Meeting... Campbell House

PROFILE From left to right: Gaelle Rioualen, Principal, Management; Gwendoline Theodet, Regional Director of Business Development, EMEA; Monika Moser, Chief Operating Officer; Jese Medina-Suarez, Creative Director and Principal

Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Paris, Campbell House is a full-service architecture and interior design firm specialising in hospitality, entertainment, food and beverage, corporate workplace, senior living, wellness and gaming.

Recent Openings: Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel, London; Hyatt Regency, Boston

Upcoming Openings: Canopy by Hilton Nashville; JW Marriott Kuwait; Homewood Suites Nashville The Gulch

A year on from the inception of Campbell House, leaders at the studio’s Paris office talk design philosophies, flexibility and future forecasts as they look to expand across Europe and beyond.

Words: Ben Thomas

Upon founding her own interior design firm last January, architect and designer Beth Campbell called for a revolution, from methods of collaboration to the endgame of creating standout spaces. The industry veteran – who spent 16 years at Gensler before serving as CEO of Wilson Associates prior to its demise – saw the moment as an opportunity to reframe her creative approach and took it with both hands.

An initial headquarters in Las Vegas was soon followed by people on the ground in Los Angeles and New York, many of whom were brought on board having built up a close rapport with Campbell during stints at Wilson Associates.

Such was the case for Jese Medina-Suarez, Monika Moser, Gwendoline Theodet and Gaelle Rioualen, who head up a Paris office launched with the goal of expanding Campbell House’s reach in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Sitting down with Medina-Suarez, Moser and Theodet in London, the conversation flows from design philosophies to flexibility to future forecasts, with the team also opening up about their plans for 2022 – from a soft renovation for JW Marriott in Kuwait to new restaurants for Hakkasan in Istanbul, Riyadh and Muscat.

How would you describe Campbell House’s design philosophy?

Jese Medina-Suarez: Our philosophy is based on designing spaces that combine a respect for local culture with the needs of the audience and an honest interpretation of the brand message. We are not aiming to have a distinctive style, rather be adaptable enough to tailor our design to client needs. This approach has allowed us to work on a broad range of projects that includes luxury, lifestyle, mid-scale and affordable offerings.

How has hospitality design evolved since Campbell House was established?

JMS: In our experience, the pandemic has resulted in a strong appetite for flexibility within hospitality. Hotels need to be prepared to become mixed-use hubs where rooms can be sold in the traditional way as well as via more innovative methods, appealing to a local audience as much as an international clientele. Amenities must also reinforce the idea of the hotel club, where travellers can come to sleep, eat, work or have fun. Likewise, restaurants need to be prepared to offer flexibility through seating arrangements and food service.

Monika Moser: Over the past two years, we have all learned to be more flexible. This is reflected in the way we design, manage projects and exchange with clients. Travel has shifted towards more meaningful, sustainable experiences and our designs must address that.

“We are not aiming to have a distinctive style, rather be adaptable enough to tailor our design to client needs.”

JESE MEDINA-SUAREZ

Tell us about some projects in the pipeline... Gwendoline Theodet: We have a great mix of hotel and food and beverage projects launching over the next 12 months. Our team in North America has just completed a refresh of Hyatt Regency Boston Cambridge and broken ground on Canopy and Homewood Suites properties for Hilton in Nashville, while here in EMEA, we are looking to finish several restaurants for Hakkasan soon.

MM: We have developed capabilities to work at pace on soft renovations, which we believe will become increasingly regular in the postpandemic world. The design team recently finalised the renovation of the public areas at Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London’s Belgravia, working in close collaboration with General Manager Michael Purtill to give the spaces a fresh look on a relatively low budget.

What trends are you seeing in the hospitality sector at present?

JMS: We deeply dislike the concept of trends because we strive for creativity – a trend takes place when innovation is copied. Hospitality brands often make an impact when they establish a new paradigm within the industry by doing something traditional in a fresh way. Then, others copy and replicate, and the trend is born. We purposefully disregard trends because by the time they have been identified, we feel obliged to come up with something new to preserve our reputation as thinkers, not followers.

MM: Trends tend to be short-term, while at Campbell House we prefer to think long-term and design sustainable solutions. They do on the other hand highlight a new preference in consumer behaviour, which is an essential factor for our projects. The end client is important to us, and the design must facilitate their needs.

How do you see hospitality design shaping up in the future?

JMS: We see the hospitality industry focusing on authentic, sustainable design in the future. Ecofriendly solutions will be demanded by societies around the world as the impact of climate change and pollution starts to affect the way we live. Brands will need to work hard to offer luxury and lifestyle experiences within a sustainable framework, and those who are best at marrying the two will resonate most with travellers.

Will sustainability be a driver for change?

JMS: Definitely – there’s no other choice. The shift will not take place simply because it’s the right thing to do, rather it will happen because it is essential for hospitality to survive. Guests are becoming somewhat unforgiving with brands that do not seem to comprehend the importance that they play in relation to the planet and guests’ wellness.

What challenges do you see going forward?

JMS: In our opinion, the biggest challenge will be differentiation in the market. Most guests nowadays struggle to tell what makes a large number of brands distinct or different from their counterpart next door, sometimes even within the same hospitality group. The brands that travellers are able to point-out as truly unique are often the most successful, as they are recognised as having a specific take on what a hotel or restaurant is. Branding and innovation will be key going forward; the question is, will those involved in a project – investors, developers, operators and designers – be brave enough to test new solutions that are not a replica of what has already been done?