Future proof living through world-class design

Changes will be inevitable due to the pandemic.

This early, many have, in fact, started to redesign their spaces and reimagine the built environment to fit the shifting preferences and evolving demands amid and beyond the health crisis—from the way people now live, work, play and learn, to how they consume and purchase products, run their errands, carve new spaces and design their homes.

In the case of a home, for instance, functionality and flexibility have become priorities in carving new spaces, especially with the rise of online learning and work-from-home arrangements due to COVID-19. People now want a clear delineation of their spaces based on function, whether it’s a home office, a learning nook, a workout space, sanitation areas, and so on. Buildings, too, will have to undergo certain changes given the health, safety and sanitation protocols being mandated, as do many public spaces that would now have to be mindful of the new guidelines.

This is nothing new, of course, as history would show many cases of cities being redesigned in response to the epidemics and outbreaks. Classic examples include Hausmann’s renovation of Paris in the 1800s and London’s infrastructure renovation amid the cholera outbreak in the 1950s. In these cases, design and architecture had helped create the massive transformations needed to address these health threats.

Clearly, design and architecture will again play a key role in reshaping the cities of tomorrow amid and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

But what elements or aspects of home design have so far changed due to the pandemic? What design trends should we expect in the new normal? How do living spaces affect the disposition of an individual? And, more importantly, what should real estate buyers now consider in a development in the post COVID-19 era?

All these and more will be discussed in an upcoming webinar to be hosted by SM Development Corp., in partnership with the Property Section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. This online forum titled, “World-class design, future proof living”, will feature a stellar roster of panelists who will share their insights as to how design will change and affect how people will live during and after the pandemic.

Onboard this exciting discussion are Michael Fiebrich, an entrepreneurial interior architect who founded his own studio, Michael Fiebrich Design, in 2007; Adrian L. Norman, managing director of Adrian L. Norman Ltd., which he founded in 2005; Kunio Iwata, managing director and architect of KKS International (S) Pte. Ltd.; and Tessa Prieto Valdes, interior designer based in the Philippines.

Michael Fiebrich

Adrian L Norman

Kunio Iwata

Tessa Prieto-Valdes

Fiebrich brings more than 25 years of experience to the design industry, with a passion for innovation and desire to create moving experiences through the built environment. He has won numerous design awards, has been widely published and has built a reputation serving some of the world’s most iconic properties and demanding global clients, always dedicated to providing enlivened spaces that offer a sensory appeal, whether its objective is to excite, entertain or relax.

His company, Michael Fiebrich Design, is a full service architectural interior design firm with strongly developed specialties in guest room design, specialty suites, spas, as well as innovative dining, bar and entertainment venues.

Norman, meanwhile, has over 27 years’ experience in landscape consultancy and has been based in Hong Kong since 1993. His extensive experience covers all areas of landscape from institutional, residential, commercial and hospitality to recreational public open space and urban design. He has worked as a consultant within large multidisciplinary design teams for numerous landscape projects throughout Asia including Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, India, U.A.E and Korea—from project inception through to construction supervision. His company has also won numerous design awards in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Malaysia.

Iwata, for his part, has been with the KKS Group of Companies for more than 40 years, responsible mainly for the overall supervision of projects in architectural concept planning, interior designs, administrations and job management of projects undertaken by the company.

The KKS Group was established to provide expertise in architectural and interior design services for hotels, resorts and high end residential and commercial developments. It is also involved in designing for convention centers, clubs and recreational facilities, specialty restaurants and corporate offices. The KKS Group has successfully completed many prestigious projects across many countries in Asia and Europe.

Valdes, also a respected influencer and Inquirer Property ambassador, has a BA in interior design from the College of Notre Dame in California, and her own firm, Trezza Group, which handles residential and commercial design projects including the Philippine Daily Inquirer office in Makati City. Beyond this, Valdes is an avid yogi, triathlete, golfer, scuba diver, and columnist for the Property and Lifestyle sections of the Inquirer.

For more details on this exciting webinar, visit the SMDC Facebook page @TheOfficialSMDC