Gensler NY reports how the US design industry has driven sustainable strategies at the SBID conference.

Gensler completes millions of square feet of Interior Design each year, the firm prides itself on providing a consistent level of service on all its projects, it is the largest global architectural and design firm in the world.

The Society of British Interior Design hosted a pioneering conference that showed how interior designers in the UK and US are creating cost-effective and flexible workplaces that respond to rapid changes in the economy – such as the global financial crisis.

At the conference held at the Building Centre, London, Vanessa Brady, Chairman of the Society of British Interior Design, said: “The recession has led to a rise in workplace refurbishments so companies can motivate their workforce and cut costs. Products such as energy efficient heating and lighting feature high on their wish lists because they’re cheaper. Sustainability has clawed its way up the moral and environmental agenda, but now more than ever it makes clear business sense.”

Both the UK and the US are shifting towards the creation of sleeker operations. Keynote speaker at the conference, Thomas Vecchione, a Principal at Gensler NY, announced that over 75% of organisations in both countries are in the process of developing opportunities for sustainable working. Interior architects and designers are being instructed to cut the size of office spaces and develop more effective collaborative and mobile working opportunities for employees.

Vecchione agreed there are profitable benefits for companies looking to reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions by 20-50% if they adopt sustainable products and designs but added there are also immediate financial gains to be made through sustainable enterprise, architecture and design.

He said: “Companies are in a win-win situation if they look to reduce costs through design and specification and develop healthier environments for their employees. Motivation and increasing productivity in tough economic times is a global concern, as is safeguarding our resources for the future.

“Both the UK and US have exercised the need for prudence and costs need to be cut across the board, but there are also deep commitments by both nations to be greener. Building design and interior planning needs to be harnessed to create better environments to help drive productivity, increase profitability and deliver organisational missions for sustainability.”

The Society of British Interior Design and Gensler NY will collaborate to research, educate and promote the cost benefits of innovative sustainable architecture and interior design practice across the world.

Brady said: “Sustainability is now a guiding principle for interior design and we’re confident that through the initiatives and educational practices championed by the Society, architects and designers across the world have the resources, skills and confidence to approach every assignment as an opportunity to enhance building, business and environmental performance — the core goals of sustainable design.”

She added: “Sustainability provides flexible spaces that support and encourage the responsible use of resources, motivate and encourage people to collaborate more effectively, such as Gensler NY’s project for the Bank of America. The Bank is currently seeking LEED® Gold certification for the interiors of this 1.7 million-square-foot, 36-floor Manhattan office tower overlooking Bryant Park.”

The Society of British Interior Design and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) announced the launch of the first stage of its Environmental Strategy that puts the green agenda at the heart of architecture and interior design at the recent Sustainability Conference held by the Society.

The new joint research project is the key element of the Environmental Strategy, and will provide the link between sustainable buildings and organisational and economic performance. The aim is to assess each aspect of ‘bottom line’ sustainability, where interior design provides value and long-term savings in building refurbishment or new-build fit-out.

Nicholas C Thompson, senior partner, Cole Thompson Anders architects, who chairs the Sustainability Sub-Committee for the Society of British Interior Design, said: “There’s little in the way of case study evidence specifically relating organisational performance to good sustainable design. During the research we’ll assess case studies from the Society’s members to see how the sustainability of interior design and fit-out in the UK can be improved.”

Vanessa Brady, Chairman of the Society of British Interior Design added: “However this isn’t just a knowledge-sharing exercise. We realise the opportunity to exemplify and promote the role of design professionals in sustainable regeneration helps the environment and sustain resources. There are clear value-driven benefits for all areas of bottom line sustainability: social well-being, environmental regulations and economic profitability.”

The research project, the first of its kind between the BRE and the interior design sector, was launched by Thompson at the Sustainability Conference, held at the Building Centre, London. The conference was attended by world leaders on sustainability, architecture and interior design - including the John Alker, Head of Advocacy, UK Green Building Council and Thomas Vecchione, Principal at Gensler NY.

Jon Mussett, Head of Building Design Consultancy, BRE, highlighted that the key objectives for this research are:

• To improve the sustainability of interior architecture, design and fit-out

• To lead by example

• To create a universal toolkit or organisational performance matrix for professionals that can be used to assess the impact sustainable designs have on productivity, well being and economic behaviour, as well as building performance

The Society’s Environmental Strategy is based on ‘The Big Idea’ which was identified by Thompson in a collaborative project with Orion Innovations for the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). The second stage of this project is being taken forward by E C Harris and the BRE on behalf of the EDMA. This phase of the Environmental Strategy will be conducted over the next six months, with an ultimate aim to create a professional toolkit for the Society’s members.

Archial Director Simon Bell Appointed Regional Director North East of The Society of British Interior Design
January 2010

Simon Bell, a Director in the Newcastle office of Archial Architects, one of the UK’s leading architectural practices, has been appointed as Regional Director for the North East of The Society of British Interior Design (SBID).

SBID was established a year ago with a mission to promote the development of the interior design sector and Mr Bell’s appointment as the first architect to hold such a prominent position within the organisation is itself indicative of its principle that interior design is indivisible from architecture.

Mr Bell said, “Rather than separate entities, interior design informs architecture, just as architecture informs interior design. Through my new role as Regional Director at SBID, I intend to encourage further opportunities for cross-fertilisation between the two professions.

“It is my intention, as SBID Regional Director, to build bridges between the two professions and explore how we, jointly and separately, win commissions and benefit from each others’ contacts for the overall benefit of the client.”

Incorporated to represent the interests of manufacturers, practitioners and education, SBID is the industry bearer for professional interior design. As Regional Director for the North East, Mr Bell will oversee SBID’s operations from Yorkshire to the Borders.

A world-class architectural business that delivers intelligent solutions to public and private sector clients, the Archial Group PLC operates from 20 locations in three core businesses forming the key architectural business units: Archial Architects in the UK; Alsop Architects operating globally and Sparch in Asia. The Group delivers projects throughout the UK, Asia, India, the Middle East, Europe and the North Americas.

SIMON BELL
Simon is an architect and a Director based in the Newcastle office for Archial Group. He graduated from Newcastle Upon Tyne University with a first class Honours degree in 1996 and has spent the last 14 years working in Architectural practice, firstly in the Far East and then for the last twelve years in the North East of England.
During his career Simon has worked as Project Architect and designer on a variety of projects, ranging from specialist healthcare, transportation, education , public sector work of all kinds, bars, offices and residential projects. The scope of these projects has included successful competition work, front end design, detailed production information, surveying, delivery of projects on site and work as an expert witness.

Brussels, 7^th January 2010: Selma Harrington from Ireland was elected President of the Architects' Council of Europe (ACE) for the period 2010-2011 during the Second General Assembly of the ACE at the end of 2009 and she took up office on the 1^st January 2010 for a two year period. She will Chair the First Executive Board meeting in 2010 on the 22^nd and 23^rd January at which the work priorities for the year will be decided together with the roles and responsibilities of Board members.

In addition to her professional competences as an architect, Selma Harrington brings significant experience of representative associations to her new post. She has served, among other roles, as Secretary General of the European Council of Interior Architects from 2004 to 2008, President of the Institute of Designers in Ireland in 2003 and Honorary Treasurer of the Institute for Design and Disability in Ireland in 2001.

The policy platform on which she ran for President of the ACE can be summed up in the slogan Review, Resource, Re-imagine and she has promised the Member Organisations of the ACE that she will pursue this policy during her two years so as to further strengthen the ACE and the position of architecture and architects in European policies and society.

The Architects' Council of Europe (ACE) is the European organisation representing the architectural profession at European level. Its headquarters and Secretariat are located in Brussels. Its growing membership consists of Member Organisations, which are the nationally representative regulatory and professional bodies of all European Union (EU) Member States, Accession States, Switzerland and Norway. Through them, it represents the interests of about 480,000 architects. The principal function of the ACE is to monitor developments at EU level, seeking to influence those areas of EU Policy and legislation that have an impact on architectural practice and on the overall quality and sustainability of the built environment.

SBID in association with ICCC announces Global Student Competition


Simon Cavelle co-founder of The Society of British Interior Design addressed the International Council for Caring Communities at the United Nations headquarters building in NYC speaking of `respect for everyone to remain living in their home throughout their natural life if it were designed to accommodate the changing stages of man` The result led to us as co-founders of The Society being invited to return to UN building before it closes for refurbishment. Lengthy discussions, meetings and debates both in London and NYC have continued throughout the past year with the conclusive agreement for The Society of British Interior Design to represent the ICCC.

The initiative will be linked to accredited Universities with whom The Society is working. The global programme encourages local government in each participating Country of ICCC to initiate community development programmes for the built environment.  

Student Competition

Since the incorporation of The Society of British Interior Design it has been working in support of the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC), a non-profit organization headquartered in New York City, which has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ICCC was co-founded in1994 by Dr. Albert Bush-Brown and Professor Dianne Davis.

Mainstreaming the built environment and the impacts of ICT are the centrepieces of ICCC’s global dialogue. ICCC serves not only as an instigator but also as a bridge joining universities, government agencies, the private sector, NGOs as well as United Nations agencies to promote a “Society for all Generations.”

The ICCC launched its global competition for interior design and architectural students in 1994 to bring creative and technical skills to bear on a humanitarian challenge. The Society of British Interior Design is thrilled to be selected as a representative of this competition and is keen to support its prosperity. 
                                                        
The benefits are clear; our vision at The Society of British Interior Design is to communicate in a global market. When currencies, politics or trade restrict collaboration in one Country, we aim to create, develop and expand opportunity through another. Our combined ethos of a sharing of knowledge, exchange of ideas and facts in all areas of interest to our members and support partners will together help build enhanced environments and benefit future generations

During the past 15 years, the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC)l, has held a series of global student competitions, in which over 5,500 students from more than 30 countries have participated. This has been made possible though the distribution of materials though the United Nations: including its Permanent Missions, regional information centres, related partners , organizations and international advisory board.. Exhibitions have been held in over 15 countries, from design and construction exhibitions to public, private and university spaces. Well over 15,000 persons have viewed this creative output. This program has been made possible by the support and cooperation of the United Nations, private sector, related organizations and academic institutions.

ICCC Mission is to respond to the challenges and opportunities of the “Age of Longevity” by stimulating, accelerating and identifying successful strategies and solutions that deal creatively with addressing a society for all generations .It encourages their adaptation and/or replication at the local level throughout developing and developed countries though its Competitions, educational programs, high-level international expert conferences, publications, technical support and public/private partnerships. Results have raised awareness, fostered change by publicizing and sharing knowledge of innovative projects, thus, facilitating “cross-pollinating” new “out of the box” thinking on ways to meet the emerging needs of the 21^st Century.


As an implementation of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs, United Nations World Urban Forum and Shanghi Expo, ICCC announces the next International Student Design Competition cycle addressing "INTEGRATED COMMUNITIES: A SOCIETY FOR ALL AGES."

The Competition invites design and architecture students around the world to apply their creative talents in developing solutions, which integrate older persons into the fabric of the community and fully include them in all social, cultural, and productive activities. Undergraduate and graduate students of architecture or interior design in degree course are eligible to submit projects. All submission must be the work of an individual student or approved group. The Competition is held in conjunction with the "Caring Communities for the 21^st Century: Imagining the Possible" High-Level Working Session organized in support of the Commission for Social Development at United Nations Headquarters, NY. This unique dialogue presents and excellent opportunity to present and publicize design recommendations to leading decision-makers, government officials and world experts.

Why the Competition focus?

A growing number of older persons are living in cities, towns, suburbs, and rural areas around the world. Each month 1.2 million people turn 60 worldwide. A ‘demographic age quake’ is occurring peoples age 60 and older will more than double, from 10 to 22 per cent, between 2000 and 2050, at which time it will be slightly larger than the proportion of children ( 0-14 years - 20 per cent); by 2030 it will reach 1.4 billion people. In some developed countries, the number of older persons will be more than double that of children by 2050! This "Age quake" poses serious design and planning challenges. Yet most communities are not yet prepared for dramatic changes in composition. Therefore, it is time to present municipalities with recommendations, which accommodate and integrate older people as full and productive members of their communities.

Competition was established to enhance greater practical innovative solutions and understanding of the “Age of Longevity” by the late eminent architect-historian Dr. Albert Bush Brown. The program is the centrepiece of the ICCC endeavours to prepare the next generation with the tools essential to enhance the quality of life for the growing “greying society.” Its is organized in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Programme on Ageing, Department of Economic and Social Affairs and Department of Public Information and other partners. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture has endorsed these competitions. The adoption of a holistic approach to the impact of the "greying society" was first explored in the book “Hospitable Design in Healthcare and Senior Communities,” written by Dr. Bush-Brown and Professor Dianne Davis.

Further information on the ICCC and the benefit of the competition to all students of Universities both working with SBID and those that do not currently have partnering agreements will be available soon. Guidelines will be announced in the near future.