£14
IT’S IN OUR NATURE
DESIGN AT WORK
162
SPRING 2023 ONOFFICEMAGAZINE.COM
C AF E T E R I A
brunner future works
delight-work Recognising that most communication and networking takes place during casual, interpersonal contact, the cafeteria’s focus switches to becoming a cross-departmental gathering place. A bright, refreshing biophilic design complements a balanced, enjoyable menu, encouraging people to spend more time there. Meetings, conversations and ideas occur in a positive atmosphere. brunner-uk.com
Pavilion O, a modular structure to reinvents the workplace.
QUALITY of experience
Visit our showroom: 58 St John’s Square, London EC1V 4JG, T: +44 (0) 20 3089 8369
www.kusch.com
WORLD N°1 MONDIAL
Advanced Care Solutions
Barrisol Clim® featuring Carrier® products up to 15% energy savings in both heating and cooling modes
Thermal comfort scale according to ISO 7730*
Class A cold Class A warm
Arch. : KHR Arkitekter A/S
Well-being through air conditioning Invisible air-conditioning - Hybrid hot/cold diffusion by radiation and convection - acoustic and luminous. Thermal comfort performance Class A cold and Class A warm performance according to the ISO 7730*
Barrisol Pure Clim® featuring Carrier® products Disinfection of your indoor air with UVC radiation
Our unique Barrisol Clim® featuring Carrier® products solution allows to air condition and ventilate your rooms in a homogeneous way and without draughts. With the Pure Clim® option, the ambient air can also be purified thanks to UVC lamps.
NAN AWARD First Prize Category Air conditioning & Ventilation for Barrisol Pure Clim® with Carrier®
Ceiling air conditioning, silent, invisible and homogeneous. Thermal comfort performance Class A cold and Class A warm according to the ISO 7730. 100% recyclable.
Janus 2017 de l'Industrie
Carrier® and Barrisol® advanced HVAC ceiling solutions Oustanding Comfort and enhanced Indoor Air Quality It can also be luminous, acoustic and printed. 100% recyclable with at least 75% of recycled materials
AUDITORIUM OF LACQ, France Arch. : Dubedout et Collet Architectes
SAINT-JEAN CLINIC, France
CHAMPAGNE MERCIER, France
Arch. : Agence A+ Architecture
Arch. : MHCS
Air conditioning at all latitudes...
ORLÉANS TOURIST OFFICE, France. Arch. : Nicolas Husson
L’ARBRE BLANC, France
ROSHEIM TOWN HALL, France
Arch. Arbre Blanc : Sou Fujimoto - Nicolas Laisné Manal Rachdi / Arch. restaurant : Pauline Percheron
Arch. : Next-id
Barrisol Cloud Clim® featuring Carrier® products Aesthetic and comfortable air conditioning with modular panels - Barrisol Biosourced® membrane. Thermal comfort performance Class B cold and Class B warm according to the ISO 7730. 100% recyclable.
REDDOT AWARD
BEST OF THE BEST 2021
Arch. : Kris Rymenants Architectenbureau bvba
* Tests carried out in the Jean Falconnier laboratory on the Carrier - Culoz site. Further information available on request.
Short Presentation Clim®
INDOOR AIR EMISSIONS
Advanced Care Solutions®
www.barrisol.com - www.carrier.com
Presentation Clim®
Documentation Clim® & Pure Clim®
Documentation Cloud Clim®
100% recyclable
2015
Open Air Collection
Smart design. Unlimited opportunities. Open Air is a platform of hard-working carpet tiles designed with open spaces in mind. Available in our best-selling neutrals, with coordinating transition styles and colourful accents. All patterns in Open Air are carbon neutral throughout their full product life cycle through our Carbon Neutral Floors™ Programme.
Come visit us at our Pennybank Chambers during CDW! Interface, 1st Floor, 33-35 St John’s Square, Pennybank Chambers, EC1M 4DS, London
T: +44 (0)800 313 4465 E:
[email protected] interface.com
Spring 2023
Contents
13
48
ON THE COVER Our Spring 2023 cover was designed by Karim Nabil featuring the Chesa chair by Karimoku New Standard
17
F ROM THE EDITOR ew season, new N design inspirations
19 C ONTRIBUTORS he people who made T this issue happen
Special 22 CDW PREVIEW Clerkenwell Design Week returns this spring
Edit
Design
29 THE MEANING OF OM
42 ORGANIC EXPERIENCE
Johan Ansander’s chair shows how complex it can be to make something look simple
31 EBB AND FLOW OF SOUND Freyja Sewell’s acoustic panels for The Collection draw their inspiration from rivers
32 FOOLPROOF FLIP DESK
Photography: Masaaki Inoue / Sandie Lykke Nolsøe
Charles O Job’s design for Dutch company Vij5 just folds away when it isn’t needed
Leadership 34 HUMAN NATURE Oliver Heath designs for people and planet
36 FORCES OF CHANGE Anna Tiula focuses on biophilic design
38 MATTHEW ROBERTSON Adventurer and founder lets the outside in
Muuto’s belief that design transforms how we experience space with their latest collection focusing on the effect that good design can have on our wellbeing
48 SETTING A NEW STANDARD The comfortable, lightweight Chesa chair is just one of the designs produced by Karimoku New Standard that celebrate the quality of natural wood
56 W HERE NORM MEETS GORMSEN orm Architects and cabinetmaker N Malte Gormsen have worked together to produce a collection of elegant furniture which reflects a shared design philosophy
56
Formica® Collection Colors Plus Color Woods
formica.com
Spring 2023
Workplace 64 IN BLACK & WHITE Daytrip Studio’s tactile materiality shows off the interior of TOG’s pioneering timber workspace
Contents
98
74 LOCAL HEROES A village 80km from Milan has everything design studio Officino Magisafi needs on tap
82 CALIFORNIA DREAMING NeueHouse’s Venice Beach outpost mixes relaxed working with memories of old Hollywood
90 BRUSHSTROKES OF GENIUS Duelle used colour and texture to create a welcoming HQ for paint company Coat
98 TURN UP THE VOLUME How Neiheiser Argyros gave a tired office building in the Athenian suburbs a new lease of life
106 BARCELONA COMFORTS Natural finishes were at the heart of Juno House, the Spanish city’s membership club for women
Hospitality 116 MOUNTAIN CURE Abandoned health clinic turned boutique hotel in the Austrian Alps brings the beauty of its surroundings into its mid-century style interiors
126 CABIN FEVER Atelier L’Abri’s minimalist A-frame pods allow visitors to Canada’s Farouche Tremblant to experience the splendour of life in the wild
134 MAMMERTSBERG MENU Space Copenhagen’s interiors for the high-end Swiss restaurant and hotel deliver everything that a guest might have ordered
Photography: Lorenzo Zandri / Matthias Heiderich
142 MILK BEACH CHIC The new Soho outpost of the popular Australian-style eatery brings a slice of stylish art deco Sydney to the centre of London
Spotlight 150 ALEXANDER LERVIK Unique granite and glass pieces in the Swedish designer’s Unikat gallery
154 WHAT’S ON YOUR DESK? OnOffice pulls up a chair with cover artist Karim Nabil
116
15
Editor’s Letter
Spring 2023
The Great Outdoors
W
elcome to the spring edition of OnOffice. As the green shoots start pushing through, it’s easy to see why adventurer and founder Matthew Robertson, in our Leadership section (p38), is suggesting that it’s time to play outdoors. Here at OnOffice we’re usually more focused on the indoors – but this is our Wellbeing Issue and there’s nothing like the spring to make it obvious how important the natural world is to the way we live and work effectively, bringing both playfulness and productivity. To start things off, our Leadership section explores what we gain from building closer links between the worlds of nature and work. On p34 designer Oliver Heath explains some of the direct and indirect ways to introduce nature into our urban environments, while Helsinki-based interiors specialist Anna Tiula (p36) tells us about the benefits of Nordic biophilia. And, as our cover suggests, now is the time to get out into the great outdoors – whether for a short walk or full-scale forest bathing. Karim Nabil’s image (find out more about him on p154) shows the relaxed and joyful Chesa chair from Karimoku New Standard (KNS) feeling quite at home in a Canadian redwood forest. On p48 we learn more about how the design – in Japanese oak with a bent plywood back – is part of KNS’s plan to showcase the beauty of timber in a market where little office furniture is made of solid wood. Back in the city, timber is positioned right at the heart of another
project: The Office Group’s Black and White Building (p64) is London’s tallest mass timber office building, and its presence is echoed in the natural choices and tactile materials on display in the immersive interior by Daytrip Studio. As we discover, this spotlight on craftsmanship extends to the building’s role in the Makers & Mentors programme, which links young designers with established names such as Sebastian Cox. Elsewhere, we visit some spaces that are blurring the boundaries between outside and inside to great effect. Deep in rural Quebec, Atelier L’Abri’s stark A-frame cabins wrapped in cedar shingles (p126) allow their occupants to look deep into the wild country from the comfort of a simple contemporary interior. Half a world away in the Austrian Alps, a similar approach brings a very different result. The Cōmodo (p116), a luxurious new boutique hotel in a former health clinic, provides a relaxing retreat with floor-toceiling windows that let the mountains in, as well as a statement spa. But while rural views can be a wonderful thing, they’re not always great for business networking. When they set up their design studio 80km from busy Milan, the founders of Officina Magisafi worried that being rurally based might be a problem. Instead they discovered a community of material producers and of skilled artisans who proved crucial to their work and to the design of their office (p74). Which shows that nature isn’t just an escape – it can be right there with us indoors and out. The OnOffice Team
“There’s nothing like the spring to make it obvious how important the natural world is to the way we live and work
Follow OnOffice onofficemagazine.com @onofficemag
17
91% recycled content Every m2 diverts 8kg from landfill Contributes to the 40 for 40 initiative with World Land Trust
Principle™ For Sustainable Tile Specification
Contributors
Spring 2023
OnOffice is published quarterly by Media 10 Limited
Crown House, 151 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF T: 020 3225 5200
EDITORIAL Associate Editor Kaye Preston
MARKETING
Subscriptions
Design Portfolio Marketing Manager Jedd Barry
An annual subscription of OnOffice delivered directly to your door. Call +44 (0) 1858 438772 to place your credit card order or email
[email protected] (please inform us of your postal address and telephone number). Annual subscription rates are: UK £44.99; Europe £90; Rest of world £110.
Art Director Robin Farley
Marketing Assistant Elmaz Ramadan
Sub Editor Sarah Cutforth
PRODUCTION Production Executive Mickie Dipple
ADVERTISING Design Division Director Marlon Cera-Marle
ISSN number 1752-6264 Circulation – 15,752
PUBLISHING Printed by Stephens & George Ltd, an awardwinning environmentally-friendly printer based in Wales, UK. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.
Chief Executive Officer Lee Newton
Advertising Sales Manager Orla Tickton
Professional Publishers Association
Contributors
1
4
Oliver Heath is founder of Oliver Heath
Mandi Keighran is a London-based
Dominic Lutyens is a London-based
Design – researchers, strategists,
freelance writer, editor and copywriter
design journalist who writes regularly
designers & advocates for wellbeing and
specialising in design, travel and food. She
for BBC Designed, The Financial Times
Biophilic Design in the built environment.
writes for Dwell, Cubes and more.
@oliverheathdesign
2
@mandikeighran
3
and The London Evening Standard. @dominiclut
Alia Akkam lives in Budapest. She covers
Sonia Zhuravlyova writes about
Shawn Adams is an architect,
food, drink, travel, and design, and is the
architecture and design for titles such as
lecturer and writer based in London.
author of the forthcoming book Behind the
Monocle and Dwell. She is based in London
He is also a co-founder of POoR
Bar: 50 Cocktail Recipes From the World's
and has co-authored a book on the history
Most Iconic Hotels. @behdria
5
19
of post-war prefabs. @sonia--zhur
6
Collective. @--shawn--adams--
the UK’s leading design festival
cdwfestival
clerkenwell.design.week
clerkenwelldesignweek
#cdw2023
source cutting-edge products for your upcoming interior design projects
register now clerkenwelldesignweek.com
22
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview Clerkenwell Design Week, the UK’s leading design festival, returns to London 23 – 25 May 2023
Spring 2023
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview
Spring 2023
E
23
xplore the world’s leading design brands, undiscovered talent, specially commissioned installations, and brand activations as well as hundreds of design-led events, workshops, talks, parties, showroom presentations and more. Clerkenwell Design Week will showcase thousands of cutting-edge products covering everything from furniture to lighting, flooring to interior finishes, and everything in-between. Historically a melting pot of craftsmen and makers, Clerkenwell is now home to more creative businesses, design showrooms and architects per square mile than anywhere else in the world and each May, welcomes more than 30,000 visitors for Clerkenwell Design Week. Taking place 23-25 May, CDW has established itself as one of the most important design festivals in the global calendar,
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview
championing design excellence, creativity and innovations. For its 12th edition, CDW is set to offer its biggest programme to date, featuring more than 300 design brands, 130 showrooms and more than 600 events taking place across the EC1 neighbourhood. The 2023 festival welcomes two new additions to its exhibition venues across Clerkenwell, taking the total number to 12. Making use of a former Victorian prison, church crypts, a gallery and more, visitors can expect to discover the latest contemporary products covering furniture, kitchens and bathrooms, textiles, interior accessories, lighting, materials, and surfaces. Some of the brands exhibiting include: Ercol, Dare Studio, Benchmark, Another Country, Christian Watson, James Burleigh, KI, Meridiani, Saba Italia, Samuel Heath, Romo, Ultrafabrics, Spark & Bell, Chelsom, Jonathan Coles, and Curiousa to name just a few. Another significant aspect of CDW is its network of showroom partners, with an extensive line-up of topic-led initiatives and events; from product launches and parties to workshops and panel discussions. This year, expect to see over 130 established names from both the UK and overseas – including; Ideal Standard, Kohler, VitrA, Cosentino, Gessi, Iris Ceramica, Arper, Fritz Hansen, Fredericia, Icons of Denmark, Modus, Flokk, Orangebox, Bisley, Lintex, Allermuir, Bolon, Camira Fabrics, Formica, Solid Nature, Havwoods, Marazzi, Parkside and many more.
Spring 2023
Meanwhile, eight destinations across Clerkenwell – including the Goldsmiths’ Centre, Paxton Locher House, Bourne and Hollingsworth, Groupwork, the Museum of the Order of St John, Brewhouse Yard and Cowcross Yards – will be taken over by a selection of international brands and trade institutions; each presenting a cutting edge selection of products. The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Businesses and Incheon City will present a design showcase at the Museum of the Order of St John, a venue not previously used during CDW.
Photography: Sophie Mutevelian / Sam Frost
24
Spring 2023 2023
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview
25
26
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview
Spring 2023
Highlights During the three days of Clerkenwell Design Week, topical talks, new design projects, street spectacles and temporary installations will take place and be located around the festival. They are created to challenge visitors’ perception of design application, as well as to inspire and entertain.
and debates from designers, architects and business leaders alike. Curated by brand consultant, Katie Richardson, the 2023 talks will be hosted in a purpose-built theatre in Spa Fields – sponsored by RAK Ceramics. The full line-up of speakers will be revealed in spring.
Conversations at Clerkenwell Conversations at Clerkenwell – a compelling schedule of daily talks aimed to explore current industry topics, drawing upon insight, opinion
Installations & Brand Activations CDW will also bring a series of specially commissioned, site-specific installations – as part of CDW Presents – as well as brand
activations from the likes of Baux, Lammhults, Jennifer Newman, Texaa, Swatchbox, Softline and Universal Fibers to the streets of Clerkenwell during the festival. Fringe & Food and Drink Partners Throughout the festival, various design studios will open their doors to visitors who can participate in a range of creative workshops – as part of the Fringe programme – whilst a variety of discounts and deals will be offered by local food and drink partners.
Register for your free visitor badge at clerkenwelldesignweek.co.uk
12
exhibition venues
130+
showrooms
300+ brands
600+ events
18+
topical talks
100's
of product launches
Spring 2023
Clerkenwell Design Week Preview
Clerkenwell Design Week takes place 23-25 May and is free to attend. Find out more and claim your free visitor badge via clerkenwelldesignweek.com
27
Yoredale.
An ultra-textured bouclé. Woven from British wool. New colours for Spring 2023.
Spring 2023
words by alia akkam
Laid back
Photography: Blå Station / Andrea Papini
An enticing rounded silhouette beckons users to settle into the European oak or ash OM chair, one of designer Johan Ansander’s latest creations for Swedish furniture brand Blå Station. Comfortable and lightweight (it’s just 4.5kg), and available in a range of dyed hues, OM showcases an open, curving backrest fashioned from a piece of moulded plywood that cleverly forms the rear legs too. Despite the manufacturing complexity required to produce the chair, Stockholm-based Ansander wanted it “to look simple in its construction, easy to grasp and understand”. He says: “OM consists of eight visible parts. What you see is what you get.” blastation.com
Edit
29
FOR CEILINGS WITH AURA, CHOOSE ACOURA
This lightweight ceiling system, manufactured from 70% recycled PET, is the new acoustic solution from Soundtect. Manufactured U shape channels nestle quietly with a hidden unique, but carefully engineered, easy to install fixing method, for wall to wall acoustic ceiling applications. ACOURA, available in 24 colours and a variety of widths and depths, offers unbridled reverberation control and a beautiful, serene addition to any room. Visit the product installed in our Clerkenwell Showroom over CDW, or drop us an email for information.
[email protected] | www.soundtect.com | 45 Great Sutton St, London EC1V 0DE
Edit
Spring 2023
words by mandi keighran
Photography: Mark Macdonald
A quiet place It’s well established that considered acoustics and biophilic design have a positive impact on wellness in the workplace – and designer Freyja Sewell has brought these two concepts together to create a new collection of acoustic panels for The Collective. The trio of acoustic panels – called ‘Avon’ after the Cornish word for ‘river’ – is inspired by the natural beauty of Cornwall’s streams and rivers. Each interchangeable panel is crafted from sustainable EchoPanel by Woven Image, with undulating patterns precisely etched into the surface to evoke the ebb and flow of these waterways. “Precision cutting allowed us to create dense swathes of light and shadow that subtly change and shift as you move past,” explains Sewell. “Arriving into an acoustic-insulated hushed environment creates a palpable positive impact which benefits both neurodiversity and general productivity.” thecollective.agency
Freyja Sewell (top) and swatches of Krenn (above) and Leven (right) from the Avon collection
31
Edit
Spring 2023
33
words by mandi keighran
Photography: Vij5 / Riccardo Schalcher
Tidy desk, tidy mind Working from home can be a messy business, especially in tiny spaces. The Flip Desk by Nigerian-Swiss architect and designer Charles O Job for Dutch brand Vij5 offers a clever solution – one surprisingly inspired by old-fashioned, wall-mounted kitchen scales. The colourful powder-coated steel back panel of the desk attaches to the wall and functions as a storage compartment for everything from a laptop and magazines to stationery. The worktop, which is crafted from Ecoplex plywood covered in Forbo Furniture Linoleum, simply flips down when needed and folds up to conceal the storage when not in use. To make the most of the compact 36 x 80cm work surface, the handcrafted solid oak hinges echo those of a laptop, giving the desk a sleek, minimal appearance. While the Flip Desk was conceived during the global pandemic to offer a solution to workers in lockdown, it is just as practical in flexible workspaces where space is at a premium. vij5.nl
S tudio visit with NigerianSwiss Architect and Designer Charles O Job P owder-coated steel storage can be hidden away when the Flip Desk is not in use
34
Leadership
Spring 2023
WHAT LIES BEHIND OUR ATTRACTION TO NATURE? Why do we dream of living in a rural cottage or relaxing on a tropical island? Oliver Heath, who specialises in designing for the wellbeing of people and the planet, answers our questions
OnOffice: Can you tell us about your work and designing for the wellbeing of people and the planet? Oliver Heath: We are a collaborative team of interior architects, design and material strategists, researchers and marketing experts who are committed to the wellbeing of people and planet through our work within the built environment. Biophilic design is very much at the core of what we do and how we do it, utilising our innate attraction to nature to enhance the spaces we inhabit. We take care in what we specify, investigating the suppliers we work with and asking the difficult questions – something which ties into our role as one of the founding signatories for [climate action movement] Interior Design Declares. Additionally, we are big believers in knowledge-sharing, which is practised through our commitment to continued learning, our publications such as Design a Healthy Home, and our Biophilic Design School, which offers online courses for those looking to learn more about designing for people and planet. OO: How can enhancing our connection to nature and bringing it indoors positively impact our wellbeing? OH: Biophilic design is an evolutionary design ethos, meaning that its concepts and theories are
based on an attraction to nature that we have genetically inherited. As a result, we find it has a universal appeal and benefit for building occupants. Most people will describe a natural environment when asked to think about somewhere they feel their wellbeing is best supported. However, it is unlikely that this is where they spend the majority of their time – with most people seeing buildings when they look up, as opposed to treetops. There are ways to introduce nature into our urban environments to enhance wellbeing. ‘Direct connections’ are the most beneficial, enhancing natural light, movement, water – and, of course, adding views onto greenery. But truly impactful spaces also need to consider the ‘indirect connections’, such as using natural materials, and ‘the experience of space and place’, such as providing places that are calming and restorative alongside those that are exciting and stimulating. OO: Can you describe how human-centred design impacts the way we feel in a space? OH: As humans we will always enter a space in a dynamic state of being, with a range of physical, mental, and emotional needs that change throughout the day. All of these states would ideally be satisfied by the offer of a diverse range of easily accessible spaces to suit our needs. As we experience and understand spaces through our senses, it is essential that we fully consider how our choices as designers affect
them. By focusing on the universal appeal of natural features and materials, the benefits impact a wider range of occupants. Biophilic design offers us this well-considered approach to designing for the senses – with a variety of features that will both excite and energise while reducing the potential for overstimulation, stress and burnout. OO: How can designing with natural materials positively impact our physiology and, in turn, our performance throughout the day? OH: Materials are fundamental to our sensory experience of the workplace and can benefit us both physically and psychologically. Natural materials, which are free of harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), first and foremost contribute to cleaner indoor air quality – improving our respiratory systems and concentration. There are also numerous studies on the positive benefits of timber which exist across sectors. For instance, it has been found that in workplaces with more than 60% timber surfaces there is a 16% reduction in stress, an 18% increase in concentration, satisfaction with working life goes up 25%, and confidence is boosted by 19% [CBRE]. OO: More of us are now working from both home and offices. What are a few things we can do in our spaces to benefit our wellbeing? OH: It’s important to recognise how both our offices and WFH spaces can benefit us at different times and in different ways. From this, we can work to those strengths rather than seeing them as competing with one another. Workspaces can help us connect with one another and engage with an organisation’s mission and core values. Developing these community connections is vital to drive innovation and was the subject of a recent white paper we wrote with our partners at Interface. In it we have suggested seven design features for enhancing community connections to benefit both the individual and the organisation. These include concepts such as triangulation, growing and collision spaces. At home, we need to think carefully about our own cognitive and sensory needs to create a space that supports our personalised approach to focus and concentration. Moments of restoration through views onto nature, or immersion in it, will help to energise and restore concentration. Our online course, Biophilic Design in the Home [at oliverheath.com], helps designers to maximise the impact of nature-based solutions in domestic workspaces.
Takku
Foster+Partners
Pierpaolo Ferrari
artemide.com
Leadership
Spring 2023
37
Forces of change
Anna Tiula
The Helsinki Interiors founder and board member of Design District Helsinki, explains her fascination with biophilic design
OnOffice: Can you tell us about your work as an interior designer and Design District Helsinki board member? Anna Tiula: I’m working as a designer and an advisor with a wellbeing focus. I help my clients to achieve feelings of wellbeing, happiness, serenity and creativity in their spaces. Besides design tools, I work with Nordic biophilia, positive psychology and sensory design. Design District Helsinki comprises over 200 members in 25 streets of Helsinki. As a board member it’s truly interesting to follow the likes of Artek, Marimekko and national museums. But I’m also inspired to work with smaller design-oriented spots such as restaurants and galleries. It’s a great honour to boost my hometown of Helsinki and its urban design culture.
Photography: Claudio Nava
OO: When did your interest in design and biophilic design begin? AT: I was both design and art orientated from a child and was lucky to have parents who took me to museums and exhibitions in Finland and abroad. I became interested in biophilic design many years ago and have been interested in people and wellbeing for a long time. I’ve never been a camper, but I can name almost any butterfly in Finland. A wise one once said that it is almost impossible to work as a designer without knowing the surrounding nature. It was a huge opportunity for me as a designer to find the path of biophilic design. I believe that this was how my own signature style was created. OO: Can you tell us a bit more about biophilia and its impact in creating human-centred spaces that benefit our wellbeing? AT: Sleeping problems, anxiety, headaches, nausea, high blood pressure, digestive symptoms,
back pains, low mood, unrecognisable irritations, hormonal imbalance, dependency – a very typical list of symptoms for urban dwellers today. We spend 90% of our time inside – with many of us spending days and nights in the same surroundings – which our nervous system wasn’t designed for. If we are living in very untypical, unnatural circumstances, the nervous system doesn’t know how to adapt. It doesn’t have, for example, the natural signs to calm down. It is scientifically proven that we feel better if we have a connection to nature. Fresh air instead of air conditioning, natural light instead of blue LED, natural materials with natural scents instead of toxic plastics, symmetry instead of irregularity, visible signs of nature instead of all man-made, dim colours instead of aggressive triggers. It’s fascinating to learn more about ourselves and to find out how much biophilic interiors improve our wellbeing. OO: Can you describe your workspace and how this impacts your creativity and wellbeing? AT: Helsinki Interiors is situated in the heart of Design District Helsinki – in a Jugendstil building from 1908. I enjoy stories and history of people, places and architecture. That’s why I have many vintage pieces in my office – when you know the stories of this furniture, it feels like you’re enjoying the company of old and wise people. When working, I go for tranquil and natural surroundings. A subdued and soft colour palette is a must for me. We have a lounge-type space, a darker room for discussions, rest and reading. Big north-facing windows allow in lots of daylight. I have learned to listen to myself over the course of the workday. My working environment must adapt to my needs rather than me adapting to the interior.
OO: Can you describe an ideal working day? AT: Exactly – a workday. I never work at night-time any more. I do recognise the tranquillity of the night, but my journey through biophilia, positive psychology and neuroscience has taught me that it’s better for me to work from morning until the afternoon. My journey has taught me to start the day with tasks that require focus and to continue with more social interaction like out-of-office visits in the afternoon. I consider my day to be a mental and cognitive success if the morning is good. OO: Can you tell us about your future projects? AT: My work is more and more wellbeing focused. Previously – before Covid – design’s potential to serve people’s wellbeing and happiness, was not well known. The interest towards this point of view is increasing, which of course is encouraging. I’m also feeling happy to be an ambassador for design work other than just for a consuming purpose. Being on the board of Design District Helsinki will certainly be interesting over this coming year. OO: What are you currently reading or listening to? AT: Apart from my field of work in wellbeing design, which needs continuous studying – since childhood, including my studies in university, I have been interested in various cultures. In the evenings I’m currently reading Gaston Dorren’s book Babel: Around the World in Twenty Languages. It’s a delightful comparison of characteristics, languages and communication in the world. OO: Where can we follow you and find out more about your work? AT: LinkedIn, where I’m happy to connect @anna-tiula, and Instagram for behind the scenes and shots of Helsinki @annatiula.
38
Leadership
Spring 2023
words by matthew robertson
A GIFT FROM NATURE
Adventurer and founder of Momentum – specialising in creating media in dramatic environments – explores the positive impact of letting the outdoors in
This feeling is realised by research studies on the subject consistently confirming that nature and the outdoors are good for the mind, body and soul. The more we embrace the natural world, the better our wellbeing. This is our mantra in the way we work: intrinsic experiences in nature organically create a state of flow. The result is positive memories that last a lifetime. I was listening to Eckhart Tolle, a famed spiritual teacher who talks of creating a state of flow. A flow state describes a feeling where, under the right conditions, you become fully immersed in whatever you are doing. Being still or being energised can encourage a state of euphoria in the environment you are in. Creating an environment in the home, work or finding a place in the outdoors to release energy ultimately allows us a place to breathe deep and reconnect with what really matters: family, friends and nature. My late father was a passionate horticulturist and landscape designer who often spoke about the idea of ‘letting the outdoors in’. As a kid, I fondly remember our home having luscious plants everywhere, exposed wooden walls and big glass
windows – a calm, micro ecosystem we would all gravitate towards. Congregating to eat, talk and reconnect. While I can appreciate and enjoy modern architecture, I feel chalets, for example, possess an intrinsic charm: open fires, wood everywhere and nestled on a mountainside or hunkered in a forest. This is fast becoming a desirable way to construct our homes, the spaces where we live and breathe – incorporating natural elements like wood, stone, water and plants. These are organic catalysts for positive, mental wellness in our homes and offices. These organic materials work in harmony with their surroundings. Complementing the human desire to be in nature, creating a naturally balanced feeling of calm and wellbeing. In the modern world we seem to be in a relentless pursuit of perfection in our lives. Looking outside at what’s around us in the natural world, I believe perfection lives and breathes in Mother Nature. I’m convinced that embracing this in our homes and places of work can have a profound and positive effect on how we live our lives. I encourage any and all to play outdoors, be adventurous and let the outdoors in.
Photograpphy: Momentum
I
‘m so fortunate to have the wilderness as my office – whenever I’m immersed in nature, it feels like a home from home. It’s really all I’ve ever known, a place of peace, a place of calm. As a child and to date, I’ve had some of my happiest times living, breathing and playing in nature. I’ve spent the last 30 years exploring some of the planet’s most remote regions, travelling and immersing myself in some of nature’s incredible landscapes, wildlife, flora and fauna. I’ve watched in fascination as indigenous cultures not only live but thrive in harmony in seemingly inhospitable environments. They’ve worked with nature, not against it. Rivers become energy for power, the vegetation becomes shelter from the elements, a tree is taken, a tree is planted. Using natural energy, they create a synergy with the environment they live in. A symbiotic relationship where both can thrive and evolve within the same ecosystem. My belief is we are all carbon – we are ultimately from the earth and nature is just part of our DNA. It just feels good to surround ourselves with the elements that bring us joy and contentment. My understanding of this comes from seeing my clients on expeditions experience Mother Nature doing some of her finest work: a sunset, waterfall, or volcano erupting – all organic, free-forming features created by nature. What comes with this, I feel, is a sense of inherent belonging, a sense of comfort and familiarity. Hard to rationalise, but it just feels good!
JUNG.DE/LS-TOUCH
CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK Visit us: 23 – 25 May 2023 6/7 Albemarle Way Clerkenwell London EC1V 4JB
Photographer: Constantin Meyer, Interior: Design Post Cologne
MADE TO TOUCH. DESIGNED TO CONTROL. THE SMART KNX ROOM CONTROLLER.
40
Promotional Feature
Spring 2023
Vitra Club Office
The Tramshed – Vitra’s London showroom – demonstrates ‘The Club Office’ concept
I
n 2021 the Swiss-based furniture brand Vitra launched its workspace concept ‘Club Office’– a model that functions as a solution to the shifting requirements for working post pandemic. The Club embodies the culture that Vitra is looking to build: it is the engine room of a successful team that both existing and future members want to be a part of. Understanding that the Vitra team comes to the office with a desire to feel part of a larger ensemble, in spring 2021, Vitra built the Club Office at its own headquarters in Switzerland. The Club’s ‘members’ consist of employees from all parts of Vitra as well as the company’s close external partners. A wide range of different spatial scenarios are available, which are divided into three areas –
Photograpphy: Vitra / Taran Wilkhu
Vitra’s Club Office concept, now in place at its Shoreditch showroom, shows how a workspace can encompass everything from quiet private working to social collaboration
Promotional Feature
Spring 2023
public areas, semi-public areas for informal and formal meetings, workshops and get-togethers, and private areas for more focused work. The public section provides members with a welcoming space for spontaneous meetings, a forum for discussion, debate and mutual learning. It is open and accessible to all employees and close partners of Vitra and can also be visited by external guests. The company regularly hosts its community in the Club, including members, customers and partners. These social exchanges are linked to the Club, and memories and experiences are rooted here. Just as no two companies are alike, the Club Office reflects Vitra’s ethos. Vitra’s London showroom at the Tramshed in Shoreditch, which opened in September 2022, is the most recent example of Vitra’s Club Office concept. The space offers a whole range of different spatial scenarios for informal and formal meetings, workshops and get-togethers. These elements are crucial to the Club Office layout of the Tramshed, making the varied zones of the space flexible to suit both quiet work and group discussions and to stimulate collaboration. Key elements of the Club Office concept are product solutions that combine flexibility, adaptability and retreat – all required for modern working environments that need to adapt to the shifting requirements that ensure employees feel comfortable in their workplace. A good example of this kind of furniture solution is Dancing Wall, a versatile modular system by architect and designer Stephan Hürlemann. Thanks to its castors, it can be easily moved so that the users can arrange the space according to their needs. Furthermore, Hürlemann’s new product Talky, a soundproof pod developed for Erich Keller AG, fulfils the purpose of an option for quiet retreat. The pod, available in a range of materials and colours, can be used for telephone calls, focused solo tasks, confidential conversations or simply for contemplating ideas. Talky’s exterior panels can additionally be equipped with pinboards, whiteboards, flipcharts, shelving, workstations, coat racks and plant trays, allowing it to also serve as a functional object for its external surroundings. The acoustic system means that the user is guaranteed privacy while the powerful but quiet ventilation system ensures good air quality within the pod.
The versatility of Dancing Wall by Architect and Designer Stephan Hürlemann for Vitra
41
words by mandi keighran
The art of wellbeing
The new collection from Muuto explores the impact that good design can have on our wellbeing – from thoughtful lighting to seriously comfy armchairs
Design
Spring 2023
Photography: Muuto / Petra Bindel
C
elebrated Scandinavian design brand Muuto was founded on a belief that considered design transforms the experience of a space. This is expressed in myriad ways: the ergonomic form of a chair that comfortably embraces the sitter, a lamp with the power to provide focus or romance, colour that elevates mood, or considered materiality that invites touch. Given the ability of good design to improve wellbeing, it’s fitting that the name Muuto comes from the Finnish word muutos, meaning ‘new perspective’. “We try to create designs that you are intuitively drawn to – so elements such as tactility, form, the use of natural materials and colour are very deliberate choices in our design process,” says Line Brockmann Juhl, brand director at Muuto. “How we combine form, colour and material impacts how we feel – and it’s not just a visual experience. All of our senses become activated.” Research, for example, has shown that we feel naturally drawn to softer shapes and organic curves – both visually and through touch. And, these kinds of organic forms underpin Muuto’s signature Scandinavian aesthetic, one that champions material honesty and simple, primitive forms.
43
The Couple Coffee Table by
Six Fiber Conference Armchairs
Sylvain Willenz is based around
accompany Muuto’s 70/70 Table
tactile ceramic stoneware
and Strand Pendant Lamps
44
Design
Spring 2023
The new iteration of Iskos-Berlin’s
The Wrap Lounge Chair by
Fiber Conference Armchair
Normal Studio has a duvet-like
maintains its friendly curves
textile wrap for extra comfort
“The generously proportioned armchair envelops the body and evokes the feeling of being wrapped in comfort”
The way we experience objects both visually and haptically is a particular focus of the new Couple Coffee Table by Sylvain Willenz, for example. Inspired by a traditional tile table, it is a refined merging of two elements with distinct textures: a soft oak frame and dense ceramic tiles with a wavy or smooth surface. “The texture of the wavy tile speaks to you – it makes you ask yourself: ‘How would it feel to run my fingers across it?’,” explains Brockmann Juhl. “This is truly a tactile table and you find yourself drawn to touch and feel the synergies between very contrasting surfaces and structured elements.” It is also expressed in the rounded shell of the Fiber Conference Chair by Iskos-Berlin, which is designed with friendly curves that provide comfort to the user while maintaining a small footprint. Originally launched in 2014, the next generation has just been released with an updated materiality – a recycled plastic that uses a minimum of 80% recycled material and FSC-certified wood fibres.
46
Design
Spring 2023
The Ease Portable Lamp,
The E27 Pendant Lamp by
designed by Johan Van Hengel
Mattias Stålbom is now available
works alone or in repetition
in a fresh palette of colours
“For us, wellbeing is about creating an atmosphere that makes you feel at ease, at home”
Design can also tap into memories and associations that bring with them the idea of wellbeing. Take, for example, the Wrap Lounge Chair by Normal Studio – the generously proportioned armchair envelops the body and is seemingly draped with a soft blanket that evokes the feeling of being wrapped in comfort. And, sometimes design promotes wellbeing simply through its strikingly effective functionality, which makes the everyday more enjoyable. It’s this approach to wellbeing that the Ease Portable Lamp by Johan van Hengel champions. The simple lamp is composed of two elements that softly meet, with the large base of the top emitting a high-quality light that can be transported to wherever it’s most needed. “Wellbeing is a subjective feeling – and that which makes you gravitate towards something might be difficult to explain,” says Brockmann Juhl. “For us, at Muuto, wellbeing is about creating an atmosphere that makes you feel at ease, at home, and connected to the place.”
Trestle Table & Benches
[email protected] w w w.jennifernewman.com
outside terrace furniture which will remain pristine for years in challenging environmental conditions
words by alia akkam photography by masaaki inoue
IT’S IN OUR NATURE The relaxed Chesa chair from Karimoku New Standard showcases the beauty of timber
Design
Spring 2023
Karimoku New Standard’s Chesa chair is made from Japanese oak and bent plywood The curved armrests open up space for the user to turn to left and right comfortably
Illustration: Karim Nabil
F
launting a seemingly floating backrest, the Chesa chair, one of the latest offerings from Karimoku New Standard (KNS), exudes an ethereal quality. Courtesy of Zurich-based Jörg Boner, the most recent talent to join the forward-thinking Japanese design brand’s roster of international creative collaborators, Chesa is a nimble, lightweight dining chair that equally instils meeting rooms with an elegant air. The curved armrests, says Boner, “open up a large space toward the back, where you can also turn to the left and right and face your neighbour
without losing comfort”. Chesa is born from Japanese oak and bent plywood (optionally bolstered by upholstery in a spectrum of hues like earthy terracotta and crisp steel grey), and its backrest seamlessly attaches to the upper edges of the frame by way of a cleverly designed joint. At once joyful and inventive, Chesa exemplifies the KNS ethos. Like the furniture produced by the mothership, prominent manufacturer Karimoku, KNS showcases the beauty of timber – sustainably sourced from hardwood trees in northern Japan that would otherwise be discarded or
49
50
Design
Spring 2023
“We aim to fill this niche with making furniture that besides having a fresh look, is flexible, sometimes modular, particularly durable, and ecological.”
The Castor Lobby sofa system offers modular combinations of sofas, chairs, stools and tables The oak-framed Castor Lobby chair acts equally well as a standalone seating option
wind up as paper pulp. Each piece embodies craftsmanship, reflected by a hi-tech yet hightouch approach that balances an appreciation for automation with a respect for handmade traditions. KNS launched in 2009 with a compact portfolio comprising nine products solely for the residential market – and is now flourishing as a fully fledged collection of seating, tables, desks and shelving that generates 85% of its turnover through contract sales. That shift into hospitality and workplaces, notes KNS creative director David Glaettli, “has opened many possibilities and allows us to explore fast-evolving fields, such as the working environment”.
Given that little office furniture is currently fashioned out of solid wood, a material sought after for its warmth and tactility in homes, Glaettli believes that KNS has an inherent advantage. “We aim to fill this niche with making furniture that, besides having a fresh look, is flexible, sometimes modular, particularly durable and ecological. We don’t want to become more technical, but find simple, down-to-earth solutions for the basic needs of contemporary working,” he elaborates. Blurring the boundary between public and private, modern-day work setups are versatile, and KNS responds to that booming hybrid
LockerWall bisley.com
52
Design
The Spectrum Workstation Round ST 160 meeting table has a circular central cable tunnel
Spring 2023
mindset by melding style with functionality. Consider the Spectrum table series designed by Berlin-based Geckeler Michels. The duo’s newest addition, the spherical oak Spectrum Workstation Round ST 160 meeting table, takes cues from the graceful lines of Japanese architecture, but is efficiently outfitted with a “generous cable channel”, as Glaettli puts it, for integrating electronic devices. There is also the oak-framed Castor Lobby sofa system, released last autumn as part of the Castor range by Lausanne industrial design studio Big-Game. An “extremely understated, minimal” appeal, points out Glaettli,
“combined with a smart modularity” – there are one-, two-, and three-seat versions that integrate armrests and table surfaces – translates to a highly adaptable sofa that can be “used in a variety of places from the hotel lobby to the living room”. Key to the growth of KNS is the group of designers, largely from Europe, who Glaettli has entrusted with conceptualising the furniture. “For me, it is important to know each other well before initialising a project,” Glaettli explains. “I’m looking for open, sensible, innovative minds and a common ground – a thorough understanding of the character as well the potential of KNS.”
making places friendly
usm.com
Play around with colours, shapes and dimensions and design your own furniture with our online configurator USM Modular Furniture 49–51 Central St, London EC1V 8AB, 020 7183 3470,
[email protected]
54
Promotional Feature
toi toi toi creative studio chose HIMACS in Terrazzo Classico to create curvy furniture
Creative Serenity Creative studio toi toi toi chose the mouldable flexibility of HIMACS Terrazzo Classico to create unique organic shapes for Berlin-based startup Contentful
Spring 2023
Promotional Feature
Spring 2023
HIMACS solid surface material created unique pieces with seamless details
Photography: koy & winkel
A
t LX Hausys we always endeavour to help our customers achieve the best possible result, not only aesthetically, but also practically and sustainably. This recent revamp of the Contentful offices in Berlin, shows how successful our solid surface material HIMACS can be when working in partnership with a design agency with vision and commitment. toi toi toi creative studio (affectionately known as T3) was enlisted to create an inviting and fresh entrance, cafe-dining space, meeting rooms and agile, tech-focused team spaces for the brand new offices of Berlin-based startup Contentful. The designers have chosen HIMACS in the shade Terrazzo Classico for the curvy and seamless furniture in the building. Founded and operated by designers Melissa Amarelo and Stephanie Lund, T3 designs innovative and curious spaces that spark joy. The studio founders applied their integrative design approach to the interior design of the five-storey office complex. Organic shapes and a design that is as exceptional as it is captivating, combined with innovative materials, elevate the architecture and provide visitors with an absolute wow effect. When it comes to first impressions, the reception area arguably makes the perfect first impression. In keeping with the motto ‘welcome, sit, relax’, this spacious, open and inviting area encourages you to linger. The furniture elements such as the reception desk, the seating, even the integrated planters, are all unique elements. A specific material was needed to achieve a noble-looking surface that had to be mouldable, with invisible joins. The solution: HIMACS solid surface material. It is versatile and inspiring, making it perfect for dramatic buildings and installations. The filigree-looking furniture takes its position in the centre of the ground floor and immediately catches the eye, thanks to its shape and colour. A delicately curved reception counter is the visitors’ first destination. The curved counter shape conveys an inviting atmosphere; thanks to the recessed base, the counter looks light and elegant despite its size of almost 3.3m. HIMACS is ideal for high-traffic areas, as stains can be easily wiped off with a cloth and water. Stubborn stains can be removed by using a cleaning agent, without leaving any residue. Even minor scratches or signs of wear can be easily polished away with fine sandpaper. The seating areas consist of a variety of HIMACS
elements, which seem to be one big entity. Plinths, fronts, surfaces and planters are all made of HIMACS and appear to have been cast as one piece. The non-porous, absolutely smooth and visually seamless surface also offers an ideal base for the highest hygiene requirements. HIMACS was perfect for this project thanks to its sustainability, durability and impermeability to dirt and bacteria. Lund further explains: “HIMACS was the best choice of material because it is so flexible to shape. Overall, the seating areas and the desk looked like one single object, and that’s what we wanted to achieve.”
Credits: Material: HIMACS Terrazzo Classico Q001 himacs.eu |
[email protected] Architects: WAF Architekten | Wewelsiep Asipowicz Forsting Partnerschaft mbB Building Architecture: RKW Architektur + | Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky GmbH Interior Design: toi toi toi creative studio toitoitoicreativestudio.com HIMACS Fabrication: Markmann & Sabban Objekteinrichtung Carpentry Work: Discher Tischlerei GmbH Photography: koy & winkel fotografie
55
Style, craft & form w o r d s b y s o n i a z h u r a v ly o v a p h o t o g r a p h y b y j o n a s b j e r r e - p o u l s e n s a n d i e ly k k e n o l s ø e
Copenhagen cabinetmaker Malte Gormsen has joined forces with Norm Architects to release a new line of high-quality pieces that make the most of their natural materials
Malte Gormsen in his workshop: “Cabinetmaking is something that has always been there”
58
Design
W
hen creatives and craftspeople uncover a meeting of minds, more often than not the results are ambitious, refined and finely made. This is certainly the case for Danish cabinetmaker and joiner Malte Gormsen, who has recently released a carefully curated line of pieces together with Norm Architects. “In Malte we have found a true kindred spirit,” says Norm’s co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen. “We have the same values when it comes to our design philosophy.” It’s a good thing, then, that the craft of cabinetmaking runs deep through Gormsen’s veins. His father was a cabinetmaker and an architect and Gormsen knew from a young age that he wanted to be a master craftsman – he just wasn’t sure about the precise direction this would take him in. “Cabinetmaking is something that has always been there. But you have to walk around to get back to what you know,” he says from his workshop on the outskirts of Copenhagen. Since then Gormsen, who first trained in Scotland with a small family-owned cabinetmaker workshop and later with Niels Roth Andersen, where he helped make furniture by designers such as Finn Juhl and Helge Vestergaard Jensen, has gone on to make a reputation for himself as an esteemed joiner, cabinetmaker and craftsman.
Spring 2023
The curvaceous MG305 Credenza has a brass top and a body in oak and leather
Malte Gormsen’s studio
T he new line curated by Norm
mark acts as a
Architects, with the MG210
guarantee of quality
Dining Table at the centre
60
Design
Like most in his profession, he is passionate about the potential – and provenance – of his chosen material. “If we take care of the forest and take care of the way that we use it and we actually know something about the whole roadmap of the wood, then it becomes something really special,” he says. He works closely with local forests and has his own saw mill but also sources timber from Germany and France. Oak often features in his work, as well as natural oils and finishes that let the pieces show their grain and add subtle texture and tactility. How a piece feels is just as important as how it looks. Much like Gormsen, Norm Architects aims to create designs that not only look good but also feel good. “We consider our work as a facilitator of wellbeing and as a distillation of aesthetics that resonate with the given person and place,” explains Bjerre-Poulsen. For Gormsen, who also works closely with the likes of design studio Space Copenhagen, collaborating with Norm Architects means working with designers whose ethos and aesthetics – the use of natural materials and restraint and refinement in design – match his own. The new line, which is now available to the public, consists of bespoke pieces that he has worked on with Norm for various projects, from an oak, leather and brass credenza originally designed for a
Spring 2023
“We consider our work as a facilitator of wellbeing and as a distillation of aesthetics that resonate with the given person and place”
The wood is finished in a
T he hand-turned oak MG406
way that displays its natural
stool can be used as a side table
grain and texture
and comes with a seat pad
sixteen3.co.uk
London: 25 Bastwick Street Clerkenwell EC1V 0DY
Manchester: Material Source Studio 1 Federation Street M4 4BF
62
Design
jewellery shop in the heart of Copenhagen to the sculptural MG210 dining table, which was initially created as a centrepiece for the dining room of one of Norm’s residential projects. Both Norm and Gormsen have distilled and built upon the ideas of master craftsmen and designers who came before them. For Gormsen, this means looking to the past to absorb and preserve the lessons of woodworking but it’s also about embracing the future; now CNC machinery can help him with precision and speeding up production. “The wood itself hasn’t changed, so the way that we work with it hasn’t really changed that much. Of course, we are not standing with a plane in our hands like we once did, but we must remember that wood has a life of its own and it’s always been like that,” he says, explaining the importance of passing on his knowledge to his apprentices. What makes this partnership particularly pleasing is both Norm and Gormsen’s commitment to a gentle, timeless minimalism and a mutual respect for their chosen materials. “When I look at furniture to put in our collection I think back in time and say, ‘Would this piece of furniture fit in 100 years ago? Or maybe 50? And would this piece also be a good fit in the future?’” says the cabinetmaker. Without a doubt, the answer is yes.
Spring 2023
“The wood itself hasn’t changed, so the way that we work with it hasn’t really changed that much”
Malte Gormsen works
T he MG211 Table/Stool
closely with local forests and
comes in oak or walnut
has his own saw mill
with a clover-shaped base
words by mandi keighran
Only in Black & White
T he Black and White Building is central London’s tallest mass timber office building
The Office Group’s latest venture explores the impact that thoughtful materiality can have on the workplace – and sets a new standard for integrating multiple narratives into a fit out, from student work to some of the UK’s most established designers
Timber fins frame the building while floor-to-ceiling windows allow views inside from the street
Workplace
A sculptural timber reception desk beside one of Jan Hendzel’s totems welcomes visitors
Spring 2023
N
estled inside central London’s tallest mass timber office building is a delightfully inspiring interior that celebrates richly tactile materiality and the power it has to elevate the workplace. Drawing inspiration from different decades and styles, from the 1970s through the 1990s to today, the Black & White Building is a new vision for private offices and co-working spaces by The Office Group (TOG) with interiors by London-based Daytrip Studio. “The client’s vision for the Black & White Building was clear – a pioneering new workplace with sustainability at its core,” says Iwan Halstead, who co-founded Daytrip Studio with Emily Potter. “We were encouraged to think of a workplace for the future and TOG were particularly interested in exploring new ways to connect people, asking
how the interiors could be designed to aid and benefit multiple ways of working.” This pioneering approach begins with the architecture, a striking timber and glass construction by Waugh Thistleton Architects with long timber fins and views into the ground floor lounge from the street. Approached down a discreet cobbled passage in Shoreditch, the building and its reception are noticeably less formal than a more conventional workplace. From the moment of entry, visitors to the building are immersed in what Daytrip Studio describes as a “maker space” – think large artworks, exposed stud partitions, various objets d’art and a crafted timber reception desk with a sculptural form. The ground floor lounge takes cues from the timber architecture, with soaring timber
Photography: TOG / Jake Curtis / Ed Reeve / Ian Tillotson
66
Spring 2023
Workplace
67
68
Workplace
Spring 2023
“The results play on nostalgia, with subtle twists and modern updates on otherwise outdated interior styles”
Chequerboard tiles and timber blocks show the variety of design influences Strong colours such as wasabi green brighten the natural wood surroundings
ceilings and expanses of glass that flood the interior with natural light. This open space is populated by bespoke seating, communal tables and Zoom booths, tapping into the needs of a contemporary workforce. The lounge continues downstairs to the lower ground floor, which is big on naturally textured materials with playful pops of wasabi green and turmeric yellow. Here, breakout spaces and meeting rooms allow for team meetings, and individual loungers offer space to relax during the workday. There’s also a therapy room designed for yoga and barre. It’s these two floors where the material exploration of the interior really shines. The lower ground floor, for example, features ‘hairy’ chequerboard carpet tiles that evoke the iconic 1960s-style lounge of Hotel Okura in Tokyo, while
the ground floor is defined by end-grain timber blocks, that are a nod to both Victorian workshops and Isamu Noguchi’s private studio in Japan, and colourful textiles by Finnish designer Antti Nurmesniemi. “The results play on nostalgia, with subtle twists and modern updates on otherwise outdated interior styles,” says Halstead. These tactile materials also have the very real benefit of acoustic dampening, which is key for busy co-working and collaborative workspaces to enable multiple conversations. The lower ground floor in particular benefits from the “hairy” tiles and a ceiling constructed from heavily textured, fire-treated recycled paper. The signature bouclé textiles from Tibor, woven in England, and softly upholstered furnishings, such as the Puffer chairs by Philippe Malouin, also contribute to the acoustic comfort.
TM
by dams
Every open space deserves a Chatbox for deep work, private calls or a creative session. The flexibility within Chatbox hubs allows inviting areas to be created which can be specially designed to work in conjunction with existing office furniture. A space to retreat, think and evolve.
0151 548 7111 socialspacesfurniture.com
[email protected]
Workplace
Spring 2023
Upstairs, there are a variety of private offices which are essentially spruce timber shells that can be adapted according to the various needs of tenants. In keeping with TOG’s focus on community and collaboration, each floor boasts a shared kitchen and social spaces. Like the lower floors, these shared spaces celebrate the unexpected. Take, for example, the avocado and caramel palette of the kitchens and shower rooms. “These colours were fashionable in the 1970s, and are now modernised through new finishes and refreshing contrast,” says Potter. The rooftop, with panoramic views across London, offers yet another opportunity for social gatherings. “We wanted to bring the art and creativity that east London is known for to the atmosphere of the building, so we explored how artists’ studios
and makers’ workshops could influence the spaces to feel informal and playful,” explains Halstead. “One recurring theme is the importance of craft and artisanship in opposition to mass production.” As a result, the majority of furniture pieces are bespoke designs from British makers and artists, selected for their originality and integrity. Another key expression of this is the Makers & Mentors programme, a collaboration between TOG and social enterprise POoR Collective. The mentorship scheme paired design students with established British designers Sebastian Cox, Matteo Fogale, and Andu Masebo to create furniture, accessories and artwork for the ground-floor lounge that reflects the sustainable, materials-driven principles that are the driving force behind the Black & White Building.
71
Naturally textured materials play a big part in the shared kitchen and social spaces Avocado forms part of the kitchen design palette, giving a nod to the 1970s
The new ACTIU soft-tech concept. Ergonomics for everything, for everyone. Coming soon…
Workplace
Spring 2023
73
T he Makers & Mentors programme paired design students with established British designers D esigns by (l-r) Alejandro Canales, Isobel BrowneWilkinson and EmilieGabrielle Lemaitre-Downton
The results range from a playful rocking stool by Alejandro Canales and coffee tables crafted from different timber types by Emilie-Gabrielle Lemaitre-Downton, to a pair of curved benches by Isobel Browne-Wilkinson. “Users sit in and use these pieces everyday,” says Potter. “It is really empowering for young people to see their own designs translated to usable pieces in a commercial setting.” Like the work environment that TOG strives to create, the Black & White Building is clearly built on community and collaboration. Each element of the fit out interprets the concept and the brief in its own unique way and adds another layer to this rich narrative. “It’s impossible to pick a favourite, but the work of Jan Hendzel embodies the project as a whole,” reveals Halstead, referring to the series of imposing totems crafted from beams salvaged from the original site that adorn the reception and lounges. “The efforts made to achieve a project that is genuinely progressive has been rewarding for us all – and there are so many stories and moments that reveal themselves over different visits. The Office Group are understandably extremely proud of the Black & White Building, both as a building and as a message. It fills us all with hope.”
“One recurring theme is the importance of craft and artisanship in opposition to mass production”
Workplace
Spring 2023
words by dominic lutyens photography by luca argenton and luca caizzi
THIS INTIMATE AND SECRET REALITY A rural valley at a distance from happening Milan might seem an unpromising place to build a design business. But Officino Magisafi has found quite the opposite – being in an area with natural material resources and a network of local craftsmen is just what it needed
75
76
Workplace
Spring 2023
The studio stores an archive of past projects and documentation
“O
A metal and glass room divider houses space for 3D models and projects
ur studio is about 80km from Milan. At first we were worried that being quite far from Milan would put us at a disadvantage,” says Debora Bordogni, who co-founded multidisciplinary architecture and studio Officina Magisafi with Claudio Acquaviva in 2012 in the village of Vertova, located in Val Vertova, a valley in the province of Bergamo in Lombardy, northern Italy. Bordogni and Acquaviva studied architecture and design respectively at the Polytechnic University of Milan but were born in Val Vertova, and decided to set up their studio and live there. Remote perhaps from Milan, that epicentre of contemporary design, but Officina Magisafi thrives in its location. “The area has become a treasure for us,” Bordogni continues. “There are lots of opportunities here.” Not far from Vertova, to the west, is Brianza, perhaps Italy’s most famous furniture-making centre. Vertova, which is situated at the confluence of the River Vertova and River Serio, was once famous for its textile industry until its demise brought on by globalisation in the 1980s. Yet this didn’t kill the economy of Val Vertova and its neighbouring valleys. When Bordogni
Workplace
Spring 2023
The building was formerly a farm building and later part of a cotton mill
Elegant but practical
A display of materials and
fluted glass allows light
objects on show provides
into the meeting room
attractive visual texture
77
78
Workplace
Spring 2023
The studio collaborates
L ocal marble and granite
daily with the area's many
quarries provide natural
craftsmen and artisans
resources for projects
The studio's meeting room where important client relationships are formed
“Local artisans have a wealth of local resources, such as rivers, woodlands, marble and granite quarries and slate mines at their disposal”
Workplace
Spring 2023
talks of “opportunities” she’s referring to the potential to tap into a local network of established artisans specialising in traditional crafts, among them stone-carving, metalwork, carpentry and glass-making. The studio has nurtured longstanding relationships both with quarries – where it sources the finest materials – and workshops. “We’ve been collaborating with some artisans for 10 years,” she says. A natural beauty spot, the landscape around Vertova features mountains, grassy slopes used as farmland, waterfalls cascading into ravines and streams speeding through gorges. Local artisans have a wealth of natural resources, such as rivers, woodland, marble and granite quarries and slate mines at their disposal, which facilitate manufacturing. The workshops with which Officina Magisafi collaborates transform these materials into custom-made elements for its residential and commercial projects. The practice designed the interior of its studio in a former 19th-century farm building later annexed by a cotton mill. For the studio, which has four floors including a basement, the building’s history has a special significance: the local population is familiar with it, which strengthens its ties to the community. The studio also sees the relatively unspoilt location as being beneficial in another way – as boosting its staff’s wellbeing. “The water in the rivers here is super-clear and unpolluted,” adds Bordogni. The building has retained many original features, including a wooden staircase and wooden and marble floors. The basement is used for storing materials, some salvaged, others new. On the ground floor, near the building’s entrance, are elegant wood-panelled walls that conceal ordinary doors leading to technical rooms. The first floor has been renovated with new flooring and has a metal and glass room divider; it contains paper documentation of all projects, 3D-modelling, a printing area and server. Terrazzo floors on the second floor, the main working area, have been restored; here there are computer workstations and drawing boards. Two areas are used for storing materials, such as stone, marble, wood, plaster, glass as well as samples of lacquer finishes, paint colours and stone cladding. Beyond a staircase and sliding panels is a meeting room for presenting designs for projects as well as proposed materials for them. For Officina Magisafi, good relationships with its clients also engender wellbeing. “We want our clients to trust us and feel comfortable,” says Bordogni. “They often come to our office to discuss projects.” Building trust and involving
Inspiration abounds on shelving overflowing with samples and precious objects
79
80
Workplace
Spring 2023
A retained wooden staircase
The meeting room is perfectly
shows the continuity of
set up for the studio to
the building’s history
present its projects to clients
“The artisans are so skilled that we almost have a silent relationship with them”
clients during the design process also fosters wellbeing, she says. This process can begin with clients accompanying the studio’s employees to select materials. “We personally choose a particular block of marble in a certain tone in a quarry when sourcing the right material for a client’s washbasin, and clients sometimes come with us to help choose it.” The design process is, gratifyingly, a two-way street, she adds: “We’re guiding them and they guide us.” Then there are the studio’s relationships with the artisans, also founded on trust. “The artisans are so skilled that we almost have a silent relationship with them,” says Bordogni. “We provide them with technical drawings and computer files and they fabricate the designs without further instructions. Many use precise cutting machines, including CNC routers and robotic tools. They mix ancient know-how with state-of-the-art technology.” She explains: “We really value our relationships with the artisans. The architecture world can be fake and over-cool, creating a hierarchy of architects above artisans. But we have genuine relationships with them.”
Manufactured in the UK Modular in design Made from recycled materials
Use our online pod builder to design your own pod Clerkenwell Showroom: 40 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1R 0NE
82
Workplace
NeueHouse words by alia akkam photography by yoshihiro makino
Venice Beach Just a couple of blocks from the Pacific Ocean, the private members’ club has opened a new venue that builds on the area’s cultural past
Los Angeles
Spring 2023
Spring 2023
Workplace
83
84
Workplace
I
Spring 2023
n the exhilarating 1970s and 80s, 73 Market Street in Venice Beach regularly drew in a coterie of bright Los Angeles filmmakers, artists and writers. Owned by Tony Bill, the actor, director and Academy Awardwinning producer of 1973 film The Sting, the two-storey corner brick building from the 1920s seamlessly morphed from a production facility into a stimulating cultural salon. “It’s the ultimate inspiration listening to Tony talk about that time. All the memories of old Hollywood – you wish those stories could live forever,” muses Anwar Mekhayech, co-founder of DesignAgency, the Toronto practice that has helped restore that bygone air of revelry by transforming the historic structure (most recently home to technology company Snap Inc) into NeueHouse Venice Beach.
Venice Beach marks the third LA outpost of NeueHouse, the members-only hub where creatives harmoniously straddle working and socialising. It joins the downtown location, for which DesignAgency revamped the late 19th-century Bradbury Building, and the Hollywood flagship (the firm not only designed the rooftop restaurant and cafe but runs its local office from there). Even the original, NeueHouse Madison Square in New York, flaunts the imprint of DesignAgency on its hospitality-driven penthouse level, Eleven. Unlike its more urban siblings, the 2,135sq m NeueHouse Venice Beach – a sprawling fusion of the 73 Market Street edifice and adjacent 63 – pulls from its distinctive setting in the shadow of the storied Venice Boardwalk, two blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Although it exudes the overarching
“It’s the ultimate inspiration listening to Tony talk about that time. All the memories of old Hollywood – you wish those stories could live forever”
An expansive lounge and workspace area lets the California sun in
DESSO X RENS CARPET TILES
The brand-new DESSO X RENS collection is designed with an eye for colour and a mind for patterns. Available in different variations that invite you to plan, play with any interior. Turning, testing, trying: the designers of Studio RENS took a playful, open-minded approach to the task of extending the life span of post-use obsolete DESSO carpet tiles. A set of colour coded floor tiles allows you to embellish any space or place with custom designed patterns of diamonds, diagonals and zig-zags. www.tarkett.co.uk E:
[email protected] T: 0800 328 211
A new take on Re-Use
Workplace
Spring 2023
NeueHouse spirit, reminiscent at once of a luxury hotel and a dynamic event venue, DesignAgency was keen to pay homage to the Venice neighbourhood from the outset. “What I love about Venice are the beautiful homes – some new, some old – and all the characters. So many interesting people are living in the area. How do we embrace a little bit of that counterculture, a little bit of that hippy aesthetic, a little bit of that beach vibe,” Mekhayech recalls discussing early in the project. Fuelled by nostalgia and the modernist architecture movement that evolved in Southern California, DesignAgency landed on the notion of endless summer, manifested in a series of open, inviting spaces buoyed by a breezy, earthy palette. Expanses of wood and brick that mirror the
facade are complemented by the likes of rounded forms, soft green tiles, and diaphanous lighting, while organic patterns adorn furniture. One of Mekhayech’s favourite elements is the “grand marble staircase that kind of swoops you upstairs” and features a swathe of cascading greenery, he notes. DesignAgency reclad it and redesigned the handrail, yet it seems original, as if it’s always been a part of the action. Another highlight is the “old-world glass box meeting room”, as he describes it, that stars David Hockney’s 2014 4 Blue Stools painting – part of a comprehensive artwork collection, assembled by Caroline Brennan of New York design studio Silent Volume and Pamela Auchincloss of the all-women curator collective Eleven+, that mingles pieces from both established and emerging talents.
“What I love about Venice are the beautiful homes – some new, some old – and all the characters. So many interesting people are living in the area”
A crescent-shaped marble-topped bar
Warm wood surrounds the rooflight
is a focal point in the Reunion lounge
directly above the bar
87
Postura+ has began a transition to a circular economy, with all one-piece chairs manufactured from December 2022 containing at least 30% recycled polypropylene. Visit our London HQ & Showroom KI EMEA New Fetter Place 8-10 New Fetter Lane London EC4A 1AZ T: 020 7404 7441 E:
[email protected] www.kieurope.com/postura
Workplace
Spring 2023
Just as the garage-style door in front directly engages with the buzz on the street, the second-floor rooftop restaurant Reunion, the first-ever culinary concept developed and operated by NeueHouse, forges welcome connections between indoors and outdoors, including the massive skylight above the horseshoe-shaped bar and palm leaf-laden patio. Throughout the property, ample vegetation, woven into verdant vignettes by local nursery Rolling Greens, further grounds guests in nature. “There is a nice vibrancy to the colours, a lot of texture and warmth, and great natural light. There are so many windows that wrap around and tons of plants everywhere. It just makes you feel good,” Mekhayech points out. Beyond biophilia, wellness is promoted through a convenient back entrance that encourages members to slip
away to Venice Beach Skatepark or hit the waves for a spell and then, in a rejuvenated state, discreetly return for a shower before a few more productive hours on the laptop. DesignAgency even took chilly surf days into consideration by tucking a fireplace into a corner. “It’s cosy,” adds Mekhayech. “It’s meant to be like a home.” Once members are swept into the clubhouse, they have access to all points and organically flow through the rooms as they desire. Some will work in the gallery; some will record in the podcast studio; others will place surfboards into storage or unwind with cocktails before partaking in NeueHouse’s signature slate of robust programming spanning talks, performances, screenings and exhibitions. “That’s the added value of being part of a members’ club,” says Mekhayech. “You’re meeting people.”
“There are so many windows that wrap around and tons of plants everywhere. It just makes you feel good”
Workspaces continue the mid-century feel
89
90
Workplace
Meanwhile, back at HQ w o r d s b y s o n i a z h u r a v ly o v a
Interiors studio Duelle used colour and texture – and carefully curated mid-century furniture – to create a warm and welcoming headquarters for paint company Coat
Spring 2023
Workplace
Spring 2023
W Walls in the office’s desk area have been painted in ‘Sunday Soul’ View from the communal dining area to the
Photography: Mariell Lind Hansen
workspace beyond
hen casting around for a permanent HQ, eco-friendly paint company Coat alighted on a Victorian warehouse in London’s Clerkenwell. The company was drawn to the generous proportions, large windows, high ceilings and industrial character, but knew that it wanted to reimagine its white interiors. The founders, Rob Abrahams and Rob Green, asked interior design studio Duelle to work on the space, while keeping in mind Coat’s affinity with mid-century modern aesthetics and mindful approach. The site already had a great architectural shell so the founders of Duelle, Melanie Liaw and Micaela Nardella, embraced its original features, such as existing blackened steel panels on the
91
walls and staircase, and focused on colour, lighting and soft finishes of carpets and bespoke curtains. Moreover, the designers tapped into Coat’s ethical ethos by sourcing vintage furniture from trusted suppliers and upcycling where possible, as well as creating a design that maximised daylight and open-plan, airy spaces. Split across two levels, the main work and lounge spaces are housed on the light-filled first floor. At the back there are dedicated workspace for 15 team members. On the ground floor, a private meeting room is insulated with sound-absorbing finishes such as fitted grass-green carpet by German brand Object Carpet and bespoke full-height, acoustically interlined curtains.
92
Workplace
Spring 2023
George Nelson Saucer Bubble lamps contrast with original blackened steel
“The space had to serve the needs of both a studio and office. Most of the team are desk-based at computers, so we wanted a work area that was functional but also beautiful”
“The space had to serve the needs of both a studio and an office,” says Coat’s co-founder Abrahams. “Most of the team are desk-based at computers, so we wanted a work area that was functional but also beautiful. We didn’t want to allocate desks, preferring people to move around and shift their positions to keep mental agility. We also wanted a studio area for our own colour work and also a space where our interior design and architect clients can visit for meetings and exploratory work.” To answer Coat’s brief, Duelle made sure that nothing felt like “conventional office furniture”. To that end, Liaw and Nardella took great care to source and have refurbished mid-century furniture, such as elegant Vitra AC1 chairs by Italian designer Antonio Citterio acquired from
In the meeting room, paper pulp lamps by PaleFire are painted in Coat’s ‘Old Street’
94
Workplace
Spring 2023
Workplace
Spring 2023
The ground floor meeting room features soft green carpet by Object Carpet Social spaces offset Coat’s green ‘Nomad’ with ‘Pampas’ above
an office reuse supplier before being reupholstered in a soft peach tweed, a sofa refurbished with a deeply textured cream fabric by Kvadrat, and mid-century armchairs reupholstered in Sahco & Kvadrat’s ‘Clay’, a special-edition fabric made with architect Vincent Van Duysen. Recycled materials were also key to the concept, with Bohobo London’s sculptural table lamps – made using oyster and mussel shells sourced from the restaurant waste recycling industry – adding warmth to workspace desks. They also introduced iconic George Nelson Saucer Bubble lamps, which add a soft glow to the communal dining area. The interior designers made sure to showcase three of Coat’s bestselling colours, from the crisp
95
dark green of ‘Nomad’ in the social spaces to the warm off-white ‘Pampas’, which dresses the high level and ceiling, enhancing the natural warmth and light of the space. In the desk area both the walls and ceiling are painted in a single serene hue called ‘Sunday Soul’. “This colour really changes with the light throughout the day, creating a cosy and contemporary working environment with just enough colour to feel impactful,” say the designers. The ground-floor meeting room features bespoke recycled paper pulp pendant lights made by London designer PaleFire, which are painted in a muted red-brick colour called ‘Old Street’. Duelle also transformed a 3m-long 1990s boardroom table, which might otherwise have
96
Workplace
Spring 2023
Vitra AC1 chairs by Antonio Citterio were reupholstered in a soft peach tweed
“Sourcing recycled and upcycled furnishings, using Coat paint products and paying attention to light and biophilic elements were all super important to us”
been ready for the landfill, by having an expert refinisher sand, fill and paint it in Coat’s ‘Old Street’. “The colour is both high impact and earthy, with a finish that feels in kind with contemporary Italian furniture on the market today,” say the designers. Coat were well pleased with Duelle’s fresh approach and their meeting of minds. “Beyond the design elements, sustainability and wellbeing were key,” says Abrahams. “We didn’t want a ‘box fresh’ office design from a typical company. Sourcing recycled and upcycled furnishings, using Coat paint products and paying attention to light and biophilic elements were all super important to us. Overall, the space was designed to feel fluid and flexible, without the rigidity of a traditional office – which just doesn’t feel modern anymore.”
Mid-century armchairs have been reupholstered in Sahco and Kvadrat’s ‘Clay’ fabric
anna PRESENTING
we don’t just deliver a product, we deliver an experience…
verco.co.uk
Modern nature
words by shawn adams images by lorenzo zandri
T he volumes have been visually separated to rearticulate the building
Perforated red metal shelving acts as a visual focus and room divider
Neiheiser Argyros has reinvented an unloved commercial property in Athens as a sharp new office building that plays with colour and volume while exploring the connection between indoors and outdoors
100
Workplace
Spring 2023
I
n its latest project, Art1 Office, London-based architecture practice Neiheiser Argyros has transformed a neglected commercial property in Athens into an impressive office building. After being abandoned for over five years, the six-storey structure today stands as a colourful landmark that boasts 2,300sq m of workspace. The project came about when Neiheiser Argyros was approached by investment management company Hellenic Properties to breathe some life into the unloved 1980s building. “When we started work on Art1 it was in a pretty bad state of disrepair,” states Ryan Neiheiser, director of Neiheiser Argyros. According to the designer, having irregular walls and column grids made it much harder to work with the building than with traditional office schemes. “As a result, the office’s arrangement was motivated by us trying to rationalise the existing structure’s messy interior.” One of the key ambitions of the project was to create a visual link to the park at the back of the building. Neiheiser Argyros reorientated the scheme so that the practice could take full advantage of the nearby green space. “We wanted to provide views to the park, so we added a lot of glass at the rear of the building,” explains Neiheiser. These openings not only allow for great views but also allow ample amounts of daylight to flood the building. Continuing in this vein, Neiheiser Argyros added several openings to allow access to
Splashes of colour appear throughout the building, both indoors and outdoors
The exposed concrete ceiling is offset by smooth marble flooring
seal grey & oslo fog
arctic Inspired by the changing landscape of the Arctic region. Available in 12 colours, in tile and plank. To explore more about arctic, find inspirations and more images go to www.burmatex.co.uk/arctic Using Universal Fibers® ground-breaking Thrive® matter yarn, the world’s first carbon negative recycled yarn, and our unique BioBase™ recycled backing, arctic is carbon neutral. 2
102
Workplace
“In this plant-filled zone, a kitchen and bar area can also be found if you aren’t too distracted by Santiago Calatrava’s 2004 Olympic Stadium in the distance”
Spring 2023
S mooth reflective surfaces have been paired with bold colour
Workplace
Spring 2023
previously inaccessible balconies. This connection with the outdoors is continued at the apex of the building where the once uninhabitable roof is now used as a space for events, parties and yoga classes. “We wanted to give opportunities to both socialise and work outside,” states Neiheiser. Here mint green seating and tiled outdoor furniture meet a perforated metal pergola. In this plantfilled zone, a small kitchen and bar area can also be found if you aren’t too distracted by Santiago Calatrava’s 2004 Olympic Stadium in the distance. Inside, punches of colour cleverly complement the exposed concrete ceiling. “We removed the layers of plasterboard and stripped the materials back to expose the raw ceiling,” says Neiheiser. Here smooth marble flooring that has been intricately restored is paired with bold red chairs and balustrades. The result is a stylish interior that merges interesting geometric forms with a frenzy of contemporary hues. As you walk around the seven-level building, bespoke furniture can be seen, adding vibrancy to grey tones. Across the scheme, there are three large marble seating objects, a spacious terrazzo stair that doubles up as an amphitheatre for events, as well as a sleek red perforated structure that acts as a library. While every floor is generally quite different, flexible working zones can be found on each level along with more private meeting rooms. “The logic was to put
Mint green seating and a metal pergola help reinvent the roof as an events space
Bespoke marble seating objects also provide a home for interior greenery
103
104
Workplace
Spring 2023
private office spaces and meeting rooms on the outer areas and open plan elements in the central zones,” says Neiheiser. The exterior, on the other hand, is a playful collection of volumes made up of saturated tones. “We used colour, texture and different window sizes to give each of the 12 forms its own character and identity,” he adds. Neiheiser Argyros clad the elevator massing in a pale turquoise tile, which complements a black and white stair core that has a subtle touch of yellow through the smart use of window frames. The service core on the other hand is finished in a peach pink render that contrasts the blue metal panels of the open office spaces. Sustainability was a key driver from the start of the project. “We put photovoltaic panels as a cladding system on one of the volumes to generate electricity,” states Neiheiser. The building also features high-performance insulation and low-energy MEP systems. “We added a substantial layer of insulation to the outside of the building to give it a good energy rating.” Art1 Office is a successful revival of a tired building in the suburbs of Greece’s capital. Using the existing forms, a pared-down material and colour palette, and sustainable systems, Neiheiser Argyros has achieved a playful office space that provides something new and refreshing in Athens.
A spacious red terrazzo stair also functions as an amphitheatre for events
“We used colour, texture and different window sizes to give each of the 12 forms its own character and identity”
Windows have been opened up to let new light into the building
Stealth
from Burland
THE ALL-IN-ONE ULTRA FAST CHARGING CABLE
There is no need to choose from the plethora of above desk, personal power units or meeting table charge points. Burland’s Stealth unit provides all the power you will ever need and every connection you will ever need in a tiny plug which is retained magnetically on a tiny mount.
100W Charging Power
iPhone® + MicroUSB 18W Lightning connector + MicroUSB port • iPhone ® (5 and up) • iPad ®, iPad Air ® (1st through 3rd gen), iPad Mini®, iPad Pro ® (12.9”1st and 2nd gen, 10.5”, 9.7”) • AirPods® • Android ® andWindows® phones • Any MicroUSB device
USB-C 100W USB-C connector • USB-C tablets • USB-C poweredWindows® Laptops • MacBook ® (from 2015), MacBook Pro ® (from 2016), MacBook Air ® (from 2018) • iPad Pro ® (11” 1st gen and up, 12.9” 3rd gen onwards), iPad Air (4th gen), iPad Mini ® (6th gen) • Samsung ® (S8 and up) • OnePlus® (3 and up) • Google Pixel ® • USB-C smartphones
Magnetic Desk Dock Firmly and easily dock cable after use.
25mm Grommet For meeting tables
100W charging power for any devices including large lap top PCs USB C, Apple Lighting and Micro USB all in one The smallest single plug replacing all above desk charging paraphernalia 100W charging power for any devices including large lap top PCs Passive cable retraction Up to 4 plugs from a single 25mm grommet
For more information on Burland’s Stealth unit please call +44 (0)1473 858 214 or visit www.burland.com
words by alia akkam
A WOMAN’S PL ACE Barcelona design practice The Room Studio put inclusivity and comfort at the centre of its transformation of a former flour factory into the city’s first private membership club for women
108
U
Workplace
nlike in the United States, where private membership clubs dedicated to women are flourishing, until recently these sanctuaries for co-working, events and socialising over cocktails have been noticeably absent in Barcelona. Frustrated by the dearth of such uplifting communities, American expats Natalie Batlle and Liana Grieg, long-time residents of the city, decided to launch their own. Situated in a former flour factory from 1900 right off bustling Avinguda Diagonal, Juno House is rooted in balance, a safe, inclusive venue where professional development, motherhood and holistic wellbeing are equally celebrated and nurtured. Before the club’s arrival, there was a lack of spaces “like this to support the working woman, the independent woman, the enterprising woman, the woman who believes in opportunities, who believes in collaboration,” admits Meritxell Ribé, co-founder and co-creative director of The Room Studio, the local design practice that brought Juno House to life. The creative heart of Juno House is the Nave, originally the factory’s vast, barren warehouse, which Ribé and her team have infused with warmth by segmenting it into various intimate zones. Although each one is distinct, none of them stand out
Spring 2023
Neutral natural flooring varies
S oft curves have been used
from carpet to ceramic tiles
in the Nave for both structural
to oak wooden planks
elements and furniture
The new Yonda Lounge - comfort meets sustainability.
wilkhahn.com
Workplace
Photography: Mauricio Fuertes
Spring 2023
from each other. They cannot be differentiated by their shape or chromatic palette, points out Ribé. “You must always think that you are in Juno, that you don't change scenery to seem as if you are in another place.” Although there are subtle shifts that suggest a change in mood – such as the flooring that morphs from coloured ceramic geometric patterns to swathes of oak to sound-absorbing carpeting in the conference and meeting rooms – the interior unfolds organically as a sequence of environments. Reassuring neutral hues set the tone at reception, which is marked by a cluster of seating and a small shop. It also exudes what Ribé describes as a “Barcelona handcrafted touch, using local materials and recovering the trades – something that was very important to us – from terracotta to hand-painted ceramics. The idea was to create a Barcelona project, a project that, perhaps, will later expand throughout Spain and Europe, so the flagship had to nod to the city.” Once inside the Nave, members might head to the organic produce-driven cafe with its meandering marble-accented bar, or to one of the workshops held in the flexible central area featuring a multi-purpose stage backdropped by a graphic
111
Varied textures around a
An undulating white lacquered
mosaic-topped table set the
iron staircase becomes a
tone of subtle differentiation
central sculptural piece
The interior unfolds organically as a sequence of linked environments
112
Workplace
Spring 2023
Separated areas in La
H and-painted ceramics, along
Farinera allow privacy for
with local materials, bring a
meetings and get-togethers
‘Barcelona handcrafted touch’
“The whole project is endowed with curves, rounded edges that emulate the female form”
cementitious clay mural designed by The Room Studio. There are also Zoom boxes enclosed by zen oak slats to cocoon in and a greenery-laden chill-out hub adorned with natural linen. At reception, The Room Studio introduced the sinuous motif found across Juno House. “The whole project is endowed with curves, rounded edges that emulate the female form,” adds Ribé. Consider the arches, the soft custom-designed furniture, or the prominently located undulating white lacquered iron staircase that replaces the old one unattractively relegated to the side. “We thought that it could be a sculptural piece by putting it in the middle part,” she explains. For the library the desire was to “make it the strongest and most intense point” of the Nave, continues Ribé, so The Room Studio embraced bold cherry and burgundy hues for a dramatic contrast. It’s also characterized by a rippled acoustic ceiling that helps foster an intentional sense of disconnection, as Ribé puts it, “of silence, of finding yourself alone in a space that takes you in”. Beyond the Nave is the Farinera. Recalling a doll’s house, the building is centred on personal growth and relaxation, each of its floors fuelled by a specific purpose. In true New York style,
Ahrend QABIN Collection
The Ahrend Qabin Collection is the new booth
Now available in a range of colours. New for 2023!
range that facilitates every activity: whether working with others, concentrating or video conferencing. The Call and Chat booths are ergonomic workspaces that promote vital and comfortable working and boast the best air refreshment rate on the market.
Techo UK, The Corner of Clerkenwell, 91-93 Farringdon Road, London EC1M 3LN
114
Workplace
Spring 2023
The dimly lit walnut bar in
A dramatic rippled ceiling and
the Clubhouse offers a
bold cherry and burgundy hues
sophisticated evening setting
give the library a warm intensity
“I notice that people are happy. This means that we have done well, that people like it, that they are comfortable”
for example, the Clubhouse’s glamorous walnut bar buoyed by mirrors is an ideal setting for girls’ nights out, but the vibe changes quickly from sophistication to whimsy in Little Juno. A refuge for breastfeeding and nappy changes, it doubles as a bright indoor playground for visiting children to take to the ballet barre and revel in a fantastical mural by Gabo Estrada. Self-care is the priority on the Juno Glow level. After a massage, say, guests wander into the dressing room reminiscent of vintage Hollywood and spruce up at one of the vanities underneath the decorative ceiling. At the top of the Farinera awaits Juno Studio, a wellness destination for yoga, Pilates and meditation bedecked in diaphanous curtains, vegetation and soothing oak. “The programme of needs was strong; therefore, we used these two buildings to create totally different atmospheres, but at the same time there is a harmonious balance,” explains Ribé. As a member of Juno House herself, she likes to observe the others and how they interact in the club. “I notice that people are happy. This means that we have done well, that people like it, that they are comfortable,” she adds. “They find favourite moments in every corner, from spaces so different but so connected.”
You can find us at the following events:
The Workplace Event Clerkenwell Design Week
25th - 27th April 2023
NEC Birmingham
23rd - 25th May 2023
Clerkenwell, London
In a spa and ski town in the heart of the Austrian Alps, a luxury boutique hotel is bringing a new mid-century vibe to the traditional healing retreat
A L P I N E S P I R I T words by amira hashish
Hospitality
Spring 2023
Framed by forested cliffs, The Cōmodo was formerly a health clinic
T
he tiny Alpine town of Bad Gastein, south of Salzburg in Austria, is having something of a revival thanks to a small but mighty creative community who are breathing new life into its brutalistmeets-belle-époque architecture. Paving the way is The Cōmodo, a new boutique hotel that has been fashioned out of an abandoned health clinic. The revamp of the now 70-room property has been conceived by Polish-born and Berlin-based designer Piotr Wisniewski and owner Barbara Elwardt, both from the Berlin agency weStudio. This is the first of a series of design hotels that they have in the pipeline and it sets a bold tone.
A mid-century aesthetic is framed by forested cliffs and gaping valleys, making for a modern Alpine retreat that champions design and nature while nodding to the building’s past. The property’s Austrian roots are celebrated through the colour palette and materials, alongside bursts of colour and contemporary touches. Shades of rich wine and bottle green offset the original terrazzo floor, while local materials such as oak and pine wood anchor the setting. “I would describe it as an Alpine resort design with a 1960s nostalgia. The design language, from the colour palette to the materials and forms,
117
Hospitality
Spring 2023
The two Garden Suites offer a living room with
The hotel is perfectly positioned to take advantage of
chaise longue and a private balcony
the celebrated ski slopes of the local area
“The design language, from the colour palette to the materials and forms, is connected with the site and its history” is strongly connected with the site and its history,” says Wisniewski. Works by rising European artisans have been dotted throughout the hotel to weave in character through tapestries, carpets, prints and wallpaper. Art deliberately takes centre stage. Another Berlin-based double act, Gosia Warrink and Katja Koeberlin from Amberdesign, is behind 140 works on display. Abstract in nature and rich in personality, each is inspired by the colours and contours of the Bad Gastein mountains. “For the wallpaper, we created topographical drawings using the patterns formed by fine contour lines
from elevation maps, describing the mountain tectonics around Bad Gastein. The carpets are also abstractions, inspired by the surrounding mountain gorges and nature,” explains Koeberlin. Meanwhile, up-and-coming Berlin design agency Fundamental has produced a series of vases and candleholders for the hotel. Further renowned gallerists are expected to pop up as The Cōmodo evolves. The lobby has been styled to resemble a living room where guests are encouraged to meet, drink and gather. Here it is all about the little details with books and curios scattered around the
Photography: PION Studio / Matthias Heiderich
118
122
Hospitality
Spring 2023
Large panoramic windows give the two Mountain Suite rooms dramatic views up to the forest
space and a fireplace adding to the homely ambience. The central bar and restaurant seamlessly transitions to the summer garden and outdoor pool, blurring the lines between inside and out. It is a joyful reminder of the beauty that is on the doorstep. Chef Max Jensen has a farm-to-table approach to his Austrian menu and sustainability is key. Ingredients are sourced fresh from local farmers and producers. Think braised beef in red wine sauce, perfectly scorched vegetables, cheese dumplings and apricot galette with buffalo milk rice. Drinks and cocktails are pared back with a
focus on the classics alongside high quality Winzersekt from local organic farms and small-batch vineyards. The rooms, ranging from Mountain View Rooms to Garden Suites, feel fresh and playful. They marry luxurious amenities with original vintage furniture and mood-conjuring features including record players. Some offer sweeping views deep into the Gastein valley, while others overlook the woody forest pines. Four suites come with a freestanding bathtub, their own living room with a desk, couch and chaise longue. Co-working spaces, a fitness and yoga studio and a
124
Hospitality
Spring 2023
The restaurant offers an Austrian menu featuring
The hotel gives relaxing views down the valley
sustainable, locally sourced produce
to the mountains in the distance
“Recognised for its healing powers since the 19th century, the town’s allure has long revolved around mineral-rich baths” boutique cinema make the hotel an ideal place to bed in for a few days. Wellness is deeply rooted in Bad Gastein’s DNA. Recognised for its healing powers since the 19th century, the town’s allure has long revolved around mineral-rich baths and restorative hikes. So it is only fitting that The Cōmodo has a statement spa. Drawing on its neighbourhood’s soothing qualities, it creates its own wellness traditions. From facials to massages, treatments are tailored using Saint Charles products with the healing properties of the Gastein thermal water. Alongside the treatment rooms there are two
saunas and an indoor and outdoor pool, making it just the spot to unwind after a trek through the mountains. The hotel is perfectly positioned for a spot of stylish escapism throughout the seasons. In winter, almost 220km of ski slopes bend and twist through the valley, with long, steady runs for connoisseurs. Come spring, the sun-drenched peaks offer a tranquil backdrop for soaking up nature and embracing a healthy dose of rest and relaxation. While the glorious surroundings are never overlooked, retreating to this design haven adds an extra dimension to the magic of Bad Gastein.
E X H I B I T I N G AT C L E R K E N W E L L D E S I G N W E E K FREE-BLOWN GL ASS LIGHTING HAND-MADE IN THE UK W W W.C U R I O U S A .C O. U K
PHOTO BY CHRIS WEBB
WAV E C O L L E C T I O N
Farouche Tremblant, in rural Québec, offers food, rest and comfort to passing travellers – and is now itself a destination for visitors who are seeking out a stay in its modern yet traditional cedar pods
CABIN
C lad in cedar shingles, the A-frame cabins are grouped in pairs
words by alia akkam
PORN
128
Hospitality
Spring 2023
Atelier L’Abri’s simple design contains only a bed, sofa and stove Natural materials fit in comfortably with the wild
R
ural Lac-Supérieur, in the Laurentians region of Québec, woos Montréal denizens away from everyday urban chaos with the promise of pristine, calming land just two hours away. On the journey to Mont-Tremblant National Park, the highlight of this swath of wilderness, many of these travellers now drop by – or check into – Farouche Tremblant. The vision of lawyer Geneviève Côté and Jonathan Casaubon, an urban planner, Farouche Tremblant is a nearly 40ha compound spanning a centrepiece Nordic-style farm, a cafe and lounge, an urban basecamp and a quartet of minimalist A-frame retreats courtesy of Atelier L’Abri.
“They wanted to make a new life in nature,” says Francis Martel Labrecque, one of the Montréal architecture studio’s founding partners, of the couple’s ardour for the self-sufficient site that is blessed with sightlines of both the river and mountains from opposite sides. Côté and Casaubon were involved in every step of the design process, working hand in hand with the contractors and even encouraging their three children to help bring Farouche Tremblant to life. Given how undeveloped the area is, “We didn’t want something that was shocking. Now people pass by, see a roof sticking out from the tree line, and get curious. But its modest in its approach,”
elaborates Nicolas Lapierre, another of Atelier L’Abri’s founding partners. At the heart of the operation is the small organic farm, a concept that sceptics initially dismissed. Côté and Casaubon were told “that nothing would grow there for a few years because they needed to enrich the soil,” recalls Martel Labrecque. “But their first crop was very good. They did it.” All fresh produce culled from the grounds of Farouche Tremblant is reserved solely for the market and dishes served in the cafe. Both spaces are found inside a quaint building clad in hemlock and crowned with a cool charcoal-hued steel roof, a nod to the Laurentian
Photography: Raphaël Thibodeau
surrounding landscape
SIGN-UP FOR A TRADE ACCOUNT ONLINE OR VISIT OUR LUXURY LIFESTYLE SHOWROOM | UXBRIDGE ROAD HATCH END HA5 4JS | 020 7352 6195
Your One Stop Design Solution
SUPPLYING THE BIGGEST AND MOST EXCITING FURNITURE & LIGHTING BRANDS IN EUROPE
WWW.CHAPLINS.CO.UK
Hospitality
Spring 2023
farmhouse vernacular. Visitors are first greeted by the shop stocked with products from local purveyors before making their way over to the casual double-height dining room, with its cosy wood stove and expanses of glass magnifying mountain views. Above, a mezzanine carved into the cathedral ceiling offers guests a relaxing living room environment. There is an intriguing duality to Farouche Tremblant. It isn’t just tourists who seek it out, but the residents from surrounding villages who are organically turning it into a community hub. It’s a place where “you can decide to stop and have a coffee, and then keep on driving,”
points out Lapierre. “But the next time, it might be your destination.” For those who choose to linger, nights will be spent in one of the cabins wrapped in cedar shingles that calls to mind luxury glamping. “We took cues from traditional construction but with more contemporary lines to create something that fits in the landscape,” explains Lapierre. Although compact in size, the cabins feel decidedly spacious, simply adorned with a bed, sofa and gas stove to mirror the discreet facades that blur with the surroundings. The shelters, arranged in clusters of two, are connected via a meandering path on a plateau
131
T he cafe in the central building is at the heart of the compound A small organic farm provides produce for the shop and cafe
132
Hospitality
Spring 2023
“There is a relationship between the buildings and everything that happens outside. If you drive by you don’t get to enjoy the river”
that rises from the river, “grouped together like a campsite so the property has this social aspect to it. Four couples can each rent one and then they can all meet at the fire pit,“ says Martel Labrecque. “These are different from other projects that you see in the Laurentians. It’s usually little shelters in the woods secluded from everything else.” Several new structures are currently underway, with plans in the coming years for accommodation to be added across the road to the mountain side of the complex, behind the farm. The barn that currently acts as the headquarters for farm operations will also be
extended, “so that it doesn’t look like a small house in the field as it does now,” notes Lapierre. Ultimately, Farouche Tremblant is commercial in scope, but Lapierre believes that the design team successfully instilled it with a homey, comfortable atmosphere, transplanting “the best attributes of residential architecture”, as he puts it, while cementing the human connection to nature. It is that rapport with the land that fuels Farouche Tremblant. “There is a relationship between the buildings and everything that happens outside,” says Martel Labrecque. “If you just drive by you don’t get to enjoy the river. This project opens the possibilities.”
H emlock cladding and a dark steel roof define the central building T he Nordic-style farm design echoes the local vernacular
Haute cuisine words by
sonia messer
Space Copenhagen’s interiors for high-end Swiss restaurant and hotel Mammertsberg mix luxury and comfort, providing a space you’d want to come home to
Hospitality
Spring 2023
The upstairs lounge
The restaurant occupies a
features soft-edged
traditional chalet looking
leather sofas by De Sede
out to Lake Constance
W
hen in 2022 renowned Swiss chef Andreas Caminada snapped up Mammertsberg – a high-end restaurant with six cosy bedrooms in a traditional Swiss chalet facing out onto Lake Constance – he invited design studio Space Copenhagen to give it a gentle refresh. “He wanted to try something new here – a more Scandinavian approach,” says Space Copenhagen’s co-founder Signe Bindslev Henriksen. The studio was given just six months to work on the project but Henriksen and co-founder Peter Bundgaard Rützou embraced the challenge. The historic inn had already been updated by famed Zurich architect Tilla Theus, who added a grand spiralling staircase, a glass lift and a modern structure to the side which houses the kitchens and the breakfast room with panoramic views to the lake. The designers worked with the frame of the building to carefully meld the old with the new: “It is a really beautifully composed building with big openings, high ceilings, panelling and a lot of cosy woodwork,” says Henriksen. The aim was to make Mammertsberg feel like a soft, relaxing place, much like someone’s comfortable home, so the designers introduced greenery to the interiors as well as an organic palette of materials, such as wood in subdued tones, leather, warm metals, wool and linen.
Photography: Joachim Wichmann
136
FOLD A Personal Power and AV module that sits neatly under the front edge of a workspace for easy access. Positioned discreetly under the desk edge, it folds down for use and folds back via a twist lever, when not in use.
DESK GEAR
Power with Design
+44 (0)1933 223 174
[email protected]
www.deskgear.co.uk
Hospitality
Spring 2023
“We composed the restaurant in a way that felt more like a big living room with tables spread around but also long tables that could be used for large groups or for communal dining,” says Henriksen. The solid oak tables were handcrafted by Copenhagen-based carpenter Malte Gormsen. Rén Dining Chairs, designed by Space Copenhagen for Stellar Works, which come in a soaped walnut and light linen upholstery by Astrid, complement the layout. The windows look out onto the gardens and newly introduced linen curtains make the wood-panelled dining space feel warm and cosy. Chef Caminada has handed over the reins to his young protege Silvio Germann, who has crafted a tasting menu which sees guests start their evening in a spacious upstairs lounge. Here Space Copenhagen added a small open kitchen, Mathieu Matégot’s sculptural wall lights made by Gubi as well as comfortable leather sofas by iconic Swiss manufacturer De Sede. Guests then descend the grand spiralling staircase, which was added by Theus, to the main dining area; as part of the refurb, the staircase’s shell was clad in black foil to make it a more subtle feature. Space Copenhagen had been waiting for an opportunity to work with De Sede and this proved the perfect project. “From an aesthetic point of view, the pieces were very much in line with what we wanted to do with that space – the sofas have these soft edges and can be easily fitted around
139
Guests descend the
S pace Copenhagen’s
foil-clad spiral staircase to
Rén Dining Chairs sit
the dining room below
comfortably in the space
“We composed the restaurant in a way that felt more like a big living room with tables spread around”
140
Hospitality
Spring 2023
An Ingo Maurer pendant
Natural materials were
lamp hangs over the
chosen to link to the
reception desk
countryside beyond
“We worked with local carpenters to do all the millwork pieces and tried to work as much as we could with local stone and local craftsmen”
the walls – and that worked really well here,” says Henriksen. “We also worked with some local carpenters to do all the millwork pieces and tried to work as much as we could with local stone and local craftsmen.” As part of the project Space Copenhagen also updated the guest rooms, bringing in warm materials and subtle colours and incorporating softly shaped lounge pieces by &Tradition. Throughout the spaces, lights and chandeliers have been handpicked for their sculptural qualities, including delicate, Bauhaus-inspired mobile chandeliers by Michael Anastassiades in the main dining room and an Ingo Maurer pendant in the reception. In an interesting twist, the designers retained the smoking lounge but updated the furniture. “These days, this is a novelty,” says Rützou. For Caminada, Space Copenhagen was the perfect fit for his vision. “We wanted an interior that fits the grandeur of this historic country castle and gives the rooms a certain cosmopolitan timelessness,” he says. The designers muse that the chefs’ energy and enthusiasm for the project might well be the reason why they were given such a short timeframe. “The short turnaround kept everyone really focused but flexible – the story was written as we engaged with the space,” says Rützou. “We got to know each other really well and things became less formal,” adds Henriksen. “Actually it was a lot of fun.”
words by mandi keighran photography by charlie mck ay
Life’s a beach A restaurant and bar in London’s Soho evokes the casual coastal vibes and art deco splendour of a hidden beach in Sydney
144
Hospitality
Spring 2023
M
ilk Beach in Sydney’s Harbour National Park is one of the city’s hidden gems: a secluded strip of sand with unrivalled views across the iconic harbour and the city skyline. In London, however, Milk Beach is a popular Australian eatery on a cobbled mews in Lonsdale Road, Queen’s Park. Recently, restaurateur Elliot Milne opened a second Milk Beach in Soho’s new IIona Rose House, with interiors designed by A-nrd that subtly evoke the beachside splendour of its namesake. The brief was to create an “Australian beach vibe” with a relaxed and fun atmosphere for all-day
dining, which could transform into a vibrant night spot. “Elliot is from Sydney, so we took that as our starting point, evoking a beach club and seaside atmosphere through the colour and material palette,” explains Alessio Nardi, founder of A-nrd. “The elevated design elements reference the art deco architecture and details seen across Sydney and around the beach community and harbour.” The space was a complete shell prior to the fit out, which required all the services and utilities to be designed alongside the more public-facing areas. The resulting layout is simple yet effective, with a cocktail bar defined by a lower ceiling
“Design elements reference the art deco architecture and details seen across Sydney and around the beach community”
High ceilings, native Australian plants and bamboo pendant lights enhance the relaxed atmosphere
Conca Mirror
Intellimix® Smart sensor tap
Where it all comes together. Whatever environment you’re designing for, Singular™ offers a seamless journey to the perfect washroom solution.
Conca Basin
146
Hospitality
Spring 2023
height to create a feeling of intimacy, and the restaurant located to the right of the bar beneath soaring ceilings and an enormous lightwell. The resulting interior is a light, bright space that brings a slice of sunny Sydney to Soho. Stucco and limewash walls add soft warmth, while the Palladiana terrazzo floor poetically recreates the feeling of stepping over pebbles on the beach. The floor, in particular, was a challenge to bring to life as it was laid in-situ, with each large piece of tonal marble carefully arranged within the cement mix to achieve an organic appearance. “It was hard work but absolutely worth it,” says Nardi.
Against this crafted backdrop of terrazzo and stucco sits a fine balance of richly textured neutrals, pops of colour and sculptural forms. The bespoke furniture by A-nrd is crafted from oak, leather, rattan, travertine and tonal upholstery; native Australian plants, including two towering foxtail palms, bring a touch of the outside in. Vibrant murals adorn the walls and bespoke 2m-wide bamboo pendant lights by David Barker of Lion Iron Lights create a dynamic visual landscape. Beyond the relaxed, coastal chic vibes, the interior is a subtle layering of Antipodean
“The Palladiana terrazzo floor poetically recreates the feeling of stepping over pebbles on the beach”
A–nrd’s furniture employs natural oak
Limewash walls meet a terrazzo floor in which
alongside bespoke neutral upholstery
each piece of marble has been carefully positioned
Let your productivity flow with Tallo™, the award-winning monitor arms.
Extensive choice Create a set-up to meet any and every need with the wide choice of options, features and colours. All designed to work effortlessly.
For an information pack, email
[email protected] or visit www.fellowes.com/monitorarms
148
Hospitality
Spring 2023
references. Art deco detailing, which has been inspired by the residences that neighbour Sydney’s Milk Beach, can be found in the relief stucco wall panels and the curvaceous form of the cocktail bar, while the back bar features a unique layered design that takes cues from the Sydney Opera House. Unusually for a central London restaurant, the interior opens out to an expansive courtyard. A cohesive look was created between the interior and exterior spaces through the use of timber outdoor bistro furniture and lounges that echo the interior materials and colour palette.
With plans for Milk Beach to host live music in the evenings, the transition between night and day also needed to be carefully considered – and lighting plays an important role. A-nrd collaborated with lighting designer Darren Parnaby of LightsOn.Design to create a natural, sunny look during the day, and a more intimate setting at night. “We wanted to create a transportive environment with the design concept,” says Nardi. “There are no gimmicky beachside or nautical aspects – instead, it’s a successful mix of laidback authenticity with an elevated sophistication.”
“The back bar features a unique layered design that takes cues from the Sydney Opera House”
The ceiling is lowered above the cocktail bar to create a greater feeling of evening intimacy
design innovation on every level ®
Smartworking®
38 Northampton Road, London EC1R 0HU E.
[email protected] T. 020 7837 9922 www.orangebox.com
150
Spotlight
Spring 2023
FRAGILE:
words by sarah forman
MATERIAL, INDUSTRY AND OBJECTS Far from the demands of mass furniture production, Swedish designer Alexander Lervik has set up a new gallery to show objects that are completely unique
Spotlight
Spring 2023
151
Photography: Helén PE
A
lexander Lervik is a well-known name in the Scandinavian creative community. Recognised globally for his international collaborations and innovative product design, his expansive practice ranges from concept development and photography, installation and invention, to other investigative exploits. His gallery based in Stockholm – Unikat Gallery – sits among these interests, in what Lervik refers to as “a smaller platform to investigate the borderland between art and design”. In contrast with the high volume, mass production expectations of many larger industry players, all works shown at Unikat are completely unique – furniture, objects of use, objects of beauty that exist alone and unto themselves, never to be produced at a scale other than intimate and intentional. One of his latest exhibitions, Fragile, comprises two pieces of furniture: the table Fragile Opposites and the chair Fragile Senses. Each is made of glass and Italian granite, in a balancing of surface, texture and weight that bears an elegant but unsettling quality. Lervik sees the objects as “a metaphor for our strange reality, where the fate of the entire world depends on thin fragile agreements between countries”, but it’s difficult to square the severity of the subject matter with the beauty of the works themselves. In Fragile Opposites, the upper and
Glass and Italian
Alexander Lervik:
granite are contrasted
exploring the borderland
in Fragile Senses
between art and design
152
Spotlight
The two glass planes of
Spring 2023
The glass base adds
Fragile Senses reflect
ethereal colour to
and refract the light
Fragile Opposites
“A metaphor for our strange reality, where the fate of the entire world depends on thin fragile agreements between countries”
lower surfaces of the 400kg boulder are polished and smooth – its coarse, angled, uncut body an artefact of its original form. The trim glass base with almost iridescent film looks like an inversion of the northern lights, a slim band of light beneath a mammoth piece of stone. In Fragile Senses, the glass back of the chair cuts into the granite base, an angular, worked piece of stone chosen for its veining. Here the parts are in negotiation with each other, leveraging each of their properties to create an object that reflects and refracts. The filmed glass throws squares of angled colour across the room, changing itself and its surrounding environment depending on the light. From pink to blue to yellow, it brings the celestial earthbound through in a geometric light show that paints the walls and floors that house it. Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of Lervik’s practice and moving from large-scale production to object-focused making through partnerships with material experts is at the forefront of Fragile. “I have a responsibility as a designer to bring that into the industry,” he says, reflecting on the glassmakers and granite polishers that worked with him in bringing these objects to life. Investing in those with the skills to develop new material technologies has become an integral part of his design practice, and creative practice, in just one of the many ways Lervik continues to thrive in the borderland between them.
Furniture with a mission. Pauline by Pauline Deltour
offecct.com
154
Spotlight
Spring 2023
WHAT’S ON YOUR DESK? Stockholm-based architect and 3D artist Karim Nabil brings his visual skills to OnOffice’s nature inspired cover art for the spring issue – sharing about his work, his workspace and switching off
What are your desk staples? I only have my Rubik’s Cube, sketching papers and pens, my Bose headphones, a wireless charger and a coaster for my coffee. What is your favourite object on your desk? My Rubik’s Cube – I enjoy solving it while rendering. Describe your workspace in three words: Clean, neat and organised.
Can you tell us a little about your work as an architect and as a 3D artist? I started my career as an architect – this is what I studied, and I was drawn to it because of my passion for design. I love creative expression through interior design, disruptive buildings and constructions. The field is in constant movement and evolution, which I find extremely stimulating. I like to keep myself up to speed with the latest techniques, and this is what led me to learn 3D design later in my career. We now have access to incredible platforms to render our work and bring it to life in films with great details and granularity. When you’re not working, what can we find you doing? I enjoy playing football with my friends, going out for drinks, hiking and, of course, playing video games!
How do you switch off at the end of the day? By working out and spending quality time with my loved ones. What inspired the design of OnOffice’s Spring cover? Here I wanted to hero the sleek and elegant Chesa chairs in a natural environment. The subtle lines and colours of the furniture effortlessly blend into this calm scenery. It evokes a sense of harmony between human-made objects and the untamed nature. It also highlights the contrast between the chairs’ geometric shapes and the organic forms of the trees and foliage around them.
What is your dream project and why? I would love to take part in life-changing urban construction projects where design meets sustainability. We have a responsibility as architects to create conscious and eco-friendly architecture that has limited to no impact on the planet. And doing this with unique forms and unexpected materials that disrupt the landscape couldn’t be more exciting. Where can we follow you? You can follow me on Instagram @knabilrazik and visit my website knabil.com.
Photography: Andreu Taberner
How do you express yourself creatively? Rendering and creating short films. I also enjoy drawing when I have the time to do so.
HAWK FURNITURE TM
[email protected] 01430 861229
Sia
Sustainable Working
[email protected] | bossdesign.com | @wearebossdesign