2026
A P R -J U N
DESIGN INSIDER COVERAGE: Q2 - APRIL TO JUNE 2026 From 1 April to 31 June 2026, Design Insider published editorial content celebrating the following design studios and Commercial Interiors UK accredited suppliers.
Design Studios:
Adẹ̀ kọ́ & Co Aline Asmar d'Amman A-NRD Anamo Design Studio Astet Studio Brinkworth BW: Workplace Experts fung & bedford IHG
Customs Bureau
Gail Race
Gensler
Jasper Sanders + Partners
Design Command
Grafling
Halkyn
Lanza Atelier
DLSM
DV8 Designs
Hannah Drakeford
Lumsden
f.r.a.
House of Black
Maoliosa Murray
Merav Bustan
MoreySmith Motive Nissen Richards OCCA Quartz Architects Sheila Bird SpaceInvader Spira Design
Studio du Feu
Studio Moren
Wangan Studio
Woods Bagot
Zebra
THDP
Thirdway
Tim Groom Architects
Events:
Clerkenwell Design Week London Festival of Architecture Milan Design Week WOW!house
Suppliers: Abbey Glass
ABI Interiors
Furniture
Bjelin
Boss
Furniture
Grohe
Hansgrohe
Hypnos
Interface
Alternative Flooring
Nordlux
Sixteen3
Camira
Havwoods
Johnson Tiles
Newmor Wallcoverings Silentnight Contract
Actiu
Brintons
Orac
Aquarius DanFloor
Heathfield & Co
Karndean
Skopos
Chelsom KI Europe
Barons Contract Dynamic Contract
Herman Miller
Humanscale
Knoll
Laufen
MillerKnoll
Roca
Sanderson
Philip Cowen Interiors
RHA
Ulster Carpets
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR VOICE THROUGH DESIGN INSIDER? To find out how to feature your people, products, projects, and expertise, visit our website here to view and download our Editorial Opportunities document, or email alys@designinsiderlive.com
INTRODUCTION AND EDITOR'S LETTER
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Editor's letter. Welcome to the second edition of IN THE FOLD. We are surrounded by an extraordinary amount of content every day, insight, inspiration, expertise, innovation, and while so much of it has the power to enrich the way we live and work, it can just as easily pass us by. This has felt especially true in Q2. It has been busier than ever, with a calendar shaped by national and international events, including Milan Design Week and Clerkenwell Design Week, adding to workloads and taking many of us away from our usual routines. All of which makes it even easier for valuable insights to slip out of view. IN THE FOLD is designed to bring key Design Insider articles back into focus, creating an opportunity to pause, catch up, and reconnect with the ideas shaping our commercial community. It is a chance to learn from others, benefit from their expertise, be inspired by standout projects, and discover the latest new products. We were delighted by the feedback to the first edition of IN THE FOLD. It achieved exactly what we hoped it would: bringing important content back into view, while also welcoming many new subscribers keen to enjoy this publication and our editorial still to come. This edition also includes something entirely new: a subscriber-exclusive conversation with Philippa Wagner, published here for the first time. Insightful, thought-provoking, and highly relevant, Philippa explores how hospitality brands can better understand the 'future guest', respond to the 'now, new, and next' guest, and design for the increasingly complex 'both/and guest'. It is a timely conversation about changing behaviours, shifting expectations, and the value of asking better questions before ideas become reality. I hope this second edition gives you another valuable opportunity to step back, take something useful away, and enjoy being back in the fold.
Alys Bryan Editorial Director Design Insider
DESIGN INSIDER
Design Insider is an online magazine and media outlet. We amplify the expertise of global commercial interior designers and suppliers by publishing the latest products, projects, and people from across the whole commercial sector, while also instigating the sector’s most important conversations. Design Insider is published and owned by Commercial Interiors UK.
Contents Introduction:
Introduction to Q2.. ...........2 Editor's Letter by Alys Bryan. . .........................3
Products: New product designs to answer your brief. 9 new product launches from Commercial Interiors UK accredited suppliers.. ................ 6
People:
Thirdway’s Junal Barboza on designing identity through restraint ......................................... 8
Interview with Jonathan Aeberhard & The Halkyn Team..................... 12 Where culture meets construction with BW: Workplace Experts... ......... 16
Exclusive: Philippa Wagner on the risk of designing from assumption, and why understanding the future guest is key to creating hospitality spaces that stay relevant. ........20
Projects:
A-nrd brings a fresh interpretation of Nordic warmth.......................... 26 LinkedIn’s Munich Office, by Gensler ...................................30 LANZA atelier’s Serpentine Pavilion reimagines the Crinkle-Crankle wall .................. 34 The Japanese design philosophy reshaping luxury living in Dubai......................................... 36
Editorial Series:
Joyful Spaces: Maggie’s Centre, Royal Oldham Hospital – Jon Humphreys ..........................40
Re-Design vs Design Perfection: Pippa Nissen, Nissen Richards Studio . ............42 Columnist: Designing for hybrid, flexible, experience-led models...........................................44
Events & Industry News:
Clerkenwell Design Week.........46 Next Generation Award................50 What recognition really means at Humanscale .............. 52 IHG Hotels & Resorts accelerates European growth ............................................... 56 Sydney, a destination for design investment ...............58
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PRODUCTS: NEW LAUNCH
New product designs to answer your brief. Find nine new product launches from Commercial Interiors UK accredited suppliers. 1
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PRODUCTS: NEW LAUNCH
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1 BRINTONS EXUVIA: WOVEN STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Brintons introduces Exuvia, the latest Self Expression Spring 2026 collection by Senior Designer Maxine Kane. Narrative-led and deeply rooted in place, the collection explores transformation, memory and renewal. Inspired by Haydock, Kane’s hometown, Exuvia reflects the area’s evolving landscape and coal mining heritage, translating layered histories into woven carpet designs that speak of growth, resilience and change.
2 CAMIRA LUMIS: SUSTAINABLE SHEERS SHAPING INTERIORS Camira introduces Lumis, its first widewidth sheers collection crafted from recycled polyester. Featuring Astro, Nova and Halo, the collection filters daylight, supports gentle zoning and brings a lightweight, ethereal quality to commercial interiors. Acoustically transparent and designed with wellbeing in mind, Lumis marks a new step in Camira’s sustainable textile journey for workplace and hospitality environments.
3 ALTERNATIVE FLOORING ECHOCORE: CIRCULAR CARPET INNOVATION Alternative Flooring introduces Echo-CoRE, the UK’s first fully recyclable carpet for the home. Designed as a one-material solution, its yarn, fibre and backing are created from the same smart source, simplifying end-of-life recycling. This circular innovation addresses a key sustainability challenge, allowing the whole carpet to be recycled into new carpet or other high-quality products.
4 SKOPOS SHELLEN & COVE: RECYCLED ELEGANCE Skopos launches Shellen and Cove, two new flame-retardant voile collections made from 100% recycled materials. Designed for hospitality, leisure and workplace environments, these lightweight coloured voiles combine elegance, privacy control and essential fire safety. Inspired by mineral tones, Cove offers 15 sophisticated colourways, from soft natural neutrals to warm spiced oranges, adding subtle colour and refinement.
5 ORAC ART DECO: ARCHITECTURAL SOPHISTICATION Orac presents the Art Deco Collection, created in collaboration with interior architect Aurélie Penneman to mark 100 years of Art Deco. Designed for contemporary interiors, the collection interprets the movement through proportion, rhythm and precision, using mouldings, wall elements and profiles as architectural tools that structure, balance and soften spaces with elegance and lasting relevance.
6 CHELSOM PORTABLES: CORDLESS LIGHTING FOR HOSPITALITY Chelsom introduces PORTABLES, a cordless lighting collection designed for hotels, bars, restaurants and cruise environments. As the hospitality lighting specialist approaches its 80th anniversary, the collection combines decorative character with practical, hospitality-grade performance. Offering flexibility and atmosphere, PORTABLES supports interior schemes where adaptable, cordless lighting plays an increasingly important role.
7 BOSS DESIGN LUCY: CIRCULARITY IN MOTION Boss Design presents the Lucy Lounge Chair, a circular seating solution designed for long-term commercial use. Engineered for in-situ reupholstery, Lucy features a completely removable, tool-free cover that allows furniture to remain in place while spaces stay operational. Once removed, old covers can be recycled into new textile fibres, extending material value and reducing unnecessary waste.
8 NORDLUX 2026: SCANDINAVIAN LIGHTING WITH WARMTH Nordlux introduces highlights from its 2026 collection, exploring Scandinavian simplicity, material warmth and functional flexibility in contemporary lighting. Key designs include the award-winning Akeno pendant by Bjørn + Balle, the portable Glossy Mini by Maria Berntsen and the architectural Makoto family by Nital Studio, each offering a distinct approach to atmosphere, form and everyday usability.
9 ACTIU AXIS: PRECISION TABLES FOR INTERIORS Actiu brings its expertise in precision furniture manufacturing to AXIS, a new table collection created with Cosentino and British designer Tom Dixon. Unveiled at Milan Design Week 2026, AXIS explores design, material innovation and spatial expression, with Actiu responsible for transforming Dixon’s sculptural vision into an aluminium base of exceptional technical precision.
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PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // THIRDWAY
PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // THIRDWAY
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Designing identity through restraint: Thirdway’s Junal Barboza on Airwallex’s London Headquarters PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: PETER GHOBRIAL
Design Insider sat down with Junal Barboza, Architect and Designer at Thirdway, to explore the thinking behind Airwallex’s London headquarters and what it means to translate a global fintech brand into a workplace that communicates identity through design rather than decoration. Located within the Wells and More building, the 16,000 sq ft workplace balances global brand expression with spatial maturity. Rather than relying on overt graphics or brand colours, the project demonstrates how architecture, materiality and planning can communicate identity in a subtle and enduring way. “I worked on the Airwallex project from conception through to delivery,” Junal explains. “I was engaged with the design through the early test-fitting and visualisation stages and then carried that design through to completion, spending time on site to ensure any challenges were resolved collaboratively.” TRANSLATING A GLOBAL BRAND WITHOUT GRAPHIC NOISE Designing a headquarters for a fintech company raises clear questions about brand identity. Many organisations embed logos, colours and graphic motifs throughout the interior. Airwallex required a more considered approach. The London office needed to communicate the company’s scale and ambition while avoiding the visual language of a stereotypical tech office. Instead of relying on graphic branding, the team focused on atmosphere and spatial clarity to create a workplace that feels recognisably Airwallex without constantly announcing it. “We focused on quality rather than heavy branding,” Junal says. “The idea was to express the brand through subtle details rather than something loud or overly graphic.”
At Airwallex, that restraint is evident in a calm, grounded interior that reflects its London setting and global outlook. WORKPLACE AS CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE Beyond brand expression, the office needed to support the culture of the organisation itself. The design responds by organising the workplace around a central social hub, which acts as both a circulation anchor and a communal platform where employees can gather informally or attend company-wide events. “We wanted to create areas people actually want to spend time in,” Junal explains. “Places where they can step away from their desks and interact.” Alongside this central space, more intimate environments provide settings for conversation and collaboration. A sunken conversation pit introduces a softer, informal atmosphere, encouraging employees to move fluidly between different modes of work. MATERIAL WARMTH AND SPATIAL LEGIBILITY Materiality plays a significant role in shaping the workplace. Rather than relying on corporate finishes or overt brand colours, the palette centres on warm timber tones and textured surfaces that create depth and permanence. “We used a lot of rich timber tones throughout the space,” Junal says. “They create warmth and help make the environment feel welcoming rather than corporate.” Timber slat walls and curved feature elements soften the interior, while lighter ceilings maintain openness and volume. Changes in flooring and texture guide movement through the office, helping employees understand how different areas are intended to be used.
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PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // THIRDWAY
One of the office’s most distinctive features is a bespoke artwork by internationally recognised artist Michael Murphy. Integrated into the architecture, the piece uses optical illusion to shift between two images depending on viewer perspective.
PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // THIRDWAY
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“That natural wayfinding became really important to us,” Junal explains. “The materials help create a natural journey through the space.”
From one angle Airwallex logo appears; from another, the image of Formula One driver Lando Norris emerges, referencing company’s partnership with the sport.
RESPONDING TO THE HOST BUILDING The Wells and More building provided a strong architectural foundation for the project, with generous glazing and a central atrium bringing natural light inside.
“It was an amazing opportunity to work with someone like Michael Murphy,” Junal says. “His work is about movement and perception, which aligned well with the brand.”
“It’s a beautiful building with a strong architectural presence,” Junal notes. Instead of competing with these qualities, the interior reinforces them through a considered response to proportion, rhythm and flow. “We worked with the proportions and the spatial flow of the building,” he says. “The materials were chosen to complement the architecture rather than compete with it.” DESIGNING FLEXIBILITY THAT FEELS INTUITIVE At Airwallex, flexibility is achieved through spatial planning and furniture rather than structural intervention. The central social hub, conceived as the beating heart of the office, supports different activities throughout the day. Movable furniture allows the space to shift between everyday use and larger gatherings such as town hall meetings or company events. Stepped seating provides a focal point for presentations while functioning as casual seating during the working day. “We relied more on strategic furniture placement than fixed partitions,” Junal says. “That allows the space to evolve as the business grows.” A SCULPTURAL EXPRESSION OF BRAND One of the office’s most distinctive features is a bespoke artwork by internationally recognised artist Michael Murphy. Integrated into the architecture, the piece uses optical illusion to shift between two images depending on viewer perspective.
Conceived early in the design process, the surrounding architecture was planned to frame the installation. As employees and visitors move through the space, the artwork gradually reveals its dual identity, transforming a brand reference into a spatial experience. DESIGNING OFFICES PEOPLE CHOOSE TO USE For Junal, the Airwallex project reflects a broader shift in how workplaces are designed and evaluated. Successful workplaces must support the behaviours and needs of the people who occupy them. “Global brands don’t necessarily need loud offices,” he says. “They need spaces that reflect who they are and support the people using them every day.” Accessible tea points, clear circulation and thoughtfully designed communal spaces ensure the workplace can support a wide range of users. “One of the things we often talk about at Thirdway is creating offices that people want to go to rather than have to go to,” Junal explains. If the Airwallex project demonstrates anything, it is that the most effective workplaces are not always the most visually expressive. They are environments where architecture, culture and identity are carefully aligned, and where design quietly supports the people who use them every day.
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PEOPLE: HOSPITALITY // STUDIO LAUNCH // HALKYN
CCD’s London Studio Launches as Halkyn: Interview with Jonathan Aeberhard & The Halkyn Team
PEOPLE: HOSPITALITY // STUDIO LAUNCH // HALKYN
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The morning after Halkyn’s launch celebrations, Design Insider returned to the Headfort Place studio with the energy of the night before still in the air. Now there was time to sit down with Jonathan Aeberhard and the wider team to discuss what this new chapter could mean for hospitality design in London, across Europe and globally. Halkyn may be newly launched in name, but it comes from Cheng Chung Design (CCD), one of Asia’s most established hospitality design groups. Founded in Hong Kong in 1994 by Joe Cheng, CCD now operates at significant scale, with Shenzhen as a major base and a portfolio spanning hospitality, luxury residential, clubhouses and lifestyle-led interiors. Kinney Chan placed that heritage in context. “A few years ago, we thought we could go out to the world. We established our Singapore office, last June we opened our Tokyo office, and we also have Melbourne, Dubai and of course London.” For Kinney, CCD’s growth is rooted in Joe Cheng’s ambition to bring an Eastern sense of beauty to an international stage, combining Chinese philosophy with contemporary global design. PART OF THE FAMILY, WITH ITS OWN CHARACTER One idea that stayed with me from the launch event was the Halkyn name itself. Why launch under a new name rather than remain CCD London? Jonathan’s answer was revealing. “CCD London is not CCD London,” he said. “It’s Halkyn, because we’re cousins. We’re part of the family, we share the DNA and the characteristics, but a cousin can be quite different to a direct daughter or son.”
Halkyn sits within the CCD world, sharing its heritage, backing, infrastructure and values, while developing its own identity and relationships. “We wanted to be a personal access point to the European market and London market,” Jonathan explained. It is a compelling balance: a studio able to build trust face to face and respond with local agility, while drawing on the reach of a wider international business. With “Hal” meaning healthy and “Kin” meaning family in Old English, Halkyn arrives with its own voice. UNDERSTANDING THE SCALE BEHIND THE STUDIO As the discussion opened out, the wider CCD platform became clearer. Alongside interiors, the team described lighting, MEP, signage, artwork consultancy, procurement and a major materials platform. Kinney described the materials library as one of the biggest in Asia, and the ecosystem felt impressively joined-up. Jonathan was clear about how that support can benefit the London studio. “You have the business of design and then you have the design,” he said. “In London, I think sometimes in the past we’ve been guilty of thinking a lot about the creativity, which is the most important thing, but you also have to move forward and adopt the latest
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PEOPLE: HOSPITALITY // STUDIO LAUNCH // HALKYN
technologies and platforms to help you move quicker.” For interior designers, this feels particularly relevant. Conceptual strength remains central, but hospitality projects also depend on coordination, procurement intelligence, technical resilience and delivery confidence. Smaller projects can be handled directly through Halkyn, while larger schemes can draw on CCD’s broader network, including BIM capability in Shenzhen. WHY LONDON MATTERS London remains a powerful base because it brings together talent, suppliers, exhibitions, conferences and international conversations. Jonathan described it as a natural platform for work across the UK, Europe, North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Halkyn wants the agility to take on boutique projects, while also having the capacity to deliver large hospitality schemes. Jonathan was open about his appetite for growth. “I like to grow rapidly,” he said, before adding, “We’re talking about growing quality as well.” STARTING FROM SCRATCH, EVERY TIME When the conversation turned to design process, Su Doggett, Design Director at Halkyn, described an approach rooted in curiosity. “It’s the harder way to do it because we’re starting from scratch every project. You have to empty your mind of everything else that you’ve done and come in and ask loads of questions.” Su and Lara Tyler, Head of FF&E London, spoke about listening
carefully, understanding the owner and operator, visiting the place itself and allowing the concept to emerge from what is there. “It almost feels like the property has this story waiting to be told,” Su said. “It’s about finding the heart and drawing it out.” Narrative becomes a tool for shaping planning, materiality, branding, sequencing and mood. The guest should feel the concept through atmosphere, rhythm and detail. A CURRENT PROJECT ON THE NILE The team brought this thinking to life through a current riverboat project on the Nile, which showed how Halkyn balances narrative, atmosphere and technical constraints. Su explained that one key move was to strengthen the connection between levels and draw more light into the interior. “We’ve introduced a spiral staircase that goes all the way through the key areas and it has a lightwell at the top that goes all the way to the deck. The light filters through.” Existing structural columns had to be absorbed into the layouts, ceiling heights were lower than in conventional hospitality settings, and decisions carried implications for flexibility, material weight and bridge clearances. Rather than limiting the scheme, these conditions sharpened it. What Su and Lara presented felt bold and confident. Pattern, texture and form were handled with richness, drawing subtly on Egyptian references without tipping into pastiche. Furniture choices embraced curving silhouettes, expressive shapes and
layered luxury, while the guest rooms and public spaces remained elegant and resolved. Jonathan described the wider narrative as centred on crossing, moving from land to water and into “river time”. The compelling part was seeing that idea carried through light, layout, materiality and mood. LOOKING AHEAD By the end of the discussion, what stayed with me was Halkyn’s clarity of intent. Jonathan and the team spoke consistently about fit: the right clients, the right stories, the right ambition and the right appetite for creating something distinctive. “We want to bring on more great clients to work with and to deliver more great designs,” Jonathan said. “We want to work with people that share that mindset, that are curious and want to create unique stories with their projects.” Halkyn has launched with warmth, confidence and serious design backing. It has the heritage and capability of CCD behind it, but its own identity is taking shape in London. Jonathan’s family analogy still says it best. Halkyn shares the DNA, capability and heritage of CCD, while developing its own character and its own place at the table.
PEOPLE: HOSPITALITY // STUDIO LAUNCH // HALKYN
Halkyn wants the agility to take on boutique projects, while also having the capacity to deliver large hospitality schemes. Jonathan was open about his appetite for growth.“I like to grow rapidly,” he said, before adding, “We’re talking about growing quality as well.”
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PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // BW: WORKPLACE EXPERTS
PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // BW: WORKPLACE EXPERTS
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BW: Workplace Experts PHOTO CREDITS: PHILIP VILE
s BW: Workplace Experts enters a new chapter, its growth is visible not only in the numbers, but in how the business expresses itself spatially. In March 2026, that momentum was given a physical home with the company’s move into a new 16,500 sq ft workspace at The Carter, close to St Paul’s Cathedral. Design Insider visited BW’s new workspace to meet Anthony Brown, CMO and co-owner of BW, Zoë Allen, Founder of Artistic Statements, and Hayley Marcroft, Associate at Siren Design Group and project lead. Across our conversation and tour, we explored how art, materiality and construction logic shaped a workplace with identity and cultural confidence. CELEBRATING CONSTRUCTION The brief was rooted in the idea of “celebrating construction”. For Anthony, this was not simply an aesthetic decision, but a reflection of pride in the industry BW works within every day. “I’m a workplace construction nerd, but it was important that the space revealed what we do rather than hiding it. Our industry does a lot of covering up with ceilings, raised floors and boxed-in elements. We enjoy what we do, and we wanted to take pride in it and share that.”
one that also offered huge variety in how we could showcase the best of design and commercial interiors.” WORKING WITH THE FLOORPLATE The Carter floorplate brought complexity, with existing columns and areas of reduced light. Early test fits revealed how dominant those columns would be, particularly around the arrival experience and social hub. The breakthrough came when the team placed the shared café and hub within the strongest daylight and used the more challenging areas between columns as an opportunity. “We had this ‘aha’ moment that the awkward space between the columns could become a series of mini environments, hosting layered, hospitality-led settings that feel welcoming, charismatic and rooted in wellbeing,” Hayley said. That decision is one of the project’s strongest cultural statements. The best light and views are not reserved for senior leadership, but given to shared space. Anthony framed this directly: “Space is always a political act. We are very much about trying to subvert hierarchy. We have no privileged spaces, and that is really important to us.”
That idea gave Siren a clear conceptual thread. Rather than disguising services, structure and junctions, the design brings them into the language of the space. Edges, fixings, grids, exposed details and structural rhythm are referenced throughout, but the result is resolved rather than raw.
ARRIVAL AS A GALLERY SEQUENCE On arrival, the design unfolds with a gallery-like quality. A suspended steel ribbon weaves through the space, spanning between columns and creating a continuous sense of movement. Its fixings are deliberately exposed, while breaks in the ribbon direct attention towards adjacent settings including the waiting lounge, boardroom, coffee bar, banquette seating and touchdown areas.
Hayley explained that the concept gave the team discipline and range. “I think ‘celebrating construction’ felt like a very natural starting point. It was an obvious concept for BW, but
For Hayley, the ribbon acts as more than a visual gesture. “The architectural ribbon spanning between the columns created a continuous sense of movement through the
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PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // BW: WORKPLACE EXPERTS
“Our industry does a lot of covering up with ceilings, raised floors and boxed-in elements. We enjoy what we do, and we wanted to take pride in it and share that.”
PEOPLE: WORKPLACE // BW: WORKPLACE EXPERTS
space. True to the concept, we exposed its fixings and introduced deliberate breaks to disrupt and direct the flow.” The balance between technical expression and human comfort is carefully handled. A neutral architectural base gives calm to circulation spaces, while cork floors, iceblue walls, tactile finishes and warm joinery soften the experience. The meeting and focus rooms allow greater variety, with five design approaches across 17 spaces, giving the workplace personality without overwhelming the scheme. ART AS PART OF THE DESIGN LANGUAGE Art plays a central role in this balance. Zoë Allen of Artistic Statements approached the art strategy as an extension of the design language, rather than as a decorative layer applied at the end. “Materiality was one of the things that stood out in the vision of the space and I saw art as an extension of that,” she explained. That meant working closely with Hayley and the design team from an early stage, so the collection could respond to palette, surface and proportion. Several commissioned artists have links to architecture, design or workplace strategy, making the art feel embedded in the project’s story. For Zoë, that overlap was significant. “I think it creates a really interesting talking point for people coming into the space that the artists are connected to the industry itself. I don’t see art curation as sitting only within the art world. For me, it sits within the wider design industry, including architecture and craftsmanship.” Throughout the workspace, art is used with restraint and precision. Daniel Copitch’s work sits comfortably within the café and social spaces, while Fleur Peck’s pieces bring movement and energy into the meeting rooms, responding closely to their palettes and finishes. In one room, Fleur’s work is incorporated into the wallcovering, showing how art can become part of the architectural surface rather than a separate object.
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MATERIALITY, TRUST AND RESTRAINT Elsewhere, Vic Wright’s sustainable casting cement sculptures introduce a three-dimensional counterpoint to the prints, paintings, acoustic art and light sculpture. Dagmar Zvonickova’s work, crafted from 100% recycled plastic, extends the material conversation into sustainability and reuse. The selection process depended on trust. Zoë was clear that originality requires both a defined brief and enough openness for artists to respond with integrity. “It is my role as a curator to ensure the work responds to the brief. Beyond that, the process depends on trust, trust that I understand the objective and the aesthetic direction, while allowing the rest to remain open.” This approach avoided the generic feel of off-the-shelf workplace artwork. It also meant knowing when not to add more. In reception, rather than forcing another artwork into an already strong spatial moment, the team allowed a lighting idea to evolve into a final light sculpture. “I believe that a really great space sometimes doesn’t even need the art,” Zoë said. “It’s about using your curation skills to put the artwork in the right place when they’re needed.” A WORKPLACE WITH CULTURAL CONFIDENCE The completed workspace reflects BW’s growth, but avoids becoming a conventional corporate showcase. Its identity is built through craft, exposed logic, material decisions and cultural generosity. Shared areas are given prominence, art creates conversation, and construction is treated as worth close attention. For an organisation whose work is usually complete before others move in, this new support centre makes the process visible. It celebrates the intelligence of making, the atmosphere created by detail, and art’s role in giving a workplace memory, texture and human connection.
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PEOPLE: SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE // HOSPITALITY // PHILIPPA WAGNER
PEOPLE: SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE // HOSPITALITY // PHILIPPA WAGNER
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The risk of not knowing your future guest Philippa Wagner on the risk of designing from assumption, and why understanding the future guest is key to creating hospitality spaces that stay relevant.
hilippa Wagner came into hospitality from the outside, and that distance has become one of the defining strengths of her work. As the founder of People Places Spaces, she works with hospitality brands, developers, investors, operators and senior leadership teams to understand the people who will use, shape and ultimately determine the success of a hospitality setting. Her background is in trend forecasting and cultural strategy, working across the wider lifestyle industry with brands including Spotify and The North Face. Before founding People Places Spaces, Philippa was headhunted by Ennismore to build its insights and innovation lab, 23 Lab, precisely because she did not come from a traditional hospitality background. Her role was to bring a wider cultural lens to the business, asking questions about how people live, work, travel, gather and expect to be cared for. Philippa describes her work as beginning with people, rather than product. Before asking what a hotel, hospitality concept or guest experience should be, she asks who it is for, what those people need, what they value, how they behave and how those expectations are changing. This outside perspective also shapes the way she works with clients: less as a conventional agency, and more as a
confidant or “third eye” within the room, able to ask the questions that may otherwise go unspoken. For designers and suppliers working in hospitality, Philippa’s work offers a timely reminder that risk does not always come from creative ambition. Often, the greater risk lies in moving too quickly from assumption to design; relying on existing guest categories, historic performance data or familiar formulas without looking closely enough at how guests are already changing. In a sector where projects can take years to reach market, understanding the now, the new and the next guest can protect investment, sharpen briefs,
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PEOPLE: SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE // HOSPITALITY // PHILIPPA WAGNER
2025
FutureGuest
The Future Guest Report
T H E B OT H /A N D G U E S T
P E O P L E P L AC E S S PAC E S
INTRODUCTION
The Both/And Guest At PeoplePlacesSpaces, we take a people-first, culturally rooted, and futures-driven approach. That means going beyond abstract trends to surface real signals from those shaping travel today, and turning them into frameworks the industry can act on tomorrow.
C O PY R I G H T 2 0 2 5
Michael Levie, co-founder of CitizenM, puts it bluntly:
“Hospitality is addicted to either/or, but guests live in Both/And. Until we accept that paradox, we’ll keep serving yesterday’s needs, not tomorrow’s.”
The challenge isn’t meeting today’s expectations. It’s staying in sync with tomorrow’s guest. This report is for anyone shaping hospitality — across brand, design, operations, development, and investment — who wants to understand where the future guest is heading.
FutureGuest introduces the “Both/And Guest”: travellers who refuse old hospitality binaries such as business or leisure, luxury or budget, autonomy or belonging, pleasure or purpose. What may look contradictory is simply how people live and travel now: adaptive, fluid and unwilling to choose one need over another. Drawing on 523 voices from industry leaders, designers, developers, strategists and frequent travellers across 16 countries, the report uncovers six behaviour shifts and four guest mindsets that show where hospitality is out of sync. Combining lived guest voices, operational insight and case studies, FutureGuest is designed as a working tool for anyone shaping hospitality across brand, design, operations, development and investment. Download the FutureGuest report here.
reduce disconnect between promise and experience, and create places that remain relevant beyond opening night. ARE YOU A RISK TAKER? “The industry is good at creative thinking and creative ambition,” Philippa says. “There is no shortage of amazing ideas, beautiful spaces or great concepts. What is often missing is the rigour of asking: who is this space for?” For Philippa, this is where risk begins. Rarely because brands lack ambition. More often because an assumption made early is carried through years of development as if the guest has stood still. Hospitality is, after all, a real estate business, and projects can take three, five or even ten years to move from concept to completion. A model that looked successful when first imagined may be responding to a guest who has already moved on by the time doors open. “People are often designing from a mental model of what they think the industry wants,” Philippa explains. “They have seen something work, they have seen the return on investment, and they want to repeat it.” The danger is not in learning from success, but in mistaking past performance for future relevance. Philippa’s own framework asks businesses to look at the “now, new and next” guest. The “now” guest is already
here and already visible in existing data. The “new” guest may be starting to appear at the edges. The “next” guest is shaped by cultural shifts, changing expectations and emerging behaviours. Looking only at the now risks cycling around the same audience and the same assumptions. Looking only at the future risks losing sight of the people already choosing the brand today. BEYOND THE GUEST PROFILE The challenge is that the guest is no longer easily captured by conventional categories. Hospitality has long relied on labels such as business or leisure, luxury or budget, solo or group. Philippa argues that these remain useful in some commercial contexts, but they no longer tell the full story of how people travel or how they make decisions. “The same person can arrive on a Thursday for work and want efficiency, speed and no conversation at reception,” she says. “They can come back with their family and want something completely different. They are still the same demographic, but they are in a different mindset.” Age, income and trip type can tell a brand who booked. They do not always explain why they chose it, how they used it, or what they needed to feel. Philippa’s FutureGuest research identified this complexity as the “Both/And Guest”: a guest who is independent and connected, purpose-driven and pleasure-seeking, resthungry and restless. They may want the champagne and
PEOPLE: SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE // HOSPITALITY // PHILIPPA WAGNER
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HOTELS AS COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
84%
would use hotels without staying overnight. “ W hen traditional gathering places vanish, hotels fill the gap” Philippa Wagner - Future Guest Report
the conscience. They may travel frequently, yet still describe themselves as slow travellers because what they seek is a different pace within the journey.
are entirely digital, with no reception desk at all. Both can work, provided the decision is intentional, clearly communicated and aligned with the brand promise.
This does not mean hospitality spaces need to become everything to everyone. Philippa argues the opposite. The more complex guest behaviour becomes, the more clearly a brand needs to know what it stands for.
This is where design, operation and communication become inseparable. If a guest expects a traditional welcome and instead encounters a screen with no explanation, the issue is experiential as much as technological. If a hotel promises discovery, some friction may be part of the pleasure. If a guest is simply trying to find their room, poor wayfinding becomes an irritation. Friction can be designed, but only when the brand knows why it is creating it.
“If you go carte blanche and say, we have to offer everybody everything, you are never going to get there,” she says. “But if you know the type of experience you are trying to deliver, and the feeling you want people to have, the decisions become clearer.” THE FEELING BRIEF This is particularly relevant as hospitality spaces are asked to work harder. A lobby may need to support check-in, remote working, social connection, waiting, dining and moments of transition. A guestroom may need to support rest, work, privacy, ritual and recovery. More furniture, more features and more functions will not solve a weak brief. What is needed is a clearer understanding of which choices support the brand’s values and the guest’s desired feeling. Philippa gives the example of check-in. Some guests want digital ease. Others want human reassurance. Some brands may decide that choice is central to their experience and provide several routes. Others may decide that they
WHEN THE RENDER MEETS REALITY Philippa’s current research with The Lobby, exploring the theme of “Celebrating Failure”, has revealed a recurring gap between what is promised and what is lived. A concept can look compelling in a deck. A render can be beautiful. A project can win awards. Then the guest arrives and finds the cupboard too small, the route through the building unclear, the operational model awkward, or the room unable to support the way they actually use it. For designers and suppliers, the lived experience is the real test. The most successful hospitality spaces are visually resolved, but they also work under pressure. They support the guest, the team and the operational reality of the building.
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PEOPLE: SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE // HOSPITALITY // PHILIPPA WAGNER
0 1 · C OV E R
07 · THREE SIGNALS
Celebrating Failures Celebrating Failures is a research series by PeoplePlacesSpaces in partnership with The Lobby, ahead of TheLobbycph 2026 in Copenhagen. The first published article reveals a striking tension in how hospitality talks about failure: 82% of respondents were willing to be quoted, yet 85% chose not to attach their name. For Philippa, that gap says something about the conditions the industry creates for honesty. The research found that people are willing to speak candidly about what went wrong, what they learned and where the industry needs to be more open. What many are less willing to do is be seen saying it. The first article explores this “industry gaze”, the cost of staying quiet, and why productive failure needs more visible, honest conversation.
0 2 · BY T H E N U M B E R S
Find the first published outcomes here. 08 · SEEN
Philippa describes part of this challenge as industry ego: the pressure to appear certain, successful and in control. Her Celebrating Failures research suggests that people often know when something is wrong. The harder part is saying it early enough, clearly enough, and in a room where something can still change. One of the strongest themes from the research was the cost of staying quiet. In several responses, failure was traced back to a moment when someone saw the issue early, but did not push hard enough to change it.
0 3 · T H E GA Z E
Philippa believes that the industry often relies too heavily on metrics that show only part of the picture. NPS, occupancy, RevPAR and TrevPAR all have a role, but they tend to focus on who came, what they spent and how they scored the experience afterwards. They rarely reveal who did not come, who was lost during the booking journey, or what small moments quietly eroded trust. “What people do not look at is who did not stay,” she says. “There is such a focus on occupancy and heads on beds, and of course that is success. But by looking only at who came, you forget to look at who did not come.” That blind spot is getting harder to ignore. Guests may discover a hotel through social media, peer recommendation, cultural content or a passing reference long before they ever reach the brand’s website. Many potential guests may never arrive at the measurable part of the journey at all.
0 4 · W I L L I N G TO B E N A M E D
BEYOND HEADS ON BEDS For suppliers and designers, this gives greater weight to the integrity of the physical experience. The guest may be drawn in by imagery, but they return because of how a place works and how it makes them feel. Philippa refers to a statistic from her research that found 84% of people would spend time in a hotel without staying there. That has major implications for how hospitality buildings are understood. The hotel is no longer only a place that sells bedrooms. It can also be a workplace, meeting point, cultural venue, civic space, neighbourhood asset or place of pause. This shift has implications for the commercial value of interiors. Public spaces, food and beverage areas, lobbies, thresholds and shared amenities become part of a wider experience economy. Their success is measured through relevance, openness, atmosphere and the role they play in local life, alongside spend, dwell time and occupancy. The future of hospitality, Philippa suggests, may depend on understanding the relationship between value and values. The sector has traditionally understood value through a price-to-amenity ratio: what a guest gets for what they pay. Guests are increasingly asking a more emotional question: how do I feel here? That feeling may come through the best bed and blackout blinds in a compact room. It may come through an effortless arrival. It may come through the warmth of a
PEOPLE: SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE // HOSPITALITY // PHILIPPA WAGNER
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PRODUCTIVE FAILURE
95%
have known a failure that led somewhere better. “ T here is no growth without failure” Philippa Wagner - Celebrating Failures
team member who handles a mistake well. It may come through a building that feels rooted in its neighbourhood, or a brand that understands exactly what it is there to offer. Again and again, Philippa returns to people. When she asked respondents what they remembered most about a hotel, the answer was not design, location or star rating. It was staff. Technology and AI may help remove administrative burden, streamline operations and free teams from clunky systems. The opportunity is to allow people to be more present.
For commercial interior designers and suppliers, research should sit at the start of the brief, before the assumptions harden. Understanding guests now, new and next can reduce risk, reveal opportunity and prevent failure from being designed in before a space has even opened. In a market shaped by contradiction, shifting values and rising expectations, repeating what has worked before may no longer be the safest move. A more resilient future will depend on asking better questions earlier, listening more closely to what people are already telling us, and designing hospitality spaces that are prepared for who the guest is becoming.
“Hospitality hires people because people who work in hospitality like people,” Philippa says. “The role of technology should be to free them up to be more human.” Philippa also talks about the value of “human messiness”: the unscripted moment when a team member notices, responds, adapts and makes something better. A late drink, a failed room key or a moment of confusion can become memorable when a human handles it with warmth. When technology fails, patience disappears much faster. For Philippa, the strongest hospitality brands are those where values operate as the system, rather than the slogan: shaping the brief, the building, the team, the guest journey and the small decisions that determine how a place feels.
PHILIPPA WAGNER BIO Philippa Wagner is the founder of PeoplePlacesSpaces, a creative strategy studio working at the intersection of futures thinking and hospitality. She advises operators, developers, investors and senior leadership teams, with clients including TFE Hotels, Gleneagles, Locke, StayCity Group and Crafted. Philippa is creative lead behind MM:NT, the world’s first live hospitality lab.
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PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // A-NRD
PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // A-NRD
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Beyond the shop floor
A-nrd brings a fresh interpretation of Nordic warmth to the social spaces at Locke Copenhagen PHOTO CREDITS: CODY BAMFORD
ward-winning London-based design practice A-nrd has completed the social and dining spaces at Locke Copenhagen. Located within the former postal district, currently undergoing a major transformation in the heart of Copenhagen, the project marks the studio’s first hospitality project in continental Europe, transforming the ground floor into a layered sequence of spaces designed for gathering, dining and everyday social life. For Locke’s first Scandinavian outpost, A-nrd set out to create an interior that bridges Copenhagen’s design heritage and the contemporary spirit of the surrounding district. Set within a striking new build characterised by expansive glazing, terrazzo floors and exposed concrete forms, the architecture presented a vast and monolithic shell. Rather than competing with its scale, the studio approached the interiors as an exercise in softening the architecture, introducing warmth and tactility through crafted furniture, textiles and art. Known for creating immersive interiors that balance conceptual narrative with material depth, A-nrd leaned into the three pillars that guide and underpin Danish design culture – simplicity of form, a love of nature and the idea of home – while deliberately avoiding familiar clichés. Inspired by Postbyen’s ambition to become a greener urban oasis, the studio developed an interior defined by layered zoning, crafted details and an earthy palette drawn from Copenhagen’s architectural landscape. Across the reception, lounge, restaurant and café, monolithic forms are balanced by softer colour blocking, natural materials and carefully composed social moments.
From the entrance, the reception establishes the tone for the interiors. Floor-to-ceiling glazing floods the space with natural light, revealing the building’s concrete structure and terrazzo floor. At its centre sits a sculptural reception desk clad in blue-grey volcanic lava tiles by Made a Mano, designed in Copenhagen and crafted in Italy. Rich in tonal variation, the handcrafted tiles create a striking focal point, while a timber base with geometric bracing echoes traditional Danish architecture. Handmade table lamps by Findere add soft illumination, while a freestanding oak check-in kiosk rises from a peach-toned stone plinth. Above it, a polished chrome wall light by Copenhagen-based Hein Studio casts a warm glow across the check-in area. Around the desk, A-nrd has arranged bespoke seating designed specifically for the project. Dark oak lounge armchairs incorporate generous timber armrests that function almost as integrated side tables. Upholstered in textured teal fabric by Mario Sirtori, they are paired with chunky poufs in terracotta and ochre tones. Graphic rugs developed with Warp Studio introduce blue, rust and stone-coloured patterns, creating relaxed lounge moments that soften the openness of the reception. Semi-sheer terracotta-toned curtains by Kvadrat run across the glazing, filtering daylight while acting as flexible dividers. Moving deeper into the ground floor, the interior unfolds into a relaxed lounge environment, subtly zoned through architectural joinery, rugs and seating clusters. A freestanding oak joinery structure rises from peachtoned stone plinth bases, introducing human scale within the lofty interior. Around it, bespoke lounge chairs in textured light-green fabric by BT Décor sit alongside
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PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // A-NRD
“We looked closely at the values that underpin Danish design – simplicity, material honesty and the idea of interiors as places of comfort and gathering – and translated those into a contemporary hospitality setting.” ALESSIO NARDI, FOUNDER OF A-NRD
PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // A-NRD
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poufs, marble occasional tables, floor lamps and planting. A large wooden sculpture by Danish artist Tilde Grynnerup anchors the composition and reinforces the dialogue between contemporary art and interior architecture. Grynnerup’s personal connection to Postbyen, where her father and grandfather worked as postmen, makes the presence of her work particularly resonant.
Beyond the restaurant, the ground floor opens into a café bar where the palette shifts towards richer tones. The counter continues the project’s use of peach-toned natural stone, while the façade is clad in cherry-hued timber veneer by Tabu. Projecting timber battens form a sculptural relief across the counter front, echoing the Danish architectural references threaded throughout the interior.
The lounge extends into a further seating pocket framed by a blackened steel wall, introducing tonal contrast within the warm palette of timber, stone and textiles. Built-in banquettes continue here, paired with oak bistro tables, rust-toned leather lounge chairs by A-nrd and vintage Carlo Scarpa leather chairs. Graphic artworks by Copenhagen-based Hvass & Hannibal, curated with Bricks Gallery, appear alongside further works by Grynnerup.
A handmade paper pendant by Céline Wright introduces a softer glow above the counter. Seating becomes more informal, with timber banquettes upholstered in coraltoned fabrics by Mario Sirtori, marble bistro tables and cognac-toned leather dining chairs by Wildman & Bugby. Along the curved concrete shell, bespoke timber counter tables with integrated wall lighting by Phloc create relaxed perching spots, paired with tall walnut bar stools.
The lounge gradually gives way to the main restaurant, conceived as a green oasis within the building. Here, A-nrd combines natural textures, layered textiles and planting to soften the architectural shell and create an atmosphere that feels organic and communal. Near the entrance, a large bar clad in peach-toned linear stone panels and finished with a thick oak countertop provides a tactile counterpoint to the exposed concrete and structural steel. Sculptural bar stools line the counter, pairing cream and timber bases with green leather seats by Yarwood. Small ceramic bar lamps with linen shades, developed with Zonca Lighting, cast warm pools of light across the surface. Behind the counter, sand-toned café curtains sit within timber-framed screens, creating rhythm, softness and human scale. Central to the restaurant, a trio of crescent-shaped upholstered banquettes forms a distinctive seating cluster. Set on a continuous faceted timber base, the composition reads as a sculptural element, with sweeping upholstery and a chunky plinth introducing rhythm at the centre of the room. Round marble bistro tables, Daumiller dining chairs by GUBI and cascading Poulsen-inspired pendant lights designed by A-nrd complete the setting.
On the project Alessio Nardi, founder of A-nrd, comments: “The building gave us an extraordinary architectural volume to work with – very open, very powerful. Our challenge was to introduce warmth and intimacy without diminishing that sense of scale." “We looked closely at the values that underpin Danish design – simplicity, material honesty and the idea of interiors as places of comfort and gathering – and translated those into a contemporary hospitality setting.” Locke Copenhagen reflects A-nrd’s approach to interior architecture, balancing material richness with spatial clarity while responding to the building’s scale and context. From arrival through to the lounge, restaurant and café, the ground floor unfolds as a series of interconnected environments that guide guests through the building. Crafted furniture, textiles and art introduce warmth and tactility within the concrete interior, creating spaces that feel social and distinctly human in scale. As Locke’s first Scandinavian outpost, the project establishes a new hospitality destination within Postbyen, bringing together contemporary hospitality, local craft and Danish material sensibilities within a newly emerging urban neighbourhood.
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PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY // A-NRD // WORKPLACE // GENSLER
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PROJECT: HOSPITALITY // A-NRD
PROJECT: XX INTERNATIONAL // WORKPLACE // GENSLER
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LinkedIn’s Munich office, by Gensler A ‘village of a million people’ for knowledge and connection PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: JONOTHAN SAGE
ocated on the third floor of the i8 Building in one of Munich’s most dynamic emerging districts, LinkedIn’s Munich office reimagines the workplace as a “Millionendorf” a village of a million people. This phrase, affectionately used by local residents, describes the city’s village-like intimacy despite its scale. The design is rooted in this sense of familiarity, blending Munich’s warm and communal culture with its contemporary creativity and global outlook. A collaborative design by Gensler‘s German and US teams, the space translates the brand’s mission of connection and learning into a workplace that feels local whilst also distinctly LinkedIn. The concept of many elements coming together is reflected throughout the office, which is composed of smaller “neighbourhoods” and moments that form a cohesive whole. For example, in the material palette itself, where terrazzo, marble, and textured finishes reveal intricate detail up close, they read as calm, unified surfaces from afar. Traditional and contemporary influences coexist; References to Munich’s beer gardens, breweries, rivers, and alpine culture are layered alongside more unexpected, playful moments such as graffiti-style graphics, bold joinery, and contemporary art, all reflecting the city’s evolving identity.
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PRODUCT: PROJECT: HOSPITALITY INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE // A-NRD // TITLE // WORKPLACE OR COMPANY // GENSLER NAME
HOOK XXX TEXT GOES HERE WITH UP TO THIRTY
“Material choices are deliberately expressive and layered, with copper and brass accents in kitchen handles and detailing that reference traditional brewery kettles, taps, and fixtures. Glass bricks, used in the reception desk and elsewhere, evoke the movement of water, a nod to Munich’s river culture and urban surfing scene.”
PROJECT: HOSPITALITY // A-NRD
PROJECT: XX INTERNATIONAL // WORKPLACE // GENSLER
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A NEW HOME IN A GROWING DISTRICT, WITH COMMUNITY AT THE HEART LinkedIn’s relocation marks its move from a city-centre office to a newly built, cross-laminated timber structure on the outskirts of Munich, redefining the company’s presence in the city. The i8 Building – a high-performance, LEED Platinum-certified workplace – sits within a vibrant neighbourhood defined by youthful energy and lifestyleled amenities, from restaurants and gyms to cultural venues and climbing walls. Excellent transport connections anchor the office firmly within Munich’s wider urban network. Occupying half of the third floor, the workplace accommodates 74 unassigned workstations for a population of approximately 120 people and is designed to support flexibility and growth. Visitors arrive at a welcoming reception anchored by a large feature wall displaying LinkedIn’s branding. Adjacent lounge areas offer comfortable waiting spaces, while a generous coffee bar serves both guests and employees to reinforce hospitality as a central theme. A flexible, multipurpose room with operable walls supports town halls, events, and workshops, alongside more traditional meeting rooms. At the centre of the office sits the social heart: a vibrant kitchen and café space designed around a large communal island. Inspired by Munich’s beer garden culture, long shared tables replace smaller, individual seating, encouraging informal connection. The space is supported by a fully equipped back-of-house kitchen, enabling a Michelin-star chef to prepare daily breakfast and lunch on site. Induction warmers, snack dispensers, and discreet catering support spaces elevate food from standard amenity into a collective experience. Extending the social life of the office into the open air and offering a welcome connection to nature, the café opens directly onto an outdoor terrace. LOCAL STORIES, MATERIAL EXPRESSION Material choices are deliberately expressive and layered, with copper and brass accents in kitchen handles and detailing that reference traditional brewery kettles, taps, and fixtures. Glass bricks, used in the reception desk and elsewhere, evoke the movement of water, a nod to Munich’s river culture and urban surfing scene. Acoustic panels in meeting rooms draw inspiration from a ‘stube’ – traditional, cosy Bavarian dining rooms – using warm woods and linen-like fabrics reminiscent of domestic interiors. Elsewhere, richly coloured joinery introduces moments of surprise, while phone booths and focus spaces are intentionally calmer, with classic carpets and timber slats to support concentration.
A KNOWLEDGE JOURNEY The design is anchored by a Knowledge Journey that reflects LinkedIn’s purpose as well as the work of the Munich teams, many of whom focus on continuing education and expanding access to opportunity. Knowledge is understood as a process of exploration and adaptation, brought to life through a Knowledge Ribbon that threads through the office as a unifying graphic element. Its form shifts as it moves through the space – bold and expressive in social areas, more refined in focused zones – mirroring how ideas evolve from initial spark to realworld impact. Rooted in stories from Munich and the wider DACH region, the ribbon highlights moments where new ideas have led to global influence, from innovations in transport and engineering to cultural and scientific breakthroughs. Playful references, such as the ribbon transforming into pretzels in the café, ground the narrative in everyday life, while meeting rooms named after regional places extend the story through bespoke graphics and materials. DESIGNING WITHIN CONSTRAINTS Throughout, planning follows LinkedIn’s global workplace guidelines while adapting them to local culture and constraints inherent to German building standards. Ceiling-mounted heating and cooling systems limited wall placement and ceiling heights, while multiple flooring build-ups influenced floor finish selection. Through close coordination and adaptive design thinking, the team delivered a cohesive, high-quality environment within these parameters. The LinkedIn Munich office is a village within a city, where knowledge is shared and connections are formed. Rooted in Munich’s culture and crafted for a global platform, the space reflects LinkedIn’s belief that opportunity begins with community.
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PROJECT: SERPENTINE PAVILION // HOSPITALITY // LANZA ATELIER
PROJECT: SERPENTINE PAVILION // HOSPITALITY // LANZA ATELIER
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LANZA atelier’s Serpentine Pavilion reimagines the crinkle-crankle wall or the 25th Serpentine Pavilion, Mexican architecture studio LANZA atelier has created a pavilion that feels both deeply rooted in its London setting and connected to a broader architectural history. Founded by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo, the Mexico City-based practice was selected to design the 2026 Pavilion, titled a serpentine. The project takes its inspiration from the English crinklecrankle wall, a historic brick construction formed from alternating curves that provides structural stability while using fewer materials than a conventional straight wall. For LANZA atelier, the serpentine wall became more than a construction technique. It became the organising principle of the entire pavilion. “We began to see serpents everywhere,” explain Abascal and Arienzo. “The project takes the form of a serpentine wall, conceived as a device that both reveals and withholds: shaping movement, modulating rhythm, and framing thresholds of proximity, orientation and pause.” Positioned within Kensington Gardens, the pavilion uses a winding brick wall to define and animate the
site. Rather than creating a singular enclosed structure, the wall guides visitors through a sequence of spaces that feel simultaneously open and sheltered. A second wall works in dialogue with the surrounding tree canopy, while a lightweight translucent roof rests on slender brick columns, creating the impression of a grove of trees. Brick was selected as the pavilion’s primary material both as a nod to the English architectural tradition and as a way of establishing a relationship with the neighbouring Serpentine South Gallery, itself originally constructed as a tea pavilion. Throughout the project, brick is used not as a solid boundary but as a permeable element, with rhythmic brick columns allowing light, air and views to pass through. The pavilion also reflects LANZA atelier’s wider design philosophy, which places value on craft, material intelligence and collective experience. Drawing and modelmaking played a central role in the
design process, helping the studio explore how a simple geometry could create a rich spatial experience. Inspired by the serpent as both a protective and generative force, the pavilion explores ideas of shelter, encounter and connection. The architects also draw parallels with England’s historic fruit walls, structures designed to create microclimates that support growth and cultivation. “The 2026 Pavilion proposes built forms that are permeable, shaped and held by a gentle geometry, and continually responsive to those who move through it,” say Abascal and Arienzo. Open until 25 October 2026, a serpentine continues the Serpentine Pavilion’s legacy as a platform for experimentation, while offering a thoughtful reflection on how architecture can connect landscape, material and people through the simplest of gestures: a wall.
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PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // KENGO KUMA
PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // KENGO KUMA
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Wedyan: Dubai The Japanese design philosophy reshaping luxury living in Dubai PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: XXXXXXX
n a city defined by ambition and architectural spectacle, creating something genuinely distinctive is no easy task. Yet Wedyan, the debut development within Al Ghurair Collection’s new super-prime residential portfolio, is attempting to do exactly that. For this exclusive Design Insider feature, we spoke with Sultan Al Ghurair, the visionary behind Al Ghurair Collection, and internationally renowned architect Kengo Kuma about the thinking behind Wedyan, a project that seeks to redefine luxury living in Dubai through wellbeing, nature and design. Together, they discuss creating a residential experience that feels less like a conventional high-rise development and more like a sanctuary within one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Named after the Arabic word for valleys, Wedyan draws inspiration from the movement of water, sand and landscape. Designed by Kengo Kuma, whose work is known for creating a dialogue between architecture and nature, the building introduces a softer architectural language to Dubai’s skyline through layered forms, natural materials and carefully curated outdoor spaces.
KENGO KUMA
SULTAN AL GHURAIR
The development also marks the launch of Al Ghurair Collection, a new super-prime residential offering from one of Dubai’s most established developers. According to Sultan Al Ghurair, the ambition extends beyond creating luxury homes. “Above all, we wanted Wedyan to feel like a personal sanctuary,” he explains. “Somewhere that anticipates residents’ needs, elevates daily rituals and offers a sense of ease. By investing in the details that elevate convenience and personal wellbeing, we have created spaces that foster maximum comfort, liveability and connection.” That emphasis on wellbeing is reflected throughout more than 65,000 square feet of shared amenities. Rather than treating wellness facilities as standalone destinations, the
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PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // KENGO KUMA
“We designed Wedyan with the aim of allowing people to enjoy this gradual transition from busy liveliness to tranquil spaces. I believe the defining feature of this project is that although it is within the same building, it allows residents to experience this progress from activity to tranquillity.”
PROJECT: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // KENGO KUMA
design integrates wellbeing into the broader residential experience, creating a series of spaces that support different rhythms throughout the day. For Kengo Kuma, this layering of experiences became central to the architectural concept. “The spaces where people go about their daily lives offer a contrast ranging from lively areas for socialising to quiet rooms for rest,” he says. “We designed Wedyan with the aim of allowing people to enjoy this gradual transition from busy liveliness to tranquil spaces. I believe the defining feature of this project is that although it is within the same building, it allows residents to experience this progress from activity to tranquillity.” This philosophy extends beyond wellness into the project’s social spaces. Residents move through a sequence of lounges, dining environments and communal areas designed to support different forms of interaction while maintaining a sense of calm. “What caught our attention was Wedyan’s potential to encompass the full diversity of human activity,” Kuma explains. “Wedyan is conceived as a large house containing a collection of smaller houses. Just as the grand rhythm of human behaviour encompasses the smaller rhythms of our daily movements, this architecture creates a harmony of these dual rhythms.” Alongside more traditional wellness amenities, Wedyan introduces a range of spaces dedicated to creativity, leisure and personal interests, including podcast studios, cinema rooms, gaming facilities and sports amenities. Select residences will also feature standalone terrace pavilions inspired by Japanese tea houses, designed to be adapted as meditation rooms, private offices, art studios or creative retreats. “Right from the beginning, we believed that Wedyan would attract residents with distinctive passions,” says Al Ghurair. “The amenities are not simply lifestyle add-ons, but an integral expression of our philosophy on the future of super-prime living. They are designed to ensure that
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residents can fulfil personal, social and business needs seamlessly within their home environment.” These pavilions also reflect Kuma’s longstanding interest in creating meaningful connections between architecture and nature. “Wedyan features a distinctive terrace,” he says. “It is not merely a space sandwiched between floors. Our design creates a room that utilises a deep eave, where one can meditate, connect with nature and feel at one with the surrounding environment.” The development includes several highly tailored features that reflect its design-led approach to luxury living, from bespoke glazing designed to protect art collections from Dubai’s intense sunlight to oversized lifts capable of transporting large sculptures and antiques directly into residences. For Al Ghurair, these details reflect a broader shift in how luxury is being defined. “This, for us, is the ultimate expression of super-prime living,” he says. “Creating homes that not only serve as legacy investments for generational living but also as deeply personal spaces that reflect identity, foster belonging and support a diversity of global audiences.” As Dubai’s residential market continues to evolve, Wedyan offers an alternative to the city’s increasingly crowded luxury landscape. Rather than focusing on status alone, it explores how architecture, nature and wellbeing can work together to create a more meaningful residential experience. “We approached the project with the notion of a single organic whole,” Kuma reflects. “Different functions, different experiences, all working together as one living environment.” In a city that rarely stands still, Wedyan proposes something increasingly valuable: a place designed not simply for living, but for living well.
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JOYFUL SPACES: CARE // SHEILA BIRD STUDIO
Joyful Spaces:
Maggie’s Centre, Royal Oldham Hospital Jon Humphreys - Sheila Bird Studio PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: ALEX DE RIJKE
JOYFUL SPACES: CARE // SHEILA BIRD STUDIO
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“The space stimulates all the senses down to the small details. Every door handle is oak rather than metal, because chemotherapy can make cold surfaces painful to touch.
oyful Spaces celebrates commercial environments that enrich daily life. In this edition, Jon Humphreys reflects on Maggie’s Centre at the Royal Oldham Hospital. Outside our homes, the commercial spaces we inhabit daily should do more than function. They should enrich our lives and spark joy. Design Insider’s Joyful Spaces series forms a collection of inspiring places, chosen by designers and professionals who share personal connections to the spaces that brighten their days. This article continues with a Joyful Space chosen by Jon Humphreys, Creative Director & Co-owner, Sheila Bird Studio. In his own words, Jon reflects on Maggie’s Centre at the Royal Oldham Hospital, a place which, despite its reason for being, can bring joy. ‘Joy is at the heart of human wellbeing, which makes it all the harder to understand why spaces meant to heal people so often have the opposite effect. Hospital architecture often conveys the same cold institutional feeling as prisons. You arrive already frightened, and the building does its best to make you feel worse, the strip lighting, the lack of colour, the corridors that feel like they might never end. Maggie’s Centres do things differently.
Founded by landscape designer Maggie Keswick Jencks after her cancer diagnosis in 1993, the charity was built on a belief that the right room, with the right light and the right view, could do something no drug could, make you feel like yourself again. There are no signs on doors, no uniforms, no clocks, you can walk in, make yourself a cup of tea, and are made to feel welcome and alive.
A birch tree grows up through a curved void in the floor and roof. The material palette is warm and deliberate, sunshine yellow resin floors offset against slatted tulipwood ceilings, a walnut kitchen, a great round table where people gather. A curtain by Dutch artist Petra Blaisse loops around one end, creating a room within a room when privacy is needed. Loose furniture is modern without compromising comfort and warmth. A glazed north wall frames a long view out to the Pennines, a horizon, something to look towards.
I first visited the Maggie’s Centre at the Royal Oldham Hospital on a tour researching new Manchester architecture, and it stopped me in my tracks. Its sensual simplicity and uplifting calm hit me more powerfully than anything else I’d encountered.
Joyful isn’t quite the right word for a cancer centre, and yet it fits. It is the feeling that someone thought carefully about you before you arrived, and made a place accordingly. That’s rarer than it should be. Maggie’s Oldham is a masterclass in proving it doesn’t have to be.’
Designed by London studio dRMM, it is a wooden box on slender columns floating above a scented garden of pine, birch and tulip poplar. The space stimulates all the senses down to the small details. Every door handle is oak rather than metal, because chemotherapy can make cold surfaces painful to touch. The whole building connects with you in that way. A psychologist running classes there has said the building does half her job before she has even started.
JON HUMPHREYS, CREATIVE PARTNER AND CO-OWNER OF SHEILA BIRD STUDIO Jon Humphreys is Creative Partner and Co-owner of Sheila Bird Studio, a Manchester-based interior and place branding practice creating spaces with life, soul and character.
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RE-DESIGN VS DESIGN PERFECTION: NISSEN RICHARDS STUDIO
Welcome to Re-design vs design perfection, Design Insider’s playful series asking leading creatives to choose one object to reimagine and another they consider flawlessly designed, revealing their creative worldview clearly. Pippa Nissen, Director & Co-Founder, Nissen Richards Studio, shares her choices, offering a surprising window into who she is as a designer, revealing the quirks, values and subtle sensitivities that shape her creative worldview.
Re-design vs design perfection
Pippa Nissen is Director and Founder of Nissen Richards Studio, a London-based practice known for award-winning architecture, interiors, theatre and cultural projects in the UK and internationally today.
RE-DESIGN VS DESIGN PERFECTION: NISSEN RICHARDS STUDIO
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Re-design
Design perfection
For me, Tower Bridge has always cried out for a redesign.
There are objects that simply do their job, and then there are those rare things that seem to float beyond function and become pure poetry. For me, that is the Louis Poulsen lampshade, a family of beautiful designs by Poul Henningsen, including the PH 5 and most of all the Artichoke.
It is an extraordinarily clumsy piece of architecture, unresolved and over-dressed, caught awkwardly between fantasy and function. It wants to be both a medieval display and an industrial machine, but never fully commits to either. The result is a bridge with odd, heavy proportions, with towers that seem too thick and self-conscious and a high-level walkway stretched between them as trying to force coherence to the whole assemble. What troubles me most is that the experience matches the appearance. To cross the bridge at street level is to walk slowly along beside all the tourists, full of traffic and noise. To walk along the high walk above feels totally separated and detached from the city rather than connected to the iconic landmark. Occasionally it looks pretty. Against a spectacular sunset from the Millennium Bridge, it can fall into silhouette and suddenly look almost beautiful. For me, it is also a signal on the horizon telling me I am nearly home to East London. But it is an embarrassing piece of English design stuck in nostalgia and mimicry, that doesn’t submit to function or elegance. Neither castle nor pure gesture, more like a tea cosy stuck on top of industrial structure. If I were to redesign it, I would commit fully to one style and go for it. Either unapologetically industrial with elegant lines showing the structure, or completely fantastical, full of carvings and stories.
The Artichoke is design perfection because it never seems to be still, even when hanging motionless. It is playful, almost kinetic, like a modern chandelier caught mid-movement. Its layered leaves catch the light in shifting tones of luminosity, as the whole thing glows. Nothing about the design is harsh, with the shades designed to block the bare light bulb inside so nothing glares. It is all about softness, suspension and control. I love it not only for its form, but for everything it represents to me. My father was Danish, and when my children were young, we went to Copenhagen at Christmas every year, always ending up in Tivoli Gardens that are full of playful Danish lamps on every corner. The Ascot Hotel, where we stayed, had eight of these lamps in the lobby and breakfast room. To us as a family they felt magical, like floating sculptures that were grand and intimate at the same time. Then there is also the PH 5, which hung above my childhood dining table in Highgate as an iconic 1970s memory. It is calm and clever, a simplified version of its sister the Artichoke. Again it lit everything beautifully while keeping the bulb hidden. This is design perfection: beauty solving function so completely that it becomes poetry.
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COLUMNIST: HOSPITALITY // STUDIO MOREN
WRITTEN BY: ED MURRAY
The future operator: Designing for hybrid, flexible, experience-led models
COLUMNIST: HOSPITALITY // STUDIO MOREN
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MONTHLY COLUMN BY ED MURRAY, AN ARCHITECT WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN, CULTURE AND COMMERCIAL REALITY IN CONTEMPORARY HOSPITALITY.
or decades, hotel design was defined by fixed typologies. Today, that model no longer reflects how people live, work together, or how hotels make money. Guests now arrive with laptops as often as luggage. The 10am coffee becomes an informal meeting. The lobby becomes a workspace by day and a social hub by night. A guest might check in, take a call, have lunch, and stay for drinks without leaving the same seat.
amenity, but as a destination. The most effective schemes blur the line between hotel and neighbourhood. Restaurants with street presence. Bars that operate independently of reception. Spaces that feel as natural for a local Tuesday lunch as they do for a guest arrival drink.
The most successful hotels are no longer organised as a sequence of rooms. They operate as a continuous social landscape.
We are also seeing the rise of hybrid spaces that collapse multiple functions into a single footprint. A breakfast room that becomes a co-working lounge by mid-morning. A private dining room that hosts meetings during the day and events at night. In one recent project, a ground floor lounge was designed to accommodate everything from solo working to presentations and evening DJ sets, with no physical reconfiguration, only a shift in lighting, layout and operational tone.
Take the lobby, once a space of transit. Today, it is expected to generate revenue throughout the day. That requires more than better furniture. It demands flexibility. Loose seating that can flex between solo working and group occupation. Power and connectivity that are integrated, not apologetic. Lighting that transitions from daylight productivity to evening atmosphere without the room feeling reset. Food and beverage has become the anchor of this model, not as an
This is not just a spatial challenge. It is an economic one. Every square metre must justify itself across the day. Underused hours are
no longer acceptable. The ability to layer uses within a single space is not simply efficient, it is critical to performance. Design becomes a tool for increasing dwell time, driving spend, and supporting flexibility. Operators are no longer asking for a building that looks good. They are asking how design can support their business model. How can a space attract non-residents without alienating guests? How can it flex between quiet and energy? How can it feel curated, but never controlled? The future operator is not selling rooms. They are curating experiences across time. The room is just the ticket in. The most successful hotels will not be those with the best bedrooms, but those with the most intelligent public areas. Design isn’t just about defining space. It is also about enabling behaviour.
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EVENT: CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK // EVENT REPORT OVERVIEW
EVENT: CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK // EVENT REPORT OVERVIEW
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Clerkenwell Design Week
Event Report
Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 brought the commercial interiors community together for new launches, lively discussion, showroom experiences and a renewed sense of connection across Clerkenwell. Thankfully, the unwelcome rain that greeted us on day one did not last. The sun came out, as we always hope it will for Clerkenwell Design Week, and with it came the familiar buzz of showrooms opening their doors, conversations spilling onto the streets and the community reconnecting. CDW continues to step up year after year, and 2026 was a joy to experience. With new showroom openings, partnerships and a packed programme of launches, talks and installations, the festival once again showed Clerkenwell’s strength as a commercial interiors destination. It also felt increasingly confident. Could Clerkenwell Design Week continue to challenge Europe’s major design events? It seems possible. One of the clearest signs of a successful design event is when brands choose it as the platform for new product launches. We have seen that at CDW in previous years. If not always a global launch, then often a UK launch, giving visitors the chance to experience new thinking
first-hand. Product launches also tell us about market confidence, reflecting investment, innovation and risk.
unmistakable. Designers, suppliers, manufacturers and specifiers were actively seeking ideas and collective learning.
This year, there were new launches to discover, but not in the volume we have experienced before. It did not feel like a shift towards other international events as launch platforms. Instead, it felt connected to the wider global climate and caution shaping investment decisions. What we did see, however, was existing collections being expanded, models introduced, colour palettes broadened and material options refined. Progress was still present, appearing through considered evolution rather than major reveal.
One theme came through clearly: the balance between biology and technology. From AI, digital twins and smarter data to biomaterials, circular thinking and human-centred design, conversations pointed to an industry looking for progress with purpose. It was refreshing to hear the conversation move beyond everyday tools and into future possibilities, while still sitting alongside talks focused on craft, hospitality and emotional connection.
A joy of our commercial interiors community is the generosity with which expertise is shared, and this year’s talks programme was a clear reminder of that. At times the schedule felt enormous, but every conversation we attended was full, often standing room only. The appetite for knowledge sharing was
And then, of course, there were the parties. CDW remains one of the UK commercial interiors sector’s most vibrant opportunities to socialise. From daytime conversations to evening gatherings, connection sits at its core. This Event Report captures standout moments, celebrates what caught our attention, and highlights conversations shaping the future of commercial interiors.
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EVENT: CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK // EVENT REPORT OVERVIEW
Clerkenwell Design Week
Highlights
Nine highlights from a leading commercial interiors event with global reach. 1
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EVENT: CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK // EVENT REPORT OVERVIEW
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1 SHOWROOMS IN CLERKENWELL: A MARKET STILL MOVING Clerkenwell’s showroom market remains active but increasingly considered. In conversation with Elisabeth Else of Warwick Bookman & Associates, Design Insider explored how brands are weighing visibility, location, budget and long-term commitment. While new openings show continued confidence, decisions are taking longer, with the right showroom depending on strategy, customer base and the feel of the space.
2 ABI INTERIORS: A NEW CLERKENWELL HOME ABI Interiors’ new Clerkenwell showroom, designed by Conran & Partners, introduces the Australian tapware brand to a UK audience through warmth, clarity and locality. Speaking with Senior Interior Designer Amy Blight, Design Insider explored how the space balances domestic storytelling with practical specification, from a hallway, kitchen and bathroom journey to an interactive product library.
3 DESIGNING FOR A NEW ERA OF STAY Hosted by Ulster, Hypnos, Newmor Wallcoverings and Panaz, Designing for a New Era of Stay explored how hospitality interiors are adapting as guests work, cook, rest, relocate and stay longer. The panel highlighted the growing importance of flexibility, storage, privacy, character, durability and place, showing how the future of stay sits between hotel and home.
4 COMMERCIAL INTERIORS UK: DESIGN IN FOCUS During Clerkenwell Design Week, Commercial Interiors UK hosted Design in Focus, a three-day talks programme within Commercial Design in the Park. The programme gave CIUK accredited members a valuable platform for thought leadership, visibility and connection, while visitors experienced industry conversations, practical insights, a creative workshop and opportunities to socialise with the commercial interiors community.
5 KNOLL: A CHAIR THAT SMILES BACK Knoll’s reintroduced Morrison Hannah chair brings warmth, humour and character to fluid workplace interiors. Originally designed in 1973 by Andrew Morrison and Bruce Hannah, the chair has been subtly updated for today’s settings, with advances in foam, mechanism and manufacturing. Playful yet adaptable, it shifts confidently between colours, finishes and spaces while retaining its unmistakable smile.
6 KARNDEAN: OPUS IN WOOD AND STONE Karndean used Clerkenwell Design Week to spotlight Opus, its wood and stone collection, through a showroom experience focused on the emotional impact of material choice. The presentation explored how surfaces influence feeling, movement and behaviour within the built environment, reminding visitors that flooring is both a practical specification and a powerful tool for shaping atmosphere.
7 PANAZ: ALL STRIPES REIMAGINED Panaz introduced All Stripes, a vibrant collection that reimagines a timeless design classic for modern contract interiors. With five designs exploring scale, texture and pattern, the collection offers flexibility across contract FR base cloths. Its confident colour palette brought energy to Clerkenwell, with stripes spilling from the showroom onto the pavement outside.
8 MARY PORTAS: REUSE REFRAMED At Milliken’s Reuse, Reframed talk, Mary Portas joined Katie Treggiden to explore what commercial interiors can learn from fashion’s embrace of second-hand culture. The conversation challenged reuse as compromise, instead positioning circularity, originality and creative risk-taking as opportunities to reshape value, desirability and storytelling within commercial spaces.
9 DESIGN LEGACY IN THE MAKING At Ege Carpets, Design Insider’s Alys Bryan moderated Design Legacy in the Making, exploring trends, risk, originality and longevity. With speakers from Ege Carpets, Fora, IHG, House of Black and Thirdway, the discussion asked how designers can filter influence, resist imitation and create commercial interiors rooted in brief, place, judgement and lasting relevance.
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EVENT: NEXT GENERATION AWARD // EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT
Martha Brown wins the Next Generation Exceptional Student Award 2026 Commercial Interiors UK and Design Insider celebrate Martha Brown of Sheffield Hallam University, winner of the Next Generation Exceptional Student Award 2026, sponsored by Silentnight Contract.
EVENT: NEXT GENERATION AWARD // EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT
Martha's project, Common Ground, impressed the judges with its thoughtful response to later living, combining social connection, independence, wellbeing and commercial design awareness today. Created to recognise emerging talent within the commercial interiors industry, the Next Generation Awards offer students a valuable opportunity to engage with the realities of professional practice. The Exceptional Student Award asked second-year Interior Design degree students to respond to a live commercial brief, designing a social space within a contemporary later-living setting. The brief encouraged students to move beyond institutional thinking and draw inspiration from hospitality and residential environments. Entrants were asked to consider how inclusive, accessible and emotionally intelligent design can support older adults, with attention to circulation, sensory comfort, acoustics, lighting, materiality and social wellbeing. Martha Brown’s winning project, Common Ground, explored how a communal winter garden could reduce loneliness and promote active ageing for older women. Rather than creating a passive care environment, Martha imagined a generous social landscape that supports movement, creativity, participation and everyday connection. At the heart of the scheme was the idea of a participation gradient,
allowing residents to observe, join or lead activities depending on confidence, mood or physical ability. This created a layered environment where social engagement could happen naturally, without pressure. A double-height atrium brought together seating, workshop areas, planting and quieter reflective zones, balancing openness with moments of calm. The judges praised the project for its confidence, clarity and depth of thinking, noting how carefully it supported wellbeing, independence and social connection. They were particularly impressed by the attention to inclusion, discreet observation areas, large-scale planting and organic lighting, which helped maximise the double-height space while creating an inviting place to spend time. Martha’s design also demonstrated strong technical awareness. Inclusive detailing, intuitive circulation and carefully considered acoustics were embedded throughout the proposal, supporting residents with varied physical, sensory and cognitive needs. Her use of warm tones, layered textures, planting and programmable lighting showed how atmosphere can support comfort, dignity and circadian wellbeing. The judging process reflected professional industry practice. Course leaders first selected standout submissions from each participating university, before the judging panel reviewed entries digitally and
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shortlisted finalists for online interviews. Martha distinguished herself not only through the quality of her design work, but through the clarity and professionalism of her presentation. The panel brought together expertise from Bernard Interiors, The Drawing Room Interiors and Design Insider, ensuring the projects were considered through the lenses of later living, healthcare, hospitality and commercial interiors. This gave the award a strong industry context and made Martha’s response feel especially relevant to the sector. As the 2026 winner, Martha will receive a two-week work placement with Bernard Interiors, offering valuable insight into luxury residential, retirement and hospitality design. Commercial Interiors UK will also support travel and accommodation expenses up to £1,000, helping make the opportunity more accessible as she takes an important step towards professional practice and industry connection. Martha’s achievement highlights the strength of emerging talent entering the sector. Common Ground is a powerful example of how the next generation of designers are approaching social, emotional and environmental challenges with creativity, empathy and commercial understanding in commercial interiors.
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INDUSTRY NEWS: WORKPLACE // AWARDS // HUMANSCALE
INDUSTRY NEWS: WORKPLACE // AWARDS // HUMANSCALE
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Design that endures: What recognition really means at Humanscale
t Humanscale, design is guided by human-centred performance, sustainability, simplicity and long-term thinking. Following a Red Dot and two 2026 iF Design Awards, Design Insider spoke with Sergio Silva about what recognition really means inside the business and across the wider commercial industry today. Q: Humanscale has built a reputation for design excellence over many years. When the business receives this kind of recognition, what does it mean internally? A: Recognition of this kind is always appreciated, but internally it means far more than a moment of celebration. Humanscale has always taken a long view of design. We are not chasing trends or trying to stand out for the sake of it. We are trying to create products that genuinely improve the lives of the people using them, year after year. Awards are a moment where that quiet, consistent work gets reflected back to us, and that carries real meaning for the teams behind it. What it affirms, more than anything, is that the principles we have held onto for decades still resonate: human-centred design, restraint, sustainability and a belief that good engineering should disappear into the background of someone’s day. These are not easy things to commit to over the long term, particularly in an industry where novelty often gets rewarded over longevity. Independent recognition tells our designers and engineers that the discipline of staying true to those values is worth it. Award wins also remind everyone across the whole business that the work connects to something larger than
a single product launch. We have never seen recognition as a destination. It is a prompt to ask what we can do better next. Q: The award process is fascinating, particularly when entries are assessed by expert judges alongside thousands of global submissions. Why does recognition from an independent jury carry significance? A: The credibility of an award is inseparable from its judging process. When work is evaluated by experienced, independent experts alongside thousands of submissions, the recognition carries real weight. It means a product has been examined aesthetically, but also for innovation, functionality and relevance. For our team, coming through that scrutiny is meaningful because it mirrors the standards we hold ourselves to internally. We are our own toughest critics long before
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INDUSTRY NEWS: WORKPLACE // AWARDS // HUMANSCALE
“Great product design is not any single quality in isolation. It is the discipline of refusing to trade one off against another. When awards acknowledge that, they reinforce the idea that thoughtful, responsible design and high performance are not competing goals. They are the same goal, approached honestly.”
INDUSTRY NEWS: WORKPLACE // AWARDS // HUMANSCALE
anything reaches the market, so independent validation confirms that what we value in the studio resonates beyond it. This is not self-declared success; it is recognition earned through direct comparison with the best in the industry. That impartial perspective gives the achievement credibility, and gives our teams confidence that their work stands up globally. Q: In a business where design, ergonomics, sustainability and usability are closely intertwined, how important is recognition in demonstrating great product design? A: At Humanscale, those disciplines are not separate considerations balanced at the end of a project. They are woven into the brief from day one. A chair that supports the body beautifully but compromises on materials is not a success for us, and neither is a product that looks elegant but fails the person sitting in it after an hour. Everything has to work together, or it does not work at all. That is where recognition becomes genuinely useful. Awards give us a way of showing, rather than telling, that this integrated approach produces better products. It is one thing to talk about the relationship between ergonomics and sustainability, or between usability and longevity. It is another to have independent experts confirm that the result holds up against the best in the industry. Great product design is not any single quality in isolation. It is the discipline of refusing to trade one off against another. When awards acknowledge that, they reinforce the idea that thoughtful, responsible design and high performance are not competing goals. They are the same goal, approached honestly. Q: From the customer’s perspective, how do awards communicate the depth of thought behind a product? A: Customers today are making more considered decisions than ever. They are investing in products that need to perform reliably, support wellbeing and align with sustainability commitments. Awards can act as a useful shortcut, signalling that independent experts have scrutinised the product against criteria a client cares about. For us, recognition helps communicate something that is not always easy to convey in a specification sheet: the depth of thinking behind a product. Every Humanscale solution is the result of research, testing and refinement, and awards offer a credible way of pointing to that rigour. What we hope this reassures customers about is straightforward. When they choose Humanscale, they are
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choosing a partner whose values are consistent with their own. They can be confident that the product has been designed responsibly, engineered to last, and created with the wellbeing of the end user at its core. Q: How does recognition help raise expectations across the commercial interiors industry? A: When a product wins an award, the conversation does not stay within the company that made it. It becomes visible to competitors, specifiers, architects and end users, and quietly resets the benchmark for what good looks like. That ripple effect is one of the most valuable things about industry recognition. For Humanscale, this matters because so much of what we have championed for years, including sustainability that goes beyond compliance, ergonomics grounded in real science and simplicity as a design principle, was once seen as niche or secondary. When these qualities are recognised alongside conventional measures of design excellence, it sends a clear signal to the market. It tells the industry that these standards are no longer optional. Customers notice, and over time, they begin to expect them from everyone. We welcome a higher bar. If our work encourages other manufacturers to take sustainability more seriously, or invest more deeply in ergonomic performance, the entire industry benefits, and so do the people using the furniture every day. Sergio Silva is Vice President of Design and Innovation at Humanscale. He believes great design should be purpose-driven, balancing function, user experience and aesthetics with clarity and simplicity.
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INDUSTRY NEWS: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // IHG
IHG Hotels & Resorts IHG Hotels & Resorts accelerates European growth expanding its portfolio by over a quarter in three years.
IHG Hotels & Resorts is accelerating growth across Europe, adding more than 32,800 rooms in three years, a 27% increase. With more than 1,230 open and pipeline hotels across over 40 countries, the group continues to expand through brand evolution, owner confidence, conversions and sustained investment in key priority destinations. A supportive macro backdrop continues to fuel IHG’s growth as it expands scale and presence in Europe. In 2025, European hotel investment reached €27 billion across more than 1,050 hotels, the strongest year since 2019 according to Cushman & Wakefield. This momentum is underpinned by Europe’s position as the world’s most visited region, welcoming around 793 million international arrivals in 2025, according to UN Tourism. Last year, IHG opened a record 102 hotels, signed 117 properties in Europe, and acquired Ruby, the Europeanbased premium urban lifestyle brand. Its European portfolio now comprises more than 1,230 open and pipeline hotels across more than 40 countries, reflecting decades of owner relationships and brand evolution. Germany is central to this growth story, both as a strong domestic market and one of Europe’s most important
INDUSTRY NEWS: INTERNATIONAL // HOSPITALITY // IHG
outbound markets. One of IHG’s fastest-growing countries in the region, it represents more than 20% of open rooms, 32,700, and nearly 20% of its pipeline, 8,340 rooms. Karin Sheppard, SVP & Managing Director, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Across Europe, IHG continues to build strong momentum as we purposefully scale our portfolio, surpassing 150,000 open rooms in the region, a significant milestone for our business. We are growing new and established brands in priority markets to strengthen our presence across all four segments, underpinned by sustained investment in our enterprise to ensure every IHG brand and hotel remains competitive. “It is also a moment to recognise our hotel teams across Europe, who consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences in cities and resort destinations.” IHG’s growth spans its Luxury & Lifestyle, Premium, Essentials and Suites portfolios. Luxury and Lifestyle highlights include openings and signings such as Six Senses London and InterContinental Prague, alongside the growth of Kimpton and Vignette Collection. Premium momentum includes the launch of Noted Collection, signings including Crowne Plaza - Marne-la-Vallée near Disneyland Paris, the addition of Ruby Hotels and expansion of voco.
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In Essentials, Garner continues to grow, with brand launches in the UK, Germany, Italy and Turkiye in 2025, while the Holiday Inn Brand Family remains a cornerstone of IHG’s portfolio, accounting for more than 60% of the company’s open European estate. In Suites, Candlewood Suites debuts in Iceland with Candlewood Suites Reykjavik, while Staybridge Suites enters Italy with Staybridge Suites Milan NoLo. Sheppard continued: “The strong growth across our brand portfolio reflects the rising confidence and trust we are seeing from new and existing owners in Europe. That confidence is underpinned by the consistent performance of our brands, the strength of our commercial platforms and our ability to support owners with scale, expertise and long-term value. “Conversions are playing an increasingly significant role in our growth, accounting for 84% of room openings and 61% of room signings in Europe in 2025. This highlights owners’ appetite for a faster, lower risk route to market.” IHG’s largest markets include the UK & Ireland, with 404 open and pipeline properties, Germany with 242, France with 84, and Spain with 81. Figures are as of 31 December 2025.
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INDUSTRY NEWS: INTERNATIONAL // SYDNEY // INVESTMENT
Destination Sydney: Why Sydney is becoming a destination for design investment
INDUSTRY NEWS: INTERNATIONAL // SYDNEY // INVESTMENT
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hree recent announcements from global design businesses reveal something interesting about Sydney. Not simply that companies are expanding into Australia, but that they are choosing to invest in physical spaces designed to influence conversations, build relationships and strengthen their position within the design community.
Over recent months, Roca Group has opened Sydney Gallery in Surry Hills, Humanscale has launched its first Australian showroom on Pitt Street, and international consultancy Zebra has established its first permanent Australian studio. On the surface, these are three separate stories. Look closer and a common theme begins to emerge. For global brands, Sydney is increasingly being viewed as more than a sales territory. It is becoming a place where design culture, commercial opportunity and professional influence intersect. Roca Group’s new Sydney Gallery perhaps illustrates this shift most clearly. Located within a heritage building and designed by DKO, the space follows a model already established in cities including London, Barcelona and Shanghai. Rather than functioning as a conventional showroom, the Gallery has been conceived as a setting for industry dialogue, giving architects and designers a place to engage with ideas as much as products. Humanscale’s new Sydney showroom reflects a similar ambition. Housed within the landmark Royal Exchange Assurance Building and designed by Suchi Reddy in collaboration with Tribe
Studio, the project places equal emphasis on architecture and experience. The decision to locate the showroom within one of Sydney’s most significant modernist buildings feels deliberate. It signals a commitment to the city’s design community while creating an environment that embodies the company’s wider thinking around workplace performance. Meanwhile, Zebra’s arrival in Sydney demonstrates that the investment extends beyond product manufacturers. The global design consultancy already operates across major international cities including London, New York, Dubai and Hong Kong. Opening a permanent Australian studio allows the practice to engage more directly with local brands while supporting international clients entering the market. Collectively, these investments suggest confidence in Sydney’s growing influence within the wider Asia-Pacific design landscape. Importantly, none of these businesses have arrived with a purely transactional approach. Each has invested in a physical environment that communicates its values, expertise and long-term intentions. The spaces themselves become part of the message.
There is also a noticeable emphasis on locality. Roca worked with Australian practice DKO. Humanscale partnered with Tribe Studio alongside Suchi Reddy. Zebra appointed experienced Australian design leader Tim Bradbury to lead its regional operation. Rather than imposing global formulas, each organisation appears to recognise the value of local knowledge and cultural understanding. For Sydney’s architecture and design community, that matters. These openings are not simply about market expansion. They represent a growing recognition that Sydney has become a destination where international brands want to participate in the conversation, contribute to the design ecosystem and establish a meaningful presence for the long term. That feels less like expansion and more like investment.