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the global energy crisis. We are seeing huge infl ation in the cost of materials over the last few months which is obviously causing pressure on project budgets.
As a result, we are responding by interrogating the design a lot harder, understanding which materials – such as brass for example – have had an exponential rise and looking at where we use these key materials, ensuring that design return on every pound. It has also meant that we are collaborating and communicating at a much earlier stage with co-consultants such as contractors. As prices continue to fl uctuate on an almost daily basis, we are looking at cost- eff ective ways of constructing a space, be that bar counters or beautiful bespoke joinery pieces.
How have consumer habits changed? How do these new behaviours impact on the design process for bar and restaurant projects?
I think people during the pandemic and post-pandemic have realised how much hospitality spaces mean to them, and they’re not just functional spaces you go and eat and drink in. T ey have realised they are more social spaces that are part of their tribe, social scene or community; whether that’s picking up a coff ee at their local coff ee shop and chatting to the owner, or meeting friends at their favourite restaurant for dinner. In terms of perception of the hospitality industry, that’s been a real positive.
People have become more engaged and are way more involved in the hospitality spaces that are important to them. T ey are now taking an interest in how a space curates their evening, how it sets a tone and frames their experience. T is is an important part of our design process, truly understanding the emotional and physical connection and impact of our design environments on the guest. T e ‘experiential’ is a key part of our design process.
What design direction do you see for bars and restaurants in the near future? What will be the likely priorities for designers and architects to address? Some trends continuing from a design perspective are wellness – both in mental and physical terms. It’s making sure we look at a space, not just from a physical perspective, but also from an accessibility and looking at it from a mental point of view, considering the space planning, the tactility of the materials we choose, the colour and light balance and how these all curate and inform the emotional space. With the rising cost of materials, it is also about being smarter with the design, making it work hard to prove return on the escalating client budgets. T at responsibility has to be considered and shared right at the start of a project from an architectural, design and construction point of view to ensure effi ciency and maximum design impact.
Clockwise Part of
DesignLSM’s approach to dealing with increasing costs is to research materials like brass, which has seen an expontential rise recently. This has allowed the firm to keep costs down while still producing stylish and attractive designs as seen in The Alchemist’s booths and group dining tables
Please share with us a recent project that has presented a particularly interesting or unusual design challenge? T e Alchemist in Manchester’s Spinningfi elds has been a great design challenge. It’s the original Alchemist that has been there for well over a decade, and lots of people love it. T e brand itself has a very strong design DNA, so taking on that project redesigning and refurbishing the space, was a challenge. We had to be respectful of the heritage but bring it forward into a new era.
We came up with an idea and a story on how we could evolve the design narrative and worked closely with their brand and marketing team to ensure it sat seamlessly with their overall brand evolution, translating the vision into a physical space. From a design perspective, it was about how can we translate that into a physical space. It was a privilege to collaborate with the client’s team and for them to trust us to evolve this dynamic brand.
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