BoConcept: designed to share

Brand story by Sisse Bro
Herning, Denmark
25.01.24

Utilising collections from his collaboration with BoConcept, renowned designer Karim Rashid has brought his trademark organic fluid forms to a new residential timeshare project in London.

The living space of a brand-new timeshare apartment located in the centre of London, entirely designed and conceptualised by award-winning designer Karim Rashid

Contemporary and fresh, luminous and colourful, intriguing and surprising; the interior design of a newly finished apartment project in London speaks the visual language of its maker, award-winning designer Karim Rashid. Having spent the past four decades in the field of design and architecture, Rashid has manifested both his talent and approach with an always recognisable design DNA.

For this London project, Rashid was brought in to design an atypical type of home, a timeshare. The real-estate developer behind the project, Flyway, specialises in second homes based on the timeshare principle, a vacation property with a shared ownership model. Not a new concept as such, yet Flyway has introduced its own angle, concentrating on well-designed spaces located in popular cities. ‘Flyway introduced themselves as a new innovative model in the market where multiple people will be able to own luxury second homes and enjoy them, starting this with pied-à-terre in London. I've designed hotels from top to bottom, uniforms, key cards, scents, and we wanted to do something similar with Flyway, giving guests a fully designed experience. I chose all the flatware, dishes, appliances, etc.,’ explains Rashid.

In the bedroom and bathroom, contrasts of white and dark surfaces, lifted with soft pastel colours and organic shapes, create a dynamic ambience in the relatively small spaces

The timeshare apartments differ from hotels in the sense that people will stay here for a longer period of time and perhaps several times a year, something Rashid considered in the design process: ‘With hotels, the experience is very temporary so I’m always looking to create an experience like no other. But the Flyway apartments will have longer-term stays. I wanted to create a neutral palate but still with energising pops of colour. For me, it is quite subdued. The white walls and wooden floors act as a neutral canvas for the colour in the furnishings, artwork, and details throughout. It is my continuous goal to create an intimate environment that focuses on positive energy, rejuvenation, privacy, relaxing, and getting away from the world. This was a perfect opportunity to pare back to high-quality basics that meet the needs of many.’

Rashid has worked in close partnership with Danish design brand BoConcept since 2012, developing whole ranges of furniture together. For the Flyway project, Rashid included some of these products as he found them particularly suitable: ‘I chose the Chelsea collection for this apartment as it epitomises my design language of fluid organic forms. I want to remove hard surfaces and sharp edges to create visual and tactile comfort and an arresting sense of calm. These needs are a must, particularly in urban homes that tend to be smaller, as with this London flat.’

The organically shaped objects, the decorative wall and floor surfaces together with the mirrors, add playfulness – almost to the point of optical illusion – to an otherwise simple square bathroom space

The London apartment is an example of how our needs and desires in terms of new ways of living constantly evolve, and how the real estate market quickly picks up on it. Thoughtfully designed interiors have become an increasingly important factor for people in choosing where they want to spend their time. The value of design is increasingly recognised by users and the market naturally follows.

© Architonic

Head to the Architonic Magazine for more insights on the latest products, trends and practices in architecture and design.