With 40 award categories in the living section and 24 categories in the eating section, LIV is one of the most comprehensive design competitions dedicated to hospitality.
Selected by an esteemed jury of architects, designers, hoteliers, developers, and leaders in interior design and architectural fields, eight winning titles are granted to professionals and students per year for The Best of International Hospitality Design, Architecture, and Guest Experience. The jury will be specifically looking for new concepts, innovations, sustainability, impacts, designs, shapes, and stories.
Lighting, in general, has a profound effect in spaces, invoking emotions to its spectators and helping architecture and interior design achieve its true purpose.
For the external lighting of heritage buildings, illumination aims for a lasting impression from its viewers. In night illumination as well as daylight, lighting highlights the architectural aspects of the structure, exposing details through casting light and shadow. This dramatic play of lights will need strategic lighting engineering and architectural design solutions.
Night illumination in Heritage Buildings
Outdoors require less light intensity compared to indoors, emphasizing a theatrical appeal, and less focused on task illumination.
Before designing, considerations should be kept in mind. These involve aesthetics, mood lighting, technical, economic, and conservation aspects. UNESCO guidelines and recommendations should also be put into an account.
UNESCO Guidelines and Concerns
UNESCO recommends that monuments should not be illuminated from the bottom up except for historic buildings. Lights should be intercepted by the building façade to prevent light from straying away. Use luminous flux reducers that have an automated or self-timing mechanism that can switch off automatically during the day.
Lighting intensities and mechanisms should be studied as not to disrupt biodiversity and nightscape, especially in natural and rural areas.
Other smart lighting solutions are intelligent lighting systems, adaptive lighting, wireless sensor fusion, and smart solar-powered LED lighting systems.
To achieve aesthetically-pleasing lighting, luminaires equipped with white light sources such as metal halide, compact fluorescent, or LED is recommended. These luminaires have excellent color rendering properties that allow the color to be seen naturally, setting a more comfortable visual environment. During the night our eye adapts to the sensitive blue end spectrum, which means we see better with white light sources.
At night, eye sensitivity changes to the ‘dark-adapted eye,’ which is more sensitive to the blue end of the spectrum, meaning we can see better under white light sources.
Temperature sets an ambiance and impressions, 3000K temperature level is warm and creates a softer and comfortable setting, while the 4200K has a cooler temperature level, provides a crisper atmosphere.
Keeping the running costs down is one of the major concerns of the museum and heritage sectors. Most tungsten-halogen lighting is now replaced with LED lights to save on energy and replacement costs.
With technology and its efficient performance and long life span, provide consistent lighting effects and minimal maintenance worries.
As concerns in the effects of night illumination to surrounding nature, it is recommended to use flat-glass light distributions. This eliminates direct upward lighting, a major contributor to sky glow. Minimal column heights to reduce light over spilling.
Reflection, glare, and unwanted light can also be caused by the luminaire finish, positioning, and fixing methods during the daytime. Proper planning and design are needed to provide visual comfort from viewers and the surrounding nature.
Landscape and surrounding elements can also be utilized to mitigate the negative effects of night illumination. Plant trees on the site that can screen off and block away unwanted light to the surrounding environment.
One type of pollution we don’t hear often is light pollution, which has a damaging effect on the environment, especially for migratory birds and even insects.
To minimize the damaging effect of excessive lighting, there must be a collaborative effort to switch to advanced lighting technologies that are designed for efficiency and reducing light pollution. Applying this type of technology to heritage sites allows public visibility for heritage sites in the evening by practicing proper planning on how to light up a site in such a way that it can attract visitors.
All the while, proper design, and implementation must ensure that these new lighting technologies will not have much of an impact on the site in terms of aesthetics. By only installing the necessary number of light fixtures, in the right areas, energy savings are achieved. Thankfully, such advanced luminaires exist today.
(Los Angeles, Calif.)
A new international awards program has just launched, celebrating the highest quality of architecture and interior design in the hospitality industry. The Farmani Group’s LIV Hospitality Design Awards is open to architects and interior designers around the world who have created incredible projects, including all kinds of housing accommodations and food & beverage outlets. LIV is an inclusive platform, pursuing exceptional projects within the living and eating spaces, from co-living to beach resorts, from fine dining restaurants to pop-up bars.
“We believe in the power of architecture and interior design to shape our lives, and that’s why celebrating these achievements in the hospitality space is so important,” explained Hossein Farmani, Founder of LIV Hospitality Design Awards and President of Farmani Group. “It was important for this awards program to be incredibly inclusive, since today’s accommodations have never been more diverse – from short-term rentals to private housing, beach resorts, boutique hotels, campervans and co-living. From cocktail bars to food courts, Michelin-starred establishments, food trucks and private clubs, the food & beverage scene has also never been more exciting as it is today.”
With 40 award categories in the living section and 24 categories in the eating section, LIV is one of the most comprehensive design competitions dedicated to hospitality. Selected by an esteemed jury of architects, designers, hoteliers, developers and leaders in interior design and architectural fields, eight winning titles are granted to professionals and students per year for The Best of International Hospitality Design, Architecture and Guest Experience. The jury will be specifically looking for new concepts, innovations, sustainability, impacts, designs, shapes and stories.
If you’re interested in the benefits of winning an award, which includes brand differentiation and winner marketing package, visit the LIV Hospitality Design Awards website at livawards.com.
The LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2020 will close on March 31, 2021. Receive a 20% early bird discount when you submit your application before December 1, 2021.
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About The Farmani Group: The Farmani Group, established in 1985, is responsible for many successful awards around the globe. Farmani Group organizes the International Design Awards (IDA), Architecture Masterprize, DNA, Paris Design Awards, London International Creative Awards, Prix de la Photographie in Paris, and the Annual Lucie Awards for Photography, which has emerged as one of the world’s most prestigious awards. To learn more, visit their website.
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Building a home with sustainability in mind offers an array of benefits that primarily covers environmental responsibility and our overall wellness.
Firstly, what is a sustainable building? According to a HAC (Housing Assistance Council) Report by Mark Kudlowitz, creating a sustainable building is a process wherein houses, buildings, and auxiliary infrastructures are built to reduce resource consumption, decrease environmental impacts, and creating a healthier living environment.
Therefore, sustainable housing entails sustainable building methodologies, materials, and operation. For an effective and impactful eco-friendly home, the structure should have integrated sustainable concepts early on from the planning stage.
Key Elements of Sustainable Housing
Approaches of Sustainable Housing
Site Planning and Design
Sustainability should start during the inception of your planning process so it is easier to oversee concerns and provide solutions while your house plan is still on paper. This reduces risks in the building construction process itself and unnecessary expenses.
When planning to build your home, select a location where it is near to amenities, and have access to sidewalks and roadways. It also helps if you have a site that was previously owned or that it is within an urban neighborhood. This reduces disturbances and less impact on the environment such as native landscaping and light pollution.
Reduce heat absorption and increase natural ventilation and daylighting through the building’s thermal mass. Houses with excellent orientation and thermal massing can reduce the need for air conditioning and artificial lighting, maintaining a comfortable internal environment.
Materials and Building Systems:
During the planning stage, sustainable materials and building systems should already be considered. When an architect draws up the plans enhancing energy efficiency, such as using natural insulation products, specifying LED lights, bamboo paneling, and locally sourced materials contribute to a sustainable project.
During Construction:
When talking about sustainable houses, we seldom think of the construction process, and yet a large contributor of waste and energy usage is from the building process itself.
For a smaller project such as a residential home, the concept can be similarly applied. Provide segregation bins that can be collected by local or community waste management facilities. Where daily housekeeping on the part of the contractor should be implemented on-site.
Sustainability is not just a trend but a need for all types of building occupations. Commercial and industrial sectors have also responded positively to making sustainable efforts on their products and built-environments. As sustainable housing has increased over the years, more affordable and efficient design solutions are now being implemented. These sustainable efforts will surely pave to way to continue in the coming years.
A hotel lobby with tastefully picked and laid out furniture can create an impressive first glimpse of excellent service.
What makes great hotel furniture? Stunning, ergonomically designed, and in-tune with the times are primary qualities that make guests feel that every moment of their stay is worthwhile.
Hotel furniture is vital for the success of the hospitality enterprise, where about 3 to 6 years is the range of hotel renovation cycles. Hotels with high star ratings and if revenues allow, hotels can change their furnishings as often as annually.
The trends on hotel furniture are everchanging, and with a variant of modern options, there’s only one goal of their designs, and that is the invigorate the senses.
The Design Themes to Look Out For
Recently, we can see two themes dominating the current hospitality interiors, and these are the Scandinavian-inspired interiors and Moroccan with a vibe of the Boho-chic. Both are the opposites where Scandinavian interiors are more of the use of light hues and almost pastel color tones with natural textures and organic forms. While the Moroccan themes create an indulgence and air of drama with a base palette of soft blacks and earth muted tones as well as suede and velvets.
A showcase of the North European-inspired interior style, the Scandinavian furniture is an opportunity to acquire furniture that shows craftsmanship and simple accents. To complement the light-filled interior most Scandinavian furniture is made from light wood such as pine, beech, and ash.
Be it an urban, boutique, resort, budget, or deluxe hotel, you’ll see the trend-setting furniture adorn all types of accommodations.
Cobalt hues and scale tiles are fast becoming a fav in interior design which uses bold and vibrant colors and incorporate
With its rising popularity of cobalt blue hues and fish scale tiles, the Moroccan style is also a design style to watch out for.
With its Bohemian vibe, the Moroccan theme uses to build and vibrant colors with their furniture. Wicker furniture is also making a comeback into the design. Textured sofas with eye-popping colors and use of faux fur and the revival of corduroys.
Current and Future Trends to Look Out For
Nostalgic and Immersive with an Integration of Smart Features
Since visitors come from different backgrounds and nationalities, most hotel guests will expect to walk through an interior reflecting the country and local culture. Dubai hotels, for instance, incorporate modern elements to the local Moorish-inspired interiors.
67 percent of high-income individuals prefer to spend their money on culturally immersive activities than an upscale hotel room.
In recent years, hotels have been opting furniture that has that personal touch instead of generic and neutral design elements. Bold patterns and vibrant colors make the room feel more personalized and inviting.
You’ll see more texture and splashes of color in sofas, beds, and other plush items. Faux fur, woven garments, and velvet fabrics are favorite textures for layering.
Millennials and Gen Z has the largest market share when it comes to traveling and hotels bookings. With young, tech-oriented clients, we’ll see more furniture integrated with automation and mobile syncing features in the coming years.
Resin tables with USB ports and LED lighting will be a common sight in hotels as well as beds with built-in lamp lights, and an adjustable laptop desk will be essential for traveling young professionals.
Instagrammable worthy furniture is inviting features of hotels that want to tap on techy guests. With a stunning backdrop of accent furniture, it can be a free marketing strategy for the hotel when it ends up on Instagram or other social media accounts.
Eco-living has been increasingly popular through the years and most hospitality industries embrace these sustainable initiatives and make their prime features attracting the sustainable conscious generation.
Furniture is made from organic and locally sourced products such as rattan or bamboo loungers and recycled plastic furniture.
Today’s furniture trends are eclectic yet have the hints of modern forms with an emphasis on craftsmanship. For instance, we see barrel, egg, and Adirondack chairs sprucing up a lot of hotels lately as these are great stand-alone décors for any modern interior or outdoor space. A newer challenge for furniture designers is the integration of technology into their creations. Automated and personalized are primary features that the younger hotel goers are looking forward to. We’ll surely see much of these hi-tech furniture designs dominating the hospitality interiors in the coming years.
Convenient, flexible, and allowing you to have your own social circle, co-living might the best option! With features that are not found from any other living space concept, co-living apartments have gained much attraction to entrepreneurs and developers.
Newly-built co-living apartments are now springing up in cities across the globe where innovative and smart features are integrated into stunning modern interiors. Who wouldn’t want to live in a fully-furnished and newly built home complete with all the amenities you need?
Aside from the rising cost of housing and changes in the work structures, co-living is an attractive avenue for the young. People in their 20’s to 30’s are more likely to thrive more in a social circle and this is what co-living has tapped on making it an attractive option for the young workers. And, because of these societal and technological shifts, there is a change in the perception of what is ownership and habitat from the present youth’s viewpoint is construed.
At present, developers and the business minds are now raising to capitalize on the new trend as the rise of co-living spaces continuous to soar. Making the modern co-living both an opportunity and challenge for space planners, architects, and interior designers to probe on how to create a shared space different from the traditional co-living.
Understanding the Modern Co-living
The concept of communal space where members are not from the same family but have similar interests is not a novel living system. In fact, “hacker houses” or “communes” have been existing in the heart of North Capitol Hill since the early 2000s. But today’s modern co-living spaces are a far cry from the insufficient co-living space in Silicon Valley.
Most marketed shared spaces offer stunning interiors complete with all the amenities and automated features. Smart and energy-efficient appliances, free Wifi, refilled soaps, and other essentials, community apps, and even having more than three variations of coffee makers are valuable features than no other habitat living can offer.
Open spaces may be hard to come by, especially for cities with limited spaces. With proper planning and consultation, these free spaces are possible to achieve.
The Firsts of Co-living
Before the “hacker houses” the “Isokon” by Wells Coats was designed in north London around 1933 to 1934 as a part of an advanced modernist discourse in Britain spearheaded by Modern Architectural Research Group. The “Kensal House” is another attempt for the design of shared living spaces, conceptualized in 1937 by Maxwell Fry and Elizabeth Denby.
Large companies like WeWork and other property developers have started to integrate co-living with their business ventures, and one of the largest co-living spaces is the Vanke Port Apartment in China that has 60,000 units.
Continued support from major cities such as New York has offered co-living companies to build affordable housing in the city.
Rising Popularity of Co-living
The rise of co-living continues to attract the young both from commuting and remote workers as it mainly offers a cheaper alternative than the typical apartment living. Even moving-in seems breezier as most co-living companies offer hassle-free and online booking. Mobile applications of the co-living companies also provide conveniences and other perks such as news on upcoming social events in your community. These extra services help create a well-connected community.
Opportunities and Challenges for Space Designers
As millennials (born 1980 – 2000) are the main driving forces that continuously boost the thriving co-living community, yet, is there a possibility that these modern habitats can cater to the older generation?
The challenge now is how planners, interior designers, and architects can create a communal space where this time intergeneration and international races can come together.
The Importance of Space Designing
Now, the challenge for space planners is how to strike a balance between the private and public spaces while creating a flexible and innovative habitat.
A lot of space designers have taken interest in this new trend and commissions from developers are starting to pour in.
Being the forefront in providing solutions to designing shared spaces, professionals and entrepreneurs are now at the forefront in providing efficient solutions on how to sustain this growing need.
Takeaway:
Co-living is the future of housing, but for now, the present market for shared living has always targeted young people, most especially those who are in the freelancing sectors. Telecommuters, digital nomads, artists, musicians, and interns make up the patrons of most co-living spaces. The technologically dependent generation will continue to require these kinds of living spaces.
An architect’s craft is more than just creating built environments, instead, these built spaces of interaction are venues for communication and inception of new ideas. Architecture has a great impact on how its occupants live and think. At the same time, a designed space affects its surroundings and the whole community as well.
Public spaces, places of commerce, transportation, and even our humble abodes influence people in the way they live, perceive and think. Built spaces are about people and by their people.
When people are put together, they can behave in many surprising ways. When placed in a space, people will tend to communicate and collaborate just as when observing people in a crowd. While designed spaces can never fully control people, they can encourage or discourage movement and behavior. The unpredictability of human interaction makes designing social spaces the most challenging work an architect can partake.
Architecture is known as the marriage of art and science, and, arguably an embodiment of different fields in humanities and social sciences.
Beginnings
The role of built spaces as an interactive space can be seen at the very onset of human civilizations. In 2011, a review by Wil Roebroeks and Paola Villa state that fire is used in Europe around 400,000 years ago as ancient humans expanded into colder climates. For the cave dwellers, they gather around a firepit were eating, sleeping, making tools and, other daily activities take place.
Roman and Greek architecture are great examples of how architecture influences people in their interactions with society. Thermae, stoa, temples, and theaters are a few examples of communal spaces during ancient times.
Architecture and Social Interactions:
A Common Ground for the diverse building that is intended for public use can be a common ground for people with different philosophies or cultures to come together and express openly. It is a stage where people can openly express, work, and share ideas comfortably.
Public parks, for instance, are designed with the community in mind. Amenities such as picnic grounds, bike lanes, and cycling create activities that individuals and families can enjoy.
This is key to building vibrant neighborhoods and lively communities. With a community space where shops, groceries, residences, and others that bring different families together to a single communal space. A neighborhood with multiple nodes of destinations create a layered multiplicity of experiences. This structure fosters connection and communication while creating culture from the daily routines that interplays within the community.
As architecture values human experiences, it creates spaces where social connections are created among different cultures. Museums, galleries, and monuments can provide a glimpse if not tell stories of the past for generations to see.
Architecture educates us making us closer and understanding of different philosophies and cultures.
Probably the best example of how a place creates a new culture is our learning environments. Where a school houses students with different backgrounds congregate and build new social circles and networks.
Let’s not forget that architecture brings families together. Homes are designed in the context of their owners’ preferences and their ways of living. The residential building is the perfect example of how architecture can bring a balance between aesthetics and function. With a common space that both serves individual and communal needs of the family.
With the advent of technology, the concept of space may obscure as traditional social interactions through physical spaces are challenged by online and remote communication. But as social beings, our sense of belongingness and need for social connections to a personal level is still innate within us. And, there’s a sense of authenticity and deeper connection when it comes to the traditional social interaction compared to the online version.
As a conceived design can either unite or isolate us, the architecture will definitely stay as a powerful force that the society will have in the many years to come.
The interplay of natural lights in an interior space creates mood, enhances materials, and energizes a place. It is indeed a design element like no other.
Indoor places with beautiful plays of light create an alluring ambiance and ensues a lively feeling to its occupants. This correlation of positivity and natural light has been a fascination for both the architecture and the scientific field. Evidence of this undeniable connection is seen in case studies of places on hospice, work, education, and even our humble abode love the natural lighting.
How Natural Lighting Keeps Us Healthy?
We’ve provided a list of major reasons how daylight can affect our health:
But why does natural light keep us healthy? Aside from helping us to get healthy doses of Vitamin D, natural light syncs on our Circadian rhythm, our built-in body clock. Designing workplaces, for instance, require natural light and ventilation to seep through the workspaces. Without the glare and unwanted heat, a properly designed work area with the consideration of natural lighting creates a lively and inspiring space for employees.
Natural light is one design consideration when preventing the negative effects of Sick Building Syndrome. SBS is where workers experience headaches and respiratory problems, which are contributed by poor ventilation and working conditions. Though SBS mainly focuses on natural ventilation, studies show that natural lighting can help in preventing Sick Building Syndrome in buildings.
There’s a reason why kitchens are best oriented on the east and west directions. For most places, the east area is the perfect spot for your breakfast nook as well as the kitchen area because you get the healthy sunlight while keeping it cool during the afternoon sun. Kitchens can also be placed along the west side, where it is the hottest spot during the afternoon, provided that you have a longer roof overhang to prevent glare and heat build-up.
When kitchens are oriented on the hottest areas, it prevents mold and mildew build-up. Bathrooms and other damp spaces should also have ample daylighting as it serves as it kills bacteria and fungi naturally.
Like other benefits of sunlight, science backs up how the natural light improves our mood and kicks off the so-called winter blues. According to an Australian study, serotonin (known as happy chemicals) levels are higher during sunny days compared to cloudy ones. Serotonin not only stabilizes your mood, but it also helps to heal wounds, stimulate nausea, and maintain bone health.
The brain dedicates more space to our visual senses compared to all other senses combined. As our visual perception signals our memory and decisions, it also affects our emotions that can affect our state of wellbeing.
Light can bring out the rich color and texture of materials better than artificial lights. With visually stimulating views, we feel relaxed and optimistic, which can greatly improve our overall wellbeing.
Probably the most obvious benefit of sunlight is that it provides energy and warmth to our bodies. Not only on its physical form, but natural light can also bring a sense of warmness or coziness in an interior. Understandably a room with light seeping through windows is more inviting and creates a sense of liveliness than a dark room.
For many years we simulate natural light in our architectural elements such as white painted walls and ceilings or luminaires with different color tones. We also allow natural light through our windows, skylights, light tubes, and clerestories to reach the nooks and corners of our interior spaces. Indeed, natural light has a great impact on our daily lives, and we continue to plan, assemble, and create spaces that can capture the benefits of the free but depleting energy source.
When it comes to food and drinking establishments, proper lighting is paramount. Lights from both natural and artificial lighting, when properly planned can create an inviting atmosphere. Strategic illumination can set the mood of interior space. This further boosts the occupants’ sensory experiences and provides the desired ambiance.
Aside from creating an atmosphere, lighting is critical when to efficiency, productivity, and safety of the staff and employees.
Your lighting should never be an afterthought. Without proper lighting, it can break the overall look of your restaurant or bar, however beautiful or stunning your other design elements may be.
We’ve listed here the 4 Important Lighting Types for your Bar or Restaurant.
Importance: Safe circulation of space, foundational layer of lighting
Ambient lights are placed to provide general lighting to your establishment, helping your customers and employees to maneuver easily and safely through space. These lights serve as the base lighting when it comes to the layering of your lighting. For ambient illumination, these are usually overhead luminaires, recessed lights, chandeliers, track lighting, or pendant lights.
Importance: Highlight important areas or features, creates overall contrast
Creating visual interest and makes a lively and dynamic atmosphere. You can highlight décor elements such as paintings, feature walls, or any other artwork. This lighting level is also perfect in accenting points in your operation, such as menu boards, advertisements, or open kitchen areas. Emergency lights should also be highlighted using focal luminaires like troffers or recessed lights.
For a dramatic effect, your focal lighting should be 3x brighter than your ambient lights. Sconces or pendant lights, adjustable track lights, torchiere lights, and cove lights are a few focal lights that can be incorporated.
Importance: Safety of kitchen staff, ensures the efficiency of employees
If you have excellent task lighting, you’ll expect employees to complete the task accurately. Task lights are generally placed in the kitchen, reception, or counters. Kitchen areas should be well lit, as safety is a priority. With proper lighting, kitchen staff should able to see clearly all the kitchen utensils and ingredients being used.
Task lights include both fixed and adjustable luminaires. Adjustable task lights include gooseneck, balanced-arm lamp, and track lights. Fixed task lights on-the-other-hand include pendant lights and downlights.
Importance: Natural anti-bacterial properties, creates a lively mood, saves on energy costs
Regardless of what restaurant or bar business you have, natural light from the sun is beneficial, and it should go hand-in-hand with your artificial lighting. Natural illumination should be maximized, but glare and heat retention should be avoided. Surface materials can also affect your overall lighting, so be sure to include all design considerations when planning.
To control natural lighting, blinds and draperies can be installed as well as smart windows that can self-tint during the day when the sun is at its highest.
Just like in a theater stage, layers of light create, enhances, and highlight key elements. Regardless of what type of restaurant, lighting is critical. It’s not enough in having beautiful luminaires, all your lights should work harmoniously, and it helps to have controllable features on your lighting system. This makes it easier to adjust the degree of brightness and color.
Around 50% of the energy consumption of bars and restaurants comes from lighting alone. You can choose LED or sensory lights to cut off costs. Along with a properly planned lighting system, you can ensure that your costumers and staff are getting the optimum benefits of natural and artificial illumination.
Farmani Group assembled LIV Hospitality Design Awards as an inclusive platform promoting Hospitality architecture, Interior Design and Guest Experience. LIV is expending Hospitality to all types of accommodation as well as Food & Beverage.
LIV Hospitality Design Award is the sibling Award of International Design Awards (IDA), DNA Paris, Architecture MasterPrize all focusing on Architecture and Interior Design.
The Farmani Group, established in 1985, is responsible for many successful awards around the globe. Farmani Group organizes the International Design Awards (IDA), Architecture Masterprize (AMP) DNA, Paris Design Awards, London International Creative Awards (LICC), Prix de la Photographie in Paris (PX3), and the Annual Lucie Awards for Photography, which has emerged as one of the world’s most prestigious awards. Learn more about Farmani Group here.