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News and pictures from the design sector

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Words by Emily Martin

Arup and Fletcher Priest appointed to transform brownfield site

Arup and Fletcher Priest Architects have been appointed by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, supported by Homes England, to design and obtain planning permission for a sustainable housing-led scheme on a former gasworks site on Ship Street, derelict as far back as 1956.

Acquired by the council in 2021, the Ship Street project seeks to enhance permeability through the site via a new green car-free link, creating a pedestrian route from the station to the town centre and harbour area.

The scheme comprises around 150 homes in a mix of houses, duplexes and apartments, and is designed to encourage sustainable lifestyles with incentives to promote using public transport, cycling and car clubs. The scheme could also provide space for a small number of commercial units, as well as public creative and cultural space.

Rehana Raja, UKIMEA commercial property lead at Arup says: ‘The project contributes to the Place Plan for Folkestone Town Centre – a vision to guide the town centre’s evolution for years to come, attracting investment and bringing together community groups whilst addressing the climate emergency. The Place Plan was developed by “We Made That” with extensive contribution from Fletcher Priest Architects.’ www.fletcherpriest.com/arup.com

A place with chemistry: new exhibition at the Deutsches Museum uses high-tech HIMACS wall

A newly designed chemistry exhibition at the Deutsches Museum in Munich features a HIMACS Solid Surface material walls in Alpine White.

The permenant exhibition, designed by Ambos & Weidenhammer, is divided into three large sections. The design concept divides the massive world of chemistry into individual stations separated by cylindrical walls.

The individual stations and their cylindrical walls made of HIMACS Solid Surface material, which have different shapes routed into the double-wall structures, draw in visitors to explore the molecular world of each station. www.himacs.eu  / www.a-w-architekten.de

BAUX reveal future vision of architecture, interior design and wellbeing

Sustainable acoustics experts BAUX showcased an exhibition dedicated to exploring the future of architecture, interior design, and wellbeing during Stockholm Furniture Fair Week. Eight students were invited by BAUX, to explore how buildings of tomorrow can nurture people’s productivity, wellbeing and creativity. The concepts were presented through scale models and renders at the fair, in a dedicated-designed space by BAUX co-founders. www.baux.com

Amtico introduces new RIBA-approved CPD seminar

Amtico has introduced a new RIBA-approved CPD seminar and webinar aimed at increasing awareness of Light Reflectance Value (LRV) and the role it plays when specifying LVT flooring in commercial applications.

The module has been created to provide a comprehensive overview of LRV, its link with LVT flooring and how it affects mood, wellbeing and emotions. The seminar will also aid the understanding of regulatory contexts and the technical side of LRV, as well as provide real-life case studies of LRV and LVT within specific sectors, including workplace, education and dementia in healthcare. www.amtico.com/cpd

KI reports record growth for 2022

KI has announced record sales and profits in the UK and wider EMEA with significant investments made in new products, people, and sustainability initiatives.

Despite the global economic challenges, UK sales for 2022 alone totalled over L23m. The comapany says it has been winning significant workplace projects for a variety of social media, banking, tech, law, investment management, and professional service firms across the UK, as well as substantial growth in the schools and education sectors. www.kieurope.com

Duravit posts record revenues for 2022

Duravit’s previous record revenues of €608 million in 2021 have been exceeded by just under €100 million in 2022.

Commenting on the provisional announcement, CEO Stephan Tahy said: ‘Once again we have come a little closer to our growth target of €1 billion in sales by 2025, despite challenging conditions in some regions. The current figures confirm that we are on the right track and gives us confidence.’ www.duravit.co.uk

Squire & Partners completes sensitive refurbishment and extension for BentallGreenOak

Image Credit: Jack Hobhouse

A former members’ club has been transformed into 100,000 sq ft of prime multi-tenant workspace, with 10,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art amenities, wellness facilities and a rooftop terrace.

The design, as delivered by Squire & Partners, sees a Grade II listed Victorian structure on St James’ Street and a rear building added to the west of the site as part of a redevelopment to provide contemporary workspace accommodation for a single tenant – originally undertaken by the practice in 2001. Twenty years after this initial intervention, BentallGreenOak approached Squire & Partners with the brief to reimagine and transform the building. Tim Gledstone, partner, Squire & Partners, commented: ‘Our design celebrates these unique features and works with the existing assets in order to maximise the building’s character and charm. Contemporary elements that complement this unique setting have been introduced to create a modern clubhouse atmosphere, reminiscent of the building’s original use as a members’ club.’

The resulting space has received a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. www.squireandpartners.com

Paola Leon Design & MATT Architecture complete new headquarters for Soho Estates

Image Credit: Tim Ainsworth Photography

Paola Leon Design has completed the interior design of Soho Estates’ new prestigious headquarters, located on the top floor of new-build Ilona Rose House, designed by MATT Architecture. The 7,500 sq ft space is the company’s first purpose-built and designed office, reflecting its family-owned and run values.

The design brief for the project was to create a dynamic and flexible workspace that encouraged movement and interaction while projecting the family brand and capturing the spirit of Soho.

www.paolaleondesign.com / www.mattarchitecture.com

Two Supreme Winners for the Surface Design Awards

MONC’s award-winning retail space in Marylebone, London

Two winners were announced as Supreme Winners on the final day of the Surface Design Show last month (February). Glade of Light, by BCA Landscape, won the Landscape & Public Realm category and the winner of the Commercial Building Exterior category was MONC by Nina + Co with Smile Plastics.

This year’s judges were struck by the quality of this year’s entries, which led to a Surface Design Show first with the decision to crown not one but two entries as the Supreme Winners.

Glade of Light is a living memorial to those who lost their lives in the May 2017 terror attack at Manchester Arena: a space for reflection and remembrance.

The abstract design is an emotional response to the ineffability of sorrow and loss. It’s a special place where people can briefly pause time, find a place of quiet and stillness in their busy lives, providing a space to reflect and linger a while.

MONC is a retailer selling sustainable eyewear and its debut store in Marylebone, London was designed with circularity in mind. Almost everything brought into the building was entirely bio-based or recycled. The furniture within the store is expertly built to last but can also be disassembled for re-use, recycling or return to the earth as nourishment.

The Glade of Light memorial to the victims of the May 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack. Image Credit: Glenn Maguire

The differences of the two outstanding projects, a landscaped living memorial and a retail interior, proved challenging for the judges, with strong opinions divided. After a long debate, it was decided that the only fair decision that they could make was to award the Supreme Award to both. The judges said of Glade of Light, ‘It is a special place, which creates a moment and makes you feel safe,’ whilst MONC was praised by the judges for ‘its powerful design with all the wow factor and beauty, yet still retaining a fantastic sustainability focus, something that we could all learn from’.

Andy Thomson and Shivani Gunawardana from BCA Landscape were at the breakfast presentation to accept the award for Glade of Light. Andy said, ‘It was a sensitive journey for everyone who worked on the project.’ Shivani explained, ‘The materials played a really important part, from the Carrara marble to reusing the existing paving.’

Amongst the team to collect MONC’s award was Nina Woodcroft from Nina + Co who said about the project: ‘Both the client and I were like-minded when it came to circularity. It was important that sustainable design decisions were made when it came to the materials and the way they were applied.’ www.surfacedesignshow.com

SURFACE DESIGN AWARDS

Supreme Winners
MONC / Nina + Co with Smile Plastics
Glade of Light / BCA Landscape

Commercial Building Exterior
Design District Building D2 / Mole Architects
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Knitted Eaves House

Commercial Building Interior
MONC / Nina + Co with Smile Plastics

Image Credit: 7n Architects

Housing Exterior
Stepped Loft / Andre Kong Studio

Housing Interior
JOINT WINNER: Wiltshire Farmhouse / Emil Eve Architects
JOINT WINNER: Southwark Brick House / Satish Jassal Architects

Light & Surface Exterior
Knitted Eaves / Studio AVT Architects Pvt
HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Yards St Martin’s Courtyard Terrace / Brimelow McSweeney Architects

Light & Surface Interior
Sky Lantern House / Proctor & Shaw Architects

Public Building Exterior
The Digi-Tech Factory / Coffey Architects
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sutton Hoo / Nissen Richards Studio

Image Credit: Studio Recall

Landscape + Public Realm
Glade of Light / BCA Landscape

Temporary Structure
JOINT WINNER: A Cautionary Bench/Mark / Andre Kong Studio
JOINT WINNER: The River Book / Atelier YokYok

Architectural Photography
A Deserts Rose / Sanaa Aftab

JBI completes renovation of Fairmont Banff Springs

Image Credit: VRX Studios

Interior Architecture and Design studio Jeffrey Beers International (JBI) has shared its most recent completed hotel project, located in Canada’s Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has renovated the Fairmont Gold Guest Rooms and Fairmont Gold Suites at the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs Resort.

Using a modern version of its founder’s vision, the updated rooms showcase a fairytale appeal making Fairmont Banff Spring a lavish getaway.

The Gold rooms are designed as a cozy sanctuary where guests feel ‘warmth and love’. It features a mix of soft fabrics and natural materials, and a free-standing bar cabinet for a residential feel. The Gold suites showcase a more dramatic feel with a four-poster bed to bring in the mountain grandeur, complete with fireplace clad with rich marble and natural walnut in the living room. Epic and majestic, it provides access to the beauty of the Canadian mountainside www.jeffreybeers.com

Museum of London to make 5,000 stories from the capital available to the public for the first time

The Museum of London has annouced it will transform digital access to the London Collection, making it easier for more people to engage with the museum online. Developed with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Digital Accelerator for Arts and Culture, this project will see 5,000 first-hand audio recorded stories in the museum’s collection made publicly available to search and access for the first time. This represents the largest oral history collection focused on the people and history of London.

Trish Thomas, head of digital innovation, Museum of London, said: ‘As a social history museum we are in a unique position to present our collections’ human stories first, offering new ways in – especially for underrepresented audiences who often tell us they find museum collections stuffy and inaccessible... I am delighted that this project will enable us to bring London’s stories to life for millions more people in the capital and around the world.’ www.museumoflondon.org.uk

The Design Museum announces Marco Campardo as second winner of annual prize

Image Credit: Andy Stagg

The Design Museum announces Marco Campardo as the second recipient of the prestigious annual award, ‘The Ralph Saltzman Prize’. The annual prize aims to support emerging talent through a bursary and display at the Design Museum.

For this year’s competition, five established designers each put forward a young designer who is currently making waves in the field of product design.

All the emerging designers are trying to point a new direction for design, either by supporting the green transition, through technical innovation or presenting compelling design ideas. Campardo was nominated by designer Edward Barber of Barber Osgerby.

Marco Campardo is a London-based designer and maker, working with the industry, private and public clients. He designs objects, exhibitions, and site-specific installations. www.designmuseum.org