Tajal Rutherford-Bhatt
1. Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your design background.
Hi, I’m Tajal a Principal Director and interior designer. I joined tp bennett as a graduate in 2004 and since then have played an active role in the growth and evolution of the practice’s interiors studio.
I work across a range of sectors in the UK and internationally, designing and delivering schemes for leading brands and institutions including Capital Group’s London HQ in the Renzo Piano designed Paddington Cube, the refurbishment and transformation of global professional services firm Marsh McLennan’s UK headquarters, and the award-winning VitrA showroom in Clerkenwell.
I am a champion of tp bennett’s social value priorities, advocating the positive effect excellent design can have for communities. I sit on the board of Impact Dance, a Hip-Hop and Street Dance Academy for 11–19-year-olds, having delivered a high-quality environment that supports and nurtures their youth development program.
2. What made you become/why did you choose to become a designer/artist?
My Mum has always been a very creative person and I was surrounded by it from a young age. I grew up in a flower shop which initiated my understanding of the power of colour, composition, and proportions. On a family trip to New York when I was 16, I picked up an interior design magazine and the rest is history!
3. Tell us more about your agency/company, job profile, and what you do.
tp bennett is an independent architectural, design, and planning practice, owned and managed in the UK with a strong international presence. Our expertise spans every aspect of architectural design including planning, strategy, and interiors, and we have enormous resilience to match our passion. We value diversity in every sense: in our workforce, company culture, client base, and projects – and freedom of thought.
We like to think of ourselves as a design democracy. A studio-based practice with multiple skills, everyone has a voice at tp bennett. As agenda-setters in the world of workplace culture, we ensure that our workplace sets standards of well-being and enjoyment. We work in the spirit of collaboration, design excellence, and fun. We are ambitious for you as well as for us.
As a Principal Director, I sit on the board making strategic decisions for the practice. I run a busy studio of designers working alongside our clients to deliver bespoke environments that respond to and challenge briefs, offering insightful and purposeful leadership in the creation of sustainable environments.
4. What does “design” mean to you?
For me, it’s not just about what it looks like, it’s how it makes you feel. I love the journey of designing something, it’s extremely personal. Design has to respond to a need, evoke an aesthetic response, and be durable or sustainable.
5. What’s your favorite kind of design and why?
Something unexpected, clever, and leaves you feeling intrigued.
6. To you, what makes a “good” design?
Well-considered design creates an experience that engages you.
7. How did you come up with the idea for your award-winning design?
Marsh McLennan (MMC) set out to create a unified workspace that brings their three constituent business streams together. Additionally, the endeavour sought to breathe new life into a two-decade-old building, designed by the renowned Lord Norman Foster. The refurbishment creates an identifiable brand for MMC providing an agile working environment with a focus on its people and clients.
The result is a beautifully considered design narrative and flexible experience that can respond to both individual and differing business needs. With a focus on health, well-being, and a connection to nature, MMC promotes an inclusive culture that aims to bring out the best in its people
8. What was your main source of inspiration for this design?
The overarching design concept, the MMC Eco System, places health and well-being at the core of the spaces. Destination spaces have been strategically positioned across the floors creating smaller enclaves, fostering well-being with great access to natural daylight and biophilia. Their dispersion across the two buildings encourages movement and connection between the various business units, promoting a dynamic and connected environment.
The design encourages a cultural shift towards collaboration, fostering a dynamic and adaptable environment that aligns with the evolving needs of each business unit.
9. Do you think your country and its cultural heritage has an impact on your design process?
Absolutely! London is such a multicultural city that is continuously growing and evolving, it’s a source of daily inspiration for me.
10. Congratulations! As the winner of the London Design Awards, what does it mean to you and your company and team to receive this award distinction?
Thank you! It’s always great to win an award and be recognised for a successful project. The project has been pivotal in my own career so personally, I’m super proud of it. As a practice, it further cements our status as a leader in commercial office interior design.
11. Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the London Design Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?
The overarching goal for MMC was not only to harmonise values and aspirations but also to cultivate a shared design language and experience that authentically mirrors their brand and culture as well as supporting diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the endeavour sought to breathe new life into a two-decade-old building, designed by the renowned Sir Norman Foster.
MMC’s new space has a strong focus on health, well-being, and a connection to nature. The new space promotes an inclusive culture that aims to bring out the best in its people, visitors, and clients.
12. What were the main challenges you faced during the design process, and how did you overcome them?
The design needed to encourage a cultural shift towards collaboration, fostering a dynamic and adaptable environment that aligned with the evolving needs of each business unit.
Revitalising a 20-year-old building involved a thoughtful design strategy. Modern materials were used to refresh the aesthetic and emphasise natural light as well as opening up the floor plates to maximise visual connectivity.
The employee experience in general needed to be enhanced. We did this by increasing the amenity offer, particularly by designing a completely flexible restaurant space that caters for informal meetings and can accommodate large town hall gatherings. Augmenting this with an improved catering offer contributes to a dynamic and engaging environment, helping to create a sense of community amongst MMC.
13. How do you think winning this award will impact your future as a designer?
Winning this award is not only a professional achievement for everyone on the project team but also a personal achievement for me. It is so great to see the hard work and dedication we put into this project recognised and spurs me on to continue giving every project 110%!
14. What are your top three (3) favorite things about the design industry?
I get to work with great people, It’s always evolving, and I get to design spaces to help people thrive.
15. What sets your design apart from others in the same category?
True to the project team’s vision, we have created a space fit for every purpose for both clients and colleagues. Marsh McLennan is an inspiring space, that offers flexibility, fosters collaboration and creativity, and truly represents MMC as a company in front of their clients.
16. Where do you see the evolution of design industry going over the next 5-10 years?
Design will be increasingly digital and I think it will become more sensory and immersive with the support of new technologies. As designers, it will be important for us to harness this and connect it to real-life human experience.
The climate crisis will continue to evolve how we design, with circularity and sustainability at the forefront of every design.
17. What advice do you have for aspiring designers who want to create award-winning designs?
Don’t hold back, just go for it!
18. What resources would you recommend to someone who wants to improve their skills in the design industry?
Travel, explore, and listen. The best source of information and learning is getting absorbed in the environment around you. It is also really important to get out there and connect with and learn from people from across the industry.
19. Tell us something you have never told anyone else.
Nope! Then I would have told someone!?
20. Who has inspired you in your life and why?
It has to be my mum! She always pushed forward when out of her comfort zone and became very successful because of it!
21. What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
Hard work pays off and treat others how you would like to be treated. Take people on the journey with you.
22. Do you have anything else you would like to add to the interview?
I recently attended 3 Days of Design which is known for showcasing the best of Scandinavian design, blending tradition with innovation. It's impressive to see how timeless pieces can be reimagined to stay relevant in contemporary settings. For me, the event is not just about the products but also the experience, the creativity, and the vibrant culture of Copenhagen itself.
I would highly recommend it to anyone passionate about design!
