Meeting… Jean-Michel Gathy Having designed iconic hotels from the Swiss mountains to the Vietnam tropics, the architect’s architect sits down with Sleeper to talk inspiration and the influence of travel. Words: Chris Dwyer • Portrait Photography: Courtesy of Denniston
U
p in his office with views high
properties such as Cheval Blanc Randheli,
above the ever-changing skyline
The Chedi Andermatt, multiple Aman resorts
of Kuala Lumpur, the man
including those in Venice, Turks & Caicos and
acknowledged as the architect’s
Vietnam, as well as projects for Four Seasons,
architect – creator of some of the
One & Only and Mandarin Oriental. If you’ve
world’s most luxurious hotels
swam – or taken a selfie – in the famed rooftop
and resorts – explains his disdain for modern
infinity pool overlooking Singapore at Marina
technology in the design process. “A computer?
Bay Sands, or slept in any of the numerous
No, everything by hand. Every single drawing
luxury tented accommodations springing up,
out of this office comes from my hand. I work
then you have Gathy to thank.
18 hours-a-day; last night it was three o’clock in the morning when I went to bed.”
The Belgian maestro is now 64, but looks much younger than his years, despite a global
A preference for pen over PC is a remarkable
travel schedule that would be punishing for
admission from anyone in the world of
someone three decades his junior. In many ways
hospitality, but when you consider what Jean-
however, travel has defined Gathy’s life. He fell
Michel Gathy has achieved, it almost defies
in love with atlases and globes as a youngster,
belief. Projects of such scale, innovation and
planning his family’s holidays at the age of just
daring have flowed from this pen, and the
nine. Today it remains his ultimate source of
insatiably curious mind guiding it, for almost
seemingly endless creative inspiration. “My
four decades.
bank of knowledge is from travel,” he says.
As
Principal
Designer
of
Denniston,
“When you travel, you absorb unconsciously:
the company he founded in 1993, Gathy’s
proportions, songs, looks, colours – fields that
remarkable back catalogue includes iconic
your brain continuously assimilates. I need a
