Best of interior design and architecture: October 2010

SPACE Architects was selected from among several architecture firms to design the new final departure lounge for a recognized brand of financial services and credit cards. This project is located at terminal 2 of Mexico City airport. The challenge was not straight-forward, the customer was looking for a design that brought together many things at the same time. The main challenges were to generate a multi-purpose space that would represent a contemporary and cosmopolitan image that summarize the brand to design a new experience, in a globalized world in which the brands and products are in a headlong race to position themselves in the minds of the customers to use built spaces as a natural extension of the brand, a complicated but vital challenge.

A specialized Branding team was used for this project, who together with the architects generated a hybrid methodology as a result of mixing Branding and architecture. The project design concepts emerged as a consequence of a search for the definition of the brand’s “emotional promise”, that is to say that the project was developed around the idea of designing a group of well worked out emotions that would develop as a consequence of a brand experience. To be convincing, the experience would have to be a sensory experience, an experience that would include all senses and that would seek to arouse the emotions.

At the beginning of this century neuromarketing started to be used in England as part of the development of a new science using magnetic resonance to define what motivates consumers in their decision making. Such studies have had many revealing results but one in particular has generated a new way of understanding architecture. The way that the brain codifies the majority of the information that it receives is by translating it into emotions, like this it gives a value to things, good brands are connected emotionally with their users through experiences and the great majority of the experiences take place in built spaces. In order for architecture to be transcendent it will have to be defined as starting with the search for emotions that will enable it to connect with its users.

In the case of the final departure lounge the fundamentally functional aspects were worked on at the same time as working on the emotional definition of the space, the great majority of the persons that use these spaces take advantage of them to work before getting on a plane. The emotional solutions would have to be very functional as well being able to give a solution to all the users’ different needs and work habits. That is how this space is made up with some private meeting rooms, informal meeting areas with virtual divisions, Wi-Fi and support areas. Together with these working spaces, the final departure lounge also has recreation and entertainment areas, such as the lounges for a game of dominos or cards, a small massage room, and a beauty-hairdresser’s salon.

In general this space is without any doubt a taster of what many other office building spaces will be like in the not so distant future, spaces that will represent properly the expectations of their brands and that will be sufficiently flexible to practically support any way of working and meeting. The project was developed with a methodology generated by SPACE in which all projects seek to be designed in a sustainable manner. This space consumes around 50% of the energy that other similar spaces commonly consume, by means of openings in the ceiling that let in natural light, the design maximizes the usage of daylight in the interiors, additionally generating extremely natural and pleasant sensations. The materials utilized in the project have a high recycled material content, and the majority of them are easily renewable.

Best of interior and architecture

A few months ago Virgin Atlantic’s internationally renowned Upper Class service. Now, to Virgin, first class doesn’t just mean turning left when you board the plane, jumping queues, or even a swanky lounge with serve yourself drinks and snacks…. no, Virgin’s take on first class is extending the full VIP treatment – and coming immediately after 6 days in a field in Somerset, this was going to be some well needed luxury.

Before I’m escorted towards what is possibly one of the most breathtaking VIP lounge’s in international air travel, you get a glimpse into just how much impeccable service is integral to Virgin’s Upper Class offering. Yes, the day begins with chauffeur service direct to Virgin’s very own entrance, at which I’m greeted by a luggage handler – this is the last time I see my bags until New York – and a charming member of staff who, whilst walking from the limo, checks me in – at which point I’m sent straight through to a personal security area and am shown towards the ridiculously lavish Heathrow clubhouse. This takes no more than 5 minutes. This could be very easy to get used to.

So, as you’ll see – the Heathrow Upper Class clubhouse is a rather splendid affair. Designed by award-winning London based architects, SOFTROOM, in conjunction with Virgin’s own design team, the sweeping, organic space blurs the lines between distinct areas, offering an imposing space with a grand scale that sits up and shouts “wow” right at you, whilst juxtaposing said wow-factor with a luxurious subtlety. The amenities are equally “wow”, and equally luxurious – yes, there’s free booze – in fact the champagne is virtually thrust into your hand the minute you check in – and yes, there’s free grub, and rather good it is too. But, this isn’t any old VIP lounge, because here we have designer cocktails, 3D TV, games room and pool table, a library stocked with design, architecture and fashion coffee-table tomes, a complimentary Bumble & Bumble hair salon and, a Cowshed spa complete with treatment rooms, steam room showers, a sauna and a circular hydro spa pool. One beautifully cooked full English breakfast, a few glasses of champagne and a Thai foot massage later, and I was just about ready for boarding.