The Business


News and pictures from the design sector


Egis’ Architecture Line Opens New London Campus
Multidisciplinary engineering and operations company, Egis, has opened new studios in London, UK. The establishment of the Egis’ Architecture Line, which launched earlier this year, follows the recent merger of international architecture practice 10 Design with SB Architects and Egis’ acquisition of Weston Williamson + Partners in 2022.

Egis brings together worldleading architecture and design practices, Weston Williamson + Partners, 10 Design, SB Architects, and U+A to work alongside engineers.

The new London campus is located adjacent to Weston Williamson + Partners’ existing studio near Waterloo Station, enabling the practice to expand into new space to accommodate and deliver a growing transport portfolio. The London campus enables 10 Design to expand its London design team and lead the design of mixed-use projects. SB Architects, headquartered in San Francisco, has a growing design team in London, focusing on significant hospitality projects. The campus allows both 10 Design and SB Architects to foster closer collaboration with their respective London-based clients, providing a streamlined and effective design process for ongoing and new projects across Europe and the MENA region. www.egis-group.com

FX Awards 2023: entries now open!

Entries for this year’s FX Awards are now open. You have until Friday 28 July to submit your entries, with categories for architects, designers, suppliers and specifiers. Whether a project, product, international retail, leisure, office, public sector or hotel – there are opportunities for you to enter your work whatever sector you’re in!

More than a dozen new judges are lined up to select winners from each category, which will be announced at the Gala event at the Grovesnor House Hotel, London, this autumn. Each judge is will be using their expertise to judge their categories.

Table bookings are now being taken so do join us then as we party through the night. Book early to avoid disappointment. Head to the website to book your place or to enter into the awards. Good luck. www.fxdesignawards.co.uk

SpaceInvader announces new senior team

Image Credit: Pip RustageImage Credit: Pip Rustage

SpaceInvader has announced a number of new appointments and promotions to strengthen the its senior management team. Former associates Nathan Lindley and Sarah Dabbs have now been made associate directors. There are five new associates: interior designers Imogen Woodage, and Regina Cheng; graphic and branding designer Jenny Crossland; principal designer Tad Kolakowski; and a new hire Jon Waldron, an interior designer with a background in high-end residential and marine. www.spaceinvader.co.uk

KI to exhibit in Old Sessions House, CDW’s hub for 2023

As part of this year’s CDW, KI will be taking space in the grade II listed building and CDW 2023’s festival hub, Old Sessions House, on Clerkenwell Green. Its main feature for the event is, Clubhouse, a flexible system of acoustic frames and panels that can create a variety of private and collaborative spaces, which has been designed to revolutionise the way we work and interact in shared spaces. www.kieurope.com

Patricia Urquiola becomes Andreu World brand ambassador

After sharing more than a decade working with Patricia Urquiola, Andreu World has made Patricia Urquiola an honorary ambassador of the Spain Brand in the Art and Culture category. Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain presented the accreditations that are a public recognition granted by the Leading Brands of Spain Forum (FMRE), to which Andreu World belongs. www.andreuworld.com

Marchini Curran Associates delivers landmark design works of Leicester cinema and arts venue
Marchini Curran Associates, has led on design services for the expansion of the Phoenix cinema and art centre in Leicester. The project has involved adding two new cinema screens, a large digital art gallery, extended café bar, a multi-purpose events space and rooftop terrace bar, to accommodate more visitors and expand the programme of this muchloved independent cinema and arts venue. www.mc-a.co.uk

Woods Bagot moves into new selfdesigned Dubai studio

The Woods Bagot Dubai Studio has moved into a new address at One Central, Dubai – home to all WB teams working across the Middle Eastern region.

Designed by the firm’s architects, the new workspace aims to promote collaboration, which includes flexible spaces to support multiple working styles.

Bringing people together was also at the heart of the design with the concept manifested in the reception through a symbolic reference to the traditional ‘Majlis’ – both as a symbol of ‘coming together’ as well as being a nod to Middle Eastern culture and craftsmanship.

The pantry and reception have been merged to elevate the atmostphere upon arrival. The design of the pantry provides space for individuals and teams, and there are two more break out and collaborative area.

Richard Fenne, director and executive regional chair, commented: ‘It’s been a really exciting few months getting settled into our new studio. During the design stages for the interiors, we wanted something that would reflect the WB credo – People Architecture – while also emphasising the importance of well-being.

The scheme features an earthy and simple, material pallet throughout to create a sense of closeness and warmth. www.woodsbagot.com

Ercol to manufacture furniture in Britishgrown ash

Ercol has joined forces with Grown in Britain to launch two of its best-loved designs, the Pebble nest and Marino chair, in British ash.

Launching at Clerkenwell Design Week, ‘A New Seat at the Table’ follows the journey from woodland to sawmill to Ercol’s Princes Risborough factory, and finally into consumer’s homes.

The pieces will be available to purchase from late summer. Ercol chairman Henry Tadros commented: ‘Currently, the UK imports £8.5bn worth of wood products, while its own woodlands are undermanaged. By choosing certified British timber, we can help create a new wood culture for the UK. www.ercol.com

Nissen Richards Studio designs ‘The Shape of Freedom’

Image Credit: Gareth GardnerImage Credit: Gareth Gardner

Nissen Richards Studio has designed The Shape of Freedom; a new, temporary exhibition at MUNCH in Oslo, which is set to run until 21 May.

The exhibition brings together high-profile artworks from collections worldwide and examines the story of the great 20th century post-war art recovery and the birth of abstract expressionism and its European counterpart, art informel.

Nissen Richards Studio’s design approach for this exhibition was to create a loosely linear journey through the space. Throughout the visitor journey, interrelations and linking views are created between themes, with the forms that enable this a series of monolithic, temporary walls, as well as a number of ‘disruptor’ angled walls, showcasing key works in the exhibition and altering the exhibition’s flow, whilst encouraging visitors to stop and think.

Nissen Richards studio director Pippa Nissen commented: ‘The works on show are so bold and visually arresting that only a fairly neutral backdrop would serve them well, but of course we wanted to avoid that being in any way bland or uninteresting. We very much also wanted to capture a sense of the artistic process and the unfinished and the raw in the physical materiality of the exhibition.’ www.nissenrichardsstusio.com

Fritz Hansen’s History of the Egg Chair

Fritz Hansen celebrate a design icon, The Egg chair, in a dedicated exhibition at its London showroom.

Combining design, craft and history it tells the story of one of the world’s most iconic furniture pieces, which was originally designed in 1958 Arne Jacobsen for the lobby and reception of his wider SAS Royal hotel scheme.

Coinciding with London Craft Week 2023, the exhibition explores the handcrafting techniques used to make each piece, as well as a selection of Special Edition Egg chairs produced over the years, in collaboration with various artists, architects and designers. The exhibition is on until 14 May. www.fritzhansen.com

BDG architecture + design announces new CEO

BDG architecture + design announces the promotion of Matt Jackson to the role of CEO, as Gill Parker steps down after 25 years. Matt has been a director at BDG for the last five years and has 20 years previous industry experience. He first joined BDG as a graduate before moving on to gain wider experience in the design sector, re-joining BDG as director of workplace five years ago. www.bdg-a-d.com

OEO Studio designs interiors for Noma Kyoto

OEO Studio has showcased its new interior design for a noma pop up in Japan – Noma Kyoto. Following the success of pop-ups in Tokyo, Sydney and Tulum, noma teamed up with Ace Hotel Kyoto to transform one of its existing restaurants into Noma Kyoto. Situated inside Ace Hotel Kyoto OEO Studio worked closely with the noma team to create a space that reflects noma and the culinary vision for Noma Kyoto.

The design brief was to capture the spirit of noma, infused with the design traditions of Japan and Kyoto. The Scandinavian design house has delivered a scheme which subtly blends Nordic and Japanese culture to create a warm and tactile interior enhanced with dimmed lighting, welcoming acoustics, and an earthy palette of colours. Noma Kyoto will run until 20 May. www.oeostudio.com

PLP Architecture and PATRIZIA unveil plans to transform historic City of London site

PLP Architecture and PATRIZIA have unveiled plans to transform 30 Minories in Aldgate in the City of London. The scheme, targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WiredScore Platinum, WELL Platinum and NABERS UK, will redevelop 30 Minories and retain and substantially refurbish the neighbouring Writers House on Haydon Street. The development would benefit from substantial landscaped terraces throughout the scheme and active retail, responding to both the building’s occupier and local needs. www.plparchitecture.com

Jump Studios completes Lisbon workplace for leading electronics brand Worten

Image Credit: Zoé SilvaImage Credit: Zoé Silva

Jump Studios has completed the interior design of a 6,000-sq m office space that prioritises sustainability, wellness and connectivity for its workforce.

In response to the client’s brief Jump Studios, a Populous company, has centred its design around flexible workspaces and communal amenities. In contrast to the company’s previous office, which saw many of its staff working in single-desk cubicles, the new workspace prioritises connected and hybrid working, with provision of bookable hot-desking areas, as well as the inclusion of individual booths and meeting rooms alongside communal workspaces, relaxation and decompression spaces, a restaurant, and several cafés.

Clearly-defined zones have been created to separate areas with high levels of traffic – such as those for greeting clients and mixing – and those for concentration.

The office floorplate spans two building wings joined on each level by a connecting bridge, which Jump Studios has used to flood natural light to key areas.

Shaun Fernandes, Jump Studios founder and senior principal, said: ‘Our design for Worten has responded to the brand’s desire to change its working culture to one that is designed for future resiliency. We know that a happier, better-connected workforce is a more productive workforce, and so creating spaces that actively bring people together prioritises staff well-being.’ www.jump-studios.com

UNESCO City of Design Dundee appoints Stacey Hunter as curator of Dundee Design Festival 2024 UNESCO City of Design Dundee has announced the appointment of Dr Stacey Hunter as curator of the 2024 Dundee Design Festival. The appointment of design curator and Local Heroes founder, Dr Hunter points to a change of direction for the 2024 Dundee Design Festival which will celebrate the city’s 10th anniversary of UNESCO City of Design designation – the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design.

The appointment is the latest in a series of high profile cultural coups for the city following the opening of the blockbuster TARTAN exhibition at V&A Dundee and the announcement of contemporary art festival Art Night taking place in the city on the 24 June.

Since its designation in 2014, the UNESCO City of Design Dundee team has delivered four festivals which showcase the work of local and national designers; raising the profile of contemporary design in Scotland. www.cityofdundee.com

TP Bennett completes future-focused Tokyo office for Tetra Pak

TP Bennett has delivered Tetra Pak’s first workplace in Asia to embody its new ‘Future Work Experience’ strategy. Located in downtown Tokyo in the Motoakasaka district, TP Bennett’s design for the office responds to four key areas: flexible working arrangements, purpose-based workplaces, digital tools, and health & well-being.

In an effort to maximise recycled content in the materials and products selected, TP Bennett also worked with the client to consider the circularity of specification to ensure a second life.

Naomi Buckley, director at TP Bennett, commented: ‘Working with Tetra Pak in Tokyo allowed us to challenge the sustainability of the workplace and to create an environment that fosters innovation to create a template for the future of work. Our ongoing work with Tetra Pak will allow us to push this agenda throughout its portfolio, responding in each case to the local cultural requirements of each team within the global Future Work Experience framework.’ www.tpbennett.com








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