Spotlight on: Interior Design

The highly collaborative PAYETTE studio environment is supported by in-house expertise in landscape architecture, building science, architectural programming/planning and interior design. The interior design department helps our project teams express the inner life of the architecture from the onset of the process. Through the applied use of lighting, color, materials and furniture, our designers create spaces that are functional and inspirational environments for learning, working and research. Here, we share a little more about how our interior designers work and how they help our clients reach their goals.

Q: Which projects are the interior designers working on right now?
Currently, the interior design department is most involved in Skolkovo Technopark, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, the Aga Khan University and the Ipsen fit-out. Various members of the department are also embedded in several higher education projects, including Skidmore College, Northeastern University and Cornell University.

Q: How do the interior designers and the design team work together during a project?
It depends on the project and the scope, but we generally sit with the project teams for the duration of our involvement. When fully embedded in a project, we are involved very early in the project schedule, typically during programming, and concentrate on the interior architecture of the space, along with generating furniture specifications. We also may get pulled into a project during the later phases to assist with finishes and furniture recommendations.

Q: How does the group’s design approach differ from one building typology to the next? For example, what is the difference between designing the lobby of a healthcare building versus designing the lobby of a laboratory building?
Today, it depends more on the client than the typology. The lines have become blurred between the varying high technology sectors that PAYETTE tends to work in, so these gathering spaces might look very different from how they looked 10 years ago. In both typologies, a lobby should be inviting, intriguing and establish the brand.

Q: Are there any publications that the group typically turns to when looking for design inspiration?
We subscribe to many monthly publications, which provide a constant source of inspiration; a few department favorites include Interior Design, Azure and Contract magazines.

Q: What trends are you seeing lately? Are there any common client requests?
Workplace flexibility continues to be a common request. It most often means developing a more efficient use of space that will also increase user productivity. Clients want their spaces to last and they require a built environment that can adapt to their needs, which are constantly changing.

Q: With clients placing a growing emphasis on sustainability, how is this affecting the interior design process for each project?
Fortunately, sustainability seems to have evolved from a trend to a best practice with quite a bit of staying power. This influences the materials we source and how we go about recommending their use to both clients and building owners. The products that seem to have the largest impact on the building’s sustainability are typically related to energy and water performance.