Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2020

8 2 FEATURE By Shashi Caan, CEO of IFI A leading role IFI has representatives who design for both leisure and transportation environments, both of which require specialised expertise to overcome the unique challenges of designing spaces that harmonise sensory and psychological satisfaction with practical, technological and commercial constraints. Those who design such refined environments must have a sharp understanding and attention to spatial, material and technical problem solving, as well as the ability to deliver comfort, pleasure and a great sense of physical safety and adventure. All design, especially that of interiors, impacts human beings. Not only does it dictate a person’s physical experience in terms of what they can safely do and how they behave in a space, but it also has a significant impact on how they think and feel. Consequently, the environments we create should directly contribute to our physical, social and mental health – all three of which ultimately impact our overall well-being – by helping to reduce stress levels, support rest and relaxation, and enhance our capacity to interact with other people. Many elements contribute to our experience of inhabiting these places, whether it be for short or prolonged period. They include air, space, light, colour, proximity to other people, heat and sound levels, the visual and tactile experience, exposure to materials and a sense of security. Designers play a pivotal role in using these elements to shape environments and how we interact with them. IFI seeks to advance research and awareness of the multiple opportunities for using them to promote well-being in the built environment, as well as the role that design plays in shaping the quality of people’s lives. Increasingly, our daily life functions are overlapping with the element of comfort found in our most relaxed and secure environments, such as our homes. Consequently, IFI knows that the best way to support human activity is to create locations that provide individualised comfort and support. In fact, there has been an increased adoption of hospitality design elements in a myriad of other public buildings, which demonstrates the healing benefits of calm and relaxing environments for the people who inhabit them. Residential and leisure environments cover a wealth of different experiences – from exhilarating events, social gatherings to relaxation and self-care. In the cruise industry these are coupled with a heightened responsibility for providing safety and for promoting social cohesion between passengers. It can be challenging, but we greatly value and respect the rarefied knowledge of those who have successfully achieved it on cruise ships around the world. Designers use colours, lighting, materials in different textures and other elements to create a specific mood and shape how guests interact with spaces “By its nature, design has an obligation to improve all of life’s functions, to optimally support human activities and to aid in uplifting the human spirit. When designed well, both large and small interiors inspire deeper connection and greater confidence. As such, designers are required to practice with sensitivity, empathy and responsibility to achieve the llest benefits to our health and well-being.” By Carlos Scheliga, president elect of IFI from 2020-2021 Uplifting spirits