COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN

< PreviousSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com November 2021 40 CASE STUDY: PURPLE DRAGON IN SAUDI ARABIA BY BISHOP DESIGN Bringing the "World's Best Family Club" to the Middle East looks like child play's for Bishop Design by Paul Bishop. The Dubai-based studio were like kids at Christmas, or the holiday of your choosing, when the opportunity arose to develop the London-born edutainment venue for Saudi Arabia. Being its ﬁ rst venture outside of UK, there was a huge responsibility for the designers to respect the brand tradition's but still evolve them to meet the needs of a new market. Purple Dragon is all about creating an elite community for both children and parents, where education and fun could come together: A 'home away from home' for high-end clientele that poses a unique solution to the demands of Saudi Arabia, where the designers found that there was a gap in the market for a club of this type. Attracting celebrity families including the pop-star and EPL player combo the Beckhams, membership was to exude VIP, regardless of age and ﬁ ll the gap in the market for a club that allows families to not just socialise but also relax, where they can participate in high-end parties and events. As per the client’s brief, was paramount to respect the sentiments of the afﬂ uent Chelsea destination, maintaining standards and keeping that exclusive feel Purple Dragon has become renowned for. Each ﬂ oor was to boast an array of differing attractions, where Scandinavian- inspired aesthetic fused with local demographic elements. Let's see what those designs look like: Design highlights Upon the ground ﬂ oor, families are greeted by an energetic punch of colour from the moment they step the reception area. One will immediately notice the bear sculpture which pans from the lower level up to the window of the ﬁ rst ﬂ oor; a playful and eye- catching feature. Parents have the option to unwind in the dedicated juice bar and lounge, which is also suitable for children. A yoga studio brings a sense of zen to the overall space and seating hideaways announce themselves in nooks along the corridors, always available for much- needed moments of relaxation. A stylish place to playSpecial Report 41 November 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Enter the Dragon here The club's restaurant BY PAUL BISHOP The ﬁ rst ﬂ oor is host to 'The Imaginarium'; where youngsters can interact with playful elements include a Sundae Station; dress-up zone Hero HQ; a Small World with playful joinery structures; MasterChef Kitchen with cooking classes and much more. Inspired by a hot-air balloon, with the ceiling is painted with a watercolour daytime sky, the ball-pit and soft area has been created especially for toddlers. A restaurant is also on offer for parents to enjoy whilst their kids play. Crafted for older kids, The Den is discovered on the second ﬂ oor by way of a secret entrance hidden amongst bookshelves. Equipped with a pool table, karaoke room, DJ station and vending machines, this is the youth club you always wish you had. Aesthetics are fun, dressed with comfortable seating including a large swing sofa. Also on this ﬂ oor are many opportunities to burn heaps of energy. For our younger kids there is the Little Gym, kitted out with trampoline and ball-pit with slide. Older kids are spoilt with interactive play areas including sports simulator, climbing features and a retro ball pit with a 1950s Miami vibe. The Roof is where we ﬁ nd the Creative Zones, allowing kids to explore through diverse mediums. These includes print and paint zone with its own fashion design lab and a sculpture and pottery zone. An intriguing element in this area is a foliage and greenery feature, which displays the Purple Dragon logo when seen from from an aerial perspective. A pergola structure with comfortable seating acts as another point to relax, surrounded by lush green walls. Serving coffee and food, this is a perfect chill-out area for parents. Bishop Design says... "Our design gives way to maximum focus and engagement, all the whilst promoting exploration and enjoyment. This is a safe haven, where families are allowed to come together whilst indulging in the many opportunities that are on offer. A ﬁ rst for the Kingdom, one that will be welcome with open arms, the client is extremely satisﬁ ed with how we have evolved the design, we have achieved is a perfect response to the brief that is set to take the family community in Saudi by storm."Special Report commercialinteriordesign.com November 2021 42 Q&A: BREWER SMITH BREWER GROUP ON ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL Commercial Interior Design: Talk us through the initial design brief Demetrios Tourtouras, director in charge of the project, at Brewer Smith Brewer Group: The brief called for a forward- looking school to facilitate the Royal Grammar School Guildford's innovative approach to teaching and learning, while utilising eco-friendly design modifications to ensure that the building is a sustainable hub. The co-ed, British curriculum school features multi-function sports courts, a football pitch, a large auditorium and a two-tier library, all contained within a GFA of 26,800 sq m that has an intake of pupils from nursery right through to year 12. The campus is set over approximately 40,000 sq m, with classrooms, labs and other learning spaces linked by a beautiful 'street' concept featuring a lush, central atrium of trees, plants and living 'biophilic' walls. The 'street' serves as a communal hub and breakout space for pupils as well as an extension of every classroom, providing a thoroughly modern and flexible learning environment with nature at its heart to reinforce pupil wellbeing. There is a 500-plus seat, multi-purpose auditorium, an impressive double-storey library, a multi-functional sports facility including a 25m swimming pool, a smaller learning pool and a full-size football pitch. The campus design seeks to maximise the school's sustainability and provide an environment that aids children and staff wellness. The stepped design of the main building, with each successive floor expanding outwards, ensures the classrooms are self-shaded from the year- round Dubai sunshine. The campus has also been designed to use solar energy to further enhance its sustainability initiatives. An 868 kWp rooftop and carpark solar installation is expected to produce around 1.4 GWh per year. Additionally, this will result in positive environmental impacts by reducing the facility's carbon emissions by approximately 629 metric tons per year. Another requirement of the brief was to reinforce the Dubai school's strong links with its parent school in the UK. Among the visual references that honour the school's 500-year history is the central atrium; in a modern interpretation of the original school's historic courtyard, this open and dynamic space encourages interaction. Similarly, the design of the large environmental canopy echoes the diamond structural motif of the leaded windows of the historic chained library in the parent school. CID: Who designed and delivered the project? BSBG: The concept design was completed by Bogle Architects, with BSBG engaged under a design & build contract to oversee elements of the schematic design phase and take the project through detailed Loftnets create a space for staffThe central atriumSpecial Report 43 November 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com 'Living' walls inside the school XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX design and onto site in its role as the executive architect, lead consultant and structural engineer. The group also provided construction supervision on the project. Multiplex was the main contractor. We began on the project in January 2019 and it reached the final handover point in August 2021. CID: Were there any changes or additions to the original plan and schedule? BSBG: We worked with Multiplex on successfully delivering Foremarke School and it was the same successful approach that was taken for this school. For BSBG, the project involved overseeing design development and managing the sub- consultants, while also playing a key role in a value engineering exercise to bring the project within budget, before delivering the detailed design and construction documentation, seeking authority approvals and later providing construction supervision as the project moved on site. In terms of challenges, the school site that was relocated within a developing masterplan, requiring careful navigation with authorities. We managed to fast-track the necessary approvals to enable Multiplex to get on site as soon as possible. We were also able to deliver the construction and trade packages in advance for procurement and approvals to further aid the speed at which construction could begin and trade packages procured. The result of Space to learn Suppliers ETFE: Vector Foiltec, Germany POOL ROOF: Vector Foiltec, Germany VINYL FLOOR : Carpet Land LLC FACADE FRAME : Schuco LIGHTING : Venture, Ledvance, Osram, Luceeco, Lux-May, Threeline, Venezina, Colors Led, Gewiss WALLS AND PLASTER BOARD : Gypsemena UAE FURNITURE : Kidz Inc Photo credit: Chris Goldstraw this approach meant that the site was activated early on, to the benefit of the delivery programme. CID: Tell us some specific design highlights of the new project BSBG: The design of the school is most notable for the incorporation of an ETFE (Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) roof, similar to those seen at the Eden Project in the UK and the Aquatics Centre at the Beijing Olympics 2008. Another point of note is the outdoor swimming pool, covered by a unique precast concrete shading structure. It creates a fantastic effect in the afternoon as the sun moves across and the shadows are cast through the space. GUILDFORD DUBAISpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com November 2021 44 CASE STUDY: INJAZAT INGENIUS LAB AT HCT ABU DHABI BY BROADWAY Welcome to the Lab The furniture is bold and colourful Injazat, Abu Dhabi's leading technology company, has just announced a exciting partnership with the capital's Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) to help students in the UAE succeed in a world increasingly focused on innovation. Using emerging technologies, the two sides will co-author white papers on major educational sector issues and HCT students will participate and problem solve using Injazat's InGenius methodology in a series of hackathons. No doubt the partnership will play out in part at least in the InGenius Lab project; Injazat's ﬁ rst innovation centre to facilitate creativity, collaboration and productivity. Dubai-based interiors studio Broadway Interiors was briefed to create a multi- use space to serve staff, customers and partners enabling students and start-ups to beneﬁ t both from the space, as well as Injazat's wide network and audience. The inspiration for the design was driven by both the modern form of the technological environment fused with traditional Emirati values in an industrial setting that's practical yet contemporary. Special Report 45 November 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com "Modular furniture is used throughout creating straight lines, comfort and introducing colour, so the entire space can be adapted for all purposes. Bifold doors and cellular pods, both upscaleable in terms of size and conﬁ guration, provide multi-functional spaces with deﬁ ned and ﬂ exible walls. "The events area is the heart of InGenius Lab, a space of communal ideation, collaboration, disruption and gathering that provides ﬂ exibility for all types of events. Workspace areas are open plan with raw ﬁ nishes adding wood for warmth providing ﬂ exible and adaptable working practices. Lightweight, blue mashrabiya, movable dividers are also placed around the room, allowing separation to be introduced where required. "Practical spaces provide options to accommodate groups to meet and work on programmes to conceive and build on ideas with the use of writing walls and advanced technological connections." Loftnets create a space for staff is the mashrabiya, which can be seen across the space, designed in a modern contemporary way it embraces tradition, yet introduces a technological aspect to a much-loved heritage." Fully wireless "The beauty of this project is its ﬂ exibility. The aim was to formulate an innovative space providing an environment that encouraged disruptive ideas using platforms and solutions that delivered value to existing and future partnerships. The challenge, therefore, was to deliver everything required with full wireless communication and state-of-the-art technology," adds the Broadway chief. Lectures can be held in open areas See the suppliers FURNITURE Boss Design, Vitra & Isomi FLOORING Oﬁ s LIGHTING Bilumen Heritage and tech Project designer and Broadway studio founder Chris Barnes says: "We embraced the raw fabric of the space throughout, adding features for acoustic quality and interest. The neutral palette of concrete, exposed steel and the use of grey and black paint maintains the industrial theme across the space, mixed with natural wood for warmth. Pops of brand colours are introduced through high-quality furniture choices for their comfort and ﬂ exibility, lighting has been carefully chosen to create a dramatic ambience and to highlight features throughout, whilst planters add the intimate feeling of home. The highlight of the design concept INTERIORSWorld view commercialinteriordesign.com November 2021 46 UNK launches architectural design of Russia's rocket- inspired National Space Center WORLD VIEW47 November 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Once completed, Russia's National Space Center will be the largest building of its type in the world, covering 250,000 sq m. This massive architectural concept was ﬁ rst announced in 2019 to unite the various entities of the country's space industry under one roof and subsequently the contract was awarded to UNK, a Russian company with divisions in architecture, engineering and interiors. Once construction is completed, the complex of buildings in Moscow will house subdivisions with quite different functions: one of the leading enterprises of the Russian rocket and space industry, developing and producing space launch vehicles, rocket upper stages, as well as orbital modules; central ofﬁ ce and situation centre of the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, educational centre, business support, headquarters of rocket and space industry organisations, youth design ofﬁ ces, and a production diversiﬁ cation centre. In addition to the production facilities of the rocket and space industry, it is planned to accommodate branch departments of The tower's design resembles a rocketWorld view commercialinteriordesign.com November 2021 48 WORLD VIEW NEED TO KNOW Project duration: 2019-2021 Status: Under construction Location: Moscow, Russia Area: 6.9 ha - total area, 250,000 m2 (2,690,978 sq.ft.) - total site area Architectural design: UNK Design: Institut Mosinzhproyekt OOO Contractor: MIP-Stroy 1 OOO World view 49 November 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com leading technical universities of Moscow in the complex. Combining so many different functions in one building in terms of engineering systems, design features, logistics, and security of the facility was no easy task. When designing the National Space Center, UNK applied the principle of modularity, borrowed from the rocket and space industry. Just like the Russian spacecraft Soyuz, several modules make up the building. There is a central block, a long building with research laboratories and ofﬁ ces, and various elements are docked to it. This made it possible to realise such a large-scale facility without a crushing feeling of its size. The dominant feature of the building complex is the triangular tower with a spire. Including this spire, 47-storey tower is 288 m (945 ft) tall. Stable and graceful because of its shape, it will become the headquarters of Roscosmos and will also house the Mission Control Center. Its silhouette evokes associations with the vertical aspiration upwards and rocket takeoff. The tower is adjoined by a long building consisting of several 'key' blocks. A central gallery extends across the building, symbolising the 'ribbon of time' and telling the story of space exploration. The facades of the building complex will be designed in the same style, using glass and thin aluminum plates. The roof will be made in the form of the Roscosmos logo, making it another facade that will be visible from many places in Moscow. The lighting of these facades will play a big role, as the main emphasis is placed on the tower as it is the architectural and semantic centre of the complex. Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, in a speech to mark the 60th anniversary of the ﬁ rst-ever human space ﬂ ight of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, recently called for Russia to "properly maintain its status as one of the leading space . . . powers." With the promise of creating more than 20,000 jobs, the creation of the National Space Center is hoped to give impetus to the further development of the space industry in Russia. What's more, the site of the National Space Center will be free not only for the company's employees but also for all those interested in space. The top is triangular How the Space Center will rise above MoscowNext >