100% Design
The buzz and hum of the 100%Design event at Olympia in the last week of September created the perfect environment to showcase the Acoustic Hub. Amidst the throng of designers, architects and creators, the Hub was an oasis of calm, its simple clean lines echoing the other new designs on show. Many people commented on the sense of peace and calm that they felt on entering the door.
Natural Products
Interestingly, there is definitely a move towards natural products: wood was very much in evidence at many stands, and the use of simple, ergonomic products using sustainable materials was a recurrent theme. Being eco-friendly is now as important as being well-designed. The Hub is not alone in its eco ethos!
Of course, being surrounded by innovative designs and fresh ideas means that one casts a critical eye over your own house! The positive, enthusiastic responses we received did not lead to complacency. Rather, Nick’s been left buzzing with more ideas to improve, to amend, and to tweak…the Acoustic Hub will continue to develop and evolve.
Breathe Easy
One area of concern for some clients was the ventilation within the Hub. While this is not an issue for some as the Hub already has ventilation within the roof space, we felt it necessary to take on board these comments and Nick has now made it possible to have enhanced ventilation by incorporating a quiet air fan from Airflow into the current design. This will be available soon.
There was also the requirement to have a sprinkler friendly roof system that would open in the event of a fire. We are investigating the integration of a shuttered system that would open under the weight of water descending on it from the sprinkler system.
Partnerships
Added to this, the 100% Design event gave us the welcome opportunity to strike up good partnerships with potential suppliers who have complementary products. We were particularly impressed with the designs of Tom Haffield whose seating range would look effective in the Hub’s outer seating area. We have asked that he use ash as this is a wood that is easier to steam bend than oak and has a colour more in keeping with the colour of Douglas Fir. The outer panels of the Hub have buttress screens with a 300mm x 300mm cavity – a space crying out to be filled! But with what? On the Indigenius stand we found the ideal solution: stylish cork and ceramic planters which look attractive, and have the added bonus of adding ballast. These complementary products also reinforce our ethos of returning to nature.
