Taking part were
Sam Boyd commercial project specialist, Amtico
Gema Coates head of commercial for London and SE, Amtico
Theresa Dowling (chair) editorial director, FX Magazine
Sarah Escott design manager, Amtico
Alex Franklin director of architecture, Basha-Franklin
Julie Gaulter associate, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Tim Gledstone partner, Squire & Partners
Zena Jankowska senior interior designer, BDP
Kathryn Larivva
associate urban design, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Darren Lewis head of 2D, MET Studio
Jing Li
A&D commercial project specialist, Amtico
Alice Munday associate design director, Curious
Macaila Vorster design director, Interbrand
Lorna Williams head of product design and creative branding, Amtico
is clean and simple still the preferred modus operandi? Vorster said: ‘I think we are still in a time where the most important thing is for spaces to be comfortable. In the branding world, it seems clients are wanting things to be brighter, clearer, fresher and with a happier vibe. Some of these are big brands too, and are unlikely to change again for fi ve to 10 years, so they are going for sometimes quite bold rebranding. It’s interesting that we’re going through such changes with branding but spaces are not quite as radically inclined.’
Lewis added: ‘When it comes to branding, there can be a diffi culty where clients want something quite new, but they are also quite fearful of the reaction. You have to really guide them and hold their hand to get them through that – and not just the design phase, but the launch and for some time after that. I wonder if it’s refl ective of wider society in that many seem to want new things, but not too new.’
Zena Jankowsaka, senior interior designer at BDP, believes that since the pandemic, we may be in a period of self-exploration where people are looking for immersive environments. ‘I’m seeing that with clients where there is a desire for a sense of belonging or being more social. T ere is also a strong social conscience too – at a recent design meeting on sustainability, everyone was getting quite involved, with strong views. I think because now we are all exposed to so much information on the topic, everyone feels that they can say something.
‘Smaller projects – where it is possible to explore new ideas – are helpful in slowly pushing the boundaries. And the positive feedback from those can fl ow though to other projects where the benefi t of some of the experience of new colours and concepts can be felt and really harnessed.’ Vorster said: ‘We recently worked with a client on a major brand and we went through the process by undertaking detailed testing with the various communities involved. T e client was hesitant to go through with major changes unless the communities were happy with it. We were able to come up with something that was very diff erent from competitors, and which really stands out, but the client had the confi dence in it because of a positive response from the communities that are so important to them, including consumers and professional users.’ Gledstone added: ‘T ere are very few “individual” clients out there, I would say. Many designers are working with committees
Left ‘From Atoms to Patterns’ by Lesley Jackson provoked discussions of the Festival of Britain, science, space exploration and how external factors influence pattern
most of the time, made up of people who don’t want to put their head up above the parapet. Really, they look to you, as well as the metrics, before making their decisions.’ Jankowska replied: ‘T ey want it to be successful, so clients do tend to take a collaborative approach. It’s a good way of getting a result everyone is happy with, although of course it can mean that you don’t get that true innovator.’
More than just a backdrop? History suggests that patterns have had an important role to play in human environments. Why and how they aff ect our conscious mind is a little less clear, however. Gledstone of Squire & Partners asked: ‘Do you think we need pattern for our psyche? Does it give us some kind of link to nature that we fi nd comforting? Or are we just living with the historical limitation that patterns repeat because we couldn’t fi gure out how to make them not repeat? Because if you had an image of tree foliage on the fl oor, is that a pattern? And does it off er the kind of comfort to help our minds wander?’ BDP’s Jankowska pointed out: ‘T ere are so many patterns in nature. Replicating patterns of nature in interiors can provide camoufl age to blend or connect spaces or provide a signifi cant expression. I’ve noticed the use of large, bold wallpapers and graphics recently. What’s new is more openness towards an immersive space or interior, which can express “pause”; a moment of the self-exploration, or inward examination.’
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