A little trip to Actiu in Castalla Spain
What a brilliant idea that was! When we were brainstorming about a suitable location to film a particular scene for our new company video, someone here in the office (sorry Sam that you were too busy to go yourself:) suggested to ask the lovely people of furniture designers and manufacturers Actiu if we could do that in their offices and gardens.
The particular scene was dependent on good weather and although we love it up here in Scotland the weather is, in fairness, hard to predict..
Castalla has a lot in common with Scotland. It reminded us of Stirling but then in the colour beige.
Actiu, always on the move
Always on the movie? Not quite, but when it comes to visual appeal we here at Amos Beech in Scotland had to include them in our little film. The visual appeal doesn't only apply to their products though:
Architecture and sustainability at the technology park in Castalla
You don't suddenly wake up and start producing stunning design furniture. You live it and breath it and when you look at Actiu, they certainly do! It therefore doesn't come as a surprise to us that Vicent Berbegal, the president and founder of Actiu, has been awarded 'European Entrepreneur of the Year 2017' at the European Business Awards (EBA) ceremony, during a gala in Dubrovnik (Croatia). We have seen many factories, showrooms and offices over the years, but Actiu is certainly up there with the best. The design of the Actiu Technology Park, created by José María Tomás LLavador, was based on sustainability and the self-sufficient use of natural resources right from the outset. Rain water is collected from the roofs and stored in cisterns for irrigation and industrial use. It is also worth mentioning that Actiu is in fact an energy plant as it supplies 6 times more electricity into the grid than it needs itself.
Biophilia
Biophilic interior design (meaning love of nature) focuses on mans' innate attraction to nature and natural processes and brings elements of nature into the built environment. We have used this in our designs a couple of times and are currently working on a stunning idea for one of our clients (watch this space!). Actiu however, is at the forefront of it in their own offices:
One of the indoor gardens at Actiu
Biophilia suggests that we all have a genetic connection to the natural world built up through hundreds of thousands of years of living in agrarian settings. It is a term popularized by American psychologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980’s, when he observed how increasing rates of urbanisation were leading to a disconnection with the natural world. Biophilia is of ever increasing importance to our health and well-being in the built environment.
Our film
We are sort of halfway through the making of the Amos Beech video and can't reveal it just yet, as only the final end result can communicate what it is supposed to do. In that sense it is a bit like an interior fit out project:)
The film crew from Iris Media discussing and finalising the shots
(the film will feature two of Actiu's stars Christina and David)
The Amos Beech film will explain what we as an interior design, fit-out and furniture company are about, using what a colleague here in the office calls 'moving stills'. All of this in the attention span of an average internet user...
Serious stuff!
Careful planning and advice by the Actiu team meant that we were saved from the real burn that was expected shortly after midday.
Text on the wall outside the company gym @actiu
We tend to underestimate the power and heat of the sun. Some of us even set of to Castalla without suncream, shorts and slippers!
Actiu: Thank you very much!
Update: we have now (27-06-2018) launched our videos! You can see them here:
All Images by Photographer Zwolle
SALONE DEL MOBILE . MILANO
The perfect tonic after months of non-stop hard work for the design team, Salone del Mobile, Milano 2016 was awesome!
From the moment we landed until the moment we left, Milan was a feast for the eyes. Everywhere we turned there was exquisite detail. Whether it was architecture, structure, colour, materials, food, or flowers, our creativity was stimulated well beyond expectations.
Milan is a vibrant, stylish city, steeped in history and offers an eclectic mix of not-to-be missed events throughout the year. During Milan Design Week in April, the city is swarming with an enthusiastic and inspiration thirsty band of international architects, designers and specifiers all requiring sustenance and accommodation. The efficiency with which the city and its locals coped with this influx was beyond impressive and at no point did it feel over crowded or too busy. With free Wi-Fi access throughout the city centre and encompassing the subway, navigating Milan was simple and hassle free.
Representing the biggest event in the World’s furniture calendar, it is certainly one not to be missed going forward.
Material trends we noticed across furniture, lighting, kitchens and accessories were marble, copper, timber, leather, coloured glass and plastic. Typically, most of our compatriots in design took the opportunity to showcase their own personal sense of style whilst representing their company’s latest offerings which of course added to the exciting mix of colours, textures and materials.
There was a strong sense of reality at Salone Satellite, a platform for emerging designers. Gone were the old desires to be rich and famous. This was replaced by altruistic concerns about society and the planet and a determination to make a living working on solutions for real world problems through new ideas and of course the exploration of the latest new materials technology has to offer.
In short, this networking and buying opportunity had a massive visual impact on us resulting in whet appetites for innovation, quality and originality. A determined, refreshed desire to stretch ourselves, commercial interior designers Edinburgh, beyond self-belief and way beyond our competitors.
All that said and done, emerging from the Metro at “Duomo” to the breath-stealing sight of the oldest Gothic cathedral in Italy alone, would quite possibly have had the same affect.
Milan, we will be back!