrated ergo-gadgetry and iPhone apps. We’ll also be peppered with yet more acoustic products, ‘tech start up style' furniture and virtual reality goggles. Ben Capper, Corporate Interior Specialist, Zingg Lamprecht
The best Orgatec I can recall is 1994 when there were some 'game-changing' products launched, like the Aeron chair. Orgatec was a great place to see what the various product design teams were thinking as it was used as a testing ground for new ideas…to assess the reception they got before the products went into mass production. Jim Meier, MD, Day2
With words like ‘agile’ and ‘collaboration’ at the top of most end users’ wish lists, I would anticipate seeing more sit/stand desk solutions, meeting tables and some innovative pod ideas. Employers are increasingly waking up to the idea that happy, healthy and comfortable people are more engaged and productive. Kevin Bloomfield, Head of Architecture & Design Sales, Area Sq
My colleague, Kate, and myself are planning to catch some of the talks and seminars, including the kick-off conference called ‘Work & Style’. The talks address everything from the role of the workplace in attracting and retaining talent, to how workspaces can cater to the various generations making up a modern day workforce. Kevin Bloomfield, Head of Architecture & Design Sales, Area Sq
Continued emphasis on acoustic solutions, how to blend individual privacy with flexible working, incorporation of power modules into sofas and pods. Ian Burn, Director of Marketing, Camira The traditional workspace, with work completed in one location, is a thing of the past due to the increase in the use of technology. Products that can adapt to a variety of users and a variety of ways of working are crucial. The boundaries between home and work are now blurring, with workplace design increasingly informed by residential design and there is a need for products that can be used anywhere by anyone. Tamsin Grosvenor, Marketing Manager EMEA, Humanscale Themes this year will see a continuation of acoustics, colourful and very rustic furniture and natural metalwork; a lot more writeable surfaces and some new faces exhibiting, I hope. Robin Bayliss, Director, IdeaPaint Limited Wellbeing is always important, but with a focus. Biophillia and the awareness of the impact of nature on our environments. Although recycling is recognised, there is an acknowledgement and celebration to the continual work and investment into producing renewable products. Jane Marks-Yewdall, Senior Designer, Camira
I’m expecting to see a continuing of the softening of the workplace aesthetic, and greater integration of technology in furniture. Also it will be interesting to see the continued rise of the eastern European manufacturers in terms of the pursuit of quality design. Alexander Gifford, Brand and Communications Manager, Allermuir
A move away from rectilinear white bench desking. I am hoping to be excited by something new and challenging. I expect this year to be a little different. Jim Meier, MD, DayTwo This will be my 6th time at ORGATEC and each exhibition has been totally different. A plethora of themes have been covered over the years. In 2014, the focus was on holistic solutions and overall concepts from all of the relevant sectors relating to work and office spaces. Whereas this year’s theme is ‘visions of work’ so the side events will focus on how the shifting nature of employment today will affect the design of tomorrow. Kevin Bloomfield, Head of Architecture & Design Sales, Area Sq
Compared to Milan Fair’s prosciutto, prosecco and fashionistas, Orgatec is schnitzels, beer and workplace. It’s an event traditionally focused on systems furniture and corporate interiors – and although the lines are a little blurry nowadays, this remains the case. The days and nights are long, but you pack a lot in. Speaking of packing; pack light and pack trainers. Ben Capper, Corporate Interior Specialist, Zingg Lamprecht
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Review
Need a new impulse?
Impulse Too Design | Ralf Umland
Visit us at
Stand B040 | Hall 7 viasit UK Ltd | The Gallery | 21-22 Great Sutton Street | Clerkenwell | London | EC1V 0DY | www.viasit.co.uk | Contact: sales-gb@viasit.com 91
Review
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Preview
HAVE YOU GOT ANY ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN BEFORE?
OUTSIDE OF THE EXHIBITION WHAT’S BEEN YOUR PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF COLOGNE?
Always found mixing with industry stalwarts at the Irish Bar a bit of a waste as you can do that in Clerkenwell. Try a good old-fashioned beer hall (normally tiny frontage but huge and friendly inside) to get the true spirit of Cologne. Jim Meier, MD, Day2
Plan wisely! There’s a lot to see and it’s easy to underestimate the quality of the exhibitors in the smaller halls – but they are well worth a look. Tamsin Grosvenor, Marketing Manager EMEA, Humanscale
A trip to Cologne wouldn’t be complete without paying a visit to the Cathedral – it’s an absolutely magnificent piece of architecture, and it’s the first thing you’ll see when you come out of the central railway station. My colleague Kate, who hasn’t been to Orgatec before, is looking forward to an early morning run by the Rhine…so for fitness fanatics, that’s an alternative way to soak up the sights of the city! Kevin Bloomfield, Head of Architecture & Design Sales, Area Sq
Plan your visit or at least identify key stands that are a must. However don’t cram in too many fixed appointments. You are bound to miss half of them. Walk back across the bridge into town, don’t wait forever for a taxi. Whatever you do, don’t accept an invite to attend a presentation on a boat trip. You’ll be captive for at least two hours. Ian Weddell, CEO, USM
Beautiful views of Cologne and the Cathedral from the modernist Triangle Tower. There’s also a Chocolate Museum if you fancy a break from the usual sights! Tasmin Grosvenor, Marketing Manager EMEA, Humanscale To be honest after 10 hours working on a stand at my age I just look forward to a bath and an early night...that rarely happened of course as someone always managed to persuade me to eat Schwienshaxe and drink too many beers in Papa Joe's listening to industry gossip drowned out by deafening music. An absolute must for a first-timer! Richard Blackwell, CEO, Bisley
Pace yourselves early on and don’t just stick to Papa Joe’s and The Corkonian. If you’re staying late in the exhibition halls for a stand party, don’t forget to pick up your coat from the cloakrooms! Ian Burn, Director of Marketing, Camira
If you want to get out of the exhibition halls, the Design Post across the road from the Messe is worth a look, or walk across the Deutzer Bridge and have a look around the cathedral rather than just gazing from afar. For a good traditional Cologne brauhaus try Früh am Dom, for live music and good food there’s Maca Ronni’s on the Hahnenstrasse, or for a Turkish meal head to Keupstrasse in nearby Köln Mülheim. Ian Burn, Director of Marketing, Camira
Try to see everything! Be German and structured, walking up and down the halls. Its often the things you’ve not planned to see that are the most interesting. Wear comfortable shoes…. Alexander Gifford, Brand and Communications Manager, Allermuir It’s a massive show. Do some research before you go and plan how you will spend your time. Wandering up and down all of the aisles is energy-sapping and not particularly fruitful. You’ll be forever bumping into people you know who will all steal some of your precious time. Plan to visit the companies you want to see. Richard Blackwell, CEO, Bisley
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Progress is Beautiful Silta - design by Allermuir
Hall 8, C11
allermuir.com
Part of The Senator Group
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Hakwood launches new product category – Wall Tiles C Hakwood, a global leader in the production of high-end wood flooring, launched a new and exciting collection of wood wall tiles with unlimited creative possibilities. Hakwood chose this year’s 100% Design for the international launch of the collection. ‘Wall Tiles’ is an innovative product that uses a hanging system for easy installation, enabling architects and designers to create bespoke feature walls.
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Heradesign helps create a cultural icon A Ogilvy & Mather UK and MEC have moved their creative businesses to the iconic Sea Containers on the South Bank. BDG architecture + design, in partnership with Matheson Whiteley, have created a dynamic workplace and a large-scale 200-person amphitheatre plays a prominent role in this vision. Heradesign ceilings from Knauf AMF are fitted in the amphitheatre. BDG's Toby Neilson and Elena Angulo are thrilled and plan to use Heradesign for future projects: 'Working with Heradesign and Knauf AMF has been very successful.' www.knaufamf.co.uk
Birmingham International Student House gets a Moduleo makeover B The Birmingham International Student House has recently modernised its premises with stylish luxury vinyl flooring from Moduleo. Designers selected Cotton Wood 20839 from its Transform collection. Paul Edgerton, General Manager at Birmingham International Student House, explains: 'The fact that Moduleo products are so easy to clean, while leaving a stylish appearance, allowed us to create a contemporary space that could withstand the countless spills and messes a student residence witnesses.' Moduleo’s Transform collection features a selection of wood-effect and stone-effect products, ideal for both residential and commercial use.
www.hakwood.com
www.moduleo.co.uk
modulyss demonstrates versatility at Kingsley Healthcare B The head office of Kingsley Healthcare, Lowestoft, is enjoying better flooring design and performance thanks to modulyss carpet tiles. A variety of tiles have been specified throughout the reception, stairways, circulation areas, workspaces, board, training and meeting rooms, specified by building consultancy, Woodfellows LLP. Nick Willis, senior chartered building surveyor, explains: 'Not only do these tiles look great and perform well, but the fact that they also reduce dust particulates in the air makes them ideal for use in workspaces and general circulation areas.'
Gerflor develops a stunning new range of LVT products C There’s no doubt that 2016 has seen a Luxury Vinyl Tile and Plank (LVT) resurgence, leading to a much higher demand. For Gerflor it’s been a journey of discovery, passion and innovation. All vinyl seems to be trending this year and it now appears to be the ‘big dog on the block’. Original, well thought-out vinyl designs are becoming one of the most popular and soughtafter floors on the market. It’s a situation perfectly suited to Gerflor’s spectacular new Creation 55 range. www.gerflor.co.uk
www.modulyss.com
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Justan
idea
Even those who consider themselves rational may be about to fall into a trap, writes Mark Eltringham. We need to wake up to the consequences of a new era of robotics and AI. One of the explanations for both Brexit and the once implausible idea of an obvious demagogue like Donald Trump assuming the world’s highest office is that we now live in a post-rational world. In plain parlance this was best summarised by Michael Gove’s proclamation during the Brexit debate that we have all had enough of experts – but a growing number of intellectuals are starting to question whether we are seeing the roll back of the Enlightenment. The suggestion is that in a world awash with information, we are retreating to a more visceral worldview. If the facts don’t fit with the way we feel, then they just have to go. While rationalists continue to invoke the ideals of Descartes, Locke, Hume, Paine, Voltaire and Spinoza, they are often doing so in a self-imposed echo chamber and so are genuinely horrified to find that there is an outside world that has little time for Reason with a capital R. This explains all you need to know about the post Brexit meltdown. This demarcation has a polarising effect on the way people see things, exacerbated by the belligerence of what often passes for debate on the Internet. There is a growing acknowledgment that you cannot convince a certain mass of people of anything with facts and nuance. You have to tap into their
emotions and bundle the message up into a neat package, preferably one that follows the three-word sloganeering that people have learned to associate with Nike, McDonald’s, Coke and Tesco. Hence the reason ‘Build A Wall’ carries such weight in the American presidential debate – if only among idiots. This may sound patronising but only because it is. We also have to acknowledge
If the facts don’t fit with the way we feel, then they just have to go.
that we all carry the weight of our own confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance and fallacious or presuppositional arguments. This applies in all walks of life and, in some cases, everybody can fall for the same false assumptions regardless of how rational they think they are. We are about to see the consequences of one of these assumptions in the workplace and society. We pretty much all assume both that technology develops in linear ways and that we sit at the top of an evolutionary tree.
These two assumptions and their combined inferences are about to be challenged by the advent of a new era of robotics and artificial intelligence. We are no longer in the era of Moore’s Law, in which technology just became faster and more powerful at a regularly accelerating pace that was defined by our own attempts at miniaturisation. We are about to enter a new era in which technology will improve itself in a positive feedback loop that will see the advent of super-intelligent devices that, according to the neuropsychologist Sam Harris, will be able to process the equivalent of 20,000 years of human thought every week. We need to be prepared for this because the robots we are about to encounter are neither the easily manipulated slaves of Isaac Asimov’s stories nor the Promethean toysgone-bad of Blade Runner and Westworld. They will be something else entirely and we need to start planning now for how we make sure that our drives and needs are compatible with theirs and how we fit into this new world. It does not mean we will become obsolete, just that we will need to find a new place and a new way of doing things. Next month: something more cheery.
Mark Eltringham is the publisher of workplace design and management website Office Insight. mark@officeinsight.org
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