International design practice HASSELL has merged with London-based user experience firm, FreeState, to bring added value to its work and build better spaces for people.
November 28th, 2016
International design practice HASSELL has merged with London-based user experience group FreeState.
Founded by Adam Scott, Ben Johnson and Charlotte Boyens, FreeState develops user-centric narratives and immersive design journeys that connect audiences. The award-winning firm’s clientele includes Sony, Nokia and Virgin Atlantic, Brookfield Property and Exemplar.
According to Adam Scott, Creative Director of FreeState, the world has shifted into “the era of experience” over the last couple of decades. He cites a recent survey by the Harris Group, which states that 72 per cent of millennials prefer to spend their money on experiences over material possessions.
“Their expectations of those experiences are very high,” Scott says. “What that means is that brands – and places – now live or die by how well they inspire attraction, involvement and a sense of belonging,” he adds.
FreeState will continue to operate under its name and leadership, but as part of HASSELL. Both companies will share its people, resources and knowledge – a move that will bring added value to client projects.
HASSELL Managing Director Rob Backhouse explains that globalisation, rapid urbanisation and fast changing technology are changing the way we live, learn, work and play. The merger will expand the HASSELL offer with a “market-leading capability in user experience”, informing projects beyond the conventional realms of architecture and design.
Both companies have already begun working together on client projects. The collective practice was engaged by Arup to craft its workplace strategy for the Australian region, with the merger enabling Arup to adopt a unique and empathetic approach to its workplace design. “We stepped into the shoes of our clients to understand their experience and how that impacts us as a business,” says Dr Joseph Correnza, Arup’s Buildings Principal and Office Leader.
“In everything we do, we start with people – imagining what their ideal journey might be as the basis for designing their ideal future environment,” says Scott.
“This process is really powerful in connecting brands and places with target audiences – whether they be customers, commuters, employees, students or members of the public – in completely new ways and ultimately transforming everyday places into extraordinary experiences,” he concludes.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Create a configuration to suit your needs with this curved collection.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Caring for our mental health is paramount these days and architecture and design can lead the way as Hassell shows in its latest project in Queensland.
MECCA’s Customer Support Centre stays put, but Studio Tate’s interior design has added totally new layers of colour and energy to the space.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
In Malaysia Spacemen has created a world of perfumed wonder with their latest project, Trove, where treasures abound.
London-based Carmody Groarke and Paris-based TVK have been announced as winners of a milestone competition for the new Bibliothèque nationale de France conservation centre.
The brief for the new Government Agency office in Canberra was a challenging combination of high performance and high concept. The Mill Architecture + Design turned to Milliken to bring the ambitious project to life.