Sleeper March/April 2019 - Issue 83

MARCH | APRIL 2019 MARCH | APRIL 2019 W W W. SLEEPERMAGAZI N E.COM

83

Moxy Chelsea

AHEAD Global

Kuala Lumpur

Moxy Hotels takes root in New York’s blossoming flower district

The Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design crowns its ultimate winners

Malaysia’s capital emerges from the shadows with a slate of luxury openings

Featured lights: Telegraph Wall

– 9-14 April 2019 Hall 13 Stand G22/26 Milan Fairgrounds Rho, Milan

astrolighting.com

Inside Sleeper MARCH | APRIL 2019

83

Hotel Reviews

Features

Cover Story

052 Kudadoo Maldives

169 Events…AHEAD Global Marking the culmination of two years of heats across four regions, AHEAD Global announces its international winners, with Alila Yangshuo crowned Ultimate Winner.

078 Moxy Chelsea New York As the newest kid on the block in Moxy’s growing New York contingent, Moxy Chelsea sees an ensemble cast tackle a newbuild within one of the city’s most aesthetically distinct neighbourhoods.

060 Eaton HK Hong Kong 071 Waldorf Astoria Bangkok 084 Puro Kraków Kazimierz Krakow 092 Dovecote New South Wales 100 The Dixon London 109 Bless Hotel Madrid 114 The Bodrum Edition Bodrum

187 Company Profile… Stellar Works In its quest of becoming a truly international brand, Stellar Works seeks to bridge the gap between East and West, fusing Asian sensibility and timeless craft.

120 Six Senses Kaplankaya 126 The Agora at Hilton Bankside London

Location Report 129 Kuala Lumpur 132 The RuMa 140 Alila Bangsar 148 W 154 Four Seasons Hotel

Departments 028 Check In 030 Drawing Board 048 Brand Standards Ibis 161 Business Centre Hotel Analyst 166 Business Centre STR 182 Events Radical Innovation 193 Product Profile Outdoor Furniture & Accessories 212 Product Profile Guestroom Amenities 215 Specifier 226 Check Out

003

SleeperMarApr_Katachi_spread.indd 1

2/25/19 9:35 AM

Contacts info@ethimo.com +39 0761 300 444 Ph Bernard Touillon

Showroom Milan / Rome Paris / Cannes

Collection Swing

design Patrick Norguet —

ethimo.com Salone del Mobile Milano / 9 – 14 April / hall 10 stand A03/B01

St Regis Vommuli Resort Maldives – CTR, Mood & Mirthe Sofa collection

TRIBU_ADV_SLEEPER GB_472x275_CTR, Mood & Mirthe Sofa.indd 1

Living the good life outside.

Love it, live it, share it. www.tribu.com

9/02/18 10:11

THE PROJECT FOR THE MINOTTI BUILDING CONCEIVED FOR THE 2018 COLLECTION. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, THE GARDEN BAR WITH THE LIBRARY; THE SIX FLOOR BUILDING WITH THE SUITES AND THE GLASS HOUSE WITH THE LOUNGE, THE RESTAURANT, THE BAR AND THE POOL AREAS.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON HOSPITALITY. Minotti’s attitude to think about living solutions, rather than focusing only on single products, finds its distinctive expression in Hospitality.

Minotti brings its contemporary spirit and multidisciplinary approach to convey its international lifestyle to top-of-the-range hotels and residential projects.

The company vision finds its way in a realistic architectural project that emphasizes the quality of good design furnishings and their flexibility in customization, in order to meet the highest functional, technical and safety requirements of the Hospitality industry.

Thought as a rationalist framework, defined by the contrasts between black and white and between volumes and transparencies, the building recalls the Japanese and Scandinavian design philosophies thanks to its rarefied and minimalist atmosphere.

Arranged with lobby areas, lounges, bars, restaurants and a penthouse, the project accommodates an unusual winter garden, framed by a transparent glass box, as well as an oasis to relax outdoor and by the pool. Offering suggestions and visual cues for meaningful settings, the aim of the concept is to showcase the variegated ensemble of the new products while creating a connection between the 2018 Collection and an architecture immersed in greenery.

SLEEPER definitiva.indd 2-3

THE OLIVER LOUNGE TABLE BY RODOLFO DORDONI AND THE TAPE ARMCHAIRS BY NENDO IN THE LOUNGE-BAR OPEN ON THE POOL CREATE A SENSE OF LIGHTNESS AND INFORMAL ELEGANCE.

THE LOUNGE AREA SURROUNDING THE WINTER GARDEN IN THE GLASS HOUSE. THE AREA IS ORGANISED INTO ISLANDS TO CREATE COSY CORNERS FOR CONVERSATIONS OR INFORMAL MEETINGS. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TAPE ARMCHAIRS BY NENDO, SHIELDS COFFEE TABLES BY RODOLFO DORDONI, GRANVILLE SEATING SYSTEM BY CHRISTOPHE DELCOURT.

28/07/18 08:46

THE BAR OPEN TO THE GARDEN IS CONCEIVED FOR THE GUESTS’ LEISURE. THE RUSSELL SEATING COLLECTION BY RODOLFO DORDONI WITH ITS ENVELOPING LINES AND THE MIX OF COFFEE TABLES CONVEY A CASUAL ATMOSPHERE.

A Liquorice-tinted wooden flooring alternates with medium-grey concrete slabs, while the natural light enters through the full-wall windows, which are outlined by minimal framings.

For an unexpected and contemporary mood, far from decorative excesses.

The interiors and exteriors are inhabited by design pieces, carrying a firm personality, which are taken from the 2018 Indoor and Outdoor collections, then customized with specificities to meet the needs of the Hospitality sector.

Even though the individual furniture pieces reflect the signatures of the various international designers from Rodolfo Dordoni to Christophe Delcourt, from Nendo to Marcio Kogan, the collection is strongly coordinated to harmonise together the multiple languages and express the codes that define the Minotti identity.

VIEW OF THE POOL AREA FACING THE GLASS HOUSE.

BY EDC 77 MARGARET STREET - LONDON W1W 8SY T. +44 020 73233233 - SALES@MINOTTI.CO.UK

N SLEEPER definitiva.indd 4-5

The Quadrado modules can be combined to design organic compositions. The suspended square platforms follow the scheme of the traditional teak duckboard used in the yachting world to facilitate the outflow of water.

TO EXPERIENCE NATURE AND RELAX BY THE POOL, THE QUADRADO MODULAR SYSTEM BY MARCIO KOGAN / STUDIO MK27 DESIGNED FOR OUTDOOR LIVING.

minotti.com/hospitality

hospitality@minotti.it

28/07/18 08:46

Contemporary furniture that defies expectations.

allermuir.com

Visit our Creative Laboratory at Fox & Knot Street, London, EC1M 6HP

AP_Sleeper_MOGADOR.indd 2

01/09/2016 10:09:33

Welcome

T

he tagline for Pikes Ibiza – ‘you can check-in but you can never check-out’ – became all the more poignant last week as the hotel’s founder, the legendary Tony Pike who made the hotel his home for the best part of 40 years, passed away.

Having fallen in love with a finca in the hills of San Antonio back in the late-1970s, Pike renovated the ramshackle farmhouses into a boutique hotel, ultimately transforming a sleepy countryside retreat into a playground for the freespirited rich and famous. From playing a starring role in the video for Wham’s 1983 hit Club Tropicana – in which Pike himself had a cameo – to hosting Freddie Mercury’s lavish three-day birthday bash, the property won a legion of fans, earning a reputation as the home of rock ‘n‘ roll hedonism. Still to this day, Pikes is an Ibiza institution, with its new owners preserving the carefree spirit for which the hotel is known.

It’s fair to say Pikes led the way for a new generation of revellers, with the island since becoming synonymous with partying. And while the club scene continues to thrive, there’s a new side to the White Isle that caters to a more leisurely way of life. Its hospitality offer has evolved too, with the likes of La Granja – a secluded farmstead in the pastoral inlands – marking a return to the early days of Pikes, where the island’s rustic charm was the draw.

It’s this changing face of Ibiza that we’ll be exploring on our next Sleepover adventure, set to take place from 5-7 May. Having been food foraging in Copenhagen, toured Miami’s burgeoning design district, and met the makers behind Brooklyn’s industrial workshops, this latest edition will see attendees meet the minds behind Ibiza’s most exciting new hotel concepts, from a luxury resort with spectacular view of Es Vedra, to an urban sanctuary in the island’s old town. We’ll also be partnering with Design Hotels and Further – a laboratory for experiential hospitality – for an afternoon of talks, tours and tastings at La Granja, and taking to the waters for a sunset cruise along the coast.

The full programme will be announced at sleepoveribiza.com in the coming weeks, but in true Ibiza-style, the after-party will take place at Pikes, where we’ll be raising a glass to the man himself. Who knows, maybe this will be the wildest party the hotel has ever seen…

Catherine Martin | Editor

023

Guest Book

052

060

084

132

© Julian Berman

YUJI YAMAZAKI

KATHERINE LO

RUNE ASKEVOLD

MARKUS ENGELS

Born and raised in Tokyo, Yuji Yamazaki moved to New York to pursue a career in architecture, setting up his own practice in 2012. His latest project – Kudadoo, from Crown & Champa Resorts – occupies a private island in the Maldives and is a triumph in environmentally conscious design, where everything from building materials to furniture have been selected with the fragile ecosystem in mind.

Daughter of Lo Ka Shui – the man behind Langham Hospitality Group – Katherine Lo has strong connections to the hotel sector, but rather than develop the flagship brand, she’s chosen to forge her own path.

Envisioned as a platform for social change and activism, her progressive Eaton Workshop concept has gained plaudits for innovative approaches to both cultural programming and contemporary hospitality.

“Conran + Partners’ approach to the interiors of Puro Kraków K a z i m ier z h a s p er fe c t ly enc ap su lated ou r e t ho s , creating a benchmark in terms of the way the Puro brand will evolve in the future,” says Rune Askevold, Managing Director of Puro Hotels, on the group’s new flagship in Kraków. As its sixth property in Poland, the hotel echoes the neighbourhood that surrounds it, balancing past and present in every detail.

As CEO of Urban Resort Concepts, Markus Engels has overseen the launch of a collection of boutique hotels across Asia, including The PuLi in Shanghai, The PuShang in Xiamen, and most recently, The RuMa in Kuala Lumpur. The new opening marks the group’s first venture outside China, and is resolutely contemporary yet daringly evocative of Malaysia’s quintessential spirit, culture and aspirations.

024

Taking care of light

P O R T FO LI O

Front Desk EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Assistant Editor Editorial Assistant Editor-at-Large

Matt Turner – m.turner@mondiale.co.uk Catherine Martin – c.martin@mondiale.co.uk Kristofer Thomas – k.thomas@mondiale.co.uk Ben Thomas – b.thomas@mondiale.co.uk Guy Dittrich

A DV E R T I S I N G Commercial Director Advertising Manager Advertising Sales

Rebecca Archacki – r.archacki@mondiale.co.uk Rob Hart – r.hart@mondiale.co.uk Charlotte Goodlass – c.goodlass@mondiale.co.uk

AHEAD Global Sponsorship

Lorraine Jack – l.jack@mondiale.co.uk

EVENTS & MARKETING Brand Director Events Manager Events & Marketing Co-ordinator Digital Content Executive

Amy Wright – a.wright@mondiale.co.uk Melanie Page – m.page@mondiale.co.uk Millie Allegro – m.allegro@mondiale.co.uk Anastasia Glover – a.glover@mondiale.co.uk

DESIGN Design Manager Production

David Bell – d.bell@mondiale.co.uk Zoe Willcox – z.willcox@mondiale.co.uk

FINANCE Finance Director Group Financial Controller Group Credit Controller Accounts Assistant

Chairman

Sleeper Media Ltd Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8390 www.sleepermagazine.com

Amanda Giles – a.giles@mondiale.co.uk Sarah Healey – s.healey@mondiale.co.uk Lynette Levi – l.levi@mondiale.co.uk Kerry Mountney – k.mountney@mondiale.co.uk

Damian Walsh

Retail cover price (where sold): £7.95 Annual subscription rates (6 issues): UK: £65.00 | Europe: £85.00 | RoW: £110.00 Subscription records are maintained at Mondiale Media Ltd Sleeper (ISSN: 1476-4075 / USPS: 21550) is published bi-monthly by Mondiale Media Ltd and is distributed in the USA by RRD/Spatial. Pending periodicals postage paid at South Hackensack, NJ. Send address changes to Sleeper, c/o RRD, 1250 Valley Brook Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071, USA. Mailed by Spatial Global | Printed by Buxton Press

Manutti_Sleeper_236x275mm.indd 1

15/02/2019 14:10

000

Š Morley Von Sternberg

Mark Bruce EPR ARCHITECTS

EPR’s Head of Hotels jets to the picturesque shores of Cape Cod as he takes a fantasy break from transforming London’s landmark buildings into luxury hotels.

Where are you?

I’m on the tip of Cape Cod, taking a meandering tour of its peaceful, picturesque bays. The villages and harbour towns are so beautifully preserved, it’s like stepping into a world forgotten.

How did you get there?

By sea plane, flying over Massachusetts Bay. Who is there to greet you on arrival?

I’m fortunate to be met by one of my formative hotel clients, Robert Barclay Cook. Robert exudes hospitality and is a natural-born hotelier. He has a gift for curating the finer details in hotel design and making his guests feel at home. Before working with Robert, I designed hotels largely from an architectural viewpoint; his natural instinct for the theatre of hospitality inspired a fuller appreciation of hotel design from the guest’s experience.

gable with a wide balcony offering an immersive view of the horizon. Below, the sun-filled lobby and lounges have sandy floors and sweeping ceiling fans. A broad timber veranda opens on to a whitesand beach where a roaring bonfire burns every night. A William Fife-designed, 30m sailing yacht is moored on a jetty – our chosen mode of transport around the cape.

Who designed it?

It’s an undiscovered project, secretly undertaken by Frank Lloyd Wright during the height of his work on the Prairie houses. It shares their aesthetic and sits low within the landscape. The inside spaces blend seamlessly with outside and the views are framed beautifully.

Is there anything you would like waiting for you in your room?

Tickets to a moonlit Carole King and James Taylor open-air concert.

What’s the restaurant and bar like?

The bar is nestled on an open cantilevered balcony, teetering over the edge of the woodland. I can hear the rustling of the trees and the lapping of the surf in the distance. The offer is comprised of simple yet expertly executed classic cocktails; I’ve ordered a Margarita. The mixologist spent time at Dandelyan in London, The NoMad in New York and Drink in Boston. The restaurant is an intimate, cosy space formed in natural materials and furnished in a simple yet refined manner.

Describe the hotel, your room and the view...

I’m staying in an historic beach house hotel. Our rooms are in the pitch of the roof, nestled in the treetops and captured between two majestic stone chimney breasts. The end of the room is an open

Who are you dining with this evening?

Meal times are always best when shared with those you love. Over dinner it’s a joy to be surrounded by family and close friends, that’s when I’m at my happiest. Later at the bar I enjoy enlightening

Who are you sharing your room with?

My partner, who is the real traveller and explorer and tends to instigate our adventures.

conversations with engineer and explorer Buzz Aldrin and American screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, and delight in an acoustic set by Debbie Harry.

Who’s manning the stoves?

Eric Ripert, Chef de Cuisine of Le Bernardin in New York. His inventive and beautifully conceived seafood dishes touch all the senses. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do with the bounty of seafood found in and around Cape Cod. And what’s on the menu?

A freshly caught tuna ceviche to start, followed by a wonderfully balanced spiced monkfish tikka and a large bowl of frutti di mare. To satisfy my sweet tooth there’s a simple yet refreshing lemon tart and to finish, a generous plate of local cheeses to slowly pick over whilst washing it down with a glass or two of vintage port.

What’s in the mini-bar for a night cap?

A 15-year-old Dark Havana Club Rum on ice.

What toiletries would you like to freshen up with?

Something fresh, locally sourced and natural.

Would you like a newspaper in the morning?

No thank you – I’ll be enjoying a long lie-in followed by a pre-breakfast swim.

And for breakfast?

A petit déjeuner on the beach would be ideal. An extra strong smooth Americano, iced orange juice and freshly-baked French bread and croissants.

Name: Mark Bruce | Position: Director, Head of Hotels, EPR Arcitects | www.epr.co.uk Notable hotel projects: The Ned; Kimpton Fitzroy; Great Scotland Yard Hotel; Old War Office; Bow Street Magistrates Court; Marylebone Lane Hotel; all London

029

000

Pendry Residences Park City UTAH

Pendry Hotels and SB Architects have revealed the design concept for Pendry Residences Park City, a ski-in-lift-out hospitality complex in Utah’s Canyon’s Village.

Taking the form of a contemporary European lodge, the development comprises a 150-key hotel alongside a series of residences, a ski valet, spa and a variety of restaurants and bars.

The project will be situated within 1,000 acres of mountain terrain and integrate with adjacent buildings by way of a link bridge.

SB Architects has conceived the complex as an anchor point for Canyon Village, housing the accommodation within three buildings sitting on a shared podium. Two linear structures will be joined by an L-shaped third with an attached public plaza, with the firm seeking to create a tranquil base for guests to enjoy the ski-in-lift-out format, après with friends and signature dining and shopping experiences. The operator will look to use this as a platform to create a neighbourhood-style coherence, celebrating the warmth of alpine tradition while embracing expressions of a modern lifestyle.

“In an explicit departure from the more traditional mountain lodge, we took inspiration from more contemporary ski destinations of Europe to reinterpret Park City’s past within a contemporary architectural vernacular,” says SB Architects Associate Keith Houchin. “The plaza and podium take on angular forms that reference back to the mountain ridges while a patinated metal recalls Park City’s mining history. Units undulate to create protected balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows that maximise views from the living spaces toward the mountains and activities as they unfold across the plaza.”

Along with its selection of leisure experiences, Pendry will also offer over 7,000ft2 of indoor meeting space, including a 4,000ft2 ballroom. Construction is scheduled to begin in early summer 2019 and be completed in winter 2021.

The Londoner LONDON

Edwardian Hotels London has celebrated the topping out of its first purpose-built hotel, a five-star, £300m development in the capital’s Leicester Square.

Director at Edwardian Hotels London. “Building a complex and ambitious project in an iconic area is a demonstration of our commitment to London and our ability to deliver high-quality, sustainable, integrated hotels designed for the future.”

Rob Steul, Creative Director at Edwardian Hotels London and lead designer of the project, adds: “It has always been the vision of our Chairman to develop a lifestyle hotel destination in a prime central London location and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to bring this aspirational vision to life; from conceptualising the original design through to overseeing the development and delivery of the hotel. The Londoner celebrates and captures the drama of its vibrant West End neighbourhood and I am confident that its striking contemporary design, sophisticated social spaces and its collection of distinctive restaurants and lounges will set it apart.”

Slated to open in 2020, The Londoner will feature 350 guestrooms and suites, five concept restaurants and lounges including a rooftop bar, a state-of-the-art ballroom for up to 800 guests, two new Odeon Luxe cinemas and a subterranean spa occupying one of the deepest commercial basements in Europe, some 30m below ground level.

Designed by Woods Bagot with interiors by Yabu Pushelberg, the project is being delivered together with developers McGee and engineers Arup.

“The Londoner exemplifies Edwardian Hotels London’s bold philosophy,” comments Iype Abraham, Commercial Development

032

styling Ilaria Bacciocchi / photography Max Rommel / ad Designwork

Italian Chair Maker

Zant dining armchair design Patricia Urquiola

Agent for UK Domenico Scognamiglio P +44 208 373 2434 info@via-domenico.com

www.verywood.it

VeryWood_Sleeper_236x275_201810_ese.indd 1

19/10/18 16:00

Vienna House Vung Tau VIETNAM

Vienna House has announced plans to expand into Southeast Asia with a five-star property set to open in 2021.

which will incorporate an all-day fine-dining dining restaurant along with an elegant café and tea room, as well as a sports bar serving the tennis courts and a selection of poolside options. Flexible meeting rooms and retail zones complete the offer. Thailand-based Absolute Hotel Services will manage the property, which joins a 40-strong portfolio of Vienna House projects throughout Europe, but marks the brand’s Asian debut.

“Vietnam’s tourism has been growing vigorously in recent years,” says Jonathan Wigley, CEO of Vienna House Asia. “We are thrilled with the Vienna House launch into Asia and are excited to showcase the brand’s unique design and services. Vienna House Vung Tau is a great step; the first phase of an ambitious expansion plan bringing Vienna House to throughout Asia with properties shortly to be announced in Thailand and Indonesia.”

With the group’s existing portfolio predominantly serving Europe, the 775-key Vienna House Vung Tau will be situated in a coastal province south of Ho Chi Minh City, and is set to feature amenities including a therapeutic onsen hot pool, floodlit championship tennis courts, a fresh seafood market and 530m2 ballroom.

Owned by Vietnam-based property developer Phuc Dat Company, and located in the emerging Long Hai district, the hotel will be in close proximity to both a bustling resort town and its tranquil oceanfront, with the hotel looking out over the South China Sea. From room categories including suites, penthouses and a series of pool villas, guests will have access to the hotel’s F&B programme

034

goes outdoors

Quick Ship for standard products. Custom Design program available. nanimarquina.com sleeper.indd 1

Salone del Mobile Milano Pavilion 16, Stand D22

Shade outdoor Design by Begüm Cana Özgür 18/2/19 12:13

Nobu Hotel WARSAW

Nobu Hospitality has revealed the next step in its global expansion with the planned 2020 opening of Nobu Hotel Warsaw.

carve out our own niche whilst staying true to our brand and loyal Nobu customer.”

Comprising 120 guestrooms along with meeting and event spaces, a fitness centre and a signature Nobu restaurant, the hotel will take the form of a combination of accomodation and activated living space. The announcement follows Warsaw’s promotion from emerging to developed market on the FTSE Russell index.

Karolina Kaim, President, Tacit Investment, notes: “In combination with Polish openness and energy, we will create an exciting and unique place that will win the hearts of visiting guests. We are especially pleased that we will be able to offer our clients the most famous dishes of the Nobu Matsuhisa, served in Nobu restaurants around the world and for years well known as the highest quality Asian cuisine.”

Situated at the heart of the city along Wilcza Street, the structure will incorporate both a newbuild structure designed by Polish architectural firm Medusa Group and a restored portion of the existing Hotel Rialto. Interiors are a collaborative effort between Medusa Group and Californian-based Studio PCH, with the project seeking to create what is billed as a transformative architectural design.

“As we enter 2019, this is our newest hotel in Europe and the start of an exciting future partnership,” comments Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu Hotels. “We are truly proud to announce Nobu Hotel Warsaw to our growing Nobu Hotel and Restaurant family. This takes our hotel portfolio to 17 hotels underpinning our strategy to

036

Grotto Estate BERKSHIRE

SUSD has won planning consent to transform an historic estate house in the home counties into a hotel and members club.

original elements including a first-floor conservatory combining historical reference with contemporary detailing, and the return of the grand Oval Room, as well as remedial work to the white-painted brick façade. Elsewhere on the estate, a refurbished boathouse and tennis court will be joined by a two-storey spa and gym within a former 20th-century studio building.

“The reinstatement of the Grotto Estate as a luxurious country retreat will demand close attention to detail, careful selection of materials and an observance of traditional detailing and construction methods,” says Harry Harris, founder of SUSD. “Emphasis will be placed on achieving the correct balance between traditional and contemporary design and detailing, and on ensuring that an underlying consistency of quality and feel is established across the entire site.”

Having previously developed two successful London hybrid properties in The Curtain Hotel & Members Club and Devonshire Club, the firm’s third project will be situated on the banks of the River Thames near Pangbourne, Berkshire. Encompassing the restoration of the main, Grade II-listed house within the historic, 3.4-hectare Grotto Estate, SUSD are seeking to transform the 18th-century structure into a 53-key hotel with a restaurant and bars, along with the addition of six new two-bedroom detatched lodges, and the replacement of several dilapidated outbuildings with leisure facilities.

Working in close collaboration with Historic England and West Berkshire Council, the process will involve the reinstatement of

038

L ag u n a fro m C h e l so m For fur ther information email: marketing@chelsom.co.uk

chelsom.co.uk

43480 Chelsom Sleeper Jan 2019 Laguna 275x236_AW.indd 1

19/02/2019 14:14

Dakota Deluxe MANCHESTER

Dakota Hotels will open its fifth property in the UK in May 2019, building on projects in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leeds.

continues to target prominent UK cities. Dakota Deluxe Manchester falls within the Dakota Deluxe sub-brand, developed specifically for city centre locations.

The moniker Dakota was inspired by the aircraft of the same name, which transformed air travel in terms of both style and service, notable for its affordable price point, an ethos the brand has sought to apply to its hotels. The Dakota airliner made its maiden flight from New York to Chicago in 1936, opening up flight travel to classes other than the rich and famous.

McCulloch was awarded the European Hotel Design Award’s inaugral Outstanding Contribution prize in 2002, with the Scottishborn hotelier best known for his work launching the Malmaison brand. “Great cities deserve great hotels and I am excited to bring Dakota to Manchester,” he comments.

Set to bring with it some of the largest guestrooms in the city, Dakota Deluxe Manchester will be situated on Ducie Street and comprises 137 keys including 27 suites, along with the Grand Deluxe penthouse.

A champagne lounge, signature grill, stylish cocktail bar and cigar garden complete the offer, with interiors designed by a creative team headed up by Amanda Rosa.

The hotel marks the fifth opening within the Dakota portfolio – a partnership between hotelier Ken McCulloch and Evans Property Group with established projects at Forth Bridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Eurocentral – a business estate equidistant between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Future sites are in the pipeline as the group

040

Kimpton ROTTERDAM

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has revealed plans for a hotel occupying the upper floors of Post Rotterdam, a conversion of the city’s historical post office.

Rising from the rear of the site, the high-rise element mirrors the rhythm of five-foot spacings between the original building’s façade columns. At street level, the Great Hall – a vaulted, 22.5m-tall space – will undergo a faithful restoration to serve as the project’s public core, fed by entrances at Coolsingel and Meent. A further entrance on Rodezand will see the hall become accessible from all sides, and connects it with the courtyard to form a distinctive passageway. These spaces will be occupied by public amenities including retail outlets, galleries, restaurants and cafés.

“We believe that it’s time for the Post to stand not only as a memory, but also as an expression of the strength of Rotterdam today as a vibrant, connected, centre of culture, renewal and quality of life,” says Eran Chen, Executive Director at ODA. Construction is set to begin later this year.

Overseen by ODA New York, the redesign will see the former postkantoor adapted as a 58,000m2, mixed-use project after a decade of vacancy. Set in the city centre, the building dates back to 1916, and marked one of the few original structures still standing after the Rotterdam Blitz.

Signed under a management agreement with Omnam Investment Group, and with Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau acting as local architect of record, ODA will seek to reactivate the site by way of a combination of residential, retail and hospitality programming as well as a 150m-tall newbuild portion.

042

PROJECT: THE PHOENICIAN SPA DESIGNER: PARKER TORRES DESIGN PURCHASER: BENJAMIN WEST

WWW.STUDIO- AT.COM

Paul Street Hotel LONDON

Jestico + Whiles has been granted planning permission for a newbuild hotel in the heart of Shoreditch.

an abstract motif evoking the fine grain of crown cut timber will be embossed into the surface, whilst bay windows will be framed in shades of oxidised bronze.

Described in the London Borough of Hackney case officer’s report as “a bold, architectural gesture which is high quality and considered to be a positive addition within this varied local context”, the proposal seeks to concentrate activity and animation to the ground floor, complementing the bustle of Leonard Circus.

James Dilley, Director, Jestico + Whiles, comments: “The proposals for the new hotel on Paul Street respond directly to the area’s architectural and cultural context in the heart of Shoreditch.

We’re delighted this has been recognised by the London Borough of Hackney and look forward to seeing this increasingly busy thoroughfare through Shoreditch reactivated.”

Set on Paul Street, the 145-key property will occupy a neglected site previously home to a row of Victorian warehouses, with the hotel responding to the area’s long-established urban hierarchy whereby the height of buildings step down from north to south. The proposed building completes the row by establishing a mediating height between the recently consented Development House and the existing Clere Street.

The elevation of the property further makes reference to the district’s historic legacy of joinery and furniture-making, with the façade featuring visible bird’s mouth joints at every junction, inspired by the methods used in traditional carpentry. Reinforcing this ideas,

044

KW34_A81_Laufen_UK_Sleeper_Sonar_236x275_3mm_opt_s1 1

22.08.18 16:42

Sleepover is a nomadic series of events where innovators meet investors, designers meet developers and brands meet buyers.

Our next event explores the magical island of Ibiza and how its changing face reflects the wider world of hospitality.

Long renowned for its nightlife, now a new breed of hospitality entrepreneurs are reinventing the island’s hotel scene.

From farmhouse retreat La Granja, to luxury resort Seven Pines to urban sanctuary Sir Joan we will meet the minds behind Ibiza’s most exciting new hotel concepts. www.sleepoveribiza.com

CURATED BY

SPONSORS

HOST HOTELS

SUPPORTERS

The Human Touch IBIS HOTELS

In a bid to revolutionise its economy portfolio, Ibis is placing flexibility, social interaction and the locale at the heart of its strategy.

Words: Ben Thomas | Photography: © Abaca Photography

Ibis Hotels launched in 1974 and is one of AccorHotels’ three economy brands. It comprises flagships in major cities such as Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro and Paris.

Ibis Global Network as of 31 December 2018 Hotels 1,174 150,748 Rooms Countries 66 Ibis is the hotel brand with the highest recognition rate in six countries, irrespective of the segment (France 87%, Belgium 88%, Switzerland 87%, Brazil 66%, Indonesia 72%, Morocco 80%) and the preferred brand (No. 1 choice) in the economy segment, and either the leading or second choice irrespective of the segment.*

*Study conducted by BVA BDRC in August 2017 with a representative sample of 1,000 to 1,500 travellers per country.

As the hotel alternatives sector gains ground, economy brands are being forced to rethink their approach. In order to stay ahead of the curve, operators are significantly adapting their strategies to create an immediate connection with today’s traveller, who is demanding far more than just a comfortable bed for the night. On top of producing more compelling experiences for guests, hotel groups must also present owners with a flexible offer that meets heightened expectations.

A year in the making, the latest initiative from AccorHotels follows a study conducted in partnership with market research consultancy Ipsos, which found that 80% of respondents would like today’s hotel to be a social venue where non-staying guests feel welcome too. Unveiled during an exclusive event at the group’s headquarters in Paris, the new scheme will be rolled out across Ibis properties worldwide, allowing the human touch to take centrestage through new designs, revamped dining options and a dedicated music programme.

Speaking at the launch in Paris, Steve Taylor, Chief Brand Officer, AccorHotels, explained: “The Ibis brand, until now very standardised, is reinventing itself and becoming more flexible in its selection of rooms, dining options and living spaces. Its transformation is primarily based on customer behaviour and how they instinctively use spaces. Today, the brand is a truly vibrant place where travellers and non-staying local customers alike can dine, sleep, work and feel welcome. Music is an integral part of the customer experience too, fostering interaction that is all about sharing, new encounters and socialising.”

THE ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE Redefining its welcome experience, Ibis is designing hotel exteriors that are more open to the neighbourhood, by way of large glass façades that remove the barriers between outside and in. Lobbies no longer feature traditional

048

reception desks – often seen as a physical barrier – with guests completing check-in formalities via smartphone or tablet. The new method enables Ibis’ round-the-clock personnel, billed the ‘Smile Team’, to focus their attention on delivering a personalised welcome service.

With evidence from its study suggesting guests would rather be greeted by a member of staff than a technology solution when checking in and out, human interaction was key to the new approach, which has proved successful at

60 pilot hotels throughout the UK and will be gradually introduced to all hotels in the Ibis network – the brand aiming to achieve a complete roll-out by 2022.

For Damian Perrot, Senior Vice President of Design Solutions, AccorHotels, the objective is to introduce technology that benefits the Ibis team and its guests: “Technology is about providing the means to do things that we were not able to do before. It’s a good way to simplify the role of our team and maximise the time they spend with the guest; we only want to use it when relevant in order to create an experience.”

THE DESIGN ETHOS Continuing its redesign, lobbies have become multipurpose social hubs, built around a signature bar with refreshed F&B propositions that expand on the existing Ibis Kitchen concept. In line with its culinary philosophy of local, high-quality and artisan produce, four new schemes channel their own personality and unique music experience, from beer-themed venues with a rock-based ambiance to vintage-inspired wine bars playing jazz and blues. Charlie’s Corner at Ibis Zurich Messe Airport, one of the first spaces to adopt the initiative, allows visitors

049

to discover the Beer Wall and its wide selection of Swiss beers, as well as local spirits.

“Ibis was a very functional brand and that was a big success,” states Perrot of the previous incarnation. “But the Ibis guest has evolved and wants much more in terms of experience, so we must add an element of emotion to our functionality.”

Completing the new strategy, a programme dedicated to music fosters social interaction through a series of live performances. In 2019, more than 40 gigs will be hosted in Ibis hotels around the world, with the group hoping to become a springboard for emerging talents.

“The objective is to integrate music into the design and brand DNA,” Perrot continues. “We want to become an incubator for musicians, so we have created an area in the lobbies called the localiser, where artists can showcase their work for free.”

After launching a competition across its three main markets – Europe, America and Asia – Ibis worked with three design studios to trial the new concepts worldwide.

The first, conceived by Martin Lesjak of Innocad Architecture, was rolled out at Ibis Barcelona Plaza Glories Hotel 22 and creates a fluid transition between

the inside and outside of the hotel, as well THE FUTURE PLAN as the public spaces and lobby. With a focus Looking ahead, AccorHotels has set on authenticity, interiors invite guests to ambitious goals for 2020 across key areas, explore spaces according to their moods and from engaging with guests and interacting needs; the design scheme combining native with local communities, to co-innovating materials with the work of homegrown with partners. Two further strategies will creatives in a nods to its surroundings. focus on F&B and the hotel buildings Damian Perrot, AccorHotels In Latin America, Brazilian designer themselves; the aim being to develop a series Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz of architecture of flexible schemes for Ibis owners, enabling firm FGMF took a similarly flexible approach for the guestrooms at them to opt for the concept best suited to their clientele and tailor Ibis Sao Paulo Morumbi and the lobby at Ibis Sao Paulo Expo, the it according to the neighbourhood. latter enticing passers-by via the visual openness of its glass façade.

“We want every hotel to be unique but retain a strong link to the The third concept, developed by Thai designers Soda Studio, DNA of the Ibis brand,” Perrot summarises. “Our guests expect is soon to debut in Singapore and fuses modular design with to see different interiors when in Paris, the South of France or Rio atmospheric interiors. Again, the lobby is made entirely visible from de Janeiro, so we propose different choices and solutions for the the outside thanks to large glass panels, while an outward-facing owner, giving them the opportunity to achieve an authentic result.” terrace removes the usual barrier between hotel and street.

Though disciplinary boundaries between hospitality, workplace, “We want to create more connectivity between our hotels and retail and residential design continue to be blurred, Perrot claims their location,” confirms Perrot. “The hotels not only need to that the economy hotel sector must increasingly focus its attention attract travellers but also neighbours and locals. Our first project on designing for the people: “What we want is to offer flexibility to in Barcelona not only represents the ambition we have in terms of the guest and the owner. Before, we may have reinvented a concept design but also for the Ibis brand, as there is no separation between every ten years, but now we need to accelerate the cycle in order to the street and the hotel, the street is a part of the hotel.” cater for changing needs. We need to evolve.”

“We want every hotel to be unique but retain a strong link to the DNA of the Ibis brand.”

050

Ph. Tiziano Sartorio

NARCISO

pentalight.com

Euroluce 2019 | Milano | Hall 9 | Stand A15-B14

pentalightgroup.it

Nicola Gallizia

000

Kudadoo MALDIVES

Occupying a private island in the Maldives, a new luxury resort by architect Yuji Yamazaki is a triumph in environmentally conscious design.

Words: Catherine Martin | Photography: Š Diego De Pol

000

T

ourism in the Maldives has been growing steadily since the 1970s, with travellers seduced by the crystal clear waters, dazzling white sands and unadulterated barefoot luxury of the resorts that call this paradise home. It’s only in the past few years however that the islands have really flourished, with arrivals reaching an all time high last December, and no less than a dozen new hotels scheduled to open throughout 2018 and 2019.

As competition hots up, operators are looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. Overwater villas are becoming ever larger; restaurants, spas and suites are making waves beneath the surface; and in a noticeable deviation from the archipelago’s typical aesthetic, the pipeline includes a stylish Italian hideaway, a rock-themed resort and a collection of villas that channel a distinct Miami Beach vibe.

For Crown & Champa Resorts, originality has come from an altogether different source. Having considered the impact of tourism on this fragile ecosystem – the lowest lying country in the world – the Malé-based group has built the nation’s first fully sustainable resort, where everything from building materials to cleaning products have been selected with the environment in mind.

Owned and operated by a consortium of Maldivian and foreign partners, the new venture is the latest addition to a growing portfolio of resorts, each occupying its own island and boasting solid sustainability credentials through activities such as tree planting,

lagoon cleaning and coral regrowth programmes. While the majority of the group’s resorts fall into the four- and five-star segment, Kudadoo is undoubtedly a step up, both in terms of its commitment to the environment and in the luxury stakes. The project, located in Lhaviyani Atoll to the north of Malé, was overseen by Crown & Champa Resorts shareholder Lars Petr – a Swedish national who’s been developing resorts here since the 1980s – along with his son Filip. Together they sought to bring a new level of luxury to the portfolio, building on the success of nearby Hurawalhi to create a private island with a conscience.

Having designed the sister property back in 2016, JapaneseAmerican architect Yuji Yamazaki was enlisted to create the blueprint for the new 15-villa retreat, looking to the surroundings and climatic conditions for guidance. His journey began with the arrival experience and the small seaplanes that shuttle guests from Malé’s international airport. “It is unique to this island nation that you first discover your destination from the sky, which gives visitors a stunning impression of the entirety of the architecture,” he explains, adding that the aerial view is an early indicator of the resort’s ecological approach. The 15 ocean residences fan out neatly from an elliptical boardwalk, but what’s most striking is the main building, its roof clad in solar panel after solar panel. “Traditionally, solar panels are hidden in discreet areas in the Maldives and do not have any other

054

055

Above: The bar’s feature wall is clad in backlit onyx creating a striking effect come nightfall

function, but at Kudadoo, the photovoltaic roof is decidedly visible and becomes the icon of the resort,” Yamazaki continues. “Visitors can instantly understand our aim to integrate the system into overall design concept.”

There are 984 solar panels to be exact, collectively generating enough energy to power the entire resort and eliminating the need to import diesel fuel. For those with more than a passing interest, a dashboard on display in the lobby informs guests of the savings in real terms; for example, in the first month of opening, the resort saved the equivalent of 40 trees.

Yamazaki’s environmental considerations don’t stop there.

“Architecturally, breeze, shade and view were the driving elements for our design,” he explains, referencing the high ceilings, deep overhangs and floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors that advocate natural air ventilation. The building materials were also crucial, with Yamazaki analysing various possibilities for every surface and finish, taking into account sustainable sourcing as well as performance with exposure to sunlight and seawater. Cedar was eventually selected as the main material for the exterior, while teak plays a central role indoors.

With the island previously uninhabited, great care was taken to preserve the flora and fauna already here. “There is a ecosystem in place and it was part of our mission to minimise change,” says Yamazaki. “We kept the native plant palette of sea lettuce, ironwood,

coconut palm, beach hibiscus and screwpine; when you have a beautiful and unique site like this, you want to preserve it.”

As a result, new construction on the island was kept to a minimum, with the few land-based structures reserved for waste management systems, food and water recycling facilities and a water bottling plant to reduce plastic consumption, further minimising operational impact on the island. Concealed amongst coconut groves and interior forests, their presence does little to detract from the natural beauty.

All guest facilities are constructed over water, sitting within a sand lagoon so as not to disrupt the reef and its aquatic life. The ocean residences measure in excess of 300m2 and feature super king-size beds, sumptuous bathtubs, Bang & Olufsen audio systems and some of the largest private sundecks in the Maldives. They’re the epitome of luxury living, but more importantly, a triumph in environmentally conscious design. Yamazaki has masterminded an architectural scheme that makes the best of the tropical setting, utilising sunlight and the sea breeze to reduce electricity consumption. Sliding doors on both sides of the villa allow for natural ventilation and also create an open-plan living space that spans indoors and out, while the bathing area and shower room benefit from ceiling gaps that let daylight in. Tasmanian oak lines the floors while furniture is designed bespoke and handmade by Warisan. The Indonesia-based company has worked with CCR on a number of its projects, and this time

056

Hospitality and residential furniture since 1989

Courtesy of Kudadoo Island Resort, Maldives

Warisan sales@warisan.com

BALI

|

LO S A N G E L E S

|

LO N D O N

|

C A P E TO W N

|

INDIA

|

I TA LY

|

WA R I S A N .C O M

Above: The roof of The Retreat is clad in 984 solar panels collectively generating enough energy to power the entire resort

invited Yamazaki to Bali to develop his scheme in-house, resulting in a complete package of casegoods and loose furniture, all manufactured using hardwoods from sustainable plantations.

With Kudadoo catering to the well-heeled traveller, privacy is of utmost importance. Each residence has its own private infinity pool and the surrounding sundeck is flanked by Yamazaki’s ‘egg crate’ screens, a system that affords frontal ocean views while providing a partition between adjacent villas. Guests can also snorkel direct from their deck, and with the resort being the only one on the island, a secluded spot on the beach isn’t hard to find.

For those who can tear themselves away from their own private sanctuary, the main building on the opposite side of the island – known as The Retreat – features a games room, swimming pool, gym and spa, fully equipped with a nail bar, steam room, sauna and Himalayan salt room. Naturally, the products used in spa treatments are organic, with guests even encouraged to use the Healing Earth sunscreen provided in the villas owing to its coral-friendly ingredients.

The Retreat is also home to Kudadoo’s restaurant, a light, airy space once again defined by Yamasaki’s Japanese aesthetic and use

of sustainable materials. Open all day and with both indoor and alfresco seating, the restaurant has a changing menu of French, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines, though guests are invited to go ‘unscripted’ and choose whatever they want to eat, whenever and wherever, whether it be a seafood BBQ on the terrace or a candlelight dinner on the beach. There’s also a bar, its striking feature wall clad in backlit onyx, as well as a cheese room and wine cellar offering private tastings. Or guests can take the short boat ride across to Hurawalhi’s 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, a feat of engineering as well as a truly outstanding dining experience.

Holidaying at Kudadoo doesn’t come cheap, with rates in the region of US$3,400 per night in high season. However, there is value in the resort’s ‘Anything, Anytime, Anywhere’ philosophy, in which a guest’s every whim is catered for without having to worry about the cost of extras. Everything is included, from gourmet meals and premium wines and champagne, to water sports, spa treatments and private excursions as well as a butler service and personal trainer – all without restriction. Plus of course, there’s the added benefit of knowing that your holiday won’t cost the earth.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 15 guestrooms | 1 restaurant | 1 bar | Spa, swimming pool, gym | www.kudadoo.com Developer / Investor: Champalars Holdings Pvt | Operator: Crown & Champa Resorts | Architecture and Interior Design: Yuji Yamazaki Architecture

058

NE X XUS A NEW BEGINNING NEXXUS bath life accessories

Hotel Hair Dryers Cosmetic Mirrors Bathroom Accessories Kettles & Trays Luggage Racks Ironing Centers Scales

www.aliseo.de

Eaton HK HONG KONG

Channelling a nostalgic vision of Hong Kong through a progressive and contemporary lens, Eaton Workshop and AvroKO create a hybrid hotel that nods to the city’s past, present and future.

Words: Kristofer Thomas | Photography: © Lit Ma

F

rom the late 1980s to the turn of the millennium, Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai went about capturing the essence of his home city in a series of critically beloved films. From the frenzied kineticism of Chungking Express (1994) to the brooding melancholy of In The Mood for Love (2000), Wong’s ouevre through this era saw the director pen a series of hyper-stylised love letters to the people and places of the special administrative region, watching on as it passed from British to Chinese rule. In time, their imagery and themes became touchstones for a generation of viewers both at home and abroad in terms of the city’s unique history and character.

Nearly two decades on, these films may not tap into Hong Kong’s current iteration as immediately or recognisably as they once did, but nevertheless continue to resonate through the cultural landscape thanks to an overarching sense of inimitable cool and the longevity of their universal themes – community, identity, equality and love.

With such a strong relationship to the setting and local audience – and a progressive outlook long before certain messages were widely accepted – these films have gradually worked their way into the city’s fabric, becoming cinematic shorthand for a specific time and place.

For a certain subset, these films continue to be supremely influential, and their legacy has subsequently spilled beyond the cinematic medium’s parameters, creeping into corners of contemporary music, art and literature, as well as more unexpected forms. Namely a hotel that translates Wong’s expressive visuals and idiosyncratic style into the realm of hospitality.

Eaton HK, the second property from Eaton Workshop – a hotel outfit headed up by Katherine Lo, daughter of The Langham founder Lo Ka Shui – wears its influence on its sleeve in this sense, proudly referencing aspects of Wong’s work and interpreting the nostalgia of his films as a foundation for its wider design. Occupying a prime location within his old Kowloon stomping ground, Eaton HK sees both the distinctive aesthetics and enlightened values of these works adapted for a new audience and medium altogether.

Designed by New York-based studio AvroKO in close collaboration with Lo, the resulting 465-key property brings together adrenalinefuelled vibrancy and a collection of quieter, more contemplative moments. “Like the brand, the interiors are fresh, authentic and multifaceted,” notes William Harris, Principal, AvroKO. “We took

061

Above: Cocktail bar Terrible Baby offers a menu of sustainable cocktails and links to an exterior terrace with views over Jordan

the familiar feel and design of the neighbourhood and gave it a spin.

We used humble, local building materials whenever possible and echoed a lot of the layering that the neighbourhood is known for; bright neon, bold graphics and eclectic, interconnected experiences.

It’s very Hong Kong, but also very new at the same time.”

Set within a distinctive structure on Nathan Road – the longest thoroughfare in Hong Kong – the hotel is connected to the district’s most prominent attractions and but a short distance from Chungking Mansions, an historic set of accomodations that was the bustling setting of Wong’s Chungking Express, and perhaps inspiration for this project’s diverse, melting-pot offer.

Formerly Eaton Hotel Hong Kong – operated under the Langham Hospitality Group banner – the hotel has undergone a transformation that includes a wide-reaching interior overhaul and the addition of expansive co-working and F&B elements, resulting in something of a hybrid property where not one of its three prominent strands hog the limelight, instead functioning in tandem as an ensemble cast. The exterior – a collage of brutalist columns, linear modernism and industrial undertones – remains largely the same.

The renovation process also coincided with the regeneration and further emergence of Kowloon and Jordan, with the area taking on a youthful, artistic energy and comparisons to Brooklyn’s

positioning within New York as the place to be for the city’s creative communities. This would seem the ideal guest to appreciate Eaton HK’s ambitions, though it is far from the only profile the inclusive project seeks to attract, something made clear by the diverse cast of NGOs, freelancers, artists and businesses that have taken up residence in the co-working space Eaton House.

Unfolding in the building’s subterranean portion, the presence of Eaton House is something of a necessity given that workable space is currently at a premium in what is – as of 2018 – the world’s most expensive city. Comprising a trail of open-plan, residential-style spaces punctuated by intimate offices and nooks for those seeking privacy, Eaton House seeks to blur lines between work, play and home by way of comfortable, modular furniture along with custom bean bags, and facilities from a recording studio and art gallery to the Flower Years bar and a 50-seat tiered screening room. A holein-the-wall style space, Flower Years is perhaps the most explicit reference to Wong’s work, taking its name from the Chinese title of his most celebrated film – In the Mood for Love.

Shades of navy blue, canary yellow and brick red are carried across minimalist seats, sofas and ephemera, whilst any simplicity in the scheme is offset by rug designs combining these shades into lively, De Stijl-esque frames underfoot. Turning again to cinematic influences, the team looked to the classic newsroom depicted in

062

063

Left: Guestrooms remain largely untouched, but are dense with allegorical details including steel shutters and cabinets that reference Hong Kong shopfronts and stores Previous Page: A palette of navy blue, canary yellow and brick red spans furnishing across the elements, linking the hotel’s co-working space, F&B and guestroom portions

Peter Wier’s The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) to inform both the facility’s function and aesthetic, whilst artwork including a playful wall-length mural by local activist and musician Jan Curious – as well as bookcases of queer literature and sculptures by minority artists – cement the ethos at the brand’s core.

“The co-working model provides a collaborative space for members to grow and develop their ideas, but our model goes one step further than most,” explains Katherine Lo, founder, Eaton Workshop. “We provide residencies and subsidise memberships for those doing work we feel is particularly meaningful. The Justice Centre, who provide support to marginalised refugee communities were among the first to set up their offices at Eaton House. Hong Kong’s rental crisis is crippling young start-ups, so we are proud to provide an affordable space where the next generation can begin their journey.”

Beginning proper upstairs, around and within a triple-height atrium carved into the building’s core, the most accessible element of Eaton HK takes the form of a blended lobby, food hall and all-day restaurant – The Astor – all orbiting a suspended cubic chandelier. For guests seeking the traditional hotel restaurant offer, The Astor sees a cluster of tables, seating and live cooking

064

Bistroo Sit side by side and watch the world go by...

Carefully made in Belgium Designed by Dirk Wynants

info@ex tremis.com — T + 32 57 34 6020 — w w w.ex tremis.com

Above: The Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen features a more traditional scheme of oriental screens, dark wood and soft lighting

stations set atop a tiling design that flows through the substantial space, but the surrounding mezzanines and food hall takes the more unconventional approach of assembling a maze of hawkerstyle market stalls.

From delicate sushi to congee to sustainable cocktails to noodles to the catch of the day on a bed of ice, Food Hall Eaton Hong Kong appears to be the space most overtly inspired by the energy and bustle of Wong’s films, as well as Lo’s own memories of visiting Jordan noodle shops as a child. As much a cultural programme as the hotel’s slate of events, lectures and forums, the space speaks directly to the pre-millennium nostalgia central to Wong’s most acclaimed portrayals of the city. Elsewhere, fuzzy nostalgia is chanelled throughout the design of Terrible Baby, the main bar, where a menu of sustainable cocktails is served beneath the shadow of the building’s distinctive, structure-high columns.

Separate from the food hall in terms of both physical distance and tonal disparity, Eaton HK’s Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen is set within a more traditional scheme in the building’s lower portion, and features traditional oriental screens, dark wood panelling and wide halo lights with mirrored centres. Headed up by chef Ka Hing Choi, and serving contemporary takes on staple Cantonese dishes, the concept again combines a nostalgia for Hong Kong past with a look towards a bright future by way of innovative menu items

including marinated baby pork knuckle with secret Abalone sauce and geoduck clams and shredded chicken in Sichuan spicy dressing.

“We approached the overall programme much like a micro city,” explains Kristina O’Neal, Principal, AvroKO. “The multiple floors start to feel like little neighbourhoods. They share the same DNA, but have little touchpoints that feel distinct, so a guest can seek out areas that resonate the most with their own personality or need-states at the time. We were blessed with a lot of space, and so creating journeys of discovery, and then focal points of reward, were essential. And like any town we created a strong central square for directional grounding; this became our open atrium with its massive 4.5m-tall chandelier.”

Lining a network of meandering corridors above, guestrooms have undergone a less drastic transformation to that of the wider hotel – largely untouched save for necessary interjections to update surfaces and furnishings. However, where the redesign here was light, the spaces remain dense with allegorical detail; steel doors and cabinets reference local shop fronts, whilst shades of teal, cream and navy connect with the building’s form and the palette of the floors below.

“We were very much influenced by the spirit of the location and the architecture of the original property,” adds Harris. “Nathan Road in Kowloon is an energetic tapestry of colour and pattern

066

Virus - Acacia Tête-à-tête, ménage à trois, double date... under an exceptionally atypical sunshade.

Carefully made in Belgium Designed by Dirk Wynants

info@ex tremis.com — T + 32 57 34 6020 — w w w.ex tremis.com

Above: Eaton HK’s open-air pool features views down into Kowloon and the surrounding Jordan neighbourhood, a creative and artistic hotspot

layered with a strong sense of industry. It’s also a neighbourhood in transition; new artistic shops and agencies are beginning to spring up, but the overwhelming sensation is of old world Hong Kong – alive and strong.”

Opening its doors at a time when the progressive values espoused by businesses and brands ring increasingly hollow, there is a refreshing sense of direct action at the core of Eaton HK. And, as much as it is undoubtedly a business, the Eaton Workshop brand is seemingly more intended as a platform, and a means to perhaps change the world in its own small way.

With the 2018 launch of Eaton Hotel Washington DC placing the brand at the heart of the matter – neither brand nor owner is afraid of taking a strong anti-Trump stance – the strategy is clear, and planned openings in left-leaning strongholds of San Francisco and Seattle only serve to clarify this.

“I have been developing Eaton SF and Eaton Seattle for several years now, and am excited about how this concept of progressive hospitality will be welcome in these cities,” Lo explains. “Both have a long history of progressive values and respect for social and

environmental justice, and both cities are also today’s headquarters for the tech movement.”

Whether these will be as firmly rooted in place and context as Eaton HK remains to be seen, but working again with AvroKO on the San Francisco project and partnering with architect Kengo Kuma in Seattle will likely produce equally considered design foundations from which the Eaton Workshop message can grow.

For now, Eaton HK remains the most accurate encapsulation of this process.

Whilst Wong’s best films may be behind him, the values and images they orbit are as relevant as ever to Hong Kong, and it is unlikely that his visions of the city will fade away any time soon, regardless of how much regeneration the region undergoes.

Once describing himself as ‘not as a director, but an audience member who stepped behind a camera’, parallels can be drawn here between Wong and Lo – a seasoned guest and Hong Kong citizen who stepped behind the check-in desk – and whilst we may never see a film the likes of Fallen Angels, Happy Together and In the Mood for Love again, their spirit has taken up residence in Eaton HK.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 465 guestrooms | 2 restaurants, food hall | 2 bars | Gym, swimming pool, studio | Co-working space | www.eatonworkshop.com Owner: Great Eagle Holdings | Developer / Operator: Eaton Workshop | Interior Design: AvroKO

068

Deliver a memorable experience to your guests.

Explore endless design possibilities with our luxury flooring solutions for hospitality.

Get your inspiration at professionnals.tarkett.com

Let your creativity run free.

Visit us @ Milan Design Week Circolo Filologico 8/14 April 2019

Cementi Click - Sense of Marble / iQ Granit - iQ Toro / Protectwall - Wallgard

SIR New Collection Design: Francesc Rifé

OUTDOOR LIVING

POINT_sleeper_2019.indd 21

point1920.com @point1920

7/2/19 12:10

Waldorf Astoria BANGKOK

From understated Art Deco-infused elegance to showstopping drama, Waldorf Astoria’s first south-east Asian property delivers.

Words: Neena Dhillon | Photography: © Masano Kawana

A

s the brand’s Southeast Asian flagship, the debut of Waldorf Astoria Bangkok was never going to be anything less than a regional redefinition of luxury hospitality. Delivering an inspirational environment, authentic moments and culinary excellence – the brand’s main tenets – was a must, but Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has also sought to capture some of the original’s New York spirit while weaving in a narrative related to Thai culture. Such varying considerations may have resulted in a lack of cohesion. By handing over interior design to two globally respected firms though, each with their own distinctive approach and freedom

to interpret the overarching themes, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok has been imbued with contrasting personalities that shine as two halves of a whole – another quiet nod to the original – and which elevate the hotel to a multifaceted destination.

Appointed to lead the design on all but the hotel’s top three floors, Hong Kong-based AFSO began by considering how Waldorf Astoria’s heritage could be fused with a present-day narrative of the Thai capital as well as the requirements of modern travellers. “The inspiration was born out of my personal reflection on the many artisanal aspects of Thai culture while infusing these elements with what I felt evoked the

071

Above: Bronze laser-cut lattice screens are a recurring motif, making their presence felt in the upper lobby

quintessential Waldorf Astoria experience,” elaborates founder André Fu. “I wanted to challenge myself to juxtapose the Art Deco motifs of the original into a new form of expression. Just as the original is quintessentially New York, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok needs to give guests a strong impression of the city in which they are staying.”

Echoing a purist spirit derived from the magnolia flower – the key influence on the hotel tower’s fluid and dramatic form – the arrival lobby is paved in pristine white Carrara and Gascogne Beige marbles and given a residential feel through bronze lighting pendants, marble and bronze tables adorned with candleholders and fresh flowers, and bespoke furniture in tones of sand and teal. As guests make their way to the elevator for the upper lobby, an Art Deco sensibility becomes apparent in the form of burnished bronze screens given a curvilinear profile to evoke the silhouettes of Thai dance hand movements.

Bronze laser-cut lattice screens are a recurring motif, making their presence felt in elevators where they convey the artisanal quality of Thai lace. Fu compares the journey from street-level to upper lobby as choreography, transitioning guests to an oasis above the skyline.

With views at every turn, the upper lobby maintains a residential air, its understated elegance never interrupted. Standing as centurion to the entrance of Peacock Alley, British sculptor Louise Plant’s Messenger II is reflective of Fu’s expression of materiality and movement; the marble work matched by a sister sculpture in the

Podium tower. Referencing the legendary New York lounge, Bangkok’s Peacock Alley tips its hat to the original with a handmade bronze latticework clock dominating the marble wall behind the bar. Along with another oversized bronze screen, the Art Deco rhythm continues into the refined lounge, also home to seductively curving leather sofas in a gentle mauve. Bookmarking the other end of the upper lobby, the Brasserie features both Fu’s dramatic salute to the New York hotel’s iconic arcade – an arched stone walkway connecting two sides of this Bangkok dining space – and a glass-enclosed salon with an appealing studded-brass island coffee bar. The open-plan restaurant takes visual flair from live cooking counters with frangipani trees and oversized patterned silk panels summoning a Thai aesthetic.

Of the culinary venues he designed, Front Room counts as one of Fu’s favourite moments: “Serving Nordic-Thai cuisine, the restaurant merges the modernity of a mineral grey palette with tropical lime green and mustard accents reminiscent of Thai spices. For me, the highlight is our installation of more than 200 glass lanterns in a matrix of bronze frames – my tribute to Loi Krathong lantern festival in northern Thailand.” At night, the lights appear to float in greenery directly outside the restaurant, which also stands out for its sculptural use of slatted teak and handcrafted ceramic Thai plates.

Guestrooms and suites are conceived as spaces of calm refuge, marrying tactile materials such as hardwood flooring, silk panels and

072

073

Above: Peacock Alley tips its hat to the New York original with a handmade bronze latticework clock dominating the marble wall behind the bar Opposite: F&B spaces masterminded by AvroKO include The Loft and Bull & Bear, both with views of the Bangkok skyline

handwoven carpets with bespoke elements including an old-world bar cabinet, intricate bronze screens and walk-in closets. In total, Fu estimates that almost 2,500 pieces of artisanal décor and artwork have been selected for the hotel to celebrate its sense of place.

To push the boundaries of what guests might expect from a Waldorf Astoria, the hotel’s top three floors, devoted to food and beverage, have been masterminded by AvroKO. “Our clients wanted something special,” reveals Principal William Harris. “They asked for spaces that felt like destinations in and of themselves – a union of east meets west with glamour and drama. They wished to honour the original DNA yet set a new precedent for what a Waldorf could be.”

While AvroKO wanted unique experiences located on each of the floors, they also crafted a conceptual grounding that has helped to maintain a through-line. Some of the ideas that feed into this are duality and the coming together of artistic traditions from both Thailand and New York. “We asked ourselves what it meant for a New York icon to land in Bangkok,” continues Harris. “The expression of duality, as represented by the bull and bear figures symbolising the New York stock exchange and the eponymous Waldorf restaurant, soon became a central theme. Their Thai counterparts emerged as the mythical Garuda – an eagle-like god – and Naga, or serpent figure, another set of duelling icons in constant opposition. Opposing forces

yet necessary companions for balance and harmony.” Connecting the three floors and a trio of dining outlets, a stunning feature staircase has at its heart a 15ft-tall custom brass, glass and crystal chandelier.

“Its scaled form recalls the Naga while nodding to Art Deco,” notes AvroKO Principal Greg Bradshaw. Fellow Principal Adam Farmerie takes up the story: “The grand marble staircase is a showstopper, its entire curved underside fashioned by local craftsmen in hand-applied gold leaf finish in the Thai tradition.”

Bull & Bear, a symphony of dark masculine millwork, rich leather furnishings, black and red hues, and subtle injections of feathers and snake skin, has three standout design details, the first in the form of the deep red, patterned, textile ceiling. “Inspired by traditional Lanna woven textiles and the patterning of a gown Queen Sirikit of Thailand has worn, we had the fabric custom-designed and woven in Chiang Mai, then set into the wood coffered structure, adding gorgeous colour and clever acoustic dampening,” explains AvroKO Principal Kristina O’Neal. Suspended from the ceiling, meanwhile, a custom-made chandelier created by the firm’s in-house lighting team comprises 800 hand-sculpted glass feathers and brass components that end in forms reminiscent of talons, which ensconce a central globe – a nod to the Garuda – with intricate wooden appendages attached around the perimeter arms to represent the force of the

074

075

Above: Guestrooms marry tactile materials with bespoke elements including an old-world bar cabinet and intricate bronze screens

Naga. As the final highlight, custom-made hammered bronze panels turn the Bull & Bear bar into a work of art. “The technique used to produce them is an age-old process,” says Bradshaw. “Each panel, designed using Lanna patterns, has its own personality and character.”

Ascending the showstopping staircase to The Loft, guests are drawn into a conceptual space created to feel like an artist’s loftcum-residence, the vibe distinctly female. Playing with contrast once more, O’Neal explains how the lounge juxtaposes “the beautiful mess of artistic production with the refined plushness of high-end residential living.” Embodying this approach, an artist’s work bench made from reclaimed teak and layered with paint and materials serves as a centrepiece communal table in the front room, over which three bejewelled crystal chandeliers are suspended, instantly signalling the notion of alluring contrast. Scattered around, gestural drawings and painting sketches are complemented by stored collections of pre-owned artist tools, these touches of bohemia contrasting with the velvet curtains, sleek leather furniture and horseshoe-shaped bar inscribed with studded metal Art Nouveau patterns.

At the hotel tower’s apex, The Champagne Bar throws up more surprises, as Harris reveals: “To enter, guests must interact with a dramatic wall sculpture, an intricate melange of carved wood and decorative gold metalwork that incorporates deconstructed Thai headdresses and jewellery. Hints of feathers and claws allude to the Garuda and Naga. Five round bronze mirrors reflect approaching guests who push a large central jewelled button to activate a hidden sliding door.” Once guests step through, the next breathtaking element is an undulating entry corridor realised in green and black glass plus Thai silk rendered in a seductive diamond motif. The most intimate and residential-style space, The Champagne Bar weaves together eclectic furniture, sculptural chandeliers and a central display cabinet punctuated with distinctive art pieces and pull-out drawers for tasting of champagne and liquor. AvroKO’s four founding partners created many of the drawings, paintings and styling elements for the project.

But just as the rest of the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok honours Thai artisanal culture, there is also an abundance of work handcrafted by amazing Bangkok and Chiang Mai-based talent.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 171 guestrooms | 3 restaurants | 3 bars | Ballroom, 8 event spaces | Spa, gym, swimming pool | www.waldorfastoria3.hilton.com Owner: Magnolia Quality Development Corporation | Operator: Hilton Worldwide | Conceptual Architecture: Gensler | Design Architecture: DI Designs; The Beaumont Partnership | Interior Design: AFSO; AvroKO (F&B)

076

FURNITURE | LIGHTING | ACCESSORIES | OUTDOOR | CUSTOM CAPABILITES

EXCLUSIVE EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTOR NICHOLASHASLAM.COM

Moxy Chelsea NEW YORK

The latest project in Moxy’s New York takeover sees an ensemble cast tackle a newbuild within one of the city’s most aesthetically distinct neighbourhoods.

Words: Kristofer Thomas | Photography: Courtesy of Moxy Hotels

N

valiant last stand than anything else. Thankfully, where some of those welcomed into The Flower District fold – reluctantly or otherwise – have done little to pursue the area’s waning colour and vibrancy, one prominent new denizen goes above and beyond.

“The beautiful thing about New York City is that each neighbourhood has a distinct personality,” muses Mitchell C. Hochberg, President of Lightstone, the development group behind the project. “And turning the corner onto West 28th Street is like discovering an oasis in a desert of asphalt. The sidewalk overflows with plants and flowers and blooms spill out of the shops, their windows filled with greenery.”

Having spent recent years overseeing the establishment of Moxy Hotels’ Big Apple contingent, Hochberg has now guided the launch of three of the millennial-leaning brand’s properties – this hotel and its Times Square and East Village siblings – with a fourth due to land in Midtown South by the end of 2019. These join Moxy NYC Downtown – developed by Tribeca Associates – to total over 1,500 of the brand’s guestrooms across the city. Where in other markets – and to other developers – this would perhaps scream of oversaturation, Hochberg instead senses a platform for variety. “With each new Moxy, we have a fresh opportunity to create an entirely distinct building and experience that takes inspiration from its surroundings,” he explains.

ew York has something of a knack when it comes to brutally precise and on-the-nose neighbourhood names. Before an influx of boutiques the Meatpacking District was, as title would suggest, a hub for cavernous meatpacking plants, whilst Two Bridges to the south draws its moniker not from the given names of these two bridges – Brooklyn and Manhattan – rather the extremely correct observation that there are indeed two bridges within its limits.

Likewise, Central Park denotes the park at Manhattan’s centre, whilst Long Island – a very long island at 118 miles point-to-point – speaks for itself.

It should come as no surprise then that The Flower District – a one-block stretch within Manhattan’s Chelsea – can be easily identified by its abundance of flora. Lined by the glass storefronts of horticulture shops and corridors of plants, petals and pots stretching back within, the main thoroughfare of 28th Street sees flowers bloom from market stalls and follow the sun through the day, catching rays of light refracted off glass towers rising quickly up around.

However, much of what has sprung up in The Flower District as of recent is far from flowery; a few nondescript residential buildings, some lazy attempts at cut-price brutalism and a steely McDonald’s haven’t exactly strained themselves in carrying the street’s organic, breezy respite across the regeneration process. As such, the long rows of potted trees encroaching the road can often appear as more of a

079

Above: Guestrooms feature the Stellar Works-manufactured, space-saving furnishings debuted at Times Square in altogether larger, 10ft-tall spaces

The plan is simple: four different Moxy hotels providing guests with four different perspectives of New York – the execution less so.

A major draw of branded hotels remains the inherent consistency, with guests often flocking to the ubiquitous big players not for design or experiential reasons, but the safety, comfort and reliability a set manifesto of global standards provides. As such, five versions of the same branded offer could seem overkill, but instead work to demonstrate how design – specifically that inspired by locality, and for purposes of integration – can radically differentiate what is essentially the same.

Whilst Moxy Times Square mimics the urban metropolis aesthetic of its surroundings – translating bright lights and towering billboards as a graphic neon and edgy raw materials – Moxy NYC Downtown to the south takes more formal cues from the steely cool of its financial district neighbours. It makes sense then, that the 349-key Moxy Chelsea – set within a 35-storey newbuild along the floral stretch – would fully embrace the verdant habitat it takes up residence in.

Reuniting with architect Stonehill Taylor and interior designer Yabu Pushelberg following their collaboration at Times Square, Lightstone has developed a hotel in tune with both locale and brand standards, whilst creating a character entirely its own.

“The design team worked hard to ensure that the hotel feels harmonious with its Flower District location,” Hochberg explains.

“It is a building that reflects the neighbourhood’s scale, tone, and style, and embraces it in a way that feels organic and intuitive, the hotel acting as an extension of the landscape.”

With its distinctive surroundings demanding something unique, Moxy Chelsea welcomes guests with a façade combining a threestorey glass atrium and a leafy interior wall beyond with a series of industrial oxidised steel columns and casement windows referencing the traditional architecture of the area’s lofts.

Within, the main lobby has been transported to the second floor to guide guests past the hotel’s own flower shop, operated by Putnam & Putnam. And underpinning the aesthetic integration is an additional level of sensory design, with the sweet fragrances of a small café carried out to mingle with the notes of flora. The café is one of several F&B outlets within the property conceived by Tao Group and designed by David Rockwell and his studio, with Feroce Ristorante and Bar Feroce joining the aforementioned Feroce Caffè, each a collaboration with Francesco Panella of Rome’s acclaimed Antica Pesa. “The design of the ristorante and caffè deftly weaves together elements from various sources,” Hochberg continues. “Latticepatterned parquet floors and a vaulted terracotta ceiling have a classical Roman provenance, while the striped leather banquettes in the dining room take their cues from the upholstery you’d see in vintage Ferraris.”

080

081

Above: The Fleur Room’s wraparound glass walls retract at the touch of a button to create a veranda with expansive skyline views

Tying together visual, thematic and atmospheric threads for a succinct welcome experience, the street-facing portion of the building does little to interrupt the established vibrancy and colour either side and adjacent, whilst also adding to the mix with characteristics of its own, not least the profiles of suspended butcher blocks beyond the flower shop doubling as check-in kiosks – these a reference to the nearby Meatpacking District.

A sculptural, wood-cast concrete staircase leads up to the Rockwell-designed lobby, where, in-keeping with the tower’s relatively small footprint, a scheme of versatility and adaptability was required. Guestrooms above take on a similarly functional role, with Yabu Pushelberg’s space-saving, Stellar Works-created foldaway furnishings making a return following their Times Square debut, but are less vital here – the newbuild structure allowing for 10ft-tall ceilings and altogether more spacious guestrooms than its intellegently compact predecessor.

The best views, however, are reserved for The Fleur Room, the hotel’s rooftop lounge, featuring a copper-clad bar, glass chandeliers

in the shape of water droplets, and a large disco ball salvaged from Los Angeles’ notorious Vertigo club. Whilst rooftop lounges across New York are as abundant as the plant life at street level, The Fleur Room holds what Hochberg likes to refer to as “the hotel’s secret weapon” in its retractable, wraparound glass walls, that, at the touch of a button, transform the space into a veranda.

This crowning touch is about the most succinct encapsulation of the Moxy offer throughout New York one could ask for; a moment of considered adaptability that sees the project integrate itself within a defined locale without sacrificing the core standards of its established brand. Whilst the four Moxy siblings spread across the city may share close quarters and matching DNA, great effort has nonetheless been taken to ensure that each goes its own way.

As the newest kid on a block rightfully concerned by the gradual fading of its heritage, Moxy Chelsea has the enviable task of placing itself amongst one of the city’s most aesthetically and nominally distinctive neighbourhoods, but through both its considered literal and metaphorical interpretations, respectfully tends to the garden.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 349 guestrooms | 3 restaurants | 1 bar | 2 meeting rooms, co-working space | Gym | www.moxychelsea.com Owner / Developer: Lightstone Group | Operator: Marriott International | Architecture: Stonehill Taylor | Interior Design: Yabu Pushelberg; Rockwell Group Lighting Design: Cooley Monato; Focus Lighting | Art Consultant: Rare Culture | Main Contractor: C&A Seneca

082

Puro Kraków Kazimierz KRAKOW

Polish group Puro joins forces with Conran + Partners to create a flagship hotel in Kraków’s historic Jewish quarter.

Words: Ben Thomas | Photography: © Anna Stathaki

O

nce overshadowed by neglect, the neighbourhood of Kazimierz has undergone something of a renaissance in recent times. The historic Jewish quarter at the foot of Kraków’s Old Town has emerged as a thriving hub for creativity, with art galleries, vintage shops and shabby-chic cafés lining the streets amidst a rich urban fabric of 16th-century synagogues, museums and Gothic churches.

Adding to the mix in a bid to capitalise on what has become a major tourist hub, Puro Kraków Kazimierz – a new flagship from Polish hotel group Puro – fuses the newfound bohemianism of its location with more progressive principles, demonstrating the brand’s passion for contemporary art, design-led furniture and forwardthinking hospitality. Masterminded by local architectural practice ASW Architekci, the 228-key property occupies a corner site on the district’s Halicka Street and uses exposed brick to conform with its crumbling neighbours, while inside, London-based Conran + Partners draws upon the historic and cultural layers of Kazimierz, from its former warehouses and workshops to its recently-acquired galleries, street art and food culture.

Above: Mak Bread & Coffee serves freshly baked bread, pastries and cakes amidst a cosy setting housing a sunken lounge, open fire and large sharing table

Working closely with Rune Askevold, Managing Director of Puro Hotels, Conran + Partners determined the planning and organisation of the hotel, including the size and shape of its guestrooms. “We got involved in the project at an early stage, and that helped us achieve a cohesive layout,” says Simon Kincaid, Director at Conran + Partners.

“Our ‘Bohemian Modern’ design concept aims to present guests with the story of the hotel’s relationship to Kazimierz, encapsulating the gritty, artisan, alternative ambience of this rapidly changing district while retaining the innovative philosophy of Puro.”

As Puro’s second project in Kraków, the hotel’s connection to its immediate surroundings was crucial. “The group already has a hotel in the city known as Puro Kraków, so we wanted this property to be definitively Kazimierz,” Kincaid confirms. On entering the lobby, an etched outline of the neighbourhood’s street pattern and bold graffiti art by Polish creative Nawer provide a taster of the locallyinspired artwork collection found throughout, which includes two modernist cityscape collages by Mateusz Szczypinski and a neonstyle light installation by Spanish artist Javier Martin. Art curation was undertaken by Puro’s in-house consultant Zuzanna Zakaryan, who commissioned five Polish illustrators including photographer Dominik Tarabanski to showcase their paintings across the

guestrooms, reception and bar, and collaborated with Conran + Partners on the styling for events space The Workshop.

“One of our observations from visiting Kazimierz was the use of large-scale graphic street art, stencils and murals, which we incorporated into the design scheme,” continues Kincaid. “To create a destination not just in Kraków but for Kazimierz, the palette was taken almost directly from the Jewish quarter too, drawing inspiration from the pastel colours and exposed brickwork of its old market square and semi-decaying buildings.”

The palette mixes natural, raw materials such as terracotta, wellworn bronze and reclaimed timber with bold splashes of colour and the black-and-white layered tones of the Puro brand, complemented by refined selection of furniture from the likes of Kettal, Fritz Hansen and Moroso. Furthering local nuances, an array of greenery references the foliage that typically overhangs the old walls of the district, while an atrium to the rear of the lobby features a dramatic, hanging light installation inspired by the overgrown courtyards of the area.

Culinary offerings include two on-site eateries, both of which have street-side entrances to draw in locals, who can dine without the need to pass through the hotel. Mak Bread & Coffee dispenses freshly baked bread, pastries and cakes amidst a cosy setting housing

086

087

Left: Echoing the aesthetic of the ground floor, residential-style guestrooms are flooded with natural light via floor-to-ceiling windows Previous Page: Events space The Workshop seeks to reference the district’s artisan roots using a monochrome palette of concrete, Crittall glass windows and plywood

a sunken lounge, open fire and large sharing table, while Halicka Eatery & Bar serves locally-sourced Polish favourites such as trout and smoked cottage cheese dumplings, revamped by Head Chef Miłosz Kowalski.

“The ground floor is a landscape of amenities for guests, locals and other tourists,” Kincaid notes. “We also worked hard to ensure that there were intimate pockets of space within the café, restaurant and bar, so in the bakery for example, the sunken lounge provides lots of visibility while allowing guests to hide away and dwell for longer.”

Taking cues from the site’s industrial heritage, events space The Workshop comprises four meeting rooms that can accommodate for up to 100 guests as either a series of areas or one single venue. The rooms seek to reference the district’s artisan roots

088

EMBRACE CHAOS.

The bed you choose prepares you for whatever the day has in store for you. So choose carefully. Order our new eye-opening catalog at hastens.com. Be awake for the first time in your life.ÂŽ

Above: Echoing the aesthetic of the ground floor, residential-style guestrooms feature generous bathrooms with fittings from Hansgrohe’s Axor range

using a monochrome palette of concrete, Crittall glass windows and plywood, which help to fashion four distinctive themes alongside a large collection of enamel, glass and terracotta accessories.

For those who might overindulge on the hotel’s delectable cuisine, a dynamic programme of wellness activities includes a morning run club and evening pilates, whilst the Prisma Spa encompasses a gym, sauna and steam room, as well as beauty stations and treatment rooms stocked with products by Alba1913 – one of Poland’s oldest skincare brands. Similar to the public spaces above, the wellness facility blends natural materials with industrial finishes, while bold shades are injected in the form of emerald-coloured tiles, vivid pink flooring and a saturated blue ceiling.

Echoing the aesthetic of the ground floor, residential-style guestrooms are flooded with natural light via floor-to-ceiling windows and feature generous bathrooms separated by a fluted glass screen and kitted out with fittings from Hansgrohe’s Axor range. Beds are backed by bespoke, woven headboards and covered with specially

designed throws that reference one of Conran’s earliest concept sketches for the project, while finishing touches include hand-knotted rugs by Golran 1898 and Danish heritage lighting from &Tradition.

For Askevold, the new property is an exciting addition to the portfolio: “All of our hotels focus on providing a creative and artistic environment in a social and cultural hub,” he comments. “Conran + Partners’ approach to the interiors of Puro Kraków Kazimierz has perfectly encapsulated our ethos, creating a benchmark in terms of the way the Puro brand will evolve in the future.”

As its sixth property in Poland, Puro Kraków Kazimierz is a true reflection of how the brand has evolved since its inception. Balancing past and present in every detail, the hotel echoes the neighbourhood that surrounds it, cultivating an atmosphere of design, art and wellness. Up next for the group is Puro Hotel Łódz, where they plan to channel the creative spirit of filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock to produce a similarly authentic result in the heart of the former textile-manufacturing hub.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 228 guestrooms | 2 restaurants | 1 bar | 4 meeting rooms | Spa, gym | www.purohotel.pl Owner / Developer: Genfer Hotel Kazimierz | Investor: Genfer Group | Operator: Puro Hotels | Architecture: ASW Architekci Interior Design: Conran + Partners | Lighting Design: Into Lighting | Graphic Design and Branding: Double Decker | Art Consultant: Zuzanna Zakaryan

090

P R O U D LY M A D E

IN BRITAIN

BETTER TOGETHER. PERRIN & ROWE BRASSWARE AND SANITARYWARE. At Perrin & Rowe, our brassware and our sanitaryware are made by hand to the same exacting standards. Every piece is manufactured in Britain by skilled craftsmen using a blend of traditional techniques and cutting-edge technology. A natural ямБt for any luxury bathroom.

PERRIN & ROWE SHOWROOM DESIGN CENTRE CHELSEA HARBOUR LONDON SW10 0XE

CONTACT SARAH LEDDIN +44 (0)20 7351 3085 CONTRACTS@PERRINANDROWE.CO.UK PERRINANDROWE.CO.UK

Dovecote NEW SOUTH WALES

A synthesis of wild coastal panoramas and native design elevates a New South Wales farm to a luxury retreat.

Words: Estella Shardlow | Photography: Š Tom Blachford and Kate Ballis

L

andscape is king,” declares Sydney-based architect Andy Carson.

It’s the mantra that informed his eponymous atelier’s design of Dovecote, and when you consider the site in question, it certainly seems deserving of coronation: a dramatic headland where meadows grazed by dairy cows tumble down to meet a sweep of dark gold sand and white horses charging in from the Tasman Sea. Ninetyminutes from Sydney yet a world away from urban life, Dovecote perches on this craggy, windswept edge of New South Wales, with the blowhole-strewn Kiama Coastal Trail on its doorstep.

“Every inch of the design is a direct response to the immediate and greater landscape,” Carson says. “The focus is firmly on the user experience being heightened and forging a greater connection with nature.”

The result? A single-storey, U-shaped residence that unfolds on the grassy clifftop of a 150-acre estate and offers groups of up to eight a luxurious self-contained stay. Four bedrooms, four-anda-half-bathrooms and several communal spaces are linked across three pavilions, which wrap around a sheltered courtyard – an inner sanctum containing a firepit and freshwater infinity pool. A few yards down the slope from The Headland is two-bedroom sister property The Range, also designed by Atelier Andy Carson, which can be reserved in conjunction, or separately for smaller parties.

Reverence to the natural surroundings permeates the properties

like salt sea air, from the choice of locally-made furnishings to a dedicated storm-viewing room, from which guests can watch the drama of southerly weather fronts approaching. There’s a sense of both protection from, and immersion in, the elements.

Carson points out that, unlike buildings with wall-to-wall glass facing in a single direction, the articulated layout of The Headland angles every window to reveal an array of framed views – its extremities focus “like telescopes” on the ocean and farmlands, while the bedrooms offer built-in window seats for solitary contemplation.

“With such vast views the idea was to create very specific alignments for powerful and memorable images in the mind of the occupants… a dreamy and visceral experience,” he explains.

Meanwhile, The Range, with its corrugated metal exterior, is Carson’s riff on a farm “shed” – albeit one lavish enough to convince any urbanite to up sticks and adopt the rural way of life; think oceanfacing plunge pool and freestanding bathtub. Floor-to-ceiling copper louvers on its western façade can be adjusted to any angle to suit the shifting sunlight.

Guests are encouraged to decelerate from the moment of arrival, leaving cars or taxis further up the driveway, where they are met by the on-site concierge and proceed on foot to the doorstep (there are buggies for zipping luggage across); in reality, it’s only a few steps, yet induces a subtle shift of gear and mindset.

094

WITH OUR WALL TILES AND YOUR INSPIRATION THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS

www.hakwood.com

Above: Suspended Gyrofocus fireplaces are focal points in the living rooms, while robust natural materials abound

For those who need more help getting into the time zone, Carson observes: “The dairy cows move across the fields, adding their own rhythm to the day.” Indeed, Dovecote remains a working farm, just as it has been since 1834; the original Miller family homestead stands at the estate entrance. With the construction of the two new residences in 2018, an effort was made to incorporate sustainability, such as adding roof tanks to harvest rainwater.

The take on hospitality here means guests doing as much or as little for themselves as desired. Both residences have a Miele-equipped kitchen well stocked with organic local produce for breakfast and snacking, and this grocery shopping service can be extended for other meals. Others prefer for local caterers to cook meals in-house, with The Headland featuring a separate butler kitchen.

When it comes to venturing out into the Kiama area, horseriding on the beach, hiking the 11km coastal path and vineyard visits are among the most popular. Then again, guests occasionally cancel their pre-planned excursions once they check in and see the view. A new gym and games room equipped with a professional table tennis set mean there’s plenty to keep one in situ, plus there’s in-house spa treatments and a selection of exclusive experiences, from romantic candlelit dinners overlooking the ocean to movies under the stars.

Dovecote’s unusual farm-meets-ocean setting is reflected in an interiors scheme that subtly blends maritime and rural elements

while letting the panoramas shine. “Our priority was to furnish in a way that supported the incredible ocean and hinterland views,” says General Manager Kathryn Durham. “We added balance, warmth and texture to offset the strong lines of the design, and selected timeless and unobtrusive pieces.” Carson adds: “The detailing is painstakingly minimal to give a calming, uncluttered feeling.”

Minimal it may be, but not without indulgent domestic touches, such as full-size Aesop toiletries and handmade Gascoigne & King scented candles – both Australian brands – and coffee-table tomes on everything from jewellery to typography.

Dovecote’s London-based expat owners – philanthropist Beau Neilson and designer Jeffrey Simpson – collaborated closely with Carson on the concept. “We wanted to support and showcase as many Australian designers and artists in a house that represents great design,” says Simpson.

This ethos saw Sydney industrial designer Adam Goodrum make the custom side tables, coffee tables and dining set, above which hangs the sculptural Oracle pendant light by Fitzroy-based Christopher Boots. Simpson himself designed the bed frames and had a Sydney joiner manufacture the pieces.

Suspended Gyrofocus fireplaces are focal points in the living rooms, while robust natural materials abound; oak floorboards and joinery, slate bathroom tiling and Wamberal free-form natural stone

096

NOVA2 ARM SUPPORT

NOVA2 FOLDING SEAT

Items shown in FROST finishes; Wash Table, Brackets and Stair Chair in Pure White finish. Mirrors, Pedal Bin and Hook in Original Copper finish.

NOVA2 GRAB RAIL 1

PURE DANISH DESIGN Our vision and focus is to provide a broad platform of architectural elements that both inspire and provide comprehensive design and application solutions.

Our Danish culture of progressive contemporary design is conveyed through our products in a manner that blends design with function, creativity with solutions.

Frost embraces the concept that Form is nothing without Function. Emphasis has also been placed on material, quality, and service.

2019-02 Frost_Add_Sleeper.indd 1

WWW.FROST.DK

13-02-2019 09:51:00

Left: Custom furniture by Sydney industrial designer Adam Goodrum sits alongside the occasional piece of European design from the likes of B&B Italia, Vitra and Walter Knoll

in the courtyard. The occasional piece of sleek European design also enters the mix, including a Delphi modular sofa by Hannes Wettstein for Erik Jorgensen, and the Slow Chair by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra.

Further resonance with the landscape comes in the form of indigenous artworks – always personal selections by the owners. There are bold abstract paintings by emerging Sydney artist Gene A’Hern: “His pieces just struck a chord, particularly of slowing down and enjoying what is around us,” says Simpson.

Surf photography by Ray Collins meanwhile “reflects the power and mass of the ocean in a serene majestic way; they give context on a day when the ocean is at its calmest which is perfect for the south coast as it can change at any time”. And The Headland’s hero piece is Message Sticks by Aboriginal artist Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty, on which the tonal interiors palette of plums, pinks and neutrals was based.

Above all though, it’s that cinematic backdrop that captivates – a constant showreel of sunsets and clouds blooming over the clifftops, complemented by an au naturale soundtrack of waves and humming crickets.

As Durham reflects: “Even though you’re indoors, you really feel like you could be sitting at a dining table floating in the middle of the Tasman Sea.” And short of that, there’s always the infinity pool.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 6 bedrooms across 2 accommodations | Swimming pool, gym, in-room spa treatments | www.dovecote.com.au Owners: Beau Neilson and Jeffrey Simpson | Architecture and Interior Design: Atelier Andy Carson | Styling: Kathryn Durham | Main Contractor: Bellevarde Constructions

098

The Dixon, Tower Bridge, Autograph Collection | Twenty 2° Design Partnership Ulster Carpets, Unit 1 Compton Courtyard, 40 Compton Street, London, EC1V 0BD Tel: 020 7017 0040 | Email: uclondon@ulstercarpets.com

The Dixon LONDON

Transforming a former magistrates court, Dominvs Group and Twenty2Degrees guide a heavily listed London mainstay into a new era of form and function.

Words: Kristofer Thomas | Photography: © Paul Winch-Furness

A

s the world’s cities become increasingly dense with structure, opportunities for newbuild projects on prime unoccupied urban land have dwindled. To find the space for entirely new ground-up creations, developers must often travel far from the desirable centre, away from the crowds, traffic and footfall. As such, a wave of high-profile conversions has washed over the hotel sphere in recent years; the model allowing operators to occupy spaces beneficial to their business, but posing designers the unenviable challenge of balancing carefully documented histories of listed or preserved buildings with both the desires of contemporary guests and the demands of capital.

In the last two years alone, an influx of increasingly complex and comprehensive conversions has seen a former Ghent post office transformed into Zannier Hotels’ 1898 The Post; Edward Lutyens’ landmark Midland Bank repurposed as The Ned; and an historic grain storage facility in Cape Town reimagined by Thomas Heatherwick and The Royal Portfolio as The Silo.

Whilst a towering granary or global bank may seem more immediately obvious choices to house a project with the operational

Above: The lobby welcomes guests with a combination of original features and contemporary design elements in equal measure

scope and spectrum of facilities expected from a hotel, a new opening in London’s Tower Bridge is demonstrating just how effective the process can be when applied to even the most unexpected structures.

Designed in 1906 by architect John Dixon Butler – from who this hotel takes its name – the Grade II-listed Tower Bridge Magistrates Court and police station is steeped in history, but in recent years has lain dormant behind the stone pillars marking its entrance. However, now under the ownership of Dominvs Group, and brought into the fold of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the structure enters a new chapter. Drafting in Twenty2Degrees to reimagine the interiors in collaboration with Dominvs’ Design Director Rani Ahluwalia, and McAleer & Rushe and Consarc Design Group to carry out careful restorations where required, The Dixon joins a community of converted structures demonstrating that, regardless of their former lives, can result in uniquely executed design concepts.

“We really wanted to be respectful to the building, but also to respond to the fact that it has to operate in a completely different way now,” says Joseph Stella, Creative Director of Twenty2Degrees.

“From a design point of view, the conversion process was about recognising how guests would experience the property, and creating the journey through.”

This journey begins with a bold welcome to the lobby, where an imposing staircase and parallel mezzanines frame a chandelier

spanning both levels. Tucked away in a former clerk’s office to the side, a check-in desk has been positioned so as not to intrude on the arrangement, which includes a metal-clad table engraved with an ensemble of scenes from the surrounding area. Whilst the processing hall of a magistrates court might not seem the hospitable introduction guests would expect, the space is softened in part by the carpet leading up the stairs – created bespoke by Ulster – adorned by fluid lines that mimic the nearby Thames, as well as original oak panelling and contemporary furnishing like the UHS-created Arkansas side chair.

Here too begins a thread of detailing that continues throughout the project, speaking to both the structure’s previous function and its new life. The hanging chandelier for instance – formed from threads of gold leaf glass beads pulled into a plume – incorporates a series of transparent handcuffs that refract the light for pockets of illumination, whilst artwork curated by Peter Millard & Partners carries a floral motif in a visual nod to the local area and a relief from the court’s inherent formality.

“The character of the property has been a key attribute to the design,” Ahluwalia explains. “As a Grade II-listed building with an incredible heritage, this project focused on the celebration of the history and original architecture, while reflecting the vibrancy and cultural diversity of SE1. From very early stages the design concept has been heavily focused around restoration, with much of the building

102

103

Above: Suites in palettes of teal or mustrard incorporate portraits of the hotel’s defining characters alongside sheers, curtains and cushions by Shuffles

and its history being kept and preserved.” Stella agrees, noting: “We wanted to create something that took inspiration from the worlds of old and new, rough and refined, and all the little juxtapositions you find in the SE1 postcode.”

In a corridor leading off, guests are introduced to the three characters that act as spiritual consultants of sorts in defining the hotel’s identity through a triptych of portraits depicting novelist George Orwell, explorer Ernest Shackleton and actor Charlie Chaplin. Each a resident of the area at some point, and here depicted with a modern floral twist printed into their image, these hang in close proximity to a pair of artworks incorporating original cell keys and holding benches – the latter with notes from detainees still etched into the surface.

A door adjacent leads to the building’s listed courtroom, wherein now sits the aptly named Courtroom Bar. But whilst the unique function and strict listings certainly posed a challenge, they have been incorporated in a manner that results in an equally unique result.

Intrusive partitions that once separated judge, jury, prosecutor and defendant have thus been used to create a series of nooks and private sections, and a flow from the intimate sunken bar at the head of the room – occupying the judge’s lectern – to open seating at the back.

But whilst the foyer and courtroom both provided set starting points and a series of established historical beats to work from,

guestrooms required a more tactic approach, using the aesthetic vocabulary set out on the lower levels to inform the new form and function above.

“The non-uniformity of the structure actually allowed for some really interesting design to happen, and a lot of unique spaces,” Stella explains. “Guests can find something different every stay, and there are details that differ from space to space that either nod to the building or interpret it in a very contemporary way.”

A panelled wall in each room has been designed in the exact same profiles as the Edwardian period panels in the lobby, whilst carpets carry distinctive geometric patterns mimicking designs from the same era’s mosaic trend. “It’s a slice of the original, just not as you’d expect it,” Stella adds.

A contrast between herringbone wood flooring and the white marble of the bathrooms speaks again to the meeting of old and new, as do scaled down reappearances of one of the hotel’s three ambassadors. Rounded furnishings in teal or pastel yellow and an abstract lighting fixture lean towards more modern sensibilities, but are anchored by the stateliness of the dark wood and structural mouldings. “Its about paying respect to the past, however long ago that might be,” Stella notes. “But it’s about the present too, and all the little points in between that lead us here, as well as the future ahead.”

This line of thinking leads to the design’s logical conclusion within

104

25 years supplying standard & bespoke contract furniture along with custom-made joinery to the hospitality & leisure industry.

1 Brentwaters, The Ham, Brentford, London, TW8 8HQ

Above: Provisioners marks a departure from the established scheme with bright colours, bold patterns and tables created bespoke by RHA Furniture

Provisioners, where Twenty2Degrees were given permission to depart from the aesthetic vocabulary of the wider hotel in favour of an F&B space that, although drastically different, remains coherent.

Set in the newbuild portion to the rear, the space takes its cues from Bauhaus and modernism in equal measure, as well as the overarching influence of British industrial designer Sir Kenneth Graham, whose original archive sketches and conceptual drawings hang on the wall of a private room following their donation.

Linked visually to the rest of the scheme by subtle touches including an expansion of the teal and yellows debuted upstairs and linear brass partitions recalling the lighting fixture hung over the check-in desk, the space sees details including the European-style coffee bar, main restaurant portion, private booths and main bar distinguished by varying designs of terrazzo flooring, with the tight perimeters of former holding cells outlined by thin rows of black tiles punctuating. Just the one cell remains intact, subtly incorporated as a coffee storage room at the centre, so as not to disregard its past.

“Grade II-listed buildings require a lot more consideration when it

comes to design, and this is something that excited and challenged us right from the beginning,” Ahluwalia concludes. “Old meets new is a key part of The Dixon’s ethos, which directly responds to SE1 and the surrounding area. You have incredible historic structures including Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, beautifully contrasted by the likes of The Shard and City Hall. Our ambition has always been to add to this stunning landscape, valuing both the building’s rich history and the vibrancy of the local neighbourhood when it comes to architecture and interior design.”

An impressive conversion of form and function, The Dixon takes the tried and tested approach of melding old and new but elevates the result with an acute attention to detail and closely studied response to history and locale. In the lobby, at the top of the stairs, is the portrait most representative of this idea. With no known images of Dixon himself available, the property’s creator makes his cameo by way of an enigmatic portrait with the head obscured by a set of the flowers that flow through the hotel, greeting guests with an image of Dixon, boldly reimagined.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 193 guestrooms | 1 restaurant | 1 bar | Meeting rooms; Boardroom; Theatre | Gym | www.thedixon.co.uk Owner / Operator / Developer: Dominvs Group | Architecture: Consarc Design Group | Interior Design: Dominvs Group; Twenty2Degrees Lighting Design: Lighting Design International | Art Consultant: Peter Millard & Partners | Main Contractor: McAleer & Rushe

106

The Mill Collection UHS Group provide inspirational indoor and outdoor furniture for the hospitality and commercial sectors on an international level, covering everything from agile office spaces, trendy cafĂŠs to luxury cruise ships.

The unique Mill Collection is the new must-have for any outdoor space, available in a range of natural colours to fit any outdoor design.

Millboard, originally used for high quality exterior decking, have developed a range with UHS using their signature faux grained wood planks that look and feel 100% authentic. Due

#MAKEASTATEMENT Be Inspired: uhs-group.com 0330 1222 400

to the use of non-porous materials this contemporary range performs on the highest of standards - maintenance free, stain and rot resistant, cigarette proof, easy to clean and comes with a five year warranty. Additionally, these exclusive to UHS products are compatible with all environments, whether it is a popular pub in the centre of rainy London or out on the sea in sunny Miami.

The perfect collaboration to bring you the real thing, but better!

Bless Hotel MADRID

Palladium Hotel Group opens its first Bless property in Madrid’s affluent Salamanca quarter.

Words: Molly Dolan | Photography: © Jean Lozada (unless otherwise stated)

T

he first property under the Bless Collection Hotels umbrella – Palladium Hotel Group’s latest venture – Bless Madrid sets the standard for this luxury upscale offering. Founded by Abel Matutes Juan over 50 years ago – and named Fiesta Hotel Group until 2012 – Palladium Hotel Group has defined the Spanish hotel industry through its 10 brands and 43 hotels to-date. Starting with the Balearic Islands, developments such as Ushuaïa, Hard Rock Hotels and the soon to open Bless Hotel Ibiza have ensured progressive change. Now launching its highest reaching brand in terms of luxury, the group has opted for the Spanish capital as its launch pad.

Located on Calle de Velázquez in the heart of the city’s Salamanca district, an area known to attract bourgeois Madrileños, the property is housed in the former Gran Hotel Velázquez. Historically a social hub for locals owing to famed Vermouth cocktail bar Roulette, the building’s redesign aims to maintain the historic essence by offering an inner-city sanctuary.

With design and architecture from Barcelona-based Lázaro RosaViolán, the concept incorporates elements of the property’s former glory. Upon entry, public spaces give way to a monumental marble staircase, an original feature, while a glass dome incorporates

109

© Roberto Castano

Above: Etxeko, headed by Martín Berasategui serves Basque country cuisine in Castilian space

modern materials and colour schemes. The result is a quintessentially Madrilenian ambience with a contemporary slant, fusing 1950s style with present day motifs.

Elaborating on the concept, Rosa-Violán states: “Madrid has an old fashioned reputation, but it is growing and renewing. We are making this real. It is the only city I know where you can go to the cinema, yet finish at 6am in the house of a retired Torero or in the pantry of a Duchess, you find old friends and new. It is all about unexpected plans.”

According to Rosa-Violán, the hotel’s design concept is based on his personal experience in the capital. He continues: “When I moved to Madrid, the houses were classic but old fashioned. Madrilean society of the time had a passion for going out so home life felt secondary. All elements, from configuration to colours, have been selected to resemble a small local apartment. Nothing is too trendy, nothing is too special.”

Paying homage to past parties on this stomping ground, Versus Lively Lounge kicks off the F&B offering and demonstrates the hotel’s Castilian style succinctly through tassels hanging delicately from lamps and warm wood harking back to an era before. Serving coffee, cocktails and everything in between, the versatile design of Versus is noticeably absent upon entering Fetén Clandestine Bar, the new neighbourhood speakeasy. A Madrilean idiom, Rosa-Violán struggled to convey the untranslatable meaning of the space, noting: “Fetén is beyond cool, you need nothing more.”

Beyond cool translates to low lighting, dark, heavily pigmented fabrics and a retro wood-clad bowling alley. Eye-catching Castilian lamps, updated and refreshed, sit alongside contemporary armchairs while mirror play creates an enigmatic atmosphere. Inspired by local haunt Stella – one time preferred jaunt of Spanish electro-popstar Alaska – Fetén aims to attract locals as much as guests, offering a unique combination of nostalgia and style. When asked about opening times, Rosa-Violán responds: “We will close early, around 2am.”

Bringing a hint of the Basque country – a region famed for its cuisine – is Etxeko, the hotel’s primary restaurant. Headed by Martín Berasategui, ten-Michelin-star chef and gastronomic guru, the space serves life-long Basque recipes, where high-quality raw ingredients take the spotlight and all five senses are challenged. A cohesive experience, the décor matches the flavours. Discussing design, Rosa-Violán explains: “The restaurant is inspired by the bull. As an animal, it is represented here but not in the context of bull rings or fighting. It is a symbol of Spain, and is displayed in an abstract way.”

The metal tones of the centrepiece bull are offset by an abundance of glass in fire shades, from brown to burgundy to blood. Patterned tile flooring contributes to the Castilian feel, while plush red armchairs and statement lighting evokes passion.

Looking to the guestrooms, Rosa-Violán has fulfilled his ambition of an apartment aesthetic. He comments: “In every room we have

110

111

© Roberto Castano

a fireplace, a cabinet in varying styles and a design that grows with you. It emulates a small apartment, with wood, classic, simple textures and art that evokes a family collection.”

Curated entirely by the designer, the art has been crafted largely by creators from or living in Madrid.

Ensuring luxury at every turn, each bathroom is fitted with a freestanding bathtub, something that Rosa-Violán deems essential: “People want luxury. It is all or nothing.” Burlington fittings offer accents in a monotone space that is pared back and tranquil in comparison to the vivacity just floors below.

Concluding the hotel’s offer is an intimate yet dynamic rooftop pool – a rarity in Madrid – reserved for guests only. Its vivid, emerald green tiling is offset by sienna-tone cabanas that line the terrace, further combining typical Madrilean styles with modernity.

Palladium’s rollout will commence with Bless Hotel Ibiza in summer 2019. Abel Matutes, CEO of Palladium Hotel Group concludes: “The new Bless Collection Hotels brand will leverage our position in the contemporary luxury market and draws on our existing experience within the lifestyle sector. The concept of contemporary luxury is aimed at an ever-growing ‘bleisure’ demographic of travellers who are looking for a combination of business and leisure. With Bless Collection Hotels, we are catering to this audience by amplifying the experiences that Palladium Hotel Group is already known for.”

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 111 guestrooms | 3 restaurants | 2 bars | Conference and event spaces | Spa, rooftop pool, gym | Bowling alley | www.blesscollectionhotels.com Owner / Operator: Palladium Hotel Group | Investor: Grupo Didra; AINA Capital | Architecture: Aparente Arquitectos | Interior Design: Lázaro Rosa-Violán Main Contractor: Betlinski | Visual Identity: Palladium Hotel Group

112

000

The Bodrum Edition BODRUM

Ian Schrager’s latest Edition hotel is a luxurious resort tucked into a cove overlooking the Aegean on the Turkish Riviera.

Words: Matt Turner | Photography: Š Nikolas Koenig

000

I

t’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment where an emerging new hospitality concept becomes a fully fledged brand. But wherever it lies, it’s fair to say that Edition – the collaborative effort between Ian Schrager and Marriott International – has passed that tipping point.

Following initial flagship properties in London, Miami and New York, new openings are now coming thick and fast – Barcelona, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Sanya and the property that concerns us here, The Bodrum Edition, have all opened more or less within a year of one another.

And as with most successful hotel brands, there are common touchpoints that repeat guests will recognise across the different hotels. Check-in at The Bodrum Edition feels familiar, with the plethora of potted plants and candlelit lanterns in the lobby set against a backdrop of smooth marble and pale oak surfaces. In the guestrooms, there are oatmeal linen and silk fabrics, bespoke furnishings in bleached woods and artistic monochrome photography on the walls. Even the throws – seemingly flung casually across the bed – are at an uncannily similar position in each hotel.

But look a little closer and there are subtle differences that speak of each hotel’s location. The floors here are in locally quarried Serpagiante stone. The sculpture in the lobby is by renowned local artist Kemal Tufan. And of course the centrepiece of the spa is a stunning hammam encased in more of that local marble. The only

flash of colour in the simple yet luxurious rooms is a brilliant Byzantine blue plate that resonates perfectly with the view of the dazzling, azure Aegean Sea beyond the window.

The resort is conceived as a natural amphitheatre overlooking Yalıkavak Bay. Its 22,000m2 plot cascades down towards a private beach, along which are arranged the Discetto nightclub, an infinity pool overlooking the curve of the peninsula, and a beach bar serving up ‘pide’ flatbreads from a traditional brick oven. So sensitive is the architectural intervention, it’s hard to spot where the boundaries of the resort end and those of the surrounding houses begin.

The design is a collaboration between Christophe Pillet and GillesFleur Boutry, Jean-Marc Tang, and Robert Ashton of Schrager’s inhouse design team. Other collaborators include art consultants PG Gallery, Istanbul 74 and Trunk Archive; along with lighting designers Isometrix.

As the grounds slope downward towards the beach and jetty with its private cabanas, the pathways and gardens are interspersed with a mixture of guestrooms and bungalows with private pools, including a spectacular four-bedroom private villa with pool. Between these are various lounge bars and cocktail areas.

The hotel’s two restaurants are both led by Peruvian chef Diego Munoz, formerly of El Bulli and Mugaritz. The larger of these – Kitchen at The Bodrum Edition – serves healthy Mediterranean

116

117

118

Opposite: Kitchen at The Bodrum Edition is a whitewashed space decorated with Italian pottery and complemented by a bougainvillea-strewn outdoor terrace Left: There are common Edition touchpoints that repeat guests will recognise, such as candlelit lanterns in the spa

mezze in a whitewashed space decorated with Italian pottery and complemented by a bougainvillea-strewn outdoor terrace. The all-day brunch here is something of a ritual, with guests and locals alike lingering over a traditional Kahvalti – or Turkish breakfast.

Further down towards the beach, the Brava restaurant serves up family-style dishes of Latin American cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian influences.

At the Discetto nightclub, live musicians, DJs and mixologists perform against a dark Venetian paster backdrop, adorned with hammered copper furnishings, antique rugs and cushions in traditional Turkish kilim fabrics. ‘Acid Vision’ – an artwork by celebrated local artist Ayse Gül Süter – offers clubbers a hallucinogenic reflection of themselves through cleverly refracted mirrors.

Elsewhere, there is over 1,200m2 of both indoor and outdoor event space. The hotel is a popular venue with locals for parties and weddings, particularly with the Greek islands being just an hour away by boat from this sheltered spot on the Western peninsula of Bodrum. Luxury yachts ferry guests to and from its private jetty, or the Yalıkavak Marina further round the coast.

Looking further afield, next on the horizon for Edition Hotels are openings in – to name but a few – West Hollywood, Tokyo, Rome, Bali and Las Vegas. Each of them no doubt destined to infuse local influences into Ian Schrager’s international vision of a world where “simplicity is true luxury.”

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 108 guestrooms | 3 restaurants | 2 bars | Meeting rooms, ballroom | Spa, swimming pool | www.editionhotels.com Owner / Operator / Developer: Marriott International; Ian Schrager | Architecture: Ian Schrager Company; 5+ Design Interior Design: Ian Schrager Company; Christophe Pillet | Lighting Design: Isometrix | Art Consultants: PG Gallery; Istanbul 74; Trunk Archive

119

Six Senses K A PL A N K AYA

Clodagh Design has renovated a sustainable luxury resort on the Aegean coast with architecture by Barcelona-based OAB for Six Senses.

Words: Matt Turner | Photography: Courtesy of Clodagh Design

000

000

T

he story of how Kaplankaya got its name is as old as the hills that form its landscape. Legend has it that the Anatolian panther once lived here, sharing the region’s rugged terrain with goat-herders who would lead their flock through the trees to the verdant lands beyond. On the verge of extinction and in search of prey, the panther would hunt down and goats would occasionally disappear. This six mile stretch of coastline, comprising seven bays each with its own secluded beach, thus became known as ‘Kaplankaya’ which translates as ‘the tiger stones’. It is an area rich in history, where ancient ruins and significant archaeological sites abound. In many respects, the region remained unchanged for centuries.

Until that is, investors bought up the land with a plan to develop this unspoilt area of outstanding natural beauty into a destination benefiting from its proximity to Bodrum, one of the Mediterranean’s most popular tourism hotspots.

In July 2016, US operator Canyon Ranch launched the first and largest hotel of several planned for the site. But the contract was shortlived. Less than a year later, Six Senses took over the management of this sprawling resort, unveiling a new look to usher in the 2018 summer season.

The striking ziggurat style architecture of the resort – originally the work of OAB (Office of Architecture Barcelona) – remains unchanged.

Green roofed structures carved into giant rock formations cascade down towards the shore, ensuring all guestrooms face the sea.

New York-based Clodagh Design, who previously completed the renovation of Six Senses Douro Valley, were enlisted to remodel the interiors, bringing the property into line with Six Senses design, sustainability and wellness standards.

Guests who arrive by car (though many of its wealthier patrons arrive by boat, and more than a few might opt instead to make use of the helicopter landing pad) will spiral up through a magnificent, undulating landscape of cypress trees and blooming oleander to reach the apex of Kaplankaya.

Here they enter a sky-lit lobby from which the rest of the public spaces descend over the remaining four floors and out to sea. A sculptural collage of kilim rugs and leather clad ottomans sitting on layered Turkish rugs are interspersed with tables crafted from large pieces of local olive wood.

On the next floor down, level three, there’s a Library Bar, with a clubby, lounge-like feel, offering morning snacks and coffees as well as cocktails in the evening.

For more health-conscious guests, on the wellness floor situated at level two, an Alchemy Bar offers lessons in blending natural ingredients to create potions, beauty products and homeopathic

122

123

124

Opposite: The hotel’s restaurants include Sage & Sea and Wild Thyme, both with views out to the Aegean

medicines. This level also marks the entrance to the two-storey 10,000m2 spa, accessed via a 7m-long ‘meditation walk’ through a space stencilled with abstract Ottoman patterns and gently flickering light and shadow.

The facilities are quite staggering in their scope and scale. The spa comprises – deep breath – an indoor swimming pool, Watsu pool, hammams, beauty salon, hydrothermal area including salt grotto, crystal steam room, experiential rains, Finnish sauna, hydrotherapy pool, heated loungers, foot therapy basins, igloo and relaxation lounges. That’s not to mention the state-of-the-art fitness and yoga studios, let alone the basketball court.

Further down still, on the ground floor, are the hotel restaurants.

Main restaurant Sage & Sea is at the foot of the main building, serving a wide range of Aegean and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.

It’s a towering space, made cosier with its open fire, locally crafted design details and earthy colour scheme. Beyond that Wild Thyme and Mezze by the Sea offer their own individual takes on Mediterranean and Aegean-inspired cuisine.

Guestrooms combine warm, organic design features with high-tech touchpoints. The bed is backed with woven leather and sits on a local flat weave carpet. A colour scheme of soft yellow – chosen for its grounding sleep-conducive properties – contrasts with indigo, ochre and accents of deep turquoise. Bedside lamps are designed to tune into a guest’s circadian rhythm to both aid sleep and combat fatigue.

The distinctive architecture not only affords views over the sea from every room, it also creates pockets of privacy for those who desire it – particularly in the Ridge Villas, each of which is a standalone structure with its own small garden. Many have private plunge pools.

Others have ancient olive trees growing in their grounds alongside pillow-strewn cabanas.

The five conference and event rooms fitted with state-of-the-art technology in carefully planned neutral colours. Participants can break out in a garden richly planted with weaving herbs, fruit trees, fragrant jasmine flowers and grape vines clambering over shaded pergolas. Even in its most business-like areas the Six Senses retains a connection with the natural landscape that surrounds it.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 141 guestrooms | 3 restaurants | 3 bars | 5 conference and event spaces | Spa | www.sixsenses.com Owner / Developer / Investor: Capital Partners | Operator: Six Senses | Architecture: OAB | Interior Design: Clodagh Design | Lighting Design: Cook Associates | Graphic Design: Six Senses Global | Art Consultant: Gloria Tsia | Landscaping: Gardensa; Aecom | Main Contractor: IDA; Capital Partners

125

The Agora at Hilton London Bankside

F

rom scented air and objects designed to increase productivity, to mood-improving lighting and refreshments that help guests to recharge, every last detail at The Agora is based on the science and psychology of human interaction and innovation.

Designed by multi-sensory agency Bompas & Parr, the new meeting space at Hilton Bankside draws inspiration from its translation to ‘gathering place’ in Ancient Greek, as well as its location between London Bridge and Blackfriars, with a custom-built table – the Crux of Creativity – featuring inlaid ley lines that point to nearby sites such as Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern and the British Film Institute.

A sculptural wall features in-built displays with artwork from London-based designer Will Yates Johnson, while another is used for pinning creative ideas to with magnetic terrazzo-style pieces.

Elsewhere, immersive video art from Doug Foster has been introduced as part of the Blue Moods light setting, which engulfs the room in an azure glow thought to arouse the sub-cortical area of the brain.

Heightening the senses further, an emergency creativity button pumps out cool scented air in flavours of lemon oil (stimulating signals in the brain), peppermint (invigorating the mind) and cinnamon (enhancing creativity), while a curated tea menu offers brain-boosting ingredients like Bee Pollen (increasing dopamine and serotonin levels), Ginkgo (boosting blood circulation) and Brahmi (helping regulate the mind). Meetings will never be the same again.

LONDON

Hilton partners with multi-sensory design experts Bompas & Parr to create a new meeting space built for boosting creativity.

Words: Ben Thomas | Photography: © Tim Winter

126

KUAL A LUMPUR Malaysia’s capital is emerging from a period of stagnation with a succession of anticipated luxury openings, but the city will need to balance room supply and demand to meet its full potential.

Words: Neena Dhillon

Developed by KSK Group Berhad, 8 Conlay will include Yoo 8-branded serviced residences as well as a Kempinski hotel

O

ften overshadowed by the tourism might of regional neighbours such as Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore, Kuala Lumpur’s tentative moment in the spotlight has been a long time coming. Mixed-used developments are once more juddering into construction activity, not least Exchange 106, the commanding office and retail tower expected to be the country’s new tallest building – and among the world’s top 15 – when completed later this year. There is a growing air of confidence, despite a less-than-stable political climate, with developers combining hospitality, residential and office functions in soaring lifestyle complexes, while malls remain a powerful anchor – Kuala Lumpur is a city that loves to shop.

While Malaysia is considered an important bridge between Asia and the Middle East and its capital a regional transit point, the government has recently been forced to revise unrealistic tourism targets. By 2020, the country aims for tourist arrivals of 30 million, a downward revision of 17% on previous figures, with target receipts of RM100 billion. Kuala Lumpur remains the engine room of tourism but will need to be proactive in attracting and retaining vital source markets, namely travellers from ASEAN nations and China. Staycations are growing in popularity among Malaysians and the nation’s capital is expected to benefit from this promising domestic business.

Although one of the top 10 most visited cities worldwide, Kuala Lumpur faces one significant challenge when it comes to the hotel sector: the disparity between supply and demand for rooms.

This underlying pressure is unexpected to ease in the short-term, potentially keeping room rates flat, as Kuala Lumpur and its satellite Petaling Jaya brace themselves for the additional supply of more than 8,000 rooms spread across 36 properties between 2018 and 2022, according to HVS forecasts. While the majority of these openings are in the upscale segment, 2018 stands as the year that Kuala Lumpur started to catch up with regional counterparts in terms of its luxury hotel offering. In addition to the projects featured here, Banyan Tree launched in Malaysia with both a flagship 55-room property and, more recently, the managed 325-key Pavilion Hotel, positioned above the mega-mall of the same name, with interiors by KL Pavilion

KUALA LUMPUR IN NUMBERS

Design Studio. Also in Bukit Bintang, CitizenM made its debut, Kuala Lumpur representing the brand’s third Asian hotel – designs as usual

by Amsterdam-based Concrete. Hyatt meanwhile rounded out the year with a foray into the extended-stay market, unveiling Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur as part of the Mont Kiara community, close to South-East Asia’s largest exhibition centre.

Looking ahead, Hyatt will augment its presence in the city when the Merdeka PNB 118 development, overlooking the famed stadium of the same name, opens in 2021. In the race to claim the region’s tallest structure, current plans put this skyscraper – which is owned

by Permodalan Nasional Berhad and designed by Melbourne-based architecture firm Fender Katsalidis – as the highest in Southeast Asia at 635 metres above ground. Occupying the top floors, Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will feature 232 guestrooms, skyline-level bar and restaurant, and interiors by GA Group.

Similarly ambitious in scope, 8 Conlay will include the world’s tallest spiralled twin residential towers upon completion within the next three years. While this is the first property development project for KSK Group Berhad, Executive Director Joanne Kua has secured 3,952 acres of prime commercial land in the city centre, partnering with KL’s RSP Architects, Bangkok’s Trop Landscape and global design company Yoo on the project. Yoo 8-branded serviced residences occupy two towers with designs by Kelly Hoppen and Steve Leung, while a third tower will accommodate Kempinski residences and a hotel.

Furthermore, Hilton’s lifestyle brand Canopy is set to debut in Southeast Asia within a hotel tower owned by Hass Holdings and designed by GDP Architects. Forming part of the Bukit Bintang City Centre masterplan, Canopy by Hilton is based on concept design by Singapore’s Asylum and is slated to open by the end of 2021. And finally, seasoned Singaporean property developer Oxley Holdings is set to bring another set of towers to a site just a stone’s throw away from the Petronas Towers in 2023. They will house hotel and residences from both Jumeirah and So Sofitel, bringing another two heavyweights from luxury hospitality into Kuala Lumpur for the first time.

Occupancy

RevPAR (USD)

ADR (USD)

Full-year 2018 preliminary data (% change in comparison with the same period the previous year)

68.15 3.2%

57.9 0.8%

85.0 2.4% Source: STR

130

i n f o @c la y b ro o kinterio rs .c o m

www.claybro o k in te rio rs.co m

000

The RuMa KUALA LUMPUR

Urban Resort Concepts’ inaugural hotel outside China is resolutely contemporary yet daringly evocative of Malaysia’s quintessential spirit, culture and aspirations.

Words: Neena Dhillon | Photography: Courtesy of Urban Resorts Concepts

H

aving pioneered the luxury urban resort experience in Shanghai over 10 years ago with flagship property The PuLi, one of Asia’s most progressive hoteliers has embarked on a critical phase of evolution, opening two more destinations in China and making its debut outside the country. Urban Resort Concepts’ artisanal and contextual approach to design harmoniously complements its drive to hone an innovative, intuitive, generous and human guest experience. “Hostmanship, a concept being introduced across all URC properties, is a culture in which people come first, the experience handcrafted and inclusive,” explains CEO Markus Engel. “This means an end to petty charges, undue bureaucracy that is not tailored exclusively around guest needs, and a wealth of rate inclusions and benefits with little to no ‘small print’. We cultivate a return to the origins of luxury through simplicity of design, context, craftsmanship and attention to detail.”

Set in Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, The RuMa represents the company’s first project in Malaysia and, according to Engel, “weaves local design influences with the contemporary to craft a cultural revival of national heritage in the heart of the city.” This reimagining of Malaysian heritage is derived from two overarching themes that have been developed and translated by Shanghai-based MQ Studio.

Founding Partner and Design Director Andy Hall describes: “The first is a contemporary interpretation of the country’s colonial past;

the second is driven by the name of the hotel itself, which means home in Malay. Both these ideas inform the design and conceptual approach – a home that captures, in spirit, the houses of a bygone era however, unlike the ancestral past, remains resolutely domestic.”

Inspiration for the design has come from walking city streets, rummaging through flea markets, trawling through digital resources and chatting to local inhabitants. Hall says he wanted every detail to tell a story, to feel authentic, so “everything is handmade, with an emphasis on local craft, culture and community.” This intention is evident from arrival, where a custom-designed antique bronze screen wraps around three sides of the building exterior, its form influenced by Moorish design and used strategically to create the porte-cochère. Six square columns salvaged from an old Malay home stand as a sculptural cluster, greeting visitors and directing them to the birdcage rotunda, a transition zone leading away from the city, paved in alternating and interlaced glazed and non-glazed terracotta. Handcrafted by artisans in Kuala Lumpur, the dramatic centrepiece is a bronze water fountain with the space, as a whole, an abstract reference to the canary birds who would have been released to check for poisonous gases in tin mines. Indeed Malaysia’s mining heritage maintains its metaphorical presence through to the lobby where a stunning single staircase flight – another nod to grand colonial houses – splits into two spiralling volumes that appear to

133

134

135

This Page: Guestrooms touch on the colonial theme with semangkok timber panelling, artisanal rattan furniture, feature headboards and ceiling fans

penetrate and drill through the copper-clad ceiling. The copper spills artfully down to form stalactite-like extended lighting fixtures over bar and reception counters while wall sconces recall mining lanterns. Contemporary colonial-styled seating, Persian side tables and a recurring Malay sarong-tribute chequered pattern, seen in rugs and textiles, bring to mind a strong arts and crafts narrative. Bronze and copper shimmer in the Chinese lacqueredstone flooring with the glamour ramped up by the addition of a metal Kebaya installation by local fashion icon, Bernard Chandran, as the centrepiece to the striking staircase.

A signature of URC properties is the library lounge, and here traditional handmade floor tiles can be found alongside a cornucopia of flea market finds, magazines, books and vintage objects from ceramics to pewter to board games. A collector’s treasure trove of Kuala Lumpur today and of yesteryear.

Named after the Malay word for ‘upstairs’, Atas on the sixth floor serves as the main eatery, designed as a flexible space with an

136

Annonce presse SLEEPER - 236x275.indd 1

22/02/2019 16:09:42

Above: 2.8m-tall rattan pods complete with internal lighting furnish the poolside deck

open kitchen that doubles as browsing station for breakfast and show area for lunch and dinner. Shuttered timber, lattice screens and a coffered ceiling set the stage for a variety of seating enclaves characterised by leather banquettes, ipoh white and al petra brown marble tables, and rattan dining chairs – chosen as a modern twist on Peranakan heritage style. Again inspired by mining lamps, bespoke pendant lighting fixtures adorn tables from above, shelves display a disparate collection of kitchen implements spray-painted in part to create a cohesive collection, and artwork comes courtesy of local resident Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, whose collages juxtapose old photos with modern media to suggest a passage of time.

Elsewhere on the same floor, Hall explains that the pool area, gym, bar, meeting facilities and spa are “to be considered as one fluid space where boundaries between the different functions are neither implied nor forced.” Highlights include kelarai walls for the spa, handwoven by a family based in Terengganu, 2.8m-tall rattan pods complete with internal lighting for lounging on the poolside deck, plus glistening gold and black mosaics in the water.

Guestrooms are a soothingly sybaritic affair comprising semangkok timber panelling, artisanal rattan furniture, feature headboards and attractive custom-made black bathroom fixtures. Touches such as the bonsai-sized ficus elastica tree and ceiling fan in the shape of rubber leaves reference Malaysia’s plantation industry while batik bowls are used as bespoke art displays in bathrooms. Hall points out the large sliding door allowing traditional bedroom space to extend visually into generous residential bathrooms but his favourite feature is the innovative swivel table that can be set in two different positions: diagonally across the sofa for dining or along the window in work mode. The overall aesthetic effect in rooms and suites is of contemporary luxury that riffs on the colonial theme.

Whether calling on Malaysia’s colonial charm, industrial heritage, arts and crafts traditions or 20th century shophouses, The RuMa layers stories, details and motifs that speak strongly of its place.

Interpreted through a contemporary and residential lens, they retain a sense of authenticity and craftsmanship that means URC’s new addition succeeds in reinvigorating a cultural identity for its host city.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 253 guestrooms | 1 restaurant | 2 bars | 2 meeting rooms, private event spaces | Spa, swimming pool, gym | www.theruma.com Owner: The RuMa Hotel KL Sdn Bhd | Developers: Ireka Corporation Berhad and Aseana Properties | Operator: Urban Resort Concepts Architecture and Interior Design: MQ Studio | Lighting Design: The Flaming Beacon

138

Windsor Tower Mumbai, India Designed in collaboration with Windsor Realty

preciosalighting.com

Alila Bangsar KUALA LUMPUR

With an inserted courtyard at its conceptual heart, Alila’s first hotel in Malaysia delivers an urban oasis in the midst of a bustling metropolis.

Words: Neena Dhillon | Photography: Courtesy of Alila Hotels & Resorts

O

ccupying the top floors of a sleek and imposing mixeduse development at the juncture between two intriguing neighbourhoods of Kuala Lumpur, Alila Bangsar is a towering presence, hovering aloft in the sky, dominating everything in the near vicinity. On one side of the structure sits Brickfields, a former colonial district, on the other, the city’s entertainment hub known as Bangsar. For Shanghai-based design practice Neri & Hu, the location immediately suggested a linkage between past and present, old and new; a relationship that emanates from the hotel architecture and interior design in the subtlest of ways.

“There is a rigid structural grid that defines this project from outside to inside, signalling its position on the façade while acting as a framework within which each function of the hotel is contained,” say Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, founding partners of their eponymous design and research office.

The journey itself starts on the ground floor of the partially clad building, where a protective canopy leads to a lower lobby, planted with foliage and trees that usher in the idea of a serene urban oasis, complemented by delicate brass lighting fixtures and contemporary banks of seating beneath a voluminous ceiling. Unexpected but all the

more pleasing for it, the interiors are bright white, a strong contrast to the dark statement exterior. Shooting up almost 40 floors to the sky lobby and reception, elevator doors part to unveil a picture of tranquillity, the interior architecture working to keep the doubleheight space partially open to city breezes, ushering in natural light, akin to a lantern. The simple material palette is of grey stone, white plaster and Balau wood, slatted and injected to create textural interest, with lush greenery a burst of colour. It is a combination from which the project rarely deviates.

As guests wander through the space, they are drawn organically to an adjacent sun-bathed chamber where a theatrical flight of stairs carved out of stone cascades down to a swimming pool refreshingly open to the elements – a “stage to see and be seen” as Neri and Hu describe it. “This is the moment the boundary between interior and exterior blurs, the structural grid breaking open to form a courtyard, around which all activities within the hotel are centred,” they continue. “Spanning three storeys, defined by a regular grid of columns and beams that frame views of the stunning panorama, the inserted courtyard is also protected from the metropolis beyond.”

As a unifying element that weaves its way around the public spaces

141

This Page: The bathroom is inserted as a floating box allowing for free circulation around the space, while an indoor courtyard provides a private sanctuary from which to take in the views

and defines the oasis, nature is prominently inserted into architecture, a landscaping motif that reinforces the story of exterior blending into interior. Custom day beds spring from stone and timber while sparingly used crafted details are in bronze. With the far end of the courtyard affording stellar views, the resort pool plays with natural and installed light, throwing up reflections as day turns to night.

On the uppermost levels of the courtyard, Alila Bangsar’s signature restaurant, cocktail bar and rooftop are similarly constrained yet sophisticated spaces. There’s a hint of mid20th-century LA chic at Pacific Standard, where striated marble, bronze wall sconces, leather stools and inbuilt bar counter lamps, their green glass aglow, evoke grown-up glamour. Entier meanwhile serves as a refined setting for a French nose-to-tail culinary concept, with leather banquettes and bistro seats maximising skyline views, and artfully

142

Celebrating 20 years of handcrafting organic, sustainable, synthetic-free mattresses and beds for some of the finest, greenest hotels and resorts in the world.

luxuriously comfortable, naturally.

Organic Mattresses and Beds Made by Hand in Devon, UK

London • Exeter • Barcelona • Copenhagen • naturalmat.co.uk

This Page: Entier, a French nose-to-tail culinary concept, features leather banquettes and bistro seats maximising skyline views while there’s a hint of mid-20th-century LA chic at Pacific Standard

positioned mirrors offering coy perspectives of other diners, playing into that idea of ‘see and be seen’. Lighting is an extension of ceiling architecture, the suspended glass bowls finished with bronze detailing. At the apex of the building, visitors find a tri-storey, flexible, outdoor roof space, thus far hosting events, yoga meets and a Lido Bar catering to the community on weekends.

Decidedly a more private affair, accommodation at Alila Bangsar follows the analogy of a small village albeit interpreted through a contemporary lens. Neri and Hu explain: “To define the layout, we went with two different elements. We have treated the guestrooms as the ‘hut’ or the indoor space where functions of daily living are enclosed, the bathroom inserted as a floating box, thereby allowing for free circulation around the space. Additionally we have inserted an indoor courtyard at the end of each room,

144

Kimpton Fitzroy, Bloomsbury

The Ned, City of London

The Ned, City of London

2019.02.12 - Sleeper Advert.indd 3

13/02/2019 14:10:57

Left: The simple material palette is one of grey stone, white plaster and Balau wood, slatted and injected to create textural interest, with lush greenery a burst of colour

close to the window, to become a private sanctuary from which guests can take in beautiful views of Bangsar and more.”

Rooms are a triumph of timber, stone and white plaster minimalism. Brass again is favoured for accents and frames, take for example the rainshowers in white tiled and grey stone bathrooms. Embossed paper art over beds hints at batik traditions while each accommodation floor boasts another indicator of authentic Malaysian culture – a shared living room with 24-hour drinks and snacks, suggesting the national tendency to welcome guests in the home by plying them with regular refreshment. And it is through these gentle connections between past and present that Neri & Hu’s approach to Alila Bangsar finds its architectural raison d’être, of which the courtyard and interior landscaping are two essential pillars.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 143 guestrooms | 2 restaurants | 3 bars | 3,500ft2 event spaces | Swimming pool, gym | www.alilahotels.com Owner: UOA Developers | Operator: Alila Hotels & Resorts | Exterior Architecture: ALT Arkitek L Teh | Interior Architecture and Design: Neri & Hu Lighting Design: Klaasen Lighting Design | Landscaping: Salad Dressing | Main Contractor: Peak Construction Sdn Bhd

146

W KUALA LUMPUR

A wild layering of colour, pattern and lighting infuses W’s entry into Malaysia with youthful vibrancy and an energising vibe.

Words: Neena Dhillon | Photography: © Ralf Tooten

O

riginating from the city’s historic significance as the meeting point of the Klang and Gombak Rivers, the design narrative for W Kuala Lumpur flows from the concept of confluence and divergence, forging in its wake a rich interior full of surprises.

“Two forms coming together and moving apart,” confirms Nic Graham, Director of his eponymous design studio based in Sydney.

“Curved lines as seen in wall patterns and carpets mirror the river confluence while colour, pattern and lighting are stimulating and uplifting, creating great design moments that contrast with the steely cityscape surroundings. Colour generally has been used to awaken the senses and draw you inside from the steel jungle.”

From its dramatic entrance opposite the Petronas Towers, W Kuala Lumpur starts to reveal this narrative with lines appearing overhead on ceilings, their journey one of separation and unity. Set behind an undulating installation of adjustable wooden and mirrored panels, oversized graphics are based on traditional batik patterns that have been digitally overlaid to produce a multidimensional effect. In juxtaposition, the steel structural elements of the arrival lobby are punctuated with hundreds of dots or pixels, an abstract representation of the multiplicity of cultures comprising Malaysia.

Washes of LED lighting bathe this space in neon hues, the graphics springing to life against this vivid and changing luminous backdrop.

Geographic and cultural references deepen as guests shoot up to the Welcome floor, where three-dimensional screens illuminated by white LED rope tubes mimic the city’s summer downpours.

Designed to depict the cross-section of a Malay kite tail, suspended chandeliers hang above the welcome desks, which themselves take on a geometric form that hints at the country’s topography. Swirling ceiling panels, inset into the ‘tropical rainfall’ screens, reinforce this idea with confluence and divergence mirrored in floor rugs below. The signature Living Room spills organically into Woobar, its entrance marked by an oversized W given a contemporary mural treatment

by French artist Lucas Beaufort. Rows of decorative gold monkeys and eclectic sofas in shades of pink and aubergine lend interest to the chic all-day bar, where Graham has once more specified rainfall screens. “They are,” he says, “a dramatic and sculptural room divider providing privacy and drama.”

Another of Graham’s highlights is the mirrored steel staircase that defines W’s function spaces including the Great Room. “With its illuminated red internal lining and a sculptural steel outer, this is a

149

150

Opposite Page: W’s F&B offer includes all-day dining restaurant Flock, and contemporary Chinese eatery Yen Above: At the Wet Deck pool bar, lighting fixtures are designed like fishermen’s nets and suspended above the hammered steel DJ booth Left: On the Welcome floor, three-dimensional screens illuminated by white LED rope tubes mimic the city’s summer downpours

statement about ascending in the steel jungle and a contrast to the confluence curves,” he elaborates. “We always use mirrors to expand spaces and play with reflection.” Elsewhere on this floor, carpets, ceilings and walls display pictorial representations of nature including pebbles and tree rings.

Guestrooms pick up on the key narrative threads told by the public spaces while counterbalancing colour and pattern with neutral woods and linens. Headboards combine batiks and pixels in acrylic panels while kite tails once again inform the shape of suspended chandeliers. Dots and lines are a feature of bold monochrome carpeting, although Graham explains the thought behind these was to “channel the reflection of the city in adjacent office towers, with hot

151

Above: Headboards combine batiks and pixels in acrylic panels while kite tails inform the shape of suspended chandeliers

pink selected as the signature hue to pop in the room”. Steel-effect mosaics in bathrooms capture light to reflect a colour spectrum while the spaces themselves are angled and screened to flow into the sleeping and living quarters. Up in the Extreme Wow suite, with its own private pool and wraparound balcony, the master bedroom’s headboard is an eye-catching installation of interconnecting panels, the shades chosen to reflect W Kuala Lumpur’s signture room cushion – printed and shaped like a yam leaf.

Fast becoming some of the city’s most popular social spaces, W’s restaurants include contemporary Chinese eatery Yen, which eschews traditional cultural motifs to instead interpret emblems in a funky way. The honeycomb ceiling uses a graphic print of Chinese beer mats inset into mirrored outlines, casting a golden glow on diners below, while the blue bar pattern speaks of paper cranes, with laminated foil peony flowers and iron-cast tea pots adding adornment. Prince of Wales check for dining chairs complements other textural elements including divider screens in the form of the abacus and a graphic

wallcovering that appears three-dimensional and sends a golden sheen back into the room. Yen is full of unexpected details, such as the Lazy Susan in the private dining room opening up to reveal its true form as a flower, with individual glass panels shaped as petals.

All-day dining restaurant Flock showcases extensive open kitchens and counters laden with ceramics, implements, pots and bowls, in support of the sustainable Australian farm-to-table fare served by Culinary Director Richard Millar. Specially commissioned pastelhued tiffins are an alluring display addition alongside birdcage feature-seating and oversized black-and-white photos of Malay produce, treated graphically of course. But the most sought-after venue once the sun goes down is Wet Deck pool bar, with its commanding views of the city skyline. Lighting fixtures are designed like fishermen’s nets and suspended above the hammered steel DJ booth. The mosaic-lined pool holds the final surprise, though, its centre emitting blasts of water vapour, atmospherically lit by LED, to playfully recall Malaysia’s more mountainous landscape.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 150 guestrooms | 4 restaurants | 2 bars | 15,000ft2 event spaces | Spa, gym, swimming pool | www.whotels.com Owner / Developer: Tropicana Corporation Berhad | Operator: Marriott International | Architecture: SOM and Veritas Design Group Interior Design: Nic Graham & Associates (concept); Blu Water Studio (execution) | Lighting Consultant: TDLD Australia

152

NEXSYS THE BETTER SOLUTION.

kaldewei.com

NEXSYS_236x275mm_EN_03-2019.indd 1

01.03.19 11:11

Four Seasons Hotel KUALA LUMPUR

Wilson Associates and AB Concept join forces to bring the glam factor to a new Four Seasons.

Words: Lauren Ho | Photography: © Owen Raggett (unless otherwise stated)

W

hile other Southeast Asian cities have long grabbed the lion’s share of attention with their crowd-pleasing menu of tourist attractions, Kuala Lumpur – or KL as it’s more commonly known – has very quietly drifted under the radar.

But, in the way these things happen, a sudden wave of new hotel openings have put this underrated city on the map, and Four Seasons Hotel has certainly turned heads with its launch inside a sleek 65-storey mixed-use skyscraper – the second tallest building in the city – right in the middle of The Golden Triangle, the city’s shopping, entertainment and business hub.

Designed by local firm NRY Architects, the building’s glass frontage frames iconic views of the neighbouring Petronas Twin Towers or the lush grounds of KLCC Park, while bathing the interior spaces in swathes of natural light. Here, the design was led by Wilson Associates while Hong Kong-based AB Concept was tasked to outfit three of the hotel’s six drinking and dining outlets.

Above: AB Concept’s design for Yun House pays homage to Kuala Lumpur’s strong Chinese heritage Opposite: In guestrooms, tactile materials such as natural stone, timber and metals joins furnishings from Misura Emme, Meridiani and Minotti

In keeping with the Four Seasons’ MO for understated luxury, both design firms created a strong sense of place by taking their cues from the hotel’s location. “My inspiration typically comes from the people and heritage in which a project is located,” explains Susan Isaac, Design Director and Principal of Wilson Associates Singapore.

“With Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur, I was inspired by the vibrancy of the city and the rich lushness of Malaysia.”

And so, deep blue-greens and pinks nod to the country’s verdant rainforests, oceans and the hibiscus, its national flower, while subtle grey shades and gold tones capture the brand’s low-key luxury. In Curate, the all-day dining restaurant, the capacious marble-lined room has been smartly toned down with floor-to-ceiling perforated metal screen doors that divide the space, while a subtle blushing pink palette is emphasised by a dazzling floral centrepiece made from orchids that taper into a hanging glass installation. In the 209 guestrooms, considered lighting, and tactile, engaging materials such as natural stone, timber and metals creates a comforting, enveloping atmosphere, while clean-lined furnishings from brands such as Misura Emme, Meridiani and Minotti add the finishing touches.

“We journeyed through the senses and expectations of well-travelled, seasoned guests,” says Isaac of the design process. “It was important

that each space evoked a sense of being cocooned, welcomed and embraced, as if the hotel was merely an extension of the guest’s own home – I always say the most important consideration when designing a hotel room is the guest.” Tom Roelens, the hotel’s General Manager agrees: “Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts is famously known as the people-orientated company. We believe it’s the people that drive the product to be the best.”

This was also a factor that Ed Ng and Terence Ngan of AB Concept took into account when dreaming up the designs for the three spaces they were tasked to outfit. “For us, the diner’s experience is definitely one of the ultimate focuses when designing a restaurant,” say the duo. So, in doing this, for their first project in Kuala Lumpur, the pair looked towards Malaysia’s history and its multi-cultural society.

“The concept of Yun House, The Lounge and Bar Trigona is a microreflection of Kuala Lumpur’s unique background,” explain the pair.

“We wanted each space to be distinctly different, but with a root that is entirely belonging to the city.”

Yun House, for example, pays homage to the country’s strong Chinese heritage with a layout inspired by a traditional courtyard home, and details such as a tea vestibule that celebrates the custom of tea pouring; and a bespoke pewter panel screen that is engraved

156

Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

157

Above: In The Lounge, blonde wood, pastel green fabrics, wicker-back chairs and rattan details come together to form an elegant light-filled space

with 152 blossoming plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum plants that, together, represent the four seasons – known as the ‘Four Gentlemen’ in Chinese art. As the world’s largest pewter producer, the metal is used generously throughout, as are floral motifs that create a colourful contrast to the grey base colour and also nods to Malaysia’s lush, tropical landscape. “Our main purpose was to celebrate Cantonese culture and to create a warm, familiar feeling of openness, yet still offering opulence for guests to enjoy,” say Ng and Ngan. This is evidenced especially during the popular lunchtime dim sum setting, when the restaurant is abuzz with gatherings of family and friends as they tuck into chef Jimmy Wong’s delicate dumplings.

“AB Concept has done a great job with Yun House,” says Roelens, “It has introduced a memorable fine-dining experience and a beautiful, modern ambience.”

In The Lounge, the all-day dining space that overlooks the greenery of KLCC Park, the designers were inspired by Malaysia’s colonial history. “For The Lounge, we considered how western culture became part of the Malaysian roots,” say the duo. “So, we created a concept

that invokes a high-tea atmosphere full of colonial tradition while still remaining light-hearted and comfortable.” This is characterised by materials and furnishings like blonde wood, pastel green fabrics, lacquered baluster tables, wicker-back chairs, English gas lamps, and marble and rattan details that come together to form an elegant light-filled space. In other words, a refined setting to sip on fancy teas while nibbling on an assortment of snacks from chicken carnation sandwiches to warm scones topped with clotted cream.

Finally, modern-day Malaysia, with its bright lights and gleaming skyscrapers is what inspired Bar Trigona, where Ng and Ngan say they “wanted to play with the idea of east meets west, echoing the country’s multi-cultural population”. Accessed via discreet doors from The Lounge, mirrored surfaces reflect the urban jungle down below, while stand-out Chinese-inspired yo-yo lamps, 52 strings of light and 715 pendant lamps create a twinkling effect.

Modern-day Malaysia is precisely what’s at the heart of this property. A dynamic, glamorous city, Kuala Lumpur is on the rise and the Four Seasons Hotel takes centre stage with suitable flair.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: 209 guestrooms | 4 restaurants | 2 bars | 1,900ft2 event spaces | Spa, gym, swimming pool | www.fourseasons.com Operator: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts | Architecture: NRY Architects | Interior Design: Wilson Associates, AB Concept (F&B)

158

DuraSquare: Now with the new bathroom furniture series XSquare.

The exact and precise edges of the DuraSquare bathroom series blends perfectly with the latest furniture collection XSquare designed by Kurt Merki Jr. Handle-free fronts, striking chrome proďŹ les and 28 furniture ďŹ nishes enable an individual bathroom design. Co-ordinating mirrors feature a touch-free control panel for demisting and light or dimming functions. www.duravit.co.uk and pro.duravit.co.uk

UK_Sleeper_XSQ_001_236x275.indd 1

18.07.18 16:49

Links to make design ideas come true Play with our colored aluminum links to create shapes, volumes, reproduction of high definition images... At Kriskadecor we customize projects to the taste of our client.

Landgasthof Löwen Restaurant - Simone Wagner | CC Sorli Emocions - DYD interiorismo Chelo Alcañiz - Photo: Marcela Grassi | Canalla Discoteque Vaillo+Irigaray - Photo: Rubén Pérez Bescós | Kriska chain - Brilliant apricot - Photo: Pere Queralt

info@kriskadecor.com · kriskadecor.com

THE INTELLIGENCE SOURCE FOR THE HOTEL INVESTMENT COMMUNITY

Consumers crave experience Food, beverage and experience are the essentials for any lifestyle hotel, attendees at the Hotel Alternatives Event 2019, hosted in February by Hotel Analyst, were told.

Experiences were increasingly being demanded by guests and seen as key to creating lasting loyalty, heard delegates at the conference held in the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London.

Cédric Gobilliard, SVP, lifestyle division, AccorHotels, said: “The lifestyle hotel is all about F&B&E – food, beverage and experience.

When you create a lifestyle hotel, it is a social club, a community with shared values – it’s not fake at all.

Forget about being a hotelier, focus on F&B&E and focus on creating a hotspot.”

Commenting on the group’s Jo & Joe brand, Gobilliard, said: “Jo & Joe is a mix between huge F&B product – 50% – and a mix between travellers and locals. We don’t need to invest in marketing, it will be social media which spreads word of mouth.” The brand was created in part as a response to Airbnb, with Gobilliard commenting: “Airbnb has had a positive impact on AccorHotels. We realised that it was a new experience and gave people new expectations. They think global, but act local. They’re digital, but they want to be social.

They are selfish, but want to share everything.”

Commenting on the role of loyalty programmes in the brand, he added:

“My community doesn’t need the loyalty programme to be engaged.

It’s important for AccorHotels, but it’s not so important for the community.”

Ben Livingstone, CEO, Graystone Action Sports, the adventure sports group, said that he felt loyalty programmes were outmoded.

He said: “As long as people feel something evolving they’ll always come back, but loyalty cards are on their way out.”

The panel pointed to the difficulty of creating authentic experiences.

Tom Chalmers, design director, SACO, said: “We call it meaningful experience, past the classic wine tasting or bus tour. We’re trying to imbue emotions, to do something a bit deeper. You have to partner with true believers, we can’t do this ourselves. We create an eco-system of experience.”

Livingstone responded: “Our product is not a warehouse full of birch ramps but that’s not our product, it’s about giving people the experience and be taught and be better. You get something to take away, a skill.”

Alternative hospitality assets were seen as being in a strong position to offer loyalty-inducing experiences, in particular in the co-living and co-working sectors. Gerard Greene, CEO and founder, Our Society said: “When we look at hotels they are very transient spaces and they have spaces where they might bring in F&B. Residential often has lots of amenities but someone at the door to stop you getting in. But coliving looks for more curating and can offer more. There is a massive

opportunity to draw investors and people from the hotel industry because there’s a lot to bring to the party [in the alternatives sector].

The integrity and authenticity of a brand is what will ultimately drive the long-term success of the brand.”

Greene warned that experience in residential rather than hospitality could put some co-living developments at risk. He said: “Developers are so used to building and selling. There are very low, or no sinking funds. No thoughts on corridors, back of house and then what happens is that people are piling in on the basis of P&L accounts without a capex budget. So what happens in three years’ time to their rental rates when there is more competition? The residential market had one-year rolling contracts, so there is an education to be had from the hotel sector in the form of management contracts. The residential industry has got a long way to go to understand the value of the brand. There’s no room for leases because of the yields.”

Adela Cristea, senior director, head of business development, UK & Ireland, Radisson Hotel Group, said that the company was moving into co-working as a result of owner demand. She said: “Public spaces are the first impression when you come to a hotel and the last when you leave, which makes them so important. We think that Radisson Red would suit co-working. We have entertainment spaces in the lobby, pool tables, foosball tables.

People want to work in the lobby, rather than at a big table.

“Being flexible and creative and

161

thinking out of the box is key to success. We at Radisson are being very flexible. We are happy to lease out space if the owner wants different F&B or lease out space in the lobby for co-working space. It’s owner driven. We think brands are here to stay but we need to adapt and cater for what the owners want.”

HA Perspective (by Katherine Doggrell): What the owner wants, of course, is more cash for gold cars and helicopters and while they may very well want co-working spaces, they are likely to want them in the belief that they will bring in more cash. Other hotel companies are also looking to monetise the trend for people coming into their lobbies and drinking lattes ever so slowly while they use the free wifi and one way is to call it co-working.

Much of the debate around experience was how to do it well, in a manner the guest won’t find contrived and won’t cost too much. As Chalmers noted, the right partner goes a long way. If you want to have yoga in your hotel, all you need is the space and an amenable yoga teacher, who guests can pay.

The AccorLocal programme looks at making the most of amenities and services which, by and large, the hotel already has.

Greene quoted Starwood Capital founder Barry Sternlicht, who said that customer service is about ‘how to not fail your customer’. It’s about getting the basics right.

HA Perspective (by Andrew Sangster): There were two key

highlights for me in this, our fifth Hotel Alternatives Event. The first was the range of hospitality professionals popping up in all sorts of diverse real estate verticals and in other experience economy businesses.

Examples of the hospitality professionals include Gerard Greene, the former CEO of Yotel, who is now creating a co-living concept Our Society; Robert Ryan, a former development manager at Travelodge is now chief real estate officer at office specialist Techspace; and Ben Livingstone, a former hospitality consultant now CEO of Graystone Action Sports, a next generation sports facility in Manchester.

The second highlight was understanding just how rapidly the experience economy is reshaping the real estate landscape. Hospitality and hospitality-like services are now the key to the future in everything from offices to retail to residential.

All the big trends such as co-living and co-working have at their core a hospitality element. The panel session on this topic featured office provider Knotel (the hospitality connection is clearly in the name), a serviced apartment provider who is now developing a co-working nursery concept called Cuckooz Nest, the previously mentioned Our Society and Radisson Hospitality, a global hotel brand player who is spotting the activity in some of these sectors and is getting increasingly involved.

I used to talk about how silos were being broken down and boundaries blurred. I increasingly think it is

now more relevant to talk about how the hospitality virus is infecting nearly all real estate (industrial has so far proved resistant). There is a break out of hospitality fever across the property sector.

and hotels business both organically and through future acquisitions”.

The group plans to look to the south of England for its expansion.

The business being sold comprises the entirety of Fuller’s beer, cider and soft drinks brewing and production, wine wholesaling, as well as its distribution and includes the Griffin Brewery, Cornish Orchards, Dark Star Brewing and Nectar Imports.

Asahi will be able to licence the Fuller’s name and logo in relation to the drinks business and will supply Fuller’s pubs and hotels.

In explaining the rationale behind the deal, the company said that, in the 52 weeks to 31 March, its pubs and hotels business accounted for 75% of external revenues and 87% of operating profit (excluding unallocated costs) and had grown at 6% p.a.

The company also announced its trading update for the 42 weeks to 19 January 2019, which saw sales up by 4.7% for its managed pubs and hotels.

The announcement was made as Marston’s reported that it would be scaling back its new-build investment, but reassured that newbuild pubs and accommodation delivered “strong returns”. The group has 1,551 hotel bedrooms across its accommodation portfolio.

Ralph Findlay, CEO, said: “We operate in increasingly uncertain times from a political and macroeconomic perspective and, as such, we remain cautious about the potential consumer outlook until there is more clarity.”

In Christie & Co’s Business Outlook 2018, Neil Morgan,

Fuller’s to pursue hotels Fuller, Smith & Turner said that it would focus on its hotels division after selling its beer business to Asahi for GBP250m.

Fuller’s said that it was committed to “running a stylish, high quality estate” and would expand through organic growth and acquisitions.

Simon Emeny, Fuller’s CEO, said: “This deal secures the future of both parts of our business including protecting the heritage of the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, which was particularly important to the Fuller’s board. Brewing has formed an integral part of our history and brand identity, however the core of Fuller’s and the driver of our future growth is now our premium pubs and hotels business.

“Asahi, as a company recognised for brewing excellence, is an appropriate custodian of our rich brewing history and the Griffin Brewery, and will ensure the Fuller’s Beer Business brands will reach an even wider global audience.”

The company said that the sale would allow Fuller’s management “to focus solely on the core of the business and it will provide significant capital to accelerate investment in the premium pubs

162

managing director, pubs & restaurants, said: “Aside from the negative impact of some cost inflation, the devaluation of the pound following the referendum on EU membership has driven an increase in tourists visiting the UK and boosted the popularity of staycations. As such, pubs with letting rooms have increasingly proven themselves as capable of successfully competing with both budget accommodation providers and the boutique market.”

Graeme Smith, managing director – regional community leader, AlixPartners, told Hotel Analyst: “It’s a trend which is going to continue and grow and grow. What the pub groups have realised is that they generally have a lot of underutilised space – staff accommodation where the landlords used to live. But now they have more professional managers as tenants or manage themselves – the landlord living above the pub is something that doesn’t exist so much any more.

“Pubs are generally quite well located, many of them used to be coaching inns. It’s difficult to build new hotels in the centre of cities.

There is also the fact that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are the busiest days for hotels, but the quietest nights for pubs – so it’s a nice mix for them. It makes a tonne of sense.”

HA Perspective (by Katherine Doggrell): There were many shocked faces the morning Fuller’s decided to sell its brewing businesses, not least wondering what this

meant for the 7am London Pride which was traditionally served to journalists and analysts at its results presentation. Fuller’s sought to reassure with comments about Asahi being devoted to the quality of the brands and viewing the Griffin Brewery as “an integral part of Fuller’s beer business” with the intention of continuing to brew on site. For those of us who remember the sale of Young’s Wandsworth brewery to a property agent, we wonder how long before the Griffin, in a prime Chiswick location, goes the same way.

While hanging onto the past is what got us unto Brexit in no small way and is therefore to be avoided, what is at stake here is not whether Asahi can continue to brew Pride to the quality we have all become used to at 7am, but what happens when you put the most valuable part of your brand in the hands of someone else.

Fuller’s operates its hotels at the top end of the pubs-with-rooms market and has 199 pubs and hotels – they are much closer to boutique hotels. And in brands such as The Stable, its pizza restaurant, it has huge expansion potential which doesn’t draw on the heritage of Fuller’s at all. But should there be any taint around the core brewing brand, the rest will follow.

HA Perspective (by Andrew Sangster): As a former assistant editor of the Campaign for Real Ale’s newspaper, I was sad to hear the news of this transaction.

The beer branding experts will tell you that what matters with

Airbnb bolsters business offering

consumers is provenance: handing over your brewery to a global purveyor of fizzy lager is not the best way to ensure that such provenance is maintained.

Asahi, Japan’s biggest brewer, now owns Grolsch, Peroni and the London-based craft producer Meantime. It also owns a range of East European beers including Pilsner Urquell. It might be a while before you have to ask for a pint of Tokyo Pride rather than the current London Pride but the history of beer conglomerates has been all about consolidation rather than preservation of unique heritage and character.

But then, how important is beer provenance to pub operators? Most people do not go to a pub because of the beer. Location and price are nearly always more important factors.

The danger though is that Fuller’s has jumped in precisely the wrong direction as the experience economy gains hold. Customers want something authentic, something unique.

Centuries of heritage and a position as the only major brewer in London that was still family-owned was about as authentic and unique as it gets. This has now been dashed.

Fuller’s will never have the means to be truly competitive as a major accommodation brand or even as a national restaurant brand. It did have the means to offer something truly unique in terms of food, drink and accommodation. It can still do something special with food and accommodation but its beer offer is now very much me-too.

Airbnb has acquired Gaest.com, an online marketplace focused on “inspiring meeting spaces” for short-term rentals.

The deal was the latest in a series of moves by Airbnb to strengthen its business offering, as it targeted the corporate market.

Gaest, which was founded four years ago in Denmark, offers spaces for interviews, meetings, workshops, team building events, and photoshoots.

Airbnb said: “In recent years, companies have come to demand more flexible spaces as their team’s needs change. Improved access to spaces for meetings, events, and other gatherings is great for employees, for companies, and for efficient urban real estate utilisation.”

David Holyoke, global head of Airbnb for Work, added: “We imagine a world where anyone can share their space for professional events and, in the longer term, for celebrations. Bringing in a leadership team with strong domain knowledge allows us to accelerate our work in this area, and more importantly Gaest.com and Airbnb share a vision of helping every space owner become entrepreneurs through sharing their spaces with those who need it.”

Gaest CEO Anders Boelskifte Mogensen becomes Airbnb’s lead for meetings and events in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa following the transaction.

163

Last year saw Airbnb extend its Airbnb for Work offering to include experiences, such as team-building activities, which it said would allow it to reach employees which did not travel for work.

The company said: “We know there are a number of unique ways Airbnb can help companies and professionals keep up with the changing ways we work. Starting today, Airbnb for Work will roll out a new strategic direction to bring the best of Airbnb to the professional world, and help foster a sense of belonging – even at work.

“We’re expanding into three new areas to help companies attract, retain, and motivate talent: experiences on Airbnb for teambuilding, Airbnb Homes for offsites and meetings, and new options for people relocating for work.

“Unorthodox perks are an essential way to attract, retain and motivate top talent. Experiences, not cash, are the new corporate bonus. In today’s hyper-competitive talent environment, once you’ve recruited great employees, you want to keep them. Journeys of self-fulfilment and discovery can produce the kind of creative sparks and life-clarifying moments that seldom come when staring deadeyed at another PowerPoint.”

The company said that Airbnb group experiences, from sailing lessons to pastry-making classes with a Michelin chef, would help teams bond “and form meaningful connections”.

Airbnb has also turned its focus to employees who were not travelling, providing spaces for

meetings and offsite activities. It said: “Providing individuals and teams with the freedom they need to grow and collaborate is top of mind for many companies. Whether that’s the freedom to work remotely or collaborate outside of the office, Gallup reports workers who spent 60% to 80% of their time away from the office had the highest rates of engagement.

“The spaces where people spend time away from the office make a big difference. Sterile conference rooms aren’t motivating and don’t foster creativity. However, relaxing and productive environments help people open up to connect and contribute; they help teams achieve their shared goals more effectively.

“Knowing this, Airbnb for Work is now showcasing homes where teams can create and collaborate.

These are homes where hosts indicate their unique spaces are suitable for events, and many have work-friendly amenities like wifi, self check-in, etc.”

The company has also added a relocation service, “to help more professionals instantly feel like they belong in their new communities.

Finding a temporary home that actually feels like a home provides a much-needed sense of familiarity that can help people cope with the chaos of a relocation”.

In September Airbnb said that the prior year had seen the number of companies signed up to use Airbnb for Work more than double. Airbnb

said that, to-date, nearly 700,000 companies have had employees sign up and book with Airbnb for Work. Of all those companies, more than 275,000 of them were directly engaged with Airbnb to help manage their travel.

Airbnb announced a new feature, allowing a customisable search that can account for specific company policies and use cases, including setting property types, nightly rate caps, and amenities that fit the company’s travel policy.

a platform for bedrooms, but one for space in general. If you can fit a person into an area and think of something they might to do in it, Airbnb will offer a broad choice – and catered too. With the meetings offering this has moved on from being rented every 24 hours, down to hour by hour. Your flexible, space-optimising friend.

HA Perspective (by Andrew Sangster): It is becoming increasingly clear that Airbnb is getting into the intermediary space currently dominated by Booking Holdings and Expedia.

But Airbnb has a critical advantage over these rivals. Whereas Booking and Expedia aggregate demand, Airbnb aggregates supply and this is much cheaper. Airbnb is the next generation aggregator, Aggregation 2.0.

Booking and Expedia spend USD10bn a year on marketing, mostly with Google. Airbnb spends a fraction of this. The main customers for Booking and Expedia are its industry partners – the hotels and other accommodation providers.

For Airbnb, the customers – the source of the profits – are the guests booking on its website.

Of course, Booking and Expedia have to be ‘guest focused’ and be able to sell effectively to consumers but the fees they charge come from property operators. The Airbnb model flips this around, with just a small amount coming from the

HA Perspective (by Katherine Doggrell): Airbnb has been eager to steal the business guest cheese from the hotel sector for some time, recently reporting that the length of stay for corporate guests was dropping all the time, presenting a challenge to the lucrative road warrior business. Now it is seeking to offer everything businesses want on the side, with no stay required.

Much as Airbnb has provided a low-commission route to market for spare rooms and, as of last year, some hotels, so Gaest offered hotels a low commission to bring their meetings space to a fresh market – charging, we understand, around 10%. The company also has partnerships with caterers and restaurants, meaning not only exciting variety for guests, but also the potential to turn almost any area into a meeting space, kitchen not required.

Airbnb is rapidly becoming not

property operators.

Will this change? Already, Airbnb says that property operators can list properties without charging guests a fee, provided of course the property operator picks up the tab.

And this may well develop as the preferred choice for guests.

But even so, property operators will face a significantly lower fee given that Airbnb does not have to pay for such huge marketing costs as the Aggregators 1.0 (Booking and Expedia).

So, this is all rosy for property operators? Yes, as far as the costs of distribution go. The challenge is that the volume of accommodation property that property operators are competing against has risen hugely. Costs are lower but the top line is much more challenging. Only by offering something meaningfully distinctive will property owners be able to effectively compete and maintain margin. Welcome to the experience economy.

Hotel Analyst is the news analysis service for those involved with financing hotel property or hotel operating companies.

For more information and to subscribe visit: www.hotelanalyst.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 8870 6388

164

INTERIOR FIT OUT SPECIALISTS TO

- THE MANDRAKE -

LANDSCAPING & OUTDOOR SPACES

LUXURY www.becki n t e ri o rs .com

|

LIFESTYLE beckinteriors

|

MUSEUMS BECK

|

BESPOKE

Email Vanessa Budd a t vbudd@beckinteriors.com

Brazil STR’s full-year 2018 performance data for the Central/South America region tells two distinctly different stories. While South America achieved RevPAR growth of 28.6%, Central America reported a 1.2% decrease, with supply growth similar in each sub-continent.

Central America suffered from sociopolitical unrest in Nicaragua and declining tourist interest in Panama and Costa Rica. South America, on the other hand, achieved the highest RevPAR increase for any of the subcontinents in STR’s database when reported in USD constant currency. However, it is important to note that inflation and currency devaluation in a number of countries contributed significantly to that RevPAR gain.

Brazil showed shoots of recovery after 2017’s economic crisis and state bankruptcy that followed the Rio Olympics. The country achieved RevPAR growth of 10.9% in 2018 – the highest lift for the market since 2011. After five years of occupancy declines, the country saw a marginal increase (+0.4%) in 2017 before a more noticeable lift in 2018 (+5.7%), which was driven by a 7.4% demand jump.

ADR growth has been key in Brazil’s recovery as a 13.0% decrease in 2017 was followed by a 4.9% rise in 2018.

Rio de Janeiro experienced significant supply growth (+18.0%) in 2016 as the Olympic Games arrived, and in the following year, RevPAR dropped 41.8% as demand fell. There was some recovery for the market in 2018, with occupancy growing 9.9%, its first increase since 2011. However, the absolute value in the metric (51.2%) remained low due to lost tourism that came as a result of the economic crisis and security concerns. Supply decreased 4.2% as a lack of consistent corporate and leisure business made it difficult for some properties to operate.

Performance Full-year 2018

Occupancy 56.0% 5.7%

RevPAR* BRL 162.23 10.9%

ADR* BRL 289.91 4.8% *local currency

STR is the source for premium global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights, tracking 8 million rooms worldwide. www.str.com

Rooms +7.0% Existing 267,890 Pipeline 19,860

The Composite Collection by Studio Elke for Brintons brings the Australian industry leader in the fashion and design worlds creative vision to the commercial carpet sector.

Known for its unique jewellery and accessories Studio Elke, a multi-disciplinary design studio led by founder and Creative Director Elke Kramer, is respected for its emphasis on pushing the boundaries of originality and its exploration of unique materials, experimental fabrications and new forms.

Composite is a collection of wall-to-wall carpet designs that references Studio Elke’s decade-long archive of jewellery collections, translating Elke Kramer’s artistic and cutting-edge print designs into large-scale interior surfaces all reimagined in Brintons special blend of 80% wool and 20% nylon.

Suitable for a wide variety of hospitality applications including hotels, casinos, cruise ships and airports, each Composite Collection by Studio Elke for Brintons design can be customised and is woven to order in a full range of specifications.

Whichever direction is chosen, Brintons’ highly skilled design team will help to adapt the concept to ensure it matches the creative brief perfectly while complying with all the practical requirements.

W W W. B R I N TO N S . N E T

Studio Elke - SLEEPER Feb 2019.indd 1

18/02/2019 14:49

www.aheadawards.com

Marking the culmination of two years of heats across four regions, AHEAD Global announces its international winners, with Alila Yangshuo crowned Ultimate Winner.

A selection of the world’s best hotels were celebrated in London and New York on 28 January, as AHEAD Global rounded out a two-year cycle of regional heats to name its international winners. Celebrating the best in hospitality experiences and design, the event took place simultaneously at Firmdale Hotels’ Ham Yard and Crosby Street properties with support from founder partner Grohe. Presented in London by Sleeper Editor-at-Large Guy Dittrich, and in New York by Tara Mastrelli, the night saw the best-of-thebest from AHEAD’s regional programmes battle it out, with Alila Yangshuo eventually named AHEAD Global Ultimate Winner 2019 and taking home the coveted, Lasvit-designed trophy.

Following a rigorous judging process to assess the creative, commercial and experiential achievements of triumphant projects from AHEAD Europe, MEA, Americas and Asia throughout 2017 and 2018, judges named overall winners in categories ranging from Guestrooms to New Concept, recognising the efforts of both established and quickly rising talent, and projects from a tented camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta to a repurposed post office in the heart of urban Belgium. And with the panel deciding the triumphant projects just hours before the ceremony, winners could have changed at any time. Selected from the regional events, the panel had their memories jogged by commissioned videos sent in by each shortlisted project, and with decisions made and the process wrapped up, the golden envelopes were readied as guests took their seats for an introduction and wishes of good luck.

“This was another spectacular year of judging and I am continually amazed by both the quantity and quality of projects submitted for this prestigious award programme,” commented Larry Traxler, Senior Vice President, Global Design Hilton, and Chair of the AHEAD Americas panel.

“AHEAD is unique in that we not only judge on aesthetics but also the customer experience, so it helps to have judges who have visited, slept in the hotels, eaten in the restaurants, and experienced the design physically and

not just through photos. We truly cherish the time spent together reviewing these projects and sharing our perspectives on why they are successful; it is a significant investment of time and energy but very inspirational and thought provoking.”

Scooping a double of Urban Newbuild and New Concept, Hoshinoya Tokyo – an inner-city reimagining of the traditional ryokan – was commended for its seamless transference and reinterpretation of both physical and experiential elements, as well as its respect for the cultural significance of its undertaking. Judges further noted the flexibility of concept, speculating similar transferences for different regions and cultures in the future.

Across the prizes recognising specific facilities, the colossal Faena Forum in Faena Hotel Miami Beach took home the award for event spaces, where judges praised its sheer scope and contributions to revitalising a forgotten district, whilst Singapore’s Warehouse Hotel – the big winner at 2018’s AHEAD Asia – was named best Lobby & Public Space for its welcome gallery within a former godown structure overlooking Robertson Quay.

Interior designer Geraldine Dohogne took to the stage in London to accept the award for Zannier Hotels’ 1898 The Post, which drew similar plaudits for its repurposing of an historic Ghent post office in the Conversion category, emerging victorious over impressive runners up including Nordic Choice’s At Six and the Thomas Heatherwick-designed The Silo in Cape Town.

Belmond, meanwhile, saw two of its most innovative properties recognised, with Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient Express’ WATGdesigned sleeper train carriages named Best Suite, whilst Muza Lab’s Inge Moore accepted the Lodges & Tented Camps prize for her studio’s work at Botswana’s Belmond Eagle Island Lodge.

Part of the special awards along with New Concept, the Visual Identity prize was awarded to Australia’s Jackalope, where, deep in southern wine country, Fabio Ongarato Design created a compelling design language to complement the hotel’s distinctive, seductive aesthetic. Likewise, covering

an area of hotel design often overlooked, the Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces award saw London’s own The Mandrake celebrated for its verdant courtyard amidst the city’s sprawl of concrete and glass.

Lastly, taking home the aforementioned Ultimate Winner prize, as well as that for Resort Hotel, Alila Yangshuo – a converted former sugar mill in an estuary of the Li River – wowed the judges with its redefinition of the traditional resort experience. Noting sensitive restoration work by Vector Architects and the firm’s consideration of a mountainous landscape, the panel also praised an impeccable use of water throughout, a stunning balance between old and new, and the project’s success in putting a relatively obscure Chinese destination on the map.

The inaugural AHEAD Global marked a night of firsts, including the the first dual-format AHEAD ceremony as well as the first time the programme has opened its voting process to the general public. Presenting the People’s Choice award, Dittrich noted that this category attracted over 100,000 votes from some 7,000 voters before calling Levan Berulava, Managing Director of Adjara Group, the developer behind Georgia’s Hotel Stamba, to the stage.

An immensely popular project that not only caught the eye of judges and industry professionals, but regular guests too, Hotel Stamba is set within a converted former propaganda-printing complex, and reimagines a dark past as an inclusive hotel with strong collaborative links to the local community and the repurposing of original equipment, highlighting both the general public’s changing attitudes towards the power and purpose of hotels, as well as just what it takes to appeal to today’s guest.

Commenting on the night’s success, Awards Director Matt Turner rounded out the evening on a note of gratitude. “AHEAD Global celebrates the past two years of our Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design, which has seen over 1,600 entries representing over 600 hotel projects,” he concluded. “I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled we’ve been with the response we’ve had to AHEAD around the world. We are deeply honoured to have this opportunity to celebrate incredible hotel projects and the people who create them.”

J U D G I N G PA N E L The judging panel comprises a selection of global design, architecture and hospitality experts working for the leading brands and studios operating within the hotel sphere.

Aliya Khan – VP of Design Strategies, Marriott International Beat Fornaro – Area Director of Portfolio Development, Design Hotels Celia Geyer – SVP Design & Project Development, Belmond Christopher Webb – VP Architecture, Design & Construction, Hilton Cristina Laurijssen – Director of Design & Product Services, Rosewood Ed Ng – Co-founder & Principal, AB Concept Elisa Rodriguez – Design Director, Rockwell Group Emma King – Head of Interior Design, IHG Gordon Anderson – Director, Blue Moon Guy Dittrich – Editor-at-Large, Sleeper Isabel Pintado – SVP and Managing Director, Wilson Associates Jason Holley – Director, Universal Design Studio Javier Hortal – Regional Director, Technical Services EMEA, Mandarin Oriental Julia Monk – SVP / Director of Hospitality Design, HOK Kenneth Villamil – Global VP Product & Brand Development, Hyatt Khirstie Myles – Senior Vice President of Design & Construction, Yotel Larry Traxler – SVP, Global Design Services, Hilton Worldwide Margaret McMahon – Senior Vice President, Wimberly Interiors Mark Bruce – Director, Head of Hotels, EPR Architects Michael Goodman – Managing Director, EDG Design Paul Wiste – Head of Design & Engineering, Southeast Asia & Korea, IHG Pinar Calimano – Director, New Hotels & Design MEA, IHG Serdar Kutucu– VP, Brand, Marketing & Communications, Design Hotels Tom Hupe – Director of Hospitality, Perkins+Will Vince Stroop – Principal, Stonehill Taylor​Architect

B A R , C LU B O R LO U N G E

L A N D S C A P I N G & O U T D O O R S PA C E S

THE WHISKEY ROOM AT ROOMERS HOTEL MUNICH, GERMANY

THE MANDRAKE, LONDON, ENGLAND

Gekko Group / The Entourage Group / Roomers / Concrete / TSSB

Newman Assets / Pistache Hospitality Group / Bureau Bas Smets /

Architekten Ingenieure

Manalo & White / Tala Fustok Interior Design / Culture In Architecture

E V E N T S PA C E S

L O B B Y & P U B L I C S PA C E S

FAENA FORUM, MIAMI, USA

THE WAREHOUSE HOTEL, SINGAPORE

Access Industries / Faena Group / OMA / Alan Faena

I Hotel / The Lo & Behold Group / Zarch Collaboratives / Asylum Creative

GUESTROOMS ZALLINGER SALTRIA, ITALY

LO D G E S & T E N T E D C A M P S

Berghaus Zallinger / Burger Markus & Schenk Luisa /

BELMOND EAGLE ISLAND LODGE, OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA

noa* network of architecture

Belmond / DSA Architects International / Muza Lab

H O T E L R E N O VAT I O N & R E S T O R AT I O N

RESORT HOTEL

11 HOWARD, NEW YORK, USA

ALILA YANGSHUO, GUILIN, CHINA

RFR Holding / RFR Hotels / Anda Andrei Design / Space Copenhagen /

Landmark Tourism Investment Company / Alila Hotels & Resorts /

Beyer Blinder Belle

Vector Architects / Horizontal Space Design

R E S TA U R A N T

URBAN HOTEL - NEWBUILD

LE COCOU AT 11 HOWARD, NEW YORK, USA

HOSHINOYA TOKYO, JAPAN

RFR Holding / RFR Hotels / Roman & Williams

Azuma Architect & Associates / Hoshino Resorts / Mitsubishi Estate

S PA & W E L L N E S S

VISUAL IDENTITY

MOONACRE SPA & BATHS AT CALOISTOGA MOTOR LODGE,

JACKALOPE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

CALISTOGA, USA

Studio Ongarato

Eagle Point Hotel Partners / Filament Hospitality / Signum Architecture / Brand Bureau / AvroKO Design

A H E A D G L O B A L N E W C O N C E P T AWA R D HOSHINOYA TOKYO, JAPAN

SUITE

Azuma Architect & Associates / Hoshino Resorts / Mitsubishi Estate

BELMOND SIMPLON-ORIENT EXPRESS, VARIOUS LOCATIONS Belmond / Wimberly Interiors

A H E A D G L O B A L P E O P L E ’ S C H O I C E AWA R D STAMBA HOTEL, TBILSI, GEORGIA

URBAN HOTEL - CONVERSION

Adjara Group / Adjara Arch Group

1898 THE POST, GHENT, BELGIUM Mr. Postman / Zannier Hotels / Zannier Hotels Interiors

A H E A D G L O B A L U LT I M AT E W I N N E R ALILA YANGSHUO, GUILIN, CHINA Landmark Tourism Investment Company / Alila Hotels & Resorts / Vector Architects / Horizontal Space Design

7 MARCH 2019

18 JUNE 2019

13 NOVEMBER 2019

18 NOVEMBER 2019

ANDAZ SINGAPORE

FAENA FORUM MIAMI

CAESARS BLUEWATERS DUBAI

BATTERSEA EVOLUTION LONDON

GLOBAL FOUNDER SPONSOR

ORGANISED BY

FOUNDATION SPONSOR

GLOBAL SPONSORS

www.aheadawards.com

TROPHY SPONSOR

HOTEL PROJECT, BERLIN, GERMANY

Events T H E M E E T I N G P L AC E F O R T H E H O S P I TA L I T Y I N D U S T R Y

4-6 MAR

4-17 MAR

6-8 MAR

6-9 MAR

IHIF Berlin www.berlinconference.com Singapore Design Week Singapore www.designsingapore.org/SDW HI Design MEA Colombo www.hidesign-mea.com Design Shanghai Shanghai www.designshanghai.com

7 MAR

9-12 MAR

10-15 MAR

11-15 MAR

AHEAD Asia Singapore www.aheadawards.com IFFS Singapore www.iffs.com.sg London Design Week London www.dcch.co.uk ISH Frankfurt www.ish.messefrankfurt.com

179

12-13 MAR

13-14 MAR

8-11 APR

9-14 APR

HICAP Update Singapore www.hicapconference.com BD West Los Angeles www.boutiquedesignwest.com Seatrade Cruise Global Miami www.seatradecruiseglobal.com Salone del Mobile Milan www.salonemilano.it

9-11 APR

The Swell of the Year

15-17 MAY

SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL

The wave of cruising innovation will break on Miami Beach in April, as Seatrade Cruise Global returns to present an estimated 11,000 attendees with a series of new live experiences, each curated to highlight the latest trends and innovations in the cruise ship industry.

In an effort to create more organic networking opportunities, the three-day expo will be organised into eight distinct neighbourhoods, with 700 exhibitors spread across sectors including Design & Ship Interiors; Entertainment; Environmental & Health; Hotel Operations & Concessions; Information Technology; Ports & Destinations; Safety & Security; and Ship Equipment & Shipbuilding.

As part of this year’s seminar programme, Petra Ryberg, Head of Design at P&O Cruises Australia, will share insight on her design direction and future aspirations, while others sessions on the agenda explore the rise of experiential design and how shipbuilding experts are working to construct the vessels of tomorrow. Joining the line-up, new theatre space The Promenade will host a series of live demos showcasing the latest developments in hotel operations and concessions.

“We are thrilled to continue the evolution of the Seatrade experience so that its impact can be felt throughout each sector of our industry,” comments Chiara Giorgi, Brand Director, Seatrade Cruise Global.

“Seatrade is more than just a networking event. It is the place where people, products and ideas come together to progress our industry into the future and make a positive impact.” www.seatradecruiseglobal.com

Roundtable Returns HD EXPO

Taking place at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, HD Expo is set to attract thousands of designers, architects, owners and operators for three days of interactive content and design inspiration.

Over 900 exhibitors from the worlds of lighting, fabric, flooringcoverings and bathrooms will come together to showcase their latest products, with 200 brands presenting for the first time.

“This is a really exciting time for hospitality products, as the industry is going through an evolution,” comments Kevin Gaffney, Group Show Director, HD Expo. “Hotel brands are shifting towards creating experiences for their guests, and that means manufacturers are developing new products that are more innovative and tech-savvy than ever before.

Attendees will be very pleased with not only the exhibitor variety, but the product creativity at this year’s show.”

Meanwhile, conference highlights include a keynote with Andrew Zobler of Sydell Group, as well as discussions with industry experts such as Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses; Aaron Richter, Senior Vice President of Design at Equinox; Timothy Griffin, Managing Director of The Hoxton; and Adam Farmerie, Partner at AvroKO. Additional sessions will be held in the Rottet Studio-designed Social Hub along with a new pavilion devoted to the effect of wellbeing on hospitality, while the return of the signature Owners’ Roundtable will provide attendees with the opportunity to meet leading figures from the likes of MGM Resorts, Hyatt, Four Seasons and Wyndham Worldwide. www.hdexpo.com

180

REFRAME COLLECTION BY UNIDRAIN Un i d ra i n h a s launched t he Reframe Col lect ion – a ser ies of bat hroom accessor ies g rou n d e d i n Scandinavian design and qual it y – w hich paired w it h t he award-w inning Hi g h Li n e C olou r l ine drain ser ies gives you t he oppor t unit y to match al l met al det ails.

T h i s is your oppor t unit y of reframing t he bat hroom ex per ience.

www.unidrain.com/reframe

Radical Innovation CALL FOR ENTRIES

Radical Innovation calls for entries to its 2019 edition, challenging designers, architects and hoteliers to envision a concept that could change the hospitality landscape.

R

adical Innovation, the awards programme that challenges designers, architects, hoteliers and students to pioneer compelling ideas in travel and hospitality, is now accepting entries to its annual competition. New for 2019, the initiative will distinguish between built and unbuilt projects, with all innovators encouraged to submit their concepts through the Radical Innovation website before 3 April.

A panel of jurors leading the fields of hospitality, design and investment will evaluate all entries based on their originality, creativity, design and potential impact on the industry, with feasibility a key factor. While Radical Innovation seeks brave ideas, the platform also requires achievable visions with a clear, compelling brief accompanied by a high-level presentation that illustrates how the concept could be achieved in the next 3-5 years with design renderings and video pitch. The 2018 winner, Autonomous Travel Suite by Steve Lee of Aprilli Design Studio, demonstrated its feasibility by citing the technological advances necessary for his idea to operate, detailing anticipated costs and logistics in addition to a clear timeline for the design process.

The submission fee for an unbuilt concept is US$350, while the fee for a built entry is US$550.

Student submissions will remain complimentary.

Following an initial round of judging, finalists will be flown to New York City to compete in

a live event held in autumn 2019, where they will present their ideas. Audience members will vote to determine the winner, who takes home a US$10,000 prize, whilst the runner-up receives US$5,000. The specific location of this event will be announced later in the year.

The student winner – determined prior to the event by the jury – will earn a US$1,500 prize and be invited to apply for a graduate assistantship in the Masters of Architecture programme at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The total twoyear value is estimated at over US$50,000. The awarding of funds will be based on certain prerequisites that must be carried out by the potential recipient. Radical Innovation has sent two students to this programme with one, Yasmine Soliman, graduating in spring 2019. Since its founding in 2006, Radical Innovation has awarded nearly US$200,000 to an international network of creative talents.

Radical Innovation is organised by leading development services firm The John Hardy Group with support from founding sponsor Global Allies and media partners Dezeen and Sleeper.

The Radical Innovation Jury this year includes John Hardy, President and CEO, The John Hardy Group; Michael Medzigian, Chairman and Managing Partner, Watermark Capital Partners; Jena Thornton, Managing Director, Magnetic ERV; Simon Turner, Managing Director, Alpha

182

Lodging Partners; James Woods, Head of WeLive, WeWork; Wing T. Chao, Founder, Wing T. Chao Global Advisors; and Claude Amar, Managing Director, The John Hardy Group.

The programme has also announced the appointment of Patricia Martin to the role of Managing Director, who brings two decades of experience working in conference management roles, most recently at hospitality investment conferences held in Asia, Europe and the US. In her new role, Martin will work to grow the international visibility of the competition and bring even greater opportunities for the Radical Innovation community to meet and ultimately develop connections and projects, long-term.

“Radical Innovation discovers and spotlights creative geniuses with the drive to create entirely new segments of the hospitality industry,” explains John Hardy, founder of Radical Innovation and CEO of The John Hardy Group. “We connect them with experienced business leaders that have the connections and resources to bring those ideas to life, all while supporting their effort through year-round marketing and PR verticals. We’re thrilled to have Pat on board.”

For more information regarding the submission process and previous winning projects, visit www.radicalinnovationaward.com

Rethinking light

PLUG & LIGHT LED SPOTLIGHT

Plug-in lighting moods. Plug & Light redefines lighting design.

Perfectly dimmable LED light with spotlights or floodlights.

JUNG-GROUP.COM

Visit us: FUORISALONE – 08. – 14. April 2019, Milan / Italy, Brera, Via Palermo 1

AZ_PlugLight_V2_236x275mm_EN.indd 1

13.02.19 14:35

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

MY

K

OFFICES: OFFICES: GERMANY GERMANY SPAIN SPAIN UNITED KINGDOM UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES UNITED STATES MEXICO MEXICO

TM TM MAGLIA MAGLIA

AA NEW ERA IN INTEXTILE TEXTILELOOKING LOOKING COATED FABRICS NEW ERA COATED FABRICS WWW.SPRADLING.EU WWW.SPRADLING.EU

A Constellation of Cultures STELLAR WORKS

In its quest of becoming a truly international brand, Stellar Works seeks to bridge the gap between East and West, fusing Asian sensibility and timeless craft.

Words: Ben Thomas

S

ince its inception in 2012, Shanghai-based furniture brand Stellar Works has subverted the notion that China is merely home to mass-volume production, carefully balancing heritage and modernity through its specialised atelier that preserves traditional craft techniques and handmade detailing while pushing the boundaries of design.

For the company’s founder and CEO, Nagoya-born designer Yuichiro Hori, Shanghai is an operational base and source of continuous growth: “It’s still affordable to follow a design-led craft process in Shanghai, while it would be impossible in Japan, the Americas or in Europe,” he says. “The city is a hospitality-oriented market where quality standards are higher than in Mainland China.”

Hori first arrived in Shanghai in 1998, working as a project manager for a Japanese developer before setting up his own practice

with luxury French manufacturer Laval after investing in a local factory. With the aim of inspiring a renaissance in Asian aesthetics, he channelled the forms, styles and motifs that had characterised Japanese design across the centuries through a European lens. The cross-cultural ethos began with the company’s logo; designed as a Japanese crest and developed by Kyoto-based typographist Shimada, it combines the soft curves of the Piano Chair by Danish architect Vilhelm Wohlert with a base symbolising an open mindset with a strong belief in innovation through tradition.

The fusion of East and West didn’t stop there, with Chinese craftsmanship and Nordic aesthetics setting the tone for Stellar Works ever since. With Asian and Scandinavian cultures sharing many of the same values when it comes to materials, design, nature and craft, Hori was keen to ensure both were key elements of the brand DNA: “The

187

Above: Past and present are brought together in the design of vintage chairs by Danish architect Vilhelm Wohlert

“The bringing together of cultures is what sets us apart, both in terms of the character of our creative output and the strength of our busines today.”

bringing together of cultures is what strength, with interior architects sets us apart, both in terms of the and designers becoming the creative character of our creative output and heart of its vision. Partnering with the strength of our business today,” Yabu Pushelberg, Space Copenhagen, he explains. “It’s important to see David Rockwell, Nic Graham and things from different perspectives, Crème Design has led to a plethora as it brings a sense of discovery to of contemporary lines, from the our brand and our products.” distinctly Nordic Rén tables and Yuichiro Hori, Stellar Works Having married the dynamism of chairs to the light and playful Blink Japanese operations management, sofas, while iconic collections from the high-end craftsmanship of French furniture-making and the the likes of Jens Risom have also been re-instated for today’s market. technical proficiency of its Shanghai production team, Hori decided At this year’s Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, Stellar Works to introduce a fourth collaborative party. In 2015, he brought in partnered with its Scandinavian distributor Roam to present the Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, founders of Chinese design studio Arc sofa by Norwegian designer Hallgeir Homstvedt, while Neri & Neri & Hu, to oversee the creative process of everything from Hu showcased the Industry collection alongside an installation that product development to photo shoots. “Stellar Works is a brand that took cues from the street life of a traditional Chinese village, using originates from Asia but faces the globalised world with sensibilities a sinuous alleyway layout to create lanes and layers of space that and an aesthetic philosophy that is very close to that of Neri & slowly revealed themselves to visitors. Meanwhile in Copenhagen, Hu,” says Hu. “We embrace similar values such as a sincere respect past and present were brought together once again in the form of for tradition and craft, while looking towards the future for new vintage chairs by Danish architect Vilhelm Wohlert, which were rebreakthroughs in design through technology and critical thinking.” introduced as part of a cross-aesthetic exhibition at the Louisiana The brand’s collaborative approach has gone from strength to Museum of Modern Art.

188

Above: Stellar Works’ hotel projects, including Radisson Blu Edwardian in Manchester, neatly co-ordinate with the brand’s overarching philosophy

“We have chosen this path between the old and the new because we believe good design is timeless design, and Stellar Works aims to be timeless,” Hori continues. “We’re not necessarily looking for established or well-known designers, but rather someone who understands and shares our design values.”

Without exception, those collaborating with Stellar Works must have an instinctive understanding of its mission, as well as a talent for combining creative inspiration and craft technique from multiple places and periods of time. The sense of collaboration was key for American designer David Rockwell, who greatly valued working with a bilingual production team when creating the Valet furniture collection in China, while for Danish studio Space Copenhagen, the “immediate connection and mutual understanding” between both parties played an integral role in the creation of its Slow, Rén and Lunar ranges, each of which weaves together elements of Asian design and Scandinavian heritage with contemporary aesthetics.

With around 50% of its projects being hotels, the hospitality industry is a key market for Stellar Works. “Hospitality is a starting point for our business,” Hori confirms. “We are a professional FF&E player in the hospitality sector, as well as a branded furniture company for the residential market.” As a result, every project in their portfolio – from Radisson Collection Royal Copenhagen, Mandarin

Oriental Dubai and The Shanghai Edition, to Rosewood Phnom Penh, Four Seasons Kuwait and the recently completed Radisson Blu Edwardian in Manchester – neatly co-ordinates with the brand’s overarching philosophy of Asian sensibility and timeless craft, with collections hand-selected for each individual scheme under the guidance of Neri & Hu. Up next for Stellar Works is Salone del Mobile in Milan, where it will indicate its ambition to expand with the launch of Lucent, a new lighting collection by OEO Studio, alongside furniture pieces

by Australian designer Tom Fereday and Neri & Hu themselves. “In six years we have experienced rapid growth both in terms of our market and product portfolio,” Hori notes. “Over the last 12 months, we’ve set up regional platforms in Europe, North America, Japan and Australia, expanding our business globally from Asia to the world.”

The dream of becoming a truly international furniture brand is edging ever closer, but for Hori, the focus remains on manufacturing quality products that stand the test of time: “I would like to think that 100 years from now, our pieces will still be as contemporary and resonant as they are today and, moreover, that Stellar Works will still be crafting quality furniture that is Asian in inspiration, cross-cultural in design and international in its scope.” www.stellarworks.com

190

Video link

MLE_Sleeper MARCH_19.indd 3

21/02/19 13:49

SOLANAS DANIEL GERMANI

www.gandiablasco.com

ATLANTA BARCELONA IBIZA LISBOA LOS ANGELES PORTO MADRID MIAMI NEW YORK ONTINYENT

201903_sleeper.indd 2

14/01/2019 9:33:43

Going Green OUTDOOR FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES

Growing concerns over the environment prompt an increase in the need for eco-friendly furniture.

G

iven its setting, it seems natural for outdoor furniture to be eco-friendly, though that hasn’t always been the case due to the versatility of plastic. However, design trends of late have leaned towards care and preservation of the environment, reigniting a desire for sustainable resources following recent backlash against single-use synthetics. From parasols, sunshades and lighting to modular sofas, chairs and tables, designers are seeking out furniture that leaves little to no imprint on the planet, whilst in the same instance is functional, ergonomic and luxurious.

With pressure therefore mounting on suppliers, recyclable solutions such as wood and wicker are undergoing a resurgence, while hardwearing metals like aluminium are being employed for greater durability. The demand for sustainable alternatives has

triggered a rise in eco-friendly upholstery too, with the introduction of removable backrests and cushions further extending lifespans.

As more furniture than ever finds its way to landfill, manufacturers are looking beyond the shelf life of new product lines to explore ways in which they can be re-purposed. Such considerations have spearheaded the popularity of upcycling, while recent innovations like screwless furniture and biological chairs made using natural flax fibres are adding to the number of solutions that could cater for hotel guests generation after generation.

Though it may be some time before the furniture industry becomes entirely sustainable, one thing is for certain: the introduction of ecofriendly products will not only benefit the world we live in, but also ensure outdoor spaces stand the test of time.

KETTAL Bitta Lounge Originally launched in 2009, Kettal’s Bitta series has been extended with the addition of Bitta Lounge – a new furniture range featuring gentle, rounded designs in sizes and proportions suited to small spaces. Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, the collection is available in each of the brand’s standard finishes as well as exclusive Bela Ropes and Parallel Fabrics versions. www.kettal.com

TRIBU Senja Tribu’s Senja sofa has been crafted by Studio Segers and combines a one-, two- and three-seat module with high or low arm and backrests.

The sofa’s powder-coated aluminium frame comes in linen and wengé with matching or teak legs, while a series of Nordic-style piped cushions benefit from water-repellent filling and are available in a choice of 112 water-resistant fabrics. Completing the range are an integrated table, console and side table topped with teak or glazed lava stone. www.tribu.com

GANDIA BLASCO Solanas Designed by Daniel Germani in collaboration with Cosentino, Gandia Blasco’s Solanas range combines extruding aluminium profiles with Dekton – a low maintenance material applied to the tops of tables for greater durability thanks to its UV, scratch and stain resistance.

Inspired by the beach where Germani regularly spent his summers, the modular collection comes in tones of grey, blue, green and orange with several of Dekton’s signature finishes. www.gandiablasco.com

194

W W W.V I N C E N T S H E P PA R D.C O M

VS_AdIssue83_MarchApril2019.indd 1

12/02/2019 8:47:39

GERVASONI InOut Gervasoni’s InOut range mixes teak, ceramics, stone, aluminium and handwoven polyethylene across a selection of chairs, tables, sofas and armchairs. Designed by Paola Navone, the collection features InOut 629, a daybed in hand-woven natural kubu rattan with aluminium feet, as well as InOut 875, a chair in white lacquered steel with removable water repellent cushions. Completing the series, the InOut 868 coffee table features an aged teak frame and tops in white Carrara marble, tempered glass, stone dust finish or grey porcelain stoneware. www.gervasoni1882.it

ETHIMO Grand Life Designed by Christophe Pillet for Ethimo, the Grand Life series comprises sofas and over-sized lounge chairs constructed in pickled or natural structures with a metal core. The weaving for the backrests, inspired by classic Vienna straw, is crafted from a synthetic material resistant to UV rays and abrasion, while a selection of removable cushions are made with soft-touch fabrics designed specifically for outdoor environments. www.ethimo.com

NANIMARQUINA Outdoor Rugs

Sunbrella’s Window Fabrics are available in four styles that make use of blackout, decorative, simple or layered materials. The Natté and Velum versions are offered in neutral colourways, while deeper shades are introduced in the form of the Smart and Mild collections. Thanks to their three-metre width and UV resistance, the fabrics can also be used for awnings and pergolas.

Nanimarquina has launched its first line of outdoor rugs, using ancestral techniques and innovative fibres resistant to water and weather adversities. The collection combines a range of fibre blends to ensure the rugs are durable in openair environments, and includes variants such as Shad, Tres Stripes and Oaxaca – an exclusive line inspired by traditional rug design that mixes simple geometric shapes with brightly coloured flowers.

www.sunbrella.com

www.nanimarquina.com

SUNBRELLA Window Fabrics

196

DE SIGNS INSPIRED BY NATURE AND ENGINEERED TO MEET IT S RE SILIENCE

CELEBRATING TWO DE CADE S OF SUPERIOR SHADE

DESIGN ENGINEERING INNOVATION EXPLORATION

tuuci-sleeper.indd 1

2/13/19 1:19 PM

LEISURE PLAN Tibbo Available exclusively from Leisure Plan, Dedon’s Tibbo collection comprises dining and lounge chairs in two sizes, both of which are crafted in premium teak. Designed by Barber & Osgerby, the chairs are accompanied by two- and threeseat sofas, sun loungers and a variety of coffee tables, while three more tables including a ten-seat version come with dining, lounge or bench-style seating. www.leisureplan.co.uk

MANUTTI Radius Manutti has extended its Radius collection with the addition of a two-and-a-half- and three-seater model, as well as a chaise longue and footstool, all of which are crafted from hand-woven rope. The furniture’s lightweight structure and wraparound backrests allow for optimal comfort, while the seamless integration of armrests echoes a neo-modern style. www.manutti.com

TINE K Slow Following the launch of its Soft, Moon, Dust, True, Dark, Boho and Feel collections, Tine K has introduced Slow – a series handcrafted in sustainable materials including bamboo, rattan and metal. Generating a calming atmosphere through its neutral colourways, the range comprises a selection of outdoor pieces from lounge chairs and couches to tables and sunbeds, while textiles, lamps and soft furnishings are also on offer alongside mirrors, lanterns, vases and baskets. www.tinekhome.dk

198

LUXURY OUTD O OR FU RNITURE from

KA MA BY EGO PA RIS

EXCLUSIVE UK IMPORTER/STOCKIST FOR: DEDON • FISCHER MÖBEL • EGO PARIS EXPERT ADVICE FOR YOUR PROJECTS BESPOKE CUSHION SERVICE

VI S I T O UR TR A D E SHOW RO O M LEISURE PLAN, STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET, ESSEX, CM24 8HD D R O P US A LI NE TEL: +44 (0) 1279 816 001 / SALES@LEISUREPLAN.CO.UK

L E I S U R E P LA N .CO.U K LP2019_Sleeper_Mar-Apr.indd 1

12/02/2019 13:45

POINT Sir The Sir collection from Point combines powder-coated aluminium structures with Batyline fabric upholstery and natural teak wood armrests. Designed by Francesc Rifé with comfortable glamour in mind, the series comes in eight finishes – snow white, cream, sand, rust, metallic grey, terracotta, ficus green or sky blue – while six fabric finishes and a seat cushion in polyurethane foam complete the range. www.point1920.com

MINOTTI Prince Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, Minotti’s Prince series features an exposed shell composed of a unique woven fibre in three colour variations: sand, forest green and charcoal. Inspired by the American modernism of the 1950s, the armchair is underlined by an aluminium base made using a die casting process, painted in glossy pewter or white with an orange peel effect, and completed with fully removable backrests and seat cushions for added comfort alongside a footstool. www.minotti.com

STELLAR WORKS Ming VONDOM Voxel Based on its former Vertex range, the Voxel chair from Vondom features a unique structural shape, which takes on angular and faceted characteristics following a process of injection moulding. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, the series is stackable and distributes its weight in balance, making the lightweight body easy to transport, arrange and store.

Stellar Works’ Ming chair revisits the historic decorative arts of China, blending ornamental motifs with Western functionality. The stackable aluminium chairs are inspired by the Asian heritage of Chinese design duo Rossana Hu and Lyndon Neri, and can be used as solo pieces or as part of a group.

www.vondom.com

www.stellarworks.com

200

INDOOR & OUTDOOR FURNITURE - DECORATION

GOMMAIRE.COM

VINCENT SHEPPARD Light My Table Joining Vincent Sheppard’s range of outdoor pieces, the new Light My Table garland has been designed by Studiomie to create a roof of light for alfresco settings. The lighting solution can be combined with the brand’s Anton lounge chair and sofa, as well as the Rocco armchair with its graphic lines and curves, helping to generate a cosy and inviting atmosphere. www.vincentsheppard.com

JC HOSPITALITY Langkawi Breakfast Table JC Hospitality’s Langkawi Breakfast Table features a geometric dome base in modern brass and a grey swirled marble top. Manufactured

by Vietnam Furniture Resources, the dining table has been created to function in both indoor and outdoor spaces, marrying contemporary design with luxurious materials that withstand the elements. www.jc-hospitality.com

B&B ITALIA Erica B&B Italia has expanded its Erica collection with the introduction of a new sofa, which retains the same curved backrest and interlacing design as its predecessors while offering a deeper seat. Created by Antonio Citterio, the sofa comes in three sizes – from 170 and 216cm styles with a 96cm deep seat to the 153cm version with a 140cm seat – and combines a sage frame with anthracite interlacing and a range of ergonomic cushion covers. www.bebitalia.com

202

Ultra-discreet loudspeakers for any location

British loudspeaker designer, Monitor Audio, has a range of speakers for every situation. Their ultra-discreet in-wall and in-ceiling speakers deliver a stunning audio performance whilst protecting the room’s décor. For more extreme environments, such as outdoor terraces or pool rooms, they offer a choice of speaker ranges, all of which deliver Monitor Audio’s award-winning sound.

monitoraudio.com

MA Sleeper MarApr19.indd 1

23/01/2019 16:20

RHA FURNITURE Paradiso RHA Furniture’s Paradiso range comprises a dining chair, stool and table with the option of round or square tops. Inspired by Mediterranean landscapes, the collection is manufactured from powder-coated galvanised steel and comes in a variety of vibrant finishes, while upholstery for the chair and stool is available in a wide range of inhouse fabrics. www.rhafurniture.com

WARISAN Jalan The first of six outdoor collections to be presented by Warisan in the coming year, Jalan consists of a dining chair, lounge chair and pool lounger, as well as a rectangular coffee table and square dining table.

Handcrafted at the manufacturer’s Bali factory, the series takes its name from the word ‘walking’ in Bahasa Indonesia and enhances outdoor spaces through a combination of timeless lines, sustainable materials and comforting ergonomics. www.warisan.com

NICHOLAS HASLAM Elba

Designed to create a natural planting look, Vistagreen’s Artificial Green Walls are available in a standard 80 x 80cm size as well as bespoke options. The lightweight panels are easily installed thanks to a unique panel layout and purpose-made fixing system, while additional foliage complements the accompanying white, soft lavender and lush green colour boxes.

The Elba collection from Nicholas Haslam comprises seven rattan pieces, including two chairs, an ottoman, three tables and chaise longue. Available in brown, white or a mix of the two, the series references popular wicker styles from the Edwardian era, yet makes use of weatherproof materials to ensure it withstands the elements.

www.vIstagreen.com

www.nicholashaslam.com

VISTAGREEN Artificial Green Walls

204

Zenith offers an all embracing hotel contracting and construction service undertaken by experienced Zenith offers an all embracing hotel contracting and construction service undertaken by experienced professionals who understand the importance of completing the project to the highest standards, on time and professionals who understand the importance of completing the project to the highest standards, on time and within budget. within budget.

Zenith has a spectrum of skills and expertise that can be applied to any hotel project, whether your Zenith has a spectrum of skills and expertise that can be applied to any hotel project, whether your requirements are for refurbishment, re-modelling or new build, our experience will deliver high quality results. requirements are for refurbishment, re-modelling or new build, our experience will deliver high quality results.

Visit us: www.zenithltd.co.uk Contact us: zenith@zenithltd.co.uk Visit us: www.zenithltd.co.uk Contact us: zenith@zenithltd.co.uk

UHS Mill Developed in collaboration with exterior decking firm Millboard, the Mill collection from UHS combines faux grained wood planks with a range of natural finishes including Nature, Carbon, Mumbai and Ocean. Taking inspiration from the colours of India, as well as weathered, charred and oak timbers, the range is easy to clean and stain resistant thanks to the use of non-porous materials. www.uhs-group.com

JANUS ET CIE Gina Janus et Cie has introduced Gina, its first collection with designer Piero Lissoni. The 18-piece series comprises a range of modular lounge chairs, which combine solid aluminium frames and woven rope seats that are soft to the touch, in addition to oversized cushions and toss pillows that create opportunities for personalised styling. Completing the range is a chaise longue with an integrated surface for condiments, as well as an array of side chairs, armchairs and teak dining tables. www.janusetcie.com

RH Sebastian Paying homage to mid-century Scandinavian design, RH’s Sebastian collection is generously proportioned and built from sustainably harvested teak. Designed by Barcelona-based Mario Ruiz, the series comprises comfortably raked lounge and dining elements, including a sofa, armchair and side chair as well as a chaise longue and several tables, the former flanked by gently sloped and sculpted arms in a juxtaposition of angles and curves. www.restorationhardware.com

206

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

FIND OUT MORE AT LIVINGDESIGN.COM Brovägen 1, 18276 Stocksund, Sweden T: +46 8 755 17 65 info@livingdesign.com

EXPORMIM Liz Designed by Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba for Expormim, the Liz series pays homage to the captivating forms of cinematic icon Liz Taylor. Comprising an armchair, sofa and XL sofa, the collection offers multiple customisation possibilities though a wide variety of technical fabrics, which have been created for outdoor use and incorporate a range of colours including orange, poppy red, frozen brown, dark chocolate, almond tree and deep sapphire. www.expormim.com

EMECO 1” All Aluminium Marking the latest entry to Emeco’s 1” collection, the 1” All Aluminium range by Jasper Morrison is made from recycled aluminium and features a side chair and armchair that stack six high, as well as stools in three varying heights. Built for heavy-duty environments, the series uses circular apertures in the seat and backrest to drain away rainwater, while a number of contoured holes in the seat add strength to the structures while reducing their overall weight. www.emeco.net

VARASCHIN Emma

Gommaire’s James sofa is woven in a soft charcoal coloured polyethylene, twisted braid water hyacinth and comes with seat cushions in a variety of colour and texture options. As the latest addition to its wider outdoor range, the sofa introduces a more organic look and feel through a combination of contemporary design and weatherproof materials.

Varaschin’s Emma range consists of bergère armchairs, two-seater sofas, footrests and coffee tables.

The series is characterised by the bergère model, which uses aluminium and Iroko wood for its legs and a powder-coated aluminium frame as a backrest – the latter covered in a weave, texture or fabric upholstery made from a polypropylene mould.

www.gommaire.com

www.varaschin.it

GOMMAIRE James

208

Alphabet Alphabet ofofAlphabet Light Light of Light Alphabet of Light BIG BIG BIG

BIG

Pierpaolo PierpaoloFerrari, Ferrari, Pierpaolo 2017 2017Ferrari, 2017 Pierpaolo Ferrari, 2017

106 106 Great Great Russell Russell Street, 106 Street, Great London London Russell WC1B WC1B Street, 3NB 3NB London WC1B 3NB 106 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3NB Tel. Tel. 020 020 7631 7631 5200 5200 Tel. 020 7631 5200 Tel. 020 7631 5200 info@artemide.co.uk info@artemide.co.uk info@artemide.co.uk info@artemide.co.uk

ADV2018 ADV2018 UK.indd UK.indd 7 7UK.indd ADV2018 ADV2018 7 UK.indd 7

26/04/18 26/04/18 12:16 12:1612:16 26/04/18 12:16 26/04/18

GLOSTER Kay Combining weatherproof materials with Scandinavian-style teak frames, the Kay range from Gloster comprises a lounge and rocking chair, sofa, ottoman and dining chair with arms. Available in Brindle, Harvest or Copper coloured French cane-style wicker, the Henrik Pedersen-designed series features oversized cushions and curved backrests for added comfort, with high and low variations of the back panel are also offered on the lounge and rocking models. www.gloster.com

EXTREMIS Bistroo Taking its name from its two rounded backrests, the Bistroo series from Extremis comprises three legs, two chairs and one tabletop, the latter featuring a specially designed hole for serving condiments. Its cleverly positioned legs also mean the chair is quick to stack, and with two seats and a table available for every 116cm of façade, the innovative concept is suitable for even the smallest of outdoor terraces. www.extremis.com

TUUCI Xposed As part of its Xposed campaign, Tuuci has staged a number of its shade platforms in unusual environments, with parasols and cabanas from the Manta and Crescent ranges pictured in the unspoilt wilderness of Florida’s Everglades, The Bahamas and Greenland. Highlighting a deep connection with nature, Crescent is defined by the dynamic curves of its canopy, which are evocative of a crescent moon, while the organicallyshaped Manta is inspired by the movements of a manta ray’s fins. www.tuuci.com

210

Bring Walls Alive

Vistagreen are the most versatile and beautiful artificial green walls imaginable.

Capturing the colour, detail and movement of real plants - they are designed to last and are suitable for both commercial spaces and homes.

Available as UV solar tested

or

Available as ďŹ re tested

+44 (0)20 7385 1020 | info@vistagreen.com | www.vistagreen.com

COZELINEN | Coze

BC SOFTWEAR | Pure Spa Linen

Comprising luxury linens, towels and blankets, Cozelinen’s Coze range can be custom embroidered using bespoke typography and colourways. The linen is woven in the Bay of Bengal, while towels are produced in the Aegean, where the cotton makes for a softer, more absorbent material. The collection also features woollen blankets, skillfully handwoven in Yorkshire in a way that captures pockets of insulation to produce a lightweight yet sumptuous cover.

Designed by spa consultant Peigin Crowley, BC Softwear’s Pure Spa Linen range is made from pure white 100% combed cotton with a thread density of 300. Handcrafted in Turkey, the linens are available in three colours: silver grey, pebble and pure white.

www.cozelinen.com

www.bcsoftwear.co.uk

Beyond the Robe GUESTROOM AMENITIES

As operators look to combine home comforts with a cohesive brand experience, everything from bathrobes to bespoke linen becomes part of the narrative.

TRADELINENS | Velour Bathrobe

HÄSTENS | Satin Pure

The Velour Bathrobe from Tradelinens balances comfort and style using a combination of smooth cotton velour and absorbent terry towelling. The shawl collar garment is available in sizes ranging from small to extra large, with monogramming options on the back and front offered in a choice of colours and fonts.

Hästens has extended its Satin Pure collection with three new colourways: dusty mauve, princess green and pink beige. Designed by Cay Bond, who drew inspiration from the subtle colours of American modernist artist Georgia O’Keeffe, the new shades generate a sense of tranquility and enhance the brand’s signature blue-check design. Made from 100% combed cotton satin and woven with a thread density of 300, Satin Pure is soft to the touch with a silk gloss finish.

www.tradelinens.co.uk

www.hastens.com

212

CONTACT TO ADVERTISE OR SUBSCRIBE: • SUPPER@MONDIALE.CO.UK • TEL: +44(0)161 476 5580

@SUPPERMAG

WWW.SUPPERMAGAZINE.CO.UK

www.eesmith.co.uk • 0116 270 6946 • Instagram @eesmithcontracts 25 Morris Road, Clarendon Industrial Estate, Leicester, LE2 6AL

Specifier P R O D U C T S & S E R V I C E S F O R H O S P I TA L I T Y D E S I G N

MURALS WALLPAPER Bauhaus Centenary Celebrating 100 years of the Bauhaus Art School, Murals Wallpaper’s latest range features the movement’s classic shapes and shades scaled up as modern interpretations.

Comprising layered architectural visuals and shifting directions, the range combines simplicity and colour for bold impact in statement spaces. www.muralswallpaper.com

215

CHRISTOPHER FARR CLOTH An Objects Partnering with interior designer Martin Brudnizki to create a warm, welcoming aesthetic, Christopher Farr Cloth’s An Objects collection comprises original prints and weaves channelling Brudnizki’s signature chic style. Woven in Belgium and printed in England, the hand-rendered patterns incorporate high-quality wool and linen for an elegantly textured range of fabrics. www.christopherfarrcloth.com

ALISEO Nexus

BROKIS Puro

FROST Pedal Bin

With its black, ultra-matte finish and minimal styling, Aliseo’s Nexus collection encompasses a series of bathroom accessories including rails, hooks and bins that can be paired with the brand’s lighting fixtures. Constructed in solid, powder coated brass, the range features a lockin secure mounting system and covered plate with recessed set screws for easy integration and reliable performance.

The Puro suspended light from Brokis comprises handblown tubes in a dynamic, linear design, intended for placement above tables. A minimalist variation of the pendant light, the name comes from the Spanish word for cigar in reference to the adjustable, interconnecting glass tube profiles. Designed

by Lucie Koldová, the piece is an expressive solution for atmospheric table lighting.

Taking the form of a sleek minimalist container to complement modern architecture and interiors, Frost’s Pedal Bin is constructed entirely from stainless steel with a black or white powderlacquered coating for a smooth matte finish. The lid is available in six different finishes including black, copper, gold, silver and matte white, whilst a soft close mechanism minimises sound and impact damage.

www.aliseo.de

www.brokis.cz

www.frost.dk

216

850+

total exhibitors

100+ 2 $10,000

industry visionaries, innovators & experts

game changing networking events

cash giveaway

Visit hdexpo.com for more details Use promo code SLEEPER for your complimentary expo pass

May 15 – 17, 2019 Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

Presented by

HD EXPO 2019 AD_242x281.indd 93

In association with

Produced by

2/15/19 2:50 PM

THG PARIS Montaigne Created in collaboration with Stéphanie Coutas, THG’s Montaigne collection combines brass and marble across contemporary bathroom fixtures and accessories including mixers, rails, hooks and valves.

Restrained and infused with luxurious texture and detail, the series is available in finishes including polished chrome, polished or black nickel and soft or rose gold. www.thg-paris.com

PEDRALI Soul Designed by Eugeni Quitllet for Pedrali, the Soul armchair features an ergonomic polycarbonate seat upon a solid ash wood structure. Simple and refined, the near-invisible seat portion gives the impression of floating in space, whilst the sinuous frame creates an elegant profile. Finishes include bleached ash with a transparent or white seat, or black ash with a transparent smoky grey or black seat. www.pedrali.it

ANTHOLOGY Volume 06 Inspired by industrial spaces and the popularity of both polished natural and manmade surfaces, Anthology’s Volume 06 release comprises eight wallcoverings in designs reminiscent of limestone, pumice and quartz, amongst others. Channelling the aesthetics of brutalist architecture, the collection includes embosses and embellishments for textural detail, and can be paired with Anthology fabrics for complementary schemes. www.stylelibrary.com/anthology

218

We’re turning 10, join us to celebrate!

REGISTER FOR FREE clerkenwelldesignweek.com #CDW2019 #CDW10

HAKWOOD Ultramatte Lacquer Extending its Ultramatte Lacquer collection with new colour options including chalk, flint and pebble, Hakwood’s new releases have been created to suppress reflection across the surface to emphasise the colour and texture underneath, whilst a smooth or lightly brushed surface complements the rustic, natural aesthetic. www.hakwood.com

EGE Industrial Landscape The Tom Dixon-designed Industrial Landscape collection for Ege has added two new patterns to its London-inspired range. Bringing a pair of designs based on the aesthetics and historical context of coal and iron into the fold, the range complements its existing smoke, wash, blur, tide and brick patterns. www.egecarpets.com

ULSTER Vescent An eclectic stock collection comprising six designs, Ulster’s Vescent is woven in nine-row axminster quality to meet the varied demands of the contract market.

Available in 21 colours across patterns including the Linea, Arbor, Nebuila and Vapour options, its neutral palette was selected to integrate within modern interiors. www.ulstercarpets.com

220

You’ll Like the Cut of This Jib When chic staterooms transform into sprawling verandas with the push of a button, you know cruise lines are sparing no expense in creating extravagant interior designs. With over 100 ships in the orderbook, and countless more due for retrofitting, only the most lavish and luxurious interiors will suffice. Seatrade Cruise Global is the place to provide your passengers with an unforgettable, aesthetically-attractive onboard environment.

Design world-class interiors that are as alluring as they are memorable. Save your spot at the only event to bring the entire cruise industry together.

Save an Extra 10% on Your Pass with Code SLEEPER10 Register Now!

seatradecruiseglobal.com/register

8-11 April 2019 | Expo: 9-11 April 2019 Miami Beach Convention Center | Miami Beach, FL USA #STCGlobal • For more information call us at +1 212-600-3260

CASE STUDY

Nexo Luce Centara Grand West Bay Doha

Italian decorative and architectural lighting specialist Nexo Luce has designed and implemented a turnkey solution throughout the 357-key Centara Grand West Bay Doha. Set within a high-rise tower in the West Bay area of Qatar’s capital city, the hotel features interiors designed by Mirabello whilst DWP oversaw the restaurant and spa schemes. Nexo Luce’s lighting creations appear extensively across the project, with the manufacturer creating bespoke pieces as well as installing existing collection products for a programme that creates plays of light and shade from façade to suites to landscape.

Throughout the bay-inspired guestrooms, a blend of general, task and decorative accent lighting contributes to a classy brightness; whilst satin gold finishes and chrome detailing add subtle individuality to each space. Pieces here include The Tripoda floor lamp – its structure composed of three stainless steel rods in gold – and the Anello bedside lamp with its precious marble base connected to a white shade by a circular steel frame in liquid gold. Corridors and lifts meanwhile are adorned by the Infinito and Trama wall lights, which combine chintz fabrics in ivory with metal lines in polished gold, the latter intersecting at tight angles for evocative silhouettes below.

Throughout the property’s restaurants, a thematic thread of Thai culture with a modern twist has been instilled. The Speciality Restaurant, for example, features a mixture of contemporary textures

accompanied by graphic animal patterns. Interpreting this theme, Nexo Luce has created a luminous wall mosaic comprising 1,000 aluminium cubes covered in printed opal plexiglass containing LED chips, with each acting as a pixel for the larger picture created when the installation is viewed as a whole.

Lastly, a grand chandelier dominating the lobby incorporates six ellipses in galvanised gold across its 12-metre breadth, with its total weight clocking in at over two tons, and suspended with over a hundred invisible cables. The modular elements added to the structure create a sparkling effect on the surroundings of the entire lobby, with the light from the upper levels glittering over the bugnato finish and shining through the crystal prisms.

“We played an active role from the early stages of the project, collaborating with the architects and interior consultants,” explains Nexo Luce Production Manager Marco Corbetta. “This involved thousands of lighting fixtures covering decorative, architectural indoor/outdoor, landscape, technical and emergency lighting. The project has been challenging, however between meeting all parties’ objectives and balancing artistic ambitions with time and set budget, we demonstrated our capabilities at all levels from a manufacturing, design and business perspectives.” www.nexoluce.com

222

maxtubi floor

Nexo Luce | Italy

oxenluce.com

Advertising Index Albrecht Jung

183

Hector Finch

128

051

Perrin & Rowe

091

Alger 043

HI Design

Aliseo 059

Janus et Cie

008-009

Point 070

Allermuir 020-021

JC Hospitality

018-019

Porcelanosa 178

Artemide 209

Kaldewei 153

Preciosa

139

Astro Lighting

002

Kettal 004-005

Purchasing Services

113

Beck Interiors

165

Kohler 189

Restoration Hardware

Brintons 168

Kriska DĂŠcor

RHA Furniture

Brokis 227

Latitude 228

Roca 127

Chelsom 039

Laufen 045

Seatrade

Claybrook 131

Leds C4

108

Sleepover 046-047

Clerkenwell Design Week

Leisure Plan

199

Spradling

186

Duravit 159

LG Hausys

041

Stellar Works

083

EE Smith

214

Ligne Roset

022

Sunbrella 137

EPR Architects

145

Living Design

207

Supper

Ethimo 010-011

Mandarin Stone

147

Tarkett 069

Extremis 065-067

Manutti 027

Tinekhome

Feelgood Designs

225

Marset 025

Tribu 012-013

Ferreira De Sa Rugs

177

Minotti

014-017

Tuuci 197

MLE Lighting

191

UHS 107

Monitor Audio

203

Ulster Carpets

219

Frost 097 Gandia Blasco

192

184-185

Penta Light

160

006-007 105

221

213

037

099

Gervasoni 033

Nanimarquina 035

Unidrain 181

Gommaire 201

Naturalmat 143

Vincent Sheppard

195

Hakwood 095

Nexo Luce

223

Vista Green

211

Hästens

089

Nicholas Haslam

077

Warisan 057

HD Expo

217

North 4 Design

225

Zenith 205

224

The leading magazine for hotel design, development and architecture.

Subscribers benefit from: • Previews of the most exciting projects breaking ground • Reviews of new hotels opening worldwide • In-depth interviews with leading hoteliers, interior designers and architects • Exclusive updates of Sleeper’s events including AHEAD – the global awards for hospitality experience and design – and Sleepover – the networking event for hotel innovators

www.sleepermagazine.com/subscribe/

© Bart Gosselin

The One and Only ONE ROOM HOTEL, ANTWERP

If good things come in small packages, then Antwerp’s One Room Hotel could well be the best hotel in Belgium. Designed by architecture firm DMVA, the project occupies a white-plaster, 17thcentury corner house at the heart of the city, its façade measuring just 2.4m-wide. Taking up all available space within the structure’s compact L-shaped floor plan, the illusion of space is created by way of an open staircase leading to a viewpoint looking over the city, whilst a design approach based on the Le Corbusier-popularised concept of ‘promenade architecturale’ – the experience of sequence and the flow of circulation through a structure – sees wooden floors

replaced with glass tiles and interior doors removed to create a single 103m2 space spanning the entire building. All the structure’s original elements have been painted white to distinguish between heritage aspects and DMVA’s work, the latter executed in wood and including the installation of entrance doors, stairs and a terrace. The property’s opening marks the latest addition to a burgeoning microhotel community; a compact model perfect for those guests who find the traditional suite offer a tad excessive. However, any potential guests should note that, for some reason or another, One Room Hotel tends to book up quicker than most.

226

Coco Privé, Maldives – Alexa Singer

creativity without boundaries

LO N D O N / D U B A I / S I N G A P O R E / N E W YO R K

Latitude_Sleeper_Advert_ AHEAD_Inner_Page_02-19.indd 1

L AT I T U D E A G E N C Y. C O M

22/02/2019 14:25