Design
Above: The General Store in Battersea.
d e s i g n in mind Rapeed, the design company, talks recent projects, design trends and going above and beyond.
R
apeed, the retail and commercial shopfitting company, has been bringing its expertise to the developing hospitality and retail sector for more than 25 years. Offering hospitality professionals a taste of innovative design, Rapeed brings its entrepreneurial spirit to the bustling industry.
Helping hospitality "We are confident and know that we can offer a variety of services that will help any hospitality entrepreneur to develop their branding concept from the start to end. From the creation of a design - right through to delivery we get the job done,” states Lari Mihic, senior interior architect at Rapeed Design. For Lari, being different is a part of Rapeed’s strength. “We always try to be different and innovative, but at the same time” he jokes: “We do not try to fit a square peg into a round hole.” Rapeed Design understands that not every set process can work for everyone in the sector, which is why they continue to bring stand out tailor-made designs and ideas to the table. Lari continues: “What works from a design perspective for a high-end hospitality convenience store in a prestigious part of London might not be hugely relevant or applicable in a high street in Guildford. Not only will the budget not make sense, but the end user experience and the client’s vision will also be different. What we really enjoy about working with restaurateurs
10
ontradeprogress.com
and entrepreneurs is the passion and commitment to the industry that comes across project development meetings. “Also we have to take into consideration not just a location, but also the demographics of the area to achieve the desired result.” He adds. “It’s refreshing because we see some clients who have a set vision about what they want and how they want a concept to look and feel, which is fantastic for us because we know what’s needed and we can get stuck in. With other clients we actually walk through the whole process, start from a design concept and prepare feasibility studies. This can include visiting potential sites for a restaurant or a bar and carrying out in-depth reviews to help the client make the most informed choices. We often get tender packs from entrepreneurs who are seeking quotations and figures for a possible restaurant, bar or lobby fit outs which have been prepared by others.”