‘Two heads are better than one’ goes the old saying, and for Scott Brownrigg and One Space, this adage rings true as we enter a new year. The two design practices recently announced a strategic partnership that will see them deliver integrated solutions for the architecture and interior design markets in Hong Kong, China and the Asia-Pacific as a whole.

Scott Brownrigg is an international design practice with expertise in master planning, infrastructure, architecture and interior design, among other fields. Headquartered in London, with offices in New York, Moscow, Singapore and more, Scott Brownrigg has worked on projects in Hong Kong in the past, but it has not had a base here. Past projects include work on the MTR system in the 1970s, and on Hong Kong International Airport.

One Space, meanwhile, is based in Hong Kong, providing integrated architecture and technology services to the office, education and retail industries. It has worked on spaces for the likes of HSBC, Swire Beverages, Manchester United, McCann Worldgroup and Bacardi Martini.

“Both practices have a strong portfolio of commercial, office, workplace and education work and both have a desire to further expand their respective client bases within the region as well as further support their shared global clients,” says Michael Olliff, Managing Director at Scott Brownrigg, of the partnership. “Having met Greg [Pearce, Co-Founder and Managing Director of One Space] initially, there was an immediate synergy and a sense of common purpose and desire to succeed.”

For both practices, says Olliff, the partnership is a way of growing their presence in Asia, while adding value for clients.

Says Greg Pearce, “We foresee immediate opportunities working together in Asia Pacific in three primary sectors: Corporate Interiors, Hospitality and Education design. In fact, our partnership is already in talks with clients in all three of these arenas and there is evidence that our combined offering – bringing together our local knowledge and international expertise – brings a unique observational lens and design approach to these typologies.”

Both practices also hope the partnership will help them tap into industry trends they see happening in Hong Kong, Singapore and the wider region. “User expectations, formed from across the entire range of daily life’s settings, are starting to merge,” says Pearce. “Consequently, the workplace experience, the retail experience and the hospitality experience – to cite just three arenas – are beginning to share common design attributes.”

In addition, says Pearce, the partnership intends to tap into a counter-trend they are seeing to the construction-led approach to corporate interiors. “We are seeing more recognition that design adds value to the bottom line of our business clients, a mindset which is typically beyond the capability of a design-and-build contractor,” he says. “Both practices are very excited about the future and already the strategic partnership is being received positively by clients and prospective clients in the region.”