FOCUS 067
Our clients obviously vary wildly in terms of the reasons they’re undertaking their projects and these reasons will often drive things such as specification. Tey may even state a preference for sticking to ‘safe options’. In these cases, we always listen carefully to our clients’ reasons and try to offer alternatives they may not have considered but which we feel would meet their needs. In doing this, we always try and arrange a site visit to view installations and talk to end users to see if they have experienced any issues with a particular flooring product that may affect our client and influence the specification. A big part of our role as designers is to bring people on the journey and to allow them to make informed decisions supported by our knowledge and ongoing research.
If budget was no object, what kinds of flooring materials would you love to use on projects?
‘I would much rather use innovative and highly sustainable materials in a way that makes them look bespoke and more expensive than they actually are.’
Honestly, in the past I’ve worked on schemes where budget really was no object – often resulting in the use of materials like rare marble. Tis is not my favourite thing – I would much rather use innovative and highly sustainable materials in a way that makes them look bespoke and more expensive than they actually are. Tis, I think, creates a more interesting challenge for a designer and it always brings a smile to my face when people then say ‘Wow, that looks amazing. It must have cost a fortune’. For me, that’s a job well done.
How can designers look to exploit the potential of creative flooring, both in terms of design ideas and material choices, in a range of different applications? It’s a bit of a cliché, but I would say don’t stick with the tried and tested options. Look to use materials in unexpected places and different ways. It’s like hanging a rug on the wall; perhaps not the original design intent but the re-interpretation elevates it into something more. Again, I think it always goes back to making things look bespoke. If a floor looks like it could be any office, anywhere, that’s a missed opportunity. Te floor is a big canvas and should offer more than just a support or backdrop for furniture. I like to layer flooring within a space to define areas and break up a space into smaller, more intimate ones that offer greater benefit to the well-being of the end users rather than just being a place to walk, stand or sit.
Left, top Floors and walls in colour unity in this award-winning design by SpaceInvader
Left, bottom Natural materials have been used extensively in this indoor garden space, including terracotta tiles
Above, right Zoned furniture arrangements given added clarity by carpeted areas
Have you been involved in any recent projects that have provided particular challenges or opportunities for trying new ideas for a flooring solution?
I have a project on the drawing board at the moment in which we are looking to use Foresso flooring. Tis was selected as an alternative to a traditional terrazzo finish, which the client was keen on. It has a great sustainability story and a shallower depth in cross-section that suited the constraints of the site well. I am looking forward to seeing it installed.
spaceinvaderdesign.co.uk
NEIL SPENCE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129
