As part of HOTELS 50th anniversary issue, we asked design leaders to discuss the trends, and even some of the mistakes being made. Here is their take:
HOTELS: Name a misguided industry trend. What needs to change?
Andrew Best, vice president architecture and technical services, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Bangkok: Put pictures of four new, different guestrooms side by side and try to guess the brand, place or driving character. They all blur together. The best new designs have a strong vision and are not afraid to make a statement and seek an emotional response from guests.
Luciano Mazza, director, HKS Hospitality Group, London: While many designers and architects strive for ecologically sound practices and materials, the unfortunate reality is that implementing a fully green strategy is not financially viable for most developers. Guests paying US$10,000 per night for a luxury suite are typically in their 50s and 60s and accustomed to big rooms with expansive glazing, perfectly controlled temperatures and other niceties that have a damaging carbon footprint. As younger generations become the consumers of luxury, they will expect these comforts but not at the expense of the environment. We need further research into cost- and energy-efficient solutions that are accessible to all.
David T’Kint, partner, HBA Dubai: As much as I applaud the industry responding to a market that demands something besides cookie-cutter recipes, why not also look at the identity of existing, classic brands and make them evolve? It is key for hotel developers, operators and designers to think different but not trendy. A trend fades out, a brand identity does not—if it evolves wisely.
Conrad Smith, managing director, ReardonSmith Architects, London: At a time of ever-increasing lack of coordination between interior and exterior architecture, I would like to stand up for form following function. The work of a “starchitect” engaged to create an exciting form or an urban sculpture is a wonderful thing to behold until you have to squeeze in a 200-key international hotel with efficient gross to net to meet the requirements of owner and operator. Please, can architects design whole buildings, not just photo opportunities for their next brochure?
H: What should hospitality designers focus on?
Timothy Griffin, director of North America, Ennismore, London: There’s a temptation today to over-provision technology. Do guests really need complex colored lighting, mind-blowing temperature controls, confusing TVs and an iPad to order room service? Should designers instead focus on making the space easy to engage with, as if you’re in your own home, with intuitive, low-key technological innovations, while being cognizant that people want to kick back in a hotel room and not study the instruction manual?
Mazza: The industry needs to focus upon the psychological shifts being driven by younger generations but affecting society as a whole. It’s not enough for a hotel to have a funky restaurant and internet access—we need to understand what guests find valuable and why disruptions like the sharing economy hold such appeal. For the industry to remain competitive, designers, with support from hotel brands, operators and developers, need to be free to experiment with new ideas rather than follow safe, formulaic routes.
Darrell Long, partner, HBA Los Angeles: While the paradigm in the design industry has often been to pull from contextual precedent as inspiration, the advent of personally curated instant image feeds has created a culture of indolence. Our role is simple—create inventive spaces that lend value to each project and reinforce our intellectual property. We need to look forward in our designs and continue to reinvent; each project has its own unique story to tell, one that is of its time and place, and new and true to itself.
Smith: Dubai is a wonderful place. However, so are London, Amsterdam, Paris and every city that has previously been allowed to grow organically. Context is vital when designing interiors and exteriors. New, challenging design solutions created for their unique surroundings can be the finest examples of architecture, which develop ideas for the future that will stand the test of time. Too often a lazy practice will tweak its last design, which was a tweak of the one before—and before you know it, the urban landscape has become a wasteland of underwhelming mediocrity.
H: What is one trend you are watching and why?
Jeremie Trigano, general director, Mama Shelter, Paris: We are very sensitive to what is going on in the co-working field. A lot of office, restaurant and hotel actors are entering this market, which is seeing exponential growth. We still haven’t seen something that comes close to Mama’s DNA in this field and we think it could be fun for us to give it a shot.
Martin Brudnizki, founder, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, London: The terms luxury and quality have become intertwined with lifestyle and experience, so it is now rare to find a hotel that is just a place to rest your head. Hotels have become social destinations and the design is focused on the holistic experience of the guest. It’s a great feeling to stay somewhere and know that the best restaurant or bar in that city is just downstairs and that you have unmitigated access. Or to have the ability to meet a client in the lobby, in an environment you feel comfortable in. Hotel design is also becoming more localized, and as a designer it is important that what we create reflects the neighborhood and works with the local community and its history.