Mix interiors 159 nov 2015 cover print

Mix Interiors 159

November 2015

GERMAN INNOVATION

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McLaren, Thought Leadership Centre

14 Upfront 14 Seven from Sixteen3 25 Material matters 26 Desert island desks

29 Spotlight 31 The big question 32 Protecting your assets 36 Funding the project

Inside 48 Profile 48 Steve Elliott, BW

54 Case Studies 54 McLaren, Thought Leadership Centre 60 Honda Motor Europe, Bracknell

42 R&D tax relief

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66 Focus 66 Orangebox

72 Review 72 Regional review - Manchester 80 Mix inspired Manchester 84 Dubai Design Week 96 Just an idea

The cover The logo

‘Wait ’til I grab my coffee’ is often the start of the creative process at HAA Design. As an integrated team of designers, architects and consultants, we constantly bounce ideas off of each other – sometimes at our desks; sometimes via opportunistic doodlings on the kitchen noticeboard whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. www.haadesign.co.uk

The cover image Using the latest technology to create the most realistic decorative panels EGGER’s ZOOM collection has designs for all requirements.

Ceramic Rust offers the ideal decor for industrial chic designs. www.egger.com

Back issues Contact us to buy back issues: rebecca@mixinteriors.com

A

word

from mick As our friends are only too aware, we’ve been lucky enough to spend a few days in Dubai over the past month. We were treated royally (thank you to all those who were so generous and hospitable) and it was great to see so many industry friends, one or two real ‘blasts from the past’ and to meet some great new people.

This amazing city, however, does pose a couple of challenges. The big problem – other than the heat and sheer scale of the place – is that Dubai doesn’t really do straight lines.

In other words, in order to get from Hotel A to Hotel B next door, you’re likely to have to circumnavigate an entire marina!

Editorial support Rebecca Bignell rebecca@mixinteriors.com

September 2015

Address Mix Media Limited 2 Abito 85 Greengate Manchester M3 7NA Telephone 0161 946 6262

Director David Smalley david@mixinteriors.com Mix Interiors 157

Similarly, you can’t just pop over the road.

You have to head most of the way back to the airport, where your friendly taxi driver will do a ‘special U-turn’ for you. In other words he’ll just drive all the way around a roundabout – so 25 yards as the crow flies and the best part of five miles in reality.

Now don’t get us wrong, we were far from unhappy campers – there’s always plenty to see from taxi windows and we weren’t stuck outside in the midday sun.

Furthermore, a taxi ride across the great expanse of downtown Dubai is only likely to cost as much as a cab from Farringdon to the West End!

Get in touch Editor Mick Jordan mick@mixinteriors.com

MIX INTERIORS 157 SEPTEMBER 2015

CBS

Mix Interiors 159

e-mail editorial@mixinteriors.com

Designer Rob Jozefowski rob@mixinteriors.com

Website www.mixinteriors.com

Managing director Marcie Incarico marcie@mixinteriors.com

Twitter @mixinteriors Contributors Carl Sukonik - Photography

INNOVATION

Founding publisher Henry Pugh

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Subscriptions To ensure that a regular copy of Mix Interiors reaches your desk, please call 0161 946 6262 or e-mail: sales@mixinteriors.com Annual subscription charges UK single £45.50, UK corporate (up to 5 individuals) £140, Europe £135 (airmail), Outside Europe £165 (airmail).

Printed by S&G Print ISSN 1757-2371

Mix Interiors 159

For your FREE 64 page catalogue of the full Portfolio Collection call 0844 209 0008 or visit premdor.co.uk/portfolio

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Mix Interiors 159

Designed to move you

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DESIGN BALLENDAT

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London Showroom

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Mix Interiors 159

The countdown begins...

We look forward to seeing you on the 3rd December for the Mixology North awards and winter ball with Cream Ibiza Dj’s.

View the awards shortlist at www.mixology-awards.com

3 December 2015 Hilton Manchester Deansgate

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Mix Interiors 159

The north’s most prestigious award ceremony and winter ball created for the dynamic and innovative interior design community.

For more information visit www.mixology-awards.com Or email us at rebecca@mixinteriors.com

Our sponsors A massive thank you to all of our sponsors, without you we couldn’t make this event happen.

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Upfront

Things every office needs Now this should get you all thinking! What does the

modern office need? Charles Bramwell from sixteen3 gives us his considered opinion.

3 1 COLOUR Numerous studies have shown how important the use of colour can be and the effect colour has on productivity levels and a worker’s psychology – so embrace it in the workplace!

Banish the bland and go for green to encourage harmony and balance, blue to instill a bit of creativity or even red to aid in detailfocused work.

3 COFFEE! Pretty self-explanatory this one, but there’s always a place for coffee. Early morning start? Have a cup of coffee! Late night working on meeting a looming deadline?

Have a cup of coffee! Need a bit of a break to clear your mind? Have a cup of coffee – or a cup of tea if that’s what you’re into, we won’t judge..) Ahhh, caffeinated bliss…

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2 COMFY SOFAS We may be a bit biased on this one, but we are passionate about soft seating and feel that every office should have some good, welldesigned breakout space. Whether it’s for a bit of touchdown working, a casual meeting or a quick coffee break, having a refuge from a desk is a necessity in any office.

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Upfront 4 PAPER CLIPS Did you know the humble paper clip was most probably first made in Britain in the 1870s? Anyway, not only is the paper clip an outstanding bit of everyday design, it’s useful for so many things! Not only can you use it to keep your bits of paper in order (so much for the paperless office…) but there’s also a myriad of other uses for them: picking locks, getting a SIM out your iPhone when you’ve lost that little tool thingy or making a teeny, tiny grappling hook.

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6 NATURE Technology is all well and good (and a necessity in the modern office) but there should still be space in your working day for a nice bit of nature. Whether its living plants or natural upholstery fibres, incorporating elements from nature into an interior is the best way to instil a sense of calm, wellbeing and peace.

5 IPHONE CHARGER Oh look, it’s not even halfway through the day and your phone’s already down to 18%. What a surprise! Every office needs a spare charger as there’s always someone in need of a battery top-up! You could even go fancy and get some wireless chargers installed – it’ll be like the future is happening!

7 7 A GREAT TEAM And finally, one of the most important things in any office is a great bunch of colleagues! Never underestimate the importance of good team work, honesty and a bit of banter. Oh, and someone who brings in cake regularly...

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Upfront

Spark44 makes a 19,000 sq ft move National fit-out contractor Overbury has completed the design and build of a new Birmingham city centre office for the successful and growing creative content agency Spark44.

Spark44 has recently been appointed to handle Land Rover’s global creative and digital advertising account, having previously worked on launches for Jaguar’s F-TYPE and XE models.

Simon Moore, Managing Editor of Spark44, said: ‘This is an extremely exciting period for Spark44 and our increasing involvement with Jaguar Land Rover means our Birmingham office is a critical part of our global network.’ Singing the praises of Michele Clifton and the team at Overbury he added: ‘Our move to Norfolk House is a significant investment for the company and we feel that Overbury has delivered a new office that is completely fresh, original and makes a strong statement about Spark44’s aspirations in the city.’

Happy Birthday HAA Design Congratulations to HAA Design, who celebrated its 21st birthday last month, transforming the Victorian Bar in the nearby Tron Theatre, using a riot of red and white images and lighting, reflecting the practice’s colour scheme. A bold graphic display filled one wall, while illuminated letters combined with floor detailing reinforced the brand identity in a whimsical manner.

The consultants interacted with guests over glasses of Prosecco to populate an avatar of a typical HAA Design guest: a tea-drinking, real book-reading, film-loving, e-mail-sending, Facebook-posting optimist who doesn’t do early mornings. And there was cake – lots of cake.

Also thanks to HAA Design for the wonderful Mix logo adorning this month’s cover.

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Upfront

Karndean Designflooring leading the way with BIM Karndean Designflooring have collaborated with BIMstore to create a collection of Business Information Modelling (BIM) components. Karndean Designflooring BIMstore will feature more than 80 wood and stone effect designs, all available for free as BIM objects with architects and interior designers being able to access key technical data and installation information.

Matthew Speck, Head of Commercial Sales at Karndean Designflooring, tells us ‘Having been aware of the government’s impending mandate for all businesses to be BIM ready by 2016, we’ve been proactive in ensuring our BIM library offers our most successful commercial collection at the time of release.’

Note from Mix: The Government Construction Strategy was published by the Cabinet office on 31 May 2011 stating the intention to require collaborative 3D BIM by 2016.

Having been aware of the government’s impending mandate for all businesses to be BIM ready by 2016, we’ve been proactive in ensuring our BIM library offers our most successful commercial collection at the time of release.

Senior changes for Bisley Further to the appointment of Richard Blackwell to Chief Executive in August, Bisley has announced a number of other senior management appointments.

Ralph Hearnshaw, who has been International Sales Director for the last 15 years, will now take on the role of Commercial Director. This will see him assuming full responsibility for both the UK and International sales teams, prioritising new business development.

David Williams has moved into the role of Director of Customer Service, and alongside his current UK responsibilities, will now head up customer service internationally.

A newer addition to the team is Helen Owen, Director of Business Development.

Helen joined Bisley in March after 10 years at Herman Miller.

Richard says: ‘This is a really exciting time for our business and the industry as a whole. As the marketplace evolves we need to make sure our business keeps ahead of changes, and I feel our new senior team really understands how our customers’ needs are evolving and has the experience and knowledge to meet these and take us in the right direction.’

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Upfront

Walter Knoll celebrates 150 years

around the world, some of whom have designed for the brand. This year’s new core collections are now available at the showroom in Clerkenwell, at ARAM in Covent Garden and at Forza in Great Portland Street, and include: the Berlin Chair (inset), Kyo and Healy Lounges, Joco Stone and Oki.

Starting out as a leather shop in Stuttgart in 1865, Walter Knoll has repeatedly made its mark on furniture history with all pieces manufactured at factories and workshops in Germany.

The company is truly aspirational and trusted by designers and architects

If you are celebrating an anniversary (company, person, product) in 2016, be sure to let us know, contact david@mixinteriors.com before the 14th Dec please.

Design Guild Mark 2016 The Furniture Makers’ Company is now calling for submissions to the Design Guild Mark Awards 2016. Now in its ninth year, The Design Guild Mark is recognised by the furnishing industry as a major mark of excellence in British design and rewards the work of the finest furniture designers working in volume production and the best of British furniture designers working abroad.

The Design Guild Mark raises awareness of design and British design talent and Mix is delighted to be associated with such an initiative that raises the profile of both design and manufacturing – issues close to our heart, which will be a major part of our Spotlight series of features in 2016.

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Upfront

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Upfront

THE BEST IN FURNITURE COVERED Join the celebration in London’s creative heart. See the best in furniture, product and lighting design from across the globe.

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Upfront

Already confirmed for 2016: Domus Magis GP&J Baker Abstracta Boss Design Davison Highley Bolon Humanscale Poltrona Frau Group Scandinavian Business Seating Thonet Silverline Sto Werkstatt Inform Furniture Nicholls & Clarke Swedese CANAL Architectural Interface Svensson Wagstaff Atkinson Group Zero USM Cassina Mitab Rubertelli Design Massproductions West One Bathrooms Clavering Bespoke Clivework Taz Pollard Ceramics Sedus Stoll Brunner UK RH Lintex Ocee Design Shaw Contract Group Ceramiche Caesar Brintons Di Classe H Furniture Morgan Cappellini RBM C&C Milano Vitamin Handelsges BuzziSpace Offecct Baux Örsjö +HALLE Whistler Leather Kallista Verco Artisan Concrete by LCDA Tania Johnson Zimmer + Rohde Cane-line HÅG Andrew Dominic sixteen3 Tamma Design Hand & Eye Studio Reason Season Time Antonio Frattini N and N WARES Whitebeam Studio Zita Menyhart Studio Jimbobart Light Years Helen Yardley Lammhults Möbel Connection Desso Orangebox Elite Camira Fabrics ege carpets Dedon bulthaup Clerkenwell Alias Prooff Kusch + Co Casala Tacchini Gloster Bene Herman Miller Turner Furniture Mater Pledge

CDWfestival clerkenwelldesignweek.com 21

Upfront

Surface Design Show – shortlist announced Projects from Foster + Partners are included on the shortlist for Surface Design Awards 2016. Launched in 2013, the awards attracted 146 admissions from 24 different countries with 13 awards been handed out.

The judges included Andrew Waugh of Waugh Thistleton Architects; Anna Breheny of Scott Brownrigg Interior Design; Chris Jenkins of Peldon Rose; Diana Cochrane of Kent School of Architecture; Michaela Matheson of BDG Architecture + Design; Xavier Llarch Font of The Decorators and Sharon Stammers and Martin Lupton of Light Collective.

The winners will be announced at the Surface Design Show on 11th February 2016 and covered in a special feature in our March issue.

John Irwin appointed new Managing Director at Tangent Tangent Office Furniture has announced the appointment of John Irwin as Managing Director. John is returning to Tangent, where he previously saw the rapid expansion of the business, resulting in an annual turnover of £27 million.

After almost 10-years as CEO at Bisley Office Furniture he brings to the role extensive leadership experience, with an impressive track record in strategic business development, supported by over 25 years of industry knowledge.

We are told that John’s return to Tangent coincides with the company’s continued development, which has seen progressive expansion through organic sales growth and acquisitions. No doubt, John’s strategic know-how and industry insight will see Tangent continue to flourish.

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Upfront

For when you want to reflect an upmarket look. www.egger.com/perfectsense

PerfectSense Gloss from EGGER is a new generation of high gloss panels.

They don’t fade, are hardwearing and offer a new level of reflection only achievable with glass or acrylic. Helping you create a high-end, exclusive, look, for less.

Also now available, ‘PerfectSense Matt’, a collection of in-vogue, supermatt, finishes.

For samples go to www.egger.com/shop or t 0845 606 8888.

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Upfront

Isomi launch new showroom Congratulations to our friends at Isomi on the birth of their new showroom in Clerkenwell – at 1 Sans Walk to be precise. The 19th century former print factory has been renovated and will no doubt be of great interest to the design community. Isomi’s new Concrete

range, along with its acclaimed existing collections in solid surface material, can be viewed at the showroom. Designer Paul Crofts said: ‘I feel we have created the ideal industrial backdrop against which to showcase Isomi’s products.’

Co-founders Jenny Davies and Nick

Welsh said: ‘We’re thrilled to be opening Isomi’s first showroom.

It’s the ideal setting in which to present our products to our clients, and Paul’s design perfectly reflects the commitment to materials, process and quality that underpins everything we do.’

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Upfront

Material Matters This month our friends from Material Lab once again bring us

a selection of contemporary surface products – ranging from brick to glass, tile to pearl.

Katie Gillies is inspired by Modernist architecture for her industrial interior surfaces Simplicity, clarity, order and truth are the underlining principles of Katie Gillies’ new collection of surface coverings, ‘project 2’.

Contemporary processes and a variety of glass materials have been used to create this collection, overlapping layers to produce tiles and panels that are ideal for industrial and architectural spaces, and are inspired by Modernist architecture. www.katiegillies.com

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery for Johnson Tiles’ exposed brick tiles Johnson Tiles has used the latest technology to perfectly recreate the look, texture and industrial character of exposed bricks in tiles. Brics is a brand new range of rustic porcelain floor and wall tiles in a slim 250x60mm format. The tiles can be mixed and matched in a variety of true-to-life shades that feature realistic detailing reflecting the natural irregularity of the materials. www.johnson-tiles.com

A classic and timeless material crafted into smart surface design by Decored Decored create smart finishes on beautiful and timeless mother of pearl surface coverings. The key is in the craftsmanship of their traditional artisans that makes the most of the natural colour, texture and patterncharacteristics of this natural resource. The new South Seas Collection uses both black and white pearls to full effect with simple and clear mosaic, crackle and block shaping. www.decored.com

Edgy yet luxurious concrete finishes from Metropolis Metrostone is a cement-based coating for floors and walls from the Metropolis range, created by Gruppo Ivas in northern Italy. Finished with a water-based polyurethane resin that comes in a matt, mid-sheen and gloss finish, it’s ideal for design-led environments and interiors where individuality can shine. It can be used to experiment with effects such as heavy textures, polished stone and shuttered concrete to achieve a high-end look. www.alivauk.co.uk

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Upfront

Desert Island Desks 1 TO KEEP TRACK OF THE HOURS… I have to admit I may have a slight obsession with clocks and watches. You can never have too many, and you certainly can’t go wrong with a simple classic, such as this ‘City Hall’ clock, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1956 for Rødovre City Hall, Denmark, now reproduced

by Rosendahl. A timeless timepiece that exemplifies his incredible vision for modernism.

We should all take time to consider longevity in design and look beyond current trends…

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This month’s virtual castaway is

Abigail Le Marchand from HLW. 3 THE STURDY STUFF Timber is a vital component of the historical backbone of construction and gives a real sense of craftsmanship within a space. I particularly love its application on floors and walls – nothing beats the real thing, so engineered boards are a great way to achieve durability whilst expressing the unique character and beauty of the natural product in a commercial environment.

I’m loving the new range from Domus, especially the grey tones which can really soften a space. Parquet is certainly on trend again, but there are so many possibilities to create something unique. Maybe I could even use it to build a raft ‘Cast Away’ style!

2 SHOW ME THE LIGHT! There is a beautiful antique charm about the BL1 table lamp by Gubi. I really love products that successfully capture both past traditional design and current contemporary forms. There are also a range of finishes available to provide a different personality to any domestic or commercial space. Realistically there would be no electricity on this imaginary island, so I may have to settle for a scented candle instead!

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4 SOME INTERESTING TEXTURES… Bolon is the obvious choice – extensive ranges with originality in their creation and applications. Don’t just stop with floors – think about walls, ceilings and joinery too! It’s an innovative product and I was lucky enough to visit the factory this year. The production process is fascinating and gives you a real understanding of its composition and why it’s so resilient. This would be my first choice for a waterproof shelter on the island! I am also loving the new Fading World collection from Clerkenwell Rug Studio – a perfectly worn, silky texture that looks like it has been well loved for years. A gem as an off the shelf product, but it has to be in the right setting. I’m currently specifying for a Mayfair townhouse scheme and it works brilliantly to add some vintage character.

Tel 01925 850500 Email info@sixteen3.co.uk 5 TIME TO RELAX! It has been more than half a century since the late Charles Pollock designed what was then called the Model 657, a minimal chair of polished chrome steel tubing and natural cowhide.

Now reintroduced by Knoll Studio, this is truly a modern classic – I adore the way the leather is suspended elegantly over the frame. Florence Knoll, seeing the design for the first time, declared it ‘gold’.

Although it looks like an aesthetic piece, it really is very comfortable and would be perfect for lazing away the afternoons!

Web www.sixteen3.co.uk

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6 WHERE DO I PUT MY G&T? On a beautifully crafted side table of course! The Gamfratesi TS tables by Gubi are not only a very unique form, they have been paired with traditional marble table tops with a range of base finishes. Recently, Gubi has introduced glass tops for those after a more polished appearance. It has an almost eclectic feel whilst being simple but characteristic. Now where’s the waiter?!

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7 HIDDEN TALENTS Art and photography has always been a part of my life and something I wish I could invest more time in! I really believe that it is worth taking careful consideration to choose a high quality print or art piece. I try to steer clear from generic abstract art or anything that doesn’t have a meaning or context. It will be so much more valuable if it is relevant to a story or concept. The power of the pen (or paintbrush!) is a beautiful thing, and nothing beats framing your own artwork. True originals!

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Spotlight Assets

31 The Big Question

32 Protecting your assets

36 Funding the project 29

42 R&D tax relief

Spotlight

Turn any desk into an active workspace

info@humanscale.co.uk | www.humanscale.com 30

Spotlight

The big ? uestion

How do you protect an original design concept?

Steven Liquorish CMS/aircharge

David Fox David Fox Design

Craig Jones Jones & Partners

Elliot Brook Deadgood

Paul Crofts Paul Crofts Studio

Mino Vernaschi Orangebox

Every design we produce is captured and logged with ACID, no matter whether the concept is taken forward into the development or not – this helps with enforcing unregistered design rights. If the design moves forward into development, the next step is to register the design with the appropriate bodies for the territories we intend to place the product. These steps, along with monitoring the market for any infringing products, ensure that we can take action if and when necessary.

The commercial value held within any company’s IP is clearly its biggest asset. Illegal copying costs the sector a huge amount and is detrimental to the perceived value of that design in the eyes of the consumer or end user. As a result, I personally think there should be more support mechanisms in place from the government to pursue those that infringe design rights – a dedicated service to help pursue claims, maybe? Of course this would cost the taxpayer but I do believe that intervention by the government would ultimately lead to a more profitable, productive and buoyant industry.

Protecting your design in the EU is very affordable at less than £200, depending on the application – the same application to cover you for China would be at least five times that. It gives you a clear document and reference to when the design was registered. So if the IP is infringed, you have something solid to begin a case, should you decide to proceed.

I launched a lighting product called ‘Nonla’ under my own Studio a couple of years ago. It’s all made in the UK, which is a challenge in itself when hitting any sensible price point. Now if I Google my own product, images come up from a company in China who sell a rip-off of the light, under my name, without any apologies. They even use my own project images as reference! Surely this can’t be right. Designers must be able to have protection to keep us inspired to keep producing original designs in the UK.

Many things – where do I start! For small independent agencies like ourselves it is being able to justify the associated external costs to protect each innovation. We use a phrase ‘Delayed prevention rather than cure’. Having signed NDA’s, design contracts or external legal practices’ support can sometimes be enough to secure confidentiality and design integrity. It very much depends on who you are trying to protect against. Worthy of a wider debate!

Design registration: the laws need to be changed and be more stringent so there is more visual protection – it is currently too loose. People can go back to prior art and then, if it exists in a certain way, can make an adaptation that is not deemed to be plagiarism. And the biggest culprits in our industry are…

Loose Furniture Specialists E: matt@umbrellafurniture.com www.umbrellafurniture.com

THE FURNITURE SPECIALISTS

Umbrella Banner Mix Interiors July 2015.indd 1

17/06/2015 17:31:57

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Spotlight

Protecting your assets For any business to thrive it is vital that they develop their Over the next couple of pages we look at the crucial time when an original piece of work has been created and you want to do everything possible to legally protect your asset.

This can be a hugely complex area.

As Margaret Briffa, IP specialist remarked in our July issue earlier this year referring to the how The Court of appeal in England can come to a very different conclusion to the courts in other countries in the European Union.

The question being asked is whether UK designers are as protected as their European counterparts.

Margaret says, ‘The Court of Appeal in England has never found a registered design to have been infringed. It’s time surely to take a long hard look at how we have come to this point and see what needs to be done to provide proper protection for our design industry.’

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products and services in order stay ahead of real or perceived threats.

Earlier this month the battle between Trunki, the famous ride on children suitcases, reached the Supreme Court. The decision which is expected in a matter of weeks will clarify the protection designers have and may be the judgement that puts UK designers on an equal footing with designers in Europe.

And there is good news too for designers who produce iconic 3D works, which up to now others have been free to copy after a maximum of 25 years. There are legislative changes currently underway which may see full copyright being restored to designers who produce artistic works even when they are mass produced. This means designers will be able to prevent copying of their designs for their life time and the right will also last for 70 years after their death. These game changers are now potentially due to become law as early as April 2016. It is time for designers to clue themselves up on how these changes can benefit their businesses and use the law to grow their business.

Steven Liquorish CMS/aircharge What lessons have you learnt over time when protecting your investment?

We’ve learnt that the most important thing is to consider IP protection from the very beginning of any project.

The other important lesson we’ve learnt is that we must be focused and specific about what we are protecting and where. Trying to have maximum protection on all of our IP in every territory would be prohibitively expensive and time consuming, so we’ve had to think about which elements of our IP generate real value for the business, and where we have a realistic prospect of protecting them.

What are you views on the power of enforcement?

Thankfully we’ve never had to rely on ultimate enforcement of our IP protection, since we’ve always reached agreement when infringement has been alleged. The ability to reach agreements though is underpinned by the fact that proper enforcement does exist, and is constantly being reinforced both with additional legislation and by court decisions.

Spotlight

Intellectual Property

ACID

is the collective term for the rights arising under the law relating to Copyright, Unregistered Design Rights, Registered Design Rights, Patents, Trade Marks, Passing Office, Utility Models and the Law of Confidence.

David Fox

History

David Fox Design ‘We do register our designs with the OHIM (Office of Harmonisation for the Internal Market) and we are also members of ACID which is a helpful resource. It’s important to protect the products, as IP theft is unfortunately on the increase.’

(Anti Copying In Design) is a membership trade organisation created in 1996. ACID raises awareness across the industry and helps members understand their rights in the fight against intellectual property rights abuse.

The law protecting original designs has been around for a long time in the UK – Elizabethan to be precise. The monarchy or lord would grant royal favours to new ideas which allowed the person who received the royal charter a monopoly to produce the service or goods.

The granting of royal charters was soon seen as a privilege given to a select few and later frowned upon by subsequent parliaments. The birth of intellectual property, which forms the basis of modern law, was created under common law and the Statute of Monopolies enacted in 1623, aimed at encouraging technological progress.

Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) Until a few years ago SME’s had no real redress against copyists as the risks in taking an action against a copyist with deep pockets was too high. There was literally no limit to the costs which could be claimed against you if you lost a case. The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court has changed all that.

The Court will hear any intellectual property disputes where the damages claimed are between £10,000 and £500,000.

The radical feature, however, is that costs are capped at the various stages meaning that you can recover only up to a certain level of costs and only ever be ordered to pay up to the cap also. Where you have a good case and your lawyer stays within the cap, your prospects of a successful action are high. So effective is the procedure that there is definite shift in mentality among SME’s, who are using the court to secure judgements in respect of their important products, where copied, and using that judgement to help them clean up the market.

Margaret Briffa’s firm regularly brings action in this court, which she says ‘...has resulted in a major change to the way in which businesses can protect their intellectual property value and in making sure that designers maintain value in their business and day to day income’.

Sources: Gov.com, Briffa, ACID, Mix Research.

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Spotlight

Funding the project How often have you been told that there is a shortage of grade A office space due to the slowdown in office development over the last six years?

Virtually every city in the UK will see a deficit in new high spec office in 2016.

Our regional report on page 76 highlights that in October this year Manchester passed the 1,000,000 sq ft office take up for the last 12 months, but even with the amazing new developments set of 2016 the thirst for quality office will not be satisfied.

In our view, amazing office refurbishments will be making the news in 2016 and beyond as clients look to grow and consolidate (look out for our next issue where we look at the transformation of the headquarters of Regatta by Space Invader, for example).

So the client has made a decision about upgrading their current office environment; next issue to deal with is the current pressure to provide an office environment fit to attract the best staff. Then comes the challenge of funding the project.

Historically clients have used cash or bank facilities but as a recent report suggested, overdrafts for small firms are being withdrawn or cut by major lenders at an increasing rate, with around 17% of small and medium sized enterprises reporting that banks have removed their overdrafts altogether. We are told that many clients use Capex as their method of financial allocation, in other words deciding some months or years in advance, ensuring it is written into the annual accounts and added to an asset account.

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Spotlight

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Leasing a fitout project can • Unlock projects • Overcome budget restrictions • Utilise 100% tax allowances www.plusfinance.co.uk T: 01494 783773 E: sales@plusfinance.co.uk

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Spotlight

Leasing A financial arrangement in which a person or organisation pays to use land, a vehicle etc. for a particular period of time.

1 What are the options?

2 What can be leased?

The three most common methods of funding are: cash, bank facility or lease finance. As a method of finance leasing is common place in the business world for items such as vehicles and IT, yet it is little used in office fit-out. The next page gives you our overview of the options to fund projects together with some of the pros and cons.

Anything in a Cat A or Cat B fit-out is the short answer including IT equipment, fit-out and furniture.

4 Will the furniture be owned at the end of the lease?

The essence of a lease rental agreement is that you don’t own the asset, so consequently the rentals become 100% tax deductible.

At the end of the term, you can choose to retain use of the assets for an indefinite period via a small one off lifetime rental.

Nikki Matthews Plus Finance ‘The finance landscape is changing and there is an increasing use of alternative asset finance, providing a real opportunity in the commercial interiors industry due to high capital cost of a fit out.’

6 What are the benefits for the contractor?

• Provide clients with funding alternatives • Get the competitive edge • Quick and easy • Upgrade or unlock suspended projects

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3 Can the lease be on furniture and fit-out?

Most high street lenders will lease furniture, however some specialist finance companies can lease everything including soft costs such as service, supplies and installation. Clearly homework is required.

5 Over how long?

Usually anything from two to five years to be in line with leases on a building.

7 What are the benefits for the client?

• Maximise cash flow • Spread the cost with monthly payments • Tax advantages • Easier and more accurate forecasting due to fixed payments • Existing bank credit lines unaffected

Spotlight

Helping support your client with funding.

What are the options?

CASH

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

No interest to pay

Can leave cash flow vulnerable

Easy to use

May restrict budget and therefore project specification and finish

Makes use of the AIA (where applicable)

Reduced capital allowances on certain aspects of a fit-out Ties up working capital often in a depreciating asset such as IT or office fit-out where the benefits are realised over the longer term

BANK FACILITIES

Cheap rates of interest (currently)

Banks reducing lending, so accessing finance not always easy

Overcomes budget limitations

Banks may require additional security over other assets

Protects cash flow Makes use of the AIA (where applicable)

Ties up credit lines Large administration fees can apply Overdraft can be withdrawn at any time

LEASE FINANCE

Readily available and quick to arrange Protects cash flow as minimal upfront costs Fixed payments enable effective forecasting and cash flow management Payments are 100% tax allowable, overcoming restricted capital allowances on certain aspects of fit-out

Source: Mix Research, Finance and Leasing Association, Plus Finance.

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Interest rates slightly higher than a bank loan You don’t automatically own the asset (to ensure rentals are 100% tax deductible) but at the end of the term you can choose to retain use of them

Spotlight

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Spotlight

tax relief So far on our Mix journey through the world of assets we have looked at protecting your intellectual property (IP) and funding the fit out. We now take the opportunity to explore research and development (R&D), in particular the part where the Government wants to encourage innovation through R&D tax credits.

So what are R&D tax credits? Firstly they are not a tax! According to the Government if the company is making a profit ‘R&D tax relief is a Corporation Tax (CT) relief that may reduce your company or organisation’s tax bill.’ For companies that are making a loss and not paying CT they receive a cash credit if the loss is surrendered.

Not surprisingly in this hugely competitive world, many manufacturers are constantly looking at ways to provide better products to satisfy increasingly high expectations and stay ahead. Tony Attard, Group

Chief Executive of Panaz Holdings told Mix: ‘We take part in the R&D tax credits scheme every year. As an innovative company with a substantial amount per year invested into R&D it is essential that we can get some of this investment back against our corporation tax. It takes a little bit of organisation but if all personnel involved in the innovation process keep note of their time and expense then it is a discipline that is worth it.’

Elliot Brook from Deadgood adds, ‘We have claimed R&D tax relief for a number of years and found it very beneficial.’

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bespoke STAIRS & BALUSTRADES Who can claim?

A company or organisation can only claim R&D Relief if it is a Limited Company, the rates of relief vary between SMEs and large companies.

What can you claim for?

According to HRMC you are only entitled for R&D Relief if the project aims to ‘achieve an advance in overall knowledge or capability in a field of science or technology through the resolution of scientific or technological uncertainty.’

Or to put it another way, the eligibility arises from project expenditures that create a quantifiable advance on what already exists. This could be something that is smaller, stronger, safer, lighter, more durable, easier or cheaper to manufacture.

Does the project have to be successful?

No, eligibility for tax relief can come from expenditure on projects that were both successful or unsuccessful, it is recognised that innovation generally comes after several failures – not very British, we know – but encouraging nevertheless! The key is that when the project was started there was no guarantee of success and there would be some uncertainties to overcome. Clients can claim relief against costs including staff salaries, sub contractors, raw materials and prototypes.

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Spotlight

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If you’re delivering innovative interiors for your clients you could be eligible for substantial R&D tax credits – without even knowing it.

At Jumpstart, we have the right experience, people, processes and knowledge of HMRC to take you from start to finish and get you the results you deserve.

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Jumpstart your R&D tax credit claims 44

Spotlight

What is an SME for R&D? A company or organisation with fewer than

500 employees and either of the following:

Sarah Bays

€100 million

Century Office

an annual turnover not exceeding

‘It was purely luck that we became aware of this funding; a chance meeting at a networking group where I was introduced to an R&D funding expert. The paperwork to apply is simple and your accountant should be able to help. So if an element of your business involves research and development, seek advice as soon as possible.’

€100 million

€86 million a balance sheet not exceeding €86 million

What next?

Like most things, preparation is key. Therefore, before embarking on the R&D journey, consider the following:

Have you created a quantifiable improvement on what already existed?

Could you guarantee a

What challenges

What work has

successful

did you have to

been undertaken

outcome when

overcome during

by qualified

you started the

the process?

personnel?

project?

The ability to accurately assess your eligibility for tax relief is much more about technical interpretation than it is an accounting process – this is not just a form filling requirement. Therefore, seek advice from an accountant with the appropriate knowledge, or a specialist advisor, who employs technical and legislation experts to minimise your time and potential risk.

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Spotlight

Tax Relief Statistics HOW MANY CLAIM?

WHICH INDUSTRIES CLAIM THE MOST

£250m

£490m

£340m

Information

Professional

& comms

scientific & tech

28,000 7,500

More than 28,000 different companies have made claims under the SME scheme.

Manufacturing

CLAIMS FOR R&D TAX CREDIT BY YEAR 2006-1014 2006-2007

6,560

2007-2008

7,570

2008-2009

8,470

2009-2010

9,250

2010-2011

10,200

2011-2012

12,050

2012-2013

15,280

2013-2014

18,160

and 7,500 under the large company scheme.

SUPPORTING INNOVATION

REGIONAL TAX CREDIT CLAIMS

1,905 105

North West

1,315 55

Yorks & Humber

1,190 75

East Mids

1,540 145

West Mids

1,965 200

East of England

3,355 540

London

3,600 365

South East

1,490 80

South West

580 25

Wales

1,045 55

Scotland

420 25

NI KEY

The British government is keen to support more innovation to ensure the UK stays competitive in the world economy. The level of success shown on the table to the left reveals that the number of companies claiming has risen on average by just over 1,200 each year. However, the number of companies claiming is a very small percentage of UK businesses or, to put it another way, as a percent of GDP the UK claims are just over 1% – lower than German, USA, Japan, Italy and France.

675 40

North East

Number of claims

Amount claimed

Sources: Mix Research, Gov.com, Jumpstart.

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Spotlight

47

Profile

Man on a Mission

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Profile

In Short CX Steve has a fixation for world-class customer experience

As we approach the freshly rebranded offices of BW

(formerly BW Interiors), we reflect for a moment

on what has happened to this business in the last twelve months.

The firm has rebranded, reorganised, and boldly declared an objective to reach £200M turnover within the next five years, with 100% delivery of Defect Free projects at Practical Completion (DF@PC).

Earlier in the week we received news that BW has already hit the £100M mark, a key landmark figure that is made up of 50 projects, ranging in size from £200K to over £25M. Projects span across a wide variety of sectors, including legal, financial services, cosmetics, shipping, consumer goods, oil, charitable, healthcare, technology, media and telecommunications.

Achievements of this magnitude do not happen through good fortune, they happen because there is intelligence behind a robust strategy – and lots and lots of hard work.

The team behind the mission is led by Steve Elliott, the man largely attributed with the hugely successful, ‘perfect delivery’ strategy at Overbury.

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SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY Steve always looks to learn something from everyone he meets GOING DOWN THE BRIDGE He is a season ticket holder at Chelsea FC MISSION To grow the business to a £200m market leader within five years

Steve has the easy charm of a man with plenty of experience in the fit-out market, having taken Overbury from an £80M business to the market leader it is today. He then went on to run Morgan Sindall’s entire fit-out business to the tune of £500M. However, behind the affable nature and instant likeability, there is focus, drive and a tenacity to repeat this success at BW. A year after stepping down from Morgan Sindall, Steve took some time to contemplate his next move and when the owners, Mark Richards and Craig Foster, made him an offer, he was ready for a fresh challenge. It was time to ‘get the band back together’.

Steve approached two key former work colleagues, Anthony Brown, Sales and Marketing Director, and Paul Newton, who was previously the Finance Director at Morgan Sindall fit-out.

Charged with an objective to ‘grow the business’, he began to take the business k

Profile

...It’s been an exciting year at BW. We have many great existing and new clients.

from a £79M organisation to a top tier player that would sit alongside Overbury and ISG. BW could be considered an unsung hero in the industry. After all, this is a business that managed to grow from £30M in 2011, when we were still in recession, to over three times that size today. To date this has been attributable to a number of core customers, primarily the London market with property consultants.

Moving forward, BW intends to widen this customer base to the big City and West End occupiers, including leading retailers, financial institutions and the legal sector.

‘We are now entering a much stronger market with greater opportunity and prosperity than we have seen for a while, which means the focus can shift away from just beating the incumbent favourites,’ Steve explains. ‘There is an opportunity to push an entire industry forward.’

So, how does this happen? ‘We continue to hire quality people, and keep the business focused on DF@PC with a shared mission to be the world’s leading interiors company. Also, understand why it is so important to obsess about every detail.’

Steve’s enthusiasm is palpable. ‘It’s been an exciting year at BW. We have many great existing and new clients. It has been stimulating to discover and define the unique and distinctive personality that keeps clients coming back time after time, and it

is immensely important that we retain the essence of what we are about. Our focus very much remains on investing in long term growth through a determined aim to complete all our projects defect free.’

When you hear these words spoken with such intent, one could be forgiven for forgetting that we are talking about the world of fit-out, and it is this fact that sets Steve and BW apart from its competitors. Rather than benchmarking themselves against their natural competitors, BW has been looking to other industries for inspiration.

‘As an industry we should challenge ourselves with other markets where anything less than perfection is unacceptable,’ Steve considers. ‘The tech market for example: Apple’s products demonstrate that it is not only what the technology can do, it is the way it delivers the experience and how it is presented. Similarly, diners will not return to a Michelin Star restaurant in which their exacting standards are not attained. There is no doubt that top chefs are preoccupied about detail. Consider top athletes – Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, wins by a mere tenth of second because when you are at the top k

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Profile

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Profile

of your game the margin for error decreases enormously.

‘We need to be fanatical about every single detail, and this will only happen if the entire team shares an obsession for perfection. It must start with a shared respect amongst all parties involved in a project, and an understanding that we all have a critical part to play in ensuring that our mutual client ends up with the project they expect.’

Steve goes on to explain that some of these issues were highlighted in recent research commissioned by BW, and revealed the critical gaps between clients’ expectations and reality, in terms of the service they receive from the construction industry.

The independent study highlighted that for over 80% of respondents, the most important aspects of the construction phase are quality of work, delivering on schedule and communicating honestly.

Clients are undeniably valuing their working environments and the impact they can have on productivity, as well as a tool for recruitment and retention of the best employees.

When evaluating a company for an appointment, respondents cared most about the project being completed by a high quality team (62%) and ease of handover and defect resolution (64%). However, troublingly for the industry, it is in these areas where the biggest gap between expectation and performance achieved are present.

The study also revealed that ‘price’ was only the most important factor for less than a third of respondents, which reassuringly suggests that clients are prepared to pay for quality and expertise.

Steve’s interpretations of the outcomes are clear: ‘Clients are undeniably valuing their working environments and the impact they can have on productivity, as well as a tool for recruitment and retention of the best employees. This is very positive for our industry as we all strive to produce an encouraging place for people to work. But great designs need to be matched by great delivery and we as an industry all have to be better. Here at BW, we will be.’

Of that, we have absolutely no doubt. l

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Case Study

Deep in Thought Essentials Client McLaren Technology Group Facility Thought Leadership Centre Architecture Foster + Partners Location McLaren Technology Centre Campus, Woking, Surrey Seating Supply Interstuhl Auditorium Seating Poltrona Frau McLaren F1 2016 Drivers Fernando Alonso Jenson Button

As big fans of Formula 1 we were more than slightly

taken aback to find that the recent Grand Prix in Austin, Texas was so affected by adverse weather, thanks to the

tail end of Hurricane Patricia. We might have expected torrential rain in England in October, but Texas?

Ironically, just a week or two earlier we were enjoying a shirtsleeves and sunglasses day as we made our way to Woking in Surrey – and more particularly McLaren Technology Group’s incredible new Thought Leadership Centre.

The McLaren brand is internationally synonymous with innovation. This enviable reputation, earned over the past 50 years, encompasses each of the McLaren Technology Group’s diverse businesses – McLaren (F1) Racing, McLaren Applied Technologies and McLaren Marketing, as well McLaren Automotive Limited, producer of some of the world’s most amazing super-cars.

The internationally award-winning McLaren Technology Centre campus, in Woking, was designed in collaboration with Foster + Partners back in 2004.

McLaren’s next architectural achievement was the McLaren Production Centre – a stateof-the-art super-car assembly facility, built adjacently on the same campus.

In 2012 McLaren undertook an indepth strategic analysis of future, global communication behaviours and the manner in

54

which thought leaders conceive, exchange and disseminate new thinking in the digital age.

Combining these insights with McLaren’s compulsion to innovate, a bold, new vision was conceived – a unique, experiential environment in which the world’s greatest thinkers could interact in a completely new way – in a physical space like no other.

That space is the McLaren Thought Leadership Centre – which is described as a cradle of innovation and new thinking, heralding an exciting new chapter in the constantly evolving story of this great British company, and is seen as an integral part of McLaren’s ongoing strategy to broaden the reach and reputation of its brand.

Unlike the main McLaren Technology Centre, with its breathtaking façade and lake, the Thought Leadership Centre is almost invisible amongst beautiful trees and greenery. Once you reach the entrance, however, things change very quickly.

As we headed downwards into this subterranean space, we couldn’t help but think James Bond baddie lair k

55

Case Study

As soon as we think we’re ‘finished’ someone comes up with a really great idea.

– in a really, really good way! The sweeping curves and monochromatic scheme are instantly recognizable from the original Technology Centre.

Although we had the Thought Leadership Centre to ourselves, our host for the morning, McLaren’s Adrian Brooks, ensured we were treated to the full experience, guiding us into the spacious, open and surprisingly light reception space, where we are offered coffee and special McLaren cookies.

Before the great reveal of the space itself, we took the opportunity to ask Adrian about the function of this amazing facility. ‘This is a space where large-scale corporate events and conferences can be staged – but is in line with where the technology we deal with in the innovation part of the business can be displayed,’ Adrian begins. ‘The vision comes from Ron Dennis – our Chairman and CEO. The facility is built on two tiers – so at the top you have the auditorium, which has the wraparound screen facility. Then, underneath you have the theatre space. The idea is that, whatever style of presentation you want, this has the ability to provide it.

‘We are currently in the welcoming space which, as you can see, is a cylindrical space next to the theatre, and around the edges of this facility you have different meeting and breakout spaces where you can hold meetings or discuss the corporate presentation you’ve just seen.’

The first high profile event to take place here, back in May, was hosted by McLaren’s broadcasting partners, CNN – the Deputy Leaders’ Debate prior to the election showing the true potential and dynamic abilities of the centre.

‘As Luke says, this is very much Ron’s vision,’ Adrian confirms. ‘The space never stands still, to be honest. As soon as we think we’re ‘finished’ someone comes up with a really great idea – and we think ‘We should do that!’ The original concept was developed a long time ago now. We were going to just have an open exhibition space, which could then be turned into a presentation arrangement.

This was two or three years ago. We played with various options – looked at how we could make everything fit. Then the real vision came; let’s make it into a much more dynamic space – a space for interaction. Essentially, we’ve changed the entire philosophy.’

Walking up through to the auditorium, we’re immediately wowed by the futuristic design and sheer magnitude. Having recently hosted our first formal Mix Inspired seminars, we’re extremely keen to see the facility k

56

Case Study

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Case Study

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Case Study

The original design was more of a cockpit arrangement – so guests would literally be cocooned inside their own bubble.

‘Our proximity to Heathrow really helps attract major international businesses,’ Adrian explains. ‘I don’t think it’s an understatement to say that this is a long way from the presentation and meeting facilities you’d find at those airport hotels.’

One of the major considerations, of course, is the seating.

After all, high profile organisations and their guests are likely to be sat down for hours at a time here. No £100 banqueting chairs for McLaren then!

‘We evaluated a number of potential partners, but it was Interstuhl who best shared our vision for a unique product, as a cornerstone of a unique environment,’ Ron Dennis, McLaren CEO and Chairman says. ‘Interstuhl well understood the importance of the final product containing the best of both the McLaren brand DNA, as well as their own…this has been a true partnership.

‘We interrogated all of the seat’s functions until we were happy with the height, movement and the manner in which it self-centred and levelled. We put these seats through the same level of evaluation that we use in testing our cars: Interstuhl’s product more than stood up to that challenge.

‘We felt that even in their standard form, Interstuhl’s seats were exceptionally well engineered and consistent with our desire to meld cutting edge technology with high end style and comfort. The sophisticated integration of the McLaren brand into the leather seat, and the laser engraving on the aluminium frame really elevates this product to ‘best in class’.

‘We wanted the seats to incorporate the same leather and detailing as those used in our iconic McLaren sports cars.

Interstuhl’s open and flexible approach, in working with our own fabric designers, was fundamental to the creation of a final product that surpassed all our expectations.’

Heading back down to the theatre space, we find that (to be honest we never doubted it!) the same high standards of advanced technology, lighting and furnishing have been employed (instead of Silver chairs, McLaren has chosen beautiful Poltrona Frau sofas throughout). Our hosts tell us that the space can even receive live broadcasts from upstairs.

Before we have to take our leave, Adrian is happy to show us a little more of the campus – including a peek at some of the seminal F1 cars of the past. Even the ‘car park’ here takes your breath away. l

in action. ‘The original design was more of a cockpit arrangement – so guests would literally be cocooned inside their own bubble,’ Adrian tells us as he guides us into a smart Interstuhl Silver chair. ‘It looked really smart, but you could only fit 60 or 70 people into the space. That wasn’t enough.

We wanted to get people into their own environment – but also to be able to interact with one another and the stage.

This arrangement works really well – and allows us to get 150 people in here. I think what we’ve ended up with is a much better space.’

It appears that others agree with Adrian. He tells us that CNN have two further events scheduled over the next couple of months, while several major blue chip companies from a variety of sectors have also bought into the space.

Although there is no cocoon or bubble surrounding guests, the smart lighting levels, clever desktop delineation in front of you and generosity of space certainly help create an ‘own environment’ feel. And, as the incredible sweeping screen and sound system burst into life, you quickly become lost in the content. This really is advanced stuff.

Interaction comes from the hi-tech desktop, complete with more gadgetry than you’d find on Fernando Alonso’s F1 steering wheel!

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Essentials Client Honda Motor Europe Founded Hamamatsu, Japan, 1946 Founder Soichiro Honda Fact Honda has been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959 Design & Fit-Out The Interiors Group Furniture Supply Hunters Flooring Desso, Bolon, Solus Ceramics, Karndean

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Case Study

Motor Home

It’s a rare but beautiful thing when the planets align. When the

opportunity to write about amazing new interior schemes for both Honda and McLaren, now Formula 1 partners of course, came

our way within hours of each other, we could scarcely believe our good fortune.

Now please don’t worry, we’re not about to go all Clarkson here. This story isn’t about cars, per se. It’s about changes in working culture, clever design and the future of a great brand.

Honda, which has grown to become number one in global motorcycle sales and a leading automaker, developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of products, ranging from small general-purpose engines and lawnmowers, through to innovative cars and a wide range of motorcycles.

The Interiors Group were tasked with designing and delivering the 70,000 sq ft fitout for Honda Motor Europe’s newly relocated European HQ in Bracknell. ‘The Reflex Building is owned by Reflex – the developer,’ The Interiors Group CEO Andy Black tells us. ‘A couple of years prior to Honda expressing an interest, we were approached to do a light-touch Cat A refit of some of the areas – it’s a huge development.

Consequently our details were attached to the building and we had been talking to Honda, along with just about every other design and

61

fit-out company for about three years before this happened. Having developed a good relationship, Honda were confident in including TIG in the bid process.

‘We then heard that Honda were seriously looking – this was a real thing. Honda commissioned CBRE as the Project Managers and we were one of approximately six firms on the shortlist. This was a huge project and to be honest, we weren’t sure about whether to pursue this as a design and build pitch. Projects of this size are often price driven rather than design driven. We established Honda were looking for the ultimate mix of innovation, design and value solutions and as a result decided to go for it. And actually decided that we’d throw the kitchen sink at it!

‘We were then shortlisted to one of three.

Honda fell in love with our design and the chemistry of the team. I think we just happened to tick all the right boxes at the right time.’

The new Honda Motor Europe HQ provides its clients and Associates with a k

Case Study

They wanted all their many divisions under one roof and we achieved this by sitting with their committee.

Both Honda and ourselves spoke about what the space would consist of, as well as our aims and aspirations. We even presented two different schemes and asked the Associates to vote on which they preferred. The ‘winning’ scheme is the one that is now in place.’

Working with CBRE, TIG had been briefed by the client to create a modern design across three floors for its 600+ Associates to take the company into the future while honouring its history and promoting the key Honda values of innovation, culture and equality. The Interiors Group responded to the brief by creating a bright, open space, largely utilising cool colour tones; a classic monochrome with some added splashes of the powerful and iconic Honda red throughout. Linear lines and geometric forms are also applied to the interior, making the fitout dramatic and aesthetically appealing.

The front of house area creates a journey for the visitor, with various mediums being employed to display branding with clever links to the company’s past. The open plan area has been zoned to suit the various departments and, wherever possible, brand identity has been introduced, such as utilising the structure and finishes to display the company philosophy in quotes from it’s founder, Soichiro Honda.

The dramatic reception is a well-lit expansive space featuring a bright red backlit Honda logo behind a large desk. Shades of grey and white dominate the area, while a beautiful joinery art piece reads, ‘Make the impossible possible’.

A feature ceiling made from slatted timber runs overhead in a slight curve, disguising the lighting whilst setting a welcoming and relaxing tone for the lounge area.

The office space is predominantly open-plan and features a mixed yet versatile k

working environment that fosters innovation, collaboration and communication. The Interiors Group were conscious of the heritage of the company and has cleverly integrated it into the design concept, portraying it in a way that helps the end user to understand Honda’s philosophy.

‘Honda is a very people-based organisation, with their staff and Associates being at the forefront of every decision’ Andy continues.

‘They were previously based in Slough on the Langley ‘Honda’ roundabout.

‘They wanted all their many divisions under one roof and we achieved this by sitting with their steering committee, made up of multiple divisional heads of departments, and going through their needs, wants and wishes, coming up with alternative ideas for the scheme and addressing the cultural differentiation. Honda is, of course, a Japanese organisation and the committee was made up of Japanese, British and European representatives of the company.

‘They very much knew what they required, in this new 70,000 sq ft European HQ, by a certain date in time. And it had to be somewhere people wanted to be, after all Slough is a good few miles from Bracknell.

‘We ended up hosting a huge induction seminar over two days – we had virtually every member of staff (Honda’s Associates, as they are referred to) come to the new building to see the look and feel of the new scheme.

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Case Study

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They wanted to include as much hot desking as they could. programme of open-plan desks, hot desking and discussion zones, along with individual meeting rooms and boardrooms.

These act as a pivotal point where associates from other areas of the building can congregate, interact and communicate.

Each wing of the working area has been delivered with virtually the same design features. The use of walnut doors throughout the office creates an air of sophistication and quality, while a large meeting suite (for both external and internal meetings) sits within the space and has been designed with flexibility in mind. Bi-folding walls allow the four rooms to be easily adapted into a single auditorium. Standing height meeting tables with red trim are positioned off the main office floor, once again creating convenient spots for impromptu team meetings.

A red corridor is designed to enhance the circulation between the open plan and the main boardroom reinforcing the bold colour identity of Honda.

Meeting suites and rooms all feature glass partitions and walnut timber frames and doors. Each room has electronic booking systems and are fitted out with plasma screens for group presentations, recessed LED spotlights and strip-lights, which allow the user to control lighting options within the room.

A large, fully catered restaurant has been designed to provide a relaxing spot for Associates to socialise and refuel over a snack or meal with colleagues. Again the bold red of Honda is used as

a statement to draw you into the main restaurant area in the form of a tapered bulkhead, contrasted against the black tiled wall.

Staff tea points throughout the office have been styled with the iconic red colour, this gives a contrasting look to the neutral coloured Bolon plank floor which is used for all tea points.

‘This is vastly different from what they previously had,’ Andy tells us. ‘Slough was a culmination of what had been 20 years of expansion and change.

Their finance department had even been situated in a different building in Slough! Departmental relationships had gone out of the window some 10 years ago.’

‘They wanted to include as much hot desking as they could and they also wanted to get away from large individual desks and cellular offices as much as possible. This building allows all of those things whilst also fostering interaction and communication and addressing departmental adjacencies.’

Gordon Hunt, Property Manager of Honda Motor Europe Ltd, says of the scheme: ‘We are very pleased with the positive impression that the new interior provides to our visitors and guests, as well as giving all Associates who work in the building an environment that we can all be proud of. Moreover, the refit successfully showcases our strong heritage whilst still managing to look both modern and functional.’ l Why not experience making ‘the impossible possible and the power of a dream’ – view the amazing Honda time lapse video at: www.interiorsgroup.co.uk

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End of year, unbelievably, is rapidly approaching. It’s been a momentous 12 months for many of our clients. Some have increased sales, others have successfully moved into new markets, a few have opened new showrooms and one or two have even opened state-ofthe-art production facilities. Orangebox, uniquely, have achieved all of the above.

In fact, to say that Orangebox has opened a new showroom is a massive understatement. This isn’t a showroom. This is much, much more – as the company’s Marketing Manager, Liz Walker, is only too happy to explain. ‘Smartworking is a living lab, it is a co-working environment,’ Liz tells us. ‘Smartworking is really important to us. It has become part of our DNA, part of our research.’

We were already big fans of the previous Orangebox Clerkenwell home, so why the need to move away – albeit a stone’s throw away? ‘We’d been on Bowling Green Lane, successfully, for nearly six years,’ Liz continues.

‘We didn’t expect to move for at least another 10 years.

It was a fantastic space for us, with great views of the City. We didn’t think we’d ever want to be on the 4th floor, but it really worked for us and we quickly realised that we didn’t need a street presence.

‘Not long into our first year there, having visibility of the developments that were coming through in the area and having an insight into the new designs that were coming through, our Managing Director Mino (Vernaschi) asked me to keep my eyes open for anything interesting.

‘It’s very hard to find suitable space – especially with cost being such a driver in these things – but we found

out, through the landlords in Bowling Green Lane of one of their new developments in Northampton Road, just around the corner.

‘I went along to an early consultation – where they invite local businesses to comment on forthcoming planning applications. We thought ‘That’s interesting!’

We then got some advice from a property agent and started talking about how expensive per square foot property was likely to become in 2014/15 and the lack of suitable space that was available in this area.

‘By this time we were launching so many new product lines – and these were extensive collections of larger products that would require a lot of space to show properly. So the decision was made that we’d go for the building – this was the tail end of 2012.

‘To start with we didn’t think we’d occupy the entire space – we thought we’d potentially share the space with like-minded partners.’

This was now 2013 and, working with Ben Adams Architects, the Orangebox team, led by Creative Director Gerry Taylor, forged ahead, getting involved in both the building itself and how it would work for the business.

‘At this point we realised that we had enough product for the space, we had enough drive and we had enough future developments in the pipeline,’ Liz recalls. k 66

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‘Furthermore, we realised that we didn’t want to share the space – we wanted to have the whole building to ourselves.

‘We started to change the internal architecture to suit us – to make it our own.

From previous experience, we were very clear about what we wanted from the space and how we wanted it to work – how the space would flow and connect people. So we put in a circular staircase – and, since we have moved in, we have found that this has made a huge difference. You can hear people and sounds between floors and you’re aware of activity. We didn’t want this to be a sterile environment.

‘We’ve been able to introduce a lot of new things into the space – such as sound masking.

Acoustics products are fundamental to our offer and we were introduced to sound masking through Acoustics by Design and felt it was important to integrate that into what we have here.’

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The new space on Northampton Road is approximately three times the size of the company’s former premises, spanning five dynamic floors. ‘The way that we’ve been able to work the layout and the format of the space makes it feel even bigger,’ Liz grins. ‘I think we have more ‘selling’ space now. We’ve spent literally months, in-house, working on the layout and on the specifications. It has to be the optimum visitor experience.

‘We’ve been open five or so weeks now – and we’ve already had a lot of international visitors.

We’ve had clients from South Africa, from America, from Israel…I’d say we’re probably getting twice as many visitors as we did at Bowling Green Lane. It’s great – it feels like home already.’

As well as being a great showcase for Orangebox’s products and a unique visitor experience, Smartworking is also a working home for the London team of course. k

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‘For our own teams we have very few static work positions,’ Liz reveals. ‘This is about working where you want. We don’t supply desks – we provide team working, individual and private work areas. We’re very much living and breathing what we sell. We’ve been careful not to create individual ‘product zones’ throughout and there is also some humour in the graphics we’ve installed – we wanted to show that this is also a fun space. You can even burn a few calories as you head between floors!’

Although we’re sat high above the Orangebox team on the mezzanine here at Smartworking, we don’t want to just talk about this space – we also want to ask about the new production facility in south Wales. ‘Nantgarw (and yes, Liz did have to spell that for us!) is another monumental change in how we do business with people,’ Liz explains. ‘As the business has grown we’ve realised that we needed to expand our manufacturing – and that doesn’t have to be hidden away. This is something to show off and something to be proud of.

‘We’ve been able to empower the workforce down there. The sewers, for example, who were hidden away in a fairly dark part of the factory, are now right at the front, with daylight streaming in. It’s a much better place to work.

Not only has this changed the way we all look at one another – and how we’re all able to work, in much nicer spaces – it changes how our clients perceive us. A factory tour is now a very different experience. This is not just driven by a need for expansion, but also a need to be different – to make a difference. People aren’t hidden away – again it’s a very open, collaborative way of working. It’s very exposed. It’s about practicing what we preach.’

Liz is keen to credit the many people who have helped create these two brilliant facilities.

‘Change isn’t easy and relocation isn’t easy,’ she admits, ‘but I’d like to think this has given us an insight into what our clients are going through.

We’re lucky that the business continues to grow and expand and allow us to do this. It all takes a lot of hard work and lot of input from management to drive that change. Also, we’re a non-hierarchical business – and that is key to driving that change.

‘I hope Northampton Road will be the benchmark for other sights. This can’t be the definitive stop – we do have to keep moving forward and we’re going to take Smartworking

to our Huddersfield showroom this month.

Again, this is big investment. Investment in product is key – but we also need to continue to invest in our own people.

‘These schemes have come about through a lot of hard work – our management team, our sales people, our procurement team and the guys in our factory. Everyone’s been involved.’

‘When people walk into one of our spaces I want them to really feel it, to know that they are in one of ours but that it is also theirs – that’s really important to me.’ l

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REGIONAL REPORT: MANCHESTER We’re in our adopted hometown, Manchester, for our second Mix Inspired event. Beforehand, however, we’ve headed to Connection’s showspace in the heart of the city to chat with a couple of people who know their way around both the historic streets and the interiors market up here – Space Invaders’ Simon Millington and Ralph Capper Interiors’ Ben Capper.

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All Photography by Carl Sukonik (www.thevain.co.uk)

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We begin the conversation by talking about the noticeable change we’ve seen in Manchester’s accommodation and hotel prices/availability over the past few years.

Simon There was a story in the press that Manchester recently had its busiest period – not in the normal peak holiday time – but from income from overseas students flying into town. That has to have an impact on not just the hotel and restaurant business in the city but everything else that goes alongside that.

Ben I think a lot of that is to do with the fact that we’ve now got two major European football teams and there are now so many conferences and events on – we had David Cameron and the Conservatives up here last week, for example.

There are so many new hotels here – and occupancy continues to grow and grow despite that. There have also been 60 new restaurant openings this year. Hotel room occupancy peeked at 95%.

So what started the great Manchester resurgence? It can’t all be about Man Utd and Sir Alex can it?

Ben The IRA bomb was a massive thing for Manchester because it gave a lot of people a reason to change things – architects such as Ian Simpson, for example.

Simon Sometimes we forget how small Manchester is.

It’s a little district in many ways. It has so much going on. The Manchester International Festival gets bigger and bigger every time it comes to town – and then you have the concerts, the conferences, the football…

Ben The council has done really well over the last couple of decades. People like Howard Bernstein and his team have been really dynamic in attracting business into Manchester. Howard Bernstein has been at the centre of a long-term plan for the city. Manchester is an international city now – and that’s because they’ve attracted investment again and again. And they’ve attracted business in areas where there was previously no investment at all.

Manchester is an international city now – and that’s because they’ve attracted investment again and again.

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Simon That was around the time we won the bid for the Commonwealth Games. We also did the Olympic bid and nobody took us seriously.

That Commonwealth experience gave us a real springboard and made us a very much more outward-looking city – Manchester looked at how other cities around the world had done it, how they had reinvented themselves. It’s had that continuity – with Howard Bernstein being at the helm for a very long time. Everyone talks about the Olympic legacy in London, but just look at the Commonwealth legacy around Eastlands and Sports City. You’re not just getting a centre of excellence for science and medicine over in the university area – you’ve also got an international centre of excellence over at Eastlands. This is all part of Howard’s long-term vision. We’ve also got a great airport, and a great, unique story. k

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Ben That stadium – Eastlands – is now making money. Not only is it Sports City now and has expanded massively, but the foreign investment that’s come in to anchor it... and that Middle East investment would like to buy it, but the council are quite happy to just rent it to them and keep it as an asset. The investment in that area means that 6,000 new homes are going to get built.

Simon These areas just need to get a little bit of character now. This feels like it’s all part of a masterplan – they’re putting the pieces together bit by bit. This is a world-class team of people. It’s not very often, when it comes to talking about politicians, that you can say that everybody in this city respects them. People want to hear what they’re saying – and will go along with it. You look at the devolution thing – why did Manchester get that before anyone else? It’s because there is a central government trust over what they are doing here. They run this city incredibly well. For 20 years this city has continued to grow – and we’re still busy refurbishing old buildings like the Central Library. All that old Victorian legacy stock – which could have been ripped down to make way for shiny steel and glass – is now mixing with the new stuff. That’s really exciting. As a designer I’ve never had to go to London – I’ve always had brilliant projects up here. And that’s getting better every year.

For 20 years this city has continued to grow – and we’re still busy refurbishing old buildings like the Central Library.

Ben There’s a real momentum behind all these things.

It’s allowing a world-class viewpoint because you’ve got a lot more stakeholders – it’s not just owned by introspective Mancunians. It’s about people now coming into this city saying ‘I want a bit of that!’ l 74

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Review

THE NORTHERN REVIVAL Last month we focused on the wonderful merchant city of Glasgow, and this month we are turn our attention to another great Northern City, the powerhouse that is Manchester.

Unless you are either ill-informed or in denial you will be all too aware of Manchester’s impressive current standing in the UK business landscape. There is little value in referring to ‘second city’ or other such hyperbole but when the facts are considered Manchester is going through a great second wave of prosperity.

With the current level of excitement you are less likely to hear about cotton mills and industrial revolution and more about hi-tech, world class higher education and the BBC. So why has Manchester gained such a strengthened position in the business world? Whilst you’ll see our version of a SWOT analysis on the right later on, arguably the three key reasons for Manchester are the civic leadership, education and logistics.

Firstly, in 1984 Richard Lease was elected to the Manchester City Council. He was Deputy Leader for six years before taking over the leadership in 1996. SHB (Sir Howard Bernstein) as he is known by those that dare to be familiar, started life at the Council as a clerk becoming Chief Executive in 1998.

Much of what has been achieved by the dynamic duo has arguably been over the last 10 years as their expediential traction of influence takes hold. However, many will see the 1996 IRA bomb as a catalyst for both their rise and that of the city.

The 2002 Commonwealth Games was a success but, crucially, what has become of East Manchester is seen by many as the benchmark of multi-sport legacy.

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Regional pros and cons Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Civic leadership Logistics

Health of the people is accepted to be worse than the national average

Overheating London property market

Creating a city with no green space

Universities

Traffic congestion

Becoming a true World leader in science and technology

A city that attracts ‘back room staff’ not HQ Leadership succession

Some of the design firms making the headlines 5Plus 74 Architects AEW Architects Architecture M BDP Brock Carmicheal Fairhurst Flaconger Chester Hall HLM Architects

With 19 and 17 years as respective leaders it is clear that some businesses looking for long term investment will be assured by the longevity of the two men in charge. Whilst we are not suggesting that the leaders below are in any way at a disadvantage, it is clear that a strong stable civic leadership is just one of the reasons for Manchester’s current position of strength.

The second rung on the ladder for Manchester is the higher education sector. It’s much quoted that the city region has one of the largest student populations in Europe; a great fact but this belies the real benefit. From an investment opportunity private rental sector (PRS) is very attractive, with reported over 65% of 100,000+ students staying after graduation. The National Graphene Institute opened in March, and the £61m University of Manchester Research Centre was a stopping point for the Chinese leader as he visited the only city outside London in October.

Manchester Metropolitan University is a true believer of getting students ‘work read’ and is currently working with Network Rail, AstraZeneca, Barclays and Thales to aid degree apprenticeships in Digital and Technology Solutions.

NoChintz OBI Property Opus Pozzoni Sheppard Robson SimpsonHaugh SpaceInvader Space Zero tp bennett LLP Workspace

Council leader comparisons Who

City Council

Appointed

As CEO (years)

Mark Rogers

Birmingham

2014

1

Ged Fitzgerald

Liverpool

2011

4

Nicola Yates

Bristol

2014

1

Annemarie O’Donnell

Glasgow

2010

5

Dawn Baxendale

Southampton

2013

2

Paul Orders

Cardiff

2013

2

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Thirdly, Manchester is truly well connected; in terms of road freight most of the UK is within a four hour drive and with ‘sheds’ galore around its 10 motorways it is therefore no surprise that some of the biggest global companies use it as a distribution hub. However, it’s the airport that often gets the headlines, being the largest freight terminal outside London. Recent investment by the Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) heralded a plan over the next 10 years to create ‘Airport City’. Working with partners including Manchester Airports Group (owned by the 10 local authorities of Greater Manchester – 55% Manchester City Council and 5% each the other nine) Airport City is in Greater Manchester’s Enterprise Zone, where businesses can benefit from business rate reduction. Two new business districts have also just been announced; Wuhan Square and Shenzhen Gardens, designed specifically for Chinese businesses. Another example of Manchester thinking big. l

Review

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS NEW DEVELOPMENTS INFO (LAST 12 MONTHS TO OCT 2015)

101 BARBIROLLI SQUARE AEW

1 ,1 9 9 ,99 4 sq ft

• LIKELY £25 + per sq ft • 83,383 sq ft • AEW INTEND TO

Take-up

REFURBISH IN Q2 2017

£ 3 2 .0 0 £ 46 7m Prime Rent (per sq ft)

AVAILABLE Q1 2018

Investment Transactions

5.0%

ARKWRIGHT HOUSE Catalyst Capital • £22 - £26 per sq ft • 98,058 sq ft • DELIVERY MARCH 2017

Prime Yield

REFURBISHED DEVELOPMENTS MANCHESTER ROYAL EXCHANGE Starwood Capital

55 SPRING GARDENS CBREGi

• £16.50 per sq ft

• £22+ per sq ft

• 83,162 sq ft

• 53,775 sq ft

• CLYDE & CO TAKEN

• 19,500 sq ft let

11,000 sq ft

TO LINDER MYERS

• DELIVERY Q3 2016

• DELIVERY Q4 2015

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

HANOVER, NOMA Co-operative Bank and Hermes • £25 per sq ft • 106,210 sq ft • DELIVERY Q1 2016

Sources: CBRE, Midas, NHS England, Mix Research 78

1 ST PETERS SQUARE

XYZ, SPINNINGFIELDS

• £33 - £34 per sq ft

• £30 - £32.50 per sq ft

• 167,000 sq ft

• 148,000 sq ft

• DELIVERY JULY 2016

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ONE NEW BAILEY, SALFORD

101 EMBANKMENT, SALFORD

• £28.50 per sq ft

• £28.50 per sq ft

• 125,000 sq ft

• 167,000 sq ft

• DELIVERY JUNE 2016

• DELIVERY JULY 2016

Review

Jentle Design by David Fox

Head Office Dogley Mills Penistone Road Fenay Bridge Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD8 0LE London Showroom 31 Great Sutton Street Clerkenwell London EC1V 0NA 01484 600 100 sales@connection.uk.com

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COME HOME We recently returned to what is in many ways both the town of our origin and our recently adopted home – Manchester – for our second Mix Inspired event of 2015.

Following the success of our inaugural event in Glasgow a week earlier, we took over the cool Foundation Café in Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter, and were delighted that the city’s design community came along to be informed, entertained and, of course, inspired.

As the publisher that brings you Mixology in June and Mixology North in December, a whole host of roundtables and mini-mix events across the country, we decided it was appropriate to introduce a series of cerebral events – Mix Inspired. The seminar series aims, like most things we do, to be a little different. We take a look at the whole interior design food chain, seeking views from developers, end users, property agents and of course designers.

Mix Inspired Manchester included brilliant speaker John Ogden, Managing Director of CBRE North West, who started things off with an insightful overview of Manchester’s commercial office market. John further reflected on the potential shortage of new grade A office space and the obvious advantages of the refurbishment of some of the city’s great historical buildings such as Manchester Royal Exchange and the Hanover (Co-operative Bank) – perfect opportunities for the design community. John further commented: ‘Manchester is the best regional city for business outside of London.

This is the largest and fastest growing economy outside of London. Manchester has already gone past 1 million sq ft in office uptake this year.’

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Oliver Heath, designer, architect, TV personality and biophilic superstar then shared his thoughts on biophilic design, before answering questions from our Editor Mick Jordan and the enthralled audience. Oliver focused on helping our A&D audience with the perennial issue of convincing the client to spend more on great design – design that he was able to prove would help the wellbeing of the staff. k

The landscape’s changing.

We couldn’t be better placed from an office market point of view – this is one of the best periods the North West’s been in for years.

John Ogden, CBRE

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I think the city of Manchester is ultimately down to the leadership – the Chief Exec, the city council – their vision, their determination, their pragmatism…

John Hughes, Ask Developments

Research demonstrates that contact with nature has massive benefits to our health and wellbeing. Any way we can incorporate nature into our lives – whether that be going to the park or in our offices – will be beneficial to us.

Oliver Heath, Heath Design

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Is the reason we don’t include a biophilic approach in our design process down to its cost and our fear of suggesting it for fear of rejection?

Andy O’Sullivan, Greenroom Design

Finally, Oliver was joined

by NoChintz Director Leanne Wookey, John Hughes, Managing Director of ASK Developments, with our Director David Smalley asking the questions. John was able to update the audience on Embankment Greengate – the three million sq ft mixed development, which we believe will not only transform the area but undoubtedly lead to further

Thank you to our Mix Inspired sponsors:

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development on that side of Manchester. We are grateful to our panellists for their time and expertise and to the design community for confirming that there is a benefit in Mix creating these events. Thanks also go to Connection, Interface and Johnson Tiles, who share our vision of creating great events.

Needless to say there will be a Mix Inspired coming to a town near you in 2016. l

DUBAI FOR NOW It’s not even 7am (local time) as we make our approach into Dubai. The enormous Emirates A380 smoothly and quietly descends, with the greatest noise coming from those excited passengers now getting their first glimpse of the city’s breathtaking skyline.

To be honest, we’re equally excited by the prospect of a few days here in the Emirates – and that view from the air only makes our hearts beat faster. The scale of the place is simply astonishing!

The original aim of our trip out East is to take a look at what the revamped and rebranded Dubai Design Week has to offer. Once we had spoken with a few old ex-pat mates, however, we quickly realised that we would be foolish not to tap into their local knowledge and gain a much fuller overview of the Dubai market.

So, we’ve packed our schedule with meetings (not all exactly formal, we have to confess) with friends originally based in the UK, but now working in the UAE for leading manufacturers, dealers, architectural firms and even blue chip global end-user clients.

Straight away, we should zoom forward to the present and thank the many people and businesses who were so generous with their time and hospitality. throughout our trip: Acoulite represents a number of lighting companies in the region, including our friends from FUTURE Designs – and both firms looked after us royally.

Thank you to Humanscale, whose presence in the UAE has been led for years by John Messant (who has worked in the region for over 30 years). After a very successful career, John will be returning to the UK and the running of the business will be taken over by Alan McDonald. Thank you also to our old mate Gordon Long from The Furniture Practice – it was great to see his Dubai empire!

Stuart Allen of AAID was extremely generous with his time and expertise – and you can expect to learn more about his plans for the future and more from this amazing region in 2016.

We should say that this isn’t our first time in the city – although we haven’t been back here for a good few years. The change is already here for all to see. The rate of expansion is bewildering. Where the central London skyline might boast four or five notable new arrivals over that period, Dubai boasts entire districts. And whilst the majority of the impressive London towers might top out at 40 storeys, there are literally dozens that claim twice that number.

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That’s not to say, however, that all that is tall is a supermodel. Any close inspection reveals far too many gaudy, slightly tacky designs for sensitive European palettes.

Of course, with the heat approaching 40 degrees, and with the scale of this place, taxis are something of a necessity. ‘You just don’t walk,’ Shell Real Estate Territory Manager MENA, David Bramma, informs us matter-of-factly over a well-earned beer at the amazing Aculite 10th birthday party on the Wednesday night.

Wise man.

The majority of our meetings (and not just the evening ones) are held in the luxury of major hotels – and here’s the real success story of the city. Whilst there is still activity in all sectors, hospitality is where you really want to be.

Tourism is booming, with grand, opulent hotels continuing to rise out of the sand, whilst even grander, more extreme schemes are, we are told, already in the offing.

‘You can’t put all your eggs in one basket – commercial interiors – out here,’ AAID k

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Managing Director Stuart Allen tells us. ‘The market constantly goes up and down. What is stable out here is hospitality and retail and you really need to touch all aspects in order to make good out here.

‘The number of new hotels and refurbishments being planned is mind blowing. Dubai doesn’t have the same dependency on oil as, say, Abu Dhabi – tourism is the thing here. I think this has now really become the gateway to the East. This is now a destination.’

The inaugural Dubai Design Week was a six-day celebration and showcase of the most exciting and innovative design and designers from the MENASA region and beyond.

The event was opened on 26 October by its patron, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), and enjoyed visits from a host of other international dignitaries throughout the week, including the k

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ambassadors of China, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Mexico and Finland and representatives from the Consulate General of Canada.

More than 120 designers from 35 countries took part, alongside some of the world’s most influential industry figureheads, representatives from global academic institutions and key creatives from across the Middle East.

Over 100 events took place across the city, featuring a diverse cast of designers, artists, architects, educational and cultural institutions, retail stores, iconic brands, trade professionals, authors, thinkers and more. The focal point of the week was the new Dubai Design District (d3), which effectively became a free-to-visit ‘open museum of design’ for the duration of the event.

Mohammad Saeed Al-Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer of d3 said: ‘Dubai Design Week was a tremendous success for the city of Dubai and a real test of d3 in terms of both concept and infrastructure. I’m thrilled to say that Dubai Design Week gave us proof not only that d3 ‘works’ as a venue, but that its mission – to provide Dubai’s dynamic creative sector with a dedicated platform that can act as an international focus for design in the Middle k

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East region – is timely, welcome and, above all, necessary.’

Dubai Design Week’s commercial centrepiece, the third edition of trade fair Downtown Design, has been hailed as the most successful to date, firmly establishing the fair as the leading design trade event in the region.

Pre-registrations increased by 25%, and visitor numbers surpassed all expectation – current estimates suggest that more than 10,000 people crossed the threshold over the fair’s four days.

‘This is a great initiative and now a real showcase platform for local, regional and global talents and influences,’ Russell Hunter, Principal at leading engineering consultant ChapmanBDSP, tells us. ‘Clearly an evolving success, DW is an important indicator into the market here as (as the name suggests) the importance of design is being awarded more recognition, whereas historic emphasis may have concentrated more on input\output costs and time – as opposed to quality and detailing).’

While we’ve got him, we ask Russell what he feels the chief differences between the markets in the Emirates and the UK are. k

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‘Good question – but I would flip this based on my experiences and say chief similarities,’ he muses. ‘Dubai is like London in that the populous deployment and diverse demographic makes for two similar cities. Tracking, certainly over the last few years, peaks and troughs in the FTSE are similarly mirrored on the Dubai Financial Market, both affected by oil price, China’s devaluation of the Yuan against the US$ and other movements.

‘Dubai and London are similar in that they lead their respective nations’ housing markets, albeit London prices are elevating and, allegedly, on the cusp of entering a pre-crash bubble, whereas in Dubai property prices are continuing to fall faster then rental values.

‘In summary – UK and UAE are very similar in pattern and behaviours\trends and influences.

London, like Dubai, is largely ‘bubble insulated’.’

Glenys King, Bisley’s Commercial Director for the territory, has however seen a number of key differences between the UAE and UK markets when it comes to specification. ‘If you are specified (in the UAE) it often means nothing – the contractor will just buy the

cheapest,’ she admits. ‘There is a general lack of industry knowledge and working practices out here and the market is at least 5-7 years behind in terms of design…and UAE is forward thinking. We have good design practices but end users are reluctant to embrace new ways of working.

Other gulf states are more like 10-15 years behind.

‘Projects generally move quicker (if completed) but there are a high quantity of shelved projects.

‘Furthermore, haggling is still a way of life out here – price, price, price…and when it comes to Dubai, the market is saturated with every mainstream manufacturer represented in a city the size of Birmingham.’ l

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Forbo HemingwayDesign X Forbo, is a forward thinking reinvention of Forbo Flooring Systems’ products into various distinctive, graphic compendiums of fun designs, inspirational for all sectors. Snakes and Ladders, Lizards and Ladders and The Slide all use elements from the Marmoleum Modular Shade collection. The designs feature oversized geometric graphic grids using cool and warm greys, monochromatic and rusty orange shades. www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/hemingwaydesign Knauf AMF Ceilings Emsworth Baptist Church has a new building on the edge of conservation area in Hampshire. The church has a modern, minimalist interior with flexible, multi-function spaces. Haverstock, designers and architects of the project, specified Heradesign ceilings from Knauf AMF throughout the building.

Heradesign is quick and easy to install.

At Emsworth Church the panels are fitted using a concealed grid to create an almost seamless finish. www.amfceilings.co.uk/heradesign

Desso The Desso&Ex collection is a new cut pile broadloom carpet and made-to-measure carpet rugs collection that launched during the Dutch Design Week 17-25 October. It is the result of a successful collaboration between leading carpets, carpet tiles and sport pitches business, Desso and international interior architect studio, Ex Interiors. The Desso&Ex collection offers 115 different designs in near endless combinations for a modern and layered scheme. www.desso.com Quadrant Carpets Quadrant Carpets has worked with Berman Guedes Stretton on a design solution for University of Warwick’s Business School.

The University has used 650m2 of Elements carpet tile across its lecture rooms and theatres at its new 17th floor facility, in the iconic Shard building. Crafting a contemporary business aesthetic, Elements was selected after careful consideration of the concept to reflect a corporate environment. www.quadrantcarpets.com/products

Rockfon After years of research and testing with architects and installers, ROCKFON has developed their smoothest, whitest ceiling tile ever: ROCKFON® Blanka™. The solution to achieving a whiter than white ceiling was literally out of this world. By applying a specialist coating sourced from the US space industry to a high performance stone wool core, ROCKFON® has developed an incredibly durable, matt ceiling tile that is visibly smoother and significantly whiter. www.rockfon.co.uk

Moduleo Luxury vinyl flooring manufacturer, Moduleo, is thrilled to announce that it will be exhibiting at Sleep 2015, for the second consecutive year.

The manufacturer will be showcasing its ‘Next Generation’ of products to the hotel market, which includes an extension of its Transform collection, its innovative Impress range, and a brand-new parquet offering. www.moduleo.co.uk

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what colour is your Diabolo?

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New Design Group

Diabolo table

Design: Mark Gabbertas

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3 Nelson Trade Park South Wimbledon SW19 3BL info@newdesigngroup.co.uk

Justan

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idea

If you want to understand exactly how the economy has changed over the last few decades, one of the most important statistics is also one of the least remarked upon.

It also puts paid to the lie that people are by definition an organisation’s greatest asset.

Once upon a time, there was a pretty direct correlation of one sort or another between the size of a firm and the number of people it employed. This was especially true for the world’s great manufacturers and other industries engaged in what was once proper work, namely moving, creating, destroying and maintaining physical stuff. Growth and success meant more employment. There were economies of scale but the upshot was more or less an arithmetic progression in employment based on higher earnings.

So, for example, General Motors was once amongst the largest and most commercially successful firms on the planet and employed people in appropriate numbers. In 1979, GM employed 853,000 people worldwide and was the largest private sector employer in the US with nearly 620,000 employees. Its operations supported hundreds of thousands of other jobs in related industries. It could lay claim to being the figurehead of capitalism if not necessarily the world’s most successful company with turnover of over $66 billion in that year.

In 2015, this mantle has passed (arguably) to Microsoft. Yet it turns over around $94 billion but only employs 119,000 people.

Similar patterns are evident at Apple ($234 billion with 115,000 people) and Amazon ($89 billion with 222,000). However, these are

...the growing disconnect between revenue and employment is throwing up a number of new challenges in the workplace sector. all companies that actually produce something that people are willing to buy. Several new operations which produce nothing tangible make the point even more forcibly that revenue is no longer linked to employment.

Facebook ($13 billion turnover and 10,000 people), Google ($66 billion with 60,000 people) and Twitter ($1.4 billion with 3,900 people) are all wildly successful commercially without actually employing too many people.

With the possible exception of Google, who have more than an eye on being a dominant force in the emerging market for driverless vehicles, these companies are very unlikely to do much in the way of employing more people as a way of generating revenue. Amazon, in particular is far more likely to scale back

employment numbers as it switches to drones and robots to handle its logistics, the core of its operation. That world is coming far sooner than you might expect.

These might be high profile examples, but the general thrust of this force is felt across all sectors and all sizes of organisation and the growing disconnect between revenue and employment is throwing up a number of new challenges in the workplace sector. I am not one of those people who believes that the office is dying but it is certainly changing.

The property sector, in particular, is struggling to adapt.

This is evident in the growth of more agile forms of property ownership such as co-working but is also apparent for larger organisations. Earlier this month the University of Northumbria published research which showed that property owners face a deficit running to £4.8 billion over the next few years simply because they are not offering tenants the sort of space they need. By that they mean the sort of ‘agile’ space based on the growing disconnection between people, space, time and revenue. For a growing number of organisations, people and buildings are no longer primarily assets with a direct and semipermanent influence on commercial success but services to be consumed in pursuit of it.

Mark Eltringham is the publisher of workplace design and management website Office Insight. mark@officeinsight.org

Leasing, the smart alternative to financing a fitout project 96

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