< PreviousCover feature commercialinteriordesign.com January 2021 20 purely to be photographed or purely to be Instagrammable, just that things are becoming that way inclined. The way interiors are going at the moment, it is getting more stripped back and a little bit more minimal, especially in this region now, particularly in Saudi." And what of those plans in KSA? Paul expands: "They're very current and very on-point about what they want. They're going towards a more Brutalist and stripped back and minimal interior, and I think that will become the trend moving forward in this region." We ask what he thinks is driving that change in tastes. A reaction to the pandemic? A push back against excess I'm old- school. I'm still a pen and paper man designer says 2020 hasn't been all bad for his fi rm. He explains: "It has been an unusual year, but it has been incredible for us. Work-wise, we have picked up some amazing awards, CID being the pinnacle of that. "We have picked up some amazing jobs. We have a big presence in the Bahamas now and a job in Morocco for a hotel and lots of F&B in Saudi Arabia and in this region as well." The key to that success is simple, he says. "We work hard, we play hard. That's the ideology of our company. "We're passionate about what we do. It comes through the whole team and everyone gives 100 percent. Even during COVID, everyone worked very effi ciently. They couldn't wait to get back in the offi ce and we were one of the fi rst studios to get back in to the offi ce. Some of us work remotely; myself I can't. I have to be in the offi ce as I'm very hands on. "I'm old-school," he laughs. I'm still a pen and paper man. I don't use computers. I've learnt to WhatsApp though. "And screenshot," interjects Bishop Design's PR guru Selini, who has joined Paul for the interview. TALKING TECH We're curious about his lack of interest in technology, as so many of Bishop Design's projects are so socially-media savvy. Where does that understanding come from, if you're not someone who is embracing technology. "That's why we have Selini over here," Paul smiles, gesturing expansively. During lockdown, Bishop Design's social media accounts kept the industry engaged with walkthroughs of projects and upbeat quick-bite videos, with the #stayinspired series. Though Paul might not have a social media presence, Brand Bishop is active through the company's Instagram account, which just over 8,000 people followed at the time of writing. He adds: "Selini stepped into that role and she does incredibly well. It's not something we had in the company before and she's made it her own. I'm not that bad at social media, but I don't involve myself in it or have any platforms that I use. Everything we do, we do it through the company. "We do design for that [social media], but we are moving away from that. I don't think you are designing spaces Cover feature 21 January 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Privilege, SLS Hotel & Residences DESEO,ME Dubai that has come to typify this region? "I think it's a push back, to be totally honest," he says. "And to see it coming from Saudi is incredible. They have a very on-point mindset, they are very current and they want the best. You have all these other places that are coming up and then some of the architects there are doing some really beautiful stuff. The interiors are so stripped back and minimal and raw, and powerful and elegant. It's defi nitely a trend that is moving forward and maybe a new genre that will follow into this region through the interior design." YOUNG BLOOD What about design talent coming out of Saudi? Is there anyone exciting out there? Paul says: "There's great talent everywhere in the Middle East. We're blessed with some great designers out here, so you're constantly looking over your shoulder and you're constantly moving ahead. That's why it's so great to win and we want to keep winning, because it's a competitive market and it's always great to be awarded something or recognised for that. "I think a lot of the talent that's here is migrating over there [to Saudi]. We're all doing a lot of work in Saudi. We are putting offi ces over there at the moment and there is some home-grown talent, maybe not in architecture and design per se, but in graphics and different mediums. "It's really progressing and I think the interiors side will follow. It's all in a very early stage at the moment. When we start seeing these things come to fruition, we're going to start seeing a lot of hype about that region. Very exciting times." DESIGNING FOR DUBAI Paul arrived in Dubai on Valentine's Day 1996 and it's fair to say, it's been a love affair with the emirate ever since. "It was a different beast in those days, Dubai," he remembers. "You could see it emerging. People used to say I was 10 years ahead of the time then, but we're 10 years behind Europe. I was just blessed to be involved with some great projects and thrown in at the deep end. "I think that's what happens here, in the region, young designers, they do get that opportunity, they do get that immediate exposure to projects. They're not just doing something remedial, so you do get thrown in at the deep end and it is sink or swim in Dubai and this region. You have got to perform. You don't get the luxury of time and that's one of the thing that works for me, because if I have too much time, I wait to the last minute to do it. We work under pressure and I think that's the beauty of what we do in Dubai. "We are working with other designers at the moment and some clients who have international brands and they seem to have so much time. They don't expect how quick we can actually turn something over, but it's a given here and they do expect it. I think if we keep delivering, and people keep delivering in the industry here, it's all about the time. We do up the game here, I think the region has produced some amazing talent." But how does Bishop Design stay ahead of the curve? We wonder whether the infl uences are from the international scene. "I think we are fi nding our own voice here," Paul muses. "I think a lot of talent that's around have found their own voice and they're inventing their design deliverables. We have, and do, look towards other countries and we always look to the past as well, to get inspired to do work in the future. Everyone compares and says there's a better service here and a better fi nishing with contractors overseas, but when you actually see it, it's not like that. The standard we're producing here is incredible. People are Cover feature commercialinteriordesign.com January 2021 22Cover feature 23 January 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Bahamas Marina actually starting to look to this region to get inspiration from what we're doing and how the contractors do their jobs and how we deliver a design package. "I think we are setting the benchmark and people are looking to us now. In the past people may have thought it was not as good, or we weren't as competent here, but I think the work being produced here is of a very high standard with a very high level of delivery and people are looking to us for inspiration and talent." LOOKING AHEAD Founded by Paul in 2004, Bishop Design has never stood still. The fi rm has since picked up more than 90 awards regionally and internationally. Plans to expand the company to the US were placed on hold for 2020, but are now back underway. Where next for the fi rm and the interior design industry in general? "With what's happening in Saudi, everyone is focusing on this region in particular. The Middle East, in general, is a design hub and somewhere that's setting a benchmark, moving forward. "We're actually looking at expansion as well – we're setting up in Miami, so we can support projects in the Bahamas. And we're looking at other projects in the US. We're also looking to set up offi ces in Saudi, which was our natural step until COVID hit and delayed everything, and potentially also in Oman, in Muscat, as we've done a few hotels there now. "I think for Bishop Design in general, it's a huge potential year for expansion. We've tried to evolve naturally so now it's not just about one name, it's about a company and it's about a team. "We've got the designers that can deliver the goods. I'm in a very, very cool place with it at the moment, as I see that the whole thing is gelling. "It has taken time to build , but we're at a stage now where I'm very confi dent that Bishop Design can go on to do some amazing things." Paul wraps up our chat with a grin, then switches to a physical performance for the photographer who snaps away. Bishop Design and Paul Bishop – punching and jumping their way into 2021 with big plans, lots of projects and a bulging trophy cabinet. Current & future projects SLS Hotel & Residences, Dubai Carna Steakhouse, SLS, Dubai Filia, SLS, Dubai S Bar, SLS, Dubai Privilege, SLS, Dubai London Dairy Café, Dubai DESEO, ME Dubai, Opus by Zaha Hadid Botanic, ME Dubai, Opus by Zaha Hadid Hotel development in Morocco Bahamas Marina Bahamas Serviced Apartments Arboretum, Dubai Airport Lounge for Jumeirah GroupFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com January 2021 24 ADDING First look 25 January 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com SENSASIA Stories Spa, Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai. Interior Design by Roar SPARKLEFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com January 2021 26 T he design brief was clear for the new SENSASIA Stories Spa: don't just design a spa that looks good – create an experience that feels unforgettable, too. SENSASIA Stories at Kempinski Mall of the Emiates comprises six unisex treatment rooms, one private couples' suite, male and female changing rooms and therapeutic relaxation areas, complete with heated beds. Facilities that are bespoke to the facility include experience showers, an ice fountain, herb saunas, steam rooms, a Jacuzzi and virtual reality headsets, which can be incorporated into treatments to offer customised escapism and guided meditations, transporting clients to the world's most beautiful destinations – from the idyllic beaches of the Seychelles or the sweeping mountains of New Zealand. "I want clients to arrive knowing simply how they feel, and how they want to feel," explained Salina Handa, SENSASIA Urban Spa founder. The spa opened at the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, in October 2020. Roar, a Dubai-based interior design studio, was hired to bring this vision to life. Creative director Pallavi Dean developed an approach based on fi ve design details. She explains how each of them works: A design story rooted in Asia "SENSASIA is a pan-Asian brand, so we cast the net wide to understand the architecture of the region: Thailand, Bali, Vietnam and more. One example: we studied arches that are a key feature of that architectural typology, using the shapes to inspire out own art form. The end result is a space that is a nod to all of these cultures – but a very modern, contemporary version." Three big architectural statements "The fi rst two big statement are the giant, illuminated arches that dominate the male and female lobbies, giving a dramatic, theatrical sense of 'wow'. The third big statement was the parametric form we created for the shop front. The spa is unusual in that it has two entrances: one from the hotel, the other from the mall, and this piece was designed to lure passing shoppers." Effi cient space planning: make every square foot count "The space planning is the real genius, because we managed to fi t eight treatment rooms in a limited space, without feeling cramped. The previous spa had only four treatment rooms – so the new design is very effective and effi cient. First look 27 January 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com First look commercialinteriordesign.com January 2021 28 "As much as the brief was to create a certain look & feel, it was also to maximize revenue per square foot. "The male spa can be used as a female spa if the female spa is overbooked – it's an agile and fl exible space. "We even included an express spa just off the main lobby for quick manicures, to add an extra revenue stream." A restrained colour and material palette "The design process for SENSASIA Stories was like an exercise in restraint for me. We have not overpowered the senses: this is a place of quiet, respite and refl ection. We played with just three main materials and colours. Grey stone and slate; brown tones within the bolon luxury vinyl fl ooring; natural textures such as wallpaper with hessian fi nishes. It was all about the material palette – it's just layered with textures. That helps with the acoustics as well as the touch and feel; it's a space designed for all senses." Celebrate lighting and ceilings The space has no natural light, so it was brilliant to work with a dedicated lighting Materials and fi nishes Flooring by Bolon Wall textured paint by Artemis Wallpaper by Maya Romanoff Sanitaryware by Gessi and Bagno Fabrics + upholstery by Carniege Glass by Mirodec mesh glass Ceiling features by i-mesh consultant. As well as giving the space just the right amount and type of illumination, they also played with lighting to add some drama: for example, adding strip LED lights to the arches is a signature moment. The other thing we did was celebrate the ceilings. They're often neglected, but we fi gured that in spa, you spend a lot of time on your back. Because of that, we clad the ceiling with a gorgeous bronze mesh structure. Each room has a unique pattern – you come back and experience something new every time.First look 29 January 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com design pitfalls that we see so often in the spa industry. We needed to think through our clients' eyes at all times: the practicalities and the potential vulnerabilities, which can really be make or break when it comes to bodies! Incorporating a wet area was tricky, as well as the clever ways we need to incorporate a couples' room, which needs to be gender sensitive, as well as operational for the spa team. The space is 4,000 sq ft, and so wasn't too large, but I think the high ceilings have been maximised through design, so that it feels light and spacious. The central courtyard is key, with its contemporary interpretation of a traditional Asian arch structure, which is simply stunning. The height also symbolises the spirits rising, and feeling 'free to create'. The interior palette – dark and light hues of grey, complemented by a warm wood fi nish and strong stone slabs – really allows you to just 'be'. The design and architecture combines so many parts of my past, which is the basis of the original SENSASIA concept. and takes inspiration from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Bali and more, which have all been rolled into an algorithm by the interior design team, to create that shape and space. It is very, very cool! Salina Handa, founder and creative director of SENSASIA Urban Spa and THE SPA PEOPLE consultancy, on the new spa's creation Our clients have been coming to us since we opened the doors to our fi rst spa in Jumeirah in 2004, and it's so important to me that their, and our, impeccable expectations are met when they enter any location with our name on it. But we wanted to create a modern, more uplifted, version of the SENSASIA Urban Spas they are used to. As this was a new concept, a more premium concept, aimed primarily at visitors to Dubai and hotel guests, we needed to 'luxuriate' it a little more. The name also played a role in the design. 'Stories' and our tagline 'Find Your Story' sparks the imagination. We didn't clutter with pre-set spaces, but instead opted for more neutral spaces, so clients are led by their remaining senses to carve their own experience. SENSASIA is a part of me, so I created an extremely thorough brief on design, as well as 'fl ow,' client journey and functionality, as these are elements I have learned based on experience – both good and bad. We have made our mistakes over the years, but I am confi dent that we are masters at turning any space into a successful spa space, big or small, which is why 2020 was the year to launch the consultancy arm of SENSASIA – THE SPA PEOPLE – so that we can help wellness properties and businesses to avoid the Next >