Sleeper 96 by Mondiale Media

HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE & DESIGN

THE GOODTIME HOTEL – MIAMI • MICHAEL FUERSTMAN • HOTEL PARADISO – PARIS

Harvard Lantern

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CONTENTS ISSUE 96 098

134

HOTEL REVIEWS The Goodtime Hotel

078

SensAsia Stories Spa, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates

084

The Clan Hotel

087

Hotel Paradiso

092

Xigera Safari Lodge

098

André Fu Suite, The Upper House

106

Miami

Dubai

Singapore 087

Paris

Botswana

Hong Kong

Kayak 108 Miami Beach

116

Toggle Hotel

114

Hutton Brickyards

116

Tokyo

New York

DEVELOPMENT REPORTS

Pipeline, performance and projects: with hotel development ramping up in some parts of the world, what can the Maldives and Saudi Arabia bring to the hospitality landscape?

Maldives 122 Saudi Arabia

134

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CONTENTS ISSUE 96 FEATURES

078

Meeting... Michael Fuerstman

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Meeting... Isabel Pintado

056

Taking It Slow

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Retail Retold

144

Having originally pursued a career in political science, the co-founder and Creative Director of Pendry Hotels & Resorts tells of the winding path to uncovering his passion for hospitality.

As Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts prepares to celebrate its 60th year, the group’s newly appointed Senior Vice President of Design & Innovation discusses its next phase of growth.

048

092

In an exclusive interview, Slow founder Claus Sendlinger and CEO Serdar Kutucu explain how the collective is reframing the way travellers live and interact through a more conscious approach.

Having brought both retail and hospitality to their knees, the Coronavirus pandemic has seen both sectors assessing their future. Could a burgeoning hybrid model save the day?

REGULARS Check-In 028 © Romain Ricard

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163

Drawing Board

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The Lobby

067

Business Centre

150

Lighting & Control

163

Window Dressing

182

Specifier 185 Check-Out

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LET’S FOCUS ON THE “WE” IN WELLBEING.

Chalet Anna Maria, Photographer Alex Kaiser, Austria

KOKON Corporate Campus, Liechtenstein

Courtesy of Faena Hotel, Miami Beach. Photographer Nik Koenig, USA

From the start of planning all the way to the finishing touches, we’re your partner of choice when it comes to bringing health-promoting sauna and spa solutions to life. Whatever your wishes are and whatever the spa trend is, together we can make it happen. After all, one thing is for sure: guests will be looking for a healthy lifestyle, more than ever before. And where better to find it than in the unique spa experience you offer?

Be inspired, discover your spa vision of the future at www.klafs.com

RH.COM/CONTRACT 2021 AHEAD AWARDS - GLOBAL HEADLINE SPONSOR Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, Hokkaido, Japan

Create, innovate. Design.

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INTERCONTINENTAL LYON – HOTEL DIEU. FRANCE Studio Jean Philippe Nuel.

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WELCOME

ON THE COVER The Goodtime Hotel, Miami Beach © Alice Gao

Supply and Demand

f you’re a regular traveller, jetting from city to city for the

to existing properties, with part of the appeal being minimal

sake of an hour-long meeting or whistle-stop tour, the

contact with others, meaning that even the most cautious of

chances are, a departures lounge or the cramped cabin of

guests can get away.

an aeroplane don’t top your list of favourite places to spend

The Hoxton meanwhile has taken the idea further, launching

time. But in the wake of the pandemic, with international

a campervan experience in which travellers can rest easy in the

travel restricted for months on-end, the humble passenger jet

knowledge that they don’t need to cosy up with strangers on a

has taken on an almost untouchable status, so much so that

plane or train to reach their destination. It’s yet another move

a recent poll found that the view from a plane was amongst

towards the convergence of transportation and hospitality –

the top sights people wanted to see again post-pandemic.

the very focus of our sister publication, Starboard – in which

Who would have thought we would long for lengthy check-in

hotel brands are taking their signature experiences to private

queues or have a hunger for in-flight meals?

jets, sleeper trains and river boats through partnerships and

As borders reopen and vaccination programmes continue to

new models. Or in the case of Rockliffe Hall, the country

roll-out, there’s early signs of recovery in the airline industry

house hotel has created its own lounge at Teesside Airport. In

with online travel agencies reporting a surge in flight searches.

this way, operators are able to control both health and safety

In the wider travel sector, consumer interest in flight tickets

procedures and the guest experience across the entire journey.

is a good indicator of future hotel bookings, so at a time when

For the guest, there’s peace-of-mind and a guaranteed

pent-up demand is at an all-time high, this could be the good

standard of quality that comes with a known brand, and for

news the hospitality industry has been waiting for.

the operator, there’s commercial benefits. Just imagine if a

While it’s expected that a full recovery to 2019 performance

plane-full of passengers spent every moment – and every

will take 18-24 months, Q3 2021 is being dubbed The Great

dime – of their holiday within the purview of a single operator,

Vaxication, in which vaccinated travellers make up for lost time

from the ground and air transportation to the overnight stay.

and are finally able to give in to their wanderlust. According

Increased demand for private travel solutions coupled with

to a recent survey by STR, it’s government restrictions and

a move towards the quality of trips over quantity could see

the hassle of quarantine that’s putting travellers off rather

hospitality re-emerge with fresh-thinking. Despite the pent-

than desire or potential negative impact on guest experience.

up demand, hospitality groups that can best supply a cohesive

Hotels are undoubtedly doing all they can to lure guests

experience from door to door will ultimately stay ahead of

back; along with flexible cancellation policies and heightened

the curve.

hygiene measures, there’s a host of new concepts and experiences designed to get bums on seats and heads in beds. And with demand for self-contained accommodation on the rise, new supply is increasingly coming in the form of shepherd huts, log cabins or pods. Many are extensions

Catherine Martin • Managing Editor

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GUEST BOOK

078 David Grutman and Pharrell Williams

After making their name in the movies, Nathanaël and Elisha Karmitz – the brothers behind French film company MK2 – have taken to the hospitality stage to launch a cinema-hotel, where every guestroom hosts private screenings. The siblings tapped into their personal network of artists and designers to bring the hybrid concept to life, working with local architects DVVD and former fashion designer Alix Thomsen to create a movie-themed experience that is every cinephile’s dream.

“We want The Goodtime Hotel to impart a feeling of both revitalisation and that rare, exciting thrill that takes over when you discover something special,” says musician Pharrell Williams of his first hotel, produced in collaboration with nightclub magnate David Grutman and American designer Ken Fulk. Described as Art Deco with a twist, the spirited South Beach bolthole is part haven, part playground, and sees a scheme of pastel hues accompany whimsical detailing.

092 Nathanaël and Elisha Karmitz

116 David Bowd

098 Toni Tollman

Having worked in the hospitality industry from a young age, David Bowd, co-founder and CEO of Salt Hotels is passionate about creating hotels with a sense of place. The group’s latest opening, Hutton Brickyards in Upstate New York, sees a former brickworks on the banks of the Hudson River transformed into a rambling retreat. Crumbling industrial units have been repurposed as dining and events spaces, while accommodation cabins feature floor-to-ceiling glazing to connect guests to the surrounding nature.

“Xigera is my family’s love letter to the magic of the African bush,” says Toni Tollman of the latest addition to The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, a tented lodge in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. As Director of Design & Projects, Tollman has been hands-on in curating interiors at all of the family-run group’s properties, working alongside her sister and their mother. At Xigera, a commitment to Africa is expressed through a collection of art commissioned from the continent’s most exciting artists and artisans.

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FRONT DESK @SleeperMagazine

EDITORIAL

DESIGN

FINANCE

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Finance Director Amanda Giles

Production Dan Seaton

Group Financial Controller Sarah Healey

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Managing Editor Catherine Martin

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Assistant Editor Ben Thomas

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CHECK-IN

Constantina Tsoutsikou Having spent lockdown between the UK and Greece – where she is working on a number of hotel projects – the founder of Studio Lost takes a fantasy break aboard a luxury train, crossing continents via the scenic route.

Where are you?

And who’s at the concierge desk?

Who designed it?

I’m taking the famous Trans-Siberian journey

The concierge from Hôtel National Des Arts

It’s a Tony Duquette Russian extravaganza.

from Moscow to Vladivostok on board a brand-

& Métiers in Paris. They bring with them a

new luxury train. I like being on the move and

book of continent-spanning contacts and

What’s the restaurant and bar like?

the train has an enchanted feel – think Orient

arrange cultural encounters and transformative

The dining carriage unites medieval velvet

Express meets Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. I

experiences at every stop, from tours of Lake

banquette seats, a large gold samovar and tables

love the notion of romantic rail travel and the

Baikal to film screenings in abandoned churches.

topped with crisp white linen and fresh flowers. The room is connected to an open kitchen,

slowness of it. We’ll be skipping cities on the Who are you sharing your room with?

where the magic happens. Crystal glasses clink

Between myself, my husband Damian and

and the spirits are high as DJs Kasper Bjorke and

How did you get there?

our daughters Athena, Isis and Sophia, we are

Åmnfx get started on the decks.

We are keeping a low carbon footprint so

spread out across a few compartments. Close

first sailed to the Netherlands and had lunch

friends are taking up the rest of the carriage.

typical timetable and taking the scenic route.

Who’s manning the stoves? Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt – and a bunch of

in Amsterdam. We then travelled by rail to Warsaw, and arrived in Moscow on a sleeper

Is there anything you would like waiting for

eccentric foodies are also on board. Once a day,

train, picking up friends along the way. Every

you in your cabin?

we make a stop for supplies in remote villages.

private carriage has been redecorated and this

A bottle of Krug on ice, a bowl of fresh cherries

We all jump out and forage together with locals

one-off service is being run by Belmond.

and a travel-size Smythson journal with crisp

while Niklas prepares the open fire.

new sheets and my initials embossed on the Who is there to greet you on arrival?

cover. I will be filling the pages with sketches,

And what’s on the menu?

In Moscow, we’re met by the team from Aman

thoughts and details of this epic journey.

There’s no set menu, it depends on what we find foraging and what is sold in local shops.

Kyoto, who will take us from west to east. I have asked Anton Evseev to join us too. Strictly

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

speaking, he is a translator whom I have worked

The bedroom suite opens up to a gorgeous

with in Russia, but his services span that of a

lounge, where the walls are lined in fabric with

Who are you dining with this evening?

concierge, travel coordinator and tourist guide –

rich details. Everything has been thoughtfully

Damian is sitting next to Rei Kawakubo of

he tops it all off with a good dose of dry sarcasm.

designed and crafted to make good use of every

Comme des Garçons, and I am in between Greek

inch of space. The rugs feel soft underfoot, the

novelist George Seferis and Jonny Johansson of

lighting is gentle and the furniture includes

Acne Studios. We have Icelandic writer Halldór

signature vintage pieces. The art takes my

Laxness on the table next to us and every now

breath away – it’s constructivist, utopic and

and again I lean back to tell him how much I

avant-garde. As we are on the move, it is all

loved his books, while we take a shot of vodka.

about what is out of the windows too; floor-

Our friends fill the rest of the room. Storytellers

to-ceiling openings offer an ever-changing

and palm readers come in to tell us about what

view of birch tree forests, the Ural Mountains,

fortunes await us at every stop. Everyone is

gingerbread houses and frozen rivers.

having a great time!

NOTABLE HOTEL PROJECTS The Royal Senses Resort & Spa, Crete; Numo Ierapetra, Crete; The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Macau www.studiolost.co.uk

Everything is raw and fresh.

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DRAWING BOARD

Antasia Beach Club CYPRUS

Designed by Cypriot architecture studio Psomas and featuring interiors by Baranowitz & Kronenberg, Antasia Beach Club will be the latest opening from Thanos Hotels & Resorts when it arrives in Paphos in Summer 2021. Located on Kato Paphos beach close to the group’s Almyra and Annabelle resorts, the venture combines striking architecture and interiors with a laid-back experience and sophisticated day-to-night vibe. Seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living, Antasia will feature a neutral colour palette that complements its coastal surroundings, as well bespoke furniture – including rustic wooden daybeds – manufactured in Cyprus, and an impressive spiral staircase that leads up to a terrace offering generous views over the nearby Paphos Castle. The food menu meanwhile has been created by Chef Akos Richweisz under the supervision of celebrated British chef David Goodridge and will combine locally-sourced ingredients with an Asian flair.

DRAWING BOARD

Eco-Floating Hotel

Hayri Atak Architectural Design Studio has

feature. Its main purpose however is to collect

unveiled plans for a floating hotel designed to

rainwater that can be used both for greywater

QATAR

the core principles of conserving energy and

recycling and as irrigation for the greenery.

reducing waste.

Clean water will be obtained by purifying

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Architecture: Hayri Atak Architectural Design Studio www.hayriatak.com

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Developed together with the expertise of naval

seawater, while wastewater will be treated so

architects and engineers, the 152-key property

as not to harm the environment. The Turkish

is set to be based in Qatar, though has no fixed

design studio also plans to develop waste

location due to its mobile characteristic. The

separation units in order to turn food waste into

ocean current will keep the vessel moving, with

fertiliser for the landscaping.

the upper structure rotating 360 degrees every

The hotel is accessed via a floating pier, boating

24 hours, providing guests with ever-changing

dock or floating helipad, with a computer-

views and cruicially generating electrical

controlled dynamic positioning system utilised

energy. A system known as vertical axis wind

to maintain the vessel’s direction, powered by

turbine and umbrella (VAWTAU) will also be

its own propellers and thrusters.

employed, in which wind currents caused by

Each guestroom comes with a private balcony,

the temperature difference between land and

while facilities on board include multiple F&B

sea produce enough energy to power the resort.

venues, infinity pool, a beach club, spa and

The centrepiece of the architecture is a

sauna, gym and mini golf course. Although there

vortex glass roof inspired by the surrounding

is no exact date for the opening, feasibility and

waterscape, designed to whirlpool down to the

technical studies are ongoing and it is hoped the

heart of the 700m2 lobby as a unique visual

venture will be completed by 2025.

adv D+ / ph Federico Ciamei

design Eva Germani

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DRAWING BOARD

The Rome Edition

Edition Hotels, the lifestyle brand conceived

restaurant with outdoor dining space, a Punch

by Ian Schrager in collaboration with Marriott

Room Bar with crafted cocktails, and a rooftop

ROME

International, has unveiled plans to plant its

terrace overlooking the city.

first flag in Italy, with The Rome Edition slated to open in late 2021.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Operator: Ian Schrager Company and Marriott International www.editionhotels.com

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The Rome Edition is one of eight new Edition properties expected to open across three

Located just a few steps from Via Veneto and

continents by the end of 2022. New openings

Bernini’s Tritone Fountain in Piazza Barberin,

include sites in Madrid, Dubai, Reykjavik,

the hotel will occupy a historic building

Tampa, Doha and Mexico’s Riviera Maya, as

well as a second property in Tokyo.

with architect Marcello Piacentini – one of

“I’ve always been committed to being

Italy’s leading architects of Rationalism in the

involved in special projects on a global scale

early 20th century.

that reach new heights,” explains Ian Schrager.

The accommodation offer comprises 95

“I’m thrilled to work together with Marriott,

guestrooms and suites, the most exclusive

and the opportunity to see these hotels come

being a penthouse with private terrace spanning

to life across the world is a dream come true.”

130m2. In addition to customisable indoor and

With 11 hotels currently operating worldwide,

outdoor event spaces, the Rome outpost will

the planned openings underscore the brand’s

feature a rooftop swimming pool, a spacious hi-

strong growth and will bring the portfolio to

tech gym and two spa treatment rooms. There

a total of 19 properties globally. In addition to

will also be a selection of uniquely designed

these new properties, Edition Hotels expects to

food and beverage outlets, including a signature

announce further expansion later in 2022.

PH BERNARD TOUILLON

S W I N G BY PAT R I C K N O R G U E T

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DRAWING BOARD

Numo Ierapetra

Studio Lost – a new design practice founded by

guided by the land, ensuring minimum

Constantina Tsoutsikou – has revealed details

disruption to the surrounding flora.

CRETE

of a beachfront resort set to open in southern Crete in Summer 2021.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Operator: Troulis Royal Collection Interior Design: Studio Lost www.numoierapetra.com

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The interior design scheme is also guided by the landscape, with tactile natural materials and

Located in the town of Ierapetra approximately

an earthy palette inspired by the light grey tones

100km from Heraklion International Airport,

of the pebble beach and the gentle green of the

Numo occupies a secluded site by the beach

native tamarisk trees. “Boho chic and escapist

surrounded by evergreen gardens, and features

mood was our design intention for Numo,”

132 keys as well as three restaurants, two bars,

explains Tsoutsikou. “We had a wonderful

a spa and an outdoor fitness zone.

palette of inspiration. During the first site walk,

The masterplan, comprising a series of

I fell in love with the landscape and especially

low-rise buildings that cascade towards the

the mature tamarisk trees that line the beach.

ocean, has been reviewed and reinvented

I took back with me a small piece of bark from

by Studio Lost, with the primary aim being

the tree trunk and a handful of leaves and they

to create a serene escape that is inspired by

provided the first ideas of a colour palette.”

nature. In developing the existing property,

Public spaces follow the same aesthetic, with

new guestrooms typologies have been formed,

added energy courtesy of live cooking stations,

garden areas added to ground-floor rooms,

guest chefs and DJs. There’s also an outdoor

private pools created and landscaped terraces

cinema and a sprawling beach bar, where guests

enhanced. The intervention to each of the 17

can order craft cocktails while lounging in

accommodation buildings has been delicately

cabanas by the swimming pool.

DRAWING BOARD

Novotel

Purpose ID has shared design details of Novotel

For the interior design scheme, Purpose

Lubumbashi, one of three upcoming Novotel

ID looked to Lubumbashi’s mining heritage

LUBUMBASHI

properties in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

and copper-coloured, mineral-rich soil for

Set to open in the mining capital later this year,

inspiration, developing a palette that extends

the project is part of Accor’s plans to expand

from the lobby to the 120 guestrooms. “We

across Sub-Saharan Africa.

selected industrial finishes such as metal,

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Developer: Compagnie Hôtelière et Immobilière du Congo Operator: Accor Architecture: Arcop Associates Interior Design: Purpose ID www.purposeid.com

038

The Dubai-based studio was tasked with

concrete and natural stone, offsetting them

developing one of the Novotel brand’s four new

with carefully selected materials, subtle lighting

design directives, adapting it to suit the local

and colour highlights of cobalt and malachite,”

market and introduce a sense of place.

continues Thomson, adding that the material

“One principle of the directive was for a

palette was adapted to be more refined than

continuity between the urban space and the

distressed. “There’s still an industrial feel but

hotel lobby, with minimal partitions and large

its softer, more welcoming, more comfortable.”

open perspectives,” explains Gail Thomson,

Novotel Lubumbashi is slated to open in 2022,

founder and Creative Director of Purpose ID.

along with Novotel Kinshasa in the centre of the

“However site constraints, security issues in

capital, and later followed by a 102-key property

the region and business etiquette required a

in Kolwezi, another mining town in the south.

different approach, so we explored the idea of

All are being developed in partnership with

visually connecting spaces and created informal

Compagnie Hôtelière et Immobilière du Congo

seating pockets with sightlines through to areas

as part of a deal to bring a total of 337 keys to

of activity.”

Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest country.

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

DRAWING BOARD

Siringit Migration Camp

Conservation-focused hotel group Mantis has

Mantis. In addition to morning and evening

announced the latest addition to its portfolio

game drives through the remote African

TANZANIA

of luxury hotels, eco-lodges, waterways and

savannah, the experience includes picnics, bush

impact experiences, with the new venture

lunches, dinners and sundowner drinks.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Operator: Mantis www.mantiscollection.com

040

unique in that it moves with wildebeest as they

Furthermore, all Siringit properties work with

migrate from the northern to the southern

Pack-for-a-Purpose, an initiative that provides

plains of Tanzania each season.

travellers with the information they need to

Scheduled to open later this year, Siringit

take requested supplies for community-based

Migration Camp is built on raised platforms

projects. Alternatively, Siringit can arrange for

and comprises eight luxury guest tents – two

supplies to be purchased ahead of time, ready

of which can be interlinked – as well as separate

for guests to deliver themselves upon arrival.

dining and lounge tents. Every few months, the

Guests are also invited to offset their carbon

camp will move to follow the migration route

footprint using CCFA’s carbon calculator.

of wildlife within the Serengeti National Park,

“Our guests play an important role in

providing guests with a front-row seat to one of

supporting conservation-led hospitality, and

the world’s greatest natural wonders.

the experiences we create for our guests allow

“The Great Migration is on the bucket-list

them to see first-hand how Mantis offers

of many international travellers and we want

curated destinations inspired by sustainable

to make the experience even more momentous

adventures,” notes Gardiner. “These are

by getting our guests as close as possible to

experiences where luxury travel and eco-

the wildlife,” explains Paul Gardiner, CEO of

tourism meet.”

DRAWING BOARD

Janu

Aman has announced plans to debut its new

identified as the ‘B-2 District Tower’. Designed

lifestyle brand in Tokyo in 2023. Located

by Denniston under the leadership of Jean-

TOKYO

within the 8.1-hectare Toranomon-Azabudai

Michel Gathy, the 120-key hotel aims to bring

development, Janu Tokyo will sit alongside

a contemporary and playful spirit to the urban

Aman’s first residence-only project, both

development, whilst respecting the sense of

of which are a collaboration with Japanese

place. Features include a 3,500m2 spa offering

developer Mori Building.

extensive wellness facilities, as well as six food

“Being part of the Toranomon-Azabudai

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Developer: Mori Building Operator: Aman Architecture: Denniston www.janu.com

042

and beverage outlets.

project will enable us to bring to life Aman’s

Shingo Tsuji, President and CEO of Mori

fifth development within Japan, this time

Building, comments: “Mori Building is joining

offering a permanent sanctuary for owners as

hands with Aman, which operates diverse

well as exclusive access to the Aman lifestyle,”

world-class resorts, to provide a residential

explains Vladislav Doronin, Chairman and CEO

environment and hotel unlike anything ever

of Aman and Janu. “Furthermore, it will provide

seen in Tokyo, where people will achieve

the setting for Janu Tokyo. In this hub of culture

harmony with nature as well as connect with

and art, we want to connect guests to the heart

and inspire others through creativity.”

of this vibrant community and offer a chance for creative expression.”

Janu is exploring further sites across the globe with projects already under construction

Representing the brand’s inaugural city

in Saudi Arabia and Montenegro, the latter of

hotel, Janu Tokyo will occupy a prime position

which will be the first hotel to incorporate the

facing the central square, within a building

brand’s serviced residence concept.

T U U C I E Q U I N O X W I T H A U T O M AT E D L O U V E R E D R O O F, L I G H T I N G A N D H E AT I N G

T U U C I .C O M

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DRAWING BOARD

The Ritz-Carlton

Marriott International has signed an agreement

about authenticity, nature in its essence, and

with hotelier Mario Julen to launch its first

respect for manmade history,” say Amalou

ZERMATT

Ritz-Carlton ski resort in Europe. Expected to

and Ledoux. “It is a place for slowing down,

arrive in Zermatt in 2026, the 69-key property

for contemplation. A wellness retreat to find

will become Ritz-Carlton’s second flag in

freedom in the presence of the mountains.”

Switzerland, joining The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix in Geneva, which opened in 1865.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Mario Julen Operator: Marriott International Architecture and Interior Design: AW2 www.ritzcarlton.com

044

Channelling a refined take on the classic mountain chalet, the resort’s cabins and F&B

venues – including two restaurants and two

interior agency AW2, led by Reda Amalou and

bars, an outdoor terrace and a private dining

Stéphanie Ledoux, The Ritz-Carlton Zermatt

room – will provide views of the Matterhorn

will draw inspiration from the nomadic origins

mountain range, while plans are afoot for a spa

of the region’s Walser people, aiming to

and gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools,

connect guests with nature and celebrate the

and meeting and event facilities. Ski-in-ski-

mountain location. The buildings’ façades will

out access to the slopes will round out the offer.

be finished with locally sourced materials such

“This is an emotional project for me as I

as timber and stone to reflect the rustic lifestyle

have worked for many years to bring it to life,”

of the native community, while a pellet-based

Julen notes. “It is not only a declaration of love

heating system will help to minimise the energy

to my hometown, but also to the luxury hotel

consumption of the entire development.

business. As the first major global brand in

“The Ritz-Carlton Zermatt is a place to connect with nature and our inner self. It is

Zermatt, my wish is that the project brings a new level of hospitality to the Swiss Alps.”

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29/04/21 16:41

DRAWING BOARD

The St Regis

HBA San Francisco has unveiled interior

traditions, drew inspiration from its ateliers,

details of The St Regis Los Cabos, slated to

and collaborated with local artists to realise

LOS CABOS

open in Q4 2022. Situated within the luxury

handmade goods in a contemporary way while

resort community of Quivira on Mexico’s

honouring traditional techniques.”

Baja Peninsula, the 33-acre development will

Situated at the heart of the hotel, The St

be the first St Regis property in the region

Regis Bar will be flanked by walls of sculptural

and comprises 20 guestrooms and suites, 74

ironwork in a filigree pattern and a wood-

residences and a variety of amenities spread

beamed trellis, while the wider F&B offering will

along 12,000 feet of pristine beachfront.

include a specialty restaurant, a chef’s table,

HBA’s modern yet authentic design scheme will be rooted in a Mexican aesthetic, using

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Developer: Quivira Los Cabos Operator: Marriott International Architecture: SB Architects Interior Design: HBA San Francisco, Gomez Vasquez International Main Contractor: Hill International www.st-regis.marriott.com

046

an intimate bar and a show kitchen counter enveloped by lounge-style seating.

traditional materials that honour the area’s

Guestrooms will boast macramé canopy beds

surroundings and culture. Colours, patterns

facing the sea, while on the terrace, hammocks

and textures inspired by the sea, along with its

and a daybed for two are Mexican in character

windswept rocks and granite cliffs, will further

and feature pillows encased in custom-crafted

reinforce this connection to the landscape.

fabrics. Bathrooms will be equipped with a

“So much of the property details an expression

double vanity, bespoke tub and pass-through

of our own journey in creating the narrative

shower, while a wall of tiles – punctuated by

for this project,” says HBA Associate Cynthia

glass that draws the eye to the ocean – is to span

Peller Hum. “We travelled to Oaxaca, where

the space and be finished in an ancient medium

we immersed ourselves in the city’s cultural

and cool hues.

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01.04.21 11:46

Meeting… Michael Fuerstman He may be the son of a seasoned hotelier, but the hospitality industry didn’t initially come calling for Michael Fuerstman. Here, the co-founder and Creative Director of Pendry Hotels & Resorts tells of the winding path to uncovering his passion. Words: Ayesha Khan • Portrait Photography: © Christian Horan

aking the cut to be a pool boy at

Fuerstman recalls. “He said, ‘let’s put your

the newly-opened Bellagio Las

vision and our vision together and do something

Vegas was a big deal in 1999.

iconic in the city.’ We went to look at the site

Sure, Michael Fuerstman, then

and fell in love with the neighbourhood. The

15, had an unfair advantage –

building is so iconic; it floats over the water

his father was one of the big

and used to be a port of immigration. People set

bosses – but he largely relied on his inherited

foot on American soil for the first time there,

hospitality prowess and charm to land the

and it was the most trafficked port outside of

coveted summer job. “I was lucky enough to

Ellis Island – such a weighty history! Sagamore

have that job for three years and it still may

Pendry Baltimore showed us that luxury can be

be the best job I ever had in my life. It was

a rate-leader – we eclipsed even a Four Seasons

incredible,” he quips.

in performance.”

Fast-forward 22 years and the charming

The Pendry brand wasn’t built completely

young attendant is now the co-founder and

from scratch; Fuerstman’s father, Alan, had

Creative Director of one of the hospitality

already catalysed the wild success of his

industry’s hottest new brands. Started in San

brainchild Montage International, and Pendry

Diego’s trendy Gaslamp Quarter in 2017, Pendry

was formed as a younger, more urban extension

really sprouted legs when Under Armour founder

of the brand. “We’d always been thinking

Kevin Plank decided to go in with Fuerstman on

about having a complementary luxury brand,”

a Baltimore flag, set in the dramatic Recreation

Fuerstman says of the genesis of Pendry. “10

Pier building that dates back to 1914. “Baltimore

years after we started Montage, we took a look

was never a city that was on our radar but we

around and had this great point of view as to

partnered with Kevin who is such a visionary,”

what was resonating with our guests. We felt

MEETING…

At the newly-opened Pendry West Hollywood (top) and Sagamore Pendry Baltimore (bottom), the design scheme honours the rich history of the locale

that a new luxury customer had come into being, and what they cared about was a little different than what the previous generation cared about from a style perspective. They were really into architecture, design and art as part of their hotel experience.” So, just like the proverbial son following in his father’s footsteps, so too did the Pendry brand, proving to contain all the DNA of Montage, but with a decidedly younger, more current ethos. With a ‘know thyself’ mantra, Pendry’s design is rooted in its host city’s heritage but is notably forward-thinking. The narrative of each hotel is crafted together with local artists and celebrated, and is as relevant for locals as it is for the savvy, younger social set that is the Pendry customer. Ironically, and indeed like many secondgeneration hoteliers, the younger Fuerstman didn’t always have ambitions of joining the hospitality industry. For college, rather than

“We felt that a new luxury customer had come into being, and what they cared about was a little different than what the previous generation cared about from a style perspective. They were really into architecture, design and art as part of their hotel experience.”

Much to the delight of his father, this venture brought Fuerstman right back into the family business. But he is quick to point out that he isn’t simply his father’s son, and that their skills complement one another. “I love working with my dad. We come from complete opposite sides of the business,” he explains. “I started on the development side and he started out on the operations side, and where we are right now is really fun; he brings the perspective of how we can actually do things and for me, it’s about the concept, what’s the hook that guests will get excited about.” It is Fuerstman’s position on the development side that allows him to craft enduring narratives and work with some of the best culinary and creative minds in the industry. Speaking to his creative process, he explains that each project is filled with years of careful planning and curation. “We craft every Pendry from scratch,

opting to study hotel management, Fuerstman

each and every time. We question architecture

pursued a Political Science degree at Boston’s

and the best use of space. We then make a

Tufts University. On the side, he enlisted in the

shortlist of interior designers we want to

gruelling nightshift at a local hotel, checking

partner with, a shortlist of brands we want to

guests in after-hours and delivering room

bring in and a shortlist of culinary experiences

service. “It was interesting getting to know all

we want to offer. We put it together to create a

the areas within a hotel,” Fuerstman recalls.

unique guest experience; it is so specific and so

“I loved it, but also learned hospitality wasn’t

different each time.”

going to be for me, or so I thought at the time.

Earlier this spring the brand took its winning

I was looking for something that would test

formula into two key American cities. In the

my business mind as well as my creativity.”

He goes on to attribute his hospitality foray

much-lauded hotel and residential project in

Discouraged from the failure of a seemingly

to nonchalantly accompanying his father to a

West Hollywood, Fuerstman teamed up with

disruptive social media platform he developed

Montage development meeting. What he learned

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to tell the tale

with some college friends, Fuerstman ultimately

during that short encounter left him filled with

of a chic, Hollywood hotel filled with artist

moved back to his family home of California.

bright-eyed wonderment. “I was hooked,” he

collaborations. “Martin has brought a level

Asked about lessons learned from his industry

quips. “I knocked on the developer’s door and

of sophistication refinement, boldness and

veteran father, Fuerstman says: “It sounds

begged him to hire me, even if it was unpaid.

energy to the design,” Fuerstman says. “We’re

cliché, but my father taught me the power and

I would take field measurements for them, run

passionate about designing a community

value of hard work, combined with dedicating

and get coffee, whatever it took.” Ultimately

experience for locals by locals and envision the

time and energy to the things that light us

Fuerstman was hired as an assistant project

hotel as a hospitality and entertainment anchor

up. For me, that’s personal and professional.

manager and learned the craft. He recalls: “I

in the city.”

Professionally, it took a bit of a winding path

was sitting in design meetings, putting together

The hotel’s culinary partner, Chef Wolfgang

to uncover my passion for creating something

plumbing fixture matrices, looking at everything

Puck, brings an array of offerings, from a

tangible that people can experience.”

on site, and what it takes to build stuff.”

rooftop restaurant overlooking the city to a

051

MEETING…

“We make a shortlist of interior designers we want to partner with, a shortlist of brands we want to bring in and a shortlist of culinary experiences we want to offer; We put it together to create a unique guest experience.”

casual eatery described by Puck as a marriage

wanted to take a James Perse-inspired, Malibu

between a French brasserie and Italian trattoria.

clean, with a creamy, calm aesthetic and have

Located on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and

warm glowing amber light everywhere. We

Olive Drive, the European-style café offers both

wanted a palette-cleansing space that is a calm

indoor and al fresco dining, serving an all-day

in the hustle and bustle of New York,” Fuerstman

menu of neighbourhood-friendly favourites.

says of the property, set in an undulating SOM-

There’s also two bars, and a chic members-

designed building in Manhattan’s new Hudson

only club complete with a screening room and

Yards neighbourhood.

bowling alley that harks back to the Rat Pack days on the Sunset Strip.

Later on this year, a hotel and residences complex in Park City, Utah will bring what

2021 has also seen the opening of Pendry

Fuerstman describes as a “super-contemporary,

Chicago, set in the 1929 Art Deco landmark

architecture driven mountain hotel” to the

Carbide & Carbon Building. Here, Fuerstman

Pendry portfolio. Designed by SB Architects,

teamed up with Studio Munge for the design

the property is influenced by the area’s rich

of the 364 guestrooms and suites as well as a

mining history and neighbouring mountain

signature restaurant and bar concept overseen

ridges, though is a deliberate departure from

by Andy Masi of Clique Hospitality.

the traditional log cabin aesthetic, instead

Pendry’s imminent New York City opening

reinterpreting Park City’s past in a new,

meanwhile will see a collaboration with Studio

more contemporary way. Along with the 150

Gachot and the culinary stylings of Quality

guestrooms, facilities include a spa, meeting

Foods, a mainstay on the city’s dining scene.

space and 4,000ft2 ballroom, while a rooftop

“For Pendry Manhattan West, we studied

pool, Japanese steakhouse and happening

California and New York design elements. We

Mexican eatery will surely cement the hotel’s

052

MEETING…

Pendry Washington DC The Wharf will bring three food and beverage concepts and a destination pool deck to the waterfront development in 2022

position as the hottest new opening of the

Europe for this destination,” he says, assuring

winter season in the popular ski haven.

us that he will make the good news public later

Other ventures include a hotel in Washington

on in the year. “I am really attuned to the fact

DC, due to open in 2022 at The Wharf, where

that the sensibilities of a European traveller

DesignAgency will create three food and

are going to be very different from those of an

beverage concepts and a destination pool deck

American traveller. That challenge of tapping

for the waterfront development. There’s also

into that mindset and understanding how to stay

Pendry La Quinta, currently under construction

ahead of the guests is the challenge with going

in the heart of Coachella Valley in Southern

international,” he explains, insisting he’s more

California, and Pendry Natirar, occupying a

excited than hesitant for this venture. “I know

grand, Tudor-style mansion and billed as the

our guests in the States, I am one of them, but

rebirth of the great, American country estate.

in Europe, it’s not quite the same. Regardless,

The latter, led by Coscia Moos Architecture, will

it will be a great learning experience,” he adds

debut in 2022 and sees the restoration of the

with a smile.

original manor house as well as a sympathetic newbuild housing events spaces. Pendry’s ability to shrug off the many

Amsterdam? Wherever it may be, Pendry’s first

pandemic setbacks and single-mindedly pursue

international venture is sure to resonate with

its development pipeline is nothing if not

urbanites who appreciate this singular brand

commendable. But when will the brand make

defined by understated, thoughtful and truly

its first international foray? Fuerstman is tight-

indigenous luxury.

lipped but a little journalistic prying elicits some insight. “Our largest feeder market will be

054

We, of course, are left guessing as to where flags will be planted: London perhaps? Paris?

Meeting… Isabel Pintado As Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts prepares to celebrate its 60th year, the group’s newly appointed Senior Vice President of Design & Innovation discusses the next phase of growth. Words: Ben Thomas

PROFILE Isabel Pintado Senior Vice President, Design & Innovation Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Having joined Four Seasons in early 2021, Isabel Pintado is responsible for evolving the brand’s design vision and aesthetic across its global portfolio, as well as collaborating cross-functionally throughout the organisation to enhance the guest experience and programming.

Isabel Pintado has a proven track record in the

Pintado is no stranger to the group’s offering.

world of hospitality design. Having accumulated

“I’ve been lucky enough to stay at several Four

more than 25 years of experience in the industry,

Seasons in the past, so I have experienced the

including stints as Head of Interior Design at

service culture and beautiful properties first-

Godwin Austen Johnson, Managing Director

hand,” she recalls. “What I’ve always admired

of LW Design Group and Senior Vice President

about the brand is the understated luxury that

at Wilson Associates – where she headed up

permeates every touchpoint. From the design

project development and design direction for

to the amenities to the human interactions

Africa, China, the Middle East and Thailand –

with employees, there is incredible quality and

the designer is well versed in bringing luxury

attention to detail at every level, which is an

hotels to life. So, it came as no surprise when

impressive achievement.

Based in Dubai, Pintado works closely with owners, design consultants and on-site teams, overseeing newbuilds, conversions and renovation projects.

news broke of her appointment as Senior Vice

“I have also been incredibly inspired by the

President of Design & Innovation at Four Seasons

brand’s ability to create a sense of locality at each

Hotels & Resorts, a newly created position that

of its hotels, which truly immerses guests in the

coincides with the operator’s plans to embark on

destination. It’s clear that Four Seasons really

Recent Openings: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River; Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Madrid; Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi

a new chapter of innovation and growth.

takes the time to understand what makes a place

across industries, functions and geographies,

MUTUAL MINDSETS

Upcoming Openings: Four Seasons Resort & Residences Napa Valley (Spring 2021); San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel (mid 2021); Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, Fort Lauderdale (late 2021)

giving me a deep appreciation for the way that

And what of her own design philosophy – how will

spaces shape the guest experience – no matter the

that align with the brand’s vision going forward?

purpose or destination,” Pintado reflects. “After

“In my opinion, the best approach towards design

many years of juggling clients across multiple

is about listening to the architecture, locale and

industries, this will be a new opportunity for me

the intimacy of a space itself,” she confirms.

to immerse myself in one brand, to really dig

“Rather than forcing a pre-conceived approach,

deep and expand my way of thinking.”

it is important to have the freedom to experiment

“Through my work over the last three decades, I’ve had the opportunity to consult on design

FIRST-HAND FAMILIARITY

056

special and looks to recreate that feeling.”

throughout the design process, so that you are not tied to any predetermined ideas about what a

So, what appealed about Four Seasons? Having

space should be.” Pintado goes on to explain that

travelled extensively throughout her career,

before embarking on a new assignment, she tries

MEETING…

“Design is more than just aesthetics and function; it’s about how every element comes together to guide the emotions that should be felt in a particular space.”

to understand what the location requires, what

EVOLVING EXPERIENCES

SLOW AND STEADY

the client wants, how the design will harmonise

The needs of today’s traveller have undoubtedly

With the world beginning to open its doors after

with the architecture and, most importantly, how

changed over the past 12 months, with the ripple

various lockdowns, the challenge for operators in

she wants people to feel when they spend time in

effect of Covid-19 not only shifting people’s

the coming months – and perhaps years – will be

a space. “Design is more than just aesthetics and

approach to their lifestyle, but also the expectation

balancing heightened cleanliness protocols with

function; it’s about how every element comes

of a hotel, with flexible spaces and contactless

delivering a luxury experience. Four Seasons,

together to guide the emotions that should be felt

services top of the wish-list. For operators like

for one, will continue to drive home its health

in a particular space. Warmth and community in

Four Seasons, this has further blurred the lines

and safety programme, Lead With Care, which

a living area for example, or relaxation and calm

between business and leisure travel, as guests

intends to equip employees with the tools,

in a bathroom.”

work from resorts with their family in tow and

procedures and education to take care of guests

urban hotels act as staycation destinations. In

and each other.

FUTURE FORWARD

response, Four Seasons has launched its Extend

“As we slowly move towards recovery, it may

Despite joining Four Seasons in the midst of

Your Stay programme, inviting guests worldwide

be difficult to balance the precautions necessary

a global pandemic, there’s plenty for Pintado

to live, work, learn and stay for 30 days or more.

to keep us safe with the urge to get back to

to get her teeth into. Having opened four new

The group has also used technology to foster

normal and enjoy all the things we’ve been

properties in 2020, including outposts in San

connections with its global community while

missing for so long,” Pintado anticipates. “As

Francisco, Madrid, Tokyo and Bangkok, the

keeping them safely apart. Many of its restaurants

we’ve seen, recovery is not linear, and we will

group has plans for the USA, Italy and Mexico in

have come up with at-home dining experiences

need to continue to strike this equilibrium.”

2021, and is working on design briefs for pipeline

for example, and wellness teams have taken

Despite the obstacles that lie ahead, Pintado is

projects in Mallorca and Puglia as we speak.

to social media to help teach audiences how to

optimistic that the hospitality industry is on the

create that spa experience from the comfort of

cusp of an exciting period and is keen to get to

their own living room.

work on growing Four Seasons’ luxury portfolio

Amongst those on the horizon are hotels and private residences in Napa Valley and New Orleans, as well as a hilltop palace in

For Pintado, the trends accelerated by

the Sicilian town of Taormina and an organic

coronavirus are set to stick around. “Hotel design

“I plan on leveraging my global experience

oasis in Tamarindo on the Pacific coast. Also

of the future will be closely linked to behavioural

across different industries – including residential,

on the boards is a beachfront property in Fort

changes. Because of the pandemic, individuals are

F&B and retail – as we look ahead to achieving

Lauderdale, with architecture by Kobi Karp and

much more discerning about their surroundings.

the brand’s long-term design and innovation

interiors by Tara Bernerd and Martin Brudnizki,

After so much time at home, we’ve discovered

goals,” she concludes. “Four Seasons has such an

conceived to echo the heyday of the city.

how we relate to our physical spaces and what

incredible heritage and reputation to build on as

“My approach is to look for new opportunities

we value in them, including having more. Our

it looks to the next 60 years, and I’m very excited

and innovations while polishing those we already

priorities have changed, and design will have to

to be a part of that future. Whether through the

have in the works – whether that is continuing

reflect this. For hotels, this could take the shape

openings of new hotels, resorts and residences,

to perfect the communal spaces and lifestyle

of more spacious guestrooms, greater integration

enhancing the existing portfolio, or expanding

offerings in our private residences, or infusing

with outdoor areas and a focus on wellness and

our restaurant and bar, spa and retail offerings,

wellness elements throughout every touchpoint

comfort over all else.

it will be about staying true to our brand values

of a stay,” she confirms, adding that renovations

“After the year we’ve just experienced, wellness

are also taking place on existing properties in

will be a key focus for us moving forward,” she

Istanbul and Hong Kong. “The goal now is to

adds. “We want improve our offering so that no

keep thinking about what guests, residents and

matter where they stay with us, guests always

employees will want going forward, and putting

leave feeling rejuvenated and feel our approach is

in the groundwork to make that possible.”

cohesive across every property and touchpoint.”

in 2021 and beyond.

while keeping a watchful eye on innovation.”

057

Taking it Slow A collective of people, places and projects with one vision, Slow is reframing the way travellers live and interact through a more conscious form of hospitality. Words: Guy Dittrich • Photography: © Courtesy of Slow (unless otherwise stated)

S 058

low presses the pause button on

hugely admired pop-up, Papaya Playa Project,

the often frenetic world of travel.

in 2011. “Papaya Playa had an unbelievable

The new venture from Design

cultural programme,” enthuses the nomadic

Hotels founder Claus Sendlinger

Sendlinger from his current home in Lisbon.

is putting a stop to the quick-

“It was a community experiment that showed

turnaround multi-city journeys

us how much more interest you can create if

that were all too common in pre-pandemic days;

you have such a strong programme.” A craving

a constant treadmill of long-haul city-hopping

to learn saw further projects. On Mykonos,

for business back-to-back with weekend-break

San Giorgio. Then a six-week pop-up in Rio

list-ticking leisure trips. The recently launched

coinciding with the 2014 football World Cup –

assembly of people, places and projects aspires

which handily saw Sendlinger’s Germany walk

to offer new ideas on the way we travel, and

off with the spoils – and only then we come to

bolder still, the way in which we live our lives.

La Granja, itself also originally a pop-up.

Irrespective of the pandemic-induced reset that

“Slow goes beyond the accommodation and

most of the world and certainly the hospitality

F&B services of classic hospitality,” he explains.

industry has endured, Slow had already

“Every Place is a curation of a concept that

been gestating its “more conscious form of

comes from its natural and cultural context. We

hospitality” for some time.

want to engage guests to explore more deeply

The official line is that the genesis of Slow

and experience our places at the same level that

began with the opening of La Granja Ibiza in

we do,” Sendlinger continues, referencing local

2016. Arguably it began some years before that

craft and heritage, as well as ideas around the

with the growing desire of Sendlinger to create

future evolution of the destination.

and run his own hospitality experiences. Whilst

“Whilst Slow is the brand, Slowness.com is

on sabbatical in Tulum, he found the first project

our journal,” says CEO Serdar Kutucu, speaking

he wanted to do himself. The result was the

from Berlin, where he spent the last 12 years

“Slow goes beyond the accommodation and F&B services of classic hospitality. Every Place is a curation of a concept that comes from its natural and cultural context.” CLAUS SENDLINGER

with Design Hotels, latterly as Chief Operating

Kutucu – responsible for several of Sendlinger’s

of the farm – which will provide produce for

Officer. Packed with a host of beautifully

aforementioned projects as well as the original

Simple and Casa Noble – and 52 residences for

presented and thought-provoking cultural

Casa Cook hotels – Simple is the summer beach

year-round living.

insight, the consumer-facing website is a

house restaurant for Casa Noble, a reimagined

Further south, past the popular enclaves of

soothing ride through the impressive catalogue

residence in the heart of one of the Portuguese

Comporta and Melides, the second Place is an

of people, places and projects already touched

capital’s oldest neighbourhoods.

old-growth cork farm in Serra de Grândola. The

by the brand. Travelogues of bird song and

Opening in 2023, Casa Noble is the urban

region has become increasingly well-known for

mournful Fado music, Neoprene-clad surfers

renewal of three historic buildings in the Graça

progressive projects that are pioneering new

and languid fisherman. There is also a year-

quarter, its lofty location gives it great views

ways of living and healing, such as Tamera,

round global calendar featuring everything from

to the Tagus River. “It was rebuilt – after the

Permalab and the ashram of spiritualist Mooji.

artist residencies, workshops and exhibitions

1755 earthquake – with the same architects and

Slow is transforming this farm over the coming

to performances, foodie events and community

philosophy as Santa Teresa in Rio de Janeiro,

years into a retreat for alternative healing,

projects, plus joint activities with local arts and

so this is what gave us the inspiration to look

teaming up with Studio Corkinho, an Antwerp-

environmental organisations.

to Brazil,” explains Sendlinger of the Brazilian

based multidisciplinary design practice who

Slowness.com further presents the Places of

modernist detailing and dark wood interiors.

are using the cork as inspiration to develop

Slow, of which there are two currently open

Local practice Frederico Valsassina Arquitectos

an architecture of silence, curate stillness and

and bookable on request. La Granja, the remote

has combined the buildings with interconnected

bring a deeper meaning back into spaces.

11-guestroom farmhouse with a self-sustaining

public spaces, including a library, a longer-stay

More current is the next Place to open – the

agritourism concept in the middle of Ibiza, and

residence and outdoor garden restaurant. All

Marina Marina campus in the ex-industrial

Tulum Treehouse in Mexico, a restaurant-

13 guestrooms feature working fireplaces and

east of Berlin. Well under construction, the

with-five-rooms that aims to help regenerate

bathrooms of green marble.

development of the Weimar-era Spree River

agricultural and craft traditions of the Yucatán.

Staying in Portugal, there are two further

Baths is planned to launch in two phases in

Arriving this summer is Simple, a pared-back

projects in the Alentejo foothills. Launching

2022 and 2023. The architectural collaboration

venue for food and entertainment envisaged as

in 2024 is an 82-hectare farm estate, an hour

is led by Arno Brandlhuber of the Neo-Brutalist

the first step in the transformation of a fishing

south of Lisbon on the dramatic cliffs that edge

school, so expect plenty of concrete. The

village on the Caparica Coast just outside

the peninsular sweeping southwest into the

complex comprises a 42-key hotel, restaurants,

Lisbon. The combined creation of Portuguese

Atlantic. Additional to a hotel element will be

work and retail spaces, and gardens that reach

architect Bruno Marques and designer Annabell

the biodynamical reactivation of 20 hectares

down to the river. The original bath house will

061

“We’re building a network of artists, speakers, healers, farmers, opera singers and nutritionists.” SERDAR KUTUCU

Set across three historic buildings in Lisbon’s Graça quarter, Casa Noble will bring together Brazilian modernist detailing and dark wood interiors

062

see a ground floor canteen concept and above,

hospitality operators access to our global

the more sophisticated restaurant of Danish

services including cultural programming. We’re

chef Frederik Bille Brahe. Interiors are by

building a network of artists, speakers, healers,

Armin Fischer of Dreimeta, who has delivered

farmers, opera singers and nutritionists,” he

projects as rustically simple as La Granja and

continues of the team that grows organically,

as fanciful as his several 25hours Hotels. The

every new engagement adding to the collective.

campus is expected to be home to 400 users and

Hospitality experience matters little given

also includes a subterranean performance venue

Slow’s competencies in this area to assist in

designed in the shape of a pyramid by Austrian

the natural assimilation of such talent.

architect Monika Gogl. This will be used by

There are also many with abundant, relevant

those attending as a proposed hospitality and

know-how including recently recruited

creative academy, a virtuous circle that will

Operations Architect, Bruce Robertson.

serve Slow well.

Robertson shared great success when partnering

Much of Slow feels more about circularity,

with Design Hotels on the launch of South

caring and the nurturing of both people and

Place for D&D London. “Having known Claus

places than commerciality. “We want to open

for over 20 years and Serdar for a decade, it

our platform to our friends’ places that are

has always felt inevitable that we would work

aligned with our vision and values to create a

together again,” he quips of his latest venture

bigger impact together. We feel the mindset

since launching The Standard London. “It was

of competition hinders the journey, so our

clear to me that there needed to be a pivot on

philosophy is about collaboration,” describes

how and why people travel. Travelling less but

Kutucu of a proposed partnership idea. “We

staying longer, less rooms but more space. It’s

want to give other independent, small-scale

the basis for a more enriching lifestyle.”

THE NEW KIND OF BADEZIMMER. FOR BEAUTIFUL BODIES AND MINDS.

Slow’s year-round global calendar features everything from artist residencies, workshops and exhibitions to performances, F&B events and community projects

064

Now part of what he describes as “the

from scratch to build its membership database.

exceptional co-operative of talent that have

“Someone who has stayed at La Granja five

been drawn to the cause”, Robertson oversees

times is already part of our community and

the development of and overall operations for

will naturally be able to become a member,”

Slow’s Places, with his current focus on Berlin’s

Kutucu confirms, adding that the challenge is

Marina Marina.

to ensure there’s a coming together of like-

Slow currently plans to launch a membership

minded people. “It is like curating a dinner

programme towards the end of 2021. “This

party guest list of 20 people who don’t know

future model of Slow will be where people are

each other,” he explains. “What we’re trying to

able to be part of a community and have access

achieve is an energy that’s intangible.”

and float around all of our Places,” explains

Community. Collaboration. Exchange.

Kutucu. “We want people to become members

Reframing ways of living. These are much used

not because they can but because they really

words in Slow’s new form of hospitality, with its

want to. Members will need to have some

strong content and engagement from all sides

engagement with the Slow community, they are

to design local, conscientious and integrated

subscribers to our world already. The aim is to

environments. Slow rewrites the old formulas

create a community atmosphere of belonging

of hospitality with multifarious ideals captured

to something together and having an exchange

in their idea of the cultivation of arts, crops

with one another.”

and the ‘inner gardens’ of physical and mental

With an already loyal following thanks to

wellbeing. Hospitality needs fresh impulses

the success of their existing Places, Slow is in

and there are many in the world of Slow that is

the fortunate position of not having to start

ironically growing fast.

We are looking forward to the launch of NoMad London. The notorious Grade II listed Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station has been transformed into a luxury hotel and police museum as the first European location for the Sydell Group’s NoMad Hotels.

THE LOBBY

The Age of Autonomy Soda Studio draws on the typology of pod-style living to design a self-contained concept for future tourism.

Now more than ever, questions are being asked

Prefabricated using recycled polycarbonate and

as to what the future of hospitality will look like

other waste materials, the plug-and-play units

post-pandemic. With travellers demanding more

can simply be delivered to site and joined together

control over when and where they interact with

to form a wider network. For Potter, this method

others, the traditional accommodation model may

of construction not only benefits the speed, quality

need a rethink. Enter Hostel Pod, a self-sufficient

and cost effectiveness of the manufacturing

bolthole designed by Soda Studio.

process, but also enhances the guest experience

Created with adaptability in mind, the fully

through progressive designs: “The materials and

automated environment is equipped with all the

detailing stand the rigorous test of many guests

necessary functions, including a sleeping area that

checking in and out of the pods almost daily.

can be curtained off or sealed, storage, a coffee

However, this doesn’t mean the aesthetics or

station, and a pop-out table and chair. It also

user experience should be compromised. Shorter

features an in-built vending machine that can

manufacturing times would also enable us to

be stocked with optional extras, while personal

incorporate the latest technologies in a sector that

amenities are available at the touch of a button.

is constantly evolving.”

“Pod accommodation is well established in

With self-contained spaces likely to become

Japan and parts of mainland Europe, and we

more popular as the travel industry returns to a

think it’s an exciting and playful typology,” says

new kind of normality, Soda Studio is also looking

Director Russell Potter. “Our pods cater to the

into integrated, user-controlled designs that

essential needs of the guest through a minimal yet

would enable guests to modify interior elements

meaningful design, balancing autonomous living

to their own individual taste through ergonomic

with social engagement and interaction.”

and sensorial technology.

THE LOBBY

Sweet Dreams Swedish bedmaker Hästens launches a hotel concept centred around providing a good night’s sleep.

068

Hästens has been crafting luxury beds and

Inspiration for the interiors was taken from

mattresses for 168 years, so it seems a natural

Hästens’ signature check print, a jacquard woven

next step for the Swedish manufacturer to dream

fabric made from 100% cotton and dyed using

up its very own hotel concept.

eco-friendly techniques. As such, blue furniture,

In partnership with Grupo O Valor do Tempo,

lighting and drapes were introduced as an ode

the new venture located in the quaint Portuguese

to the check, which acts as a physical alignment

city of Coimbra, halfway between Lisbon and

tool for the brand’s craftsmen to ensure the right

Porto, sees each of the 15 guestrooms centre

shape is given to its handmade mattresses.

around the luxury of sleep. Amongst the sleep-

“With Hästens Sleep Spa, we want to make

inducing features is a vast pillow menu, offering

people around the world feel how important it is

everything from soft to extra-firm, with each

to let the body get really good sleep,” says Jan

crafted from 100% cotton and filled with goose

Ryde, Executive Chairman and Owner of Hästens.

feathers and down. Furthermore, one of the

“Our sleep expertise is unique and we want to

biggest advantages of a Hästens pillow is its

be able to offer everyone to experience the rarity

ability to provide optimum support for the user’s

of our beds. That is what makes this concept so

neck and spine, helping them to breathe better

fantastic, and we hope that more people will be

during the course of the night. In addition, the

able to take part in it in the coming years.”

hotel’s Bed Talks programme gives guests the

With plans on the horizon for additional hotels

opportunity to learn from sleep expert Dr Edie

in other historic university cities like Salamanca,

Perry, who provides a consultation to discuss

Cambridge and Bologna, travellers can rest easy

resting positions and tips, as well as the correct

knowing that more of these sleep-focused

bedding required for their upcoming stay.

sanctuaries are in the pipeline for the near future.

NU finishes

THE FINISH COMPLETES THE DESIGN

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

GERMAN HOSPITALITY TRADITION Since 1985

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THE LOBBY

The Show Must Go On From trade shows to awards ceremonies, every

custom café-style tables topped with Oscar-

event during the pandemic has been forced to

inspired lamps to transform the station’s ticket

rethink its approach, pivoting to digital or vastly

concourse into a supper club. Rich woods,

reducing the guest list with safety in mind. And

gleaming metallics and sumptuous textures work

the 93rd Academy Awards was no different. This

together to complement the station’s existing

year, the Oscars ditched Los Angeles’ 3,400-seat

architectural details.

Dolby Theatre in favour of the more modest Union

Yet the real scene stealer was a dramatic,

Station, enlisting a hospitality great to create the

midnight blue velvet drape – a feature reminiscent

magic. Reprising his role as production designer

of Rockwell’s designs at Cathédrale restaurant

was architect David Rockwell, who previously

in New York’s Moxy East Village. Hung directly

designed sets for the Oscars in 2009 and 2010.

behind the stage, the curtain was completed

In a significant departure from the award

with oversized matching tassels that hark back

show’s customary set design centred around

to Rockwell Group’s crystal-bead swags for the

an elaborate proscenium, Rockwell opted for an

Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

understated and refined scheme that cultivates

Rockwell elaborates: “We conceived a room

an atmosphere similar to that of Rockwell

within a room that made circulation intuitive,

Group’s hotel projects.

enveloped the audience in an intimate embrace

Influenced by the Academy’s early ceremonies of formal seated dinners, the architect selected

070

and created a space in which the action happens everywhere, not just on stage.”

Creating Drama “Architecture and theatre are both defined by the people that inhabit and animate them,” writes David Rockwell in his new book, Drama. Inspired by an early life rooted in the world of theatre, David Rockwell has long drawn on aspects of performance to frame and enhance his built work with architecture and design firm Rockwell Group. Published by Phaidon, the 312page hardback book is a definitive collection of the firm’s work, as well as a compelling manifesto for multidisciplinary collaboration. Rockwell devotes chapters to six fundamental theatrical concepts; each demonstrates how these principles can be applied to both architecture and a wide range of creative disciplines. Alongside insightful texts and quotes, Drama features more than 300 illustrations to give readers an intuitive understanding of the architect’s unique ethos and design process. Featured theatre sets include The Normal Heart and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, while standout hospitality projects include Moxy East Village and Nobu Downtown. “This book is a guide that leads you through the intersection between theatre and architecture,” says Rockwell. “My core design instincts have always overlapped with the basic tenets of theatre; they’ve been informed and amplified by them.”

THE LOBBY

Mind Over Matter Swiss designer Yves Béhar teams up with fitness platform Opus to develop a bed that provides on-demand healing through guided meditation.

While meditation has been shown to relieve

IMMERSIVE & EXPERIENTIAL

anxiety and promote wellbeing, it can be a

Engineered to envelop the body like a cocoon,

challenging practice to learn and stick at. So,

the modules embedded within the triangles ease

to help combat the growing demand for more

users towards a desired emotional state by way of

attainable solutions, product designer Yves

vibrating sensations that address the entire body

Béhar has joined forces with fitness platform

or can be set to target specific areas.

Opus to create SoundBed, an accessible concept that allows users to lay down, put on a headset

SMART & CUSTOMISABLE

and experience an immersive sound journey

The device is also paired with an app that enables

with coordinated body vibrations, helping to

users to adapt the experience to their needs, with

support emotional health and alleviate physical

experts in mindfulness, relationships, mind and

tension in tandem. In developing the bed and its

body performance, and therapy providing guided

personalisation app, Béhar and Opus focused on

exercises in breathwork and visualisation.

four key principles: COMPLEMENTARY MODULAR

Finished in slate grey or lighter neutral tones,

To ensure that consumers lie flat on their backs

SoundBed is designed to complement modern

for maximum comfort and support, SoundBed

interiors with its geometric form and clean lines.

sits atop a base of prismatic legs that conceal

072

its technology and accessories when not in use,

With hotels increasingly seen as a place to

and can be rolled up into a honeycomb for easy

escape reality, concepts like SoundBed could well

storage and portability.

become a common feature at spas of the future.

Extraordinary design. From an extraordinary brand. Arriving Summer 2021. R E G I S T E R F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O R J O I N O U R L O N D O N L A U N C H E V E N T. RIOBEL.EVENTBRITE.CO.UK

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20/04/2021 09:12

uman contact has, for the most part,

The trio aren’t the only ones doubling down

been replaced by technology during

on contactless solutions. Having unknowingly

the pandemic, with virtual alternatives

created pandemic-proof hotels for well over a

becoming

commonplace

day-to-day

decade, introducing self-service terminals and

life, whether that be for business meetings,

room-controlling MoodPads along the way,

conferences, fitness classes or social events.

CitizenM has used the last year as a means of

For hospitality, the pivot to digital has been

making its own arrival experience – which takes

coming for some time, with Coronavirus acting

just one minute according to the Netherlands-

as a catalyst to speed up the process out of

based chain – more seamless, developing a new

necessity. And the shift looks set to continue,

app that guests can use to check-in, unlock

with a recent report published by The Travel

their room and manage its features, request

Technology Association finding that 65% of

housekeeping and view F&B menus all with a

jetsetters want hotels to use tech to make them

few swipes of their thumb.

feel safe, starting with check-in.

Software companies are helping drive the

“The pandemic has accelerated the demand for

movement, sensing an opportunity to help

contactless services, and we must continue to

revolutionise the way we enter and depart from

Self-Serving Society With Covid-19 accelerating demand for contactless services, what does the future hold for the arrival experience at hotels? Words: Ben Thomas

074

evolve with the changing needs of our guests,”

hotels across the globe. Hotelogix has joined

says Stephanie Linnartz, President of Marriott

forces with RepUp to develop an AI-powered

International. Consequently, the operator has

platform for hyper-personalisation, while Holo

debuted a pilot programme for self-service

Industries and Arribatec have come together to

kiosks at Moxy NYC Times Square, Courtyard

design Holographic Touch – the first holographic

New York Manhattan and TownePlace Suites

check-in system for the hospitality industry,

Monroe in Louisiana, and will soon be launching

which lets users touch, pinch, scroll and spin

the system at Moxy South Beach in Miami.

any image in mid-air. Made possible through

In doing so, it is allowing those who prefer

IR sensors, holographic optics and Holo’s

low-contact interactions to bypass the reception

proprietary hardware and software components,

desk altogether and complete a simple three-

the apparatus could signal where concierge

step process at the kiosk, with room keys

services are headed in the future, bridging the

created there and then. For extra peace of mind,

gap between the physical and virtual worlds by

the kiosks employ antimicrobial technology,

creating lifelike interactions while safeguarding

which is powered by UV light and baked

residents from the risks of infectious diseases.

into the touchscreen to kill any bacteria and

Though the changes we have seen over the

viruses lurking on the surface. There’s also its

past 12 months will likely remain beyond the

smartphone option, which enables visitors to

pandemic, with health and safety expected to

check-in, access room keys and make requests

take on a more profound meaning post-Covid,

– using real-time messaging – via the Marriott

here’s hoping that hotels can balance the use of

Bonvoy app, much like Hilton Honors and IHG

tech with a dose of face-to-face interaction so

Rewards Club afford their members too.

often integral to the overarching experience.

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nce a poky box-room with a set of

let’s make the gym into a genuine feature that

dumbbells and token treadmill, the hotel

justifies additional space’.”

gym has made great strides in recent

Having worked in luxury hospitality and real

years, becoming a key differentiator for a new

estate for almost two decades – and regularly

generation of lifestyle hotels.

partaking in ultramarathons – Morley founded

A handful of properties were already raising

Biofit as a gym design and advisory firm for

the bar, putting serious thought into the design

real estate developers, commercial offices and

of their workout spaces and kitting them out with

hospitality brands. With a focus on sustainable

top-of-the-range equipment. Sir Victor Hotel in

and biophilic design, he aims to create an

Barcelona for example, uses natural materials

experience that is memorable, where working

and plenty of daylight to create an appealing

out is about more than pounding the treadmill.

environment for training, while White City House

The report examines healthy interior design

in London features multiple studios and zones for

concepts that take into account circadian lighting,

classes, weightlifting and TRX workouts.

air purification and use of natural materials to

But it wasn’t until luxury fitness group Equinox

deliver wide-ranging health benefits, as well as

announced its entry into the hotel sector in 2019

the rising trend for indoor-outdoor hybrids as

Raising the Bar A new report from Biofit Health & Fitness explores how hotels can raise the bar when it comes to on-site gym facilities. Words: Catherine Martin

that the movement really gained ground. With its

a further measure to connect guests to nature.

first property now open at Hudson Yards in New

He also looks at the equipment on the market,

York, the group has set a new standard, creating

and the balance between active fitness spaces and

a 60,000ft2 club – the largest in its portfolio –

those for more sedate practices such as yoga.

offering a wide range of facilities and services.

significant investment, Morley also addresses the

founder of Biofit Health & Fitness, has published

commercial benefits, and suggests membership

a report exploring the opportunities in the sector.

models,

“Just as the boutique hotel revolution shook up

partnerships and taking the gym to the guest

the hotel industry in the 1990s, boutique fitness

as alternatives. Kempinski Hotels has recently

studios have made an indelible mark on gym

partnered with Technogym for example, while

design,” he notes. “Equinox stepping boldly

Westin is working with Peloton to bring the live

into hospitality could well be the shockwave the

studio cycling classes to the guestroom.

sector needed to inject some fresh life into their gym strategy.”

076

Aware that any such venture require

With this in mind, Matt Aspiotis Morley,

outsourcing

operations,

brand

For Morley, the most successful concepts are the ones that combine the gym with F&B and

So why is the hotel gym so often an

programming, of which Equinox is setting the

afterthought? According to Morley, an on-

precedent. “What’s significant is how the health

site gym is not typically a revenue generating

and wellness brand DNA has been extended out

facility in the same way as a restaurant or spa,

into the rest of hotel,” he concludes. “The ‘fittest

so owners and operators find it hard to justify the

hotel on earth’ may sound like hyperbole, but

allocation of space. “This is an all too common

this is just the type of joined-up thinking today’s

conundrum,” Morley explains. “We say, ‘well

guests are looking for.”

www.kalmarlighting.com

The Goodtime Hotel MIAMI BEACH For his latest production, Pharrell Williams partners with David Grutman to create a playful bolthole inspired by the Art Deco era. Words: Ben Thomas • Photography: © Alice Gao

inger, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur – Pharrell Williams has many strings to his bow. The musical great, who rose to fame after

forming hip-hop and R&B production duo The Neptunes in the early 1990s, has gone on to achieve countless milestones in his career, not least winning 13 Grammy Awards, becoming an Oscar nominee and working with the likes of Jay-Z, Daft Punk and Snoop Dogg to produce era-defining sounds. Now, the creative doyen is trying his hand as a hotelier, partnering with nightclub magnate David Grutman, real estate developers Michael D. Fascitelli and Eric Birnbaum,

and American designer Ken Fulk to dream up a Wes Anderson-esque bolthole in Miami’s Art Deco district. But this isn’t the debut single for Williams, Grutman and Fulk in The Magic City. Having banded together three years ago to create the candy-coloured interiors for F&B hotspots Swan and Bar Bevy, the artistic trio have added a bonus track in the form of The Goodtime Hotel, concocting a hedonistic sanctuary that dances eloquently between haven and playground. As the name suggests, it’s all about generating a positive experience, or what Williams calls “spiritual Wi-Fi.” “We want to impart a feeling of both revitalisation and that rare, exciting thrill that takes over when you discover something special,” explains Williams, who cites fictional character Margot Tenenbaum from Anderson’s 2001 cult classic, The Royal Tenenbaums, as a source of inspiration for the project. “It’s that adrenaline-fuelled sensation of entering a whole new setting and mindset.” Spanning an entire block between 6th and 7th Streets on Washington Avenue, the seven-storey structure – designed

078

079

Guestrooms channel distinct South Beach flavour through pinstripe bedding, leopard-print benches and pink rotary dial phones

by Morris Adjmi Architects with a corrugated

heritage by way of cosy seating, natural oak

façade, towering white columns and a double-

woods and a soft pink palette – the same

height breezeway – gives way to a series of

calming aesthetic that graces the third-floor

intimate spaces that reimagine Art Deco and

pool deck, recently frequented by none other

invite guests to trade bustle for bliss.

than Kim Kardashian and the Beckhams during

The opener is an airy atrium dotted with

The 30,000ft2 pool club has been designed

murals and Deco plasterwork that hark back to

with today’s Instagram-orientated traveller

bygone eras – think 1930s glamour and pastel-

in mind and transports guests back in time

hued architecture. The nostalgic theme carries

to the height of the Art Deco era, synthesising

through to a lobby, featuring leopard-print

the energy and style from old-world Cuba and

fabrics and potted plants, the latter introduced

Beverly Hills. Set against a backdrop of pale

as part of landscape architect Raymond Jungles’

mint, coral and white, the space features twin

plan to quite literally breathe life into the hotel’s

pools tiled in broad stripes and is divided by

rooms and gardens.

a runway sprinkled with powder-coated palm

Beyond the lobby is an outdoor gym featuring MyBeast and Peloton fitness equipment,

080

the hotel’s opening party.

greenery and sporting handpainted hothouse

fronds. Shaded bungalows and signature striped cabanas flank the pool’s jungle oasis.

45,000ft2 of retail space, a recording studio – of

And with Fulk’s creative nous comes

course – and a library, where guests can escape

Grutman’s expertise in delivering F&B concepts.

from the stresses of daily life to read a book,

Having spearheaded the opening of LIV Nightclub

sit down for a coffee, or simply take a relaxing

at Fontainebleau Miami Beach in 2008, before

interlude. Prioritised for those staying the night,

going on to launch another club in 2013 and

the intimate nook nods to the neighbourhood’s

several restaurants since, the Floridian saw The

081

Goodtime Hotel as the natural next destination

This sense of escapism is loud and clear in

for his growing culinary empire. Named after

the guestrooms too, of which there are 266,

the penumbral lunar eclipse that occurs closest

ranging from queen bed accommodations to a

to the summer solstice, Strawberry Moon is

number of suites that look out across Biscayne

the centrepiece of the property and serves up

Bay or the Atlantic Ocean. Corridors leading up

Mediterranean classics with a modern twist, as

to the rooms echo the playful charm of Miami,

well as cocktails to those unwinding by the pool.

donning a carpet woven with a pattern of wet

The restaurant’s design tips its hat to Mid-

footprints, and once inside, the layering of

Century Caribbean and Central American resort

distinct South Beach flavour continues through

towns such as Havana and Acapulco in their

mint-coloured pinstripe bedding, leopard-print

heyday, mixing pastel tiling, vintage scalloped

benches and pink rotary dial phones.

bar seating and pinstriped awnings.

through spaces that cultivate community, music

says Grutman, who wanted to provide the

that transports the consciousness and food that

360-degree experience that his other Groot

stimulates the soul, The Goodtime Hotel invites

Hospitality venues in the city are known for,

those who stay the night to find their own

whilst adding an element of urban escapism

rhythm and get lost in the moment, delivering

to the mix. “This is about providing a getaway

an immersive experience that, well, enables its

within a town that’s already known as a

residents to do what the name suggests. “This

vacation spot. When you arrive at the hotel

place will provide a natural good time for all

and walk through our doors, it becomes a full-

who come through,” says Williams, who himself

on experience; we want you to feel like your

knows a thing or two about being happy.

worries and anxieties have been left outside.”

082

Easing guests into a healthier state-of-mind

“My first hotel needed to break the mould,”

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Operator: Groot Hospitality Developer: Imperial Companies Architecture: Morris Adjmi Interior Design: Ken Fulk Landscaping: Raymond Jungles www.thegoodtimehotel.com

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084

Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates SensAsia Stories Spa DUBAI Taking cues from Pan-Asian architecture typology, Roar creates a new flagship spa for SensAsia. Words: Eleanor Howard • Photography: © The Oculis Project

ince opening its doors on Sheikh Zayed Road 15

of the region looking at countries such as Thailand, Bali

years ago, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates

and Vietnam for inspiration,” reveals Dean. “Arches kept

has prided itself on offering innovative experiences.

appearing in our research as key features of this architectural

From providing direct access to both sand and snow, to

typology, and it soon became apparent that this shape would

launching an immersive 3D dining concept, the 392-key

influence our design. We have used large, illuminated arches

hotel continually demonstrates its dedication to enhancing

above the male and female lobbies and incorporated arch-

the guest experience. Most recently, the operator enlisted

like decorative elements around the reception area’s shelving

SensAsia – the largest independent spa group in the UAE – to

to compose a dramatic, theatrical effect.”

upgrade its wellness offering.

Spanning 4,000ft2, the spa takes guests on a sensory

Following the success of its Urban Spas, SensAsia has

journey through Asia, combining tactile natural materials

launched its latest concept, Stories – a flagship destination

and a muted colour palette. “We played with just three

comprising eight treatment rooms, a couples’ suite, a

main materials and colours. Grey stone and slate, brown

hammam, experience showers, herb saunas and therapeutic

tones within the luxury vinyl flooring, and natural textures

relaxation areas complete with heated beds and virtual

such as wallpaper with hessian finishes,” says Dean. “The

reality headsets.

interiors revolve around the material palette – it’s layered

Conceived as a more luxurious venue than the rest of the SensAsia portfolio, the new addition’s serene interior

with texture. This helps with the acoustics as well as tactility: the touch and feel; it’s a space designed for all senses.”

was envisioned by Roar, a studio founded by Pallavi Dean.

Completing the sensory experience is a carefully curated

“The design process for SensAsia Stories was an exercise

lighting scheme that sees LED strips line the archways in

in restraint for me,” explains Dean. “We have purposefully

what has become a signature element of the space. And not

not overpowered the senses; instead this is a place of quiet,

one to miss a design opportunity, Dean has paid special

respite and reflection. The interior scheme – dark and light

attention to the areas up above. She explains: “We also

hues of grey, complemented by a warm wood finish and

celebrated the ceilings; they are often neglected but in a

strong stone slabs – allows one to just ‘be’.”

spa, clients spend a lot of time on their backs! So we clad

The interior concept is rooted in SensAsia’s Pan-Asian

the ceiling with a captivating bronze mesh structure. Each

origins, evoking traditional architectural elements from the

room has a unique pattern creating a new experience for

region. “We cast the net wide to understand the architecture

every visit.”

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Design Excellence = Inspiration, Quality and Reliability Originality of design has always been the forefront of Leisure Plan’s philosophy. Whatever your outdoor project  Tap into our product knowledge & advice. Then sit back and relax. TIBBO

BY DE DON

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The Clan Hotel SINGAPORE At the crossroads of old and new, the debut property from Far East Hospitality’s luxury-tier brand brings the heritage of the locale to a skyscraper setting. Words: Luo Jingmei Photography: Courtesy of The Clan Hotel

odern-day travellers hankering for

albeit with dwindling membership. The Clan

more authentic experiences will surely

Hotel honours these forefathers, who toiled to

welcome the opening of Singapore’s

build the city and its community spirit.

The Clan Hotel, which narrates a contextually

Poised at the juncture of past, present and

unique story in all aspects of its design and

future and of culture and commerce, the

experience. The property is the first for Far

property is surrounded by the contrasting sea of

East Hospitality’s new luxury-tier brand and

shophouses and commercial towers that make

adds to the owner-operator’s portfolio, which

up the Central Business District of today. While

includes Oasia, Quincy, Adina and TFE Hotels.

positioned as a business hotel, its storytelling

“We believe that luxury is not about having the

approach offers much more. Clad in a bronze-

biggest, latest or most expensive offerings; in

coloured, double-glazed and low-energy

this sense it is a concept that goes beyond just

curtain wall, the 30-storey tower adds to the

a room stay,” says Far East’s CEO Arthur Kiong.

skyline while lower down, a chamfered profile

“The Clan Hotel is about inclusivity rather than

mirrors the angled façade of the neighbouring

exclusivity; experience rather than function.”

Far East Square mall, comprising 61 restored

Historically, clans were organisations

shophouses-turned-restaurants, cafés and

delineated by provinces in China, or kinships

offices. Within the latter are two historic

that immigrants established in foreign lands

landmarks: Singapore’s oldest school – Chui

to help new arrivals with accommodation,

Eng Free School, now a restaurant – and earliest

employment and protection. In Singapore, they

temple-turned-museum, Fuk Tak Chi Temple.

often occupied shophouses in the Chinatown

“We designed a sleek and modern façade,

district demarcated by Sir Stamford Raffles’

so it appeals to international sensibilities and

master town plan in 1822. Many still exist today,

expectations but also mindfully pays homage

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Interiors play on the theme of dark versus light, while a sense of nostalgia is evoked through subtle details, patterns and ornaments

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to the past through the subtle integration of

“We have designed the lobby to accommodate

Chinese motifs on the window subdivision

both function and comfort through a key feature

pattern,” says Suneeth Changaroth, Director

– an oversized, ceiling-height display shelf

at DP Architects. The first storey gives way to

that divides the space so that the activities at

the drop-off and existing public thoroughfare,

the reception are separated from the welcome

while lifts lead to a second storey offering guests

tea ceremony in the lounge area,” says Kunio

a panoramic introduction to the multi-textured

Iwata, Managing Director at KKS. A resident

urban fabric of sweeping orange rooftops,

tea master prepares and offers tea and local

concrete buildings and gleaming skyscrapers.

snacks amid a backdrop of dark timber shelves,

Inside, KKS International has injected

lattices and lantern-like lamps, which give scale

a chinoiserie theme that avoids kitsch by

to the lofty space and evoke a homely ambience.

employing a polished feel with a sense of

Hidemi Kanda, Designer at KKS, adds: “The tea

nostalgia, evoked through subtle details,

fragrance is also part of the hotel’s experience,

patterns and decorative ornaments. The

inviting guests to relax as soon as they arrive.”

Japanese firm’s impactful yet intimate lobby

The decorative objects on the shelves were

plays on the theme of dark versus light, with an

selected by design agency Farm, who also

installation of metal plates by local artist Grace

worked on the branding and graphic design.

Tan catching the glow from double-height

“They were curated to bring out The Clan’s

windows. Tan belongs to The Clan Collective,

core brand promises, which is to bestow upon

the hotel’s inventory of native craftspeople,

guests an unyielding sense of kinship, to

artists and influential personalities, whose

receive a stranger into one’s home and take

contributions range from outfitting the staff to

care of them as if they were one’s very own,”

brewing the beer found in guestrooms.

says Selwyn Low, Director at Farm. Items like

vintage Pasotti umbrellas symbolising shelter

room categories, the Premier and Grand Premier

and protection can be purchased too.

options belong to the signature Master Series

The hotel’s restaurant, Qin – which means

and are more luxurious, larger and feature

kinship in Mandarin – is managed by TungLok

dual bands of windows courtesy of their corner

Group and serves fusion Chinese cuisine with

locations. There are also treats like a welcome

a view – a point of conversation at every turn.

amenity teapot set featuring Nanyang Ritual

Up walls and across the ceiling, KKS employed

Tea and local cookies, precinct tours, access

the motif of the Chinese medicine box, while on

to The Clan Keeper concierge service and in-

the mezzanine is the bar, which opens at the

room hawker fare served in tiffin cases. For all

rear to a breezy terrace. “This green oasis serves

guests, an Inner Circle Guide divulges the best

as a break in the architecture’s massing and a

entertainment and culinary secrets nearby.

place of commune for all guests,” Changaroth

The Clan Hotel’s concept is refreshing – even

explains. Other amenities include two meeting

for local guests already familiar with some of

rooms christened The Den and The Mahjong

these discoveries. “We think that the story of

Room – a Chinese game involving porcelain

The Clan and its operating philosophy is unique,

tiles – as well as a gym, swimming pool and

and there is room for such modern luxury in

Jacuzzi with a privileged vantage on the rooftop.

key gateway cities,” Kiong concludes, hinting

324 guestrooms continue the use of dark

of the group’s plans for international roll-out.

timber on joinery, furniture and bespoke

“London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong and

lamps. Framed heritage objects such as

Sydney are good examples of locations where

Chinese paintbrushes can be purchased, while

we can tell the story of the Chinese diaspora but

in the grey-tiled bathrooms, tall windows again

with a contemporary application.”

highlight the spectacular view. Among the three

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EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Far East Organization Operator: Far East Hospitality Architecture: DP Architects Interior Design: KKS International Graphic Design and Branding: Farm Lighting Design: Lightbox Art Consultant: Kwodrent, Farm Landscaping: Tinderbox Main Contractor: Hexacon Construction Project Manager: Far East Management www.theclanhotel.com.sg

Hotel Paradiso PARIS Making its world premiere in Paris, MK2 presents its debut hospitality venture, where guestrooms doubling as private screening rooms are a cinephile’s dream. Words: Nicola Leigh Stewart • Photography: © Romain Ricard

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rench cinema chain MK2 has conjured up its very own

Nathanaël continues. “This is a spot that is somewhat

plot twist with the launch of Hotel Paradiso, billed

unknown and underused in Paris. It’s a very cool area and a

as the world’s first cinema-hotel. The new Parisian

great location for getting around the city.”

address is the first move into hospitality from Nathanaël

To help realise the project, the brothers tapped into their

and Elisha Karmitz, the two brothers at the helm of MK2 and

personal network of friends, artists and designers. Daniel

founders of open-air film festival, Cinéma Paradiso. Whilst

Vaniche and Paula Castro of Paris-based architects DVVD

the link between cinema and hotel might not at first seem

reworked the empty space to create 34 guestrooms, including

obvious, the hybrid venture was a natural next step – or

two suites and four connecting rooms for families, while

sequel – for the Karmitzs, who named the property after the

the interiors were entrusted to former fashion designer Alix

1966 film of the same title. “We already organise cinema

Thomsen, who has kept things simple with white walls and

events, gaming events, chef events, so we thought why not

neutral bathrooms, enlivened by fun pops of yellow, red

also create a hotel,” says Nathanaël. “A hotel about the love

and purple in the furnishings. With movie nights in mind,

of movies and the experience of watching a film.”

accessories have been chosen to offer practical comfort –

The idea has been seven years in the making and is not,

think deeply cushioned lounge chairs and bedside trays

as Nathanaël is keen to point out, “a Covid project”. When

to hold popcorn and drinks – or to reference the world of

the siblings closed MK2 Nation, the cinema adjoining the

cinema, from film-themed Do Not Disturb signs to movie

hotel, back in 2018 for an extensive refurbishment, they

artwork selected by French photographer Ruben Brulat.

realised that they had the perfect space for their venture.

Some rooms come with the added bonus of balconies,

“Downstairs we had this classic, neighbourhood cinema,

with those overlooking the courtyard facing two large-scale

which historically has always worked amazingly well,” he

collages of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘The Kid’ and Harold Lloyd’s

explains. “There was nothing above it and so we had the

famous clockface scene in ‘Safety Last!’, which have been

opportunity to build something.”

painted on the building opposite by street artist JR. Out in

Like other MK2 addresses in and around the city, the

the hallway, shelves are stacked with DVDs and illuminated

property’s location in the residential 12th arrondissement

cinema-style room numbers sit above each door frame. The

looks set to become a local hotspot and introduce guests to

stairwells reference the exits of MK2 theatres with urban

a fairly undiscovered part of the French capital. “MK2 has

concrete walls, red paintwork and film posters from the

a history of bringing something new to a neighbourhood,”

personal collection of a projectionist at MK2 Beaubourg.

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The real draw for cinephiles however, is that

organisation responsible for administering

every room can be transformed into a private

cinema image and sound quality, and are the

cinema. Each is kitted out with its own projector,

smallest of their kind in Paris – aside from the

a 2.5m screen and a high-quality sound system

17-seat room downstairs at MK2 Nation.

installed by MK2. Films are projected to face

Those looking to watch the big screen in

the bed, and rather decadently in larger rooms

private can retreat to La Loge, an exclusive

also the bathtub, while for ease everything is

glass partitioned space overlooking one of the

controlled by a tablet. Guests can choose movies

cinema rooms, which can be rented for private

from platforms such as Netflix and Apple TV,

use and offers guests the chance to take over the

connect smartphones to upload their own

projector, meaning they can screen their own

media, change the language and subtitles, dim

all-night movie marathon once other film buffs

the lights, up the volume, and order cocktails

have left for the evening. The fun continues at

and snacks from popular Paris café Bob’s Juice

La La Land, a karaoke room that can be hired by

Bar, who oversee the room service menu and

the hour to blast out sing-a-longs, while The

café downstairs. In total, residents have access

Studio will serve as an activity room to lay on

to around 10,000 films and for gamers, there’s

cinema courses, kids’ workshops, yoga classes,

a PlayStation 5 to lose themselves in.

and drinks receptions after film premieres.

Even more impressive are the hotel’s two

Up on the rooftop, the property will soon

suites, which come with their own separate

play host to open-air films with a 45m screen,

movie room and the same projector as the MK2

barbeque, cocktail bar, and unlike any other

theatres. The spaces have even been classified

cinema in Paris, sweeping views of the city. You

as official cinema rooms by La Commission

could say it offers the best seat in the house.

Supérieure Technique (CST), the French

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EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owners: Nathanaël and Elisha Karmitz Operator: MK2 Group Architecture: DVVD Interior Design: Alix Thomsen Lighting Design: Philippe Collet Graphic Design: Sarah Khan Art Consultants: Flore Maquin, Christian Boltanski, JR, Ruben Brulat www.mk2hotelparadiso.com

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Xigera Safari Lodge BOTSWANA The Tollman family’s commitment to Africa finds expression in a tented camp that champions the continent’s culture and craftsmanship. Words: Jane Broughton • Photography: Courtesy of Xigera Safari Lodge

igera is my family’s love letter to the magic of the African bush,” explains Toni Tollman of the latest addition to The Red Carnation Hotel Collection’s

African portfolio. “Every aspect has been handcrafted to engage the senses, from the interior design scheme to the Baobab Treehouse where guests can sleep beneath the stars.” As Director of Design & Projects, Tollman has been handson in conceptualising and curating the interiors of every one of Red Carnation’s hotels across the globe. Working with her sister Victoria and their mother, President and founder Beatrice Tollman, the family has built a portfolio of hotels with a presence in London and Geneva, soon to be joined by Edinburgh. But having traced history back to the early 1900s when their ancestors ran a small hotel outside Cape Town, the Tollmans have a long-held affection for the continent. Following the openings of three properties in South Africa including The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa in Camps Bay, a new opportunity in Botswana proved too good to miss, and so the family set about fulfilling their life-long dream of owning a safari lodge in a sought-after private concession on the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta. Building in a remote wilderness area like the Okavango Delta however is not for the faint-hearted. Bringing this project to fruition took a team of 300 construction workers, artists and craftspeople almost three years to complete; everything had to be flown in, trucked overland or floated by barge depending on the time of year and flood levels,

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Through a partnership with Southern Guild, a Cape Townbased gallery and design hub, Xigera features a collection of work from African artists

before being assembled on site. Then there were

largest inland delta. Inspiration came primarily

Botswana’s admirably strict environmental

from nature: the perfect symmetry of the water

regulations, which include a complete ban

lilies, the monumental trees and the textures

on cement, concrete, bricks or anything else

and colours of the landscape. Then there were

that may contaminate the pristine waterways.

the graceful shapes of birds in flight, including

By maintaining an environmentally friendly,

Pel’s fishing owl and the woodland kingfisher,

sustainable, low-density approach, the

the latter’s repetitive song synonymous with

government has kept both demand and prices

warm summer days in the delta. From the air,

for a bed in Botswana at a premium.

the stretched tent roofs over the guest suites

At Xigera, South African architect Anton de

and central lodge areas are designed to resemble

Kock was appointed to reimagine the camp,

birds in flight, but are almost invisible below

the original version of which was Wilderness

a dense riverine forest of ancient hardwoods.

Safaris’ debut. Having been the creative force

Built on stilts and connected via elevated

behind another of the family’s passion projects

walkways to protect the land, the 12 tented

– the meticulous restoration of The Oyster Box

suites blend seamlessly with the surroundings.

in the KwaZulu-Natal coastal province – de

Each – including the two-bedroomed Xigera

Kock worked closely with Tollman and project

Family Suite – has 184m2 of indoor and outdoor

manager Philip Fourie. In getting to grips

space with a separate lounge and dressing room.

with the site, they immersed themselves fully

Whether from the outdoor shower, shaded day

in the local way life, taking to the water in a

bed or copper-clad bathtub, there are views

mokoro – the traditional dug-out canoe used

of the surrounding game-rich floodplains and

for generations – to navigate the crystal-clear

permanent water channels.

network of channels that make up the world’s

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Tasked with designing something that had

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The 12 tented suites span 184m2 of indoor and outdoor space and come with a separate lounge and dressing room

‘never been seen or done before’, de Kock felt a

global perceptions of African design and developing

responsibility to minimise the lodge’s carbon footprint

an authentic vernacular in the realm of covetable,

through energy-efficient, durable design. This

collectible, contemporary art. The gallery’s co-

extended to every decision made, from using the most

founder Trevyn McGowan describes the partnership as

sustainable building materials to the weatherproof

incredibly empowering, assembling over 80 creatives

furniture on the private decks of the guest suites. For

– from blacksmiths to bronze sculptors – to create an

the copper-etched drinks cabinets, over 40 different

ambitious volume of work in record time. The result

minibar fridges were assessed before a decision was

is a living gallery of functional and decorative art with

made; every item specified had to be efficient and built

a strong ‘reuse, reduce, recycle’ thread.

to last - they’re not so easily replaced here.

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Bespoke takes on new meaning here. There is only

The latest in Tesla solar-hybrid power solutions

one of each handcarved bench or handblown glass

supplies almost 100% of the energy requirements

bowl. Coral & Hive produced 37 custom-designed

of the lodge and staff village. Back of house, the

karakul wool and jute carpets, each hand-dyed, spun

sustainability measures include a composter that

and woven using traditional looms by an all-women

churns organic kitchen waste into fertiliser to feed

team in South Africa. Botswanan Peter Mabeo’s Sefefo

kitchen gardens that are irrigated with greywater from

dining tables, crafted from local panga panga wood,

an above-ground calcamite sanitation system. Water

grace several of the suites. Porky Hefer’s human-sized

is purified via reverse-osmosis technology before

nests inspired by biomimicry occupy the decks. And

being remineralised. And of course, there’s no single-

Otto du Plessis, a renowned sculptor and founder of

use plastic on site.

Bronze Age Foundry in Cape Town, created the bronze

In bringing the interiors to life, Tollman partnered

lily flower basins in each suite, as well as the brass

with Southern Guild, a Cape Town-based gallery and

countertops and the extraordinary centrepiece in the

design hub that has played a significant role in shaping

main bar, designed by Tollman.

Many of the items in everyday use in the

enough to stash in a suitcase. There is also a

lodge are made from recycled or repurposed

deep splash pool and gym attached to a yoga

materials. Glassware was hand blown by

pavilion, and a Tata Harper-stocked spa – a first

Ngwenya Glass in Swaziland from recycled

in Africa.

glass; baskets were handwoven from harvested

A highlight is undoubtedly the Baobab

lutinzi and sisal grasses or raffia by Gone Rural,

Treehouse, standing proud amongst the

also in Swaziland; blacksmith Conrad Hicks

indigenous Croton trees one kilometre from

used repurposed steel for the giant, sculptural

the lodge. Constructed from steel in the shape

centrepiece for the boma, where food is fired

of a baobab tree, the design was inspired by

over the coals. Recycled aluminium was used

an iconic painting by Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef;

by Jesse Ede to make the outdoor dining tables,

inside, the multi-level suite features carved

and there are eye-catching, original artworks

timber furniture by celebrated designers such

by Chris Soal in each suite, fashioned from used

as David Krynauw, John Vogel and Adam Birch.

beer bottle tops.

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While a trip to Botswana is ultimately about

The main bar is all deep-buttoned sofas

experiencing the wildlife and the natural

and cosy, art-filled corners with ceiling fans

surroundings, Xigera has successfully created

overhead – perfect for tastings of Bouchard

a sense of place that engages the senses. The

Finlayson wines from the family estate in

carefully curated and artfully layered interiors

South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde valley. A shop

combined with the know-how of the Tollman

dishes a tight edit of African designer jewellery,

family is a winning formula. The culmination of

clothing, linen and objects by Southern Guild’s

a lifelong dream, this new camp in a truly wild,

designers, such as Chuma Maweni, Madoda Fani

remote setting draws on six decades of devotion

and Stanislaw Trzebinksi – everything is small

to unparalleled luxury, in service to guests.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Operator: The Red Carnation Hotel Collection Architecture and Interior Design: Toni Tollman, Anton de Kock and Philip Fourie Design Partner: Southern Guild www.xigera.com

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The Upper House André Fu Suite HONG KONG A decade after he made his name designing the interiors of the second hotel in Swire’s House Collective, André Fu returns to create a suite named in his honour. Words: Catherine Martin • Photography: Courtesy of The Upper House

hen The Upper House first opened in 2009, it was

spaces,” Fu continues, adding his delight at being able to

considered the antithesis of what typically defines

introduce the new lifestyle range to guests. Accompanying a

an Asian luxury hotel,” says André Fu of the project

calming palette of mineral blue, dusty mink and pale ivory,

that marked the beginning of his hospitality design career.

the suite is furnished with pieces from the André Fu Living

Back then, Fu was virtually unknown, but Swire clearly saw

collection that launched during Milan’s Salone del Mobile

potential and entrusted him with instilling his own vision

in 2019, alongside some new additions. “These include a

for the future of luxury. The gamble paid off; the hotel has

collaboration with British heritage wallcovering specialist

won a loyal following of guests and its interiors continue to

de Gournay, and lounge seating upholstered in Loro Piana’s

stand the test of time.

finest wools,” he explains. “From the sculptural ottoman

Fu’s relationship with the hotel has also stood the test of

to the fluidity and linear structure of the Mid-Century

time, and is one that he has cherished throughout his career.

inspired furniture, and the refined porcelain tableware

“I have always tried to maintain a personal relationship

delicately garnished with artisan brush gilding, each piece

with The Upper House as it is a property that I frequent,”

within the suite is an expression of my signature understated

he explains. “I feel a natural duty to ensure the holistic

sophistication and fascination with craftsmanship, focusing

experience of the hotel evolves with time.”

not simply on how beautiful things look but how they make

Plans for a new suite came about by chance following one of

guests feel.”

Fu’s regular catch-ups with the team; the result is a 1,960ft2

In all, the suite is home to over 100 pieces from the

oasis that combines the refined experience of a luxury hotel

Living collection, each a show of Fu’s own brand of relaxed

with the privacy and comfort of a contemporary residence.

luxury. A selection of books from his personal library also

“I had a clear vision to create a unique venue with space

offer insight into the designer’s vision while framed sketches

for private entertainment, rejuvenation and relaxation,” he

of the hotel’s original design concept come as a neat reminder

notes. Perched high above the city on level 48, the suite

of the journey that has shaped his career.

features a spacious living salon, an intimate dining room for

And the journey doesn’t end there. Fu has also transformed

20 and an in-room couples massage chamber. The interiors

the hotel’s arrival lobby into a space that is more akin to a

are a tribute to Fu and honour his enduring bond with the

living room, and there’s a new lounge designed with the

hotel, realised through the integration of his own collection

guest’s needs in mind. “My philosophy is born from a belief

of furniture, homeware and decorative accessories.

that true luxury is in the experience, not only the aesthetics,”

“The idea was to bring my own brand ethos to the hotel;

he concludes. It’s a statement that will no doubt continue

the suite’s design is a testament to my sensibilities and

to define Fu’s projects – and the hospitality landscape – for

perhaps how I seek to bring a calm simplicity into interior

years to come.

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Kayak MIAMI BEACH Travel search engine Kayak teams up with Rami Zeidan’s Life House to open its first boutique hotel powered by tech. Words: Ayesha Khan • Photography: © Courtesy of Kayak

s the world edges closer towards the post-pandemic era, hotels find themselves re-thinking their approach to the guest experience: what do guests really want out

of their stay? How much in-person interaction is necessary? Isn’t there an app for that? It was this same process that world-leading travel search engine Kayak went through when planning its entry into the hotel sector. “Kayak Miami Beach has been something we have been thinking about for a couple of years and Covid-19 accelerated the need for innovation and for independent hotels,” explains Kayak’s CEO, Steve Hafner. “It has also made people more receptive to using apps and has fast-tracked tech-enabled solutions.” At the Collins Canal-facing property, housed in a

handsome 1934 Art Deco building, guests can book a stay, check in, make dinner reservations, order room service or housekeeping, and check out without ever having to interact with anything but an app. There’s even a virtual yoga class filmed on-site to make it look and feel live. But all these mod-cons don’t make the hotel experience any less authentic, and that is thanks to a collaboration with lifestyle brand Life House. Vice President of Design Jenny Bukovec recalls her team’s overarching design narrative: “John Collins was a Quaker who founded Miami Beach and built the canal to ship avocados and mangoes back to the mainland, so we drew a great deal from this trading background. A lot of the design stems from the mercantile weaving and the type of baskets that Collins was using to transport that produce, but we also focused in a larger proportion on Streamlined Moderne, to really make this a fresh, boutique space without feeling too nostalgic.”

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Furniture in the guestrooms and suites is low-slung and relaxed, with reverent nods to Quaker John Collins and the mercantile baskets he once floated on the city’s canal

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On arrival at the lobby living room, guests

Suites located on the rooftop – ranging from

check in at a streamlined self-service kiosk

one to two bedrooms plus lounges – enjoy

backed by a tile mural that references Kayak’s

terraces and access to a private pool bar. But

branding, led by Aleks Safarova. “The abstract

the most innovative part of the design is, of

graphic patterns we developed for the brand

course, Kayak’s in-room app. Accessed through

and collateral are inspired by the Art Deco

the TV rather than a nondescript courtesy

building and the architecture of Kayak Miami

tablet, the app offers the aforementioned guest

Beach,” Bukovec adds of the motifs that appear

conveniences while truly engaging them with

everywhere, from this mural to hotel stationery

their neighbourhood – a key objective for both

and pool towels. “That language works really

Life House and Kayak.

well with the geometric logo and also takes

The hotel’s dining venue, Leyla, channels

visual cues from the aerial crop views you see

Life House CEO Rami Zeidan’s Middle Eastern

from a plane, reflecting Kayak’s origins in

background and takes inspiration from the

flights.” Another key design element is Kayak’s

Persian love story of Leyla and Majnoon, two

signature orange, used in a way that Safarova

star-crossed lovers who would meet in secret

and Bukovec describe as more “mature.”

against the will of their families. “Layla is the

In the 52 guestrooms and suites, furniture is

manifestation of a story that our guests can feel

low-slung and relaxed, with reverent nods to

connected to when they’re with us. It’s not just

Quaker Collins and the mercantile baskets he

about the menu or the DJ, it’s about cultivating

floated on the canal. Retro Marshall speakers

a sense of place and belonging,” says Zeidan.

hook up to guests’ personal devices, while

Life House Food & Beverage Director, Daniel

plantation shutters and Art Deco light fixtures

Levine, also of Middle Eastern origin, explains:

are a sure reminder that this is Miami Beach.

“The inspiration around this restaurant wasn’t

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necessarily the cuisine of the Levant, but rather

where technology and great design are not

their dining culture. Through my many trips

mutually exclusive, but rather complement each

to Israel, I was most impressed with the way

other,” Hafner explains. “Our guests have the

people dine and how their cuisine encourages

unique opportunity to influence how we move

human connection. Ultimately our goal at Layla

forward. We want everyone who stays with us

is to facilitate that connection. We put together

to give feedback about what they liked – or

a beautiful cocktail programme, a shareable

what we could be better – in the form of lab

menu and obsessively curated the ambiance to

results. Since it’s our property, we can control

help people connect with one another.”

the speed of innovation,” he adds. As such, the

Set among soaring ceilings and with a

brand will not only continue to develop the

sprawling outdoor terrace overlooking the

Accommodation Operating System for its own

Collins Canal, Leyla features Bedouin-style

hotels – of which Hafner promises there will be

carpets and lush greenery, recalling an idyllic

many more – but is also looking to make this

meeting spot for the two lovers. As a tribute to

software accessible to smaller properties. “The

their clandestine encounters, an invitation-only

big hotel chains have been working on this tech

rooftop garden-bar is accessible via a moody

for years and we look forward to levelling the

secret staircase, adding to the allure of the

playing field for independent hotels,” Hafner

venue and echoing Kayak’s sense of adventure.

concludes. There’s no escaping the fact that

Rather than rest on the laurels of their

technology will be an integral part of the future.

interactive guest experience, Kayak sees this

But it’s heartening to know that innovation can

hotel as more of a testing ground for new

still coexist with, and indeed perpetuate a sense

technology. “This is a tech-centric design lab

of adventure and authenticity.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Operator: Kayak, Life House Interior Design: Life House www.kayakmb.com

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Toggle Hotel TOKYO Klein Dytham Architecture adds a splash of colour to the Tokyo skyline. Words: Eleanor Howard • Photography: © Shingo Nakashima/SS

mongst the concrete jungle of suburban Tokyo, a new boutique hotel is making its presence known thanks to a vibrant two-tone colour scheme that informs

both the architecture and interior design. Designed by Klein Dytham Architecture, the 85-key property responds to its surroundings – a monochromatic mix of concrete and steel – with a welcome splash of colour conceived to reflect the city’s energy. The façade for example, features bands of grey and yellow, aligned horizontally to represent the movement of the cars and trains speeding by on the expressway and rail line. Despite being selected over two years ago, the exterior matches the 2021 Pantone Colours of the Year – Ultimate Gray and Illuminating – a pairing that the institute describes as ‘a marriage of colour conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting’. The two-tone pairings carry through to the interiors, with each of the nine storeys decorated with a different duo of contrasting colours. Up on the top floor, the lobby and café couples neutral sand tones with a lively green, adding foliage and co-ordinated furniture to the space. Guestrooms come in 10 different categories, from a 20m2 loft to the larger premier rooms sleeping up to four, with a variety of colour combinations to choose from. Midnight blue pairs with orange, pale green with a blush pink, and sky blue with yellow. All guestrooms are decorated with furniture, bedding and soft furnishings to match the flooring and walls, with the hues also serving to neatly divide the rooms into zones. Even the corridors have been given the colour treatment, with each level defined by a different pairing as a unique and fun approach to wayfinding.

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Hutton Brickyards NEW YORK Real estate investor Karl Slovin partners with Salt Hotels to breathe new life into a former industrial works in the Hudson Valley. Words: Ben Thomas • Photography: © Courtesy of Salt Hotels

rom the Yankee Stadium to the Met

focused on membership clubs and exclusivity,

Cloisters to the Empire State Building,

but we really wanted Brickyards to be an

Hutton Brickyards, quite literally, created

inclusive destination where locals can come

the building blocks of New York City. As the

and eat, drink and stay on the river,” says the

go-to manufacturer of quality red brick, the

group’s co-founder and CEO, David Bowd.

yard churned out the rectangular slabs for over

The hotelier laid the foundations for Salt

a century, operating from a waterside factory on

Hotels in 2011, and has since opened a collection

the banks of the Hudson River.

of unique properties in North America, including

Since its closure, much of the infrastructure

Asbury Ocean Club in New Jersey. It was here

has been dismantled, but a handful of elements

that he ventured into education, developing

remain – including three steel-framed kiln

the Salt School training programme to offer

sheds and a Lidgerwood crane. This quartet of

those from the surrounding community the

structures, some of the only surviving examples

chance to learn the ropes. Having himself left

of brickmaking architecture in the Hudson

school at 15-years-old before landing his first

Valley, were at the centre of real estate investor

job in a hotel, the initiative is one that Bowd

Karl Slovin’s plans when he arrived on the

is particularly proud of. “I wanted to create

scene seven years ago, having acquired the site

an environment that helps people get into

in a dilapidated state. A passionate New Yorker

hospitality,” he explains. “Plus it means that

with a family home in Rhinebeck just across the

we have locals working in our hotels; who better

river, his ambition was to dig up the industrial

to tell you the best places to go than someone

roots of the works and celebrate a Gilded Age

who lives in the area.”

era that had all but vanished. After deciding a

While the front-of-house team are on-hand

luxury retreat was the path to take, the search

to impart their wisdom throughout the course of

was on for a hospitality group that would share

a guest’s stay, the sense of place is evident from

his vision and implement it with authenticity.

the outset. Brick ruins on the drive in stand as

Enter Salt Hotels.

a proud reminder of what went before, while

“A lot of hotels in Upstate New York are

an old Lidgerwood crane towers over the site.

117

Hutton Brickyards comprises a collection of individual guest cabins dotted across the landscape

118

Salt’s mindful approach is carried through the site,

rehab moment of exiting lockdown and detoxing for

which, unlike traditional developments, comprises a

a few days, and the site’s proximity to the city means

collection of individual guest cabins dotted across the

it’s easy to do that.”

landscape. The group’s Chief Creative Officer, Kevin

After a day of activities, guests can retire to The

O’Shea, collaborated with New York-based architect

River Pavilion, a restaurant and bar helmed by chef

Kristina Dousharm to design the 300ft2, shed-style

Dan Silverman, previously of Manhattan’s Balthazar

lodges, which are fronted by floor-to-ceiling glass

and Minetta Tavern. Housed within one of the steel-

that cleverly reflects the adjacent meadow for a sense

framed kiln sheds and open to the public as a means of

of harmony.

bringing the community together, the open-air setting

“Our guiding principle was the Shaker movement,

relies solely on wood-burning heat sources – with

which involved clean lines, letting the landscape speak

lumber sustainably retrieved from the grounds – and

for itself and avoiding too much ornamentation –

channels an industrial aesthetic through steel trusses,

hence why the end of each cabin is crafted entirely

festoon lighting and bricks, of course. “During the

from glass to frame the view,” says O’Shea, adding

manufacturing process, the brickyard would use

that Slovin had a hand in every detail of the cabins.

the cast-offs as landfill, meaning anywhere you dig

“They’ve also been positioned in a way that reduces

throughout the property, you’ll find bricks,” O’Shea

people’s awareness of the other units around them.”

quips. “We’ve been pulling cast-offs up across the site

Spread across 73 acres, it would be easy to lose

and using them in interesting ways, from fence posts

oneself in this sprawling campus, but that’s all part

and pathways to filling cages in the dining pavilion to

of the appeal. When guests aren’t hunkering down for

define the restaurant. There are bricks everywhere!”

the night in these bucolic boltholes, they are invited to

The culinary offering also includes The Larder, from

explore the great outdoors, whether via cross-country

which essentials, indulgences and whimsical items can

skiing or guided kayak experiences. The Empire State

be ordered via an in-room tablet and delivered straight

Trail – a 750-mile route for cyclists and hikers –

to the cabin’s door, together with a cocktail cart that

passes through the grounds too, while the 520-acre

circles the resort, serving residents who have flown

Quarry Waters state park will arrive soon to protect

a flag outside of their accommodation to signal for

the riverfront.

a top-up. The idea, according to Bowd, was born out

Creating a hotel that fosters a healthy lifestyle was

of a desire to provide Hutton’s guests with a level of

a primary focus for Bowd and his team, particularly

service comparable to luxury resorts around the world:

in the wake of the pandemic: “People’s mental and

“In a typical hotel, at five o’clock, you’re getting ready

physical health have both been affected to differing

to go for dinner and think, ‘I’ll just pop down to the

degrees over the last 12 months, which is one of the

bar for a cocktail’, but in a space that’s so spread

key reasons we made sure there was a spa element,

out, that simple thing becomes much more difficult

gym and outdoor programming,” explains Bowd.

operationally. And that’s how the cocktail cart came

“More and more of us are looking for that almost

about. It’s turning those challenges into something

119

120

that’s fun, which I think makes people’s stay a

outdoor spaces – from Butler Pavilion with a

little more interesting.”

4,000-guest capacity to Hutton Hall, which

O’Shea agrees, citing that the biggest

can host up to 400 people standing and 160 in

challenge for Salt was figuring out how they

banquet seating, as well as two other pavilions

would deliver a quality experience over such a

– are expected to welcome larger crowds once

vast expanse of land. “We asked ourselves, ‘how

more as Covid restrictions are relaxed.

do we strike the balance between connecting

There’s room for the hotel to grow too, with

people with nature and providing them with the

Bowd noting that Salt will use the summer

amenities of a luxury hotel?’ Our solution was to

season as a lesson before exploring new

use technology as a means of connecting guests

ventures and areas – like a restaurant for the

and staff members so that at any point, through

winter months – where it could be developed in

an app on their phone, residents can request

a manner that maintains the site’s connection

room service, retail or a ride. We’re aiming to

to nature: “The beauty of the space is that

create a seamless experience, so that they’re

we could put 20 cabins up in the woods that

always connected if they need to be, but also

would never be seen by anybody in the existing

have the ability to completely disconnect and

ones, so it allows us that expansion without

head into the woods for the day.”

disturbing what’s already here.”

With Slovin’s initial concept centred around

The final bricks may well have been fired here

events, part of the vision going forward also

over 40 years ago, but the flame of the former

involves catering for weddings and corporate

industrial works continues to burn brightly in

retreats. Having served as a bedrock for the

its newly remodelled form, helping build the

site over recent years, a series of indoor and

future of hospitality.

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Karl Slovin Developer: MWest Holdings Operator: Salt Hotels Architecture: Kristina Dousharm Architecture (cabins) Conservation Architects: Chazen Companies, Atlas Industries Interior Design: Kevin O’Shea (Salt Hotels in-house design team), Kristina Dousharm Architecture Graphic Design: Alexander Isley Lighting Design: Blue Hour Lighting Landscaping: Augustine Nursery Main Contractor: Equastate Builders www.huttonbrickyards.com

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DEVELOPMENT REPORT

MALDIVES

DEVELOPMENT REPORT With new supply on the way, could a nationwide loyalty scheme and the ‘one island, one resort’ concept help drive demand? Words: Lisa Kjellsson

ith its picture-perfect looks and

1.7 million tourists visited the Maldives in 2019

has so far had little impact on performance,

wealth of luxury resorts, the Maldives

and last year, the destination bounced back

with occupancy averaging 65.8% in 2019,

has long been regarded as a holiday-

strongly from a four-month lockdown, with

down just 2.2% on the previous year, and

maker’s paradise. In recent years, thanks to

500,000 arrivals after reopening its borders

RevPAR holding steady at MVR5525.25 (approx.

the re-issuing of tourism leases and allocation

in July. There’s no mistaking its appeal, and

US$350). 2020 was of course a different story,

of uninhabited islands to new projects, it has

as travellers found most parts of the world off

with occupancy down 51.2% and RevPAR

become a developer’s paradise too.

limits through the pandemic, the archipelago’s

declines of 31%, but developers are optimistic

The archipelago – made up of 1,192 islands in

main selling point became all the more relevant.

that performance will return to pre-pandemic

the Indian Ocean – has been welcoming tourists

The ‘one island, one resort’ concept meant

levels, and are pushing ahead with growth. The

since 1972, when the first resort made its debut

social distancing was part of the package, and

latest research from Tophotelprojects counts

in the North Malé Atoll. New hotels, and even

with a raft of all-you-can-stay offers, those

16 hotels in the pipeline and what’s notable is

new islands, have opened every year since, and

who could afford it simply sat out lockdown in

the variety on offer, with some developments

the sector has flourished to become the largest

reassuringly virus-free luxury.

targeting families and others taking more of a

contributor to the economy. Despite being the

lifestyle hotel approach.

smallest country in Asia, both in population

IN THE PIPELINE

and land mass, it has ambitious targets to

There are plenty of hotels to choose from – 154 to

WIDENING THE SCOPE

increase international arrivals and the number

be exact, with a dozen new openings scheduled

Keen to build on its own brand, the Maldives

of resorts. In 2019, the government released

for 2021. Recent years have seen brand debuts

recently launched the world’s first tourism

29 islands for new tourism developments, an

from a host of international operators: Accor

loyalty scheme, Maldives Border Miles.

initiative set to add 13,720 beds and create

opened new ventures from Raffles, Fairmont

Registered visitors earn a number of points

18,000 jobs for locals.

and Pullman; Hilton Worldwide added a

depending on criteria such as the duration

With so much development under way,

Waldorf Astoria and Curio Collection property;

of stay, frequency of travel, and visits to

is there a risk of over supply? “The tourism

IHG introduced InterContinental to Raa Atoll;

celebrate special occasions. “The main purpose

development projects are undertaken in line

Radisson Hotel Group opened a Radisson Blu;

is to increase the popularity of Maldives as a

with the tourism masterplan,” says Thoyyib

and Marriott International has new offers from

tourist destination to a wider audience and to

Mohamed, Managing Director of Maldives

Westin and JW Marriott. Other recent openings

encourage repeat visitors,” says Mohamed,

Marketing & PR Corporation. “If infrastructure

of note include Joali, a 73-key resort designed

adding that the country is so much more than

and associated developments are met along

by Autoban; Baglioni, with both beach and

a honeymoon destination.

with marketing initiatives, consumer demand

overwater villas; and Kagi, an ultra-luxury

will be created to fill the added supply.”

property from Crown & Champa Resorts.

The masterplan is certainly yielding results –

According to data from STR, the new supply

One operator looking to target the family demographic is Minor Hotels, which already operates five properties in the Maldives,

124

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Existing properties have been adding to their offer to keep up with the competition; Anantara Kihavah has launched the largest overwater residence in the world (top); Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi has a new restaurant (middle left); and Finolhu (middle right) and Amilla (bottom) have introduced glamping experiences

including three Anantaras. Avani+ Fares

refurbishment to become the country’s first

development has an environmental impact,

Maldives Resort is scheduled to launch in

member of Design Hotels. Here, London-based

but a particularly controversial issue in the

early 2022 in the Baa Atoll and will feature an

studio Muza Lab devised a kaleidoscope scheme,

Maldives is land reclamation, in which islands

extensive kids’ club with a dedicated restaurant

bringing the turquoise of the ocean and pink and

are created by dredging and pumping sand into

concept. “Over the coming years, the Maldives

purple hues of the sunset to the 125 guest villas

a lagoon or on top of an existing reef. Whether

will continue to attract honeymoon couples due

and showstopping Rockstar Villa. The resort

this is justifiable when there are still plenty of

to the idyllic nature of the destination. That

has also introduced a Beach Bubble, where

undeveloped natural islands across the atolls

said, we feel that there is great opportunity

guests can spend the night beneath the stars.

is a question met with a unanimous ‘no’ from

to target the family segment which has been

With travellers increasingly looking for new

environmental advocates. “It’s a problem for

under-represented,” says Thomas Meier, Senior

experiences, a number of other properties have

many reasons,” says Philippa Roe, Head Marine

Vice President of Operations Asia for Minor

added glamping to the accommodation offer

Biologist at Six Senses Laamu. “Disrupting the

Hotels. He believes there’s still room for growth

too; Amilla unveiled its transparent beachfront

natural water flow changes the dynamics of

in the market so long as new developments are

pods earlier this year, and Fairmont Maldives

the whole area. Some fish and corals thrive in

pitched right. “Currently the majority of supply

Sirru Fen Fushi has safari-style Tented Jungle

stronger currents and if you disrupt them then

is focused on the luxury sector, but there is

Villas as a unique alternative to overwater villas.

those organisms are not going to be able to

still opportunity for growth in the upper-scale

Of course, the Maldives wouldn’t be the

survive there anymore.” She also points out that

segments, which are more accessible than the

Maldives without its overwater villas, and new

manmade islands need a lot of maintenance:

luxury segment.”

openings are becoming ever larger and more

“With strong tidal currents and monsoonal

Widening the scope has been the aim for a

luxurious. Soneva Fushi’s Water Retreats –

waves, they require heavy engineering to stay

number of developments in recent years, whether

complete with a slide into the ocean – captured

in place.”

that be in target audience or through design.

the attention when they launched last year,

Tree removal is another issue facing the

The Standard for example made waves when it

while Soneva Jani’s Chapter Two expansion will

country and one that has caused upset amongst

opened in 2019, bringing its signature mix of

add 27 sprawling Water Reserves with expansive

locals. In the past, the nation’s Environmental

social spaces and cultural programming to the

terraces and private swimming pools. Anantara

Protection Agency has come under fire for

islands, while Lux* used design to differentiate,

Kihavah Maldives Villas has also upped the ante,

authorising the mass removal of coconut palms

eschewing the typical Maldivian aesthetic in

launching what it believes to be the largest

without plans for revegetation, though revised

favour of contemporary whitewashed villas

overwater residence in the world, while Waldorf

regulations mean that the practice now requires

styled by Miaja Design Group. The Crossroads

Astoria has opened The Private Island for guests

Environmental Impact Assessment approval,

development is also worth a mention as the

looking for complete seclusion.

and it is mandatory to plant two trees for every

Maldives’ first multi-island, fully integrated

one removed.

leisure destination with dining, shopping and

A FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM

a marina accompanying the Hard Rock Hotel

While such projects often make the headlines

A POSITIVE IMPACT

and Saii Lagoon from Hilton’s Curio Collection.

for their scale and level of luxury, they do throw

Developers are undeterred by the issues, and

Existing properties have also been adding

into question the impact on the environment.

there’s a conscious effort to ensure a positive

to their offer in a bid to keep up with the

Soneva has long been championing sustainable

impact. “The island creation process can be

competition. Soneva Jani is soon to open a new

practices – applying them to everything from

stressful to nature but when implemented

wellness centre designed to set the standard in

the fabric used in the interior design scheme to

with due care, nature can recover,” explains a

holistic wellness, combining ancient Ayurvedic

innovative waste management strategies – and

spokesperson for Pontiac Land, the Singapore-

techniques with cutting-edge therapies. Joali

Crown & Champa’s Kudadoo set a new standard

based developers behind Fari Islands, a manmade

has enhanced its culinary programme with

when it opened in 2018, becoming the first fully

archipelago set to feature hotels from Capella,

chef partnerships and a new al fresco restaurant

solar-powered island. But what of building in a

Ritz-Carlton and Patina. “Once complete, the

serving Levant cuisine, while Waldorf Astoria

fragile ecosystem?

islands will become part of the atoll ecosystem and contribute to the surrounding landscape

Ithaafushi has unveiled Shimizu, a Japanese

The development boom means there is a

dining experience housed in a bamboo structure

constant balancing act between commercial

designed to mimic an ocean wave. Seaside

interests and efforts to protect the archipelago

The group also believe that land reclamation is

Finolhu meanwhile has undergone a full

and its vulnerable reefs. Of course any kind of

a solution to the country’s vulnerability to rising

and marine life.”

125

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Muza Lab has completed a refurbishment of Finolhu, where a kaleidoscope scheme brings the turquoise of the ocean and pink and purple hues of the sunset to the 25 guest villas and Rockstar Villa

126

sea levels. “The islands of the Maldives are famously

meanwhile has been landscaped with mature trees

known to be just above high tide level, exposing them

and shrubs that would otherwise have been destroyed,

to severe erosion and flooding, as experienced in a

transported from other islands to create a new habitat

number of areas,” the spokesperson continues. “Fari

for birdlife. It also has its own marine conservationist

Islands is engineered to accommodate the predicted

and supports the Olive Ridley Project dedicated to

changes in its lifetime, speeding up its resilience and

the rehabilitation of injured sea turtles; guestrooms

making it safer compared to other islands.”

are stocked with toiletries from Haeckels, made

Pontiac Land – together with a design team

from natural and sustainably-sourced ingredients;

comprising Studio MK27, Kengo Kuma & Associates,

and there’s a lab where budding engineers can turn

André Fu, Kerry Hill Architects, WATG and Urbnarc

recycled ocean plastics into 3D models.

– highlight a range of precautions taken during

Pontiac Land is also committed to creating an

construction to minimise environmental impact, as

enriching living environment for its employees.

well as initiatives that make a positive impact on the

The purpose-built staff campus offers a range of

nation, its ecosystem and its people.

recreational facilities and amenities with a focus on

At The Ritz-Carlton, due to open later this year,

community, education and engagement. It is the first

Kerry Hill Architects has utilised pre-fabricated

of its kind in the Maldives and dedicated to developing

design methods to reduce heavy operations on site,

the nation’s next generation of hoteliers. With the

while sophisticated glazing and spaces designed to

volume of new supply that’s on the horizon, there’s

harness the natural breeze will reduce the need for

a pressing need for staff. Recruiting and training

air-conditioning. Furniture, rugs and fabrics have

locals will not only bolster the nation’s economy, but

also been custom designed by Kerry Hill Architects

contribute to creating the all-important authentic

in collaboration with Maldivian artists. Patina

guest experience.

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14-04-21 13:54

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

MALDIVES

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

The hotel development pipeline in the Maldives sees brand debuts from international hotel groups as well as new ventures from local players.

128

1. Patina As one of three resorts at Fari Islands – an archipelago in North Malé Atoll – Patina is the inaugural property of a new lifestyle brand from Capella Hotel Group. Designed by Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan of MK27, it features 90 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas both on the beach and overwater, as well as four food and beverage concepts and a wide range of wellness and recreation facilities. Kogan’s concept is one of sanctuary and stimulation, with biophilic principles and the use of natural materials representing the idea of sanctuary, and vibrant public spaces designed for connecting with others as the stimulation. “Patina is unique in the Maldives,” explains Kogan. “One of the most remote places on Earth and still a place designed for people to meet one another. Patina Maldives embraces our natural conflicts: desire for peace and party,

for nature and design, technology and rusticity, self-indulgence and deep reflections.” Throughout the interiors, an earthy colour palette combines with natural materials such as timber, stone and linen, drawing the outside world in whilst enticing inhabitants out. The concept showcases the Patina brand’s appreciation of nature and community, while its zero-waste kitchens, sustainable sourcing and energy-positive ethos demonstrate a devotion to the wellbeing of the planet. A member of Design Hotels, Patina will be the first resort to open at Fari Islands, with the wider development anchored by a marina village offering restaurants, bars, boutique shopping and events. There’s berths for 20 yachts, a vibrant beach club and a boardwalk linking the facilities, as well as opportunities for food trucks and live music.

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DEVELOPMENT REPORT

130

2. Capella

3. The Ritz-Carlton

4. Cora Cora

Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates with interiors by André Fu, Capella features 57 spacious villas and mansions, each with private infinity pools and panoramic views of the Indian Ocean. The resort is home to Auriga Spa & Wellness, as well as a number of dining concepts including a Michelin-starred Omakase Bar, an American steakhouse and various al fresco options. There will also be a signature oceanfront dining destination with immersive concepts in four uniquely designed quadrants. Due to open in 2023, Capella will be the third resort at the Fari Islands development.

As the second hotel to open at Fari Islands, The Ritz-Carlton is designed by Kerry Hill Architects to embrace the circle of island life. Comprising 100 villas, seven restaurants and a spa, every aspect of the resort’s philosophy flows from ‘beru’ – the Maldivian word for drums and rounded shapes. Its spherical footprint is inspired by the ring-like forms of nearby lagoons, while architecture is characterised by sweeping curves. Inside, a palette of natural materials and colourways extends to the furniture, rugs and fabrics – custom designed in collaboration with local artists to honour the nation’s craft traditions.

Opening in Q4 2021, Cora Cora is owned and operated by Maldives-based Trinitas Holdings and comprises 100 villas and suites, five restaurants and bars, and a spa with seven treatment rooms. The pièce de resistance however is a licensed art gallery and museum – the first of its kind in the archipelago – celebrating the region’s cultural heritage through 400 local artefacts. The interior design scheme will also honour the spirit of the Maldives, with the renovation and repositioning being overseen by General Manager Martin van der Reijden, who brings a wealth of experience.

Developer: Pontiac Land Operator: Capella Hotel Group Architecture: Kengo Kuma & Associates Interior Design: André Fu

Developer: Pontiac Land Operator: Marriott International Architecture and Interior Design: Kerry Hill Architects

Owner / Operator: Trinitas Holdings General Manager: Martin van der Reijden

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DEVELOPMENT REPORT

132

5. Siyam World

6. Avani+ Fares Resort

7. Le Méridien Resort & Spa

Created by local operator Sun Siyam Resorts, Siyam World is a 54-hectare island playground slated to open in Q4 2021. Located in Noonu Atoll on one of the country’s largest natural islands, the resort will feature 499 guestrooms across 12 different categories, all with private swimming pools. There will also be more than a dozen different bars and restaurants to choose from, along with an array of signature services and experiences.

Located on the 12.4-hectare Fares Island in the Baa Atoll, Minor Hotels’ Avani+ – an upscale brand extension of Avani – will launch in early 2022. The 200-key resort will feature an open-plan living space combining lobby lounge and gourmet dining options such as The Pantry deli, an Avani hallmark serving comfort food and artisanal grab-and-go bites. Aimed at families, there will also be an extensive kids’ club with dedicated restaurant concept.

Le Méridien will make its Maldivian debut in Summer 2021, with the Paris-born brand’s Mid-Century design aesthetic presented through a Maldivian lens. Situated on the island of Thilamaafushi, the 154-key resort will feature overwater, lagoon and beach villas as well as a spa, oceanfacing fitness centre and two infinity pools. F&B options include two bars and four restaurants, ranging from a gelateria to a farmto-table experience.

Operator: Sun Siyam Resorts

Operator: Minor Hotels Developer: Cyprea Group

Operator: Marriott International

For more information on new hotel projects in planning or under construction, visit: www.tophotelprojects.com

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2021-04-14 6:25 PM

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

SAUDI ARABIA

DEVELOPMENT REPORT Sustainability and the work of globally renowned architects distinguish a growing tourism infrastructure that’s attracting the world’s most covetable hotel brands. Words: Lauren Jade Hill

t’s not often that a tourism infrastructure is built from

to mountains, canyons and rock formations as well as an

the ground-up, so strategically planned, designed and

archipelago of islands surrounded by pristine waters.

developed in a way that maximises opportunity and drives

Such sights are largely unfamiliar to even the most

growth. Yet this is exactly what’s happening in the Kingdom

seasoned traveller, as it wasn’t until as recently as 2019 that

of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia opened its borders to the outside world. In a bid

As a part of Vision 2030 – an ambitious blueprint outlining

to change its image and attract more international visitors,

goals across a variety of sectors – the nation has committed

the country has eased visa regulations, dress codes have been

to creating a vibrant society, establishing a thriving economy

relaxed and unmarried couples are now allowed to stay in

and repositioning itself as a global hub for trade. And tourism

the same hotel room. It’s also expected that alcohol will be

is a significant part of these plans.

legalised for some of the planned tourism developments.

Over the past 75 years, Saudi Arabia has built its economy

Saudi Arabia is now working towards the goal of increasing

on oil; 20% of all known oil reserves are located here,

tourism to account for 10% of its gross domestic product.

and the country exports more barrels than anywhere else,

With that, comes hotels, and plenty of them. According to a

contributing to it being the largest rentier economy in the

recent report by Tophotelprojects, no fewer than 163 hotels,

world. But the nation’s leaders are keen to diversify; to

accounting for 72,617 rooms, will open across the country

showcase what else it has to offer and build a better future

over the coming years. Much of the development is focused

for its people.

around the larger cities, particularly Jeddah, the gateway

Occupying the vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula,

for pilgrimages, and Mecca, the holy city itself, which

Saudi Arabia is geographically well placed for trading between

draws over 2.5 million visitors during the 10-day Hajj. So

continents, opening up possibilities for a commercial hub

while elements of the country’s strategy cater to business

that attracts business travellers from Africa, Asia and

and leisure travellers, religious tourism plays a major role.

Europe. And what of the leisure traveller? The country has

Along with infrastructure projects concerning airports, rail

a varied landscape of sprawling cities and vast deserts,

routes and local public transport, major expansion is under

with a coastline on both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

way at the Two Holy Mosques, with the aim of quadrupling

Vision 2030 has committed to investing in entertainment

capacity for Umrah visitors to 30 million per year. Vision

experiences, new attractions and venues for hosting world-

2030 framework states a requirement to ‘offer pilgrims with

class events, and there’s plenty of natural wonders too, from

all they need so we fulfil our duty to provide good hospitality

ancient kingdoms housing 2,000-year-old Nabatean tombs

to our brothers and sisters’, adding that the country takes

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DEVELOPMENT REPORT

The Red Sea Project is a 30,000km2 site and will feature 50 new hotels totalling 8,000 guestrooms

pride in its Islamic heritage and national identity. As a result, architects and designers are looking to the region’s history and culture for their schemes, seeking to create hotels that will appeal to both national and international visitors alike.

BIG BRANDS PLANT FLAGS With a significant rise in visitor numbers on the cards, hotel groups large and small have been assessing the market, scoping out locations and determining the best fit for their brands. All of the big players have announced plans to increase their inventory in Saudi Arabia, with brands spanning the full gamut from

Architects and designers are looking to the nation’s history and culture for their schemes, seeking to create hotels that will appeal to both national and international visitors alike.

hotels planned, all of which will be built using lightweight materials and manufactured offsite, meaning more energy efficient construction and less impact on the environment. “Shurayrah Island is the gateway to The Red Sea Project, so it’s important that it sets the standard in groundbreaking architecture and sustainable design, not just for our destination, but globally too,” comments John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC). “This is achieved by going beyond simply protecting the environment, to applying a regenerative approach.” According to plans, this project – the first phase of which is slated to debut late 2022

select-service to luxury. Hilton Worldwide

– aims to rely fully on on-site generated

has a number of projects in the works, with

renewable energy, with 100% carbon neutral

DoubleTree set to have the largest presence of

operations and a zero waste-to-landfill policy.

those in the pipeline. There’s also a 200-key

Vision 2030’s flagship project, the mega-city

Canopy planned for The Avenues development

Neom, is then taking over a 26,500km2 site

in Khobar, and an Embassy Suites for Mecca.

including 450km of coastline on the north-

Marriott International meanwhile has two

western edge of Saudi Arabia. Expected to reach

large-scale projects on the boards in Mecca;

completion in 2025, Neom aims to attract five

a 1,000-key Aloft currently in pre-planning

million visitors annually with the ambition

phase, and a 2,600-key Fairfield – the largest

of becoming an international hub for a range

in the world – due to open in 2023 close to the

of sectors, contributing significantly to the

Grand Mosque. Accor also has plans for Mecca

SUSTAINABILITY LED GIGA-PROJECTS

with its Ibis Styles, Novotel, Adagio and Mercure

Away from the cities, the vision for increased

Meanwhile, Qiddiya is coming to fruition on a

brands while at the luxury end of its portfolio,

tourism outlines sustainability efforts across

334km2 development in south-west Riyadh, with

Raffles will land in Jeddah in 2022 and Banyan

the country, with large-scale ‘giga-projects’

the vision of becoming Saudi Arabia’s capital of

Tree in AlUla later that year.

placing much of their focus on the country’s

entertainment, sports and arts attracting 14.5m

For IHG, a large proportion of pipeline is

pristine environment. Within this eco-tourism

visitors per year after an expected completion

flagged as Holiday Inn, with the most recent

model, giga-projects include The Red Sea

date of 2028. Over 200km of the site is set

signing being Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche,

Project, Neom and Qiddiya, as well as Amaala

aside for natural conservation and recreational

slated to open near the waterfront in 2022. And

and AlUla.

activities, with experiences coming under five

country’s tourism industry.

Radisson Hotel Group will continue to build a

Located between Umluj and Alwajh on a

themes – parks and attractions, sports and

presence with its Radisson Blu brand in Riyadh,

30,000km2 site, The Red Sea Project will span

wellness, motion and mobility, art and culture,

Mecca and Al Ahsa.

200km of coastline and nine islands surrounded

and nature and environment; prominent

Smaller hotel groups are getting in on the

by desert landscape and mountains, with 50

facilities include a clifftop stadium, Formula

act too. In Riyadh, imminent arrivals include a

new hotels totalling up to 8,000 guestrooms, a

One racetrack, golf courses and a Six Flags

Nobu Hotel, where the design of Rockwell Group

town for 35,000 inhabitants and a new Foster

theme park.

combines Nobu’s Japanese heritage with a nod to

+ Partners-designed airport. The architects

These key giga-projects are being joined by the

arabesque architecture. Four Seasons, Mandarin

are also behind the Coral Bloom concept on

ultra-luxury Amaala and AlUla developments,

Oriental, Taj, Jumeirah and Kempinski also have

Shurayrah Island, taking inspiration from the

which are attracting internationally renowned

plans to open hotels in the Kingdom. Of the 163

flora and fauna of Saudi Arabia to devise a scheme

architects along with the world’s most

hotels in the Tophotelprojects database, 51%

that harmonises with its surroundings. Kengo

prominent luxury hotel brands to some of the

will open before the end of 2022.

Kuma & Associates are designing another of the

country’s most extraordinary natural settings.

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DEVELOPMENT REPORT

THE VISION FOR AMAALA

environmental scientists and conservation experts

Currently expected to reach completion in 2028,

come onboard, then we mapped out the whole coastline

Amaala is now taking shape on a 3,800km2 area of the

in terms of the terra firma, but also the sea. As a part

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nature Reserve on the

of our masterplan, we wrote design guides including

north-western coast of the Red Sea. Made up of three

our environmental strategy for all the architects and

communities – Triple Bay, the coastal development

interior designers to work to.”

Miraya and The Island – Amaala will offer three

On completion, a solar farm will produce Amaala’s

different sets of experiences, overall serving as a

electricity, seawater will be desalinated for the water

resort, wellness and arts destination with 2,500 luxury

supply and electric cars will transport guests to

hotel rooms, 800 residential apartments and villas,

Amaala’s hotels and resorts. “Amaala is attracting all

an equestrian club, four yacht marinas and an array

the top hotel brands,” continues Underwood. “We’re

of arts venues.

designing a Baccarat hotel on the island and then

To realise these plans, HKS Architects was appointed

there’s a Four Seasons, a Rosewood, a Six Senses…

masterplanner for Triple Bay and Miraya, with Jean-

We’re talking about Aman for the island too. There are

Michel Gathy and his design firm Denniston then

around 30 hotels across the three projects.”

being named masterplanner for The Island.

The vision for Amaala includes 2,500 luxury hotel rooms across three communities, with Denniston taking the lead at The Island

138

Within Amaala, Triple Bay will offer a holistic

“We were involved from day one, helping to build

wellness retreat, state-of-the-art diagnostic medical

the vision,” says Kevin Underwood, Director of

facilities and fully integrated sports and entertainment

Hospitality at HKS. “From the beginning we identified

community. Miraya is set to become a hub for

two assets: the first being some of the best coral

contemporary art and The Island will be home to an

reefs in the world, and the second the mountainous

arts community. “The Triple Bay project will have two

topography. And so very early on, we committed

major wellness resorts – one non-invasive and the

to having a strong environmental strategy. We had

other medical – as well as a wellness research institute

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12.04.21 13:39

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

focusing on the provenance of ancient treatments with

on the project launch. “Its lifestyle components,

roots in the Middle East,” explains Underwood. “At

its landscaping, the museums and art installations,

Miraya, there’s going to be an arts village and Museum

together with the art community, will transform this

of Modern Art with talk of a Biennale.”

island into the Diamond of the Red Sea.”

The arts village is based on the old Arabic coastal

At AlUla, an 82-key Banyan Tree designed by AW2 blends into the natural environment of Ashar Valley

140

villages of Saudi Arabia, with a kinetic canopy that

DESERT DESIGNS IN ALULA

illuminates at night. “We like to come up with

Inland from the Red Sea, AlUla stands out as an

contemporary designs that are rooted in heritage and

extraordinary desert landscape of historical, geological

culture,” says Underwood. HKS is also designing the

and geographical significance, which was once at the

marina’s Club de Monaco-operated yacht club, taking

crossroads of the Silk Road and Incense Route. Home

inspiration for its design from the wave-cut rocks of

to both natural and manmade ancient monuments,

the eroded cliffs.

including the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra,

On The Island, an arts community and Arabic

it is the focus for another of Saudi Arabia’s ultra-

botanical garden is then being designed according to

luxury projects. A bounty of world-class eco-resorts

four key elements: a contemporary art museum and

will be joined by tourism activities ranging from

academy, riviera-lifestyle artists’ colony, immersive

adventure sports to the discovery of the heritage and

artistic experiences and opportunities for co-creation.

an appreciation for arts, with infrastructure including

Visitors can expect an array of working studios,

a newly expanded airport and tramway system.

artisanal shops and galleries, including an underwater

This one-of-a-kind development encompasses

museum, among an ultra-luxury hospitality offering

a raft of exciting hotels. “We are in the middle of

comprising seven hotels.

finishing up two big hotel projects for August 2021,”

“The Island development will be an immersive and

says Phillip Jones, Chief Destination Marketing Officer

interactive art-inspired jewel,” commented Gathy

for The Royal Commission for AlUla. “The first is an

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DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Designed by Jean Nouvel, Sharaan Resort is being carved out of the rocks, with the scheme developed to respond to the dramatic desert landscape

142

82-key Banyan Tree property that blends into the

to AlUla over the coming years. We’re building what

natural environment of Ashar Valley, and the second,

we call the tourism ecosystem from the ground up.”

which is also in the Ashar Valley, is a 100-key Habitas

The hotels here have to be built in a sustainable way,

resort focused on sustainability with 3D-printed

with emphasis on the natural landscape to preserve

pieces integrated into the construction. After that,

it for future generations. Environmentally-friendly

we have three Aman resorts that are under design

energy sources and the use of local products will

and soon to start construction, with the first resort

ensure each property has a light carbon footprint. The

hopefully opening at the end of 2022 and the other

site’s overall sustainable development strategy focuses

two opening in 2023. We also have the super-luxury

on safeguarding the natural landscape and putting the

Sharaan Resort, designed by the French architect Jean

local community at its centre.

Nouvel, which is literally being carved out of the rocks

So, what is the significance of developments

in the Sharaan Nature Reserve – this resort is modelled

like these? “We’ve seen the entire country open to

after the tombs that were carved thousands of years

international tourism, whereas before it was focused

ago here by the Nabateans. It’s going to be an iconic

on religious and pilgrimage tourism,” says Jones. “I

property for Saudi Arabia.”

think there’s an appreciation that tourism is a viable

Three other hotel projects with well-known luxury

industry for the destination and they’re committed to

brands are also under discussion. “We have all the

putting the proper investment in place to support a

natural assets and heritage sites – we just have to

long-term strategy for its sustainability.

create the built assets,” says Jones. “We have just

“Saudi Arabia has these untouched natural assets

opened the restored Old Town, which we have added

that nobody has been exposed to,” he concludes.

to with several new restaurants, and multiple more

“Tourism here is very much targeted towards

projects are under way. We will continue to add

adventurous travellers who want to be pioneers in

museums, art galleries and a range of other facilities

discovering a new destination.”

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Retail Retold Having brought both retail and hospitality to their knees, the Coronavirus pandemic has seen both sectors assessing their future. Could a burgeoning hybrid model save the day? Words: Kristofer Thomas

n the years preceding Covid-19, the retail and hospitality sectors had been forging an increasingly close relationship. Hotels were searching for a way to open up additional revenue streams and retain the cash guests would otherwise spend beyond their purview, whilst brick-and-mortar retail had been fighting back the tide

of online sales with on-site allure and experiential elements – think limited-run pop-ups, multi-sensory shopping and tangible commercial plays designed to drive engagement as opposed to cold, hard sales. In hotels, the faltering physical retail market had found a readymade experiential playground, where this new form of customer engagement could take place; a highly personal alternative to the decidedly unsentimental clickand-purchase. Likewise, hotels found a channel beyond the standard souvenir shop that could attract and retain a wider pool of both overnight guests and passers-by, be that a store selling their own branded merchandise and contents or those of a third party. This was a complementary relationship, touted by some as the brightest possible future for both industries, with the scope of this synergy ranging from intimate boutique concepts like a unique jewellery store within Greece’s Dexamenes to multinational brands including Muji and Shinola creating their own hotels as habitable extensions. However, few

145

Amanpuri in Phuket, Ace Hotel Kyoto and The Audo in Copenhagen have integrated retail elements into the traditional hotel concept

commentators, analysts, forecasters or investors could have foreseen a pandemic bringing these markets to their knees, nor the scramble that would take place in the interim to define this hybrid model going forward. According to a Retail Sales Inquiry by the UK Office for National Statistics, the proportion of total sales that took place online has grown by over 10% when compared to the same period the previous year, whilst the IBM US Retail Index tracked a 75% decline in department store sales and other non-essential retailers. On-site retail and hospitality are amongst

“What Ace does really well is to make you feel like you are instantly plugged in to the city you are visiting by bringing you the best edit of an area.” JASON HOLLEY, UNIVERSAL DESIGN STUDIO

– knitting retail concepts into the fabric of a hotel’s identity as opposed to simply bolting them on. So effective has this been that furnishing brands have turned to hospitalitystyle service as a means to generate this kind of engagement, while hotels are giving their retail spaces the same level of design treatment as the guestrooms, restaurant or spa. Aman for example enlisted renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma to design a retail pavilion at Amanpuri on Phuket’s Andaman coast. Here, guests can browse a curated selection of items – from Aman skincare products to jewellery and

the major casualties of this pandemic; both are

homeware handcrafted by Thai artists – beneath

reliant on a steady flow of crowds to balance

a steeply pitched roof designed by Kuma to

those profits lost to new modes of consumption

harmonise with the rest of the resort.

with growing overheads. Alone, these sectors

Product manufacturers meanwhile are eager

are flailing, but together there’s a chance that

to show both consumers and trade customers

closer synergy and the further evolution of a

how their products perform in real-life settings.

hybrid model could prove key to their revival.

The Herzog & de Meuron-designed VitraHaus

“In general, hybrid spaces are an opportunity

is perhaps the most notable example of this

to create a meaningful benefit for the two

– a statement flagship campus for the Swiss

entities; the resulting combination being more

company that weaves experience and commerce

than a sum of its parts,” says Jason Holley,

together as an inspirational, aspirational and

Principal of Universal Design Studio – the

elevated showroom. Alongside a conventional

London-based practice that arguably brought

the studio’s integration of retail throughout

shop, the campus also features a design studio,

this trend to the mainstream with Ace Hotel

the project that catalysed a new means of

an F&B element housed in a restored Airstream

Shoreditch back in 2013. “They can be seen as

collaboration. “What Ace does really well is to

trailer and a museum. By definition, this is

a tool to respond to current cultural changes

make you feel like you are instantly plugged

no hotel, but as this hybrid model has taken

and socio-economic challenges as a sort of

in to the city you are visiting by bringing you

hold, the line between the two has become

marriage and trading of two issues – in order

the best edit of an area,” Holley adds. “An edit

increasingly blurred. Restoration Hardware’s

to mitigate or resolve both. But also, hybrids

actually created by the people of that city; this

New York gallery store functions similarly, and

are a tool for true innovation that can produce

applies to the objects in the hotel as much as

likely the series of planned RH Guesthouses too.

an intensification, expansion or enrichment of

the experiences.”

There are similar concepts on a more intimate

human experience, engaging people directly,

Partnering with clothing, homeware and

scale. Copenhagen’s 10-key The Audo allows

asking them to respond to the unexpected,

furniture brands, this effort did not end at

guests to purchase anything they see, with the

creating an authentic response to place.”

the hotel’s newsstand-style kiosk. Ace’s early

rotating, curated selections showcased within

Having created something of a retail

approach allowed retail to become an element

a more homely and recognisable environment.

hospitality touchstone with Ace’s front-desk-

of the experience itself, creating an emotional

Thinking even smaller, the newly launch TypeO

retail-space combo – a model that was also

resonance throughout the building as opposed

Loft by the eponymous, Sweden-based studio

adopted by disrupting peers like CitizenM and

to one single space. Across the property, guests

features but one key, and surrounds guests

The Hoxton – Universal Design Studio has

could subconsciously experience use of a

with objects, furnishings and visuals drawn

observed the development of this niche from

furnishing or object as part of their stay before

exclusively from the studio’s retail element. “At

a vantage point. Whilst a shop within a hotel

ever being prompted to purchase it.

TypeO Loft, guests are invited to experience

was nothing groundbreaking at the time, it was

Today, this has become the de-facto approach

our philosophy of design in a profound way,”

147

“By touching an item, smelling it or using it as part of a daily routine or ritual, an emotional bond that connects the user with the item is created.” TYPEO LOFT

At TypeO, guests are invited to experience items first-hand – either through dining or an overnight stay – before making a purchase

148

explain co-founders Micha van Dinther and

negating the experiential side of hotel life with

Magnus Wittbjer. “They can live with and in

a focus on sales as opposed to service. “More

design, which offers a deep experience that no

recently we have seen whole hotels merge with

traditional retail concept or showroom can ever

retail showroom where you can buy everything

give. By touching an item, smelling it or using it

you encounter,” Holley explains. “I feel slightly

as part of a daily routine or ritual, an emotional

uncomfortable with the idea that you can

bond that connects the user with the item is

purchase a whole lifestyle in this way; for me,

created. The best part is that it is an authentic,

hotels function as a sort of aspirational home

organically formed bond – not in any way a

you wish you had, and I think it’s important for

forced purchase decision, but purely based on

part of that to remain unobtainable – to remain

our guest’s own exploration of the space.”

aspirational.”

With contemporary retail increasingly driven

Whilst the further proliferation of this model

by both this emotional connection and guest

is certainly viable, there will nonetheless be a

desires for authenticity, the coming together

delicate balancing act to execute for designers

of these two sectors seems a natural evolution.

and operators alike. If every guest can purchase

Considering the pedigree of retail brands that

everything they see, the organic, personalised

have moved into this space, there is an argument

and experiential side of this model could fail,

that this hybrid model has already had a hand in

and the personal connections made with pieces

reviving aspects of this market pre-Covid and

may run the risk of becoming diluted. Once the

could continue to do so once it is over.

pandemic runs its course, both markets will

But what about hotels? Whilst retail

be seeking a rapid means of revival, but it will

hospitality could certainly function to recover

perhaps be those projects and designers that

some of the revenue lost, it runs the risk of

recognise this balance who come out on top.

Hotel Construction Pipeline Americas The latest data from Tophotelprojects reveals a total of 2,164 projects in the construction pipeline across the Americas, amounting to 446,260 rooms coming to the market over the next five years. The USA leads not only the region’s development accounting for 70% of new projects, but has the largest pipeline in the world. New York continues to be the the top draw for investors and operators thanks to its universal appeal and growing tourist arrivals (pre-Covid), followed by Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami. Also of note is the city of Denver, Colorado, which has made its way into the top 10 owing to forthcoming openings from Thompson and Kimpton, as well as the recently announced Populus project, a mixed-use development from Urban Villages and Studio Gang. Elsewhere in the region, Tophotelprojects data shows growth in Mexico, where resort destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas are adding to their inventory; new offers from Aman, Edition, Rosewood and 1 Hotels are all in the works. The Americas also counts a number of mega-projects in its pipeline, notably in the Dominican Republic; the Caribbean island nation has a pipeline of 19,739 rooms across 28 projects, equating to an average hotel size of 700 keys.

TOP CITIES NEW YORK Projects 68 Rooms 17,887

NASHVILLE Projects 32 Rooms 6,515

LOS ANGELES Projects 52 Rooms 11,184

SAN FRANCISCO Projects 25 Rooms 4,717

ATLANTA Projects 44 Rooms 9,452

ORLANDO Projects 24 Rooms 9,084

DENVER Projects 22 Rooms 5,213

MIAMI Projects 38 Rooms 9,903

AUSTIN Projects 24 Rooms 4,666

CHICAGO Projects 22 Rooms 4,898

TOP COUNTRIES

Projects Rooms

Tophotelprojects is a data service to support the design, build, furnishing and operation of hotels worldwide. For more information visit: www.tophotelprojects.com

150

Projects Rooms

USA 1,559 303,767

MEXICO 138 32,978

BRAZIL 71 15,011

CANADA 71 12,072

ARGENTINA 42 4,174

COLOMBIA 38 6,512

DOM REP 28 19,739

CHILE 22 3,247

CUBA 21 5,383

PERU 20 3,271

BUSINESS CENTRE

CONSTRUCTION PHASE Of the 446,260 rooms in the pipeline, 33% (750 projects) are in the planning phase and a further 35% (756 projects) are under construction. It is within these phases that interior design schemes and FF&E fit-outs are being planned and implemented.

VISION

PRE-PLANNING

PLANNING

CONSTRUCTION

PRE-OPENING

Projects 104 Rooms 29,522

Projects 345 Rooms 74,476

Projects 750 Rooms 145,509

Projects 756 Rooms 156,689

Projects 209 Rooms 40,064

GROUPS AND BRANDS Marriott International leads the way in the Americas with 410 projects in the pipeline accounting for 82,839 new rooms. By comparison, Hilton has 317 projects under development totalling 57,256 rooms. For both groups, the majority of growth will come from the midscale or select service segment.

410 317 132 85 56

Projects

BRAND

PROJECTS

ROOMS

Hampton by Hilton

7,752

Home2 Suites by Hilton

5,549

AC Hotels by Marriott

6,377

Hilton Garden Inn

5,938

Cambria Hotels

5,500

Hyatt Place

5,782

Marriott Hotels & Resorts

11,539

Fairfield by Marriott

4,428

Aloft Hotels

4,968

Courtyard by Marriott

5,042

YEAR OF OPENING

2021 (35%)

2022 (25%)

2023 (12%)

2024 (8%)

UNCONFIRMED (20%)

151

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22/04/2021 15:06

BUSINESS CENTRE

The intelligence source for the hotel investment community

Europeans look past lockdown

of hotels on the planet over the next 20 years.

cost cutting, as they battled dramatic falls in

It is what individuals want – something more

revenues with hotels caught between pandemic

Europe-based hotel groups Accor, IHG, NH and

unique and with more fully local content. And

lockdowns, with only temporary summer

Melia all declared substantial losses for 2020,

so we made a long bet and a big bet in creating

respite. At NH, revenues were down 68.6%

with attempts to reduce overheads running

Ennismore and putting within the Ennismore

at EUR539.7m, and the company negotiated

behind dramatically reduced revenues.

platforms, the brands we’ve been acquiring,

rent reductions to help reduce overheads. The

securing over the few years.”

company lost an average EUR28m per month

IHG and Accor saw a greater geographical variability, with a greater impact from parts

Accor still holds a 30% stake in hotel owning

of their portfolios in Asia and the USA. For

vehicle AccorInvest, and Morin said the group

the Spanish-based groups, it has been about

would be pitching in its EUR154m share of a

Melia saw revenues plummet 70.7% in

minimising cash burn, and waiting out the

recapitalisation, designed to right the ship.

2020, to EUR528.4m, and declared an ebitda

storm. Both NH and Melia have substantially

This, plus similar inputs from other partners,

loss of EUR151.5m. It finished the year with

European portfolios, which have been hit hard

would sit alongside a EUR477m state guaranteed

EUR316m of remaining liquidity - and says it

by European government actions including

loan and asset sale proceeds secured of around

continues to look at other options to maintain

lockdowns and travel bans.

EUR250m, “which is far sufficient to buffer any

that liquidity, including potential asset sale

Aside from the depressing negative numbers,

volatility, uncertainty for the next 24 months.”

and manageback deals. The company said it is

CEOs gave their views on where hotel markets,

IHG called RevPAR down 52% for the year,

“moderately optimistic about a strong increase

and their companies, are heading next as they

sending operating profits down 75%. Careful

in bookings from May and June, particularly in

look to return to profit in 2021.

cashflow management left the business with

resort hotels, due to improvements in pandemic

USD2.9bn of gross liquidity at the year-end.

control and the opening of borders in the UK.”

Accor’s Sebastien Bazin said he has a five

through 2020, but ended the period with EUR346m of liquidity.

point plan for the coming year: “Number one,

Thanks in large part to the loss of a major

And in the Caribbean: “We have seen a certain

don’t be late for the rebound. Whenever it

portfolio to landlord SVC in the US – where IHG

recovery in sales over recent days, with the

comes, take it, grasp it. Number two, whatever

opted not to pay a minimum rent guarantee -

highest volume of direct bookings since the

we promise, deliver on it. Number three, spend

the group’s system size was effectively static.

beginning of the pandemic. This makes us

the maximum time on your loyalty programme.

The group opened 39,000 rooms but lost 37,000.

optimistic, particularly about the second half

Number four, it’s all a matter of proving to the

CEO Keith Barr commented: “We expect to see

of the year.” But CEO Gabriel Escarrer is under

owners that you can open, you can manage, you

an acceleration of growth, but really 2020 and

no illusions: “We believe that the recovery of

can increase traffic, you can deliver results, and

2021 are sort of transitionary years.” He added

the activity and revenue levels we saw prior to

you have to increase your pipeline. Number five,

he was “very confident of getting back to that

the pandemic will not be achieved until 2023

it’s all about human capital – preserve, retain,

industry-leading net rooms growth. I think the

or 2024. During the transition to normality,

seduce your talent.”

industry will be growing a little bit slower in the

the preference for domestic and short-haul

coming years. I think everyone will see that.”

travel and the difficulties in the recovery of

The group reported revenues down 54.8% at EUR1,621m, and an ebitda loss of EUR391m. CFO

Innovations at IHG include the introduction

urban hotels and business travel, will benefit

Jean-Jacques Morin reported: “If you exclude

of Attribute Pricing, the next phase of the

resort hotels - a segment in which Meliá are

Europe, the positive way of looking at it is that

company’s guest reservation system upgrade.

leaders - and the destinations most dependent

RevPAR is sequentially improving quarter after

“This is expected to be live across the estate

on domestic markets.”

quarter since the Q2 trough in each of the other

by the end of this year, enabling a tailoring of

Both IHG and Melia are making moves on the

geographies.”

stays and a selection of add-ons,” said Barr.

environmental front. IHG recently launched its

Looking further ahead, Bazin sees great

“Initial pilots in 2020 were conducted in each

‘Journey to Tomorrow’ manifesto, including

potential in Accor’s new lifestyle brands

region, demonstrating to owners the ability to

a series of community and waste reduction

division, Ennismore. “I am a big, big believer

generate maximum value from their hotel’s

initiatives. “Our new environmental targets

that the lifestyle segment will account for

unique attributes.”

include lowering absolute carbon emissions

probably more than 20% of all the offerings

In Spain, both NH and Melia focused on

in line with climate science across our owned,

153

leased and managed hotels by 15% by 2030 and

working: “I think there’ll be other drivers as

and Choice at 2.8%. In comparison, Accor was at just

reducing carbon emissions per square metre

well, speaking to a number of CEOs who are now

2.2% and IHG cops the booby prize with zero.

from our franchise hotels by 46%,” said Barr.

looking at reducing their office space footprint,

“For new booked hotels, our ambition is that

they’re talking about people living remotely.”

within three to five years, these will operate

“And so instead of driving to the office five

ask the question why are the Americans doing so

with very low or zero carbon emissions and to

days a week, they may have to fly in once a

much better? Is it that their domestic market is so

maximise the use of renewable energy.”

month. Additionally, people are talking about

much stronger than Europe?

Melia continues to rank strongly on

having smaller offices and less meeting space

While North America is an already largely

international assessments of environmental

as well. And so they’re going to have to use

consolidated market, Europe remains much less

responsibility. And it has recently announced

hotels as gathering places to do things in the

branded. In theory, this provides a bigger opportunity

plans to bid for EU funds, in order to help it

past they’ve done in their offices, which could

for growth.

improve the sustainability of its portfolio in

be two drivers of demand overall, too. So I think

Accor is the company that has the European heft

general, and convert a hotel in Menorca to a

the business recovery will be more robust than

to make a difference. According to Bernstein, Accor’s

zero carbon establishment.

people are giving credit for.”

portfolio is 46% European against 9% for Hilton and

“We do not aspire to be among the largest

8% for Marriott (IHG is 14%). Outside of the US and

companies in the world, but we do aspire to

HA PERSPECTIVE

being a good company for the world,” said

By Chris Bown: Right now, Asia leads the US leads

For the two Spanish listed groups, who are not so

CEO Gabriel Escarrer recently. “That means we

Europe out of the pandemic. That timing means

widely followed by analysts, there is the additional

have to manage the resources within our reach

it looks like it’s going to be a longer slog for the

opportunity of the dislocation currently going on in

in a sustainable way, guaranteeing a balance

Spanish-based hotel groups, while Accor and IHG,

the resort market. Melia is particularly well-placed

between our growth, environmental protection

with a broader spread of hotels, can point to brighter

to exploit this, finally pushing aside tour operators

and social welfare.”

parts of their empires.

in favour of booking direct. Whether they have

Barr and Bazin both insist that any pandemic

One characteristic of this pandemic is that the

impact on business travel will be short-lived

green agenda is finally gaining mainstream traction.

and have a low impact on their businesses.

The sector has a mountain to climb on this issue, but

“I think the death of business travel has been

at least big names are now sharing the same hymn

exaggerated by a number of pundits out there,”

sheet, and looking to find a way to reduce their

said Barr. “I think it’s going to be impacted

carbon impact.

China, Accor is the largest player in every region.

the ability to raise the necessary capital to do this remains to be seen.

Cutting carbon to cut costs

on the margin. And the reason is I think some

While all the big groups have got their financial

The pandemic has seen a two-pronged attack

business trips would be replaced by technology,

ducks in a row, there is still distress - and a pile of

on energy efficiency. While hotel operators

without question.

debts to settle in due course. And this could drive

have been forensically examining their costs,

further M&A activity. Is now a good time to weigh

lockdowns have also promoted a debate about

up the merits of IHG and Accor combining?

environmental damage, and carbon footprints,

“I think the vast majority of business travel is going to come back, but it’s going to be a measured recovery over a number of years.

both at a personal and corporate level.

It’s not all going to come back at once because

HA PERSPECTIVE

some of these things take years of planning for

By Andrew Sangster: There are split views on who

Environment Alliance pointed out the hotel

conventions and conferences and big groups.”

are the likely winners among the global brand

sector’s relatively poor performance on carbon

Bazin sees a minimal overall impact: “If you

companies as the recovery gains traction. On one

reduction, and explored ways that performance

do the math appropriately, you probably stand

side, there are the supporters of the US giants who

could be improved.

to have a 10% overall impact when it comes

believe that the net unit growth story tells it all; and

Among speakers was veteran hotelier

to domestic and international business travel.

then there are the supporters of the Europeans, who

Sir David Michels, who admitted: “Before

Some of it will be buffered by the increase of

argue that it is what happens outside of the US which

lockdown, it was never top of mind - and it’s

leisure and most of it and even more will be

really matters.

not top of mind, because we don’t consider

A recent webinar held by the Energy &

surpassed by the sources of new businesses that

The Net Unit Growth battle looks set to be won

I touched upon like unutilised spaces of Accor

in the short-term by the North Americans. Morgan

who could generate much better revenues.”

Stanley collected the evidence which had Hilton as

Michels called on those with solutions to

the winner at 5.0% growth in 2021, Marriott on 3.3%

offer them to a sector that he believes is more

Barr also sees an upside from new ways of

154

We will leave to one side whether IHG is really an American company wrapped in a British flag, and

ourselves polluters, nor do our customers. But we are - no question.”

BUSINESS CENTRE

ready than ever: “I’m sure on the whole, they’ll

The group adopts a three stage process for

key driver is that customers (and younger team

be a willing audience.” But he warned that, in

innovations, first running a trial, followed by a

members) are increasingly interested in green

his experience, claims of improved experience

pilot implementation and - should the case be

matters. And that means so much more than a card

rarely deliver as promised.

proven - move to a rollout across the portfolio.

in the hotel bathroom about washing less towels.

Michels also noted that chambermaids at The

“Ultimately, there’s a commercial benefit.”

How to tackle this? Well, the first thing is to start.

Savoy today service the same number of rooms

Among new items being trialled is battery

Take a look at what can be improved in the name of

per hour as they did in 1874. “The advance of

storage, which allows one of the group’s Scottish

reducing carbon. Even for a luxury hotel operation,

technology hasn’t touched the hotel industry -

properties to buy cheap overnight electricity,

there are steps that can be taken to demonstrate a

and it needs to. We have grandchildren - we’re

and timeshift its use.

commitment - how about an electric courtesy car

generally keen.”

Anderson said quick, easy wins come from

or bus?

He worried that hotel operators can sometimes

converting lighting to low energy, and tackling

As Whitbread’s approach shows, this is not just

see energy saving as a low priority, behind more

heating and cooling controls. “Air-con is an

about being responsible, it also generally is good

immediate issues such as guest satisfaction and

area where we’ve worked very hard.”

business financially too, and not just on reduced

staffing costs. Energy bills, he suggested, are

“But there’s a lot that we’ve done, that

electricity bills. The company recently launched

sometimes such a small part of overall running

doesn’t need money,” he added. A “hearts and

two green bond issues to help fund some of its new

expenses, that savings appear small.

minds programme” gets staff buy-in to switch

initiatives and build greener hotels - and it reckoned

But while Michels professed to having

off appliances and taps when not needed,

the strong investor appetite for the bonds enabled a

struggled to successfully implement carbon

and to report problems. “Staying on top of

10 basis points saving on the coupon.

reduction initiatives in the past, there are some

maintenance helps us,” by acting quickly on

with more vertically integrated hospitality

such issues as broken fridge seals, and doors

HA PERSPECTIVE

businesses testing new strategies.

that no longer close properly. Simply replacing

By Andrew Sangster: Last November, Baron Turner

“We’ve explored many, many things”, said

worn equipment with the most efficient new

of Ecchinswell, better known as Adair Turner, the

Mark Anderson, MD for Property at Whitbread.

model you can afford, will also deliver an

former head of the Financial Services Authority,

“And what we have done over the last five

effective return for minimal additional outlay.

delivered a speech about sustainability for Keele

years, is accelerate those activities.” The

And Oliver Winter, CEO at European hostel

World Affairs, associated with Keele University. It

activities sit within a Force for Good initiative

brand A&O says the demand for action is not

was called ‘Techno-optimism, behaviour change

that has committed the company to a series of

just about saving money. “Half of our guests

and planetary boundaries’ and gives one of the best

sustainability initiatives. In 2018, for example,

are school students, and these guests are

overviews of the current environmental debate I

Whitbread set itself a publicly stated target to

much more sensitive about the topic - they are

have heard. Turner links the climate change threat

halve its energy consumption by 2025, “and

pushing us.”

– which has the capacity to have a “catastrophic

we’re well on the way”. The company started

Amongst his group’s reported credentials is

impact on human welfare” – with biodiversity. He

installing solar PV to generate its own electricity

the fact that “out of our 39 hostels, 35 buildings

argued it was clear that a radical change of action

from hotel roofs in 2015, and has consistently

are recycled” - an environmental saving of

is required: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and

designed new hotels to reduce costs. “The costs

25-30 years of emissions, compared with new

stopping the destruction of critical ecosystems in

of utilities to us are significant,” said Anderson,

build. “When we convert, we do what we can,”

rainforests, the ocean and similar.

at more than GBP70m a year. “If I can reduce

he added. That includes upgrading the energy

There are two broad approaches, he argues, one

that by 10%, that’s worth having.”

efficiency of external cladding and glazing, and

he calls techno-optimism and the other the end of

Investment has included building management

designing in air exchange systems rather than

consumerism. The first sees technological progress

systems, which automatically minimise usage

air conditioning - which is costlier to install

enabling us to reach zero carbon while continuing

by spotting unoccupied rooms, for example, and

and operate.

to enjoy existing living standards; the second sees

turning down air-conditioning. “The BMS is a

“Over the last two years, we have changed all

current living standards as unsustainable and

great success, and on average it saves us just

the water items - taps, showers and so on. And

requires us to “get on our bicycles, stop flying and

under 10%.”

we’re now investigating smart heating for the

give up red meat”.

In the group’s Beefeater restaurants, low gas

rooms,” to avoid warming empty space.

grills have been installed in kitchens. As well as

The distinction between the two approaches is personified in Tesla boss Elon Musk and teenage

chefs being happy using them, there has been no

HA PERSPECTIVE

environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg: buy an

impact on guest scores at upgraded restaurants.

By Chris Bown: There’s lots to go at here - but the

even more expensive car or adopt a spartan lifestyle.

155

BUSINESS CENTRE

The controversial aspect of Turner’s speech came

already technologically possible and once we have

with his suggestion that many economic activities

arrived, the hit to living standards is trivial and

and forms of consumption will, shortly, thanks to

“quite possibly less than nil”.

technological advances, have almost no relevant

What remains crucial is getting to this carbon-

planetary boundaries. If we are to hit targets for

free world as quickly as possible to prevent wider

climate change, which most countries have signed

environmental disaster than is already baked in.

up to, then we will soon, in perhaps less than three

Even when achieved, there remains a different set of

decades (the UK is committed to net zero carbon

challenges. This revolves around our use of land and

by 2050) be producing near limitless amounts of

oceans for food, textile and other organic material

electricity in a carbon-free way. This means there

production. Turner makes an interesting distinction

are no limits to heating buildings or transport,

between inorganic – energy production – and

including, if we can make the technological leap,

organic – mostly food but also clothes.

flying.

is needed: a non-radical shift in food production

things related to food and textiles. This will require

technology such as more efficient fertiliser; a switch

behavioural change, but it is a change that is rather

in diets, particularly away from meat; and then a

different to what is being discussed at the moment.

radical shift in food production, such as vertical

At a practical level, this somewhat questions the

farming, breeding insects to feed humans or fish, or

benefits of green buildings. Why, if we are going to

synthetic production of food including meat.

have near limitless electrical power, do we want

Turner concluded his lecture with four action

heavily insulated homes and workplaces in the

points: getting to zero carbon as fast as possible;

long-term?

getting emissions down fast over the next 10 years by

Green buildings are rubbish at getting warm or

making responsible consumption choices now even if

cold quickly, a significant disadvantage in climates

that won’t matter in 50 years; develop new food tech

like the UK’s which can see temperature changes of

as quick as we can; and finally motivate the flow of

10 degrees in 24 hours. We can ditch the obsession

investment needed to support ecosystem restoration,

with eliminating draughts which, if they are from

reforestation and better, less destructive land-use.

unpolluted outside air, are a good thing (as Covid is proving) for health.

For me, the points made by Turner are as significant as the Stern Review Report on the

Short-term (by which I mean under a couple of

Economics of Climate Change back in 2006. Hotel

decades) changes are definitely needed but beyond

Analyst reported extensively on this as it was the

this time horizon, the advantages of green buildings

first serious attempt by the British Government to

go into rapid decline. This is going to play havoc with

quantify the challenges of climate change and stick

valuation metrics for assets that endure for centuries.

a monetary value on the impact.

The prospect of carbon-free travel is good news for

The Review was met with a mixed reaction but it

the travel and tourism industry, which is increasingly

marked the entry of environmentalism into serious

being cast as one of the villains of environmental

policy discussions at the highest level of Government.

destruction. The challenge is what to do over the next

The 15 years since have seen climate change become

few decades in which the pressure to de-carbonise is

a huge policy arena for global governments and an

going to grow and grow.

unavoidable requirement of corporate management.

The biggest technological challenges to a carbonfree future are the production of steel and cement plus shipping and aviation in the transport sector. But Turner believes carbon capture and bioenergy can play a role along with hydrogen in getting us to carbon-free by 2050. Importantly, getting to this carbon-free world is

156

Turner foresees three elements where change

Where there will be planetary boundaries are

Expect biodiversity to climb into the same prominence over the next 15 years.

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

The Silk Roads: New Flame Retardant Antimicrobial Fabrics & Soft Furnishings for Hospitality and Leisure Interiors.

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Covid-19 Update: Global Hotel Performance While low international demand continues to have an impact through early 2021, some parts of the world are recording their best pandemic-era performance levels thanks to strong domestic demand. In the USA, the number of room nights sold surged to 22 million for 4-10 April, more than any other week since the start of the pandemic. As a result, occupancy reached 59.7%, also the highest level of the past year. This standard methodology occupancy excludes properties temporarily closed due to the pandemic, but even on a total-room-inventory (TRI) basis, which includes all hotels regardless of operational status, the USA still reached a 56.6% occupancy. Mainland China, which has trended through normal seasonal patterns, remained the recovery leader with a 93% RevPAR recovery index during that same week, while the Middle East (85%) and Australia / Oceania (84%) also ranked high when using standard methodology. These recovery percentages were consistent with the monthly figures presented in this article. Most markets are seeing a more immediate recovery of leisure demand, with domestic travel accounting for 60-80%. As vaccinations roll out, business and group travel are next on the recovery list, while the return of international travel is still in the distance. In all, recovery continues to be uneven, and countries that face tighter restrictions will get a much later start in the process; it will take time to reach pre-pandemic levels.

NORTH AMERICA (Excluding USA)

47% 45%

USA

64% 62%

51% CENTRAL AMERICA

40%

38% SOUTH AMERICA (Excluding Venezuela)

RevPAR Recovery Percentage March 2021 vs. March 2019

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for global hospitality sectors. For more information and to subscribe visit: www.str.com

158

(Standard methodology counts only open hotels TRI methodology factors all hotels, even those closed because of the pandemic)

35%

BUSINESS CENTRE

EUROPE

27%

84%

19% 66%

42%

NORTHERN AFRICA

47%

82%

MIDDLE EAST

61% 38%

38%

MAINLAND CHINA

ASIA (Excluding Mainland China)

35%

SOUTHERN AFRICA

35%

AUSTRALIA / OCEANIA

64% 62%

KEY:

Standard

Total Room Inventory

159

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16 SEPTEMBER 2021

3 NOVEMBER 2021

19 NOVEMBER 2021

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by Joana Bover

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by Joana Bover

SPOTLIGHT LIGHTING & CONTROL

From crystal chandeliers to LEDs, here is our top pick of the latest innovations in lighting design and control systems.

Chelsom LED Eye Chelsom has been awarded the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2021 for its new LED reading light, LED Eye. The globally renowned contest is judged by a panel of experts from a variety of industries, with thousands of products from over 60 countries evaluated on design quality and innovation. When designing the LED Eye collection, Will and Robert Chelsom wanted to disrupt the status quo in reading light design by fusing original aesthetics and raw functionality. “The starting point was to create a product that nestled into a headboard with minimum projection whilst serving as a decorative accent to an interior scheme,” explains Will Chelsom, Managing Director. “It had to start with the look of the product, but quickly we focused all of our efforts on creating a thoroughly advanced mechanical design that made the LED Eye easy to use and essential to any guestroom.” www.chelsom.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT

164

1. Secto Design The Collection

2. Leds C4 Plat

3. RH Rain

4. Lasvit La Mamounia Hotel

Handmade from sustainably grown Finnish birch, Secto Design’s wooden lamps capture the true essence of Scandinavian design. The light filters through the carefully crafted wooden slats, allowing for a soft and subtle glow that adds ambiance and warmth to any room or space. Designed by architect Seppo Koho, the collection comprises 26 different models including pendant, floor, table, wall and ceiling lamps. Each model is a feature on its own and works equally well in mixed groups, reflecting the versatility of the timeless and elegant range. The variety in shade, size and form also allows the lamps to complement many design arrangements. www.sectodesign.fi

Designed by Nahtrang Studio, Plat enjoys prominence without seeking to be the centre of attention. Subtle and enticing, the collection stands out due to its simplicity and the smoothness of its design. Made of pure materials, Plat generates a warm and pleasant light thanks to its diffuser being perfectly integrated into the glass. Available in three finishes – amber, grey and green – as well as three different colour temperatures, the light fixture can be further customised by moulding the cable; different shapes and silhouettes can be created. Ideal for use in the hospitality sector, Plat comes with a five-year warranty against manufacturing defects. www.leds-c4.com

Master glass designer and artist Alison Berger has teamed up with RH to design four exclusive lighting collections. Inspired by elements found in nature, each range – Rain, Fulcrum, Pearl and Aperture – comes in various finishes and styles from pendants and lamps to chandeliers. The Rain collection is a dramatic evocation of precipitation, engaging the viewer in an ever-changing pattern of expansion and compression – much like the rhythm of a rainstorm itself. Suspended from slim black cords, drops of weighty, handblown glass encase the bulbs – creating the illusion of underwater illumination – and cast luminous ripples that wash across ceilings and walls. www.rh.com

Czech-based designer and manufacturer Lasvit has created two new lighting installations for La Mamounia Hotel in Marrakesh, paying tribute to traditional Moroccan architecture and bringing a breath of fresh air to the luxurious space. The first of the lighting installations – an approximately 6x3 metre crystal chandelier – decorates the tea room. Comprising hundreds of glass pieces, the chandelier reflects the symbolic form of Moroccan ornamental vaulting, which are typical ceiling decorations in Arabic culture. The second installation, located in the Italian restaurant, is placed above an open kitchen, giving the entire interior an airy feel and a touch of timeless design. www.lasvit.com

Built of harmony The Secto Design lighting collection is designed by the award-winning architect Seppo Koho. The diligent handwork is carried out by highly talented craftsmen in Finland from top-quality local birch wood.

www.sectodesign.fi

SPOTLIGHT

166

1. Manutti Lumo

2. Jung Plug & Light

3. Catellani & Smith U. Lamp

4. FW Lighting Le Grand by Lika Light

Designed by Koen Van Extergem to complement any outdoor setting, Manutti’s new Lumo lamps feature a slim figure crafted from an elegant mix of materials including powder-coated aluminium and Iroko hardwood. Both wireless and rechargeable, the outdoor LED lights can last for up to 20 hours on a single charge and can be moved easily depending on the occasion. The luminaires are controlled by a remote control, which allows the light temperature to be adjusted from cool white at 5000k to warm white light at 2700k. The lights are available in three different sizes and two powder-coated aluminium shades: white and lava. www.manutti.com

The Plug & Light range, designed by Insta, is a magnetic LED light attachment for which Jung provides frames using its LS and A designs. The modern system consists of a light socket onto which different dimmable LED attachments are plugged through a strong magnet. With Plug & Light, switch and lighting design come from a single source and can therefore be specifically matched to different interior schemes. The attachments guarantee optimum light distribution over the entire dimming range and can be rotated 360 degrees. The switch ranges A 550, A Creation, A Flow, LS 990, LS Design, LS Plus and LS Zero are all compatible with the system. www.jung-group.com

The U. Lamp series is the latest lighting solution from Italian manufacturer Catellani & Smith. The range comprises four wall and floor lamps all available with black or white finishes, as well as with low voltage COB LED light sources. Characterised by minimal lines, the U. F Up floor lamp features a semi-cylindrical screen that is coated on its inside with gold-coloured leaf from which the light is reflected, radiating it indirectly upwards towards the ceiling. Within the U-shaped lampshade, after which the luminaire is named, sits a small steel silhouette of a dancer. Fitted with a magnet, the figure can be positioned anywhere on the screen’s metal plate as desired. www.catellanismith.com

Designed by Lika Light – a decorative lighting company based out of Gospić in Croatia – the Le Grand collection comprises two bedside wall sconces and a desk lamp featuring a long tapered neck as well as a return on the horizontal shade support arm, which allows for better positioning within large, floor-to-ceiling headboards. The fabric lampshades combine black chintz with a glossy, gold foil inner lining, whilst the wireframe and lamp bodies are finished in a pearl grey powder coating. When illuminated, the glow created from the inner gold foil lining of the shade tricks the eye into thinking that the finish is actually gold blending into a pearl grey. www.fw-lighting.com

THE FINISHING TOUCH

Specialists in designing for hospitality interiors, Focus SB create bespoke electrical plates for prestigious hotel groups and independent boutique hotel owners the world over. High quality, beautifully finished plates in the finish of your choice will complement your interior decor, whilst the option to combine international sockets with lighting and charging controls will add that special finishing touch for your guests.

Ensure DESIGN CONTINUITY throughout your interiors with our bespoke service

Contact our product consultants for further details | 01424 858060 | sales@focus-sb.co.uk | www.focus-sb.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT

168

1. Tina Frey Mushroom Lamp

2. Hector Finch Zeppelin Wall Light

3. Vibia Palo Alto

4. Atelier Alain Ellouz Edition: Ten-ma-do

The first launch from Tina Frey’s new Illumination Lighting Series, the Mushroom Lamp is a good example of Neotenic design, with its chubby proportions feeling substantial, modern and comforting all at the same time. Housed in a solid resin base with a translucent resin shade, the lamp utilises an energy efficient LED light bulb on a dimmer switch. It is currently available in three colour combinations, which allow warm light to pass through: white base with a translucent fog top, solid black base with a translucent fog top, or solid nude base with a translucent nude top. Both decorative and functional, it stylishly adds illumination to any interior space. www.tinafreydesigns.com

The Zeppelin Wall Light is the latest addition to a range of indoor wall lights by Hector Finch – the lighting company established by its eponymous British founder in the mid-1980s. Made from a single piece of ribbed borosilicate glass, Zeppelin is fitted to an IP44 folded brass backplate with two LED strips inside. Two of Hector Finch’s signature buttons secure the glass to the backplate, making it a simple thing to fit. Suitable for bathrooms, the wall light can be used both vertically and horizontally and is available seven finishes: antique brass, brass polished lacquered, brass polished unlacquered, bronze, chrome, nickel matt and nickel polished. www.hectorfinch.com

Vibia has updated its Palo Alto collection, an outdoor luminaire designed by Josep Lluís Xuclà. Featuring new forms and dimensions, as well as enhanced light flux, it further facilitiates landscape integration. The luminaire’s tilted, treeinspired silhouette blends seamlessly into outdoor settings, acting as a bridge between design, illumination and nature by brightening alfresco spaces, walkways or highlighting points of interest. Crafted from steel, the collection is available in a range of minimalist shapes with one, two, or three arms, each fitted with LEDs that cast a diffuse, ambient glow. The new designs are taller with sleeker silhouettes and slight adjustments to the arm angles. www.vibia.com

The Edition collection – comprising alabaster pendant lights that boast sober, ariel, striking or sleek designs – exudes a warm, delicate character that adds charm to interior spaces. Each piece gives the alabaster stone a weightlessness due to its well-balanced and harmonious floating shapes. Handcrafted by the artisans at Atelier Alain Ellouz, the pendants feature a light set at the core, which passes through the alabaster’s deeply-ingrained patterns to express the stone’s vibrant richness. Designed as a set, the Ten, Ma and Do luminaires form a subtle geometric composition. Their fine lines and modern dimensions make them ideal for contemporary designs. www.atelieralainellouz.com

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SPOTLIGHT

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1. Ligne Roset Parachute

2. Fritz Hansen Maluma

3. Lladró Blossom

4. Il Fanale Plie

Known for its artful collaborations with both established and up-and-coming talents in contemporary design, Ligne Roset has partnered with Nathan Yong to create a selection of unique furniture and lighting. One of Yong’s creations is Parachute, a modular suspended ceiling light comprising up to six shades. The various wire-frame shades can be layered on top of one another in different configurations to create the desired effect, though it must remain symmetrical with more shades pointing downwards than upwards. Parachute is available in three sizes and three finishes – satin black, copper-plated and gold-plated steel wire. www.ligne-roset.com

Fritz Hansen has partnered with Fumie Shibata to create Maluma, a new pendant light featuring coloured, hand-blown glass and a matching suspension. A fusion of smooth curves and frosted glass, Maluma is named after the design term for round and soft. Available in delicate rose, deep plum and earthy moss, the pendant adds soft colour to any room. Left switched off or lit, Maluma keeps its colour, giving both soft ambient light and functional downlight from its open bottom. The smart suspension design is the Scandinavian company’s unique solution to the challenge of hanging hand-blown glass straight, balancing the natural weight of the pendant. www.fritzhansen.com

The Blossom series represents Lladró’s founding mission to generate beauty from sustainability and respect. Born from nature, an endless source of inspiration, the series of lights freeze at the precise moment at which the flowers slowly and gently open when bathed in the first rays of sunlight. With a delicate design, refined lines and a dynamic treatment of shapes, Blossom takes full advantage of LED technology to release a magnetic flow of light and convey depth. The pendant lamp, floor lamp and newly added wall light combine porcelain – both in white and a new pink finish for the ceiling and floor versions – with a gloss finish and touches of golden luster. www.lladro.com

Founded in 1979 by Fausto Dalla Torre and his wife Luisa, Italian lighting manufacturer Il Fanale combines a passion for lighting with an artisan knowledge to produce high quality lamps. The company’s latest solution comes in the form of its Plie ceiling light, a modern reinterpretation of the traditional conical ceramic diffuser with a pleated effect. Made in Italy, the ceramic diffuser has been reimagined using brass or aluminium, and also adds an LED source into the mix. Recalling the pleated skirts of 1950s female fashion, the result is a compact object with a romantic look that can be used in combination or as a standalone piece. www.ilfanale.com

SPOTLIGHT

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1. Swtch Porcelain Rotary Switches

2. Kalmar Hase Table Lamp

3. Preciosa Lighting Inspiral

4. Astro Lighting Hashira

Wiring accessories supplier Swtch has unveiled the Porcelain Rotary Switches, a series that brings back popular styles from the 20th century; porcelain fittings were common in the 1920s, while rotaries – originally designed to resemble a gas valve – were a light switch feature in Europe until the 1950s. Defined by a glossy off-white surface, the reimagined pieces are available in many wiring types, dimmers and data points. Swtch’s exclusive edit of light switches and sockets, all from European makers, is curated for look, feel and function, allowing design-led hospitality projects to make big statements with their décor, as well as small ones too. www.swtch.co.uk

For 130 years, Kalmar has been a place of time-honoured artisanship and progressive experimentation. Created by bending simple tubular metal and finishing it in polished brass, the Hase Table Lamp is another example of the Wiener Werkbund and is recognised by its delicate posture. The naturally coloured electrical cord blends in with the luminaire’s canted lines, while a leather grip permits easy repositioning across a desk or side table, where Hase provides directional and ambient light. Along with the rest of Kalmar’s Werkstatten range, the lamp is an ode to Austrian culture and modernist expression. Today, Kalmar lighting is as classic as it is contemporary. www.kalmarlighting.com

Preciosa Lighting has expanded its Signature Design collection with Inspiral, an innovative, flexible, crystal light suitable for a variety of spaces and design styles. Created from a specially formed stainless steel ribbon that can be bent and shaped as desired, Inspiral features LED strips comprised of small diodes that line the edges of the ribbon. Light refracts through the thousands of cut crystal prisms attached to the ribbon, creating a shimmering effect. Inspiral is available in various crystal and metal colour combinations – elegant crystal, crystal frosted or smoky crystal prisms, which are complemented by a stainless steel, copper, gold or matte black finish. www.preciosalighting.com

Created with longevity in mind, the latest offering from Astro takes inspiration from surrounding architecture and classic forms with refined engineering details. Reflecting the ongoing passion of Astro’s founders for simple, high-quality British lighting, the SS21 collection is crafted using the best possible materials and manufacturing techniques to deliver versatile solutions. The Hashira pendant takes the form of a 12-sided cylinder that projects a defined pool of light downwards, casting complex shadows that echo its shape. Available in matte black, matte nickel or matte gold, the pendant is most striking when used in rows or a cluster for heightened impact. www.astrolighting.com

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SPOTLIGHT

Dernier & Hamlyn Nobu London Portman Square David Collins Studio commissioned bespoke lighting manufacturer Dernier & Hamlyn to create more than 100 individual lighting pieces for Nobu London Portman Square. The lobby ceiling features 12 colonnade wall lights that were formed from brass sheets cut by hand – all pieces are individually silversoldered and finished in a unique bronze shade created by the David Collins team. Light is softly dissipated through the 22 shades, which were created by sandwiching luxury Spanish parchment between glass panels. In the main restaurant, 12 ceiling lights feature reeded glass tubular shades and hand-formed brass end caps, fixed using one-metre-long handcrafted brass rods fitted with solid brass spheres. Meanwhile, the restaurant’s lobby lounge is decorated with a number of pendants, including 1600mm square luminaires that sit on top of cabinets holding wines and spirits, which themselves feature handcrafted brass frames fitted with glass panels, on which bespoke parchment shades are fitted. Four bronze pendants finished in antique brass and 1300mm in length are suspended above the

sushi bar, each hand-cut, shaped and welded then fitted with bespoke handmade seeded glass shades. An 80m brass track system was also engineered to accommodate hand-folded white paper shades created by Danish bespoke shade-maker Le Klint. Nicola Bianchi, Senior Designer at David Collins Studio, explains more: Why did you specify Dernier & Hamlyn? Over the studio’s 35-year history, custom lighting has been an integral part of our work across private residential, retail and hospitality sectors. We have collaborated with Dernier & Hamlyn on numerous projects including, most recently, Harrods Mens Superbrands; we know they can deliver the uncompromising quality that we expect, so they were a natural choice for Nobu Hotel Portman Square. What were you looking to convey with the lighting at Nobu? As well as conveying Nobu’s strong brand

identity and referencing Japanese principles of design, the lighting had to deliver throughout the day. Unlike a restaurant that may only be open in the evening, we needed to ensure the hotel felt like a completely different space for a breakfast guest, as well as a dinner, drinks and dancing guest. The lighting needed to be able to change the scene and highlight different tones and materials throughout the day. What role does the lighting play in the overall design concept? Handblown glass, layered with Japaneseinspired parchment papers and Carlo Scarpainspired details were brought together through Japanese uniformity and repetition. We placed 74 pendants around the entirety of the restaurant and used pleated floor lamps at almost every column in the atrium to create impact, while wall lights mix classic Japanese clasp details inspired by temple design, and Raku glazed tiles with an elongated lamp are layered with three different types of glass to bring a touch of luxury and sparkle. www.dernier-hamlyn.com

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SPOTLIGHT

176

1. Focus SB Contemporary Toggle

2. Nicholas Haslam Paolo Moschino

3. Palecek Bronson Sconce

4. Bover Sisal

With its clean and simple stalk, and the removal of a fixing ring to put a modern twist on a traditional design, the Contemporary Toggle switch can be paired with Focus SB’s guillotined True Edge, Ambassador Square and Horizon Square metal faceplate styles. Available in a variety of striking finishes, all turned components are made from solid brass bar. Manufactured, tested and certified to the latest standards, the Contemporary Toggle is available in all of the company’s standard switch types. Specialising in design and finish continuity including bespoke faceplate sizes, Focus SB is able to manufacture custom back boxes in-house to customer specification. www.focus-sb.co.uk

Much of the lighting in the Paolo Moschino Collection is produced in Nicholas Haslam’s British artisanal workshops. A close collaboration with the makers enables the refining of each design using a wide variety of techniques and materials, including plaster, metal and ceramics. As each piece is handmade and finished, it is as unique as a piece of art. Many designs are inspired by the masters of modernism and reflect an admiration for the craftmanship and ingenuity of the sculptors of the modern art movement. Customisation of finish, size and wiring requirements can all be achieved to ensure collection is adaptable for hospitality projects. www.nicholashaslam.com

For nearly 50 years, Palecek’s designs have been inspired by the beauty of natural materials. The manufacturer combines its distinguished quality in wicker, rattan and other natural materials with the playful qualities of light in a diverse collection of table and floor lamps. Whether whimsical, handcrafted or modern, Palecek has a light source for accenting, dramatising or setting the mood in any room. This season’s new introductions include the Bronson Sconce, a handblown rippled glass shade suspended from an antique brass backplate accented with natural jute rope. Like their furniture, Palecek’s lighting is customisable for hotel installations. www.palecek.com

The Sisal lamps by Bover were created with the idea of being able to combine with the brand’s existing outdoor products, using the same language and organic, handmade expression that characterises most of its exterior collections, which are handwoven with recyclable synthetic fibres and feature high quality finishes. The Sisal lamps are built on an injected aluminum structure, with straight shapes that include, on the interior front of the luminaire, a synthetic fibre plate woven in two finishes: brown or beige. The 2700º LED light source is located within the upper cavity, offering an indirect light, without glare, which naturally bathes the fibre. www.bover.es

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SPOTLIGHT

178

1. Foscarini Twiggy Wood

2. Stellar Works Mūn

3. LZF Dune

4. Marset Cala Metal

Twiggy by Marc Sadler for Foscarini has been an iconic and staple design that inspired many other lighting products using a cantilever element we often see today. For its 15th birthday, the brand is introducing Twiggy Wood, a special version of the lamp that juxtaposes a wooden shade with a slender carbon fibre stem. Besides the aesthetic update, the floor lamp also integrates the brand’s new proprietary LED technology, which enhances how light is reflected within the shade; the result is softer, more welcoming emission from the light source. The frame of Twiggy Wood comes in greige or black, meaning it can complement a range of interior settings. www.foscarini.com

The Mūn rechargeable lantern belongs to the first lighting collection by Stellar Works and joins a range of floor lamps, a desk lamp and pendant lights. Designed by OEO Studio, the lantern draws inspiration from analogue experiences and the poetry of rituals with a minimalistic look. The product is fitted with a sturdy silicon strap that makes it easy and flexible to use around the home and garden, either as a table centrepiece for outdoor gatherings and picnics, or hung on the wall for a diffused glow. Like many of Stellar Works’ pieces, Mūn marries Asian design sensibilities with a timeless aesthetic, targeting both consumer and contract markets. www.stellarworks.com

Designed by Madrid-based studio Mayice, Dune is a single piece of handblown borosilicate glass, enveloping a wood veneer diffuser with a seedpod-like opening on one side. The glass is handblown by Edward Garuti, an accomplished artisan. The luminaire’s distinctive shape is made up of two symmetrical ends, and an irregular, bulb-shaped centre. The wood veneer diffuser houses the lamp’s dimmable LED light source, and downward light from the opening is softened by the glass. Each Dune lamp is unique – the beauty found in the imperfection of hand-blown glass, with its almost wabi-sabi quality, ensures Dune is like a piece of art. www.lzf-lamps.com

Marset has expanded its Cala collection – previously only available in wood, the structure is now also available in a black lacquered metal. The new option with a metal stand is even more sophisticated: a structure that is easier on the eyes, and lighter. Both versions speak the same language: the proportions, the harmony, the cosy light, and now with two different finishes to offer more possibilities. The beauty exuded by the Cala stems from its simple, synthetic and essential form sees a shade embrace the light without containing it, letting it escape to yield very warm lighting. The result is an iconic Marset design defined by the valuable pairing of form and function. www.marset.com

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SPOTLIGHT WINDOW DRESSING

182

1. Sekers Fabrics FR-One RE-Invent

2. C&C Milano Curtains and Drapes

3. Skopos Fabrics Silk Roads Antimicrobial Fabrics

4. Drapilux Drapilux 185

As the new and exclusive UK partner of FR-One, Sekers Fabrics offers a wide range of self-extinguishing drapery and sheers that meet all necessary UK standards. The latest RE-Invent range features five drapery collections: REVive, RE-Store, RE-Delis, Regal Velvets and Moon, which are all washable at 71°C. The series showcases three new fabric constructions, manufactured from recycled polyester, fully certified and compliant with the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). www.sekersfabrics.co.uk

C&C Milano provides consultancy and assistance to the residential and hospitality sector through all phases and production. The company combines tradition with personalisation when working on luxury hotels worldwide, producing custom-made curtains finished with the utmost attention to detail. Specifically dedicated to the hospitality sector are its fire-resistant textiles, Certified Class 1, which include fabrics achieving an effect similar to linen, and velvets in a range of colours and weights. www.cec-milano.uk

Influenced by different cultures, The Silk Roads is a collection of woven decorative FR fabrics that bring together an exotic fusion of design and colour. The range comprises five distinctive designs including a mosaic-style trellis, a tonal woven diamond, a delicate relief paisley, a largescale damask and an organic print design. Sitting under the new Skopos Pro-tect Plus umbrella, with the added benefit of an antimicrobial finish, the collection supports best practice hygiene goals for a range of soft furnishings within contract interiors. www.skoposfabrics.com

Dedicated to Margarethe Leischner, who became the assistant to Drapilux’s weaving mill manager Gunta Stölzl, Drapilux 185 is one of four new fabrics honouring the female artists of the Bauhaus era. Eight different warp and weft colours are woven together to create a raised and sunken surface. The result is a collection with seven different shades, which can be mixed and matched to cultivate an elegant ambience in different spaces and living environments. www.en.drapilux.com

SPOTLIGHT

5. Forest Group Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

6. Robena The Guardsman

7. Edmund Bell Quantum

8. Lutron Electronics Alena Pull-to-Start

From motorised rails and rods to blinds and manual tracks, Forest Group offers drapery hardware solutions specially made for the hospitality industry. One of its latest projects is Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, for whom the firm provided window dressings. Designed by WA International Dubai, the hotel’s guestrooms, suites and public areas were fitted with the Forest Shuttle motorised system in combination with Easyflex wave pleated curtains, as well Forest Atlantis roller blinds to keep the sun out. www.forestgroup.com

Robena has been supplying the world’s luxury hotels, leisure brands and independent boutiques with bespoke curtains and soft furnishings for over 30 years. The fabric manufacturer recently worked with Shiva Hotels and Dexter Moren Associates on The Guardsman in Westminster, London, for which its manufacturing team produced tri-panel inverted pleat blackout lined bedroom curtains that were installed within an LED lit ceiling pocket by its in-house fitting department. www.robena.co.uk

The new Quantum curtain fabric from Edmund Bell is strikingly modern whilst also capturing a rustic handwoven look. The contract standard, blackout curtain fabric is flame retardant, stain resistant and offers complete light exclusion, while thermal properties ensure sound insulation and energy saving. Quantum comes in 21 sophisticated colours, with a mix of neutral hues enhancing its twotone character. Available in both narrow and wide width, the fabric is ideal for hospitality settings. www.edmundbell.com

Installed easily as a plug and play solution, the Alena Pull-to-Start Drapery Track System is designed with guests in mind. From a single button press on a keypad, the curtain can be opened, closed or stopped midway to provide the desired amount of daylight or privacy. Featuring an ultra-quiet drive and smooth performance, a gentle tug of the curtain fabric will also trigger the track’s drive, causing the fabric panels to automatically move along with no damage to the fabric or track system. www.lutron.com/europe

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SPECIFIER

Bette BetteAir German bathroom manufacturer Bette has launched BetteAir, billed as the world’s first shower tile made from glazed titanium steel. Designed by Dominik Tesseraux, the sanitary solution comes in eight sizes and 31 colours, and can also be finished with BetteAnti-Slip Pro or the new BetteAnti-Slip Sense for gloss colours. Floor-level installation means the range can be glued directly to the screed like a conventional piece, while a reduced height of 10mm roughly corresponds with the thickness of a large-format tile, allowing its corners to slot in perfectly. www.my-bette.com

SPECIFIER

Collingwood & Hay The Luxury Towel Crafted from organic cotton grown in the fields of north-eastern Italy, Collingwood & Hay’s towels feature extra-long fibres, a rare white colour and a natural lustre. The cotton is handpicked to guarantee purity while putting no stress on the fine fibres, resulting in extra-long staple strands; roller ginned as opposed to saw ginned to remove impurities; and combed rather than carded to achieve a softer, stronger and more lustrous product. The yarn is then spun by a family firm in the Minho province of Northern Portugal, who have been weaving since the middle of the last century, resulting in towels that achieve the optimum balance of weight, softness and absorbency. The brand’s new limited-edition collections – First Wave, Purity and Ripples – all possess these luxurious qualities and are distinguished by their unique patterns. www.collingwoodandhay.com

Kettal Phone Booths Taking cues from traditional telephone boxes, Kettal’s new Phone Booths have been designed for large open offices and hotel lobbies, where privacy is often hard to come by. Made from aluminium and panelled with acoustic materials to reduce reverberation, the structures – available in single, two- or fourseater models – are covered in fabric or wood and feature a swing door with laminated acoustic glass. The single booth comprises a worktable with integrated lighting, specially designed to hold a smartphone or tablet during video conferences, while the other versions for more people include a sofa with a meeting table or a high worktable to be used with stools. The desk also has a power socket, as well as USB and USB-C connectors. Technologically, they are equipped with an air recirculation system and interior lighting designed by Kettal that increases comfort by focusing only on work areas. All systems are controlled by a motion sensor and an app, via which different environments can be configured depending on the situation. The Phone booths are Plug-and-Play too, meaning they do not require installation and can be connected to the mains or data network via a standard connector, while customisation options include frames in 30 colours and two types of fabric, available in 72 colours and two wood finishes. www.kettal.com

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COLLABORATION

Laufen Peter Wirz

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Laufen has collaborated with industrial designer Peter Wirz and his agency Vetica for more than two decades, launching a series of collections that have addressed challenges facing bathroom design and production process. Laufen Pro was one of the first large-scale projects that Wirz was asked to develop back in 2005 and continues to shape the company’s portfolio today. Designed as the optimal solution for all room situations and requirements, the bathroom programme now comprises a total of 34 washbasins and 18 WCs, as well as bidets and matching bathtubs, shower trays and an exclusive range of furniture. Each of its elements can be combined freely for every conceivable application area and all possible spatial conditions. Wirz is particularly proud of envisioning the Cleanet Riva and Navia shower WCs, which bring together intuitive user guidance, technological cooperation and the formal integration of complex electronics into one ceramic unibody. “Our working relationship is based primarily on trust, appreciation and relevance,” he

explains. “Over the years, this has led to a sort of community of interests that goes far beyond the design service as such. We have created a shared mindset – and a bond.” Alain Reymond, Laufen’s Head of Design Management, believes the Lema urinal is Wirz’s masterpiece and describes it as creating the impression of an object with a beautiful form, rather than a urinal, thanks to moulded components and a conical shape: “Peter has always succeeded in developing highly serviceable projects that feature an attractively independent, beautiful design,” he confirms. Looking ahead, the partners are foreseeing that two major trends will exert a critical influence on the bathroom space: the desire for sustainability and digitalisation. According to Wirz, they will have to act with more agility, courage and foresight going forward. “Just as in the past, the path we travel together will not follow a straight line in the future either – in fact, it will be influenced even more strongly by iterative cycles.” www.laufen.com

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