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Michael Laird Architects fit out of St Vincent Plaza subtly invokes the spirit of Mackintosh URBAN REALM SPRING 2018 URBANREALM.COM
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F I T T I NG TR I BUT E INTERIOR DESIGN SPRINGS INTO FOCUS AS URBAN REALM UNLEASHES OUR ANNUAL SURVEY OF THE INTERIORS SECTOR, FURNISHING YOU WITH ALL THE INSIDER KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO ARM YOURSELF THROUGH 2018 AND BEYOND. THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS DEMONSTRATE DEFT ADOPTION OF AN ECLECTIC RANGE OF STYLES FROM MACKINTOSH TO INDUSTRIAL VERNACULAR VIA ART DECO. BETWEEN THEM THEY SHOW THAT SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY TO SEE WHAT LIES AHEAD IS TO LOOK TO THE PAST.
Gordon Yeaman Associate MLA How is the relationship between interior design and architecture evolving? Both are undoubtedly becoming more integrated with each other. I have been fortunate to work in practices that respectfully identify the significance of both these disciplines with the aspiration that the most compelling design outcomes, are often achieved when both are cleverly considered. Effective communication and collaboration across these design disciplines is fundamental to best understanding our client’s needs and successfully realising the buildings and spaces that we create for them. A people-centric, integrated approach to the way we design and respond to a brief, is to the benefit of all design professionals, and ultimately our clients and end users. Is cross-disciplinary collaboration as effective as it could be? It depends. Fully understanding the client brief, balancing budget constraints, working to tight timescales, resourcing timeously and efficiently, embracing more sustainable solutions, challenging resistance to change or innovation, are but some of the plate spinning variables that affect the outcome of building projects, and can sadly put unavoidable pressure on crossdisciplinary collaboration. The most effective projects that I have worked on are where all disciplines of the design team collectively understand and embrace the client brief and aspirations from the outset, communicate openly and respectfully with each other, tackling
challenges constructively together, in order to ensure the most successful outcome. How is new technology impacting you? Technology is one of the greatest enablers (and sometimes limiters) in building projects, infiltrating every sector. Integration of flexible technology is now inescapably everywhere and influences every design outcome. Drawing and modelling in 3D virtual environments, digital graphic representation, use of social media to share information, images, ideas, is crucial in developing and conveying design aspirations. That said, it’s still only great when it works! And I’m defiantly cautious in avoiding what can become, ironically, anti-social media. The constant conflict of ‘always on’ vs. ‘switching off’- I intentionally step away from my devices, and take out a sketchpad and pen. Scott Torrance Associate Director, Head of Interiors 3DReid What has been your proudest achievement? We are proud of every project we design and each one has its own specific achievement within its environment. Our project at The Thistle Centre is one that everybody at our practice is very proud of. It was the first community project many of us had worked on and we got to spend time with some amazing people there. Our client was fantastic and the feedback that we received once it completed from both them and the local community made us all very proud to be part of it. It really hit home just how important projects of that nature are to the people who use and rely on them.
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3DReid’s Meadow Court Student Residences evidences the growing design consciousness of clients
Are your clients becoming more design conscious? This is an interesting question! Interior design exposure is so accessible through various TV programmes and other media formats that everyone can be a bit of an expert and it can be hard to lead a client in the right direction once they set their mind on something. Luckily we have some very good clients who know their market well so we can help them achieve their design goals close to their own vision. It’s always satisfying to have a client who can guide you along the right path but trust you enough to deliver an innovative and exciting design. How is new technology impacting you? The more projects we become involved in the more exposure we have to new technologies. There are many amazing products out there, especially within the hotel industry which is a big sector of our work. However, we find that certain products tend to be somewhat overthought which many of our clients realise and are taking a more pragmatic approach to what they do or don’t install within their interiors. We have found many items which are described as ‘must have’ are removed within the first year when new technology supersedes it. For example this has a particular impact on hoteliers where they have installed a product that is built in to a casegood item they have fitted in 500 hotel rooms. Technology moves so fast it’s hard to keep up. URBAN REALM SPRING 2018 URBANREALM.COM
John Glen Managing Director Bute Fabrics What has been Bute’s proudest achievement? In summer 2016 we had a visit from the Duke of Rothesay, Prince Charles – as recognition and support of Bute Fabrics’ youth development and apprenticeship programs. This was a fantastic moment for us and the full Bute Fabrics team as we have been going through a lot of change and development at Bute Fabrics over the past few years and this was a great boost to the company that we are going in the right direction and making a positive contribution to the island community of which we are part. We pride ourselves in our unique story. The mill was founded in 1947 by the 5th Marquess of Bute with the sole purpose of providing employment opportunities for service people returning home from the Second World War and we strive to maintain this sense of responsibility to the community. Are your clients becoming more design conscious? I would say our client base has always been very design led with a strong vision for their projects. They are often encouraging of us to bring our knowledge and expertise to the discussion so that strength in design can be equalled with performance, quality and the visual elements of the fabric. Clients encourage
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Above - HLM foster collaboration at Mott MacDonald’s Sheffield office
Below - Bute Fabrics bring durability to John McAslan’s Friends House
and programmes available to us. Inviting experts from various fields such as digital, engineering and design and working alongside several universities to ensure we are as technologically advanced as we can be. We know that we have to be continually moving forward if we are to be as competitive as possible in the future. There are many exciting opportunities for manufacturing and we want to be taking full advantage of those.
© JOHN MCASLAN ARCHITECTS
Lisa Don Associate Director, Interiors HLM
us to push the design boundaries to differentiate various products for them and to bring the Bute Fabrics signature of vivid colour and rich texture to each project. Social and virtual moodboarding has made it a lot easier for our clients to show us what they like in detail and so in turn streamlined the creative discussion. How is new technology impacting you? At the moment we are addressing how we can improve and innovate our production facility using various projects
What has been your proudest achievement? The implementation of a co-ordinated and meaningful art strategy for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh has been very rewarding. Having the opportunity to be part of a team developing a unique interior design scheme is always an exciting and stimulating process. However, collaborating with inspiring artists and stakeholder makes it that bit more special. In healthcare settings it is essential to immerse yourself in the creative process to ensure that the end result creates an environment that contributes positively to patient and staff wellbeing. Is the profession still attracting and retaining the talent it needs? I believe so. HLM has recently expanded our team, adding some > fantastic designers to our UK studios. We’ve been impressed
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with the quality of our student placements and graduates who embrace current industry challenges such as BIM, crosscontinent working, and environmental and social aspects of design. It is encouraging to see the recent engagement taking place between universities and the industry, resulting in top talent being unearthed for our sector. For this reason, we are continually seeing the benefit of engaging in mentoring programmes with local universities. Many of our existing team have been with HLM for over a decade. Personally, a diverse portfolio keeps work interesting and a supportive, flexible culture allows me to maintain a career whilst having a young family; all factors in retaining talent. How is new technology impacting you? In the last 12 months our interior team has really pushed our understanding of BIM and we are seeing some interesting outcomes that wouldn’t have been possible a few years back. Whilst the collaboration and co-ordination with other disciplines are hugely beneficial, the unexpected client benefits we are seeing from BIM are fantastic. VR is offering us some exciting opportunities. The work we produce is crossing over from construction information to marketing material. For this, VR and fly-throughs have been used by the University of Glasgow to attract both staff and students, while landlords are applying it to secure tenants ahead of building completion. Marie-Louise Dunk Chartered Architect/Director JAMstudio Ltd What is your proudest achievement? Whilst I am undoubtedly very proud of a number of the one off homes we have designed and had built for our clients over the years, I think that our project for The Dalmore Distillery at Alness allowed us to really show what we were capable of as a practice. It was a blend of all the elements of a project that we are known for resolving well, including complex technical challenges that had to work in explosive environments, successful combinations of both traditional and contemporary details and careful management of tight timescales for the construction due to the limitation of when the distillery could be shut down. Is Cross Disciplinary collaboration as effective as it could be? Not yet! Perhaps in part due to the nature of the project we tend to work on, the design process is still rather linear; i.e. we work out a concept and then pass that the engineers and quantity surveyors for their input, one the main concept is complete. It would be great to get other disciplines involved earlier, but I think the nature of clients tending to be rather risk averse when undertaking feasibility work means there is a reluctance to URBAN REALM SPRING 2018 URBANREALM.COM
involve other disciplines too early in the process. It means the Architect must truly be a jack of all trades early on, which of course means embracing a degree of additional risk. How is new technology impacting you? At the moment we are investing heavily in adopting BIM, upgrading software, hardware and training. In practice this means Revit, Revit and More Revit! As someone who has used AutoCAD for 25 years or more, it’s a very big change conceptually to the way I work. Although it has felt like my mind is melting at points just recently, we are already seeing a huge amount of benefit to the practice workflow and our clients absolutely love seeing their projects in full 3D early on. I am in no doubt this is the way forward. I just wish a few more of our consultants would adopt BIM too. Stuart Black Head of Interior Design Mosaic What has been your proudest achievement? Professionally it would be the luxury spas I have designed in the Middle East for hotel groups such as St Regis and Jumeirah. Most of which have been in pretty spectacular buildings. I have completed projects in Doha, Dubai, Abu-Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait and Baku. I’ve been lucky to have travelled to some really great places as a designer. On a personal level I’d have to say becoming a husband and father. My wife has never read Urban Realm before… I’ll make sure she reads this months!
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Left - JAM’s Dalmore Distillery is worth raising a glass to
Right - Mosaic aren’t afraid to mix styles such as Victorian and Art Deco
Are your clients becoming more design conscious? Yes. The social media content that’s available these days, design led e-commerce sites such as Houseology or Atomic Interiors and websites such as Pinterest mean it’s hard not to miss what cool places are opening, what designers are selling/ doing and what current global design trends are. We are lucky to work with really creative clients such as James and Louise Rusk who are real style ambassadors for Glasgow’s flourishing independently owned bar and restaurant scene. How is new technology impacting you? We’re always looking for new materials to work with. Advancing
technology brings new products to the market and allows us to be more ethical and sustainable in what we design and choose, which is great. The ability to 3d print and modelling software such as Revit is really opening up the world of bespoke FF&E for us. We mostly design all of our own decorative light fittings on our bar and restaurant work now. Having these made in the UK by companies such as Northern-Lights pretty much gives us the ability to have a bespoke chandelier delivered to site in 4 weeks once we have signed the manufacture off. Designing our own furniture takes a little longer but doesn’t stop us from having a go. We designed our own chairs and even our own fabrics for the Royal Automobile Club in London.
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36 North Castle Street Edinburgh EH2 3BN Tel: 0345 271 6300 Email: edinburgh@3DReid.com 45 West Nile Street Glasgow G1 2PT Tel: 0345 271 6350 Email: glasgow@3DReid.com Email: scott.torrance@3DReid.com Web: www.3DReid.com Twitter: @3_D_Reid 3DReid is a creative design studio specialising in the design and delivery of complex new build and refurbishment projects throughout the UK. Our interiors team work across all major sectors designing 3, 4 & 5-star hotels, bars and restaurants, hospitality lounges, residential including student residences, retail and workplace environments. We believe our experience working across sectors has given us expertise and insight to understand client’s aspirations for the design of interiors, products and finishes. Our success and the quality of our projects relies our people. Our creative team demonstrate a high level of experience and we encourage our team to move across the studios, work with different colleagues on a range of projects and share knowledge, resources and ideas. We believe this improves our skills and expertise and enriches the work we produce for our clients. Above all we enjoy the process of designing exemplary interior environments. Services: Architecture Interior Design Environmental Branding Masterplanning Sectors: Cultural & Community Education F&B Hospitality Hotels Residential Retail & Leisure Workplace
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Above: Thistle Centre of Wellbeing with the Thistle Foundation Right: KM Central with The University of Edinburgh
Thistle Centre of Wellbeing, Edinburgh Client: Thistle Foundation A series of complementary facilities including consultation, training rooms, a gym and workplace environment, are anchored around a double-height ‘Hub’ space for the Thistle Foundation charitable organisation. Through extensive use of timber cladding, both inside and out, the project offers a warm and inviting environment for those who visit, many of whom suffer from anxiety-related conditions. Crafting a non-institutional and friendly presence was instrumental in ensuring that the built environment aligned to the core ethos of the Charity. KM Central, Edinburgh Client: The University of Edinburgh A 50 bedroom hotel owned and operated by The University of Edinburgh, offering a quirky ‘left bank’ style interior concept to guests. 3DReid’s interiors team created a bespoke solution to suit the University’s business case and designed and delivered this vibrant rebranding and interior design concept. The project refurbished an existing inflexible but multipurpose space, used by both students and the general public in addition to renovating all guestrooms and associated spaces. Key to the success of the project was the rebranding and repositioning of the spaces within both a commercial hospitality offering, but also increasing the flexibility of the breakfasting room, to facilitate more productive student use.
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Tel: +44 1700 503 734 Mob: +44 7860 412 276 Email: cat.hemingway@butefabrics.com Web: www.butefabrics.com Twitter: @ButeFabricsLtd Instagram: @butefabrics & @colourtexturebute Vision in Colour & Texture. We create naturally inspired fabrics, designed and woven to perform. Bute Fabrics are renowned worldwide for quality, durable fabrics in a wide range of colour and textures. We work collaboratively with our customers to provide the most suitable solution for their project. It is this process that has earned us many returning customers and more and more new clients in recent years. We are forward thinking, innovative and currently in a very exciting period of change, development and creativity at Bute Fabrics and we look forward to sharing this with our customers, current and potential. Services: Textile Design Stocked Fabric Collection We have fabrics suitable for all contract and residential uses Bespoke Design Service
Photographs Š John McAslan Architects
Friends House We created a custom version of our Esk fabric for Friends House - a project by John McAslan Architects. This is a fantastic example of our fabrics being specifically created for purpose and having been in situ for a few years now still retains its appearance, thanks to the fantastic benefits of wool in upholstery for high use areas.
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Ailsa Court 121 West Regent Street Glasgow G2 2SD Tel: 0141 226 8320 Email: glasgow@hlmarchitects.com Web: www.hlmarchitects.com Twitter: @HLMArchitects HLM is a leading design practice headquartered in the UK, offering a rare combination of design skills including Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape and Urban Design, Environmental Design and Master planning from six studios. Our people are our strength, the core of our business and our unique ethos. We are a creative organisation, combining flair, imagination and passion with an informed approach to the critical financial, operational and quality aspects of our projects. We champion the importance of design quality, sustainability and innovation, and our projects are driven by all of these, in pursuit of overall design excellence, but within a core framework or financial affordability. Services Architecture Design Interior Design Landscape and Urban Design Environmental Design Master planning
Top: Mott MacDonald Office Space Bottom: Market House, Newcastle
Mott MacDonald Office Space, Sheffield HLM were approached by Mott MacDonald to re-locate their Sheffield office and create a landmark space to reflect the presence of their brand in the city. The new facility provides a contemporary office space mixing natural elements with clean lines and high quality furniture. A key element for the client was to improve connectivity and collaboration between the teams by introducing modern methods of working and to provide a variety of spaces to encourage their staff to move away from their traditional desk based routines. Market House, Newcastle Located on the ground of the old police headquarters, Market House offers a contemporary, high quality student accommodation through a mix of shared flats and studio apartments with adjacent social and study spaces. URBAN REALM SPRING 2018 URBANREALM.COM
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5 Golden Square Aberdeen AB10 1RD Tel: 01224 646450 The Steading Moss-Side Fetternear Aberdeen AB51 5JX Tel: 01224 646450 Email: info@jamstudio.uk.com Web: www.jamstudio.uk.com Twitter: @JAMstudio_Ltd Top: The Still House Left: The Boardroom
Dalmore distillery refit The Still House. Conjuring up evocative images of the fire pits below the stills with light and sound, we designed take a magical journey into the heart of what makes the Dalmore so special – the Still house, with their unusual copper stills that have water cooling jackets. In order to allow visitors to better appreciate the uniqueness of the distillation process, we installed a staircase that brings you in at high level, into the noisy, hot production space, with its unforgettable. The Boardroom. Dalmore were keen to update the look of the interiors in the visitor centre itself, and we chose to retain some of the essence of the history of the site, but combine it with new lighting, and custom built furniture, including a wonderful stags head table, which we designed and had made locally by craftsmen.
JAMstudio is an award winning RIAS & RIBA chartered architectural practice based in Aberdeenshire. We are passionate about great design and its power to create amazing spaces, whether for a one off family home or for an inspirational workplace. We specialise in projects that are a bit different, with clients that are looking for something entirely bespoke and beautifully crafted. Size is no barrier, from a tiny two bed seaside cottage to a seven bed listed mansion; an office for four people to an office for 250+ people – we have worked and are working now on a huge variety of projects. The underlying theme for all our projects is a drive to create something beautiful, that works really well and is within the financial capacity of the client. Services: Architecture including Historic Buildings Space Planning Interior Design Project Management Planning Applications Building Warrant Applications Listed Building Consents Bespoke Joinery Design Lighting Design & Furniture Selection
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5 Forres Street, Edinburgh EH3 6DE Tel: 0131 226 6991 Email: edinburgh@michaellaird.co.uk 83a Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1LF Tel: 0141 255 0222 Email: glasgow@michaellaird.co.uk Web: www.michaellaird.co.uk Michael Laird Architects is one of Scotland’s leading architectural practices responsible for some of the country’s most significant buildings and with many award winning buildings to our name. We are committed to creating imaginative, effective and sustainable buildings and to providing the highest standard of professional service for our clients. We strive to produce architecture that enhances the built environment through contemporary design, which responds sensitively to its context, is environmentally responsible and delivers real value for our clients. The team at MLA is committed to creating highly functional and inspiring spaces to live, work and learn. Services Architectural Design Interior Design & Workspace Consultancy Master Planning & Urban Design Sectors Commercial Office Residential Workplace & Interior Education Retail, Hotel & Leisure Data Centre & Industrial Conservation
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Fit Out of St Vincent Plaza, Glasgow Client: Confidential (Professional Services) Location: St Vincent Plaza, Glasgow An exciting mix of workplace and client facing areas in a new brand environment over three floors of one of Glasgow’s most prominently visible buildings – St Vincent Plaza. There are a variety of functional, flexible and highly attractive spaces and workplace settings for approximately 350 staff on a 0.8 sharing ratio, with a sophisticated, refined and generous client area, staff café and breakout areas. The design ethos references Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s approach to interiors. Simple, elongated forms and understated colour palette reflect the ever changing West of Scotland light and landscape. The accommodation comprises of the following: • Client reception, meeting facilities and external terrace. • Open plan office accommodation. • Variety of enclosed meeting rooms and informal collaboration spaces. • Accommodation stair linking the client areas. • Café / Deli spaces for dining, informal meetings, and large scale presentations and events. • Localised resource and tea prep areas.
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226 West George Street Glasgow G2 2PQ Tel 0141 554 6977 Email: stuart.black@mosaic-ad.com
Top: The Spanish Butcher Left: Stirling’s Restaurant
Mosaic Architecture + Design is one of Scotland’s most experienced practices, the directors of which have been responsible for a comprehensive range of buildings and projects for a variety of clients, in both the private and public sectors. We provide a range consultancy services which include architecture, master planning, interior design, and sustainability. In addition we also provide site finding, feasibility appraisals, CAD visualisation, and construction management services. Located in Glasgow, the practice works with clients across a wide sector of the property industry including workplace, master planning, hotel and leisure, interior design, education, community, retail, industrial, residential and private clients. Services Architecture Interior Design Master Planning
The Spanish Butcher, Glasgow Co-owners James and Louise Rusk wanted an interior inspired by New York’s dining scene, with the end result being a mature, Manhattan loftstyle venue. I think we managed to deliver this by the bucket full. I’m a big craft beer enthusiast and go to the USA a lot. Acid stained concrete is used everywhere in breweries and warehouse bars over there. It was an effect we really wanted to use. The restaurant has a great ambience, fantastic resin floor and new loft style façade. The sound system is LOUD. Stirling’s Restaurant, London We have completed many interiors for The Royal Automobile Club. Our remit here was the re design of a fine dining seafood restaurant known as the Boston Room. In a former guise the room had timber panelling which had been shipped to a museum in Massachusetts. The restaurant was poorly lit. Reinstating panelling allowed us to better illuminate without destroying the restaurants listed interior. We used subtle motifs of seashells, pearlescent tiles and marble to compliment period plasterwork. The Boston Room was rebranded Stirling’s in honor of racing hero, Sir Stirling Moss. We’re all really proud to have worked on this project.
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