Tag: dezeen awards

Kingston Lafferty Design longlisted for Emerging Interior Designer at the 2019 Dezeen Awards

We are absolutely thrilled with the news that KLD has been longlisted in the Emerging Interior Designer category for the Dezeen awards 2019. We are huge fans of Dezeen and we could not be prouder to be announced in this category with other tremendous and talented designers from across the globe.

Dezeen is truly international, and this is a bucket list territory for KLD. We could not be more honoured with this tribute to our work. Commenting on the news, Founder and Creative Director Róisín Lafferty said:

” Dezeen showcases the best of design across the world and to be longlisted amongst such incredible design talents and creatives is so exciting for me and team KLD.”

To mark this wonderful news, we thought we would share a little about KLD with you.

Who we are

KLD is an award-winning Design House from Dublin. Founded in 2010 by designer Róisín Lafferty, KLD quickly made its mark as a respected Interior Architecture and Design agency in Ireland and Europe. Throughout its lifespan KLD has won numerous awards, however 2018 was an exceptional year. Róisín Lafferty won Image Interiors & Living Interior Designer of the year award, the design for Pot Bellied Pig café won at the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards, and the design for The Vaults Parlour won the Fit Out Project of the Year – Retail. In 2019 Róisín was announced as the new President of the Institute of Designers in Ireland.

How we work
KLD think differently about design. Our designs take people on a journey, delivering fun and unexpected experiences. With a holistic approach, we study the way in which people live and work to create tactile and meaningful design, putting human behaviour at the centre of every project. We are imaginative, creative and experimental. Through our work we create spaces with feeling, meaning and character. Our work begins with a thorough understanding of the people we collaborate with. We question, we listen, we observe. Equipped with the consideration of how human life will interact with the space we develop design details that will enhance both the aesthetics and the experience.

We are Experimental
AT KLD we like to push ourselves, boundaries and the limits of what is perceived possible. It has served us well. Being experimental requires an open mind, patience and thick skin. Added to this is a commitment to excellence, a willingness to succeed, resilience and a penchant to take the odd risk. We want to deliver the best for our clients, and we cannot do this alone.

Our standards
We are award-winning for good reason. The devil is in the detail and we aim for perfection. It is the least a client expects. We want everything to be the best, and there is no reason why it shouldn’t be. This has the wonderful benefit of encouraging and facilitating our partners and collaborators in their best work also.

Working with KLD
We are fun and easy-going people. Collectively, we have a great sense of humour, are open minded and love people. This translates into how we work. We enjoy a work environment where people are free to be themselves and get on with their job. Due to our own expectations and the commitment we have made to our clients, we expect the highest standard of work and finish. We are unapologetic when it comes to delivering the best. When you partner with KLD, you work with the best; a creative, diverse and experimental design team with a passion for delivering beautiful and functional spaces. We are supportive, collaborative, fair, reasonable and rational. We value design and we expect the same in return. We firmly believe our winning formula is one that brings out the best in all involved.

KLD’s work is of such a calibre that it has been featured in many Irish and international publications, including Elle Decoration, Architectural Digest, Living ETC, Italian and Australian Vogue and The Wall Street Journal

“We demand excellence of ourselves. We expect excellence from others. We deliver excellence to our clients.”

We received the best news last week when we heard that two of our projects have been longlisted for the Health and Wellness Interior category of the first ever Dezeen awards! To say we are ecstatic is an understatement.  We are so honoured to have made it not once, but twice onto the longlist among the best in international design, being judged by the very top international talent and some of our idols. It is like a dream. On foot of this recognition, we thought we’d introduce you to our longlisted projects. Today, Urbana Clinic on  Clarendon Street in Dublin. All photography by Ruth Maria Murphy.

The brief for the Urbana laser hair removal clinic was to create a space that was unique, incorporated an original design and created a warmer, more inviting space for clients of both genders. KLD proposed a polished industrial design with a contemporary feel, with a clean and high-end look. The client wanted to ensure that the customer felt at ease throughout their visit, but also inspired and impressed by a luxurious and well-presented space. Key features included a concrete desk and custom concrete panelling, bespoke joinery and a corten steel shop front. Materials used included the corten steel, marble, white architectural grade concrete, brass and oak. Lush planting was used to soften the space with delicate lighting to contrast the structured, architectural design.

While Urbana was a huge challenge it was also a huge opportunity for creativity and innovation as the proposed design included seven therapy rooms, two consultation rooms, a reception/waiting area and retail display.

A project like this demands meticulous research and careful design acumen.  The proposed design included seven therapy rooms, two consultation rooms, a reception/waiting area and retail display. The transformation from Urbana’s original premises to this new one could not have been more stark or dramatic. We looked at our client’s needs, their clients’ needs, their employees needs and the practical functionality of the space.

Acknowledging their new and desired target audience, we successfully made the transition from a feminine dominated presentation and facade to a more neutral industrial one, but one that was polished and therefore beautiful.

They say the devil is in the detail, and at KLD we know small details are so important, which is why they are considered for every project. Putting all these details together have ensured that Urbana looks, feels and sounds like a sanctuary, minding and comforting its clients in an audio-visually beautiful space where privacy and discretion requirements are met and exceeded, and the human experience of staff, clients and practitioners are tantamount. We believe this is a cutting-edge design, that meets each stakeholder’s requirement. This meticulous attention to detail and research  led to the introduction of innovative features such as hidden waste disposal and ventilation and extraction functions in the treatment rooms. These innovative features single out Urbana from any of its competitors in Ireland, all without compromising on the design.

To ensure customers were afforded ultimate discretion, a separate male and female waiting area was created. Ceilings were painted in the same dark colour as the walls to create an almost cocoon-like feeling and seamless look emulating a warm space. All full height doors and walls were painted the same colour in order to read as one.

The whole design aesthetic provides a therapeutic feel acting as an oasis for customers coming in for what can be a tedious or painful process. This Urbana project is a template for future and or other laser hair removal businesses. A masterclass in space, material and function. The polished industrial feel contrasts and works beautifully with lush green plants that soften the space and provide the necessary calming tones.

While functional and practical, the end result is ultimately beautiful. With its striking, noticeable shop front and  improved holistic experience with increased sales and bookings. The Urbana project has proved a milestone in KLD’s catalogue confirming the role of design as integral in any business or organisation but in particular in health and wellness, where a business can me made or broken according to the design. A truly 21^st century laser hair removal sanctuary.

This was a wonderful project for interior architecture with an end result that is seen as a template for any future Urbana developments and indeed could be considered a best practice template for the intimate act of laser hair removal in a confined city centre space.