New Book Showcases the Art of Branding in Hospitality Design

Even 25 years ago, no one would have imagined the incredible influence of hospitality design on the average citizen, with consumers now mimicking the “boutique hotel look” in their own homes. International travelers actively seek out restaurants and hotels where design firms and avant garde industrial designers show off new ideas in contemporary public spaces via the juxtaposition of materials and design styles.

In the new book, Night Fever 3 (Frame Publishers, 2012), edited by Marlous van Rossum-Willems, some of the world’s best hospitality spaces are showcased in a lavish 600 page book that is a sumptuous, around-the-world journey and a who’s who in hospitality design. These are spaces that set the mood for the people who enter them, the mis en scene for a heightened experience that makes the customer a performer within their own fantasy.

Even in a volatile economy, hotels in particular continue to do battle for the title of coolest and most innovative, captivating guests with sometimes over-the-top Alice in Wonderland effects. Is there such thing as too much design? Ms. Van Rossum-Willems answers that and other questions in an interview with b. on brand.

BERTRAND PELLEGRIN: What would you say are the most significant characteristics of successful hospitality design projects?

MARLOUS VAN ROSSUM-WILLEMS: Cultures are different the world over, which means guests are different also – they have different needs, wishes and interests. Hotels mostly welcome foreign guests and they often like to experience the local culture. In Night Fever 3, we selected projects from all over the world. Some clearly show the local influence, even when designed by a ‘foreign’ studio. For instance, it was essential for the designers of Graven Images, who were responsible for the design of Hotel Missoni in Kuwait, to understand the Missoni brand in terms of both design and life values and adapt this to its location. The interior is a reflection of Missoni’s bold personality combined with references to the Arabian Gulf.

Also, hotels need to tell a story that takes guests along, touches and converts them. At Hotel Moods (in Prague), the design incorporates a quirky aspect with extracts from a local story book – a magical tale of journeying to landmarks in the city – appearing on the walls of the hotel, in the lobby, lounge and even in the guest bedrooms. You can start reading the book at the entrance of the rooms, continue in the bedroom and finish a chapter in the bathroom.

Do you think the evolution of hospitality design has put a premium on “design” over “the brand”? In other words, is the design of the hotel sometimes stronger than the brand name of the hotel?

I don’t feel the design is stronger than the brand name — there has to be a good balance between the two. It is very important that the design follows the function of the space and the identity of the brand. For the critical hotel visitors of today, the design should not only meet the requirements of a modern hotel, but a well-founded narrative is also necessary to sell the rooms.

In the past 20 years, hotels have evolved, thanks in large part to the concept of “boutique” hotels. Have consumers come to demand high design from hotels?

Yes, the critical consumers of today demand much more from hotels compared to before. They don’t just want a nice bed to sleep in and to be able to take good shower in the morning, they like to immerse themselves in a complete experience. Hotels need to be equipped with the latest high-tech innovations, which can be seen for instance at Yotel in New York, where guests do their own check-in, and with the help of a mechanical white robot their bags get stored in the lobby lockers – quite a futuristic spectacle. Another example is Nhow hotel in Berlin, designed by Karim Rashid, where the lighting in each room can be personalised and at Puro Hotel in Wroclaw, designed by Blacksheep, where a touch-screen tablet let guests control every electronic item in the ‘intelligent’ rooms.

Nearly every hotel in Night Fever 3 is sensational, even over the top. Do you think it is even possible for a hotel’s design to be “timeless” or even subdued?

Definitely there are both timeless and perhaps more subdued designs in the book but these will all still have a unique story to tell. Such as the hotel in the middle of the German countryside called Forsthaus that once was a forest ranger’s house is simple at first glance, but includes nice touches that aim to bring the surroundings into the interior. Guests have the sensation of sleeping in the forest among the trees. In my opinion this project is also very sensational, only in another way than some other designs.

What cities have the most innovative hotels? Why do you think that is?

New York, Berlin and Barcelona always have been evolving cities and you see many innovative hotels in these locations. I think this is because all three cities are well-known for tourism, but also business-wise they attract many visitors. While working on Night Fever 3, I did notice that more and more unknown cities (and countries) in Eastern Europe are trying to get themselves on the map. Innovative hotels in Wroclaw (Poland), Prague (Czech Republic) and Split (Croatia) are needed to attract visitors to these less traveled cities.

The use of unconventional materials (or common materials used in unconventional ways) is one of the most striking things we see now in the avant-garde hotel. Tell me about one of your favorite examples.

I very much like the art installation that covers the ground floor reception area and restaurant at the New Hotel in Athens. The interior was designed by the brothers Campana and is all made from reclaimed wood. Much of the inspiration came from the Campana’s iconic Favela chair, which can be seen in the the imposing columns that are like a collage of old furniture.

Night Fever 3 is edited by Marlous Van Rossum-Willems and published by Frame Publishers. To buy the book, click here.

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