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News and pictures from the design sector

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Fletcher Priest reimagines Knightbridge Estate

Fletcher Priest Architects has completed the first phase of the regeneration of The Olayan Group’s Knightsbridge Estate. Working alongside historic building consultants Donald Insall Associates, Fletcher Priest has refurbished and improved the century-old facades of the estate. The practice has restored the ‘architectural integrity’ of each individual building: recreating lost elements of the ‘houses’ and creating a coherent design.

The regeneration project of the estate is set to restore and reimagine a set of historic buildings into a modern, mixed-use estate incorporating offices, homes and retail.

Pero Maticevic, partner at Fletcher Priest Architects, commented: ‘The nine buildings that form this site are part of the remarkable heritage of the Knightsbridge Estate extending all the way to Harrods. The buildings we restored have been a key characteristic of the Knightsbridge area for a century...By reimagining the interiors of the buildings, whilst keeping the alignment with the precious facades, we have created a collection of decidedly individual homes, truly evolved from the site’s rich history.’ www.fletcherpriest.com

Rawside unveil new London showroom

Commercial furniture brand Rawside, has unveiled its new showroom space in the Featherstone Building, London. Located in the heart of the Old Street District, Rawside’s showroom in the City has been created to support the rapid growth and demand for Rawside’s designs and a place to exhibit its full portfolio of sustainable commercial furniture.

Liz Close, co-founder of Rawside commented: ‘Our vision was not only to showcase our existing portfolio but to also feature new and developing products. We wanted to treat this as a working environment to test new and prototype products, so, alongside our existing product ranges, we’ve included lots of roadmap materials and designs to see how they are received and how well they perform.’ www.rawside.co

Harrison secures partnership with Burleigh Court Conference Centre and Hotel

Burleigh Court Conference Centre and Hotel, located in the East Midlands on Loughborough University’s campus, has appointed design agency, Harrison, as its strategic design partners. The partnership will see Burleigh Court and Harrison work together to create a revitalised space for families and visitors to the surrounding area. The project will include a new F&B space with a capacity to host up to 120 guests; a conference suite; a new bar and reception area. www.weareharrison.com

The Royal Academy of Arts announces election of two new Royal Academicians

The RA has annouced to new Royal Academicians. At the General Assembly meeting, it elected Nigel Coates and Elsie Owusu, both in the category of architecture. Coates is a polemical architectural designer and theoretician based in London. Elsie Owusu OBE is a Ghanaian-British architect and urban designer. She is principal of Elsie Owusu Architects, with projects in UK, Nigeria and Ghana. www.royalacademy.org.uk

Study reveals three quarters of young people don’t know how to work in creative industries

A study conducted between 1,000 young adults and commissioned by Ravensbourne University London revealed two in three (43%) young adults are either employed in creative industries (17%) or actively seeking employment in them (26%), with another third (33%) expressing interest in working in the creative sector. The data highlights those aged 18–25, revealing that three quarters of young adults want to work in the UK’s booming creative industries, but career pathways are not clear. The top five industries that young adults are interested in are TV and film (33%), design (28%), fashion (25%), music (23%) and video games (22%). www.ravensbourne.ac.uk

TR Studio showcases sustainable design

TR Studio has completed the build and interior design of Malverleys Farm & Dining, a community project that combines sustainable design and arts and crafts inspired architecture. Located in the idyllic hamlet of East End near Newbury, this project aims to enhance the local community and provide a picturesque haven for visitors to enjoy. www.trstudio.co.uk

MCW completes work on new social spaces at 16th century St John’s College in Cambridge

Image Credit: Richard Fraser

Cambridge-based architects MCW has completed work on a new cluster of social spaces at the heart of St John’s College, Cambridge, transforming a 500-year-old tradition of community dining on the site.

Alongside a new bar and rebuilt buttery dining room is a café – a first for the college since its foundation in 1511. The new social spaces aim to fuse the contemporary need for an airy and vibrant social hub and eatery for students and academics alike, using modern construction methods and contemporary material choices, while preserving a sense of history and character.

The most significant element of the scheme is the new glulam oak superstructure of the buttery dining room.

The project represents the first major step in response to a recognised need to provide an inclusive, supportive and energising social space at the centre of the campus.

Paula Mejia-Wright, project lead for MCW, commented: ‘The application of contemporary retrofitting into historic settings is going to be crucial for colleges to thrive beyond the 21st Century. With collaborative design work, we have been able to re-energise an important part of the College, creating a sustainable and elegant meeting place for the whole college community.’ www.mcwarchitects.com

New rooftop platform with panoramic views of Berlin completes

Image Credit: David Stiehler

A key stage in the redevelopment of Berlin’s historic Tempelhof Airport has now completed, with the opening of a 600 sq m rooftop walkway and 360° viewing platform on the 26m high airport tower, by architects mlzd.

The new installation is part of the regeneration of the former aviation centre which closed its hangar doors in 2008. The wood-panelled rooftop terrace, which uses Kebony decking, creates a new exhibition and event space, offering visitors views across the skyline of the German capital, but an expansive viewing platform to experience the regular programme of cultural events hosted at the airport, www.kebony.com

Resonate completes new office for Appian

Resonate has completed the 8,000 sq ft London HQ for process automation company Appian. Located on the 25th floor of London’s iconic Wallkie Talkie building with capturing views over the City of London, the client brief was focused on staff wellbeing.

Visitor’s to the office see spectacular views of London’s Square Mile architecture. To work in harmony of this natural canvas for the views, the colour palette selected was neutral but with pops of colour.

Appian wanted to create a work environment to help bring people back to the workplace: a place that would both excite and motivate them. This approach also formed part of its growth strategy. As a hugely expanding business, they wanted to attract new talent while retaining existing staff, so providing a resimercial feel to the space was a natural choice.

The company was looking to maximise both the exceptional daylight and incredible 360º views over the City by incorporating open plan desking arrangements, a combination of huddle and quiet work settings, formal meeting spaces with state-of-the-art AV, and individual phone rooms along with breakout areas. www.resonateinteriors.com

Book your ticket for the party of the year: The FX Awards is nearly here!

The last few tickets for the FX Awards 2023 are available for the dazzling awards gala, which returns to the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London on 29 November.

Join us as we announce the category winners across retail, leisure, office, public sector and hotels, to name but a few. Entries have now closed, but don’t miss out on joining us on the night for the party of the year!

Book now and get ready to win! Visit the FX Awards website to join us and for more information on the awards. Good luck, and we look forward to seeing you there! www.fxdesignawards.co.uk

KI debuts its Clubhouse

Image Credit: Beth Davies

KI has showcased its newest innovation, Clubhouse: a new ground-up design that features a flexible system of acoustic frames and panels that can be easily assembled and reconfigured to create a variety of private and collaborative spaces.

Manufactured in the UK, it has been designed to revolutionise shared spaces by providing a highly customisable solution. Its highly rated acoustic performance is at the heart of its design and ensures that conversations remain confidential and free from outside distractions, and subsequently, the wider office isn’t disturbed by any talking taking place. The 10mm glass panels ensure a stylish, sleek and streamlined aesthetic which is teamed with a selection of materials, chamfered edges and posts.

Clubhouse was first showcased during CDW and was situated in the traditional backdrop of Old Sessions House, demonstrating a ‘seamless integratation’ into its unique setting. Advanced features like ventilation, lighting and technology integration can also be added, as well as a retractable, fire safety compliant roof, shelving systems and overhead gantries. Clubhouse is also DDA compliant and doesn’t require a floor.

Clubhouse can be specified in multiple finishes, providing the option to add colour and texture or simply to complement or match the current colour palette of any workspace. www.kieurope.com

Fabled Studio unveils latest restaurant project at Manzi’s

Fabled Studio has revealed the interior of Manzi’s, a Soho seafood restaurant by The Wolseley Hospitality Group.

Manzi’s pays homage to its much-loved forefather, a restaurant which famously served Londoners on the corner of Leicester Square for over three-quarters of a century.

Drawing inspiration from the original whimsical atmosphere of plaited loaves of plastic bread, mermaids etched into mirrors and fishermen’s nets, Fabled Studio has reimagined nautical motifs in a modern and glamorous guise to deliver a playful, fresh and adventurous ambience.

Set over two levels, it draws inspiration from the interiors of Rick’s Café in Casablanca; the ground floor has an airy Mediterranean feel and is flooded with light from the exceptionally large windows. Rope detail on ceilings, walls and chandeliers adds texture and warmth against the crisp white walls. Diners can opt to sit at the ground floor bar that evokes the curves of a scallop shell, and, behind this, textured walls are illuminated by mollusc shell lights. www.fabledstudio.com

Ergo plugs into heritage with The Curtis at Ravenscourt Park

The Curtis, originally constructed in the thirties as a lightbulb factory, has been renewed as an office location. Aver, a joint venture between Ergo Real Estate and NFU Mutual is currently remodelling the reception, kitchen and common amenity areas with additional showers added, together with a CAT A fit out to ground, second and third floors. Ergo, in collaboration with office fit-out firm, Office Principles, has highlighted the original features including exposed steel, brickwork and original Crittal windows, reviving The Curtis for the next generation of businesses to light up the space. www.ergo-re.comflokk.com