“Tenacity and understanding”: 2019 Emerging Design Professional

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Interior Awards 2019 winner: Emerging Design Professional Award – Kristen Basra of Spatial Studio; Archant fitout. Image: jeffery Chan of Studio81; Kevin Smith

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The central hub kitchen in the Archant display showroom is for designers, clients, architects, and staff to all use as a shared space. Image: Kevin Smith

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Archant fitout. Image: Kevin Smith

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APT - Fenix Surfaces and Atim Mechanisms show space was created to be an interactive space for clients.

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The yoga studio at the District gym on Queen Street in Auckland.

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Basra says that she aims to "create a poetic description to [the] interiors through dichotomies – a division of contrasting elements..." — Basra says that she aims to “create a poetic description to [the] interiors through dichotomies – a division of contrasting elements…”

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Winner of the Emerging Design Professional category at the 2019 Interior Awards, Kristen Basra, founded Spatial Studio three years ago. Judges noted that she had “tenacity, passion for the industry and an innate understanding of the commercial imperatives of her work”, which helped her stand out from the other highly competent entrants.

Basra finished university five years ago, and since creating Spatial Studio has worked on projects such as the fitout for Archant’s showroom space in Parnell and APT Innovations’ Home Ideas Centre. She says of her design ethos that she aims to “create a poetic description to [the] interiors through dichotomies – a division of contrasting elements – which seamlessly work together. There needs to be a balance of substance versus weight, colour versus white on black, texture versus smooth.”

Full jury citation:

In a particularly strong and highly contested category, Kristen came to the fore, thanks to a combination of tenacity, passion for the industry and an innate understanding of the commercial imperatives of her work. Throughout her nascent career, Kristen has displayed a quietly driven attitude that has seen her: launch her own interior design business; develop a wide-ranging portfolio; employ full-time, in-house staff; and maintain all this momentum while becoming a mother for the first time.

Kristen’s description of her designs for the Archant showroom hinted at a certain stylistic maturity while, at the same time, understanding her place within the client’s vision. She is definitely one to watch.

See Kristen’s winning presentation here: