Design Partnership.

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with the team from Design Partnership. They have previously worked with us on bespoke projects such as the Meat & Wine Co Bella Vista and multiple other projects where our Designer Jet® custom carpet provided the ideal flooring solution for their design brief. Design Partnership specializes in design for behaviour. They have learned that in order to design successful venues, they needed to place predictive human behaviour at the heart of what they do.

Callie van der Merwe, Principal Architect at Design Partnership identifies the critical aspect that flooring plays in his design process and the range of considerations that must be contemplated when selecting a flooring solution for each project to “meet both aesthetic and functional requirements”. He identifies the essential considerations to be design, colour scheme, functionality, safety, acoustics and sustainability. 

“In terms of aesthetics, flooring can add visual interest and texture to a room, complementing the overall design style and colour scheme. We carefully consider the design intent and the mood we want to convey, selecting appropriate materials to achieve the desired effect. This may be the use of timber to carpeting, or even pairing it back to a raw polished concrete slate if it allows. It really depends on the design intent of the hospitality space we are conceptualising and bringing to life.” Calvin Janse van Vuuren, Senior Associate at Design Partnership

Calvin further touches on alternate considerations required when selecting flooring for each individual space and design. Acoustic performance, safety features and sustainable materials are all key points in this consideration. Calvin explains his commitment to sustainability as a designer and how both company operations as well as product materials are considered when looking at sustainability.

On top of the range of considerations flooring play within the design process Roberto identifies both ‘functional and aesthetic’ challenges he faces when contemplating the ideal flooring solution for each project. Roberto highlights budget constraints as the most common challenge as a range of price factors must be considered such as materials and installation. Durability is also noted as a ‘crucial consideration’ by Calvin as he highlights the need for the flooring to be able to ‘withstand the demands of the space’ and can cause a challenge when design opportunities are limited by required flooring performance. 

Roberto further identifies the increased significance of sustainable considerations within their design process due to the increased importance of sustainability initiatives by clients and further global awareness. Further identifying how this consideration still must meet relevant ‘aesthetic and functional requirements’, they highlight this challenge as being an essential for designers.