< PreviousAdrian Battisby, Partner & Senior Director of Interior Design at LW: "Jacqueline consistently showcases originality and creative vision, she is always a great collaborator, a colleague who is unafraid to share, always eager to learn and improve her talent. She has always excelled in visual presentations as they always feature expressive graphic content representing the design narrative. "What has impressed me the most is Jacqueline’s motivated attitude, which goes hand in hand with her love for design, she is always positive. "I fondly recall a signifi cant moment on Vida Dubai Hills we were designing the hotel and serviced apartments as part of a new master planned community, we were presenting the design narrative to the client, they were all just so impressed and really loved the design, we all loved that design. In that project Jacqueline was able to distil the client and operator brief in beautifully way; she created an authentic, thoughtful, and well- balanced design. "Collaborating on projects has been a joyous and inspiring experience and for us to have such a dedicated and passionate interior designer in the team is really wonderful." She shows great vision up-and-coming artists and acclaimed craftsmen who I believe would add value to the project. Each project must be unique and full of creative integrity. I also familiarise and try to embody the brand standards of the specifi c hotel operator as well. From there, I venture online, to get inspired with what design language is suitable, applicable design trends, and classic mantras to follow, etc. My colleagues inspire me greatly; our brainstorming sessions enrich and add layers to the fi nal product, which in turn makes our projects that even more unique and extraordinary. Social media has proven to be a valuable tool, especially during this time when travel is very restricted. I very much look forward to traveling again and seeing what is new in the world. Pre-pandemic, I used to travel quite often, and I would spend at least one or two full days just going around hotels and F&B destinations to immerse myself in the design and operational fl ows. I enjoy scrutinising the design in my head so that I could learn from what has been done, what could be done, and what should not be done. Thank you to Jacqueline, Esra Lemmens and the LW team for this month's cover feature. Entries for the 2022 Commercial Interior Design Awards are now open, so you can nominate the next young interior designer of the year at www.itp.events/CIDAwards Lots of industrial glamour in the bar Under her belt Projects Jacqueline has worked on with LW Hong Kong include The Qianhai Brewery Co, a casual bar designed with a signifi cant nod to industrial glamour. The bar features an on-site craft brewery, extensive wine cellar, lounge and restaurant. Prototype project Brasserie 27 embodies the distinctly European spirit of savouring the good life, the art of travel, and European heritage. The brief called for regionalising the hardworking design so it would be relevant for hotel properties in all areas in of the APAC (Asia- Pacifi c region), so Jacqueline and her colleagues created a colour and pattern story that would be a signature to the four regions in APAC: Oceania, South East Asia, Greater China, North Asia. Brasserie 27 Cover feature commercialinteriordesign.com May 2022 30OPEN FOR BUSINESS The new customer journey – how can good design help restore faith in the retail experience SPECIAL REPORT commercialinteriordesign.com May 2022 32PAGE 34 The Commercial Interior Design Power Panels debate retail design PAGE 38 Nicola De Pellegrini on the new taste for sustainable stores PAGE 40 Studio N brings visual comfort to Moda by Nyomi in Jeddah, KSA PAGE 42 Exploring phygital – Andrea Sensoli from SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* Image: SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* RETAIL Canali by SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* 33 May 2022commercialinteriordesign.com CHANGING ROOMS AND CHECKING IN Power Panels 2022: How can design inspire confi dence in the retail and hospitality sectors? Image: Mohammad Adel Rashid/ITP Images commercialinteriordesign.com May 2022 34 Special Report35 May 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com Special Reportcommercialinteriordesign.com May 2022 36 O ur debut conference event Commercial Interior Design Power Panels brought together stars from the brand's annual Power 50 ranking with thought leaders from the sectors of design and fit-out to discuss the burning topics of the day. A series of panel discussions rounded up with 'Changing rooms and checking- in,' examining how good design can inspire confi dence in customers who are apprehensive about visiting retail spaces. Expert panelists discussed in length the integration of technology in design, sustainability aspects of creativity and how the industry is looking to new materials and aesthetics for creating space social spaces. Moderating was CID's digital editor, Suha Sabith, presiding over a fl ow of discussion between Dina Murali from DZ Design; Matteo Borgini from Kristina Zanic Consultants; Carla Conte from Brand Creative and Talar Bardakjian from ODG. Here are highlights from the fascinating discussion, which took place live at Grosvenor House hotel in Dubai. Topics touched on include the power of retail pop-ups and, of course, the impact of Covid on the sector. COVID CREATES? Dina: There is a lot of focus on doing smart refurbishments as a result of pandemic. I don't think I have ever planned anything specifi cally for the pandemic, it is just that existing spaces are human-centric and they have been redesigned for the pandemic. Matteo: Operators had obviously taken safety measures into consideration during the pandemic by incorporating social distancing, Plexiglas, etc. But no operator or restaurant have designed specifi cally for the pandemic or around it. For hospitality design, our existing designs really work well with being fl exible. Carla: It is here to stay and it's not a trend – the focus on social media and on creating spaces that allow for Instagram moments. But I am also against in my own studio, against the design just being about the moment. It has to be more about the whole journey, a collection of moments. Talar: Due to pandemic, there has been an increase in online shopping, so retail designers had to bring in an element of 'surprise' to their designs to drive in customers. So for us designing involves creating those unique moments and for the customers to connect with the brand. RETAIL POP-UPS Talar: So what the pop up culture is doing right now is really important. Retailers are looking to bring more specifi c experiences to the consumer via pop-up stores, understanding what draws in the consumer. One of the crucial aspects of retail stores is the sensory experience – the touch and feel of the products etc. So crafting the experience via design is important, taking the customer through a journey. When the retail store imparts a message via design that would draw in more people, as opposed to just creating an Insta moment. Introducing experiential designs in retail stores can help get more footfalls. Designing for experience and moments rather than just buying. The concept of pop-up stores is booming. There are a number of online retailers who does not have physical stores and they are utilising the pop-up store concept to connect with their consumers. Especially since a brands are spending a lot on their digital platforms to promote them especially to young generation. They also have a special connection to the brand. That's why pop-ups add value for them. Now when you are talking about sustainability, it's really important to draft a design that accounts for reusability and fl exibility. Now people are shopping with a purpose, so they are really understanding the value of sustainability in everything, even pop-up stores. USE OF TECHNOLOGY Matteo: There is talk about incorporating technology like face recognition systems, sensors etc. in the hospitality industry, but "Ditch Pinterest design" Special Report37 May 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com carla conte, Founder & Creative Director, Brand Creative Matteo Borgini, Managing Director, Kristina Zanic Talar Bardakjian, Creative Director, ODG Dina murali, Managing Director, DZ Design Suha Sabith , Digital Editor, Commercial Interior Design Meet the experts it will take time before it becomes a need for the industry. At the moment, the focus is on luxury and the experience. Carla: I have been hearing since a long time that the future of retail design will change or that retail store will end. But for the 20 years I have been designing, the same principals, the tried and true principals of design elements and using form, function and colour and texture to be highly visual is still around. And the use of technology in designs is still minimal, because the numbers come through and people just don't use it. I am not an advocate for technology for gimmicks sake. I think sport retailers have used it well and we have used it for our sport retail designs really well. Designing to ensure that online spaces compliment the stores and vice versa is important. It is important to look at how the store will be an extension of the online space. It really comes down to the basics of good design. Making sure to create a 'wow' factor. We are really visual in highly studio and we love working with basic materials such as MDF, paint and glass, the things you could do with them are endless. We also like to work with smell as one of the key sensory experiences. We have done some studies out of China, looking at the effects of citrus scents in retail spaces. Citrus in retail spaces have this amazing power to keep people within the shops. So we work with some of our clients, especially home-grown or Emirati brands that are really open to exploring these simple techniques to create signature scents for their stores. To use that simple piece of psychology to keep and retain people in the store for longer. PANDEMIC OPPORTUNITIES Matteo: It's all about reassurance. People want to feel safe, and we bring in elements of transparency to the hotel design like visibility of the kitchens, etc. Carla: We have so much home-grown brands launching as a result of the pandemic. People were looking to create new and unique things. People are far more experimental but again with traditional elements, like playing with colour, etc. DITCH THIS TREND Talar: I am really trying to avoid 'selfi e' design with magic mirrors and such like. Retail spaces need to be connected to the online spaces, especially now with shop and collect services. So we need to focus on the journey of the consumer as opposed to that one moment. Carla: We have to go back to basics. The trend of utilising someone else's design aesthetics – we need to go away from the 'Pinterest' designer. Matteo: Avoiding rooms completely cladded with marble. People need to stop only going for marble and gold. Making sure that the space is softer with materials like timber, wood, etc. Dina: Doing away with Pinterest boards that have multiple design aesthetics cramped together. Watch highlights from the fi rst-ever Commercial Interior Design Power Panels by searching the event name on our website, www.commercialinteriordesign.com The panel in discussion Dina and husband/co-founder Zain Special ReportSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com May 2022 38 A esthetics and practicality is the new format of sustainable architecture created by the green architect and designer of The Right Side studio. Can a Carrefour or other supermarket chain have aesthetically elegant spaces without sacrifi cing the practicality they must have to be effective? The Italian-based Right Side studio aims to transform retail design in the Middle East, using the intuition of green architect Nicola De Pellegrini and CEO Mohamad Al Harraq. Function and emotions Every creation of The Right Side is able to convey great emotions, but at the same time, it is also strictly functional in every aspect. For the studio, the purity of design must always be combined with a rounded approach to sustainability. The approach is fi nding success in the highly competitive market if the Middle East where the studio has focused on retail and the impact that space design can have on consumers. The new look Farm Superstores – recently opened in the city of Al Khobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – aims to revolutionise the standard supermarket concept, integrating innovative layout ideas and a contemporary 'look and feel' that redefi nes the characteristics of the traditional market. A shopper explores Farm Superstores TREND FOCUS Image credit: The Right Side Green design stores and supermarkets by architect Nicola De PellegriniSpecial Report 39 May 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com Inside the supermarket, a fl uid and continuous path develops through different worlds and experiences: the preparation phases of bread, meat and fi sh are in the foreground, enhanced by textures and warm colours for a welcoming and natural atmosphere. For Danube Supermarkets, one of the largest supermarket chains in Saudi Arabia, the new format involves the creation of a highly communicative spaces, thanks to the integration of large monitors in all sales departments. A warm and welcoming mood, reinforced by elegant colours and materials, accompanies the consumer in his shopping experience, guided in a succession of specialised departments, which offer fresh and high-quality products selected with care and displayed with order and attention, distributed over an area of more than 6,000 square metres. A positive layout For the world-renowned supermarket chain Carrefour, the studio redesigned every detail of the store in Al Quds neighbourhood in Riyadh. The store was designed to be a food lover's destination, with a rational layout and various focal points to attract consumers. A place where locals can shop and grab a bite to eat, while also motivating and appealing to a new younger, international audience. It is important that the store layout contributes to a positive shopping climate, inviting the customer to stay longer in the supermarket and encouraging a number of unplanned purchases, so-called 'instinctive purchases'. Strategically placed focal points within the store guide customers from department to department, keeping interest and involvement high. Every aspect of the design is designed to stimulate the shopping experience. The sustainable approach is not a luxury but a duty and also the retail world is taking up the challenge by demonstrating to be in pace with the times. The deli is a focal point Fresh and contemporary layoutNext >