Impression No5 by Impression

2 | Impression Nยบ5โ ขSeptember 2018

INDIVIDUALISATION . FOR YOUR BATHROOM . IN PERFECTION. FOR 25 YEARS.

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Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

FOREWORD THE COVER Vic Lee’s work plays on the imagination, using typography and wordification. Using black and white inspires thoughts of a more romantic time, a place to escape the technology that surrounds us in our daily life. The artist wanted the cover to elevate the charm and craftsmanship of pen work but with a witty modern interpretation. Its an amalgamation of many inspirations, the circus, packaging, barges, tattoos, of dreamers, schemers, thinkers and drinkers…. A big thank you to illustrator Vic Lee for our excellent cover. www.viclee.co.uk

MAGAZINE PARTNERS

Hello and welcome to our third IMPRESSION of the year. We get wonderful comments each month about the magazine and leading that first impression is the cover. Last issue Beth Travers received

who consider a hotel room as a sanctuary, as opposed to those who see it as a base for that special event they’ve been planning. Finally, our FUTURE section once again touches on

wide acclaim for her wonderful piece of art. For this month we are chuffed that Vic Lee, the muralist, artist, storyteller and beautiful inker, has joined our impressive gang of front cover artists – thanks to him and perhaps it may inspire you on your next scheme. Off the back of this summer’s Shaping the Future conference, we speak to Kate Nicholls, CEO at UKHospitality, who offers a Janus-faced summary of the sector, focusing on how it performed in 2018 and where

sustainability but this time in the social sense. Oliver Heath tells us how design teams can breathe locality into the experience, and we turn the dial to Kathmandu and Costa Rica to show this in practice. In PEOPLE, we’ve lured in operators and designers working in the more ‘unconventional’ venues such as high-end student accommodation and members’ clubs. We’ve interviewed the founder of The Student Hotel group to find out where the idea came from to blend student

it’s heading in the FUTURE. In this extra colourful edition, we speak to the A&D community including a doctor-cum-designer, to explore how lighting and colour can set the right mood, improve health, circadian rhythms and the overall guest experience. In the quarter leading up to the Pantone Colour Institute’s announcement of colour of the year, we also celebrate this year’s ultra-awesome, ultra-violet focus, while musing the possible contenders for 2019. Completing our series on the perfect hotel room, we turn our focus to the escapist and the RSVP to reveal how perceptions of perfection vary for those

accommodation with a new concept in hybrid hospitality. And, joining 2018’s most admired list, we spend some time with Kelly Hoppen MBE. Impression wouldn’t be complete without a nationwide celebration of great hospitality design. In PLACES, we zoom in on projects by some of our award-winning friends including: Manalo & White, Dexter Moren Associates, Macaulay Sinclair, 74 and Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, among others. Pleasetellusewhatyouthinkandget in touch if you have ideas for the next issue.Bestwishesandwehopethisissue leaves a lasting impression. david@wearemixgroup.com

A MIX GROUP PUBLICATION

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06 THE FUTURE

20 ASK THE DESIGNER

FUTURE

Shaping The Future

09 PERFECT HOTEL The RSVP

11 PERFECT HOTEL The Escapist

12 SUSTAINABILITY

Breathing Locality Into The Experience

PEOPLE

Tony Matters, Creative Director, Faber

21 ASK THE EXPERT

Steven McGee, Managing Director, UK Construction South, ISG

22 FIVE MINUTES WITH... Kelly Hoppen

26 MIX ROUNDTABLE

The Hotel As The New Office

14 COLOUR OF 2018

Pantone’s Colour Of The Year and Future Predictions

16 AWARD WINNING

Colouring Inn - How Lighting and Colour Affect Human Behaviour

18 OPENINGS

Restaurant Openings

29 ASK THE OWNER

Charlie MacGregor, Founder & CEO, The Student Hotel

Impression Nยบ5โ ขSeptember 2018 |

32 PLACES

38 THE MIX TEAM Marcie Incarico

Jo Sutherland Steven Penney

PROFILES

David Smalley Mick Jordan

Rebecca Sabato

Our Partners

Tammi Bell

Gary Williams

John Hope

Hawksmoor, Edinburgh

PRODUCTS

EMAIL: editorial@mixinteriors.com

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Unit 2 Abito, 85 Greengate

Vintry & Mercer, London

Manchester, M3 7NA

Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire

34 Mandrake Hotel, London

40 Crown House, Sheffield

The Ivy In The Lanes, Brighton

The Royal Lancaster, London

WHERE ON EARTH

CONTACT

ADDRESS :

TELEPHONE: +44 161 946 6262 MIX WEBSITE: www.mixinteriors.com TWITTER: @mixinteriors INSTAGRAM: @mix.interiors PRINTED BY : S&G Print ISSN 1757-2371

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SHAPING THE FUTURE

he Shaping the Future summer conference was held in July at the Grand Connaught Rooms and officially launched UKHospitality, now the biggest trade body of the sector. The event highlighted important discussions within the country’s hospitality industry, providing a single platform to lay out plans for promoting the business interests of the UK's hospitality market.

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THE FUTURE

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Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, introduced the organisation and laid out its objectives of delivering a successful Brexit and securing a supportive environment for hospitality businesses so the sector can beat its projected growth targets. The key to achieving this root to branch reform of the industry lies in sending a message to the government that ‘we are big business’. The conference included an update from Tourism Minister Michael Ellis, appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Ellis said he felt ‘buoyant about the influence the sector will have in a post-Brexit world’ owing to record-breaking growth in 2017 that generated £24bn spend by foreign travellers in the same year. A Dragon’s Den-style investors’ outlook panel debated key topics for the hospitality sector from the perspective of the investor. Panellist Robin Rowland, Former CEO of TRISPAN, alternative asset management firm, said: ‘To be successful, you need a great location, great product, great people and a good understanding of social - you shouldn’t even talk about profit’. A panel discussion entitled ‘People and Diversity’ saw industry experts identify ways to bridge the gender pay gap by

removing barriers for career progression routes. Anne Elliott, CEO of marketing agency, Elliott, introduced the session by reflecting on her promotion to Marketing Director of Pizza Hut in 1988. At that time, Elliott was one of just three women at board level wxithin the industry. Thankfully, things have come a long way since then, but there is still substantially more to be achieved. The panel noted that companies need to provide a culture for women to progress and explained that successful businesses could use diversity to better understand their customers by making their business look like their customers, that is, more diverse. Retail Futurist Howard Saunders’ ‘To Hell in a Handcart?’ standout session addressed how the technological revolution will impact the industry. From the dangers of soulless contactless payments and AI, to the value of rooftop space in the future, Saunders rounded up with the birth of sophisticasual hospitality offerings – and warned delegates not to dismiss street-food as a blip. ‘What some big business has misunderstood’, says Howard, ‘is that the rise in hospitality is in people – the social spaces of food halls and markets are where real value lies. Humans are smart – let’s make the most of them while we can.’

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Impression sat down with Kate Nicholls, CEO UK Hospitality, to dig deeper into the opportunities, challenges and trends. What is the greatest opportunity ahead for the UK Hospitality industry? Hospitality businesses have been the engines of growth and job creation on the UK’s high streets, revitalising town and city centres since the economic downturn. The sector has added £72 billion to the UK’s economy since the financial crisis and has been the fastest growing sector. There is an opportunity for the sector to achieve even more and to strengthen its position as one of the country’s most important economic and social assets, and be viewed around the world as the one plus ultra of hospitality. Can you describe the biggest challenge facing hospitality right now? Hospitality businesses are battling against a taxation system that is totally out-of-date and unfairly penalises high street businesses in favour of digital ones. The sector is overpaying rates by £1billion and some venues are struggling to cope. We need an overhaul of the tax system to take into account the realities of doing business in the 21st century, and that brings digital businesses into the tax system in a comprehensive and equitable manner. Equally, the sector desperately needs certainty regarding access to non-UK workers, to augment our British workforce while we work towards promoting hospitality careers in our sector to attract more British workers into tour venues and businesses. What do you think are the biggest trends beginning to emerge in hospitality? Not only are customers increasingly concerned about issues such as sustainability, the environment and health, but both national and local authorities are keen to tackle health problems and be seen to be acting decisively on environmental issues. As such, we are seeing hospitality businesses tailor their offers to address these issues. What impact do you think hybrid hospitality will have on the market? What is the most exciting prospect of hybrid hospitality opportunities? One of the most exciting prospects of hybrid hospitality, and indeed the wider sector, is its ability to pull brand new practices and formats out of the bag. Changing consumer tastes and legislative and financial demands have spurred innovation in the sector and some businesses have adopted dynamic and exciting models offering more. Some businesses will be forced to adapt to meet new challenges, while others will find themselves ahead of the curve, driving change on high streets. Either way, hospitality businesses on the high street have changed enormously in a very short space of time. Now, it is not exceptional for a pub to operate as a coffee shop in the morning, a meeting space for businesses or local groups during the day, and a restaurant at night; all the while remaining outwardly a pub. If London is the second most visited destination, how could it become the top destination? The increase in capacity at Heathrow Airport should bring a boost to hospitality businesses in the capital. Increased aviation capacity should help eliminate restrictions on growth with more and more visitors able to fly into London. There should be a knock-on benefit for the rest of the UK, too, as Heathrow acts as a hub driving tourism to the regions.

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PERFECT HOTEL

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aving gotten under the skin of The Tech Junkie and The Hopeless Romantic in May’s issue, this time we turn our attention to The RSVP and The Escapist. Designing a personalised guest experience for those who want to escape the hubbub of day-to-day life will vary greatly from designing spaces for the people who are just looking for a base. Culminating our year’s focus on the perfect hotel room, we turn to the experts for their tips…

KATERINA DIONYSOPOULOU FOUNDER/DIRECTOR, BUREAU DE CHANGE Aside from comfort, given that a good night sleep after a late night out should be essential, I would think of making sure that the atmosphere (lighting and materiality) of the room is one that caters for the different moments of that weekend. Mirrors would be placed strategically in order to give you an all rounded view of yourself – perhaps even make you look a little bit thinner and younger. Iron, ironing board, shoe horn and all the stuff you take for granted back at home will be cleverly integrated or just accessible with the press of a button if space is an issue. In the bathroom, the mirrors will be heated so that there is no time to waste after a relaxing bath.

BRIAN GREATHEAD DIRECTOR OF MANALO & WHITE The hotel needs to cater for three phases of a night out: dressing up and getting ready, rolling back in at the end of a long night, and waking up and preparing to return to the real world. Ideally the group should stay in adjacent rooms, or the ability to book a group of rooms together, to colonise a wing of the hotel. To dress up, the room needs large and well-placed mirrors; places for friends to share the room whilst getting ready; flattering soft and warm lighting; a great sound system (and soundproofing to suit) and a well-stocked bar with proper glassware.

THE RSVP ‘I’ve been planning this weekend for ages. It’s just going to be me, the main crew and two nights of debauchery. I’ve hung the outfit I’m planning to wear but it is in desperate need of an iron, so I’m praying that there is one provided in the room.’

DR. HARRIET HARRISS (RIBA, PFHEA), READER IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, RCA Guests enter the RSVP room through a wet-space and walk in shower: the ultimate decontamination facility for sweaty, glitter encrusted, dancefloor-weary bodies that can accommodate impatient passion, too. The walls feature over-sized still frames of emerging performance artists: their bodies twisted and taut as they struggle to release some form of internal creative agony. The walk-in wardrobe comes complete with a selection of rentable costumes and a price menu, much like a minibar, with choices ranging from sophisticated to understated kink. Getting ready for another night out is all about experimentation and theatre, as the lighting, panoramic mirrors and shots dispenser is designed to facilitate.

INTRODUCING THE EXCLUSIVE HOSPITALITY FURNITURE COLLECTION FROM KNIGHTSBRIDGE. www.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk

PERFECT HOTEL

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

BRIAN GREATHEAD DIRECTOR OF MANALO & WHITE The hotel should become a bubble, somewhere that caters for all the Escapist’s needs, so there is no desire to leave the cocoon. The all-enveloping environment should allow for doing, but also for actively NOT doing. The guest room is the ultimate refuge within the bubble and should offer a carefully considered private world which, ensures that all aspects of the stay will be immersive and enjoyable. The view from the room might be of an idealised internal world, a courtyard or garden – nature untrammelled by the mundane or the everyday. The room should be spacious and well-furnished for reading, writing, thinking and dreaming. BILLY MAVROPOULOS, FOUNDER/ DIRECTOR, BUREAU DE CHANGE This hotel room is the visitor’s sanctuary. It is warm and soft and once the door is shut the outside physical world is only a memory. The space is demure, the colours are warm whites and soft greys and the textures are rich. Clever lighting can transform the space according to the mood of the visitor. There are very few objects and pieces of furniture, and they are quite minimal in design. DR. HARRIET HARRISS (RIBA, PFHEA), READER IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, RCA The Escapist suite assures anonymity and offers a space to go off-grid, take stock, reimagine and reinvent. The layout of the room inspires calm and clarity of thinking, blending birch plywood, oak plywood, porcelain white walls and cloudy terrazzos that are punctuated by a series of brightly-coloured ceramic sculptures lacquered with light-reflecting metal oxides. The specification leans towards sustainable but contemporary - a cabin in the woods - but without the obligatory rough-hewn timber clichés. Technology is ubiquitous but remains discreet and offers guests the option to block all signals and simply disappear. The fridge is stocked with macrobiotic delights and the library boasts texts that range from philosophy and meditation to land and ocean maps from across the world.

THE ESCAPIST ‘The hotel room is my sanctuary. It’s the private place I have been seeking for a while now. I’ve picked a secluded spot, far from the pulls of reality and all the stresses and pressures that come with it and, more importantly, far from anyone who can recognise me. Somewhere I am free to conjure up celestial images of a different life.’

SIMON MITCHELL, CO-FOUNDER, SAYBARITE ARCHITECTS For the escapist, the perfect hotel room will have addressed all five senses and will immediately transport you into a peaceful and calm environment, as soon as you cross the threshold. This means not having to worry about the day-to-day concerns of locating keys, pressing buttons and checking in. Instead you would have an app on your phone through which you can check in, and is automated with the lighting, audio and TV so you can create the perfect ambiance. The acoustics also play a crucial part – air conditioning should be silent and noise pollution should be artfully absorbed. Outside space and far-reaching views – ideally of the sea – are a must. A private balcony or terrace with carefully designed, comfortable furniture and accessible from the large bathroom for a lovely inside/outside experience helps anyone to escape the day-to-day.

SUSTAINABILIT Y

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BREATHING LOCALITY INTO THE EXPERIENCE

liver Heath is founder of Oliver Heath Design, a sustainable architecture and interior design practice focused on improving health and wellbeing. We spoke with Oliver about the importance of imbuing a sense of locality into design projects and hospitality offerings to improve the human connection with nature. We also showcase two initiatives that are putting this into practice to benefit local environments and the communities that surround them.

Sustainability is typically spoken about in a carbon-centric way. Most often, the conversation surrounds resources, air miles, upcycled furniture and the minimisation of single-use plastics. But fundamental to any sustainability conversation is the human cost, particularly when buying products. The unethical practices of some bigger, trusted brands are now coming to light and forcing other brands to align themselves with better practices, bringing the human-centric aspect further up the agenda. Awareness around social sustainability is growing, with more schemes emerging to certify products and vet manufacturing processes to ensure ethical treatment and fair-trade practices. The point is to connect community trade and skills with new audiences and new markets for the benefit of producers and consumers alike. In order to get people to care about anything, it’s vital to make them understand it. By bringing locality into design and exposing the origins and processes behind design products and hospitality offerings, consumers are more likely

TOP: Oliver Heath sits in a bedroom at Biophilic Hotel. RIGHT: A Norway Tid for Hjem.

to feel a sense responsibility for the health and wellbeing embedded in those products. The key is hotels that recognise the value of their location, keeping economies within the local community and capturing their flavour. It’s important to connect to the environment around us. When we spend time in nature it reduces stress and our bodies recuperate energy levels. When we connect with nature and the local environment, we are connecting to the landscape and that’s important when we travel. OLIVER HEATH, OLIVER HEATH DESIGN

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ABOVE: An evening view of the restaurant overlooking the pool

IN COSTA RICA In 1994 Hotel Punta Islita opened in a setting of economic disadvantage and environmental decline. Access to education and jobs was limited and the tropical forest had suffered by slash-and-burn agriculture. Developed in full synergy with its local neighbours, Hotel Punta Islita has engaged in wildlife conservation and reforestation initiatives, planting more than 10,000 indigenous trees to date. Art programmes, local education,

and ‘purchase local’ policies further empower the local communities. Today, Islita is not only a globally recognised destination but a thriving region characterised by a healthy natural environment and a collective of travel professionals, community artists and micro-entrepreneurs. The hotel’s sustainability tenet is that a healthy, educated community with a diversified economy is the most efficient way to ensure resource stewardship. Thus, Hotel Punta Islita favours local purchases of sustainable micro-enterprises, provides complementary education for local community members, and shares relevant infrastructure and processes with local communities. Local purchases of goods and services (within a 10km radius) represents about 70% of its total annual purchases. Hotel Punta Islita’s most recent green initiative has been partnering with The Ara Project, an NGO dedicated to the protection and recovery of native Macaws. Once abundant throughout Costa Rica, these beautiful bird species saw their numbers dwindle as biological corridors were truncated. In the past 24 months, Hotel Punta Islita donated land and construction of The Ara Project’s main facilities. Red Macaws are again dotting the area’s skies.

HAND-DYEING IN KATHMANDU When Tania Johnson started her business, a main goal was to source products ethically. Since, she has spent a lot of time with staff from GoodWeave, an organisation working to end child labour in the carpet industry. In 2014, Tania visited their rehabilitation centre in Kathmandu, Hamro Ghar. Seeing children, no older than her own, who had lived through horrific experiences of forced labour and abuse, now being educated in a happy and safe environment strengthened her commitment to GoodWeave’s work. ‘Our rugs are all made in Nepal, I visit at least once a year to meet our manufacturer and weavers, discuss new designs, match new colours, and check on production. Initially we produced only hand knotted rugs but are now also offering a handloom collection. This is an exciting development and has helped to provide additional employment for the local community. A percentage of all our exports goes directly to GoodWeave and, since the earthquake in 2015, we also donate a portion of all sales directly to our manufacturer. Government relief has been slow to reach people and we wanted to ensure we could directly help the community we work with.’ The weavers in Nepal are highly skilled but also happy. What’s more, they understand the contemporary western aesthetic and, as Tania’s designs tend to be difficult to weave, she felt they would be best able to realise her designs.

ABOVE: Leaf Tint rug 22 Avenue Rd London showhouse by Atelier ADA. Photo by Savills RIGHT: Hamro Ghar mask making day

COLOUR OF 2018

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PANTONE'S COLOUR PANTONE OF THE YEAR 2018 COLOUR OF THE YEAR 2018

olour psychology dictates many of the choices made by interior designers. Different hues elicit unique human responses. Colour can influence a person’s mood, energy and even sense of taste. Reds are likely to conjure up feelings of danger and desire, while shades of blue may produce sensations of calmness and tranquility. Designers use this to their advantage by specifying colours depending on the purpose of the space they are creating and the particular effect they are trying to achieve. To celebrate the power of colour and changing trends, Pantone has declared a ‘Colour of the Year’ since 2000. In 2018, it chose Ultra Violet, claiming this hue ‘communicates originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking that points us toward the future’. In this issue, we ask some of the UK’s best designers to both reflect and look ahead, and predict the colour of 2019. In the arts, we have definitely witnessed a stronger interest for palettes featuring tertiary colours this year, including various shades of purple. ARTIQ has also received an increasing number of commissions for neon art, popular not only with hospitality clients but also in the workplace sector. Meanwhile, light installations and interactive art have often been selected alongside sculptural pieces, particularly for public projects, which supports the idea of ‘ultraviolet’ as a colour that connects us to the future and to artistic exploration and expression. The colour purple is also associated with the mysteries of the cosmos and with intuition. SARA TENTI, ARTIST LIAISON AT LEADING ART CONSULTANTS, ARTIQ

Ultraviolet is the ideal companion for natural fabrics and neutral tones, creating a splash of colour through accents, furniture or feature walls. It’s particularly effective when used in lighting to create a relaxed ambience in spa settings, especially when the colour is complemented by soothing scents like lavender or other botanicals. The use of ultraviolet in more relaxing spaces is still fairly unusual, so we are excited to see the trend develop as a means of creating a sense of harmony and mindfulness. We expect to also see violet popping up within interior design more generally. Deeper violets instantly conjure feelings of decadence given their historic links to royalty and regularly appear in high-end cocktail bars and hotels. IZZY ELING, INTERIOR DESIGNER AT SPACEINVADER DESIGN

Purple, in general, is known to be a colour of mindfulness and creativity, harnessing both the calm of blue tones and the energy of red. Together, they allow for clear thinking and a stimulated mind, so purple is the ideal colour to inject into creative spaces or ones in which you would like to create a sense of wonder. It can simmer with femininity or quiet reflection, particularly if paired with the correct colours, or it can communicate a sense of richness and depth. When it comes to interior design, such richness, however, can be overwhelming, particularly if you are designing a small space or one without plenty of natural light. Instead of complete coverage, you might use it on a feature wall, infusing the room with the dreaminess of the shade without startling or overwhelming the user. Moderation is key when dealing with strong hues such as ultraviolet. AARON MCKEOWN, FOUNDER OF SURFACEFORM

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FUTURE PREDITIONS IZZY ELING, INTERIOR DESIGNER AT SPACEINVADER DESIGN: At SpaceInvader we think next year’s Pantone colour of the Year could be olive green. Mental health and wellbeing are of growing importance when it comes to designing space, and recreating natural settings is a common theme. The use of olive green is key to recreating outdoor space in interior design and would have more impact in this respect than dark jewel tones.

SARA TENTI, ARTIST LIAISON AT LEADING ART CONSULTANTS ARTIQ: In line with our prediction for 2019 as the year of women, trends in art and design shifting from a muted palette to bright colours, as well as a new interest in pop art, contemporary surrealism, optical art and an increasing request for art deco-inspired golden and metallic details within luxury design treatments, we believe 2019 will be the year of Pantone colour ‘Yellow Ceylon’ – the colour of energy, action and healing. Across cultures, the colour yellow has been associated with happiness and hope as well as being a symbol of intellect and remembrance. In Afro-Brazilian religions, for example, incorporating the Yorùbá tradition, many female figures in the pantheon are celebrated in rituals for their power to heal, care and nourish. They reflect the richness of their cultural heritage and are intrinsically connected with nature and vital energy, celebrating in particular the goddess Oshun, who represents fertility, fresh water, youth, love, gold and honey. Yellow has also been used to increase mental activity, stimulate communication, build confidence and boost concentration. Gemstones of this colour are believed to help find clarity for decision-making and have a calming power against panic, while providing healing in cases of burn-out and exhaustion.

AARON MCKEOWN, FOUNDER OF SURFACEFORM: For 2019, I cannot be completely sure as to what Pantone would choose as their Colour of the Year but, if I were to guess, it could be bold purply pink/blue tones. Recently we can see a trend for charcoal grey as an alternative to black that can be slightly lighter and not as dense. It is a cool, balanced colour, which might strike some as dull or even moody, but strikes me as clean and sophisticated.

LIGHTING

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COLOURING INN HOW LIGHTING AND COLOUR AFFECT HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND MOOD

eading lighting designer Sanjit Bahra muses on how lighting affects the way we interact with our environment and how this can be exploited in the hospitality market.

Before I became a lighting designer, I trained to become a doctor. The reason I love lighting so much is that it has a very scientific aspect to it as well as a creative component. It satisfies the science geek and the designer in me. 80% of the information we process about our reality is by means of sight. The visual cortex takes up 30-40% of our brain (compared to 8% for touch and 3% for hearing). Sight is by far the most powerful of our senses. The right lighting can transform the look and feel of a room or an entire hotel. Lighting can make you feel alert

during dark winter months or create a soft intimate setting for relaxation in a spa. It is the only discipline in built environment design that can completely alter the perception of space at the touch of a button. Spaces can feel loftier with carefully positioned uplights, or cosier with concealed floor wash lights. Back-lit panels give the impression of day-lit windows, and lines of light create a sense of movement and flow. There are endless creative options available with modern day LED light sources as they can be integrated almost anywhere. However, it is not just the level of brightness that’s important. There is a hormonal aspect to light that we often take for granted (or fail to account for)

and this is beginning to have a real impact on our health and wellbeing. We all have an inner time clock, which is intrinsically linked to daylight. Melatonin, the hormone of sleep, is particularly sensitive to the blue spectrum contained in daylight. In the morning, there is a high proportion of blue light in the atmosphere and this switches off melatonin production – so we feel more alert. Blue light peaks at midday and then falls as the day progresses. At sunset, there is virtually no blue light in the atmosphere. We’ve evolved so that our hormonal inner clock is completely aligned with the make-up of daylight throughout the day. The concern with modern day artificial lighting is that there is a considerable

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

JASON HOLMES, HEAD OF DESIGN – TEXTILES, FORBO FLOORING SYSTEMS

amount of the blue component in LED lighting, much higher than that contained in traditional tungsten light sources. This means, in the modern age, we are getting bombarded with much more blue-rich light. Our poor brains just don’t know what to do anymore. Instead of a steady decline in blue light to allow us to begin to secrete melatonin at the end of the day – every time we check Facebook or Instagram or send a text, we’re sending little boosts of blue light to the back of our retinas and our brains delay the production of melatonin. As a result, our whole internal clock goes out of whack – we sleep less and feel less refreshed. That leads to elevated stress hormones. We feel tired, run down and over alert. Our immune system becomes compromised. It’s a vicious cycle that can become hard to break and this really impacts on our health. Lighting design must take on board the challenge of health and wellbeing like never before. We are now an integral part of wellness design. A successful hospitality brand should consider the quality of its lighting design. Get it right and your customer feels comfortable and emotionally aligned with your brand’s ethos. Get it even slightly wrong and immediately your customer may feel a tad unsettled within the space.

‘Creating the right mood comes down to a large number of sensory factors, with the visual senses often the first engaged and, as a consequence, probably the most important in creating the first impression. Here colour can be key. The psychology of colour is a well-researched topic in the design community. We accept that different shades and hues stimulate different feelings in people, create certain moods or help to tell a story.’

CHRIS LEWIS, LIGHTING DESIGN INTERNATIONAL ‘Lighting can be calming or it can be invigorating. Having layers of light (for example, a number of lighting elements throwing light in different directions in a space and different colour temperatures, as well as a means of dimming the levels of each element) allows a variety of effects and moods to be achieved. An important thing to note is that to create an ambience and mood it is as much about what you don’t light as what you light.’

SANJIT BAHRA, DIRECTOR, DESIGN PLUS LIGHT AT MACAULAYSINCLAIR: JOHN MACAULAY, DIRECTOR, MACAULAYSINCLAIR

TOP DOWN, FROM TOP LEFT: Lighting in this dining area of Crown House, by Enigma Lighting is warm and intimate to encourage social activity. Subtle lighting effects lift the impression of the coffered ceiling without overpowering the space. A sense of intimacy is created at a lower level with a focus at the seating areas around the fireplace. The interior lighting scheme for Foxlow, Soho by Enigma Lighting strikes the perfect balance between the deep acqua banquettes and beaten copper feature wall. Back-lit white onyx panels give this bathroom a sense of opulence and luxury

‘For most of our clients, lighting is one of the key elements of design – when it is done right, it can create a venue’s desired tone. However, it is easy to get this wrong, which will ultimately ruin a consumer’s experience. Although there is currently a wave of new lighting tech, it is crucial to make sure that all the different elements involved in these emerging technologies work in sync to create harmonious lighting. Ultimately, the role of lighting in hospitality design very much depends on the venue and the aims of the operator. Within our portfolio we work with soft, ambient lighting for clients such as Hawksmoor, right through to the very focused and theatrical lighting found in The Alchemist sites around the country.’

OPENINGS

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RESTAURANT

OPENINGS

ith the UK restaurant scene booming, the chance to stay out of the kitchen after a long day at work is proving hard to resist for the British public. A recent survey by Mintel revealed that almost a quarter of consumers eat out at least once a week. But what's informing their choices? That same research found that attractive décor is one of the most important factors when it comes to deciding where to eat, topped only by high-quality cuisine, friendly customer service and location. With so many people now sharing photos of their restaurant choices on social media, recommendations not only consider how delicious the food is but also the ‘instagrammable’ potential of the space. In this section, we showcase five cool venues that are bound to get diners snapping…

Hans’ Bar & Grill Chelsea, London Hans’ Bar & Grill, a new neighbourhood restaurant in Chelsea’s Pavilion Road, has opened for business and features a striking, contemporary interiors scheme created by leading hospitality and F&B design firm Goddard Littlefair. The bright and airy café-bar space has a clean and contemporary feel with a monochrome colourway along with interesting, textured finishes, such as white slatted timber wall cladding and an original, exposed, yellow-stock brick wall to the left, plus white tiling behind the bar, where vertically stack-bonded Solus Ceramics tiles create a great hand-crafted feel.

Pigsty Bristol Pigsty, a new neighbourhood restaurant and bar on Bristol’s Gloucester Road, has opened for business, with all interior design and graphics on the scheme created by Bristol-based hospitality and retail specialist, Phoenix Wharf. The interior concept mixes town and country via old and new industrial elements, butcher’s shop tiling (some dating from around 1920, from an original pork butcher on the site), plus warm green herringbone timber and playful pink-grouted green ceramic tiling and graphic slogans.

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

The Alchemist Cardiff Macaulay Sinclair’s £1.5 million refurbishment has transformed a Grade II listed former NatWest bank into a two-storey bar and restaurant spanning 6,500 sq ft. The site contains copper, brass, mild steel and dark oak flooring, as well as textured plasterwork and oak cabinetry. Warm peach and bronze mirrors are part of the bespoke brass and amber lighting scheme, added to by a copper wall to kitchen pass. Bespoke metalwork can be found throughout the lobby and bar area, including a spectacular steel and glass back bar with a blackened steel geometric front and specialist brass finish bar top. A recessed and LED-lit geometric ceiling feature to the rear of the space is situated above the 189-cover bar and restaurant.

The Florist Liverpool Liverpool restaurant The Florist has been dubbed the most beautiful restaurant in the country by the Daily Mail. And it is thanks, in no small part, to Hale-based I Want Plants, which was tasked with creating the stunning floral displays that have everyone talking. The family-run firm handcrafted realistic blossom trees as well as flower walls, hanging flower frames and a cascade of draping roses throughout the staircase. The look was completed with salvaged troughs filled with replica flowers and a window display of more than 20 birdcages packed with a variety of blooms.

The Man Behind The Curtain Leeds Spatial DDB was invited to be design lead on the relocation of Leeds’ only Michelin starred restaurant, The Man Behind The Curtain. Working closely with the infamous Michael O’Hare and award-winning contractor Absolute Commercial Interiors, Spatial faced many challenges posed by the new basement location. The solution? A thoroughly modern dining hall of marble and mirrors, polished plaster, subtle lighting and, of course, skateboards.

ASK THE EXPERT

20 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

ollowing the theme of Impression’s September issue, we’re using our ASK pages to dig deeper into the world of hybrid hospitality. Tony Matters, Creative Director at Faber, and Steven McGee, Managing Director UK Construction South at ISG, swap questions to understand how the A&D community can respond to the changing needs of today’s guest.

ASK THE

DESIGNER

How can designers achieve the right balance when it comes to designing a versatile hospitality space that can cater to an array of needs? TONY MATTERS, CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT FABER

ospitality spaces are no longer just somewhere to enjoy a meal, drink or good night’s sleep. Our lives are no longer split neatly into work, rest and play. More often than not, these three activities happen simultaneously, so hospitality designers are tasked with creating spaces that accommodate the many aspects of our muddled-up lives. When executed well, multifunctional spaces can be a real hit. They offer a solution to a problem, allowing us to carry out the activities we have to do, without compromising the activities we want to do. Technology is a big part of building versatility into design and the more nomadic a space is, the more important the role of technology has become. In these instances, design should be a celebration of the blurred boundaries between the different aspects of our lives. Many coffee shops and hotel lobby areas are already accommodating the growing number of remote workers, with workstations, charge points and impromptu meeting

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Technology is a big part of building versatility into design and the more nomadic a space is, the more important the role of technology has become

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areas integrated into their design. They are no longer transient spaces, but instead provide a comfortable spot to enjoy a drink, connect your laptop and catch up on your emails in between meetings. At Faber, we have witnessed a proliferation of integrated social and functional spaces. Many of our clients are choosing to open businesses that merge two activities into

one, like a barbershop and a coffee shop or a gym and a prosecco bar, so that people can get a little pleasure out of what might normally be a chore. The key to creating a successfully versatile hospitality space is finding an idea with longevity and genuine utility. Will people just visit once because it’s a novelty and never come back?

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The key to creating a successfully versatile hospitality space is finding an idea with longevity and genuine utility

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Or are you providing a solution to an everyday problem? Decide who your customer is before you begin the design process; this will help you to make important decisions early on. The layout of your venue, your seating strategy, service style, décor and menu will all help determine how your customers use the space, so multifunctionality should be part of the design brief from the outset. Finally, it’s important to remember that you’ll never please everyone. Instead, identify the customer you want to serve, and if you can simplify just one aspect of their complicated lives – even just for an hour – they will keep coming back.

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

ASK THE

HOSPITALITY

EXPERT

What do design teams need to think about when it comes to ensuring their rationales respond to the changing needs of guests? STEVEN MCGEE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UK CONSTRUCTION SOUTH, ISG

he rise in community spaces shows no sign of abating. Co-working, co-living and co-learning is increasing in importance for the hospitality industry and is becoming an integral part of society. Networking is now just a secondary benefit of the sharing economy; the real driver is to build a community. At ISG, we’re noticing that our hospitality customers want their spaces to work harder and become more versatile to accommodate a collaborative environment. One of our current customers is taking co-working and co-living to the next level. The project comprises a hotel and apartments in an up-and-coming area of London. What’s different about this space is that the guests of the hotel, as well as the apartment residents and the wider community, will all be able to use the communal spaces.

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At ISG, we're noticing that our hospitality customers want their spaces to work harder and become more versatile to accommodate a collaborative environment

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Creating a sense of community is becoming more and more significant to the hospitality industry, with open-plan areas and comfy spaces for relaxation, work and collaboration getting more common. We are seeing hotel projects in the pipeline that include community spaces, open to residents in the local area and creating social hubs. Customers are sourcing spaces in developing locales, where there is more space and better value for money. The interior design themes are typically modern, edgy and stripped back. The trend for exposed services works well, with the often-industrial nature of the space’s surroundings. It’s not just hotels that are embracing co-working. Coffee

shops are used by workers on the go for convenience, but they don’t always have the appropriate facilities, so now the food and beverage industry is seeing co-working cafés spring up.

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With the rise of community, hotel design needs to be open, transparent and inclusive

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Design teams need to take heed of the type of environment that hotels want to emulate and be aware of trends in the market. Right now, less is more. Breakout spaces are being made to work harder, and becoming the norm for communal hospitality areas. Ceilings are being shunned in favour of the exposed services look. It’s important to keep on top of these trends to deliver to customer and guest expectations. Hospitality is reacting to the changes in how we work, live, learn and socialise. With the rise of community, hotel design needs to be open, transparent and inclusive. When delivering a project, we keep the end user in mind. And with the changing nature of hospitality and how people are using and interacting with the spaces, that has never been more important.

FIVE MINUTES

22 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

FIVE MINUTES WITH

KELLY HOPPEN W

ith 40 years’ experience at the forefront of the design industry, Kelly Hoppen is one of the most celebrated and sought after interior designers in the world. It was her relentless passion for design, at 16 years old, which kick-started her iconic career. Her first commission, to design a friend’s kitchen, has led to multiple awards and numerous publishers and businesses seeking her unparalleled expertise. Kelly’s globally renowned and ever-evolving style is underpinned by a subtle coordinated fusion of East meets West: clean lines and neutral tones, blended with charming warmth and sumptuous opulence. She has put her stamp on the homes, yachts and jets of private clients all over the world and now focuses on commercial projects including hotels, bars, restaurants, offices and tower blocks. With thousands of projects spanning the last four decades, Kelly’s portfolio boasts a diverse selection of projects. In this final Impression of 2018, we thought it fitting to celebrate Kelly’s extraordinary career…

You’ve gone from designing a family friend’s kitchen at 16, to creating interiors for the David & Victoria Beckham. Was it always your plan to design for celebrities? I never planned to design for celebrities, it just happened – I simply create real homes for real people. Designing someone’s home is about creating something that reflects their personality and taste. Celebrity clients are just like everyone else – we all

Tell us more about your recent work on the LUX* Grand Gaube resort in Mauritius? We launched LUX* Grand Gaube earlier this year. It’s the second resort I’ve designed for LUX* on the island, and I’ll never tire of visiting there; it’s such a special place. The surrounding area of the resort reminded me of where I was born, Africa, so I drew inspiration and influence from that. I aimed for the LUX* Grand Gaube

have the same insecurities and goals.

in Mauritius to feel isolated as if the guests were secluded on their own beautiful island. I visited recently with my family and I just had the most incredible, relaxing time.

What does your own home style look and feel like? I approached my own home in the same way as I would a client’s, setting out to create a sanctuary and a space where I could truly feel at home. Each room should serve a different purpose. If you don’t love them all equally, then something has gone terribly wrong with the design – there should be a flow between the rooms. That’s perhaps why it is so important to take time and have patience, and to put the same amount of effort into each room in the home.

You have said, ‘How people feel in a space is as important as the way it looks; one can't be without the other to succeed.’ Where does a project start for you? The feel or the look? Definitely the look – as this will dictate how you feel in the space. I will always start with a neutral base and build on that. My design philosophy fuses the eastern principles of simplicity with the western desire for luxury to create timeless interiors. The three key things to consider when designing a space are texture, colour and proportion. These maintain harmony in a space, which is essential.

Impression Nยบ5โ ขSeptember 2018 |

FIVE MINUTES

24 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

How did you find designing the Celebrity Edge cruise ship, due for its maiden voyage at the end of this year? It was an amazing challenge but that’s the main reason I took the project on, and I was so happy with the results. Everything about designing it was a highlight, from the suites to the spa. We spent two years designing the ship and it really has been my design baby and something totally new for me after 40 years within the industry. I really do think people will be blown away by the design boundaries we have broken on Edge and I cannot wait for everyone to finally get to see it when it sails later this year. Since expanding your talents to textiles and accessories with the launch of kellyhoppen.com in 2014, you’ve collaborated with big names. What are you currently working on? I have recently launched a range of commercial fabrics with Richloom, which was my second collection with them. For me, textures play a huge part in interiors but when it comes to hospitality design, it’s really difficult to find commercial grade fabrics that have the same tactility as those you would use in residential interiors. I wanted to change that. The beautiful textures within this collection are truly revolutionary for commercial fabrics, and I’ve been delighted to use them in my projects. I have a collaboration with a huge name coming up in September... but you’ll have to watch this space!

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The three key things to consider when designing a space are texture, colour and proportion

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TOP DOWN: The LUX Grand Gaube resort boasts six restaurants and seven bars and the Palm Court enjoys views of the Indian Ocean and the resort’s private cove. The Celebrity Edge interiors were designed like hotel interiors but factoring in the challenges of material weight suitable for a cruise liner

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

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… textures play a huge part in interiors but when it comes to hospitality design, it’s really difficult to find commercial grade fabrics that have the same tactility as those you would use in residential interiors

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THIS PAGE, TOP DOWN: Setting sail at the end of the year, the Celebrity Edge cruise ship features suites, villas and a spa. Textures play a huge part in Hoppen’s interiors, leading to launching a range of commerical fabrics with Richloom and new collaborations on the horizon. Family rooms at the LUX Grand Gaube resort in Mauritius are light and tanquil with natural wood and a clean palette

Is there an area of design that you have not yet explored? There aren’t many areas of interior design I haven’t worked in now, and I find all of them engaging in their own right, but I’ve always been really intrigued by set design, how it captures the era and gives insight into a character’s personality. Creating the right interiors plays a huge part in cinema. It literally sets the scene. Is there a particular project that stands out as truly special for you? Something that you will always remember? Every project I have worked on has its own special qualities and differs from others. However, Celebrity Edge was very special for me as it was so different. I’ve also recently just completed a spectacular project in Taiwan – the One Park Towers in Taipei. It was a huge project – two luxury residential towers that are amongst the highest residential buildings in Taipei – that I’ve been working on for five years. I designed the ground and lower floors, the VIP areas for both the North and South tower, as well as a show apartment in each building. It’s a breath-taking space, and I wanted the interior to reflect the exceptional exterior. From the minute you open the door and enter the building, you are filled with great joy. Who do you admire most in the world of design? There are some incredible individuals I adore, such as Zaha Hadid and Richard Rogers, as well as fashion designers – Chanel, Azzedine Alaïa, Givenchy etc. I am a huge fan of Charles and Ray Eames; their pieces are iconic and will never go out of style.

MIX ROUNDTABLE

26 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

THE HOTEL AS THE NEW OFFICE

he lines between workplace and hospitality are blurring. People often say ‘work is something you do, not a place you go’, but that’s not strictly true. Work is something you do, yes, but you always need a place to do it. For some, that place might be an office or the local coffee shop. For others, it might be their study at home or even their kitchen table. And there will be those who use membership clubs and hotels as their weekday base. Walk into a city centre hotel at any time of the day and a business meeting will be in full swing.

TAJAL RUTHERFORD-BIHATT DIRECTOR TP BENNETT

ARIANE STEINBECK MANAGING DIRECTOR RPW DESIGN

BEN WEBB CO-FOUNDER 3STORIES

ANDY WHITING FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL HÛT

Thanks to organisations that are embracing new ways of working, the modern workplace is often designed as a multi-functional, multi-sensory space that supports an array of tasks, not to mention health, happiness and wellbeing – and the same can now be said of the modern hotel. With the support of Karndean, Mix Interiors hosted its most recent hospitality roundtable to discuss how to design an experience that looks like a workplace, feels like a workplace – but also offers that ‘special touch’ so ingrained within hospitality environments.

LEE BIRCHILL MANAGING DIRECTOR DV8 DESIGNS

PETR ESPOSITO FOUNDING DIRECTOR THIRDWAY GROUP

LINDSEY BEAN-PEARCE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR DEXTER MOREN

BRIAN GREATHEAD DIRECTOR MANALO & WHITE

Impression Impression Nº5•September Nº4•May 2018 |

THE DISCUSSION Ariane Steinbeck: ‘When it comes to meeting spaces in hotels, we’re starting to select office furniture because we’re constantly asked by hotel brands for that co-working, pod-style furniture. Things are happening differently now. There is certainly some commonality with office space. People now combine holiday with working – they want to be productive all the time.’ Andrew Whiting: ‘We’re currently working with a major co-living brand and one of the things we’ve learned is that this is about community rather than a space to sleep or a space to work. This is about how people create relationships. It’s then about how you manage that space and combine it with the architectural and design aspects to make it a winning design. People do want to work and live and sleep in that same space – this is almost the exact crossover of hotel and workspace.’ Brian Greathead: ‘The most important thing about hotels today is hospitality. You can stay in a basic room with basic provisions and if the welcome is warm, you have a fantastic time. Similarly, you can stay in the best space in the world, but if the shower isn’t working or someone is rude to you, you might have the worst possible time. As designers, we have to give the best possible tools, but we only ever actually give a shell. The people who inhabit and run the space are fundamentally important to the success of the hotel.’ Lee Birchill: ‘I think you need to make a hotel so that it attracts people who aren’t staying there – that’s certainly how we tend to approach things now. Quite often, it becomes more of a bar-restaurant than a hotel. A lot of hotels are looking to draw people in and stop them from migrating across the road to a Starbuck’s. They’re now competing against that.’

Ben Webb: ‘In hotels, and even restaurants, there needs to be a power socket under every table. Technology is a big part of it. Someone needs to produce a sexy power socket. We have one client who loves staying at the Hoxton Hotel. One of his great bugbears is that, even though he’s a resident, the lobby is always packed full of people and he can’t work there.’ Lindsey Bean-Pearce: ‘The guest’s priority should be a good night’s sleep, but for many hotel brands that is now bottom of the list. They need to offer so much that guests can’t actually switch off from working, which is a problem. Then there are lights from the TV, light from your phone – and they play with your sleep rhythms, so you can’t switch off. Some brands are now going back to the idea of having a hotel where the room is all about sleep and nothing else – having the balls to not focus on the technology. This is about lifestyle.’ Petr Esposito: ‘Sometimes you find that the weather vane is simply blowing to the market’s needs – but sometimes you find brands that want to challenge market perception to do something different, which obviously comes with more risk but can bring great rewards.’ Tajal Rutherford-Bhatt: ‘From a commercial office perspective, our clients very much want that hotel experience. They don’t want a reception space to just have a desk and to feel austere. They want to have a business lounge, they want lively and energetic spaces like cafés, they want activity to encourage people to come into that space. People want that concierge feel – and you also need to provide the right technology so that people can work.’

28 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

6 December Manchester Central Part of Mix Week Manchester

Entries now open! Submit your Projects, Products and People. It’s free and easy.

The deadline for entries is 5pm, 12 October 2018.

Download your entry pack at mixology-awards.com The UK’s most prestigious award ceremony and winter ball created for the dynamic and innovative interior design community.

Thank you to the sponsors of Mixology North:

Mix Week Manchester 4 - 6 December MixInspired Mix Design Collective Mixology North Awards

ASK THE

OWNER

harlie MacGregor, Founder & CEO, The Student Hotel, talks all things about the unique group that is neither your typical student accommodation nor your typical hotel. Inspired by reimagination, The Student Hotel allows for students, travelers, mobile professionals, creative nomads and enterprising minds to be brought together, becoming a complete connected community. Where did the idea behind The Student Hotel group come from? Student accommodation is in my blood. My father built the first purpose-built student rooms in Edinburgh, where I grew up. At 25, I bought a small student accommodation company and sold it 10 years later when I moved from London to Amsterdam and founded The Student Hotel. How did you secure the initial investment, and who are the partners? The initial investment was with the Carlyle Group, and we convinced local banks like Rabobank to finance the conversion of vacant buildings into a new style of student accommodation that did not exist, in the middle of the financial crisis. Today, the group has three main investors: me, Aermont Capital and APG. What were the initial challenges, and how did you overcome them? I came into this 10 years ago as a challenger within the industry, but we are one of the best kept secrets in the hotel business, outperforming expectations. The Student Hotel model takes a middle road, sitting in-between traditional student accommodation and hotels, offering all the comforts of a great city centre hotel while keeping staffing costs well below the hotel industry norm. There are still challenges. The Student Hotel is focused on doing things differently and that can result in opposition from planning authorities. We are constantly pushing against the rules and against old regulation.

Can you tell us more about the future projects that are in the pipeline? We currently have 4,392 rooms in 10 locations, including Amsterdam, Paris and Barcelona. This year, new locations will open in Florence and Dresden, Germany. In 2019, we will open Bologna, Madrid, Berlin and Delft. Rome and Vienna will open in 2020 and Toulouse in 2021. Our aim is to reach 41 properties (17,550 rooms) by 2021.

ASK THE OWNER

Impression NÂş5â&#x20AC;˘September 2018 |

ASK THE OWNER

30 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

ABOVE: The Commons Bar features bright colours combined with ample natural light, and a moody industrial edge. RIGHT: In addition to extensive co-working spaces, there’s a gym, classrooms, a common area with TED Talk booths and games rooms, a library, university classrooms, business meeting rooms, and an underground bicycle facility with 600 Van Moof design bikes

Design is a huge focus for the group: talk us through how you go about creating the best space where students can find their purpose? We always start by drawing a heart in the centre of a new building. This represents not only the core of The Student Hotel experience but also our aim to have everything spread out from there. Design is just the tool we use to define the experiences throughout our spaces, but the true focus is on our guests. I always say we design our spaces up to 80%, allowing the remaining 20% to be defined by our students, guests and local community.

Can you describe how The Student Hotel atmosphere inspires and encourages a sense of curiosity and adventure? It’s simple: we connect with our guests. Take our ‘Lost Socks’ walls in the laundry - everyone not only gets the wink of the statement, but it’s also very functional and appreciated. Another example is the co-working spaces attached to our hotels. This connects local businesses with guests and students and brings new conversations, innovations, and a sense of community for everyone.

As Head of Design, what does Jason Steere (right) bring to the group? Jason’s background is retail design, where his mission was to define brand experiences that inspire, engage and convert customers. This philosophy translates nicely to The Student Hotel goals. By bringing a retail mentality to the business, we are disrupting the hospitality industry with a fresh approach. Of the myriad challenges you have to face as a hotel operator, what is the most pressing one? We need to keep up with our own growth potential. We constantly see new opportunities to improve our concept and operational model. New technology enables us to connect and stay in touch with our growing customer base, while the way our customers study, travel, sleep and work is changing year on year. We see more and more barriers between hotels, office space, restaurants and residences being broken down. This is why I’d say we are – also operationally – a Complete Connected Community.

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

LEFT: Amsterdam City Student Hotel is a beautiful environment that feels relaxed and unlike any other hotel. Credit Sal Marston Photography

TOP: The final parts of the building are still in development, including an Olympic size swimming lane and sports club in the basement, mini offices, six additional meeting rooms and dedicated co-working areas, and a 200-seat auditorium in the garage ABOVE: The hybrid concept hotel beautifully conceived and delivered by The Student Hotel group, marks a new chapter for hotel living where leisure and business travellers and students share spaces.

There is a lot of talk about millennials and how they are going to shake things up for the hospitality sector. What is your organisation’s take on that? The Student Hotel has not only become a magnet for students but also travelers, entrepreneurs and, crucially, local residents and long-term hotel guests who are encouraged to use all the facilities. This includes shared workspaces, communal areas, restaurants and bars. The result is a melting pot of disparate groups and nationalities who meet, socialise, share ideas and create friendships. Our goal at the outset was simply to create a better space. But we have moved on. Now it’s not only about creating a better experience for guests – I want to integrate communities and revitalise cities, too. We believe that trends like co-living and co-working are here to stay and are endorsed by all generations. We focus on people, value and connections – not demographics. What are your predictions for the hotel sector moving forward? Internationalisation and technology will continue to drive and change our demands. Hybrids like The Student Hotel will become the norm as we are satisfying more needs than just a roof over your head.

SOHO FARMHOUSE

32 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

SOHO FARMHOUSE OXFORDSHIRE

oho Farmhouse, part of the Soho House group, is a members’ club set in one hundred acres of Oxfordshire countryside. The original farm’s existing 18th century buildings, including a seven-bedroom farmhouse and four-bedroom cottage, have been restored and renovated with 40-one-, twoand three-bedroom wooden guest cabins built along the banks of a lake. With design spearheaded by Nick Jones, in conjunction with the in-house design team, the Soho Farmhouse interiors were created to feel contemporary yet still authentic. The interiors of the accommodation are influenced by upstate New York cabin culture, with a mix of styles ranging from a rustic feel with reclaimed timber flooring and traditional ticking fabrics, to a restrained and minimal aesthetic, with pared-back fittings. Furnishings are a mix of exclusive designs from the Soho House team using antique and vintage pieces. Each bespoke cabin is fitted with a British custom-made range cooker and fridge, with the Farmhouse green finish co-designed by Nick Jones. The main barn is the central hub of the farm and home to the house kitchen with its own garden growing fresh seasonal produce year-round. Surrounded by comfortable cottage-style sofas and chairs in mixed patterns and textures, a sprawling

ABOVE: Bedrooms of the Farmhouse are tastefully eclectic with wallpapers and fabrics in a distinctly farmhouse aesthetic

blue timber-panelled central bar anchors the space on cobbled stone flooring. Crittall-style glazing has been incorporated, as well as reclaimed chicken-wire corrugated glass from America for the terrace roof covering. The mezzanine level features reclaimed timber floorboards, a balcony and glazed canopies that were introduced to provide views over the courtyard, lake, boathouse and gym. The walls are finished in timber board that was reclaimed from a previously demolished barn, framing a wood fire and contemporary art. At the heart of the site sits the farmyard, surrounded by the club’s collection of buildings including, the boathouse with its 25m outdoor infinity pool, which connects to a 16m indoor pool, heated to 30 degrees year-round. The Boathouse is also home to Pen Yen, a grill restaurant serving traditional Japanese robata grill dishes. The Electric Barn, created as a sister to the Electric Portobello and Shoreditch cinemas, is a 60-seat screening room with full bar and snack kiosk. Over by the Boathouse, there are four floodlit tennis courts (two grass and two all-weather), a five-a-side football pitch, winter ice rink and Cowshed Active gym and studio. There’s also a hidden spa island with steam, sauna and ice bath at the centre of Cowshed Relax, which also has nine treatment rooms, two soaks (a two-person spa bath), a mudroom and six mani-pedi chairs.

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: The Farmhouse lounge adds a touch of refinement to the otherwise farm style with striking reds contrasting pale blue walls. Main Barn is the central hub of the Farm and home to the Main Bar and House Kitchen with its own garden growing fresh seasonal produce year-round. Mill Room bar brings together natrual stone and wood with warm light rustic chandeliers and deep-buttoned sofas in rich jewel tones. The Farmhouse Deli captures a rural essence with mismatched cottage-style chairs, exposed wood and blue and white checkerboard floor. The Boathouse holds a 16m indoor pool, heated to 30 degrees year-round.

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Interiors feel contemporary yet still authentic – the aim was to give a home-made and personal feel, more like a guest cottage on a farm ALEX JACKSON, Director of the in-house design and build team, Soho Houses

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THE MANDRAKE

34 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

MANDRAKE HOTEL LONDON

he Mandrake, designed by Manalo & White, with Tala Fustok and CinA, is a 34-room boutique hotel in Fitzrovia, central London, converted from a pair of office buildings, which previously housed a TV production company. Deliberately understated on the outside, it is magical and full of surprises on the inside. An unprepossessing, dark and mysterious entrance tunnel leads visitors from the street to the heart; a vibrant lobby, restaurant and bar connected in an enfilade sequence around a central glazed courtyard. Above the busy ground floor social hub is a large private first floor terrace, surrounded on all sides by a three-storey hanging garden of jasmine and passionflowers. This soft green cascade cloaks the elevated walkways that bridge between the guest rooms, wrapping like a curtain around the guests within. The guest rooms are arranged around this internal courtyard, each with full-height glazed doors opening onto the walkways and private terraces. The vertical planting is interrupted by other forms, clad in weathered iroko reclaimed from the building’s previous incarnation, including a lift shaft with tattoo-lined interior, a hidden private bar and a glazed greenhouse dining room. Secreted on the lower ground floor are WCs with a shared hand wash area equipped with specially designed hanging brass tubes that light the basins and provide warm running water. This subterranean area includes antechambers, seating spaces and a black walled ‘anti-gallery’ and live performance space.

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: In the hotel reception at the beginning of the immersive journey, the gloss finished acid metal resin reception desk by Officina Coppola stands out against the matt textures of the concrete walls and soft furnishings. Waeska Bar is arranged along one side of the central courtyard. PHOTO CREDIT: David Grandorge/Morgan O’Donovan

Double-height lobby with hand-crafted in-situ concrete wall surfaces and reclaimed timber ceiling - the chandelier is by designer Lara Bohinc. Elevated walkways with concealed planters for hanging jasmine and passion flowers. The Mandrake Suite is a dark and exotic dream combining the essence of luxury with the memory of a desert night under the stars. The courtyard is the central social condenser, connecting the lobby, bar, restaurant and garden terraces above.

The materiality of the hotel is that of the surrounding city: brick, steel, concrete, timber, stone, plants. But their arrangement creates a spectacular and surprising internal world; part of, but also distanced from the central London location. The client’s desire for an immersive environment is manifested in a heightened appreciation of the surrounding city. Rooftop views of the neighbouring backlands and crevices of the West End give a sense of the world beyond the hotel’s calm and highly sociable spaces, hidden deep within the urban block. The hotel’s sociable and convivial ethos is enhanced through the porosity of the spaces, theatricality heightened by glimpsed and reflected views of spaces beyond, inviting further exploration. The marble-floored courtyard is the social hub, offering an appreciation of the whole environment. Branching out from this centre, the circulation stitches together the fragments of the original building with the simply detailed new components.

HAWKSMOOR

36 | Impression NÂş5â&#x20AC;˘September 2018

BELOW: Limestone columns and panelling have been expertly renovated throughout the restaurant, which features an 8m ceiling in the main space.

HAWKSMOOR EDINBURGH

acaulay Sinclairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design process for all of the Hawksmoor sites is to make each venue look as though it has always been there, rather than appearing brand new. To meet this approach, the grand Edinburgh site presented a different type of challenge compared with some of the spaces, which are home to previous Hawksmoor sites. With such grand and character-filled existing spaces, the design derived from American banking halls. Great care has been taken by Macaulay Sinclair to show respect to the original building, incorporating or replicating original features throughout the 160-cover venue. The new private dining room is named after Glasgow born and famous glass artist Sadie McLellan, who designed the original decorative glazing. As with all Hawksmoor sites, the design team has meticulously sourced reclaimed and vintage furniture, which

adds a sense of establishment and authenticity. Original archive photos of the main entrance have been used to recreate moulding details and joinery throughout the new entrance lobby, in the wine room and around the kitchen pass. Images of the old banking hall have inspired the new cast iron staircase and balcony balustrade. School laboratory tops made with iroko hardwood have history literally carved into them and are used as dining tables sitting above a salvaged parquet floor. Doors have been repurposed from the original building with reclaimed brass ironmongery. The lighting has been carefully selected, with light sourced from a Dutch Art Deco hotel and several bespoke fittings made with original Holophane glass sourced from America. Limestone columns and panelling have been expertly renovated and can now be viewed up close from a newly created mezzanine, allowing guests to be very close to the high-level beams, which were inaccessible in the original building due to the 8m ceiling.

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ABOVE: Original Holophane glass was sourced from France and America for bespoke light fittings throughout the restaurant. LEFT: A traditional colour scheme has been used throughout, including black painted timberwork and burgundy leather.

‘

This particular site was a privilege to work on – especially being in such a revered location. The site was already architecturally stunning before we even touched it. With that in mind and the usual approach of making Hawksmoor venues look completely at home in their space, it was important to us to incorporate as much of the original building into our design as possible, whilst maintaining our high standards. And this is what Hawksmoor is all about – marrying its heritage with the building and location. Although we have worked on a few sites in Edinburgh, this is the first one for Hawksmoor we have completed in the city, which is now an exciting new market for us. It makes a refreshing change to be working in areas outside of London. ABOVE: As well as the bar front, many elements throughout the restaurant are reclaimed, including many doors from the original building. LEFT: School laboratory tops made with iroko hardwood have history literally carved into them and are used as dining tables sitting above a salvaged parquet floor.

’

NINA TIGONEN, Interior Designer at Macaulay Sinclair

VINTRY & MERCER

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VINTRY & MERCER LONDON

he interiors are eclectic – an overused word nowadays, but particularly relevant in the case of this hotel. The contemporary character of the City is combined with its inspirational history throughout the space. There is the old-world charm of vintage-inspired furniture and joinery mixed with modern and clean detailing, creating a playful marriage of the two.’ The hotel, which opened earlier this year, features bespoke designed carpets that reflect the fine fabrics traded by the mercers, thoughtfully curated artwork, which connects to each of the guilds, and a stunning light sculpture suspended horizontally to draw guests and visitors into the main spaces.

Room types are varied in their materiality and palette to reflect the colours and type of the chosen guilds, focusing on the composition and scale of traditional patterns and furniture forms. The rooms are intimate; grandiose winged headboards with bespoke damask and velvet upholstery take centre stage. Dressing areas are a modern play on a deconstructed travel trunk, featuring scraped textured timber veneer with brass mesh panels. Vintry & Mercer features 92 guestrooms, a gym, three meeting rooms and a main restaurant on the ground floor, rooftop restaurant and bar with amazing views of St Paul’s Cathedral and a sumptuous speakeasy bar in the basement.

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‘

As with creating any new hotel, the hardest thing is always to balance the impact of beautiful design and the ability for that design to remain timeless. That is why it is so important to immerse the motif in the neighbourhood story, and thereby create a one-of-a-kind hotel unique to its location, that guests can understand and engage with. In this instance, we believe we have created something truly special LINDSEY BEAN-PEARCE, Associate Director, DMA

’

TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: A mix of teal blue, burgundy and ochre yellow velvets have been used to create a rich palette which sees a grandiose winged headboard with bespoke damask upholstery, take centre stage. The lounge and bedroom spaces are divided by a dressing and working area which are a modern play on a deconstructed travel trunk, featuring scraped textured oak veneer with brass mesh inset panels and a plush palm print to the interior. Sumptuous curved banquettes upholstered in rich burgundy velvet sits with fringed ochre yellow cocktail armchairs. A contemporary play on a Victorian summerhouse - the glass frontage is maximised to create a bright and open reception space.

CROWN HOUSE

40 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

CROWN HOUSE SHEFFIELD

rown House was purchased as a poorly performing standard BCO spec empty office block on the edge of Sheffield City Centre, with the aim of converting and adapting the building to create class leading student accommodation for a strong local market. 74, the architecture, interior design and placemaking firm, was tasked with bridging the gap between hospitality and co-working spaces. The ground floor amenity spaces have a sophisticated feel and offer the opportunity to study and socialise within an environment that feels both like a co-working space and a boutique hotel lobby. The social spaces are host to a state-of-the-art gym with on-demand fitness, a cinema, gaming and games areas, all with top end, integrated AV to help promote physical and emotional health and wellbeing amongst the residents. The materiality within the spaces was inspired by Sheffield’s rich heritage. 74 wanted the interiors of Crown House to reflect the city’s industrial background, by taking influences from local contextual materiality such as red brick, to create warm and welcoming tones with an industrial steel edge. To add a ‘pop’ of colour, the orange of Hendersons Relish is used to give a cheeky nod to the region’s best loved and institutional sauce! Sheffield also prides itself on

‘

We enjoyed this project immensely as it gave us the opportunity to further bridge the gap between hospitality and co-working spaces in terms of design and user experience and bring this into a student accommodation setting RACHEL WITHEY Associate Director, 74

’

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TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: The external view of the CrownHouse. A decorative LED sign hangs on a wall. The exposed ceiling is contrasted with Metallic copper feature fittings to highlight the cafe zone. Finishes and lighting colours create a vibrant space with bold features for socialising and activity. More focussed lighting over the comfortable booths gives the user the ability to focus and study individually. Complimentary finishes and lighting are used to create differing pockets of space.

being a ‘Green City’ so, where possible, interwoven throughout is planting and greenery to promote wellbeing. The lighting design, in conjunction with Enigma, creates pockets of space and highlights different areas without creating physical barriers. The lighting design gives the space the ability to transform between day and night activities so as to create a constantly active social space. Within the active/social zone the colours have a much brighter ‘wake up and go’ feel, as does the feature lighting. Using the deeper rich blue tones with cheeky bright pops of ‘Henderson’ orange creates a vibrant space with bold features. The Active Zone encourages users to keep moving, exercise and socially relax their minds, giving a welcome relief and place to let of steam after studying. Within the study zone much calmer, cooler blues are reflected in different surfaces and materials, textures and lighting. The overall aim was to create a warm hospitality-esque environment to relieve stress, and to create pockets of space for study and relaxing.

IVY IN THE LANES

42 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

THE IVY IN THE LANES T

BRIGHTON, SUSSEX

he Ivy Collection is a group of restaurants, brasseries and cafés, offering all-day dining for locals and visitors. Each location is carefully handpicked to value, reflect and add to the local area. The Ivy Collection’s first coastal site, The Ivy in the Lanes, occupies Brighton’s old post office, an historic, Grade II listed building at 51 Ship Street – the heart of the city’s famous lanes, not far from the seafront. Critically acclaimed Martin Brudnizki Design Studio consulted on the 6,000 sq ft restaurant’s interiors, as with The Ivy Collection’s sister sites. Notable

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features include a central bar, pendant lighting, marble floor tiles, polished parquet panel flooring and a mixture of leather banquettes and bar stools – all creating a stylish, yet laid-back environment for guests to enjoy a menu of The Ivy Collection’s well-loved favourites and more. The main restaurant is meticulously detailed with the glittering onyx bar taking centre stage, surrounded by colourful prints and art pieces. Through the The Ivy in the Lanes, sits a collection of artwork brought together by The Ivy Collection’s Art Consultant, Adam Ellis, depicting Brighton and its heritage landmarks such as Brighton Pier, Pavilion and seafront.

to host a stylish working lunch. The collection of art within the private room transports guests almost to Brighton’s famous Royal Pavilion, revealing architectural style cross sections and renderings showing the palace interior and evoking the celebration and luxury with which it became synonymous.

To complement the flamboyant tone of the restaurant, an enticing cocktail list sits alongside the dining menu, featuring a choice of traditional and contemporary tipples. Offerings include a Candy Floss Fizz, incorporating prosecco, rosé, lychee, ginger and Havana 3-year-old rum, and a Pavilion Passion with fresh passionfruit shaken with vanilla-infused Wyborowa vodka, finished with flaming rum in a passionfruit shell. The private dining room, seating up to 20 guests, offers an ideal space for those celebrating a birthday or wishing

‘

We are thrilled to be opening a new restaurant in the heart of Brighton’s historic quarter. As a city with a rich cultural, music and arts scene, Brighton is the perfect place to open our first Sussex-based restaurant. We can’t wait to become a part of the city when we open our doors this spring

’

YISHAY MALKOV, Executive Operations Director, The Ivy Collection

TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: The facade of the onyx bar at the heart of the main restaurantand murals reflected in high palladian-style mirrors. South corner of the brasserie with curated art depicting Brighton and its heritage landmarks. The exclusive Candy Floss Fizz cocktail includes prosecco, rosé and Havan aged rum. The main restaurant bursts with colourful artwork and murals reflected in high palladian-style mirrors.

ROYAL LANCASTER

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ABOVE: Lancaster Suite, situated on the top floor, is one of two expansive signature suites that are the jewels in the crown of the hotel. RIGHT: The Spire Suites – so called because ten church spires are visible from them – are equally notable for their sophisticated style

THE ROYAL LANCASTER LONDON

he redesign of the Royal Lancaster has been one of London’s largest hotel refurbishment projects in recent years. It has included a dramatic new entrance façade of curved glass and bronze, which has enabled a complete re-planning of the inside ground floor areas, which are now over 60% more spacious. There is a new reception, new ground level bar, generous lounge areas, a new reception area for the Nine King’s

banqueting suite and a beautiful new Carrara marble staircase that sweeps upwards to the first-floor restaurants and bar, and downwards to the Westbourne Suite below. All 411 guestrooms and suites within the 18-storey tower have been redesigned. When the project completes this autumn, the main dining room and the lounge bar on the first floor will also have been transformed. Working in close collaboration with the in-house hotel team, interior design company Studio Proof began with a branding study to establish the particular values of this mid-20th century property in order

to inform the design rationale. The result has been a three-year onsite programme – with the hotel remaining operational throughout – raising it to a new level of luxury. The new design recaptures, in a thoroughly modern way, the midcentury ‘cool’ of Royal Lancaster London’s heyday when it was a location for The Italian Job and a milieu for the likes of The Beatles and young royals. Without changing the footprint of the standard guestrooms, Studio Proof’s redesign has transformed them into spaces full of light and a sense of place. The palette is

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restrained; lime-washed pale oak and textured neutrals pervade, enlivened by accents of colour, which give a nod to the view outside. In the bathrooms, white marble lines the walls and vanity surfaces, providing a dynamic contrast to the stunning Antonio Citterio designed Hansgrohe tapware in the shower area. Similar in style to the guestrooms, the Park and Spire Suites sit at opposite ends of the tower. The

beauty of their positioning means that they each benefit from dual or treble aspects as well as substantially more floor area. Situated on the top floor, the two expansive 69 sq m and 83 sq m signature suites are the jewels in the crown. In both, dark American walnut panelling extends from floor-to-ceiling, creating a rich backdrop for sumptuous upholstery, celebrated furniture pieces and modern artwork.

TOP DOWN: A contemporary Moooi chandelier suggests the branches of a tree, throwing dappled light across the metal and glass Knoll ‘Platner’ table below. The 18th floor suites offer a rich palette of walnut, deep teal, petrol blue and tan. In the Lancaster Suite, dark American walnut panelling extends from floor-to-ceiling creating a rich backdrop for the sumptuous Zimmer & Rohde teal velvet seating. White Carrara marble and a full complement of Antonio Citterio designed Hansgrohe tapware feature in all of the bathrooms (pictured here in the Spires Suite).

‘

The refurbishment of the Royal Lancaster has been our ultimate project as it has allowed us to use our broad mix of skills to lead the hotel through rebranding, brand identity design, architecture and interior design. The owner has been bold and financially committed and, by embracing a holistic approach, has enabled us to create a cohesive and believable story throughout the hotel. The icing on the cake for me has been that high-end mid-20th century design is my personal favourite, so the work been a real joy

’

DAVID MORRIS, Creative Director, Studio Proof

PARTNERS

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OUR PARTNERS

The collection of profiles on these pages are the supporters of this supplement. They are absolutely committed to this sector and we thank them for their valuable support of Impression

With its brands AXOR and Hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group has been a pioneer in bathroom and kitchen design since 1901. Starting in the Black Forest in Germany, where it remains today, it has earned its reputation as a leader in quality, innovation and design. Whether it has been inventing the first affordable hand shower in 1928 or ringing in a new shower era with Raindance in 2003, Hansgrohe products have traditionally been one step ahead of their time. To this day, AXOR and hansgrohe products define the showering experience in 140 countries worldwide, from renowned hotels to residential homes. Its

visionary concepts have not only changed the look, but the whole culture of the bathroom. The brand philosophy revolves around the creation of long-lasting and reliable products, crafted with meticulous attention to detail. As market leaders, Hansgrohe has the privilege of collaborating with some of the most renowned designers on the planet. The vast array of award-winning products, all designed and engineered in Germany, are testament to its success. Hansgrohe will also stand for perfection in form and function. www.axor-design.com | www.hansgrohe.co.uk

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At Forbo, we’re passionate about flooring. We produce the largest range of sustainable floor coverings in the world and supply total solutions for every area in every type of building. Our extensive portfolio includes Linoleum, Vinyl, Luxury Vinyl Tiles, Flocked Flooring, Carpet Tiles and Entrance Flooring Systems. We like to think that the floor coverings that we design and manufacture provide an inspirational basis for interior designs. We aim at helping you create inspiring and high performing interiors which leave lasting impressions. With Forbo you get more than a floor. www.forbo.com

Enigma Lighting has firmly established itself as one of the leading suppliers of light fittings and lighting equipment in Europe. We have produced an extensive collection of well-engineered and competitively priced light fittings targeted at the workplace, leisure and retail markets. Our range of fittings are designed around the latest LED light sources to provide the appropriate solution for any application. We strive to deliver excellent quality light fittings on budget and on time and tailor our services to each specific client’s needs. Our new lighting design studio and showroom in central Manchester is now open to visit. www.enigmalighting.com

Knightsbridge Furniture has been designing and manufacturing quality British furniture from its site in Yorkshire for almost 80 years. From the timber mill to the customer’s doorstep, the company takes enormous pride in facilitating the entire production and delivery of its products and is dedicated to quality and design excellence. This has inspired customer loyalty and ensured Knightsbridge’s place at the forefront of its industry. Knightsbridge Furniture develops and manufactures all of its products from its factory in Bradford. Combining traditional woodworking skills with the latest manufacturing techniques, Knightsbridge’s in-house team of skilled craftsmen, designers and R&D specialists deliver furniture suitable for a number of industries, including hospitality, workplace and healthcare. www.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk

MOODBOARD

48 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

Inspired by the idyllic coastal towns of Kent, our perfect bar would have large arched windows, to mirror the arches of the old harbour bridge, and make for the perfect frame to view of the sea meeting the sky. Hues of soft pink and ochre accentuate nature’s tonal blues whilst, dark green glazed tiles and electric blue lava stone are mixed with botanical inspired prints to further strengthen the link to the coastal locale.

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Thanks for this months moodboard goes to Dexter Moren Associates

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Impression Nยบ5โ ขSeptember 2018 |

1/ Enigma Lighting - Rond-L 2 and Copper Filament Bulb 2/ Hansgrohe - Axor Uno 3/ Kaza Concrete - Single Reed Tiles 4/ Vicalvi - Mews 5/ Maharam - Merit 6/ Parker and Jules - Folk and Floral and Bark 7/ Pyrolave - Cobalt Blue 8/ Alusid - SilicaStone

9/ Broste Copenhagen - Tableware 10/ Knightsbridge - Alfie Dining Table 11/ Deadgood - Working Girl 12/ Forbo Flotex - Hopscotch

4/ 7/

5/ 6/ 8/

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WHERE ON EARTH

50 | Impression Nº5•September 2018

WHERE ON EARTH According to travel statistics site TrekkSoft, more people are seeking personalised adventures. With more booking sites offering bespoke trip planning advice and services, it’s clear that the personal experience is what so many travellers are after. In fact, a report by Google and Phocuswright showed that 36% of guests would happily pay more if a hotel used past behaviour and preference-based data to tailor its offering to create a more personal touch. So when it comes to designing the ultimate guest experience, ‘personalisation’ is key. And, what could be more personal than a photograph? We’ve received a gallery of inspiring travel shots, sent in by Impression readers. Why not see if you can suss out where these were taken and the experience that lies behind them.

3 THIS ISSUE'S PHOTOGRAPHS

LAST ISSUE'S ANSWERS: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bolivia - Vicki Brand, Hertford Boudhanath, Kathmandu - Gerard Roberts, Durban, South Africa Geirelay, Morsdorf, Germany - Lukas Becker, Kassel, Germany Oaxaca City, Mexico - Micha Baltman, Toronto, Canada

1. Guille Muniz, Brighton 2. Francesca Rowe, Brighton 3. Jo Sutherland, Brighton 4. Steve Penney, South Africa

4 Grab the next edition of Impression, due out in February, to find out where these shots were taken. And if you fancy yourself as a travel photographer and want to show off your skills, please submit your pics to editorial@mixinteriors.com

Impression Nº5•September 2018 |

Surrender to nature’s own sensation Experience a new dimension in showering with hansgrohe PowderRain®. The fine droplets inspired by the rainforest provide a deeply relaxing showering experience. hansgrohe. Meet the beauty of water

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