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Terry Spinolo is the Managing Director of INARC Design Hong Kong Limited, a company he founded in Hong Kong in 1988 with its focus on the design and delivery of quality projects for both Interiors and Architecture in the hospitality, corporate, residential and retail markets. A synopsis of the design influences for our projects are summarised below.
As we approach the third millennium, the challenge in the procurement process for either new buildings or interior facilities between the Client, Architect and/or the Design Consultant is all-encompassing as each party seeks an optimum, responsible outcome that combines the interests of business, science, art and the community into an holistic solution. An overview of the history of civilisation provides diverse inspiration for design from shelter, social order, spiritualism and religion through to the application of new technologies, materials, the sciences and artforms. At different stages of this evolutionary process, these factors have inspired a variety of solutions to the perennial challenge of civilization_the pursuit and attainment of peace, happiness and self-improvement.
The procurement process should begin by ensuring that the accommodation needs for either a building or an interior facility are comprehensively understood to ensure that the end-users can perform their activities with optimum efficiency, flexibility, comfort and pleasure. Many solutions do not address these important issues and focus primarily on the design of the external fabric or the appearance of the form only. Unfortunately, the deficiencies of these solutions are then only realised in periods of economic downturn when the over-supplied property market competes to accommodate the requirements of the surviving corporations and the occupants realise that their needs cannot be adequately accommodated in the building or the existing interior facility. Moreover, the locations of structural columns may impede upon the desired layouts and spaces to be used while views, cross ventilation, natural daylight and internal environmental provisions have not been optimised for the user’s needs. However, all of the above issues and many more can be resolved when the overall design solution to “future proof” a building emerges from an “inside to outside” design methodology.
Since the dawn of civilisation, the survival challenge for human beings other than obtaining food has been the need to provide for shelter against the basic elements of the weather: heat, cold, wind and rain. Today, when designing either a building or an interior facility, the increasing dependence on modern materials and various technologies for both external and internal environmental controls have led the Client, Architect and/or the Design Consultant to sometimes ignore the fundamental laws of nature and therefore to rely increasingly on specific technology to resolve these issues. Such short-comings in a building or an interior facility are again unfortunately realised during an economic downturn, when energy costs become a critical factor in the economic viability of on-going building maintenance costs. By contrast, the lessons learnt by successive generations of end-users of the built environment are generally found in the indigenous building designs associated within each country and locality around the world. Within these localities, unique solutions have been found for the perennial challenges of sun control, heating and cooling together with rain and wind. Moreover, understanding these principles offer important guidelines to resolving similar issues for modern buildings or interior facilities, especially concerning sustainability, energy efficiencies and climate change. Above all, the ultimate sustainability goal of any design solution is to “future proof” the built environment by minimising the need for its destruction and re-building over time.
INARC has considerable experience in quality driven Design Consultancy Services for projects in both Interiors and Architecture in the hospitality, residential, corporate, retail markets in Hong Kong, Asia and selected International locations since 1988 and the key criteria for our successful design solutions are highlighted, as follows:
Clearly understand the goals, constraints and needs of the Client and the project
This process begins with the preparation of a comprehensive Accommodation and Adjacency Schedule for all required activities for the building or interior facility. The goal should be an efficient and economical layout for all functions. Any planning conflicts between the architectural envelope and the interior space including fenestration, structure, building services etc. would also be addressed with the Client and the project team. We believe that a building which is designed from the “inside to the outside” creates not only a unique experience for its occupants but also provides a more cost effective building over the long term for its Owner.
Create and provide the end-user with a sense of identity, comfort and pride in their facility
This process begins with determining the profile of the end-users and identifying a “sense of place” for the building or interior facility. Understanding the age demographics of the end-users and their nationalities together with the specific city/country location of the facility greatly assists with developing a “sense of place” for the implementation of the design solution. We believe that understanding site context and the diverse cultures in Asia and in selected international locations has a strong underlying influence in supporting the end-user with a sense of identity, comfort and pride while also providing enduring appeal for the building or interior facility.