More than a designer

MEETING Dutch designer extraordinaire Piet Boon can be intimidating since he literally stands head and shoulders above many. But his warm smile and affable personality immediately put me at ease as I sit down with him after the October launch of Aira Residence, a luxury high-rise development by Selangor Properties Bhd in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. He is in charge of the interior design of the units in the low-density project.

Boon tells City & Country about how his journey to creating beautiful things started when he was just a child.

“When I was young, I was always building little things. I eventually established my company when I graduated [from university] at 22 years old,” he smiles. “I started in 1983 in Amsterdam where I had a construction company, together with a design company. For the last 20 years though, we have only been doing design.

“We design all kinds of things for private residences and hotels, and we design furniture. We have had our own furniture line for the past 15 years. All the furniture in Aira Residence will be ours. We distribute our furniture to 45 countries.”

Boon seems to have an unending desire to create. He also has a lot on his plate, with projects that take him around the globe.

“At the moment, we are all over the world. We are designing a hotel in Antigua, a small island in the Caribbean, and are doing a Rosewood hotel in Amsterdam in the form of the Bell of Justice — very high-end and very beautiful; a villa on Bonaire Island, a small Dutch island in the Caribbean; a Park Hyatt in Vietnam; and, of course, a lot of private residences in Las Vegas and New York. We are also working in Washington. I like the US because they really understand what we are doing. And now we are in Malaysia,” he says.

Boon’s eponymous company is staffed with creative people who add value to the projects he does. There are architects, interior designers, furniture designers, product designers and even stylists. All these innovative minds as well as his leadership and creativity have taken the company to new heights.

Where does he find his inspiration?

“My inspiration comes from travelling. Because I’m travelling so much, I am immediately inspired … I get my iPhone out and take pictures of all the small details and things I like,” says Boon.

“I think I have the nicest job because I am travelling a lot, seeing many different countries and people, and doing private residences in New York, and you learn about those people [you design for]. I think it is very important to learn about them very well … because I am going to design their house and I want to give them the feeling that they are very involved, that this is not my house but will become theirs. That is an important part. And I like it, I like all the different parts of people. I am very interested in people and they are all totally different.”

Most recently, Boon and Land Rover Malaysia unveiled a bespoke limited edition Range Rover in the country. His partnership with Land Rover began in 2006, and he continues to expand his creative abilities in different fields.

A diverse list of work

Boon’s travels have seen him participate in a variety of projects that showcase his polymathic personality. In his furniture line, he recently added several new pieces such as the KEKKE mirror and BO sofa. The latter has a modular design and is ideal for both a hotel lobby and family home.

“There are different components to the BO sofa and its flexible character allows for endless possibilities.” As for the mirror, he says, “We wanted to enrich the existing collection with something other than a furniture piece, so we created the KEKKE mirror.”

Its frame features a 5mm strip of steel, giving it a strong yet smooth aesthetic.

One of the projects he was involved in was the interior design of a restaurant and bar that is located inside the chapel of a former military hospital. The Jane in Antwerp has an estimated built-up of 4,350 sq ft. It opened to the public in 2014.

“We were given a clear brief by the chefs — Sergio Herman and Nick Bril — to create a restaurant where fine dining meets rock ‘n’ roll. Experience was, and will always be, the key,” says Boon.

He also had the opportunity to design the interior of the headquarters of Delta Lloyd, a Dutch financial services company. What started out as a simple refurbishment of the front part of the office soon became more.

“We began with the entrance, reception area and company restaurant,” says Boon. “Over the course of four years, we were given the opportunity to design the auditorium, several floors, meeting rooms and office space.

“The whole process went gradually, and we created the same calm yet stimulating flow throughout the entire building. Our designs proved themselves to be successful and so, we ended up redesigning and refurbishing most of the headquarters.”

Boon was given plenty of creative freedom, and he took into consideration the company’s ideals.

As for residential projects, Boon helped refurbish a 1917 neoclassical property in New York, the US. Called the Huys, it offers 58 condominiums with a ground-floor retail space. He was invited by Dutch property developer Kroonenberg Groep to create the total concept and convert the commercial offices into residential suites.

There were some challenges but he took them in his stride.

“With every project, we face different challenges. City living involves constantly seeking to find the balance between the exciting public life of the city and the serenity and comfort of the private home,” says Boon.

While the building was old, its structural integrity was sound, allowing for the various modern fittings to be installed. And with guidance from Kroonenberg Groep, all issues with building restrictions were dealt with.

Boon has also completed projects in his home country, one of which is a house built on the water. The Floating House in Amsterdam does not look like the traditional boathouses one sees in the canals, and for good reason.

“That’s because it isn’t a traditional Amsterdam canal houseboat. This 2-storey houseboat is moored in a unique, tranquil spot in a typically Dutch landscape near the city of Amsterdam,” Boon explains.

“The concept for the design was a minimalist houseboat that blended in and connected with its natural surroundings. With that in mind, we opted for a striking box-shaped design, finished in black-stained red cedar. We provided the exterior of the houseboat with shutters so that when closed, the home has a shell-like enclosure — a jewel box, if you will. Once drawn back, a big ‘open-living’ feel can be experienced, creating a strong interior-
exterior connection,” he says.

The projects that Boon is involved in are varied. Burning with passion to continue designing, he cannot set aside his creative ways, even when on holiday.

“It is always a bit of a combination [of work and a holiday]. I like to go to the Caribbean for my holidays but there is always a bit of work and that is nice,” Boon concludes.

This article first appeared in City & Country, a pullout of The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on Dec 19, 2016. Subscribe here for your personal copy.