MCM

Eid Mubarak to those celebrating! Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Eid filled with joy, peace, and prosperity. #MCM #Eid #InteriorDesign #Architecture #Consultancy #PeopleBeforeSpace

Many of us designers are wondering how much AI can do. It's trying to do what humans do, and can be very efficient at trying, but won't necessarily succeed without human aid.   A number of topics were touched on in the discussion “Optimising spaces, improving well-being and increasing productivity - can AI do it all?” at the Workspace Design Show London — including:   - Using AI for inspiration. - AI for image enhancement and idea refinement. - AI as a peer reviewer.   The discussion was chaired by Alys Bryan (Design Insider), with Lorena Espaillat (Zaha Hadid Architects),  Deepak Parmar (MCM), and  Hamza Shaikh (Gensler) on the panel.   Starting at a beginning of sorts, data is used to train various AI models, and Deepak highlighted how different organisations are going to be looking at different data for different reasons. Lorena mentioned how they’ve trained an image model on Zaha Hadid’s back catalogue of drawings to generate a similar aesthetic to what Zaha might have produced 30 years ago. When it comes to the daunting number of images AI can generate, Hamza recommends approach with a “curatorial eye” — and by identifying which elements are working, or which don't, productive discussions can be had at an early stage. AI as a “provocateur” as Deepak put it, and Lorenza insightfully added, you just need to know when to stop.   Hamza’s suggested how layout and programmatic efficiencies can be considered at a multiple scales from city to floor plate — using AI for procurement and carbon efficiency comparisons. He put it like this: “Data is the answer — what is the question?” AI can measure many different things, and Lorenza suggests that once you have the question, the desire or outcome — this will determine the data needed to study.   On prompting, Deepak conveyed how AI might give you what you ask for, but that won’t mean it’s right — asking for a space for focus might generate a library setting, without realising you a social and collaborative aspect aspect to the space was also sough. And further suggests that that “…if you’re looking for boring layouts, you’ll get boring results. Give it exciting challenges.”   AI can also be a valuable tool in cross checking our own work. While we’re not all the way there yet, Hamza conveyed the tools are developing where AI can watch what you’re doing live, and through prompts, add ideas.   I think this all made me realise how important the human role is in AI use. Asking the right questions. Training it well. And reviewing its input. And the end of the day, it’s a collaborative tool. (Attached images include a photograph of the panel at the Workspace Design Show London, and a sketch diagram considering how AI's feeds into one's design process.)

Celebrating B Corp: Meet Huskee In honour of B Corp Month, we’re highlighting B Corp businesses that share our commitment to sustainability and you can find them around our Studio. Did you know that 500,000 single-use coffee cups are thrown away every day in the UK? Huskee is changing that by creating stylish, functional products from waste and recycled materials - specifically, coffee husks, a byproduct of the coffee industry. Beyond great design, Huskee is driving systems change with: - HuskeeSwap – A cup exchange program allowing users to swap their cup for a fresh one at participating cafés - HuskeeLoop – A closed-loop recycling system that gives old cups new life. Sustainable, circular, and beautifully designed - Huskee is shaping a waste-free future, one coffee cup at a time. Want to be part of the change? Discover more at www.uk.huskee.co or visit Our Studio, have a coffee and experience their products for yourself! #MCM #BCorpMonth #BLabuk #Coffee #Huskee #InteriorDesign #Architecture #Consultancy #PeopleBeforeSpace

Celebrating B Corp: Meet HIVE CLEANING LTD | B CORP It’s B Corp Month and we’re shining the light on like-minded businesses that share our commitment to sustainability - and you can find them right here at Our Studio. Creativity can be messy, but thanks to Hive Cleaning it’s always clean. As the highest-scoring B Corp-certified cleaning company in the UK, they’re redefining what it means to be a sustainable business. But they don’t stop at cleaning. They channel a portion of their profits into protecting pollinators, supporting 1 million urban bees in Kennington Park. Their impact goes even further with large-scale rewilding projects, including restoring ancient woodland in North Devon to boost biodiversity. And if you’ve noticed the eco-friendly cleaning products around Our Studio - that’s Hive, too. Sustainable, responsible, and dedicated to a cleaner future, Hive Cleaning is making a difference, one space at a time. Learn more about their work at www.hivecleaning.com or see their impact first-hand at Our Studio. #MCM #BCorpMonth #BLabuk #HiveCleaning #Sustainability #InteriorDesign #Architecture #Consultancy #PeopleBeforeSpace

Sharing some photos from a great panel at the Workspace Design Show London this past month! It was a pleasure to speak alongside my fellow Interior Design Declares - UK Design Declares members, Cat Hoad, Helen Gordon, and Mathew Freeman in a thought mindful discussion around Circularity and Social Value. Our conversation delved into social and ethical supply chains, circularity, and, most importantly, how collaboration can drive real, impactful solutions. A great example was our partnership between MCM and Nested Living Ltd for office fully dismantlable walls. . Once again, the WDS event was fantastic, and we had a lovely biophilic stage design by Umbrella Furniture, giving me Mediterranean vibes! A huge thank you to Workspace Design Show London, Esha Bark-Jones, and Charlie Bark-Jones for the invite. MCM

Will be there, celebrating B Corp Month! Join us, as it's a great opportunity to hear from Deepak Parmar, who has been deeply passionate about this journey and led the process nearly four years ago for MCM! B Lab UK

B Corp Networking Breakfast – Thursday 27th March 2025, Modus | B Corp™ As a B Corp, we’re a part of an inspiring community - sharing ideas, learning from each other’s journeys, and working together toward a more socially and environmentally responsible future. MCM’s Design Director and B Corp Lead, Deepak Parmar, will be speaking on the panel at a B Corp Networking Breakfast hosted by Modus Furniture. This event brings together fellow B Corps and B Lab UK members from the built environment to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen a community of like-minded businesses committed to driving meaningful change. The discussion will explore the benefits of being a B Corp, the challenges within the current standards, and insights into the upcoming new standard set to launch later this year - all whilst highlighting the power of collective action. Interested in joining? Register your interest with Lucy Crane (PIEMA), Head of Sustainability at Modus Furniture: lcrane@modusfurniture.co.uk #MCM #BCorpMonth #InteriorDesign #Architecture #Consultancy #PeopleBeforeSpace

It’s B Corp Month! B Lab and the global B Corp community come together every March to celebrate what it truly means to be a B Corp - driving positive change for people and the planet. At MCM, we’re proud to be part of this movement, using business as a force for good and shaping a better future. We’re #GenB. Here’s to a brighter tomorrow, starting today. #BCorpMonth B Lab UK #MCM #BCorp #InteriorDesign #Architecture #Consultnacy #PeopleBeforeSpace

This time last week, I joined a panel at the Workspace Design Show London discussing "How we use AI to optimise the workplace experience."   It was a fascinating conversation with Lorena Espaillat and Hamza Shaikh, expertly moderated by Alys Bryan.   We discussed many topics, but one key challenge stood out: AI-driven workplace optimisation is heavily influenced by historical data. It identifies patterns in what has been done before and refines them—but what if those patterns are flawed? If we train AI on decades of office design that prioritised cost-cutting over creativity and wellbeing, then AI will likely optimise for those same priorities—unless we deliberately introduce new success metrics that focus on human experience, adaptability, and performance.   ⚠️ The risk? AI doesn’t question whether those decisions were the right ones in the first place. It just optimises them further.   Instead of just repeating the past, we should be using AI to challenge it. Here are some of the themes we raised.   ✅ AI as a provocateur – What if AI was used to disrupt conventional thinking rather than reinforce it? ✅ Real-time feedback loops – AI shouldn’t just rely on old standards or predictive analysis; it should continuously adjust based on how people actually experience spaces. ✅ AI for options, not solutions – AI can be a powerful co-creation tool, offering innovative approaches—but it still requires human validation to bring cultural nuance and meaning.   We don’t need AI to perfect the past. We need it to help us imagine and create a better future.   💡 Drop me a message if you've seen any great examples of AI being used to improve workplace experience?

🎤 🔥 🎨 What a turnout for our panel on AI, creativity, digital & data in architecture and design. I discussed our proactive approach to digital innovation at Gensler fusing human creativity with cutting-edge technology. - Sharing the stage with Lorena Espaillat, Zaha Hadid Architects and Deepak Parmar, MCM Chaired by Alys Bryan, Design Insider Thanks to Charlie Bark-Jones, Collin Burry FIIDA, LEED AP