2012 Design Trends Future Cities Floor Zoning

Transcription

2012
COLLECTIONS 2012
A collection of new products inspired by the themes of
apocalypse and rebirth. Products that represent in their
patterns the broken lines of destroyed architecture, the
visible signs of nature taking over ruins, and the surreal
patterns and electric lights of futuristic cities.
How the latest trends have
inspired our new products.
2012 Design Trends
How sustainable cities
might one day look.
Future Cities
Our carpet tiles can
influence floor design.
www.interfaceflor.eu
www.interfaceflor.eu/metropolis
5991201 - Feb 2012
Floor Zoning
2012
E D I TO R ’ S L E T T E R
2012, the end of the world.
So wrote the Mayas in their calendar, one of the
oldest and best designed in human history. But
what the sun and stars couldn’t tell the Mayas
was that civilizations had risen and fallen many
times before – and so would their own. Decades,
centuries, millennia. History will always repeat itself.
Cities have been built and destroyed and built
again, and yet humankind will always look to the
future. To what it will bring after destruction: rebirth.
With the Metropolis collection, we want to express
humankind’s continuous desire for constant
regeneration; the everlasting hope for something
new and better that will follow any destructive or
apocalyptic event.
Interface looked into these apocalyptic prophecies
and mysterious traces of the past. We looked
into the 2012 trends influenced by the end and
regeneration of cities and cultures. And we
developed Metropolis. A collection of new products
inspired by the themes of apocalypse and rebirth.
Products that represent in their patterns the broken
lines of destroyed architecture, the visible signs of
nature taking over ruins, and the surreal patterns
and electric lights of futuristic cities.
And we invite you to come and see all this, and
much more, at this year’s Milan Design Week in
April. Our exhibition at the Triennale will be a pure
expression of the ‘alienation’ of everything, from
which everything will be reborn. Pure light, the
origin of existence, from which extraordinary forms
will take life. Something new, outstanding, and
more sustainable.
Something like our new Metropolis collection.
Metropolis, like the cities built by the Mayas and
then lost. Metropolis, like the civilizations that once
ruled the world and are now forgotten. Metropolis,
like the cities where we live today, with their mixture
of past glory and present decadence. Metropolis,
like the hopeful vision of a new and more
sustainable future after an ideological apocalypse.
We have conceived imaginary places where we all
dream of living and working. Places like cocoons,
inviting us to nest and be creative.
Michele Iacovitti.
Vice President, Marketing Communications &
Branding, Interface.
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C O N T E N TS
The Fate of Mankind
06
Design Trends
10
This Years Colours
36
2012 Campaign
50
Milan Exhibition
82
B3
90
Cities of the Future
Organic Architecture
108
Creative Nesting
118
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Camenzind Evolution
128
BBC
136
Floor Zoning
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98
148
DESIG N TR E N DS &
P R E D I CT I O N S F O R 2 01 2
Our collections are built on firm foundations – on the
trends that pervade our culture and society. These
are powerful themes, influencing artists and thinkers
worldwide. They resonate with consumers and businesses,
informing spending habits and inspiring lifestyles.
Over the next few pages, we explore how these trends
have worked as catalysts for our latest designs.
Image: The Humboldt university in Berlin
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T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D
Post-apocalypse
For hundreds of years, visions of a post-apocalyptic world
have been a recurring theme in popular culture. From
Mary Shelley’s science fiction novel The Last Man (1826)
to Max Brooks’ horror tale World War Z (2006),
our curiosity about life after ‘the end’ has
provided a wealth of reading matter. And
in film, we find the same fascination – in
classics such as the 1962 dramatisation
of John Wyndham’s The Day of the
Triffids and in more recent releases,
like 28 Days Later (2002) and The
Road (2009). These works choose a
variety of scenarios, but they all show
how the question of existence after an
earth-shattering disaster continues to intrigue
scientists, artists and the general
population alike.
Are these visions soon to become reality?
In the arena of apocalyptic predictions, the year 2012
has more significance than most. Due to a number of
colliding forces, theorists have warned that December
2012 will see the end of the world as we know it –
some foresee total destruction and others some kind
of radical transformation.
Why 2012?
Many point to predictions contained in the Mayan
calendar, which dates back to the 5th century BC.
This complex calendar runs in distinct cycles, and the
current one is due to complete at the winter solstice
(21st December) 2012. Some have interpreted this
to signify the end of time.
Others cite the writings of 16th century French
doctor, Michel de Nostredame, better known
as Nostradamus. He believed he had an
intuitive power to predict the future, and
although it has been argued that his prophecies
are ambiguous and open to interpretation,
he is nevertheless credited with some of the
most famous predictions in history. As well as
foretelling World War Two, Hurricane Katrina and the
9/11 terrorist attacks, Nostradamus also made several
prophecies for the 2012 doomsday. He predicted it to
begin with several natural disasters, and spoke of a planet
hitting the earth – and even warned of a World War Three,
led by the Antichrist. Of course, we don’t have long to
wait to find out whether these predictions were accurate.
And this uncomfortable proximity may go some way to
explaining why today’s society is so preoccupied with
apocalyptic thoughts.
“Even if an apocalypse does
arrive, all may not be lost,
it opens up the potential
for a new beginning.”
What sort of bleak future do we expect?
The apocalypse – in some shape or form – is embedded
deep in our cultural psyche. As UK journalist Kevin Maher
pointed out in The Times, it “represent’s a profound
snapshot of who we are, right now, and a stinging critique
of our fears and flaws”. In commentator Mark Tully’s BBC
Radio 4 programme (www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console)
Something Understood (broadcast in August 2010 in
the UK) he reflected on why, throughout the ages, every
culture has created mythologies of catastrophe
and destruction.
Creativity inspired by destruction
Now more than ever, film-makers and novelists seem
unable to resist delving into the tension of an impending
disaster – the excitement of meeting its fury or the
bleakness of life in the aftermath. In the last year alone,
films such as Melancholia, Take Shelter, and The Turin
Horse (to name but a few) have attracted the attention of
big name critics and actors alike. Film adaptations too –
such as the Twilight series, The Hunger Games and TV’s
True Blood – show how an obsession with dystopian
worlds can attract mass-market cult followings.
Is it our collective subconscious fear, he questioned,
or the result of each generation’s own sense of guilt?
Much of our recent fixation can be attributed to ‘known
unknowns’: the shifting frontiers of war and conflict,
religion and terrorism, and natural disasters on a
previously unseen scale, such as the Pakistan floods, the
2004 tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake.
Image: John Martin - Day of his Great Wrath.
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T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D
Apocalyptic literature
Over the past few years, Steven Amsterdam has mused
on cataclysm survival and human fallibility in Things We
Didn’t See Coming, Margaret Atwood has grappled with
environmental catastrophe in The Year of the Flood, and
James Miller has envisaged a ‘Storm Zone’ of ecological
destruction and religious insurgency in Sunshine State.
And this trend looks set to continue, with the release of
a number of highly regarded post-apocalyptic novels,
such as Ben Marcus’ The Flame Alphabet, Rod Rees’
The Demi-Monde Winter, and Ryan Boudinot’s Blueprints
of the Afterlife. In a wider cultural context, recent and
social climate, yet it is interesting to see how major artists
and commentators are coming out in force to address
the subject of apocalypse – notable examples include
John Martin: Apocalypse at Tate Britain and The Best of
Times, The Worst of Times: Rebirth and Apocalypse in
Contemporary Art at the Ukraine Biennial Arsenale
(17th May-17th July 2012).
A technological destiny
Advances of the past twenty years have led consumers
to buy into a promise of a life enhanced by products that
operate beyond human comprehension. Computers and
“No one knows what lies ahead, the question of what
the future holds for the human race is perhaps so
poignant because it is about the unknown.”
Beyond the end
Even if an apocalypse does arrive, all may not be lost.
Whatever form the destructive event takes, it opens up the
potential for new beginnings – for rebirth and rejuvenation.
Looking at the way communities around the world have
reacted to recent disasters, we can see how, as a
combined force, man’s innate capacity for strength and
resilience is greater than we dared to imagine.
The Spirit of Tohoku, a patriotic exhibition held in Tokyo by
one of Japan’s leading fashion designers, Issey Miyake,
demonstrated this spirit clearly. Highlighting materials and
techniques such as sakiori, which involves reusing torn
clothing, the exhibition symbolised the much-celebrated
Japanese resilience, and the nation’s ability to rebuild itself
in the wake of disaster.
life after a devastating, transforming event. Do we look
forward to a brave new world: a gleaming metropolis,
populated by brighter, better versions of ourselves? Or
is it a place where no people survive? If mankind were to
disappear, who – or what – would take our place?
Google’s information-sharing service, ‘Person Finder’,
is just one example of how the internet can enhance
personal connectivity dramatically. Created in response
to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, it provides a database and
message board where survivors, families and friends can
post and search for information on those caught up in a
disaster. In the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake
in New Zealand, it held 11,000 records within just four
hours. Also, websites such as (www.rebuildchristchurch.
co.nz) now offer a place for residents to share ideas
and visions for a new city as they unite to rebuild a
bigger and better future for themselves. And similar sites
have supported the recovery process after a number of
catastrophic events – such as the L’Aquila earthquake in
Italy (www.lifeinabruzzo.com) or Hurricane Katrina in New
Orleans (www.rtno.org), the 9/11 attacks in New York
(projectrebirth.org) and (www.rebuildgroundzero.org) and
the floods in Pakistan (www.rebuildingpakistan.co.uk).
forthcoming exhibitions also show how the times we live
in are instilled with an unprecedented sense of unease.
This may be due partly to the current economic and
“People unite, innovate and
reform to breathe new life
into cities, and to build
futures that otherwise would
never have been possible.”
the internet open doors to alternative worlds outside the
humdrum of the everyday. With online games, individuals
can lead virtual lives, equipped with powers they could
never acquire in their mortal existence. And recent
developments in ‘augmented reality’ mean producers and
retailers can tap into the mass market as well as gaming
subcultures. This may provide a positive outlet for some,
but for others the blurring of online and offline experiences
could soon lead to confusion between acceptable and
unacceptable real-life moral codes, with potentially
disastrous consequences.
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The community spirit and optimism demonstrated here
shows that, following unpredictable and unprecedented
mass destruction, great things can happen. People unite,
innovate and reform to breathe new life into cities,
and to build futures that otherwise would never have
been possible.
Questions like these ensure that, until the end comes
(whenever that may be) popular culture will continue
to ponder it. And take inspiration from it, using it as the
backdrop for some of our most compelling stories.
No one knows what lies ahead
The question of what the future holds for the human race
is perhaps so poignant because it is about the unknown.
This is what makes the idea of the apocalypse so
appealing as well as appalling. It gives us a blank canvas
on which to create the most daring and radical visions of
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D esign trends - T he U nknown
As we begin the descent into desolation, and
apocalypse awaits, we cannot be sure of anything.
Do shadows now have substance? Is that a reflection or
a glimpse of another world? Are we dreaming or waking?
Image: Luce Tempo Luogo for Toshiba & DGT
Architects/ (Photo: Francesco Niki Takehiko)
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T H E U N K N OW N
Ominous and otherworldly, the surreal conjures up images
of deception and trickery. Of secret gardens where the
paths take us nowhere. Of walls we can walk through, and
doorways that admit no one. Nothing is as it seems, and
anything we try to touch dissolves into a whisper or
a rumour.
1. Assiria
Dwelling on such disorientation has led many artists and
designers to create objects of astonishing beauty. Light
Shower by Bruce Munro turns light into rain. We can see
it, and we think we should feel it. But its droplets will never
make us wet. And the only clouds are those that obscure
our minds when we try to understand it. Dark and murky,
yet endlessly alluring, it is a dangerous addiction. Once
we’ve caught sight of it, we have no choice but to follow it.
2. Bisanzio
3. Creta
Unknown blurs distinctions. Between night and day,
dreams and reality – even between floors, walls and
ceilings. In Master Designers Garden Plot by Martina
Schwartz, tones and textures blend and reflect to deceive
the eye. Are you at the beginning of the corridor or the
end? Which way do you turn?
Image: Light Shower for H4H by Bruce Munro. (Photo: Mark Pickthall)
“Dwelling on the unknown
has led many artists and
designers to create objects
of astonishing beauty.”
4. Etruria
The Oak Inside furniture Collection by Thomas Eyck
is built around strange contradictions in materials and
form. Flamboyant decoration teams up with utilitarian
construction, turning traditional patterns into something
startlingly modern. A surreal juxtaposition that is both
reassuring and unsettling.
“The Unknown theme first
emerged in the promotion
of our 2011 collections as
a fairy tale with a shadowy
edge. This year, The
Unknown is much darker,
more mystical and sinister.”
In Hel Yes by Helsinki, the pairings become even more
bizarre. Twisted, unruly branches support smooth, ordered
surfaces. The unpredictable wildness of nature entwines
with the engineered precision of man-made objects.
Controlled interior spaces welcome the freedom of the
great outdoors.
Through these examples, we see how the spirit of
the unknown inspires daring originality. Its enigma is
perplexing, but it also unleashes great creative power.
Image: Oak Inside Collection by Thomas Eyck.
Images: 1-4 Interface carpet tiles
Metropolis Collection 2012
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Image: Master Designer’s Garden Plot
6 by Martha Schwartz Partners
Image: Hel Yes by Helsinki. (Photo: Adam Laycock)
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D esign trends - the Fall
How do we envisage the end of the world? Strangely,
it’s not the end of everything. After that huge, destructive
event, we don’t see a simple black void. We see disturbing,
heartbreaking grey remains. Sad traces of the past, now
abandoned in a bleak landscape.
Image: Powerstation, Berlin - Mitte
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T H E FA L L
Entering the darkest days of destruction we look
desperately for signs that our decline may not be final.
The picture is devoid of life, but occupied by reminders
of those who once lived. The hollow shells of buildings.
Fragments of forgotten materials. Displaced belongings,
perhaps discarded in a frenzied flight from the unknown
apocalyptic force.
The light is dim, but not snuffed out completely. We’re in
a twilight world, where the chances of life and death are
equally uncertain. In the murky silence there’s a sense that
all is not lost. And this could be a good thing.
Or very, very bad. This is a deserted scene, yet we feel
an ominous presence. Someone, or something, is
watching… waiting…
In this apocalyptic post-industrial wasteland, there seems
to be very little to inspire the creative mind. Anything that
survives is broken or damaged in some way. Tarnished,
decaying, ragged and eroded. And that faint sense
of foreboding – of an unknown future – imposes a
tension that inhibits expression. Even simple ideas seem
dangerous. Yet faced with such restrictions, many artists
and designers excel. The fewer and poorer the materials,
the greater the challenge to make something original from
them. Limitations are liberating, and boundaries are there
to be pushed.
“In this apocalyptic postindustrial wasteland,
anything that survives
is broken or damaged
in some way, yet the
creative mind becomes
inspired by this.”
Image: Wasteland near the river Spree, Berlin
Image: Powerstation, Berlin - Mitte
Image: A section of the Berlin wall
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Image: Powerstation, Berlin - Vockerode
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T H E FA L L
Image: Bora Aksu - AW 11/12
Nightmare visions from wars past and present inspire
stunning creations – such as Northern Europe Migrants
Organisation by Felix de Montesquiou and Hugo Kaici.
This hugely ambitious structure is a sinister marvel:
a cavernous geometric structure of dank concrete.
Disguised as a bunker, and designed to feel empty.
Memorable art, inspired by images we would rather forget.
Anything surviving destruction would have a story to tell. It
would look odd, out of place, and intriguing. They make us
wonder what happened to them, and to the people who
used them.
Similarly, looking at (1,3,4 & 5.) Plain collection furniture
by Maarten Baas, we wonder what these pieces have
been through. Who abandoned them, and let them fall
into ruin like this? How did they become so distorted and
disfigured? These relics provide frustrating half-clues to
the true nature of the apocalyptic experience.
1.
2.
7. Berolinum
(2.) Aim Lamp by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec symbolises
this idea of desperate survival. Basic light sources hang
as if by a thread, dangling exhausted. Were they once part
of something more secure and structured? Did they shine
more brightly? (6.) Icaro Lamp by Moduluce.
3.
8. Londinium
In the ‘shoe experience’, (10.) Shoes or No Shoes,
Maecenas Dirk Vanderschueren has collected thousands
of shoes from different sources, and displayed them like
museum pieces in a dark, warehouse-like space. It’s as
though there’s no one left to wear shoes, but perhaps one
day someone will want to look at them.
9. Lutetia
4.
5.
6.
“The Fall is our take on the
end of the world and is all
about building new life and
starting afresh.”
Image: Northern Europe Migrants Organisation
by Felix de Montesquiou and Hugo Kaici
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10.
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D esign trends - U rban O rganic
In the darkest days of the apocalypse, any glimmer was too
weak to be called hope. But eventually, silently, something
starts to stir. The power of nature will not be overcome.
Inevitably, death leads to rebirth.
Image: Dochodo Island Zoo by JDS Architects
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U R BAN ORGAN IC
Built in the 1930s, the High Line was originally a freight
rail line, elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West
Side. Today, it has been transformed into a public park,
created and maintained for the benefit of all New Yorkers
and visitors. Most importantly, the way it’s run gives
local people and businesses valuable opportunities to
get involved in its planning and development – and this
community input to the design process has been vital to
the High Line.
Owned by the City of New York, the High Line comes
under the jurisdiction of the New York City Department
of Parks & Recreation. But it is maintained and operated
by Friends of the High Line, the group of residents
that fought for the historic structure’s preservation and
transformation when it was under threat of demolition in
1999. This group now works with the City to ensure the
park is maintained as an extraordinary public space – and
as well as overseeing operations, it works hard to raise
essential private funds.
The first section of the High Line opened in June 2009,
and the second section in June 2011. Running between
Gansevoort Street and West 30th Street, it’s now one
mile long, connecting three neighbourhoods – and Friends
of the High Line is committed to seeing the completion of
the third and final section, between West 30th and West
34th Streets.
When it’s finished, the High Line will be 1.5 miles long,
offering a sequence of varied parkland environments and
running through the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea
and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. Designed by New York-based
landscape architects James Corner Field Operations,
and architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, it combines
meandering concrete pathways with naturalistic plantings
by Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf. The park also
includes fixed and movable seating, lighting, and other
special features. Visitors can reach the High Line from
street level access points provided every two to three
blocks, all with stairs and many with elevators.
This project is a great example of community involvement.
The design team was selected by a local jury – and, right
from the start, frequent community input sessions have
encouraged those interested to put forward their ideas for
what the High Line should become and how it should look.
In this way, local people have been able to play a part in
creating a public space unlike any other in the world.
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“We look at
different avenues to
develop our trends, this
ranges from designers’ blogs
and the views of colour
researchers to the major
interior trend predictors.”
Mandy Leeming,
Design and Development
Manager, UK
U R BAN ORGAN IC
The increasingly visible optimism of Urban Organic is a
source of creative energy – in the physical world and the
artist’s imagination. When we see things grow, we want to
grow too, by generating ideas, making objects, inventing a
new world.
Inspiration also bursts from the contrasts we witness.
The freshness of nature against the decay of the artificial.
Intense greens against faded monochrome and sepia.
Free, inexorable movement against stubborn still-life.
In health and beauty store Okinaha, nature’s power, in the
form of massive floor-to-ceiling tree trunks, contrasts with
the interior’s clinical surroundings. An undeniable force
of life has penetrated the building, showing how Organic,
living structures can dominate the man-made.
Image: Zoological Park concept of St Petersburg
© Artefactory / TN Plus / Beckman N’ Thépé
Image: Placebo Pharmacy Design by
KLab Architecture
Zoological Park of St Petersburg by Paris landscape
designers TN Plus and architects Beckmann N’Thépé
shows how this domination can develop. On a series of
artificial islands on the outskirts of the city, the trees are
taking over, and the buildings have morphed into Organic
shapes. A new kind of harmony is being established,
where the natural and the manufactured live as one.
Appropriately, this landscape is designed to reflect the
layout of the Earth’s continents when they first began to
take shape – in another, much earlier, period of rebirth and
transformation.
Image: Okinaha pharmacy in Belgium - © Coastdesign.be
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With his Twig wall panel, Russell Pinch gives us a way of
bringing this juxtaposition between the natural and the
man-made into domestic and business interior spaces.
Made from solid ash forest thinnings, the panel is literally
a woodland backdrop – but one where the rings of
every branch expose the raw beauty of nature’s internal
workings. Contrasted with the Avery chair, it shows how
we can either civilise timber or celebrate its primordial
innocence and irregularity.
Image: Russell Pinch Furniture
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U R BAN ORGAN IC
Image: Walking City
Dress & Living Pod
by Ying Gao
In the objects inspired by Urban Organic, we can see a subtle
progression. Whereas natural forms and fibres began by
interrupting man’s inventions, they now also inform the design
of all kinds of items – from furnishings to fashion clothing. The
honesty, unpredictability and insistent informality of nature can
be seen in the work of many of today’s leading innovators; in the
materials, form and construction of their creations.
1. Assur - Tigri
(4.) Forest
Spoon by Nendo is a cutlery range with a stylised
shape taken from the asymmetry of tree trunks, twigs and
branches. These pieces are intended to be used for eating and,
at the same time, enjoyed visually. This unusual relationship
between manufactured metal and an unspoilt forest provides
‘food for thought’ in many ways.
Image: Floorboard coat rack by Tomoko Azumi
On a similar theme, Floorboard coat rack by Tomoko Azumi
uses the irregularity of the way wood grows to turn a mundane
household object into a thing of beauty and curiosity. The
reclaimed floorboard has been planed and finished to display the
amorphous intricacy of the grain, and found branches provide
the hanging pegs at whatever angle suits them, rather than the
maker or the user.
2. Assur - Eufrate
Timber in its purest state also inspires the Hobby Panton Chair
by Peter Jakubik. Carved into a single tree trunk, this roughly
hewn interpretation of the iconic Panton ‘S’ chair acts as a
reminder that everything we have comes originally from the Earth.
Even an ultra modern object, conceived to be made in plastic,
can be re-imagined as a living entity.
3.
(3.) With
Moonjelly Lamps by Limpalux, we see how even
electrical items can benefit from the fluid lines of Organic
patterns. And on a much larger scale, Placebo Pharmacy Design
by KLab Architecture shows an entire building can be created
around the curves and spirals of nature. As a space to inhabit, it
is strange and unfamiliar, with sloping, sweeping floors, walls and
ceilings – yet these elements seem to make sense in the natural
order, and are just as comforting as they are discomforting.
“Urban Organics is more
about bringing nature inside.”
To humans, Organic growth seems uncontrollable – and in many
cases it is. With Walking City Dress and Living Pod, fashion
designer Ying Gao explores how this unstoppable force can also
be gentle and light, even ethereal. Fabric forms seem almost to
ooze from beneath the outer garments, indicating they may even
have a life of their own.
The advances of Urban Organic may be slow and steady, but
eventually they will remove completely all traces of what went
before.
4.
Image: Hobby Panton Chair by Peter Jakubik
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D esign trends - F requency
As we make this vision real, Frequency takes shape: a new
era where everything is possible. Colours are vibrant. All
sights and sounds are extraordinary. Our senses are almost
overwhelmed by super-real experiences. And our minds
are nourished by an intoxicating optimism and infectious
enthusiasm. A new pioneering spirit changes our lives.
Image: Whistling Sea - Jun Ga Young
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4.
1.
2.
5.
6.
(1). Plumen Light - Sam Wilkinson Design (2). Happy Habitat, Simon & Tom Bloor (3). David Batchelor’s
installation (4). 4010 Telekom Shop in Cologne (5). Bundestag underground in Berlin (6). Houdini chair
by Stefan Diez
In this brave new world, no colour is too bold. Anything
goes. Anywhere. In the 4010 Telekom Shop in Cologne,
Germany, vivid pink and white stripes are the key theme of
a pop art-inspired space. Here, customers are surrounded
by energising images and objects, and feel part of a lively,
optimistic community.
And it’s not just retail interiors that are brightening up. The
Houdini chair by Stefan Diez can bring intense colour into
any workspace or home. And David Batchelor’s installation,
Brick Lane Remix, reworks discarded or broken
Image: Brick Lane remix 1, 2003, Courtesy the
Saatchi gallery, London © David Batchelor 2011
3.
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everyday items to show how glowing colour can exist
throughout our modern environment. Along with colour
comes light, and many architects are exploring how its
influences can transform buildings, inside and out. At
Berlin’s Bundestag underground station, a variety of lighting
techniques bring life and texture to what would otherwise be
a very functional, austere space.
As we look ahead, we keep seeing ways to make
things better.
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F R E Q U E N CY
Excited by a new age of invention, we dare to dream
of revolutionary ways of living and working. And we go
ahead and make them happen. Frequency says there’s no
such thing as going too far – and designers and artists
grab this message and run with it. We are creating a
heightened version of today’s reality. The ultimate
creative opportunity.
Enter, for example, the library at the University of
Amsterdam. Where are the books? The shelves? And the
desks and chairs for quiet study? This space is designed
on several levels. First, it’s an assault on the senses: vivid
red and dazzling white. Second, it’s an attack on the
intellect: nothing obvious to read and nowhere to read
it, only open floors and rows of neat storage. Third, it’s
an ingeniously practical solution to an age-old problem:
how to catalogue, file and preserve thousands of valuable
publications. It doesn’t look like a library, but it works like
one. It’s typical of how we do things better now.
4.
Before Frequency, we would ask, “How can we do this?”.
Now we ask, “Why do we do this?” And the answers
lead us to radical thoughts, brave designs and unexpected
surroundings.
Image: Viktor & Rolf S/S ‘12
“Excited by a new age
of invention, we dare to
dream of revolutionary
ways of living and
working.”
2. Mellopolis
Image: Martin Grant S/S ‘12
“Frequency explores the new
technologies that surround us”
1. Hydropolis
3. Mellopolis
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6.
5.
(4.) Library of the University of Amsterdam by Roelof Mulder and Ira Koers (5.) Glyder sofa system by Artelier
van Lieshout for Lensvelt. Photo: Frans Strow (6.) Videotron store, Montreal
Because Frequency never looks back, everything designed
now has a futuristic feel. No longer do we see things we’ve
seen before. No more familiarity. No more déjà vu.
(5.) Glyder Sofa System by Atelier Van Lieshout is a
simple concept, but a totally fresh take on upholstery.
The backrests and armrests slide to left and right, to
accommodate different numbers of people and different
seating or reclining positions. A transformer of a sofa that
transforms its market. And in bright, accented colours that
signal the maker’s sense of adventure.
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d
CMYK
RGB
d
CMYK
RGB
Our goal for all carpet tiles is a
closed loop system where carpet
tiles are made from fully recycled
materials and used carpet tiles
are converted into raw materials
for new products. We have made
significant progress in several
ways.
www.interfaceflor.eu/gobeyond
To discover more, use your mobile to scan this code
THIS YEARS COLOURS
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Image: Mulberry S/S ‘12
I nterior C O LO U R T R E N D S S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 01 2 / 1 3
Spring/Summer 2012
Putting it all together
Forecasts show that this season is not so much about
particular colours as the way we treat or enhance them.
Pastels are softened and cooled, almost washed out to
become delicate and chalky, while neutrals have a raw,
primitive quality, suggesting unbleached natural fabrics.
Darks are refined and enriched, and brights are either
‘baked’ into an earthy intensity or turbo-charged into a
vivid spectrum of glowing, super-real shades. Similarly,
mid-tones have either a dusky, dusty cast, or a deeper,
more focused hue, as if boosted artificially.
These heightened and refined shades create exciting
opportunities for striking juxtapositions and varied moods,
the possibilities are endless.
Colour trends
So the message is to be adventurous when using colour
this season. These enhanced and ‘processed’ shades
make previously unthinkable pairings not only feasible,
but also refreshing and inspiring. Experiment with unusual
partnerships, selecting from different palettes to assemble
new tonal recipes – perhaps with some
surprising ingredients.
Pale neutrals have lost the stark purity of autumn/winter,
becoming yellowed, mellowed and aged.
Browns and oranges are warm and positive, with peach,
saffron and a contrasting dark tone.
Pinks are influenced by both purple and red, and pale
pinks have a hint of brown.
Warm reds are intensified by orange, producing coral
and flame shades as well as deep cochineal.
“Fashion moves more
rapidly than interiors but
it is reassuring to see the
same trends on the catwalk.
It means we have got our
designs right.”
Image: Mulberry S/S ‘12
Yellow is all about layering, from nostalgic vanilla
and buttermilk to lively primrose and sharper lemons
and limes.
Greens fall into two key groups: yellow/green with rich
olive tones, and blue/green with fresh pines and aquas.
Blues are cool and clear, and include a lilac cast with
indigo as an essential dark.
Pinks and purples are blending, with blue-hued pinks
and pink-cast purples.
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Pantone® 14-0754 TPX
“This season is all about opposites and extremes:
the loud, outrageous and aggressive alongside the
quiet, calm and restrained.”
Image: PPQ S/S ‘12
Image: Aigner S/S ‘12
I nterior C O LO U R T R E N D S AU T U M N / W I N T E R 2 01 2 / 1 3
Autumn/Winter 2012/13
This season is all about opposites and extremes: the loud,
outrageous and aggressive alongside the quiet, calm and
restrained. As well as disorientation and doubt, there is
comfort and rational certainty. It’s more about attitude than
colour, and we can choose different ends of the spectrum
to suit our mood. Neutrals can help maintain order, while
autumnal palettes become more adventurous. Balance is
the key – between anarchy and conformity, raw emotion
and controlled contemplation, the fantastical and the
everyday.
“The contrasts of this season
present infinite choices, and
enormous scope for mixing
and matching.”
Colour by colour
Neutrals are as raw as last season, with chalky whites
and coarse linen tones, anchored by calming blacks.
Brown influences many other colours, creating red
browns, dark browns, rich browns and neutral browns –
all in balance overall.
Blues are important on three levels: grey blues are
subdued, progressing from newspaper white and lilac.
Greens have less significance this season, and are mainly
olive tinted – although within this, tones range from buttery
pales to sharp lime to sombre green-blacks.
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Yellows are more distinctive than in the summer, with a
golden hue creating tans and ochres.
Oranges are pale almond and peach, plus intense neon
orange and rich caramel.
“We are describing a
season of flamboyance
and energy. Anything
muted or subdued is
shaken up by shades
of great power and
intensity.”
Reds are lively and warm, with corals, flames, tomato
shades and burnt dark brown.
Mauves, such as ash rose and lilac brown, have replaced
pink – and darker tones dominate: port, damson and
coffee-bean brown.
Mix it up
Some of these combinations may at first seem strange or
even weird. But this is all part of the season’s character:
dare to invite chaos, and you can look forward to some
surprisingly sane results.
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Q & A W I T H I nterface ’ s
S O P H I E F OX & O D I L E
B é ranger
ABOUT
COLOUR
Greys and dull neutrals balance a subdued orange and faded green.
Bleached pastels are the perfect foil for a warm, strident red.
Orientally influenced darks contrast with decorative red, green and yellow.
An intensified palette of fiery orange, chrome green and sulphur yellow teams up with deep, inky blues.
Baked brights are rich, vibrant and intense.
The warmth of pale orange and deep rust finds a perfect partner in cool blue.
Vintage, jaded greens and blues compete with toffee-toned brights.
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How different colours affect our moods
Sophie Fox is so passionate about colour, she adopted
‘green’ as a middle name and called her new home
‘Rainbow House’. A concept designer with Interface for
six years based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, she creates
bespoke designs for clients throughout the north of the
UK, working primarily in the education and public sectors.
Odile Béranger is a concept designer for Interface in
Paris. Equally inspired by colour, Odile interprets design
briefs for many of the company’s European hospitality
clients. Here, they explain the importance of colour in
design…
What excites you about colour and why?
Colour is the most powerful communication tool, even
more important than shape or words. It has a subliminal
effect that many of us take for granted. Colour has a
tremendous benefit to our physical and emotional wellbeing. It has the power to transform our environments
– not just the way they look, but also the way we feel and
react to a space. Colour has the capacity to make an
ordinary space truly extraordinary.
How can the use of colour affect moods?
Psychologists studying the effects of light have
discovered that colour can influence our bodies, moods
and feelings. For example, red is an energising, warm
and opulent colour that pumps the heart rate, generates
an atmosphere of excitement, and stimulates appetite.
People talk more and time will seem to pass more quickly
in a red room. Blue, on the other hand, has the power to
soothe and quieten, while yellow is a cheerful, sociable
colour promoting warmth, well-being and optimism. Green
has come to represent the concept of regeneration and
renewal. Just as in nature, green is the universal balancer,
harmonising with all colours. The eye has the least amount
of adjustment to make to see the colour green and so it
has a calming effect.
What research is this based on?
We have a direct physiological response to colour, even
if we are colour blind. This is because, like everything else,
colour is energy. Try holding your hand a couple of inches
above a red cloth and closing your eyes. Your hand
will start to feel warm. Conversely, do the same with a
blue cloth and you will notice your hand now feels cold.
Every colour has its own energy. So, if you use a colour
in a design, you also use its energy. By becoming aware
of the energy and meaning of each colour, you can
proactively and intentionally use this knowledge in the
design process.
Can colour and texture influence behaviour
in education?
Photo: William H Webb
Colour is a design tool, achieving particular spatial,
sensual and atmospheric results through working with
space, mass, proportion, scale and rhythm. As in any
scheme, it is essential to achieve a correct balance.
Dull, unimaginative surroundings in a school will quickly
lead to boredom and behavioural problems. A more
stimulating mix of different colours will engage the student
and promote a better learning environment. Too much
stimulation, however, and there is a risk of hyperactivity.
Fresh colours that are pure and clean tones with a
medium intensity and a higher light reflectance value,
are ideal for young children. Universities adopt a more
sophisticated approach to design, but there is a growing
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trend to make these environments more appealing to
students by creating playful and stimulating surroundings.
In turn, businesses that wish to recruit such new young
talent are realising that the traditional and staid office
environment is no longer inviting or engaging for such
a demographic.
example, have a luxurious edge to them while yellow
sparkles with vitality and expresses the energy of light.
White is the reflection of all colours and will always convey
How is colour used in the hospitality industry?
Colour is key to creating a specific ambiance in a
hospitality environment and the combination of colours,
textures and materials have to fit perfectly. Get it right
and everyone feels comfortable in the environment, get
it wrong and the ambiance will be lost. We have just
combined two different shades of green, one warm and
one cold, to create a lovely subtle effect in the flooring
for a hotel chain in France. The colours are used to
emphasise doorways along the hotel corridors and create
a more comfortable and informal atmosphere.
Can the use of colour create different zones and
atmospheres?
Yes of course, colour can completely change the
ambiance of a room. Chocolate and coffee browns, for
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Monochromatic, or tonal combinations of one shade
provide an easy way of creating a successful scheme.
It is important to consider the aspect of a room when
considering colour. A north facing room will instantly
benefit from warmer colours. Hot shades of red and
orange, cinnamon and gold can bring a sense of luxury
to such a space. In all cases, it is essential to consider
what feel you wish to achieve before choosing a selection.
Bold colours are vibrant and stylish – ideal for creating
dramatic modern interiors. Fresh colours give a zesty,
contemporary twist and the popularity of lime green in
schemes continues. Soft colours are airy and easy to live
with, providing a timeless and classic appeal.
Will colour change how the texture of a material is
perceived?
It is possible to manipulate surface and depth by using
contrasts in tone, hue or saturation that advance or
retreat in relation to one another. For example, looking at
the Interface portfolio, any patterned product will differ
in appearance according to the colour it is given. If the
colours are similar the pattern will disappear giving a
subtle look, if they are dramatically different there will be
more of a contrast. Colour can help to emphasise the
texture and reflect the light.
Does your approach vary by country and if so how?
Yes, we do find that there are cultural differences to colour
across the globe. Pastels and black are often selected in
the UK, whereas vivid colours are more popular in the US.
There is a legal requirement in France to help conserve
energy in public buildings by selecting colours that reflect
light. In Germany, blues and greys predominate while in
Scandinavia greys are most popular.
Photo: Vincent Uetwiller
a strong sense of cleanliness and hygiene.
Grey is the favourite for most architects and will
probably always remain our best seller. It is practical,
neutral and goes with anything. But, colours don’t just
work in isolation, and the most exciting effects can be
achieved when they are combined. The balance of colour
is where consideration to proportion and tone play an
important part in creating a successful design. Schemes
can be harmonising, with colours that sit next to each
other on the colour wheel. As they are closely related,
they combine easily, creating a calm and relaxed
effect. Even vivid colours can feel surprisingly restful
when combined in this way. Contrasting colours or
complimentary colours that sit opposite one another
on the colour wheel and as such are totally unrelated
combine to give a striking and vibrant effect.
“Colour is the
most powerful
communication tool,
even more important
than shape or words”.
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Image: Hermes S/S ‘12
Photo: Werner Hutchmacher, Berlin
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d
CMYK
RGB
d
CMYK
RGB
the
product
TacTiles™
A simple, sustainable and innovative
installation system that requires no
adhesive, the biggest contributor to
VOCs.
New design
product collection.
Inspired by the themes of apocalypse and rebirth.
The new products represent in their patterns the broken lines of
destroyed architecture, the visible signs of nature taking over ruins,
and the surreal patterns and electric lights of futuristic cities.
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T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D - PAST
These dark, atmospheric designs reflect the mood
and mystery of The Unknown. Brooding and
shadowy, the rich, dense colours and subtle textures
create floors of unusual depth and interest.
Taking inspiration from the irregular topography of
natural surfaces, and from the obscured remains
of long-lost, man-made patterns, they intrigue and
fascinate us. These are thought-provoking carpets,
to be pondered and contemplated as well
as enjoyed.
1. Assiria
2. Bisanzio
3. Etruria
4. Creta
Images: 1-4 Interface carpet tiles Metropolis Collection 2012
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T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D - P R E S E N T
In the depths of destruction, no shape or line
is complete. Patterns emerge from the broken
structures of The Fall, producing dramatic designs
from fractured, distressed and distorted forms.
An urban wasteland inspires these carpets, with
their blackened colours, brittle tracery and untidy
geometry. They demand attention and reward
the onlooker with their striking visual effects,
transforming interiors with a radical disregard for
the expected and accepted.
5. Londinium
6. Histonium
7. Madritum
9. Lutetia
8. Berolinum
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T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D - F U T U R E
In our ultimate future vision, psychedelia meets
science fiction, with a candy-coloured collision of
morphing, moving patterns. The exuberance and
intensity of these Monitor designs show – with a
flourish – how bold, bright and adventurous flooring
can be.
Ghosted images emerge from a misty backdrop.
Liberated lines creep, twist and entwine with the
gentle, yet inexorable, fluidity of nature. The spirit of
Urban Organics is the spirit of new-found freedom
– still fragile, cautious and strangely hesitant.
In these intricate designs, we can see a merging
of influences: human intervention, symbolised by
lines and grids, is almost overpowered by the silent
forces of a reawakened Earth. The result is an
unfamiliar layering of tones and textures, creating
surprise and intrigue across the floor.
The textile equivalent of neon lights and lava lamps,
these carpets are both playful and puzzling, exciting
us with unlikely contrasts and tricking us with
optical illusions.
10. Mellopolis
11. Hydropolis
12. Assur - Nippur
13. Assur - Tigri
14. Assur - Seleucia
(background)
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15. Assur - Eufrate
(foreground)
T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D - PAST
Lutetia -- 346590
Etruria
346483 Felathri
Caen
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Lutetia - 346483 Caen
Bisanzio - 346423 Suidas
Etruria - 346597 Fufluna
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Assiria - 346402 Qatna
Creta - 346571 Chania
Product shown: 1. ??????
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T H E FAT E O F M A N K I N D - P resent
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Londinium - 346460 Islington
Histonium - 346505 Gissi
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Berolinum - 346522 Velten
Madritum - 346446 Barajas
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Mellopolis - 346580 Postremo
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Hydropolis - 346562 Balsa
Mellopolis - 346580 Postremo
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Assur Tigri - 346615 Lagash
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Assur Tigri - 346615 Lagash
Assur Nippur - 346635 Arvad
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Assur Eufrate - 346605 Eshunna
Assur Seleucia - 346625 Riblah
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d
CMYK
RGB
d
CMYK
RGB
the
current
climate
Our verified climate neutral service
which zeros out all greenhouse gas
emissions associated with the full life
cycle of our carpet tiles.
MILANO 2012
La Triennale
The Design exhibitions at Palazzo della Triennale,
during the Milan Design Week, are a major event in
the world of interiors and design. Building on past
successes, Interface is expected to turn heads yet
again with its new Metropolis design exhibition.
The exhibition expresses humankind’s continuous
desire for constant regeneration; the everlasting
hope for something new and better that will follow
any destructive or apocalyptic event.
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M I LANO, LA TR I E N NALE Interface first exhibited at La Triennale in 2011, with the
highly conceptual presentation, The Positive Floor. Such an
innovative way to present carpet tiles had never been seen
before in the industry, and earned Interface widespread
recognition as a true design leader.
250 m2 of mirrors on the ceiling reflected the stunning
designs of the carpet tiles, creating the illusion of an elevated
floor – a ‘positive floor’ for which there was no longer
the need to look down. The shape of the exhibition units,
reminiscent of the disrupted lines of a river-bed during a
severe drought, raised awareness of climate change issues
and of Interface’s approach to sustainability.
The Positive Floor received praise from all over the world. The
press described it as one of the few ‘must-visit’ exhibitions
during Milan Design Week, and internationally respected
designers expressed their admiration.
Q&A WITH FRANCESCO BANDINI & MICHELE IACOVITTI
of things into a more sustainable future, and about the power
of nature over architectural destruction. I asked Francesco
how we could express the terrifying signs of a catastrophic
event – but, at the same time, also express the hope for a
new, better future. We wanted to express the human hope for
something better than we have left behind or that no longer
exists.
Francesco: When Michele presented to me the idea of
Metropolis, the first thing I thought was, “La fine di un’Era è
necessariamente l’inizio di una nuova”, which means, “the end
of an era is necessarily the beginning of a new one”.
It may sound obvious, but I looked deeper into this subject,
keeping my focus on the human aspect and on the elements
associated with the theme of rebirth. Just like all other living
creatures, humans have instincts for survival, adaptation and
a sense of community. However, what differentiates us from
the rest of the natural world is a sense of self-perception and
the constant need for not simply expressing ourselves but for
expressing ourselves through real beauty.
So you mean that for the Metropolis design exhibition
you wanted to create something beautiful?
Francesco: I believe that the visitors at the Triennale
exhibition will be the best ones to answer that question! What
I mean is that the concept of beauty in its integral meaning
has been fundamental for me when developing the design
concept of the exhibition.
The Positive Floor – La Triennale 2011
L A T R I E N N A L E 2012
Following the incredible success of The Positive Floor, this
year’s Interface exhibition shows all the signs of becoming
another global success story. We talked to Michele Iacovitti,
Vice President Marketing Communication & Branding at
Interface, who created the Metropolis concept, and to
Francesco Maria Bandini, the architect, artist and fashion
designer who helped visualise it in a stunning design
exhibition.
Michele, you have told us already about the
Metropolis concept, but what is its core expression at
the Triennale exhibition?
Michele: Well, with Metropolis our product designers
wanted to create a collection that reflects this year’s leading
design and socio-cultural trends. Trends that are about the
fall and rebirth of human cities, about the natural regeneration
To find the ‘design key’ of how to transmit this, I asked myself
a simple question: what image would a human mind conceive
at the moment of the revelation that all of the known world
is gone and that something new is being created? And I
imagined light, pure light as the key element of the creative
concept of the Metropolis exhibition – because everything
has its origins in light.
Michele: Exactly – a pure expression of the alienation of
everything, from which everything will be reborn. Pure light,
the origin of existence, from which extraordinary forms
will take new life. Something new, outstanding, and more
sustainable.
Francesco: Indeed, something as beautiful as pure light.
The exhibition emerges from the ground that has now lost its
physical connotations to become something transcendent,
from which the matter, now seen as new opportunities, is
reborn in all its beauty and possibilities. This is represented
by an ordered series of geometries that rise dramatically up
towards the sky, symbolising the initial fragments of what will
be a new path for humankind’s rebirth.
Michele: It certainly does. Metropolis is like the hopeful
vision of a new and more sustainable future after an
ideological apocalypse. We have conceived an imaginary
place where we all dream of living and working. A place like
a cocoon, inviting us to nest and be creative. The Metropolis
exhibition expresses humankind’s continuous desire for
constant regeneration; the everlasting hope for something
new and better that will follow any destructive or apocalyptic
event.
In our Metropolis product collections, and then supported
by a strong visual campaign, we have symbolised the past,
present and future of human civilizations and their cities –
their Metropolis indeed. The design concept of our exhibition
at the Triennale symbolises therefore the future...
So this explains why you chose the name ‘Metropolis’
and also why pure light is the key design element in
your exhibition?
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More about Milan Design Week and the Triennale
Milan Design Week began in 1961, when the first Salone
del Mobile (the interior furniture fair) was organised. The
main objective of the fair was to present and promote
Italian furniture, and support its export. In 1965, all
the companies exhibiting their furniture were given a
dedicated space for the exhibition just outside the city,
in the Rho area. Since then, this space has grown to
a total area of 230,000 m2, making it the world’s most
popular trade fair for interiors, furniture and accessories,
with visitors from more than 150 countries. In 1967, the
fair was opened up to international exhibitors, changing
its name to Salone Internazionale del Mobile. A new
complex was opened in 2005, with an investment of €755
million euros. Designed by architect Massimiliano Fuksas,
the complex includes eight pavilions offering a total of
345,000 m2 (3,710,000 sq ft) of gross covered exhibition
space and 60,000 m2 (650,000 sq ft) of outdoor space
making it one of the largest centres in the world.
Fuori Salone is the collective name for the creative and
artistic design exhibitions presented in areas of Milan
city centre, away from the big commercial trade fair (the
Salone Internazionale del Mobile). During the entire week
of the exhibition, the city of Milan literally changes its
face. Events and socio-cultural activities fill the streets,
animating areas like Lambrate, via Tortona and via
Montenapoleone with young professionals and artists,
turning them into an open-air creative exhibition.
This has attracted more and more attention from visitors
to the Fiera del Mobile, and now the Fuori Salone has
become the real centre of interest for admirers of design,
innovation and creative expression.
Within the ‘circuit’ of the Fuori Salone, the Palazzo della
Triennale has been defined as the ‘true temple of design’.
Born as a tri-annual art and design exhibition (hence the
name ‘triennale’), the first event was held in the city of
Monza, Italy, in 1923. This was an overview of modern
decorative and industrial arts, with the aim of bringing
together production industries and design. In 1933, the
exhibition moved to Milan, where the architect Giovanni
Muzio had designed and built (in only 18 months)
the Palazzo dell’Arte (Palace of the Arts) in which the
Triennale exhibition has been held ever since.
It has a total area of 12,000 m2, of which 8,000 m2 are
dedicated to public events and exhibitions, ranging from
interior to industrial design, from fashion to decorative and
expressive arts.
One recent addition to the exhibition areas in the Palazzo
della Triennale has been the Museo del Design (the
Design Museum). This innovative space, conceived to
exhibit Italian design, has been created to be highly
interactive, and to give equal exposure to both designers
and manufacturers.
“Milan Design Week
began in 1961, the main
objective of the fair was
to present and promote
Italian furniture, and
support its export.”
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D E S I G N ST U D I O
Francesco Maria Bandini,
The designer and architect, founder of B3 design studio,
tells us about his work and diverse influences.
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B 3 D E S I G N ST U D I O
How would you describe B3 design studio and
your work?
When I leave home in the morning, I always look up to the
sky to figure out if the weather’s going to turn during the
course of the day. This simple act is a metaphor for the
intellectual process that accompanies my professional
activity. I have always thought that a successful project
must begin with a forecast, evaluating circumstances and
imagining them in a plausible future. This is at the root of
B3 design studio: a place where any project is evaluated
according to function, and then developed into a
tangible reality.
Please tell us about some of your projects.
The project we developed together, The Positive Floor,
was one of those unusual instances where a project
perfectly fulfils a specific function, while containing
that rare element of poetry. This precious element I call
‘poetry’, and which you may call ‘art’ or ‘inspiration’,
makes a world of difference to both viewer and creator. To
know you have created an installation that is not merely
functional but also has vision, gives immense intellectual
and professional satisfaction.
I also recall one of my first industrial design commissions:
two industrial coolers for the Coca Cola Company. As
well as cooling the drinks, they also had to embody the
iconic status of the king and queen of all soft drinks. Much
of this comes from Coca Cola’s flowing logo, the 1950s
adverts, the rounded, majestic coolers and soda parlour
vending machines. These convey a sense of shared
history and time-honoured tradition. This is where I drew
my inspiration, and was what made the cooler designs so
successful. They weren’t merely functional and practical.
They were desirable, and would enhance the aesthetic
value of any room they were placed in. They were
named ‘Retro’, and they are still a huge commercial
success today.
Another project is a bar-top soft drinks vending machine.
The marketing idea was that the bar tender could fill the
vending machine easily, without leaving the bar – so
customers would be able to serve themselves and pay
directly, encouraging them to consume without having to
wait in line. The design had to be compact yet capacious,
and also stable. I couldn’t look to the past for inspiration,
as such an object had never been designed before
– it needed to capture people’s imagination by being
wholly new and seductive. In most vending machines,
a mechanism ‘drops’ your drink and you lean down to
retrieve it. I thought I might try to turn this around and
have the drink rise to meet your eager hand, the vending
machine acting as a mechanical barman. I also had
to tackle the cooling mechanism. A vending machine
compact enough to fit onto a bar counter doesn’t have
the necessary room to host traditional cooling technology
– so I needed something that would cool the drinks from
above, and not with the engine below as in other coolers.
Inspiration came one day when I was riding my bike and
decided to stop for a quick coffee. I put my helmet on the
bar counter, and lifted the visor. Here it is, I thought. Lifting
the helmet’s visor, I imagined a well-lit, cool soft drink in
there. Once the drink was retrieved and the visor closed
again, a new drink would replace it. Transforming this into
a functional, sturdy object wasn’t quite so easy, but the
breakthrough really came while sipping my coffee, and the
cooler is perhaps one of my most admired projects.
What are the themes and trends coming through,
which you believe will influence your architecture
in the future?
Architecture should first and foremost be functional for the
people inhabiting and using the designed structures. After
decades of useless speculation and profit at all costs –
which have brought us nowhere – the trend I hope will
prevail is that we must find harmony with our environment
and our fellow beings. No building can ever be beautiful if
its impact on the environment is destructive of nature, or if
it disrupts neighbouring human activity.
We are living in times of great uncertainty, and placing
ourselves at the centre of things is a reassuring exercise.
My work, as I see it, will continue to concentrate on
restoring unity between function, style, human needs
and environment. In all my projects, whether in fashion,
architecture or industrial design, I look for lightness and
synthesis. I also need a single element to create tension.
This keeps the design, whatever it may be, vibrant
and captivating.
Designers also strive to create a new language using the
tools of the time. Technology is certainly helpful, although
the thought process that precedes technological solutions
is much deeper, involving a continuous subtraction of
the superfluous, so that everything is vital and essential.
Often the risk is to create something that will not be
comprehended by your contemporaries.
You also have a past as a fashion designer, can you
tell us more about that?
The goal of most bon vivant college students is to raise
enough dough for a decent Friday night. This is why I got
interested in fashion and started designing clothes in my
mother’s atelier. This quickly gathered momentum, and she
was selling my designs as fast as I could produce them.
I was studying architecture in Rome University at the time,
and liked to think of my fashion creations as architectural
works on a small scale. I was interested in geometry,
proportion, ergonomics. I tried to combine these concepts
with the idea of seduction and beauty as applied to the
human form.
Some of your fashion design works are displayed
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Can you tell us what made them choose your
designs?
Francesco Maria Bandini
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It was difficult to find a commercial outlet for some of
my more extreme designs, and I was sad to see them
collecting dust in my mother’s atelier. I kept thinking they
were more than just clothes, and that maybe a museum
might be interested. So one day I called the Met in New
York and the Gemeentemuseum in the Netherlands,
who both had costume institutes. I guess they thought,
who is this cocky University student, let’s put him to the
test. They asked for a catalogue. Both answered quickly:
each wanted five pieces for their permanent collections.
I will never forget handing over my pieces, nor the Met’s
motivation for taking them: “The pieces achieve luxurious
balance between structural complexity and visual appeal
and will be a most welcome addition to our collection.”
They also mentioned that I was the youngest living fashion
designer to have pieces there. “Who, me?” I remember
thinking at the time.
B 3 D E S I G N ST U D I O
You say that your fashion design work was strongly
influenced by architecture, please elaborate a bit
further on this for us.
My exploration of fashion was not a true vocation, not
initially. My models of inspiration stemmed from art history
and architecture, which I was studying at the time. At
first, I simply tried to translate architectural motifs into
decorative elements. I then focused on structure, volume,
proportion, rhythm, equilibrium – and tried to transfer
these ideas into actual sartorial reality: cuts, folds,
inseams, inlays, plissées, drapes, ribbing. The structure
thus becomes decoration. This was the basis of my work,
to which I added the elements of seduction and femininity.
Taking the opposite view, has fashion ever
influenced your architectural work? And if so, how?
To work with the human body in mind means to give it
significance. I tried to understand the relationship between
the human body and the space surrounding it. I would
define this as ‘organic’, and indeed, any architectural work
is an organism made of movement, presence, absence
and function. Architecture, design, fashion and art came
about because they responded to basic human needs,
translating them into objects that satisfied them. When we
started to appraise these objects, and subjected them to
critical analysis, they became signs, a series of unspoken
codes conveying a message. It is precisely through this
mechanism that we choose those objects that not only
appeal to our personal tastes, but best represent our
intellectual presence, our social class, our essence, or the
one we aspire to.
In this paradigm, we choose to possess an object that
also represents our membership of a group – a code that
offers a representation of ourselves that supersedes the
mere aesthetic value of the object itself. It may well be
that we human beings as social creatures find it easier to
represent ourselves as members of a group, rather than
engage in a more direct and individual relationship with
our fellow beings.
It may well be that we human beings as social creatures
find it easier to represent ourselves as members of a
group, rather than engage in a more direct and individual
relation with our fellow beings.
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d
CMYK
RGB
d
CMYK
RGB
what
was
possible
A collaboration to achieve 100%
recycled yarn, the lowest possible
yarn weight and integral sustainable
services. The Biosfera I range - our
most sustainable collection to date.
Ever since Thomas More wrote his seminal work of
fiction, Utopia, in 1516, there has been a constant and
evolutionary desire to create a haven to live in, free from
ecological, economic and physical constraints. Culturally,
utopian visions are accepted and widespread. Going
against the current climate of hyper-realism in which we
live, the search for an independent, self-sufficient space
offers hope, and a wealth of possibilities.
Image: The Kingdom Tower by Adrian Smith &
Gordon Gill Architecture
FUTURE
CITIES
OR CITI ES OF TH E FUTU R E?
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Throughout the twentieth century, cities were the
perfect breeding ground for such revolutionary ideas.
Both artistically and socially, movements from Futurism
to Modernism glorified themes associated with
contemporary concepts of the future. For French filmmaker-writer-provocateur, Guy Debord, and a group
of leftist academics writing in the 1950s, a city and its
props formed a theatre; a place of infinite possibility and
excitement. Comparably, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World offered visions of the
future with unusual promise.
In a post-war world, the prospect of a future filled with
technological innovation offered hope and luxury to a
deflated society. Films such as General Motors’ Design for
Dreaming in the US and the Ideal Home Exhibitions in the
UK fuelled the desire to buy into a cultural revolution.
Unfortunately, the cities where we live today are not the
ones we need for a humane and sustainable tomorrow.
Societies and politicians are desperately looking for
solutions and ideas for the urban areas of the future.
Which is why the development of utopias is such a hot
topic in contemporary architecture.
Image: New York Suspended
Garden by Daniel Libeskind
We have learned from the 1960s and 1970s that utopian
visions are important catalysts for fundamental change.
Modern wind farms for generating energy, for example,
were first contemplated at that time, and are now
accepted features of our landscapes. In contrast to the
largely idealistic approaches of the past, today’s utopias
take into account the necessity for social, economic and
environmental change.
Image: The Kingdom Tower by Adrian
Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture
“Where should we
expect to live – for
our own good, and for
the protection of our
planet?”
Image: Floating observatories
Image: New York by Frank Gehry (Photo: dbox)
Image: Shenzhen Guosen Securities Tower - by Massimiliano
& Doriana Fukas Architects
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The Zoological Park of St Petersburg by Paris landscape
designers TN Plus and architects Beckmann N’Thépé
shows how this domination can develop. On a series of
artificial islands on the outskirts of the city, the trees are
taking over, and the buildings have morphed into Organic
shapes. A new kind of harmony is being established, where
the natural and the manufactured live as one.
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The floating observatories above by Dorin Stefan, Mihai
Carciun and upgrade studio have developed the concept
of the technological tree: “we have designed 8 spatial
leaves (with 8 being a propitious number in the local
culture) in the form of zeppelin-like elevators which
glide up and down the ‘tree trunk” and which serve the
purpose of observation decks / belvedere. I have called
these elevators floating observatories because each has
a nacelle which can take 50 to 80 people; they are selfsustained by helium balloons and are built from lightweight
materials (borrowed from the spacecraft industry) and are
wrapped in a last-generation type of membrane (PTFE)
and they glide vertically on a track positioned vertically in a
strong electro-magnetic field”.
The tower layers underground and ground level spaces as
well as in its vertical reach, the functions required by the
conceptual theme: information center, museum, office and
conference space, restaurants, fixed observation desks.
Apart from the fact that we aim to design a tower whose
silhouetted out of line echoes the local symbolism and has
great impact in terms of visual identity, our solution is at
the same time a model of
green architecture.
Images: Floating observatories by Dorin
Stefan, Mihai Carciun and upgrade studio
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The Hualien Residences offer leisure and vacation
apartments for the visitors of the multifunctional
development, LOHAS Creative park, combining the
country’s largest art village, including studios and
exhibition spaces; a culture and entertainment center;
Forum and retails spaces; and 5 and 6 star resort hotels
on a 45.1 hectares plot facing the south of Hualien
City center.
favorable north-south light is allowed into the units. Green
roofs further mitigate heat gain and combined with the
striping create a low energy masterplan. Located on the edge of the rapidly developing city of
Hualien the complex is positioned to deliver sustainable
long-term economic benefit to the region by promoting
local industries; including production, transportation,
research and development; planned in accordance
with the Hualien County Government and Statute
for Upgrading Industries of Taiwan. The site offers
spectacular views as it is situated prominently against the
East Coast National Scenic Area and near the intersection
of the Hualien River and Papaya River deltas, surrounded
by the scenic Farglory Ocean Park and Taiwan’s spine of
mountains to the west.
For the resort masterplan, green landscape stripes create
a mountain terrain of commercial and residential program
that echo the natural mountains in distance with regard
and respect to the surrounding natural environment. The
stripes run east-west to frame the best views while also
becoming an optimal shading system for Taiwan’s hot and
humid tropical climate. Low-angle, high-glare morning
and evening sun is effortlessly blocked by the stripes while
Images: The Hualien Residences
“Historically the field of architecture has been dominated
by two opposing extremes. On one side an avantgarde full of crazy ideas. Originating from philosophy,
mysticism or a fascination of the formal potential of
computer visualizations they are often so detached from
reality that they fail to become something other than
eccentric curiosities. On the other side there are well
organized corporate consultants that build predictable
and boring boxes of high standard. Architecture seems
to be entrenched in two equally unfertile fronts: either
naively utopian or petrifyingly pragmatic. We believe that
there is a third way wedged in the nomansland between
the diametrical opposites. Or in the small but very fertile
overlap between the two. A pragmatic utopian architecture
that takes on the creation of socially, economically and
environmentally perfect places as a practical objective”
Quote from Bjarke Ingels, the Danish architect who heads
the architectural practice Bjarke Ingels Group.
The Hualien Residences were created by: Bjarke Ingels, Jakob Lange, Cat Huang, Alysen Hiller, Xi Chen, Espen Vik, Alvaro
Garcia Mendive, Steffan Heath, Dominyka Mineikyte, Terrence Chew, Nigel Jooren, Miguel Pereira at BIG Architects.
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ORGANIC
ARCHITECTURE
Born out of the philosophy that every
building should grow naturally from its
environment, organic architecture promotes
harmony between human habitation and the
surrounding natural world through intelligent
and sympathetic design. In more recent years,
Organic Architecture has also developed into
the approach of giving space to nature in the
architecture of modern environments.
Image: Guggenheim Museum, New York
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O R G A N I C A R C H I T E CT U R E
The philosophy behind organic architecture gives an
architect the freedom to be original, away from the
constraints of styles and trends. Because each project
is unique in terms of its environment, space, economics
and technology available, every solution must therefore be
completely bespoke and unique.
In line with Wright’s belief that all architecture is organic,
designs that follow the principles of organic architecture
typically ignore rigid, linear geometry in favour of curved
shapes and wavy lines which mimic natural forms.
The desire to creating designs that appear to “grow”
naturally from their environment – as if they’ve always
been there – is fundamental to organic architecture. In
embracing this desire, Frank Lloyd Wright himself would
often choose to design building on sites close to woods,
rock formations, or even waterfalls so as to become as
close to the nature that inspired him as possible.
Perhaps the simple ethos at the heart of organic
architecture was best summed up by Eric Corey Freed
when he said:
“Using Nature as our basis for design, a building or design
must grow, as Nature grows, from the inside out. Most
architects design their buildings as a shell and force their
way inside. Nature grows from the idea of a seed and
reaches out to its surroundings. A building thus, is akin
to an organism and mirrors the beauty and complexity of
Nature.”
“Originally inspired by the integration of human
habitations in the natural world, the concept of
organic architecture has also developed into
the approach of giving space to nature in the
architecture of modern urban environments”
Image: The Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall
by Hans Scharoun
One of his most celebrated pieces of work is Falling
Water House, where Wright chose to build directly over
a waterfall to create an intimate yet noisy dialog between
the building and the rushing water below.
Image: Falling Water House
The very essence of organic architecture is the balancing
of man-made structures with the natural world that they
live amongst. Alongside this literal relationship that a
building shares with its surrounding is the belief that every
element of a structure must relate to one another as if part
of a single unified organism.
The term “Organic Architecture” was coined by renowned
architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, who had the vision that
buildings, furnishings, and natural surroundings could
become totally integrated to create an inter-related whole.
“So here I stand before you preaching organic
architecture: declaring organic architecture to be the
modern ideal and the teaching so much needed if we are
to see the whole of life, and to now serve the whole of life,
holding no traditions essential to the great tradition. Nor
cherishing any preconceived form fixing upon us either
past, present or future, but instead exalting the simple
laws of common sense or of super-sense if you prefer
determining form by way of the nature of materials...”
- Frank Lloyd Wright. 1954 -
Architect and Planner, David Pearson, attempted to
further define the rules around organic architecture. These
include letting the design be inspired by nature and be
sustainable, healthy, conserving, and diverse; letting
it unfold like an organism from the seed within; letting
it follow the flows and be flexible and adaptable; and
celebrating the spirit of youth, play and surprise.
During the latter half of the twentieth century, Modernist
architects took the concept of organic architecture and
developed it even further. New construction methods and
materials were now at their disposal and enabled them to
create structures ever more in keeping with the shapes
and forms found in nature – for example they were able to
use new kinds of concrete and cantilever trusses to create
stunning swooping arches without visible beams or pillars.
The list of works created using organic architecture
thinking is vast, and features some of the most striking,
free-thinking and iconic buildings on the planet. They
include: The Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall by Hans
Scharoun, The TWA terminal at New York’s Kennedy
Airport by Eero Saarinen, Gaudi’s Casa Mila in Barcelona,
The New York Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd
Wright and The Sydney Opera House by Jorn Utzon.
Image: The Sydney Opera House by Jorn Utzon
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– in just two. The project cost $380 million and involved
removing and recycling 620,000 tonnes of concrete and
asphalt.
Reclaiming the city / A modern day ecological
transformation
In the South Korean capital of Seoul the car had become
king, leading to a huge traffic and congestion problem.
To make matters worse, for decades the city’s natural
environment had been eroded in order to accommodate
the ever-increasing volume of road users.
But it’s here, in the seventh largest city on earth, that an
imaginative piece of organic architecture has brought
about an ecological transformation that’s reversed the
damage of twentieth century over-development to improve
the lives of millions of pedestrians and drivers.
In the 1970s the riverbed of the Cheonggyecheon River
– which runs through the city – had been concreted
over so that a six-lane motorway could be built above it.
But by 2002 this had become a decaying symbol of the
city’s industrialisation, and Mayor Lee Myung Bak boldly
pledged to dismantle the motorway, restore the river and
create a five-mile long, 1,000-acre park in the city centre.
Work began in July 2003, and the roads that had taken 20
years to build were pulled down – and the river restored
After
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This phenomenon supports the ‘Braess Paradox’ theory
that adding extra capacity to a road network can lead to
worse congestion and longer journey times, with new
roads only serving to encourage people to drive more.
Hugely popular with both locals and tourists, the restored
Cheonggyecheon has had a profound positive impact
on Seoul’s environment. The waterfall that feeds the river
is now a scenic attraction, hiding the pumping system
mechanics that keep the water running. Twenty-two
bridges provide attractive walkways underneath, and
streams bringing water down from the mountains are now
available for people to enjoy.
Many local traders and urban planners objected, but a
survey by Hongik University found that the majority of
Seoul’s population were in favour of the regeneration,
citing the environment and water as the two most
important things to them in the city.
Before
The expected results were immediate: less pollution, lower
temperatures, and the return of wildlife. Less expected
was the fact that although the road had carried 160,000
cars a day, the city’s traffic volumes reduced dramatically.
People simply changed their driving habits. They found
different routes or gave up using their cars in favour of the
city’s increased public transport service.
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In a very short space of time, this bold project has swung
the balance of the city back to one where modern urban
life complements and seamlessly exists alongside nature.
The Bosco Verticale project, Milan.
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Creating a Vertical Forest in the heart of the city
It’s a familiar story in cities all over the world; as the
population continues to increase sprawling developments
needed to house these inhabitants are being built in place
of the green space and wildlife that once thrived there.
But in Milan – one of the Italy’s most built-up and polluted
cities - the Bosco Verticale project (which translates as
‘Vertical Forest’) is attempting to reverse the damage of
urbanization by creating a self-sufficient ecosystem at the
very heart of a new style of urban development.
This first ever Vertical Forest is a breathtaking example
of organic architecture, and the best proof yet that
nature and the design of modern environments can be
interwoven to create functional, living structures.
The project is made up of two tower blocks which will
house within their façades the equivalent of a hectare of
forest – including 480 big and medium size trees, 250
small size trees, 11,000 groundcover plants and 5,000
shrubs.
The Vertical Forest will form a micro-climate capable of
filtering dust particles found in the urban environment.
The density of the plants will help to create humidity and
absorb CO2, as well as protect the towers’ residents from
the sun’s rays and the noise from the city. Biodiversity will
also be increased, with the urban forest providing the
perfect habitat for birds and insects.
The project is also an anti-sprawl measure which
demonstrates how urban expansion can be reduced.
When considered in terms of urban densification, each
tower of the Vertical Forest is equivalent to an area of
urban sprawl of family houses and buildings of up to
50,000 square metres.
Trees are a vital element of the project and with the help
of a team of botanists these have been carefully chosen
based on their positioning on the facades, the height
to which they’ll grow and their need for water. All the
plants used in the project will be grown specifically and
pre-cultivated to prepare them for the conditions they’ll
encounter once in place.
It’s hoped that in time a number of similar developments in
the city will combine to create a network of environmental
corridors, adding new life to existing parks and forming
a green belt around the city by connecting spaces of
spontaneous vegetation growth.
Not only will the finished project act as an ever-changing
landmark – with the trees and plants reflecting the
seasons of the year – but it will offer a glimpse into a
future where urban reforestation can emerge from, and
once again be an integrated part of, a modern developed
city.
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CREATIVE
NESTING
Interface talks to:
David Oakey,
Camenzind Evolution,
BBC
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DAVID
OAKEY
David Oakey has designed products for Interface since
1994, winning over 50 awards for his work along the
way. His art is held in high regard by his peers and by the
commercial carpet industry. He is one of the world’s bestknown advocates and practitioners of the nature-based
design principles of biomimicry, and his search for inspired
workspaces is what set David Oakey on his exploration of
this theory called Creative Nesting.
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C R E AT I V E N E ST I N G
What made you think of creating nesting at first?
With Ettore Sottsass, interestingly. I had designed an
American collection inspired by the playfulness and colour
of his work so we began studying that connection the
one between fun, play, and work. The Zurich offices of
Google hit our radar and in those offices, we saw a slide
for employees, a game room, and meeting spaces they
described themselves as “fun and inspiring”.
Could you define “creative nesting” for us?
It’s really about creating spaces that attract people.
Aesthetics transcend place today because people do.
We work at home; we collaborate in group spaces; we
bring more of our real selves into the office environment.
Creative Nesting allows individuals or workgroups to
inhabit space that truly expresses who they are and lets
them create real meaning—without being constrained
by formulaic interiors standards. This kind of effective
workspace begins with an inspiring and adaptable
foundation—one that encourages innovation and facilitates
dialog—while remaining manageable and infinitely flexible.
One of the world’s largest companies has a slide in
their office?
And they weren’t alone in that approach. We googled
‘offices like Google’ and saw that their office in Zurich
wasn’t just a one-off in its sense of play: It was a trend.
We asked ourselves why? Why is this a trend? So in a
sense, we followed this trend which led us to the business
strategy of creative nesting. We just kept going deeper
and deeper.
[www.makethelist.net 7/21/10] have already incorporated
that thinking and much more into their workspaces.
Collaboration itself has become a business strategy that
is changing the way offices are designed. Offices that
once were traditionally designed with individual cubicles—
called “I-Space”—are now being designed with sharing
spaces called “We-Space.”
1.
What else did you discover following the creative
nesting trend?
More collaboration in the workplace. People are working
everywhere today. I read an article from Loose Wire
Service written by Jeremy Wagstaff called “Why We Work
in Starbucks.” He talks about having a great home office
with ergonomic chairs, cappuccino, and music but every
day he packs up his laptop and heads to Starbucks.
The question is why.
And what was the answer? Why did he work
at Starbucks?
“I-space” changing to “we-space?” What’s behind
this?
Space changes first: Steelcase shared these numbers
with me. When you move from I-Space to We-Space, you
can fit many more people in the same square footage.
Where you might have 100 people in an I-Space floor
plan, you can fit up to 500 people in that same area
when it is handled as We-Space. Other companies,
like CISCO, are already moving towards collaborative,
connected workspaces. There are huge dynamics of cost
savings in IT, real estate, all of those things. The factors
driving this shift are many. Technology gives anyone the
option to work anywhere they want. You have to make
them want to come to the office today. So the question
becomes, how can I design a space where people want to
come; enjoy coming; a space that makes them feel good?
The “New Millellennials”—the current and still incoming
workforce—are very influential in this equation.
2.
His theory is fascinating. Goes back to Dickens and
Tennyson and their war against street noise in London
that resulted in the Street Music Act of 1864. Wagstaff
believes that the knowledge workers of today need the
right kind of noise, the right kind of community, and also
the option of isolation to be effective and creative. And the
coffee doesn’t hurt.
That sounds like a description of the office of
tomorrow.
It does. Except that tomorrow is here. Companies like
Google, Red Bull, TBWA Hakuhodo, Pixar and others
Tell us about the “new millennials.”
3.
That’s the generation born between 1980 and 1995—
about 80 million people. They are the most tech-savvy and
diverse group in history and a powerful force in the global
economy. If you think about the impact the Boomers had
on the world, the way they shaped everything from
4.
Image: Google office, Zurich
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= I-space
= We-space
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1. Office cubicles
3. Office design with sharing spaces emerging
2. Office cubicle layout
4. Office design with more sharing spaces
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C R E AT I V E N E ST I N G
with. Some species go all out finding shells, flowers,
feathers, stones, berries—and spend hours arranging their
collections. The female visits a number of these bowers
and chooses the one she finds the most beautiful and
mates with that male. The bowerbird is a great example of
Creative Nesting in nature.
politics to cosmetic surgery, you start to grasp the sheer
power the Millennial have in their hands.
Are employers listening to the concerns of the
millenials?
What are they like?
But every generation learns from the generations
preceding it.
A workforce of 80 million is too important to ignore. But
it is also interesting to see how closely the thinking of
today’s CEOs mirrors that of the new Millennials on most
key points. Global thinking is obviously good business
strategy. Creativity is becoming more so: A recent
article in Fast Company [The United States of Design,
9/24/2011] notes that design is being finally consider a
competitive business strategy in America and is having
its own global impact. European design has always
been elevated but now, the Americans are seeing the
strategic value of it. Where the Millennial and today’s
employers differ the most is on the emphasis they place
on Sustainability.
Exactly. And that’s also driving today’s new workforce. The
Are Millennials That Focused On Sustainability?
And for Interface? How is the company adapting?
Absolutely. Our studies show that Millennial are
substantially more concerned about how the scarcity of
resources in the future will impact an organization. That’s a
very good thing for our planet.
In terms of product design, we’re ready, if not a little
ahead. We’ve already been crossing our residential and
commercial palettes in terms of colours, materials, and
textures. That’s been going on. And modular carpet tile
is inherently more flexible and adaptable to change to
begin with. Interface is the most flexible, personable,
customizable surface in the market that allows a company
to attract the employees they want to attract. Whatever is
going on in your world as an employer, these squares can
do wonders for you. I really think tile can change
the world.
The Millennials grew up with computers, smart phones,
iPads, etc., so they are very social and constantly in touch
with their friends and with the world. They were born
beyond the concept of walls between nations; the Berlin
Wall fell when they were nine years old. The Cold War
and all it represented, from political isolation to economic
oppression—was pretty much an assignment in a history
class for them.
How does this all lead back to the workplace
itself?
Companies are going to be buying less and they are going
to be buying differently. Designers are getting more of
the residential feeling into commercial spaces. There is
a migration from individual offices and cubicles to open
office plans. It was the cutting of the cord of the computer
that allowed this freedom.
How is the décor of the space itself being treated?
Millennials could not help being inspired by the Boomers,
who always asked the question, ‘What If?’ Then the GenX’ers grew up pushing their own personal boundaries.
Today’s workplace combines all three generations, with
many Boomers in the role of managing this new breed of
employee that is so different from them.
How are the millenials different from the boomers?
They put a higher value on lifestyle NOW, for one. They
don’t feel like they have to “settle” for a job that doesn’t
offer them an environment that supports what they value
in their lifestyle: Creativity, global thinking, integrity,
sustainability, and openness. These are high-minded
young people and they talk with their feet: If they don’t
see the things they care about reflected in a prospective
employer, they will keep looking until they do.
Companies want more creative spaces, more collaborative
meeting areas. They are looking for unique pieces of
furniture and carpets that create a social workplace. All of
the furniture companies are dealing with this issue. Some
furniture companies that used to sell cubicles are now
selling swing sets or tyres! Everywhere we see companies
redirecting or rethinking products, struggling with how to
react to this change.
How has Interface reacted?
At Interface, we asked ourselves two questions: How
does modular carpet fit in with this change? And how
does nature deal with a change like this? In nature,
we see the issue of attract and retain all the time. Take
the bowerbird, for example. They have a very elaborate
courtship ritual to attract a mate. In most cases, a very
dull, bland male bowerbird must build and decorate a very
elaborate bower—a nest—to attract a female to breed
/ 126 /
So the bowerbird became your muse?
So we are back to sustainability again.
Yes. When you have a company where you are dealing
with Boomers, with Gen-Xers, with Millennials—this whole
challenging multi-generational mix—you are going to run
into some situations where you can adapt your office and
still “live your brand” as they say, by simply changing out
the floor.
Working with Interface means you can do all that and we
can pull out the old floor and help with the recycling as
well. Which is very appealing to today’s workforce—and is
only going to become more appealing in the future.
Nature is always an inspiration to me. When I read
Janine Benyus’s book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired
by Nature, it influenced my life and my business to the
point that you could say that Nature became my business
partner. Biomimicry itself, for me, became a practice that
finds solutions to design, manufacturing, and business
problems in partnership with nature.
How else can carpet tile work in tomorrow’s office?
Interface carpet tiles can change the world?
These are pieces of colour that are visceral and cool. It
is all in how you put it together. Modular can do anything
you want. There are things going on in the market today
that require employers to be a little more responsive…and
we’re the guys who can help them do that. We did find
out that people were already using our modular carpet to
create zoning areas. They were creating area rugs, to hold
a space together with the floor.
So Interface products were being client-designed
as rugs?
Yes. Whether they were using a solid colour, introducing
a pattern, mixing multiple colours, it was easier for them
to pull this new connection together. For someone who
wants to incorporate this sort of thing into an office—
add an element of surprise or playfulness or fun—it’s far
more economical and flexible and sustainable to do it
with modular carpet tile than it is to do it with pieces of
furniture or a swing set.
The new collections offer borders, for example, so you
could do a border change for the seasons. There are also
tiles that evoke the look of an Oriental rug or have a more
pronounced visual texture so a client could add textural
change into an area without changing out a whole floor.
We truly believe that there is a huge new market for this
residential look in a commercial environment.
Do you see much difference in European and
American trends?
What we see happening in London, or my hometown is
the same collaboration that we see in Shanghai, or an
investment bank in Australia, or an American company in
Switzerland. It is all the same. People are communicating
so fast because of technology. We are in the age of
communication where things are instant. I don’t have to go
to shows anymore. I do most of my research on Sunday
morning in bed. My wife’s on her iPad; I’m on my computer
and I pull up the top 25 offices in London. I could have
never done that 10 years ago. I would have had to find
sales people, go there, it would have been unthinkable.
Do you think more creative surroundings = better
creative work?
No question. Check this list of “10 Seeeeeriously Cool
Workplaces” and you’ll find Pixar and Google listed on it.
They are two of the most creative companies in the world.
[www.examiner.com, April 10, 2010]
Where do you work best at the office?
I am a walker. I just wander through the office. I do my
best work at the big table in the office.
// 127 //
Twenty-five years ago, the idea of architects working with
psychologists to design a new work environment was
virtually unknown. A typical office block in the 1980s was
not constructed with the needs of individuals in mind. The
workplace was the model of efficiency and seriousness, all
grey desks, metal filing cabinets and fluorescent lights.
CAMENZIND
EVOLUTION
Today, it is a different story. Studies show that happy
employees are more productive employees. Global
corporate giants like Google and Facebook have
demonstrated huge success from their unconventional
headquarters designed to encourage fun and creativity.
Companies such as Zappos and Red Bull believe the
‘play spaces’ in their workplace locations help to stimulate
minds and inspire innovation. The traditional office is
evolving into a new more relaxed style of workplace that
encourages the psychological well-being of the individual.
/ 128 /
/ 129 /
CA M E N Z I N D E VO L U T I O N
Leading the way in creating this new type of work
environment is the Swiss architectural practice Camenzind
Evolution. The firm is responsible for designing the award
winning office interior for Google’s EMEA hub in Zurich
and cites projects for Unilever and Credit Suisse among
its credits as well as other Google offices in Stockholm,
Oslo and Moscow. Currently designing new office space
for Google in Tel Aviv and Dublin, Camenzind Evolution is
renowned for using psychological research methods
to create a work environment that suits people’s
personalities.
“The key factor that makes us stand out is our passion
for our work,” explains Tanya Ruegg, Creative Director
at Camenzind Evolution. “Our approach is to work very
closely with clients to understand the inner workings of
their organisation, what we call defining their DNA. It is
important that our clients understand this approach and
speak the same language right from the start, otherwise
the project will struggle all the way through. Therefore, we
have made the decision to stay a small company and so
are in a position to only take on projects that are fun and
interesting for both ourselves and our clients.“
To inform their methods, Camenzind Evolution works
with researchers and psychologists who use approaches
such as neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to help them
understand the motivational factors of the employees
as well as success and failure in human performance.
Working with a company and its employees, the
psychologists use a mix of surveys and one to one
interviews to determine people’s “personality types” and
subsequently their needs and values. The results
are analysed and used to create an environment that
suits the personalities of the individuals who work there.
“The traditional office is evolving into a new more
relaxed style of workplace that encourages the
psychological well-being of the individual.”
Image: Google office space, Zurich
Image: Unilever office space, Germany
/ 131 /
“The key factor that makes us
stand out is our passion for
our work.”
- CA M E N Z I N D E VO L U T I O N -
/ 132 /
/ 133 /
CA M E N Z I N D E VO L U T I O N
“We don’t just listen to the requirements and wishes of the
senior management but we research the personality types
and needs of the employees, their motivational factors,
and what makes them comfortable and productive at
work,” says Ruegg. “For us, this is essential, and it is why
our clients have to be committed to this approach from
the start. Determining company DNA goes way beyond
interior design, it is about the company philosophy,
what makes it tick as an organisation and help it to stay
innovative in the future.” In order to stay ahead of the
game, the Zurich based practice works with research
organisations and universities around the world to ensure
it keeps abreast of latest developments in understanding
human behaviour. Swiss companies are known for their
precision and paying attention to detail and Camenzind
Evolution is no exception. However, Ruegg believes that
the fusion of Swiss quality with emotional design is the
magic ingredient to providing the best results for
their clients.
“Perfect detail will be of interest to no one if there is no
emotional value in the space so it is important to find the
right balance, to understand what really matters to people.
For example, not many might notice the latest modern
designed desk but everyone will appreciate a great coffee
machine.” What also matters to Camenzind Evolution
is sustainability and the firm chooses only to work with
clients and suppliers who pay attention to preserving the
environment. Interface is one of its preferred suppliers and
provided a range of innovative and sustainable solutions
to reduce the environmental impact of floor coverings at
Google’s Zurich headquarters and the Unilever building in
Schaffhausen including the Palette 2000 range, Sherbet
Fizz, Heuga and Superflor products.
“Our unconventional designs require different styles and
textures which Interface provides. The look and feel of the
carpet is very important to create different zones and we
need to match the right carpet to the space. For example,
we like to play with pile height to create softness in certain
areas as stepping on something soft automatically makes
us feel calmer, while in other areas we use irregularity in
pattern as a way of developing a different atmosphere,”
Ruegg explains.
The buildings created by architects at Camenzind
Evolution are inspired by people and their emotional
needs. They believe we are at our most creative and
innovative when we are working in an environment
designed in a way that helps us achieve a particular task.
Brainstorming ideas, for example, will be more successful
in a space created with colour, special furniture and smells
that stimulate the mind. Quiet work or a face-to-face
meeting, on the other hand, will be more productive in a
calm, peaceful environment.
Image: Creative Director Tanya Ruegg
“The Internet has fundamentally changed the way we work
and as a result, today’s workplace can be anything people
want it to be. For us, it is all about emotional comfort,
which is more than about feeling safe and protected. It is
about living, working and moving in an environment that
suits our personalities, matches our senses, energises our
bodies and minds and ultimately stimulates and inspires
us to the highest levels of creativity and innovation.
“This is a very specific approach and we adopt it with
clients who understand and share our philosophy. Each
project is a journey of discovery and the end result often
surprises both ourselves and our clients,” Ruegg adds.
Image: Google office space, Moscow
/ 134 /
Image: Google office space, Moscow
/ 135 /
MediaCity
SALFORD QUAYS, GREATER MANCHESTER
The BBC’s move to its new £189m headquarters on
the banks of the Manchester ship canal is nearing
completion. Flagship programmes including Match of
the Day and Blue Peter have already taken up residence
alongside the children’s channel CBeebies and CBBC,
BBC Radio 5 live, and BBC Sport, and plans are well
underway for the BBC Breakfast team to be in its new
home, part of MediaCityUK, in the Spring.
Photograph: Will Pryce
// 136 //
patusquem dem pons con tam pratiem plis
// 137 //
M edia city - S A L F O R D Q UAYS
By the time the move comes to an end later this year,
a whole creative community of more than 2300 people
will be working out of the waterfront site known as BBC
North, a major achievement which has taken eight years
to complete.
The intention for the BBC to move out of London and
establish a new base in the north of England was first
signaled in 2004 by its Director-General Mark Thompson
as part of the BBC’s commitment to better serve its
audiences across the UK. A 200-acre development site
at Salford Quays owned by the Peel Group was selected
and MediaCityUK was born.
The BBC occupies three buildings on the site: Bridge
House, home to Blue Peter, Mastermind and Dragons’
Den, among others; Dock House, the new base for teams
including Songs of Praise and Research & Development,
and Quay House, where outputs from Radio 5 live and
BBC Sport are broadcast. A number of production and
media related companies have also made Salford Quays
their home including ITV’s Granada division, and the
University of Salford has located an innovative higher
education centre on the site.
“The environment has
been designed for
flexibility, efficiency and
to promote an open and
creative atmosphere.”
The Manchester Ship Canal, an industrial wonder of
the world when it was built between 1887 and 1894,
provides the inspirational setting for what the BBC is
hoping to achieve in its new home in the north. Just as the
historic canal showcased the best in engineering talent
in its time, technical innovation forms the backbone of
the BBC’s new premises and the whole site has been
designed for the complexity of the digital age. Cutting
edge technology, 24/7 newsrooms and radio networks,
television platforms and purpose built studios have all
been installed along with the creation of interactive
websites. But the main achievement of the new state-ofthe-art media complex is its ability to foster creativity and
communication, something that was a key component of
the design brief from day one.
“The environment has been designed for flexibility,
efficiency and to promote an open and creative
atmosphere,” explains Alan Bainbridge, Head of
Workplace for Property and Facilities Management at the
BBC, and responsible for the development of the new
HQ.
“A neighbourhood of facilities has been created to allow
people to select different work environments to suit their
particular tasks, which may change frequently. We have
also tried to make the environment adaptable to the
change in technology and ways of working in the future.
We briefed the designers to create a building to provoke
smiles and we have seen a lot of that since moving in,”
he says.
ID:SR, the interior design group of award-winning
architectural practice Sheppard Robson, was chosen to
design the interior of the premises, the challenge being
to develop a new hi-tech home for the BBC which would
reflect not only the digital revolution, but also the creativity
of its people and the content they generate.
With over 70 years’ experience, the consultancy, which
has offices spread across London, Manchester, Glasgow
and Abu Dhabi and a track record of finding the right
solutions for their clients, was more than up to the task.
/ 138 /
/ 139 /
M edia city S A L F O R D Q UAYS
As with any good vibrant city, its job is to provide a
backdrop that enhances diversity and dynamism. By
imagining the office as a city, the ID:SR design team
devised an innovative workplace that is amenity-centric
rather than desk-centric and which is enlivened by the way
people share its spaces.
“It was a real collaborative process and we worked closely
with the BBC throughout. There were no surprises for
staff,” says Peck. “Technology today enables people to
work in a very mobile way. The desk is no longer the
main currency and the site has a huge amount of very
flexible open plan space which can be used for different
purposes. There are individual phone booths and quiet
collaboration pods with space for one or two people and
then there are break-out areas and places to brainstorm or
hold team meetings.
The project was handed to Fleur Peck, a senior designer
at ID:SR. The group was established five years ago to
meet the growing demand from companies that wanted to
move away from the traditional office to a more innovative
and productive environment.
ID:SR combines creative skill with management and
project delivery expertise, and has developed a reputation
for designing environments that increase productivity
while being efficient, creative and desirable. The group’s
approach to all its projects is to place people at the heart
of the design process and to understand how they fit
with the brand, vision and culture of their organisation, a
methodology which was essential to creating the right sort
of space for the BBC.
Work began in 2007 when the Corporation encouraged
its staff to think hard about the design of their new home.
They were told it was not just about a place but also
the challenge of enabling a greater variety of activities,
from formal to informal, to take place and to improve
collaboration and communication.
“We approached the initial engagement process by
meeting all 37 departments at the BBC to understand
their needs,” recalls Fleur Peck. “ It was a huge amount
of work but absolutely essential. The workshop sessions
reflected the energy, the creative pooling of ideas and the
commitment to the process. It was incredibly satisfying to
take everyone on this 200-mile journey north and to see
new partnerships develop and teams start to communicate
and work more collaboratively.”
A key theme to emerge from the workshops was the
creation of an environment that would emulate a thriving
urban neighbourhood.
/ 140 /
/ 141 /
The end result is a flexible, creative space which can
contract and expand simply by moving partitioning or
furniture as daily needs change or as programmes come
and go.”
The BBC was committed to changing the way it worked
and to building a collaborative and creative community
where people can move easily between different roles and
departments. With its brightly coloured open plan spaces,
cosy collaboration pods, neon signs and welcoming areas
on every floor, BBC North creates a different environment
for staff , and meets its design vision of being a building to
make people smile.
Flooring has been an integral part of the overall design of
the office and studio complex which covers 35,000 m2.
Reflecting the heritage of the BBC through the colours of
the original television test card, the carpet varies in each
of the three buildings to create a different look and feel, as
requested by staff.
“The carpets are important to creating zones and
weaving a pathway across each building, particularly as
we haven’t used walls and ceilings to define space. We
used all Interface products, selecting neutral tones in
general office areas, cooler colours in locker areas and
tea points, and warmer tones in collaborative areas. It is a
complicated approach but it works well and helps to guide
people through the buildings,” Peck adds.
In a book chronicling the design of the Salford complex,
BBC staff write that from the first discussions of design,
through the production of beautiful furniture to the final
stages of building and installation, what has stood out
on this project has been the team spirit, creativity and
collaboration, which is highly appropriate considering
this is what the new television centre has been designed
to inspire.
/ 142 /
“The workshop sessions
reflected the energy, the
creative pooling of ideas
and the commitment to
the process.”
/ 143 /
What made this project memorable?
Interface’s Concept Designer Hannah Harper spent
three years working on the BBC’s new Salford
headquarters. Here she explains why the flooring
was so significant to the overall design of the
innovative workspace…
Part of the beauty of this project is the way it has been
cleverly designed to allow flexibility in the space. The
site is all open plan but by the innovative use of furniture,
shelving and partitioning, one zonal space can be
transformed into anything from a break-out area to an
auditorium. Nothing is designated as a single purpose
area other than the studios or editing suites. The BBC
team we worked with were not frightened of colour and
as a result there is a lot of visual stimulation as you walk
through the building. Every vista of the space creates a
perfect frame for a photograph. The BBC commissioned
a variety of bespoke and innovative furniture and fabrics
which really stand out. The whole site is very unique and
personalised to the Corporation with photographs of
BBC actors through the ages and CBeebies characters
hidden in the odd wall space. It makes a very inspiring and
creative space to work.
What was your role in the BBC project?
I worked closely with the designers at Sheppard Robson
to create a tailored product package that combined the
required colours and designs from our range. Interface
has a vast selection of products but what also makes us
attractive is our ability to create and customise something
unique to our customers’ requirements. We started
specifically looking at flooring just over three years ago
when the construction of the project was well underway.
What floor space are we talking about?
The site was 33,000 m2 so it was a major project, which
involved dedicated time to get right. It was a fantastic and
multifaceted scheme to work on.
Why is flexible working space becoming more
popular?
What was your approach?
Throughout the three year period I had regular contact and
meetings with the designers at Sheppard Robson. There
were constant deadlines to meet. My involvement was
to take the initial design brief, which naturally developed
over the course of the three years, highlight a product
selection, look at the colours and yarns available to create
the custom options and produce a simulated design
package where we could see all the designs on screen.
This is part of our sustainable approach as it enhances the
elimination process and consequently reduces the number
of samples produced in order to satisfy the customer’s
request. At the last count, we were working with about
20 products in different colourways, which is quite a vast
selection.
What surprised you about the project? The impact of seeing the finished building complete with
all the furniture and finishings really has to be experienced
to be believed. All the interior elements of the building
have a combined impact. One feature enhances another
and there is this wonderful synergy. Everyone was also
really forward thinking and the end result is right on trend,
which is phenomenal considering we were choosing
products and colours over three years ago. The other
pleasant surprise was it was refreshing to work with
clients who are not afraid of using colour and being bold.
Overall, it was quite simply an awesome project to work
on.
The workplace has been slowly changing and evolving but
it is gaining speed with mobile technology and demand
that is fresh. People born between the mid 1980s and
early 1990s have grown up with mobile technology and
don’t need to be fixed to a desk in order to work. As a
What was the brief?
The brief was centred upon achieving a flexible, creative
and innovative space. Modular flooring is extremely well
suited to providing flexibility in design and office layout.
Once the products were selected we moved into a
secondary stage of how they were going to be installed
across the floor. Design by tile - creating design features
on the floor layout using coordinating products with
differing textures, colours and constructions to enhance
the zoning of particular areas - allows the most flexible use
of space. The benefit is if some or all of the flooring needs
to be changed, either due to function or style, tiles can
be easily uplifted. The carpet layout injected lots of colour
and interest but at the same time, didn’t align or make
a fixed zonal area, allowing for flexible use of space and
furniture layout.
result, the office environment is changing to include more
informal areas and space that feeds the imagination and
inspiration to suit the purpose of the task. Sheppard
Robson and the BBC were completely ahead of the trend
for flexible working.
What colours did you choose?
The colour palette was inspired initially by the old BBC
test card which we updated by incorporating the right
tones and intensity to provide a stylish and fresh look.
Which products did you use, and why?
We selected a wide range of products which offered
the right design, colour range and flexibility so that when
they are combined they provide an innovative statement
that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. Interface
products included: Blast from the Past and High Rise,
which were both custom re-coloured, and Key Features,
Encrypt, Cap and Blazer.
What impact did flooring have on the overall
space?
The flooring plays a significant part to fusing the interior
scheme together and provides the link between areas of
furniture and collections of creative spaces. As flooring
is the largest surface it provides a visual reference for
navigating the buildings.
/ 144 /
/ 145 /
Photograph: Will Pryce
d
CMYK
RGB
d
CMYK
RGB
the
end of
life
ReEntry 2.0®
We consider the full life cycle of our
products, ReEntry® 2.0 is a breakthrough
in carpet recycling, separating yarn to yarn
and backing to backing. It’s effective, real
and scalable.
FLOOR
ZONING
C reative nesting
interpreted by
I nterface C oncept
D esigners .
As businesses and consumers demand
more creative, varied and inspiring interiors,
the concept of ‘spaces within spaces’ –
is becoming increasingly important.
And Interface modular flooring has
a vital role to play in this.
/ 148 /
/ 149 /
I N T E R FAC E - F loor Z O N I N G
Defining discrete areas for different activities, or to set
different moods, is much quicker, simpler and more
economical to achieve with carpet tiles than with furniture.
Floor-based zones are also much easier to change to keep
pace with users’ evolving needs and aspirations – and
with Interface’s recycling services, this is a sustainable
way to keep interiors fresh.
So contrasting and combining colours, textures and
patterns to add interest, focus and excitement to
commercial floors is a big part of our Concept Designers’
work. Analysing how each space will be – or could be
– used, they develop floor plans around zoning areas,
as part of complete interior schemes. Over the next few
pages, we show you some examples of their work, to give
you just a flavour of what’s possible.
Internal Schoolyard, by Judith Hermans and
Helmich Jousma
Using floors as furniture in this way doesn’t seem to affect
their concentration or attention span. Rather than comfort,
what’s more important is to have inspiring, colourful
and vibrant surroundings, to trigger their active and
creative minds.
We’ve designed this floor as a multifunctional space
for teenagers. Working on a number of levels, its
zones inspire different moods and encourage different
activities – and these can all change quickly, to meet the
youngsters’ unpredictable demands.
Islands or ‘fields’ of carpet invite you to walk, sit or lie
down. Stairs double as seating areas for socialising and
relaxing, softened by the carpet tiles. A pit, covered in
texture and pattern, becomes a clearly defined breakout
space to hang out with a group. In this room, it really is all
about the floor.
We’ve noticed how teenagers tend to use floors differently
from adults. It seems to stem from their attitude to chairs:
you never see them sitting straight into one. They hang, lie
or drape themselves over anything that can function as a
chair – and very often, that’s the floor.
Teenagers live closer to the floor, sitting on it or even lying
down on it. Floor and wall create seat and back. And of
course they sit on stairs too.
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Madtrium
Londinium
Assiria
Creta
346580 Postremo
346585 Civitas
346406 Larsa
346583 Pagus
346447 Pinto
346581 Urbis
346463 Hackney
346577 Kissamos
/ 150 /
/ 151 /
designed to encourage creativity. And the playful colour
palette, inspired by Deadgood Studio’s Capsule Sofa,
adds to the sense of fun by combining grounded neutral
shades in charcoal and slate with splashes of bright
citrus colours.
The Ideal Collaborative Workspace, by Hannah
Harper and Amy Farn
Thinking about the perfect environment for interaction,
inspiration and motivation, we developed this scheme for
multifunctional spaces. It’s all based on an intriguing floor
plan, designed to work with interchangeable furniture.
Unusual shapes and curves guide you through the
building, revealing a variety of individual zones for different
types of collaboration. This layout could work in an office,
hotel or leisure environment, or even in education. The
comfy furnishings adjust to users’ needs, adding to the
atmosphere of familiarity and homeliness, and each zone
is informal and flexible, ideal for mobile working.
Most importantly, these zones offer choice, leaving you
free to settle in the area that best suits your mood or task.
Perhaps snuggle up with a coffee in a secluded booth, or
hold a team meeting in the bar area.
Wherever you decide to work, your surroundings are
Sherbet Fizz
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Scribble
Hydropolis
Razzle Dazzle
Sherbet Fizz
Scribble
5559 Pepper
346583 Pagus
346563 Alaia
5557 Orangeade
346580 Postremo
332031 Composition
306423 Lime light
332026 Etch
Razzle Dazzle
306443 Electron
/ 152 /
/ 153 /
So pull up a bean-bag or join us in one of the pods.
Where will you choose to work?
Rainbow Rooms, by Sophie Fox
I thought, what would be my dream social environment?
Where would I want to relax and have fun with friends?
This led me to an idea for a funky bar and nightclub that
celebrates life through colour. I decided to call this place
‘Rainbow Rooms’.
The floor is a maze of rich, vibrant colour, inspired by the
Glasgow-based artist Jim Lambie and his ‘Zobop’ floor
installations. And leading off the main central area are
distinct ‘cocoons’ of colour. I can imagine people saying,
“meet me in the red zone”, and their friends would know
exactly where to find them.
Ambient lighting from Philips LivingColours creates a
secondary colour scheme, complementing and supporting
the flooring by projecting numerous subtle shades into
the space.
In ‘Rainbow Rooms’, colour is all around, above and –
most importantly – below. This is a place I would never
want to leave.
Each zone is a nest of individual colour, where the floor
creates the shape and carefully chosen furniture adds
focus. So the carpet defines the space, and inspires the
experiences of anyone using it, while the pure white walls
feature dramatic splashes of pulsing neon technicolour,
provided by original works of art from Rob and
Nick Carter.
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Mellopolis
Heuga 731
Heuga 731
Heuga 731
Heuga 731
346583 Pagus
7351 Cadmium
Sulphide
/ 154 /
346584 Magnus
7368 Sycamore
346581 Urbis
7379 Pastel
346580 Postremo
Mellopolis
346585 Civitas
7361 Lobelia
/ 155 /
Heuga 731
7357 Hot Pink
Heuga 731
7353 Cherry
Heuga 731
7352 Orange
I decided to apply this creative adventure to the
challenges of designing offices – specifically to nurturing
well-being within the commercial environment. Inspired
by simplicity, linear structure and architectural forms, I
worked with our Metropolis collection to explore a range
of imaginative possibilities, around a fresh, contemporary
palette of teals, neutrals and blush raspberry. Choosing
these materials and ‘tools’, I let my mind drift into the
unknown, developing a highly individual design layout with
zones of varying styles and moods to suit different types
of interaction. I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t have come up with
this if I’d relied purely on my waking thoughts!
Lucid Dreaming, by Claire Monaghan
What do I mean by lucid dreaming? If you Google the
phrase, you’ll find it means being aware that you are
dreaming while the dream is happening. The dreamer is
no longer a silent spectator in the dream, but an active
participant who can control and change the course of
the dream.
In this state, the dreamer’s creativity and problem-solving
skills are heightened – and this can even be useful when
designing an interior scheme. Exploring the dimensions
of a dream brings together concrete creations and
imaginative possibilities. And, thanks to technology, the
ideas that result are more achievable than you might
think – after all, we do now we live in a world where
anything seems possible. Lucid dreaming may leave you
questioning your relationship with objects, but it’s fun
working out how you can bring your vision to life.
Lutetia
346482 Tours
Luxury Living
8361 Segrado
/ 156 /
Madtrium
346445 Vallecas
/ 157 /
Vermont
338105 Quartzite
Londinium
346460 Islington
Luxury Living
8342 Mabinogi
Histonium
346500 Cupello
Managing Moods, by Odile Béranger
Designing a hotel interior, I wanted to create a sense
of warmth, luxury and escape from the outside world –
while also injecting a bit of fun and interaction. I chose to
develop different areas that can ‘communicate’ with each
other through visual and tactile relationships. To do this, I
worked on specific shapes linked to unusual combinations
of flooring products and colours.
Etruria
Bisanzio
Razzle Dazzle
Consolidation Key Features
Key Features
Key Features
Vintage Refine Scribble
Cap and Blazer
346592 Curtun
So the bar area has a distinctive ambience, combining a
warm welcome with the idea of playfulness, based on a
unique mix and match of carpet designs complemented
by interesting lighting. On every side of the bar, there
are indulgent zones for relaxing and ‘cocooning’, with
exceptionally comfortable furniture and lighting directed
on the floor to give an atmosphere of intimacy.
8908 Wenge
347002 Gate House
In the restaurant, this same contemporary approach to
floors and furniture creates a clear link with the bar and
encourages interaction. So as customers move from one
area to another, the consistent zoning treatment adds to
the sense of a seamless experience, while allowing each
space within the hotel to project its own character
and personality.
/ 158 /
Etruria
346596 Veli
321146 Antelope
332027 Inscribe
346422 Homerus
321154 Fuchsia
306442 Current
321160 Lavender
338130 St George
/ 159 /
C ontributors Page
Editorial, Design & Production
Interface
Michele Iacovitti – Editor & Art Direction
Emma Greenwood – Art Direction & Management
Richard Rhodes, Mandy Leeming, Kerry Deffley, Lynda Oldfield,
Natalie Hakimian, Emily Rimmer – Product Design
Paul McNamee, Catherine Gooder – Artwork
Siobhan Garforth – SIM Designer
Sophie Fox, Odile Béranger, Hannah Harper, Judith Hermans,
Helmich Jousma, Claire Monaghan, Amy Farn – Product zoning
and colour.
David Oakey – Creative Nesting
Checkland Kindleysides
Steve Farrar – Creative and Art Direction
Sam Ratcliffe – Account Director
Caroline Ballard – Project Manager
Andrew Cliff – Production Manager
Kate Shepherd – Strategy and Insight
Harriet Allen – Visual Research Assistant
Esme Shanley – Research Assistant
Writers
Tony Gamble – Copywriter
Kinross + Render
Words and Ideas, Dianna Edwards – Interviewer
Lyndsey Unwin, Janine Maxwell – Interviewer
Lingo 24
Maura Pop – Copy translations
Contributors
Photography and Image references
Darren Holden – Photographer
Michael Vicente – Photographer assistant
Luce Tempo Luogo for Toshiba & DGT Architects
The Humboldt university in Berlin
Oak Inside Collection by Thomas Eyck
Light Shower for H4H by Bruce Munro
Master Designer’s Garden Plot 6 by Martha Schwartz Partners
Hel Yes by Helsinki
Powerstation, Berlin - Mitte
Berlin wall
Powerstation, Berlin - Vockerode
Bora Aksu
Northern Europe Migrants Organisation by Felix de Montesquiou
and Hugo Kaici
Day of his Great Wrath by John Martin
Dochodo Island Zoo
Hermes
HHF, Basel Architects
Plain Collection Furniture by Maarten Baas
Aim Lamp by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec
Shoes or No Shoes, Maecenas Dirk Vanderschueren
High Line, New York
Okinaha pharmacy in Belgium
Zoological Park concept of St Petersburg
Placebo Pharmacy Design by KLab Architecture
Russell Pinch Furniture
Hobby Panton Chair by Peter Jakubik
Floorboard coat rack by Tomoko Azumi
Walking City Dress & Living Pod by Ying Gao
Forest Spoon by Nendo
Moonjelly Lamps by Limpalux
Whistling Sea - Jun Ga Young
Happy Habitat Simon and Tom Bloor art installation
David Batchelor’s installation
4010 Telekom Shop in Cologne
Bundestag underground in Berlin
The Houdini chair by Stefan Diez
Videotron store
Viktor & Rolf
Martin Grant
Mulberry
Aigner
PPQ
Glyder Sofa System by Atelier Van Lieshout
Library of the University of Amsterdam
Plumen lightbulb by Samuel Wilkinson and HULGE
New York by Frank Gehry
New York Suspended Garden by Daniel Libeskind
The Kingdom Tower
Shenzhen Guosen Securities Tower
Floating observatories by Dorin Stefan, Mihai Carciun and
upgrade studio
Hualien Residences
Article contributors
B3 - Francesco Maria Bandini
Stefano Boeri
Camenzind Evolution
BBC
WGSN
High Line - New york Parkways
Cheonggychen River - Seoul Government
Creative Nesting - David Oakey
Printed by Seacourt Ltd.
/3/
2012
COLLECTIONS 2012
A collection of new products inspired by the themes of
apocalypse and rebirth. Products that represent in their
patterns the broken lines of destroyed architecture, the
visible signs of nature taking over ruins, and the surreal
patterns and electric lights of futuristic cities.
How the latest trends have
inspired our new products.
2012 Design Trends
How sustainable cities
might one day look.
Future Cities
Our carpet tiles can
influence floor design.
www.interfaceflor.eu
www.interfaceflor.eu/metropolis
5991201 - Feb 2012
Floor Zoning

2012 Design Trends Future Cities Floor Zoning

Transcription

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