Page 23 - RLI April 2019

Founded in 2005 by five longtime friends and colleagues in
Los Angeles, 5+design is a creative architecture and planning

practice with studios in Hollywood, Shanghai and Dubai.
Here, RLI sits down with Michael Ellis, Principal at 5+design

to discuss the past, present and future.

DEL AMO FASHION CENTER California, US esign company 5+design creates places for are many members of the team who work to maintain

The company has evolved to the point now where there
people, from the scale of a room to a city.
Encompassing retail, mixed-use, residential, and
and nurture relationships; it doesn’t just fall on one or two
Dlarge-scale urban planning, their work addresses
two contemporary needs: a strong desire for community and
the firm much more evenly this way which fits in with the
firm’s ethos as a collaborative partnership of creative people.
a connection to the greater world. people. They have been able to spread the goodwill about
“2018 was a year of transitions. We lost one of our Whilst continuing to operate on a global scale, the
founding partners this past December, but the resiliency of company has found recently additional opportunities are
our office quickly proved itself in the months that followed,” presenting themselves in markets close to home, and Ellis
explains Michael Ellis, Principal at 5+design. “We have new would like to see more local work in the coming months to
projects underway in places like Russia and the Kingdom of balance out the firm’s work overseas.
Saudi Arabia, while at the same time we are finding new What design trends does Ellis feel will become more
opportunities closer to our home base of California.” prominent in the coming years?
The company is laser focused on developing design “I feel that this idea of authenticity “We feel fortunate to be
solutions that are authentically tied to place. Context is critical and of being real will become major Working With so many visionary
to them, and the diversity of its work reflects this focus. trends, and the incorporation of
“In terms of investment, our people are always first. increased amenity into the retail people Who make us better
Second would be our focus on integrating BIM and software environment will be a huge theme every day”
like Revit early into the design process… to allow for a more in the years to come. Whether its
seamless transition into detailed drawings as our projects retail, office, hotel, residential, these sectors are not as distinct as
progress towards completion,” Ellis explains. they used to be, and they’re going to get a lot less distinct in the
Last year saw three of 5+design’s recently-opened projects future as people demand more from their environments and
on three separate continents win the 2018 ICSC Gold Award mix together the demands of working, living and playing.”
for renovations/expansions in their regions: Del Amo Fashion The group’s major strengths lie in their ability to listen
Center in the US, China World Mall in China and Optimum Izmir carefully to its clients, and in finding solutions that go beyond
in Turkey. On top of this, a recently-opened residential project the brief. The firm does not try to impose its style on anyone;
in Chengdu, China – Crystal Laputa – won numerous awards they instead look to the site and to each opportunity to find
including best residential project in China by the Shanghai AIA what fits best.
chapter, and an award of design excellence from the Council on In the year ahead, 5+design will be focusing on
Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CBTUH). Finally, the first phase communicating and sharing what they create with the
COVER STORY | 5+DESIGN of its renovation of The Shops of Riverside opened on the East world. As designers, they often get so enveloped within the
Coast, which will be followed by the second phase later this year. creative process they forget to sometimes come up for air
and share the ideas and projects they’ve spent months and
2019 will prove to be another important year for the
CREATING company, as they have a total of eight new projects opening years developing.
So what does Ellis feel are the main challenges facing the
across China, the US, Russia and the UAE.
Ellis feels that the portfolio of clients 5+design has now has
company right now?
“I always worry about a global slowdown, but I try to
A NEW WORLD increased because they have diversified their work beyond ensure that our office doesn’t become complacent about
retail. “While we have been fortunate enough to retain many of
anything – our design, our clients, technology, the travel it
our long-term clients, we also continue to develop new client
relationships around the world. We feel fortunate to be working
many ways, and we’re very excited to be participating in it.”
with so many visionary people who make us better every day.” takes to do our work, all of it. It’s a new world out there in so
WUHAN NORTH PAVILION CRYSTAL LAPUTA TOWERS ONE PASEO OPTIMUM IZMIR EXPANSION
Wuhan, China Chengdu, China California, US Izmir, Turkey

22 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL ABRIL 2019