A 2021 guide to how commercial design services are an investment worth making

An architect does much more than build four walls and a roof. An interior designer does much more than pick colours for your new curtains.

In 2021, smart businesses understand that good, commercial design is far from a burden on your budget. While it may be tempting to cut corners by skipping seemingly hefty fees for a designer and going straight to construction, a space that is thoughtfully put together goes a long way in benefiting your company and your brand.

A designer’s job is to make a space the best it can possibly be. Professionals receive years of training to learn how to interpret the future life of a building through how it is put together, and Cambodia is slowly waking to this realisation that design is so much more than the way something looks. Modern commercial design is now more and more about creating healthy, pleasant experiences for everyday people – in other words, your customers, clients and employees. Designers understand how to create spaces that are functional yet responsive towards human experiences, and know that this will ultimately shape how people behave and how they feel within that environment.

Below we have outlined why you should consider hiring a professional for any commercial project you have on the horizon.

How will good architecture and interior design benefit your business?

• Effective design creates a powerful brand. Beyond logos and corporate colours, your brand is the story you tell the world. Financial institutions such as banks, for example, communicate trust, strength and stability through grand, visually-striking architecture – think high ceilings and clean geometric shapes – as well as materials like steel, stone and glass. If design dictates how an employee or customer feels within your space, and how they behave in that space, this then reflects the values of that business.


• Thoughtful design produces happy and productive workers. Employees are the beating heart of any business. Companies that are ahead of their game know that attracting and holding onto talented staff require a pleasant space to work. Alongside comfortable spaces for socialising and taking a well-earned break, offices should cater to a variety of workstyles by carefully combining open, collaborative areas with quiet, private nooks for deep focus. It’s also been proven that productivity increases when there's plenty of natural light, a generous amount of greenery and other biophilic elements. When workers feel valued, they are more likely to stick around.


• Intelligent design improves usability. A logical arrangement of space smoothens out the function of that area. The layout of a retail shop will dictate how people move through it, which products will fly off the shelves and which ones will gather dust – and, crucially, if customers will come back for more.

Why spend money on an architect or interior designer?

• Architects and designers understand your needs and your vision, taking a holistic approach to balance spatial and environmental restrictions, tight budgets, commercial needs, aesthetic tastes, branding (and more) into one neat and tidy package. An architect understands how to breakdown “we want to expand our business” or “we need a new office” into square metres and three-dimensional space.


• Architects and designers solve problems, turning grand ambition into realistic, buildable spaces. Every project will have its own constraints and concerns that require creative solutions, and contractors need detailed plans to follow during the construction phase of the project. With the right technical expertise, and by extension fewer opportunities for errors, the design on paper will match the final result. Everyone is happy.


• You will save money in the long run. In Cambodia, keeping electricity bills from sky-rocketing is not an impossible task. Use of greenery, cross ventilation and shading features such as overhangs are only a few climate-conscious elements that improve energy efficiency. Materials can also be chosen for their durability rather than low cost, meaning you will save on replacement and maintenance fees a few years down the road. Overall, good for the world and good for your business.


• You get the most out of your money, because you get the most out of your space. If you are paying per square metre for leasing an office or other commercial area, then wasted space equals wasted dollars. Optimal planning reduces these needless costs.


• Architects and designers know the local industry, and will not only recommend qualified contractors that fit your needs and your budget but can oversee and coordinate the whole process from start to finish, so you don’t have to. Reducing this hassle will ultimately save you time and money, and will ensure the final product meets the standard that you expect.


• Design is always evolving. Incredible leaps in innovation mean that even with decades of experience under their belt, the best designers and architects never stop learning. New technology is changing how we understand the field and is pushing the limits of what we can do with design – from materials and construction to energy saving lighting fixtures.

We are here to help. Whatever stage you are at in the hiring process, feel free to reach out to us with any questions and take a look at some of our recent projects.