Architecture & Design

26 | Architecture & Design custom eLements In commercIaL desIgn projects A llow us to introduce you to Interior Architect and Designer Martina Salomone, who hails from a family of artists and also from a family who has been building material importers for generations. Martina Salomone has had a growing passion for both art from a very young age and a great interest in the building trade. Her work experience in the family business allowed her to acquire a great amount of knowledge on building materials and their techniques, and methods of application, whilst also managing and overseeing the operations of a manufacturing sector of the firm, a marble and granite factory, working both on sales and implementation of projects for the firm's clients. Martina went on to open her own practice, after having completed a Bachelors Degree in Interior Architecture and Design since her great interest lies in the restructuring of existing interior spaces to create better environments that accommodate the human activity within. Her creative solutions and innovative ideas optimise the interior space to improve user experience and functionality as required. Her knowledge of materials and finishes, combined with the understanding of aesthetics, creates the atmosphere and mood of an environment to meet the user's needs. Martina is currently also a Board Member of Malta Interior Design Association (MIDA). One of Martina's main focuses is designing and implementing commercial projects. Based on the understanding of the clients' brief, followed by a site visit and a site analysis, Martina embarks on a project adapting a style and design concept that pertain to the company's ethos and brand identity, sometimes inspired by the nature of the client's business, services or products. Martina's aim is to create a unique holistic interior space, which includes a creative palette using visual elements of form, colour, texture and material, whilst also creating a spatial layout that maximises the potential of the given space and site. As a professional Interior Architect and Designer, the four key elements that Martina strongly implements within a Commercial Design Project are namely: the ergonomic principles, that allow comfortable movement for employees and customers respectively; the functionality and practicality; the necessary health and safety measures by law as well as sustainability, which is achieved through the selection of materials and finishes, such as green walls, natural products and recyclable materials for floors, walls and furniture. A good workspace and outlet design that includes a well planned spatial layout, suitable material finishes and a good lighting plan with carefully selected light fixtures shall ensure and determine a higher employee performance as well as create a holistic approach for her client's customers and clientele. One example of Martina's recent projects was the refurbishment of an Office floor, which was originally made up of partitioned and individual offices. The clients' brief was to recreate an open office space that included desks for co-workers and brand managers as well as to include plenty of storage. This finalised interior office design portrays a clean, white, linear appearance contrasted with a hint of a yellow palette that has been introduced in the selected desk chairs and desk partitions. To complement this hue, some walls have been clad with oriented strand boards, which is a sustainable product since it is an engineered wood formed using adhesives and compressed layers of natural wood strands. Besides acting as a feature, this product enhances a warm atmosphere and also contributes to sound absorption. Part of this client's brief was also to design a recreational / dining space on the upper level of the office building. Presented with a Carte-blanche, Martina designed an extremely relaxed, vibrant and functional interior space

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