WIN Awards Emerging Interior Practice 2015 – Judges’ Comments
World Interiors News received over 100 entries for the Emerging Interior Practice of the Year and Interior Practice of the Year Awards 2015.
After much debate, deliberation and discussion, the judges have reached a consensus on the shortlist. Congratulations to all of you who were shortlisted, it was an extraordinary launch of these new awards with outstanding entries from across the globe.
The winners will be announced at our Awards Ceremony at the Sky Garden, London on 02 December. We’ll be celebrating the outstanding achievements of this year’s shortlisted entries, enjoying a glass or two of Prosecco, delicious canapés and wine surrounded by the most spectacular views of London.
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For more information about tickets or the event email steven.penney@worldinteriorsnews.com or robert.stuart@worldinteriorsnews.com. Alternatively, call Steven or Robert on +44 (0) 1273 201117 to reserve your place at what promises to be the defining event in the design calendar.
EMERGING INTERIOR PRACTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD 2015
‘I liked the global nature of all the submissions; there was not a single genre, which I think is quite refreshing. I thought all the submissions had a reference point that was genuine and authentic, which I find quite enchanting as we move forward in the world of emerging practices. There were obviously some practices that are still very young and still need to grow, but I would encourage them to resubmit in future years, I think that is really important because this award is all about wanting to know more – it’s all about the future.– Rowan Lodge, Head of Retail Design and Development, Aesop
We were delighted with the response to our first Emerging Interior Practice of the Year Awards, which included an impressive spread of global entries from Australia to Mexico and everywhere in between. We saw a hot dog shop in Shanghai, a clothing store in Mexico City, a beautiful loft apartment for a family in Berlin, and a unique butcher in Double Bay, Australia.
The judging panel consisted of leading industry experts: Dr Harriet Harriss – Royal College of Art, Vicky Charles – Design Director, Soho House & Co, Jenny Jones – Founder, Studio Jenny Jones, Lewis Taylor – Design Director, David Collins Studio and Rowan Lodge – Head of Retail Design and Development, Aesop.
TomMarkHenry – Sydney, Australia
Established in 2014, TomMarkHenry offer an extensive list of architecture, interior design, bespoke joinery, and branding and identity design services from concept to completion.
‘Pared back, restrained but sensitive work with excellent intimate details. They should consider developing a product and furniture range further. Overall for a start-up practice, they clearly have an immensely talented team, and a great future ahead of them. I think their ability to work with tones and textures basically supersede anyone else’s contribution within the submissions this year’ HH
‘What I really like about TomMarkHenry is the use of materials in their projects, especially in the 1888 Certified butcher store in Double Bay, Sydney. Their photography was stunning throughout the presentation’. LT
McLaren.Excell – London, United Kingdom
Founded in 2010, McLaren.Excell is a design-led architectural practise based in Chelsea, Central London. The practice is co-directed by Luke McLaren and Robert Excell, working primarily on private residential and commercial projects.
‘They take minimalism to a whole new level and arguably are masters of the mass and the void. They have a tacit understanding of compositional balance, and there is a sense of seamlessness between the forms within each space. There is a very strong palette that is grounded in a clear understanding of materiality and light’. HH
‘I like the use of harsher materials to create a soft looking space. Simple but thoughtful, great design – feels complete’. VC
Linehouse – Shanghai, China
Linehouse is a Shanghai based studio established in 2014 by founders Briar Hickling and Alex Mok. Together they have worked in China, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Mentored by Neri & Hu and Niall McLaughlin, they have developed a strong design sensibility and an understanding of working in challenging cultural contexts.
‘What I feel most appealing about this particular practice and their work is the feeling of intrigue. Linehouse handles each project in a very unexpected way from a Wild West themed hot dog shop to creating beauty within a clothing and footwear store. My overriding feeling is that I want to see more from this practice.’ RL
‘What I see emerging in the three projects that Linehouse have entered is imagination and innovation as an interpretation of the brief. There are three projects that we see manifested in very different ways, but in each one you get a sense of their involvement through the way that the spaces perform. I would love to see their work on larger briefs, but they definitely execute extremely well’. HH
‘I love the Lone Ranger storefront; it’s both creative and fun. All very fresh, simple and to the point’ VC
Flack Studio – Melbourne, Australia
David Flack founded the company in 2014 and now has six staff. ‘Personality is the key in all my designs, and I don’t just mean my own. Really understanding whom my client is or who the end user will be is what creates dynamic, functional and ultimately enjoyable spaces’.
‘What instantly drew me to Flack Studio’s work was their use of colour, especially on the Entrecôte project, that combined with their use of texture I think was excellent. Looking at Bendigo Residence, some of the detailing especially in the bathroom is really well considered.’ LT
‘Revisiting methods and techniques that have been overlooked, or considered out of fashion has worked very well. One of the most successful use of colour palettes from the submissions we have seen’. HH
‘Beautiful attention to detail, great finishes and colour selections. Strong presentation. Clever display, Strong commercial and residential. Soho House favourite!’ VC
OHLAB / Oliver Hernaiz Architecture Lab – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Established in 2011 in Madrid, OHLAB moved to its current location in Mallorca in 2014 and now has ten architects and interior designers who together with directors Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver are working on projects in Mallorca, Madrid, New York, LA and Miami. In 2012 OHLAB scooped the WIN Awards Retail & Leisure Interiors category with ‘Precious Boxes’ – a retail project for luxury jeweller, Relojeria Alemana and again in 2014 with another jewellery store for the same client.
‘The work that OHLAB have developed for the Relojeria, is delightful with it’s notion of the jewel box revealing a functional and soft interior that is really memorable, and both beautifully executed and incredibly appropriate to both the function and the brand. Their work for Sala de Despiece in Madrid’s City centre is rather enticing especially the exterior which entices with its sense of promise’. JJ
MAP.MX – Mexico City, Mexico
Founded in 2010, Michan Architecture Practice is a studio based in Mexico City; the practice operates as a laboratory of architecture via built commissions and speculative research.
The studio is led by Isaac Michan Daniel and Isidoro Michan Guindi. Isaac holds a Master of Science in Architecture from The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY and a Bachelor in Architecture and Urban Design from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. Isaac has worked for LAB Architecture Studio on a wide range of projects.
‘Both from their unbuilt and completed work there is a very nice portfolio that is very refined and minimalist with beautiful use of materials and lighting, through to something a little more whimsical but still controlled. Their work demonstrates an emerging style that is intriguing, I would like to explore in more depth with this particular practice’. RL
Citizens Design Bureau – London, United Kingdom
Citizens Design Bureau is a co-operative of architects, interior and product designers, established by award winning architect Katy Marks in 2013. Katy was recently nominated for ‘Emerging Woman Architect of the Year 2015’, is a founding tutor of the New London School of Architecture and sits on the Hackney Council Design Review. Katy is joined by a talented team including Elizabeth Venning, Magda Pelszyk, Amy Bodium, Chloe Fawcett and Dawa Pratten.
‘Its often hard to make an interior intervention conspicuous when what you have is a really overwhelming architectural presence, but I think they do this very successfully. They don’t see the heritage of the space necessarily as a constraint, but instead work imaginatively with it to leverage the historical details to create a more identifying contemporary space. I think there is an understanding of proportion and materiality throughout their projects’. HHS
Bureau De Change – London, United Kingdom
London based Bureau De Change was founded by architects Katerina Dionysopoulou and Billy Mavropoulos. Its work is a direct product of the founders’ upbringing, passions and experiences – combining the pragmatism and formality of the architectural training with a desire to bring a sense of theatre, playfulness and innovation to the design of spaces, products and environments.
‘What I really like about their Folds House is how the extension is integrated into the existing architecture of the house. Also, the Made.com HQ demonstrates a very clever use of visual merchandising. The product design (Efasma Furniture) is very interesting conceptually and the execution of details is again very considered’. LT
‘Hugely inventive at all scales, excellent material balance. Not afraid to take a risk…’ HH
Marc Benjamin Drewes Architekturen – Berlin, Germany
Marc Benjamin Drewes is a Berlin- based architect. After his studies at RWTH Aachen, Germany and TU Delft, The Netherlands he was project leader at e2a eckert eckert Architekten in Zurich, Switzerland.
All three projects submitted were interiors realised in Berlin with a small budget but a clear concept that incorporates the existing structure and combines modern and traditional aesthetics to create a timeless atmosphere full of character.
‘It’s not often that projects come forward with such sensitivity to historical excavation. There is a leveraging of the existing surfaces and materials – a way of framing them and highlighting to encourage the user of the space to appreciate the pattern and the heritage of the space. It feels very thesis driven, there is a lot of analysis going into the work, but I think more fundamentally there is a sense of ambition about where this practice is going, which is why it is worth considering recognising them for what they may do next as well as what they already have in their portfolio range’. HH
