Hospitality Style - Winter 2011

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WINTER 20112012 TRENDS FORECAST

L’AND VINEYARDS

ESPA AT THE ISTANBUL EDITION

SEABOURN QUEST

Q+A: ADRIAN SMITH, AS+GG ARCHITECTURE

HOSPITALITYSTYLE.COM

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2 HOSPITALITYSTYLE.COM / WINTER 2011

/ / / CONTENTSHOSPITALITY STYLE / VOL. 4, ISSUE 4 / WINTER 2011

/ / / FEATURES

18 PRODUCTS FOR THE IMAGINATION Hospitality designers worldwide forecast which elements will become the design stars for hotels, restaurants, spas and cruise ships in 2012.

24 BEHIND THE SCREENS The real story of the ESPA at the Istanbul Edition lies in the high and low material mix that blends the essence of a traditional Turkish steam bath with the elegance of a modern spa.

32 CRUISE CONTROL Interiors of the 225-suite Seabourn Quest get cut down to size, with curved and angled spaces that unfold into a series of intimate experiences.

36 WASTE NOT Infrastructural design features and clean-lined modern furnishings make Portugal’s L’And Vineyards Resort the poster child for a comfortable new approach to minimalism.

42 THE CLIENT Laurence Geller, the straight-talking founder and head of Strategic Hotels & Resorts, on projects, processes and what will get designers shown the door.

/ / / DEPARTMENTS

4 FROM THE EDITOR/ADVISORY BOARD

6 THE EDGE Happy Magic Watercube, Beijing

8 BDNY REPORT

10 BATH & SPA SHOWROOM

46 SURFACING SHOWROOM

52 AMENITIES SHOWROOM

56 Q+A Adrian Smith, co-founder, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

/ ON THE COVER / The ESPA at the Istanbul Edition is a hotbed of 2012’s hospitality design trends. As this VIP treatment room’s Jacuzzi lounge demonstrates, it’s the mix of materials—smoky dark quartz, marble and granite played against humble nylon, raffi a and chains—that updates expectations for what’s ahead.

/ COVER PHOTOGRAPHY / KEN HAYDEN, MIAMI

Follow Hospitality Style on

/ 32 /

/ 36 /

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/ / / FROM THE EDITOR

/ / / ADVISORY BOARD

MISHA BEDNERproject directorHBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates

ALISA CHODOSprincipal and partner LaCour Chodos Interior Design

RONEL CORBINU.S. corporate director of spa operationsESPA International

ERIC DANIELprototype directorWD Partners

JAMES DILLEYassociate directorJestico + Whiles

JP FORDsenior vice presidentLodging Econometrics

EDWIN FULLERpresident and managing directorMarriott International

KELLY GONZALEZassociate vice president, new-build designRoyal Caribbean International

ED GRUNprincipal and leader of hospitality practiceGensler

JAMES HAMILTONdesign directorGraven Images

LIANA HAWESsenior project designerWilson Associates

TED JACOBSvice president of luxury brandsStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.

JENNIFER JOHANSONpresident/ceoEDG

HO KWONCJANmanaging director, design servicesBanyan Tree Hotels and Resorts

GEORGE LAGUSISsenior vice president, design and constructionFairmont Hotels & Resorts

WILLIAM LANGMADEPresidentPurchasing Management International

ALEJANDRO LILLOPartnerGRAFT

RAMSEY MANKARIOUSchief executive officerCedar Capital Partners LLC

WENDY MENDESvice presidentRTKL Associates

ROBERT PUCCINIpresident/ceoPuccini Group

CLAUS SENDLINGERpresident and ceoDesign Hotels

JAMES STAPLETONvice president/operations managerFRCH Design Worldwide

DAVID SUSSMANsenior vice president, hotel development and designKimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group

ADAM TIHANYfounder and principalTihany Design

SVEN VAN ASSCHEvice president of designMGM Mirage Design Group

PATRICIA WALKERsenior interior designerStudio GAIA

GLENN WILSONvice president, international interior designMarriott International

HOWARD J. WOLFFsenior vice presidentWATG

EDITOR

shape their vision without breaking the bank. Yvonne Lembi-Detert, president and ceo of Personality Hotels (and a trained interior designer), likes metal (which informs the look of the Hotel Diva in our special report that begins on p. 18), but she’s also excited by resin-simulated granite. “It comes in a variety of shapes, colors, edge details and thick-nesses. The surfaces are seamless and can be repaired easily,” she says. “I also see solid color surfaces in high-pressure laminates being specified over simulated wood—which seems to be used in more conservative hospitality settings.”

Designers like Chicago’s Jordan Mozer, who created the Bob San restaurant featured in the opening of our special report, are taking that freedom to the limit. “We design and manufacture all of the fixtures, furni-ture, art work and special finishes locally from scratch for each project,” says Mozer, who trained as an artist before crossing over to design. “We begin the project-specific product design process after we have completed the conceptual architectural designs. The FF&E elements add another couple of layers to the architectural person-ality we define—sometimes by adding consistency, sometimes by introducing contradictions to the main idea,” he says.

The result is that walls, ceilings and nearly every other design element can be custom-ized to fit the identity of the individual project. And that should make 2012 another great year for hospitality design.

Mies van der Rohe would probably be very pleased with the projects in this issue—and not just because we’ve included The Langham, Chicago, which will open in 2013

in a building he designed. The hotels, restau-rants, spa, cruise ship and even the water park that make up our 2012 forecast edition all share the Bauhaus sensibility for forms that not only follow function, but enhance it. They also reflect a growing trend that is making the basic tools of design—surfacing, lighting and FF&E—the real focal points of hospitality interiors.

Whether touring hotels like New York’s new Ace Hotel or Rockwell Group’s current renovation of the Affinia Manhattan or walking the trade show floor at Boutique Design New York, designers are finding excitement in the creative possibilities of new materials. It’s not that marble or wenge wood are obsolete. It’s more that manufacturers have mastered new production methods that allow designers the freedom to bend and

THE RIGHT STUFF

/ / / EDITORIALEDITORMary ScoviakSENIOR ART DIRECTOR Kimberly PegramCOPY EDITOR Matthew Hall / / / SALESPUBLISHER, HOSPITALITY PRODUCTSMichael Schneider [email protected] p: 513.263.9379BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, WESTGerry Kreger [email protected] p: 323.999.0991 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SOUTHEASTScott Rickles [email protected] p: 770.664.4567 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SOUTHWESTBen Skidmore [email protected]: 972.587.9064 / / / CORPORATEPRESIDENTTedd SwormstedtDESIGN GROUP DIRECTORKristin D. ZeitAUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORChristine BalogaPRODUCTION COORDINATORKeri HarperDIRECTOR OF BOOK DIVISIONMark KisslingREPRINT INFORMATION800.925.1110, ext. 399

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICESP.O. Box 1060 / Skokie, IL 60076 P: (847) 763-4938F: (847) 763-9030 [email protected]

11262 Cornell Park Dr.Cincinnati OH 45242p: 513.421.2050 / f: 513.421.5144www.HospitalityStyle.com

The Langham, Chicago

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WINTER 2011 / HOSPITALITYSTYLE.COM 7

/ / / An undersea-themed water park in Beijing may be an unlikely role model for what’s ahead in hospitality design. However, minus the water slides, few projects sum up the sea-changes sweeping through hotel, restaurant and spa interiors better than Happy Magic Watercube. At the top of the trend list is (with apologies to “The Graduate”) just one word: Plastics.

Manmade materials are coming into their own as serious statements, right alongside wood, metal, glass and stone. The idea of wrapping vinyl stretch fabrics around steel frame-works can be as viable for sculpting a focal wall in a luxury spa as it is for crafting floating jellyfish. “We did a lot of research on stretch fabrics and found that vinyl versions are extremely versa-tile,” says Anthony Van Dam, execu-tive vp of Forrec Limited, the Canadian planning and design firm that led the transformation of the 2008 Olympic aquatic center into a 140,000-sq.-ft. public attraction. “They are malleable enough to simulate seaweed and sufficiently durable to shroud the stair towers and conceal the HVAC system. Clear vinyl was perfect for the bubbles. For the coral reef, we used glass-fiber reinforced plastic to get the right texture and sheen.”

Another reason these kinds of elements are gaining popularity centers on how well they play with lighting effects. More and more, archi-tects are experimenting with concepts like the Watercube’s pillow façade (translucent membranes that cover the polygons of the soap-bubble lattice work). “During the day, that filters light through the building much like ocean water would,” says Van Dam. At night,

NEW WAVEVersatile, affordable vinyls and plastics are making a big splash at Beijing’s Happy Magic Watercube.

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Forrec and CD+M Lighting Design Group shifted to a theatrical mood. Color-changing LED floodlights sweep over the stair towers and columns.

“Even in a space with the austere purity of the Watercube, designers can use playful forms that rely on shape, color and light to create visual activity—and what we see as a romantic, dynamic environment,” says Van Dam. “I think we’ll see more projects using interesting design materials to executive a narrative.” HS

/ 1 / Bubbles are everywhere, from the soap-bubble latticework formed by the double-skinned external frame to the decorative vinyl spheres that humanize the towering ceiling height.

/ 2 / To light the water- play areas safely, industrial down-lights with high-wattage blue- and magenta-colored lamps provide wide washes of color.

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BY MARY SCOVIAK THE EDGE / / /


/ / / BDNY REPORT BY MARY SCOVIAK

/ / / Held in November alongside the Interna-tional Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS), Boutique Design New York (BDNY) 2011 brought together nearly 5000 hotel designers, vendors, owners and operators to share their vision of what’s next for hospitality design.

Now in its second year, this sold-out event continued to shake up expectations of what trade shows are all about. There were no mega-exhibits. Like the designers who read ST Media Group’s hospitality magazines, Boutique Design and Hospitality Style, BDNY focused on creating a lifestyle experience. The goal wasn’t just to see and be seen, but to spark interaction. Exhibits were intimate so that attendees could get a close-up look at products and talk with vendors about the possibilities. Attendees were able to kick back, log on or grab lunch in the BDNY Café created by Kajsa Krause and Tracey Sawyer of Krause + Sawyer. A 1500-sq.-ft. lounge on the show floor, designed by Antonio Di Oronzo and his team at Bluarch, offered a space for relaxation and networking.

BDNY was also about ideas. Designers on the hunt for the next hot concepts got every-thing they needed from the gallery of calcified shapes, dark fairy tales, Mid-Century ideals and acid-hip installations featured in the Trend Walk and the 2012 design forecast by Stacy Garcia, founder of Stacy Garcia, Inc. They also learned about how to get their next commission from Hospitality Style’s panel of leading hotel owners and operators. Boutique Design magazine’s sessions on renovation and social networking provided cutting-edge strategies for navigating the challenges of redoing historic buildings and rejuvenating business development in cyber-space. Experts took on the issue of how design is evolving the guest experience in a session presented by the International Interior Design Assoc. (IIDA) and moderated by Nancy Jackson, president, Architectural Systems.

Visionary thinking took center stage at the sixth annual Boutique Design Awards, which recognized the best hotel, spa, restaurant and nightclub designs of 2011. Lauren Rottet, Rottet Studio, took home Designer of the Year honors.

Planning is already underway for the 2012 BDNY event scheduled for Nov. 11 and 12. Visit www.bdny.com for details.

GATHERING SPACEBoutique Design New York replaces the traditional trade show format with a blend of exhibits, forums and design inspiration meant to start conversations.

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/ 1 / The lifestyle-influenced show floor.

/ 2 / A/I Design Lab’s Calcified exhibit for the Trend Walk.

/ 3 / Bright seating pods in the BDNY Café.

/ 4 / Hospitality Style’s owners/operators panel: (l. to r.): Brendan McNamara (at the podium), Hampshire Hotels & Resorts; Mary Scoviak, Hospitality Style; Brad Wilson, Denihan Hospitality Group; Kevin McNamara, Marcus Hotels & Resorts; Michael Dalton, Strategic Hotels & Resorts.

Contemporary Metal Art

Marriott San Diego

Product: New Blendz Art 410 - Pattern Bamboo

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/ / / SHOWROOM bath + spa

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SHAPE UPBathroom fixtures and

furnishings have slimmed

down. And, in the process,

they’ve begun experimenting

with new profiles. Most

start with architectural and

industrial lines, but there are a

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as well as artistic options

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glass wash basins. While

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guest bath is becoming a

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/ 1 / Moenwww.moen.comStainless steel is cut into geometric shapes and bent to form the bath accessories in the Viq collection. Exposed mounting screws underscore the industrial look. Available in brushed nickel or chrome.

/ 2 / Laufenwww.us.laufen.comWith its ultra-slim contour, Living Square wash basins appear to hover on the wall. Created by Phoenix Design, the series includes ceramic toilets, bidets, bathtubs and shower trays as well as furniture.

/ 3 / Victoria + Albertwww.vandabaths.comThe pebble-shaped Barcelona bath features a rimless, double-ended design that’s big enough for two. Crafted of Englishcast (a composite material with fi nely ground volcanic limestone), it is cast in one seamless piece and has a glossy white solid surface.

/ 4 / Duravitwww.durait.us.comDesigner Matteo Thun’s Onto collection pairs bonded, anti-warp, zero-emission plywood with ceramic to create 16 different furniture solutions for the guest bathroom. The line includes consoles, cabinets, drawer units, vanities, bathtubs and illuminated mirrors.

/ 5 / Project Stone by Belstonewww.projectstone.comSwarovski crystals accent the polished fi nish of the Belstone Brass Crystal faucet. The line features WaterSense aerators and lead-free airways.

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/ 6 / Strini Art Glasswww.striniartglass.comAdventures in Paradise sinks and sconces repurpose recycled, retired pieces of blown glassware. After being layered into a fl at sheet and slowly heated to 1500 degrees, these fused panels are slumped over a form and under another fi ring at a lower temperature to create unique sculptural shapes.

/ 7 / MTIwww.mtiwhirlpools.comAdrian features contoured backrests. Available as a soaking tub or with an air-bath system.

/ 8 / Bain Ultrawww.bainultra.comFreestanding and ergonomic, the Essencia Oval 7236 incorporates an inverted-V backrest and integrated headrest. Each tub also has a dual row of air jets, a footrest and armrests.

/ 9 / Danzewww.danze.comAvailable in chrome or nickel fi nishes, the Reef collection emphasizes an architectural, simple square motif. This Euro-styled collection includes a single-handle faucet, two-handle centerset, two-handle widespread, roman tub and tub/shower faucets.

/ 10 / Hastings Tile Bathwww.hastingstilebath.comBamboo Collection is sustainable and includes bath furniture, sinks and vanities. The wall-hung storage cabinet (shown) measures 15.7-by-18.1 in. and stands 14.9 in. high. Basin available in mattstone and bamboo.

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/ 11 / Mockettwww.mockett.comStainless steel post hooks are suitable for robes or towels. The line is available as pairs of individual hooks or the triple hook model (shown).

/ 12 / Infi nity Drainwww.infi nitydrain.comTileDrain incorporates premium tiles or natural surfacing materials to integrate the look of the drain with the shower fl oor. Models are available in three sizes and two installation options.

/ 13 / Brondellwww.brondell.comThe adjustable, heated Swash 1000 bidet seat has dual stainless steel nozzles, an air dryer, deodorizer and an oscillating wash. Equipped with a wireless remote control, this unit can replace existing toilet seats and fi ts most fi xtures.

/ 14 / Mincey Marblewww.minceymarble.comThis trench drain features seamless one-piece construction. Right- or left- side drains are available. The textured fl oor is anti-skid and slopes to drain residual water.

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Client: Trunk Archive • Job#: 102988 • Pub: Hospitality Style • Trim:4.375 x 5.375 • LS:133• Date:10.711

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/ 15 / Apaiserwww.apaiser.com.auDesigned for smaller spaces, the Seascape line of bathtubs is made from recycled marble, stone byproducts and natural inclusions such as oyster shells. The only man-made materials are the resin that binds the composites and the polymers that seal the fi nished product.

/ 16 / Speakman Companywww.speakmancompany.comAnystream Refresh showerheads offer a choice of contemporary, modern and traditional styles. The collection has three fi xed showerheads, three hand-held showers and nine combination showers in polished chrome or brushed nickel.

/ 17 / Sentrel Bath Systemswww.sentrelbathsystems.comThese lightweight bath wall systems use a patented digital imaging process to recall the look of granite, marble and natural stone. They can be installed over existing surfaces without the need for tear-outs.

/ 18 / Susan Ward Designswww.susanwarddesigns.comArtist Susan Ward is applying her fi rst edition artwork to freestanding wash basins and glass countersinks. Clients can choose from a portfolio of existing designs or request one-of-a-kind design.

/ 19 / THGwww.thgstyle.comMaster glassmaker, Daum, used the pâte-de-verre technique (lost-wax method of mold making) to sculpt the crystal handles in the Daum Dragon collection. Taps offer three color options: jade (shown), moon and sun. HS

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2011 ATTENDEES & EXHIBITORS

Our second annual BDNY trade fair was a great success featuring 200+ interior product manufacturers and more than 4,600 hospitality designers, hotel and restaurant owners and purchasing executives in attendance. Your commitment to this show and the industry will help transform the hospitality landscape and generate new, exciting ideas for the future.

Presented by In Partnership With

What you get at BDNY is manufacturers saying ‘let us meet the challenge and help execute your vision’. They’re about working with you and figuring out your look.

JEFF ORNSTEIN

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2012 FAIR AND GET REGULAR UPDATES, VISIT BDNY.COM.

To exhibit contact: Michael Schneider at 513.263.9379 or [email protected] or Alex Cabat at 914.421.3372 or [email protected].

http://www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=12&y=2011&b=HOSP&p=16&l=www.bdny.com

2011 ATTENDEES & EXHIBITORS

Our second annual BDNY trade fair was a great success featuring 200+ interior product manufacturers and more than 4,600 hospitality designers, hotel and restaurant owners and purchasing executives in attendance. Your commitment to this show and the industry will help transform the hospitality landscape and generate new, exciting ideas for the future.

Presented by In Partnership With

What you get at BDNY is manufacturers saying ‘let us meet the challenge and help execute your vision’. They’re about working with you and figuring out your look.

JEFF ORNSTEIN

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2012 FAIR AND GET REGULAR UPDATES, VISIT BDNY.COM.

To exhibit contact: Michael Schneider at 513.263.9379 or [email protected] or Alex Cabat at 914.421.3372 or [email protected].

http://www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=12&y=2011&b=HOSP&p=1&l=www.bdny.com


/ / / For 2012, trend-setting hospi-tality designers will be living in a material(s) world. Every hotel, restaurant, spa and cruise ship will be a work of art in the sense that it will be an original. And the canvases will be the spaces themselves.

Innovations in manufacturing processes and enhancements in raw materials make it not only possible but cost effective to be imaginative. A few years ago, a curved wall was news. Now that same wall can be made from computer-sculpted laminates or resins to reflect and refract light to the designer’s exact specifica-tions. Unglamorous elements such as concrete, veneers and alloys are getting a facelift with new applications and finishes that turn them into design stars. Custom-designed chairs turn an open-plan restaurant into an indoor sculpture garden. For the foreseeable future, hospitality interiors will continue to move away from a time when a room had one focal point. The aim now is surround-sound design,

It’s the source list, not the stylist, that’s directing hospitality design trends for 2012.

PRODUCTS FOR THE IMAGINATION

BY MARY SCOVIAK

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with each area of the project presented as the sum of its spec-tacular parts.

Here’s a look at the elements most likely to be on hospitality designers’ hot lists in 2012.

Tactile, Textured SurfacingStraight, flat walls may be heading toward the endangered species list. Advances in surfacing give designers virtually unlimited choices for adding texture, pattern and shape to walls and ceilings. Areas that once were simply back-drops are now integral to setting a mood and making a space sizzle. No single product category is doing more to expand designers’ vision.

New technology enables

designers to get luxury effects without five-star pricing, a leap forward that is changing the aesthetics of surfacing. “Not only can you re-create exotic woods on more economical veneers, but you can use new methods of composing digital images onto veneers and surfaces to create fresh styles,” says Beth Anne Krynicki, senior designer, DiLeon-ardo International, Providence, R.I. “Digital imaging and 3D printing provide new vehicles for experi-menting with form and surface simultaneously. This is exciting because different approaches to combining 2D and 3D effects open up innovative paths for design work.”

It’s not just surfacing’s image that’s making it a hot commodity for 2012. It’s the menu of materials. Improvements in manufacturing along with the development of versatile manufactured and natural composites, plastics and aggre-gates are putting humble mate-rials on a competitive footing with marble, granite, pricey woods and natural stone even for high-end projects.

For example, concrete has been cool since Mid-Century Modern came back into vogue, but today’s versions offer colors and textures that give it an uptown, modern edge. “We are doing a lot of work with various forms of concrete,” says Ross Hunter,

/ 1 / Jordan Mozer and Associates Ltd.’s custom-designed chairs give functional pieces dramatic form in Chicago’s Bob San restaurant.

/ 2 / Graven Images’ vision for Ghillie Dhu, Edinburgh, is all about textural contrasts. Flowing draperies provide a fluid counterpoint to the industrial look of the seating and concrete floor.

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founding director, Graven Images, Glasgow, whose firm was the interior designer on the recently opened Radisson Blu Aqua, Chicago. “Products like Mosaic del Sur’s encaustic cement tiles and Gray Concrete’s glass-reinforced concrete have been very popular with us because they can be customized to any color we require. Mosaic del Sur has worked with us to develop cement tiles in custom patterns and shapes, as well.”

There are also a host of mate-rials coming to market with affordable price tags and a lot of multi-use potential. “We recently found an interesting alternative to

ality Hotels, San Francisco. She contacted Ambath and asked the bathroom remodeler to reproduce the textured bathtub surfacing for walls with no grout lines and no tiles. “At first they said, ‘This cannot happen.’ But I persisted, and they made my design vision happen,” she says.

Whatever the application, surfacing needs to be both touch-able and interactive with lighting effects to be on trend. Bas-relief patterns from man-made mate-rials are bringing flat walls to life and adding interest when used as ceiling details and moldings. Struc-tural shapes create the context.

MDF called Envirowall. It’s a form-aldehyde-free panel product made from recycled straw. Rubber is still good. We like Dalsouple and some of their other products,” says Hunter.

If existing products don’t answers designers’ needs, they’re adapting, repurposing and inventing elements that will. For the renovation of Hotel Diva (San Francisco), Yvonne Lembi-Detert wanted something non-tradi-tional for the shower walls. “I was looking for the effect of the non-skid surface usually used for the bottom of bathtubs,” says Lembi-Detert, president and ceo, Person-

/ 3 / Getting ready for a 2013 opening, The Langham, Chicago, contrasts the dark wood tones and strong lines appropriate for this Mies van der Rohe building with natural influences, like the flight of birds on the wallpaper in the Infinity Suite.

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They’re the center of the design. “Our rooms themselves are ultra-modern, black and white polished wood affairs with injections of red,” says Martin Viczian, the hotel’s marketing manager.

Statement-making FF&EWith budgets continuing to be on a real-world scale, the pressure is on for designers to make every piece a statement piece. “Budgets are tough. We have been doing more with less money,” says Jordan Mozer, designer, Jordan Mozer and Associates Ltd. Chicago. That’s led to some revolutionary thinking about just what makes a

Curved walls set up a soft, organic mood, while linear walls meet at sharp angles to break up the layout grid. A little MDF or Envirowall can generate a lot of impact without breaking the bank.

While surfacing may still techni-cally apply to cladding, the strong trend toward oversized artwork merges the traditional roles of surfacing and art. In the Bohem Art Hotel (Budapest), a member of Epoque Hotels, contemporary Hungarian art takes up nearly the entire wall over each room’s bed. Somewhere between murals and wall treatments, these outsized graphics instill a gallery feel.

chair or table interesting. The real shift starts with the framework. For example, chairs are showing up in iterations ranging from pastiches of reclaimed wood to masses of pillowy tufts to a pour of seemingly molten silver.

The need to deliver a unique look is sparking a DIY movement among designers. “We are building FF&E elements in solid, unstained wood, honed stone and blown glass. We’re also using cast metals that are recycled, roughed up and acid washed, as well as Kevlar-reinforced, integrally colored resins that develop a patina as they age. We’re focusing on materials that

/ 4 / Guest rooms in San Francisco’s Hotel Diva show how metal finishes can multi-task as they transition from shining chrome to brushed and matte effects.

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ally, we’re using natural materials such as wood, stones, cottons and wools to add a sense of luxury and grounding,” she says. The palette follows the FF&E, not color fore-casts. Neutrals accent the furni-ture’s rosewood, onyx and bronze to reference van der Rohe directly.

The line between art and FF&E is blurred. Guests are as likely to sit on the art as they are to look at it. Moser populates his designs with chairs that he terms “furni-ture art work.” These custom-designed pieces drive the design. “By inventing each element from scratch we hope to create a

make furnishings and fixtures more robust, durable and sustainable—and, obviously, original,” says Mozer. He and his team custom-design nearly all of the FF&E for the studio’s projects and frequently construct prototypes in-house.

On the flip side is the commit-ment to natural materials but also to repurposing/recycling. Authen-ticity remains a keyword for FF&E. Fiona Thompson, principal, Rich-mond International, London, wanted to keep a consistent feel to set the mood of The Langham Hotel in Chicago’s historic Mies van der Rohe building. “Gener-

painting guests can walk into,” he says. Lembi-Detert sees this form-meets-function mindset boosting acceptance of materials like metal, even for guest room seating. “There are exciting new finishes that enable manufacturers to play with the sculptural quality of metal,” she says.

This marriage of form and function is likely to extend well beyond the next 12 months. What it means is that budget is even less of a constraint to creativity than ever before. It’s a time when designers can get ready to express themselves. HS

/ 5 / Bohem Art Hotel, Budapest, uses streamlined, vividly colored décor to create an elegant shell for its high-impact art collection.

/ 6 / Dileonardo’s design for the Sheraton Bangalore at Brigade Gateways relies on layering surfacing materials, from the geometric floor to a ceiling that recalls the night sky.

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BEHIND THE SCREENSHBA London reworked its product sources,

processes and procedures to create the wonder-world

of the ESPA at the Istanbul Edition.

BY MARY SCOVIAK


/ / / Guests enjoying therapies at the ESPA at the Istanbul Edition hotel probably aren’t aware of the Lutron lighting software that’s adjusting the illumination to match different phases of their treatments. Nor are they meditating on the fact that HBA London’s designers spent a fair amount of time pouring aromatic oils onto—and rubbing treatment products into—samples of the treatment rooms’ chocolate leather fl ooring (and nearly every surfacing material in the spa) to make sure it could withstand the inevitable drips and spills. Clients come to spas like this luxurious enclave expecting magic. It’s up to the service providers—and the interior designers—to make that happen without any hint of the real work involved.

Conjuring up the “contempo-rary, moody, masculine take on a traditional Turkish steam bath,”

or hammam, envisioned by the hotel’s owner (the Istanbul-based Palmali group) required a little sleight of hand and a couple of tankers of midnight oil. “Throughout the ages, the archi-tecture of hammams has featured a dome with star-shaped cutouts that fi lter natural light,” says Inge Moore, principal, HBA London. “Since the openings range in size and vary in angles, they cast dramatically layered shadows. That aspect became the thread that weaves together the spa design.”

The fi rst problem in translating inspiration into execution was the lack of natural light. Like many well-ness centers, the ESPA is sited underground. Its 20,000 square feet are spread over three subterra-nean levels beneath the bank that was converted into the Istanbul Edition. Partnering with DPA Lighting, the designers explored

/ 1 / Lustrous nylon cords form curtains that lend a veiled privacy to the candle-lit couches in the relaxation lounge.

/ 2 / The placement of the lobby seating and angle of the walls focus attention on the waterfall of hand-made "crystals" behind the reception desk.

/ 1 / / 2 /

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Layered lighting carries through to the public areas. Concealed cove lights infuse a gentle glow that’s enhanced by strategic spotlights as well as decorative floor lights, wall sconces and pendants—many handmade from metal with pierced designs that echo the domes of ancient Turkish spas. LEDs are the priority for the thermal and wet areas “because they’re more durable when it comes to heat and moisture,” says Hutchins.

HBA London’s team played with light and shadow on a grand scale for the focal wall of the swimming pool, located on the middle level. Moore says the designers fell in love with the patterns of tiny hammered markings on a piece of antique gold jewelry. They developed a 3D rendering that sized up the design so that it wrapped around

ways to simulate the effect they wanted by building rough mock-ups of lighting features from museum board (a black, acid-free cardboard) with holes punched through it. “We used 10 different densities and patterns. Then, we put them in a dark room and lit them from behind to see the layers and shapes of the scattered shadows,” says Nathan Hutchins, associate, HBA London.

For the treatment rooms, the designers set a dramatic scene by projecting a spotlight through the shower’s partition. “We like the way that it highlights the irregular texture of the shower’s lava brick walls and picks up on the glints and reflections of the gold-tinted glass,” says Moore. A second spotlight positioned within the shower points the way to the changing room.

the pool. Since budgets and infra-structure don’t generally allow for golden walls, Moore and her team explored various materials options before finding “a lovely sample of a milky acrylic covered with layers of sand that had been produced by an Austrian chandelier maker, Lights of Vienna.” Working together, HBA London and the lighting experts developed a modular system of puzzle pieces that could be cast in the factory and assembled onsite. “The result was stunning—acrylic panels made with varying densi-ties of sand and grit to create a wall of honey-toned ripples that scatter light across the water,” she says.

Reflection and refraction also make the signature statement in the reception area. The showstop-ping piece is a curtain composed of 529 “crystals” arranged in 69 rows

/ 3 / Sand and grit embedded in a medium of frosted acrylic glitter like gold in the focal wall that frames this fireside lounge area and the pool.

/ 4 / Instead of the classic gray and white marble used for traditional hammams, HBA London introduced Baltic Brown granite for the floors (because it can hold up even if oils pool there) and Imperial Brown marble for the central plinth and benches for a more modern, masculine look.

/ 4 /

ensure the proper fit.Throughout the facility, the

angling and curving of walls provides a feeling of privacy and introduces a variety of secret spaces in which guests can “detach” from the activity. “We chose materials that would add layers to the overall experience. Some were soft; others were rough. Some were highly reflective; others were whimsical or simply beautiful to look at. Our client was open, and it was a pleasure to be able to design a spa with so many lovely finishes and textures,” says Moore. “A spa like this doesn’t have to have continuity with the rest of the hotel. It can be its own unique little jewel.” HS

talent to realize HBA London’s fresh take on interior walls and moldings. Local installers constructed the walls of the treatment rooms, which are actually operable cabinetry intended to conceal necessary equipment. “They’re a blend of sculptural art and storage cupboards,” says Moore. The lacework of screens in the fitness center uses highly lacquered, faceted cladding to offer an ultra-modern riff on the cut-out motif. For the hammam, German spa fit-out specialist Klafs made the bas-relief that forms a necklace just below the ceiling. The segments were assembled, plastered and sealed onsite to

and connected by bronze chains. “We couldn’t get such large quan-tities of rock crystals in Turkey. We would have had to import them as precious stones at a tax rate desig-nated for jewelry. That would have been an unrealistic expense,” says Hutchins. The solution was to work with a local glassblower who carved the faceted pieces according to HBA’s specifications. Those specs were written on the design prac-tice’s proprietary software and included both hand-drawn sketches and CAD drawings. “Our client introduced us to craftspeople in Istanbul who used traditional methods to fashion contemporary features,” adds Hutchins.

It took international teams of

/ 5 / ESPA International provided the technical brief, detailing all of the spa’s components, including this café located on the middle floor.

/ 6 / Strategic spotlights from outside and inside of the shower draw attention to the contrast in rough and smooth materials, as well as picking up glints in the gold-tinted glass door.

/ 5 /


/ 6 /

Fast-track the buying process.

You’ll receive complimentary travel, hotel and F&B plus admission to seminars and networking events. Not to mention face time with two dozen FF&E vendors who have what you need—and are ready to field your questions.

To qualify as a buyer, apply online HospitalityMatch.com

sourcing ff&e for hospitality projects in 2012?

Be our guest at the seventh annual HOSPITALITYmatch,

July 15-17 in Austin, and discover a better way to buy.

This three-day “speed meeting” event brings key decision-

makers from top design firms, purchasing companies and

hotel groups together with relevant suppliers—in 20-minute,

one-to-one meetings. Here’s how it works:

˘ you apply online to qualify as a buyer.

˘ you choose in advance the vendors you’d like to meet with.

˘ We organize and schedule your matches.

Last Year's SUPPLIERS:

Colt Industries ˘ Kitchen & Bath

DAC Hospitality ˘ Art D’Style ˘ Furniture

Eclectic Contract Furniture ˘ Furniture

Electric Mirror ˘ Mirrors Enduratex ˘ Textiles

Faulkner & Locke ˘ Art Global Allies ˘ Seating

Global Views ˘ Accessories HG Art & Framing ˘ Art

Innovative Carpets ˘ Carpet Jaclo ˘ Bath

Justin David Textile ˘ Textiles JVA Art Group ˘ Art

Koroseal Hospitality Network ˘ Wallcoverings

LTM Textiles ˘ Textiles Maya Romanoff ˘ Wallcoverings

MTS Seating ˘ Seating Neo-Metro ˘ Bath Novo Arts ˘ Art

Palecek ˘ Accessories Savannah Group Mills ˘ Carpet

Shafer Commercial ˘ Seating

Shine Labs ˘ Lighting

Signature Hospitality Carpets ˘ Carpet

Texstyle by Jamie Stern ˘ Furniture/Carpet/Leather

Troy-CSL Lighting Inc. ˘ Lighting

July 15-17, 2012 Barton Creek Resort, Austin, TXHospitalityMatch.com

suppliers: to register or for more information, contact Michael Schneider at 513-263-9379 or [email protected].

Last Year's BUYERS:

BBG-BBGM ˘ Senior Associate

Best-Santos Studio ˘ Owner

Bilkey Llinas Design ˘ Senior Designer Brian G Thornton Designs ˘ Principal

Cole Martinez Curtis and Assoc. ˘ Principal/Senior Project Designer

Design Directions International ˘ President

Flick Mars ˘ Senior Associate Gettys ˘ Designer

Hatch Purchasing ˘ President Jacki Arena Interiors, Inc. ˘ Owner

Leo A Daly ˘ Interior Designer MGM Resorts International ˘ Interior Design Manager

Peggy Dye & Associates ˘ President Pierre-Yves Rochon Inc. ˘ Project Director

Ramsey Purchasing ˘ Project Manager RD Jones and Associates ˘ Senior Designer

Ricca Newmark Design ˘ Sr. Designer/Hospitality Market Manager

Richard McCormack Design ˘ Designer Rockwell Group ˘ Interior Designer

Rowland+Broughton Architecture and Urban Design ˘ Interior Designer

The Cardy Group ˘ Project Manager

The Parker Company ˘ Senior Vice President

The Procaccianti Group ˘ Interior Designer

The Stroud Group ˘ President

Therese Virserius Design ˘ Senior Designer

VanDresser Company ˘ Designer, Project Manager

Wilson Associates ˘ Senior Interior Designer

Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo ˘ Designer

Wynn Design & Development ˘ Buyer

Media parTners:produced by:

http://www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=12&y=2011&b=HOSP&p=30&l=www.hospitalitymatch.com

Fast-track the buying process.

You’ll receive complimentary travel, hotel and F&B plus admission to seminars and networking events. Not to mention face time with two dozen FF&E vendors who have what you need—and are ready to field your questions.

To qualify as a buyer, apply online HospitalityMatch.com

sourcing ff&e for hospitality projects in 2012?

Be our guest at the seventh annual HOSPITALITYmatch,

July 15-17 in Austin, and discover a better way to buy.

This three-day “speed meeting” event brings key decision-

makers from top design firms, purchasing companies and

hotel groups together with relevant suppliers—in 20-minute,

one-to-one meetings. Here’s how it works:

˘ you apply online to qualify as a buyer.

˘ you choose in advance the vendors you’d like to meet with.

˘ We organize and schedule your matches.

Last Year's SUPPLIERS:

Colt Industries ˘ Kitchen & Bath

DAC Hospitality ˘ Art D’Style ˘ Furniture

Eclectic Contract Furniture ˘ Furniture

Electric Mirror ˘ Mirrors Enduratex ˘ Textiles

Faulkner & Locke ˘ Art Global Allies ˘ Seating

Global Views ˘ Accessories HG Art & Framing ˘ Art

Innovative Carpets ˘ Carpet Jaclo ˘ Bath

Justin David Textile ˘ Textiles JVA Art Group ˘ Art

Koroseal Hospitality Network ˘ Wallcoverings

LTM Textiles ˘ Textiles Maya Romanoff ˘ Wallcoverings

MTS Seating ˘ Seating Neo-Metro ˘ Bath Novo Arts ˘ Art

Palecek ˘ Accessories Savannah Group Mills ˘ Carpet

Shafer Commercial ˘ Seating

Shine Labs ˘ Lighting

Signature Hospitality Carpets ˘ Carpet

Texstyle by Jamie Stern ˘ Furniture/Carpet/Leather

Troy-CSL Lighting Inc. ˘ Lighting

July 15-17, 2012 Barton Creek Resort, Austin, TXHospitalityMatch.com

suppliers: to register or for more information, contact Michael Schneider at 513-263-9379 or [email protected].

Last Year's BUYERS:

BBG-BBGM ˘ Senior Associate

Best-Santos Studio ˘ Owner

Bilkey Llinas Design ˘ Senior Designer Brian G Thornton Designs ˘ Principal

Cole Martinez Curtis and Assoc. ˘ Principal/Senior Project Designer

Design Directions International ˘ President

Flick Mars ˘ Senior Associate Gettys ˘ Designer

Hatch Purchasing ˘ President Jacki Arena Interiors, Inc. ˘ Owner

Leo A Daly ˘ Interior Designer MGM Resorts International ˘ Interior Design Manager

Peggy Dye & Associates ˘ President Pierre-Yves Rochon Inc. ˘ Project Director

Ramsey Purchasing ˘ Project Manager RD Jones and Associates ˘ Senior Designer

Ricca Newmark Design ˘ Sr. Designer/Hospitality Market Manager

Richard McCormack Design ˘ Designer Rockwell Group ˘ Interior Designer

Rowland+Broughton Architecture and Urban Design ˘ Interior Designer

The Cardy Group ˘ Project Manager

The Parker Company ˘ Senior Vice President

The Procaccianti Group ˘ Interior Designer

The Stroud Group ˘ President

Therese Virserius Design ˘ Senior Designer

VanDresser Company ˘ Designer, Project Manager

Wilson Associates ˘ Senior Interior Designer

Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo ˘ Designer

Wynn Design & Development ˘ Buyer

Media parTners:produced by:

http://www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=12&y=2011&b=HOSP&p=31&l=www.hospitalitymatch.com


/ 1 /

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CRUISE CONTROL

Seabourn’s original fleet of luxe, 208-passenger vessels. But the line’s executives wanted to do more than upsize their core concept. What they had in mind was a fresh visual identity with enough references to the signature elements to keep loyal customers happy and a host of updates to attract a new target market of 45- to 50-year-olds. One thing both markets shared was a preference for personalized experiences.

“We started with the very delib-erate idea of reducing the size of the vessel visually,” says Trond Sigurdsen, senior architect with Oslo-based Y&SA. The design team stresses geometrics to define the visual boundaries of the public spaces. Circular forms provide a key theme, from the layout of the relaxation and treatment rooms in the largest luxury spa at sea (11,400 sq. ft.) to the three rings of “social seating” that surround the main lounge’s combined stage

With its disciplined materials palette and intimate spaces, the 225-suite

Seabourn Quest brings boutique chic to the high seas.

/ / / Seabourn Quest may carry 450 passengers but, at heart, this luxury cruise ship has the ambi-ence and attitude of a private yacht. With a space plan that priori-tizes glimpses over big reveals and an FF&E program keyed around a few important elements, the latest iteration of Seabourn’s “less small” ships makes the point that ultra-luxury is about style, not size. Its sleek, human-scaled decks and interiors drive home the message that ships with the same guest capacity as some mid-sized conference hotels don’t have to hide behind heavy theming or play up cavernous grand salons. Clearly, they can wear lifestyle looks as well as any seagoing equivalents of fashion’s double zeroes.

Yran & Storbraaten Architects (Y&SA) ventured into uncharted design waters to give this liner the intimate feel of ships half its size. The firm had the benefit of borrowing from the templates of

BY MARY SCOVIAK

/ 1 / The central stairway punches through the floor of the next level, offering passengers a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come.

/ 2 / Black is anything but basic in the specialty restaurant, where it dresses up the backlighted window and ceiling panels and provides drama on the super-elliptical center tables.

/ 3 / Changes in the color and shape of the furnishings define social circles within the Grand Salon.

/ 2 /

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/ 4 / Instead of oversized sundecks, the designers ringed the ship with small retreats like this aft pool deck.

/ 5 / The banquette’s tall quilted sidewalls vary the low-profile sight lines of the Observation Lounge. Complementing the gray palette are the glowing ice-blue cocktail tables.

/ 6 / The circular theme that runs through the public rooms shows up in the curve of the Wintergarden Suite’s sofa and dining table.

/ 4 /

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and generate some drama, Y&SA combined ambient lighting and spotlights.

Although Seabourn Quest has its visual all-stars, like the black grid on the windows of the specialty restaurant and the coil of the atri-um’s stairway, it’s the discipline of the overall design that makes this a trendsetter. “This is the architec-tural version of slow food. Although we have spaces with high contrast, the overall rhythm is calmer. There is a deliberate choice to reduce the number of different materials, textiles and patterns to achieve one aim: Subdued elegance,” says Sigurdsen. HS

and dance floor. Y&SA uses these organic shapes as frames, giving definite borders to each of these rooms while focusing the atten-tion on the theater of the activi-ties within them. The architecture gets more linear in the food and beverage areas, with colonnades that screen off a quiet section of the buffet restaurant and a proces-sion of lighted pillars that leads the way to the specialty restaurant.

Drilling down further, Sigurdsen and his team introduced a variety of focal points to guide passen-gers to the different experiences within the public rooms. For those who want a taste of the tradi-

tional Seabourn style, the specialty restaurant features the famous super-elliptical tables that are hall-marks of the original ships right at its center. Travelers with a prefer-ence for more modern styling can gravitate toward the angular tables that line the window wall. Even color works to outline a distinct environment. The rosy, brocaded banquettes that encircle the center tables are the only shots of color in what Sigurdsen calls the ship’s “tuxedo space.”

That attention to detail carried through the entire FF&E program to the lighting. Sigurdsen appreci-ates the impact of LEDs as effect

lighting for dramatic settings like the spa’s color-changing water-fall or in downlights. But he’s not sold on them as a solution for every application. “We see problems with the value of light and angle of the beam spread from LED spot-lights. The spectrum is still a bit on the cold side. It has a tendency to make colors, textures, materials and people look different—and not necessarily better,” he says. “The other issue is that you can’t achieve a narrow beam, so you can’t focus. Without focus, there’s no depth to the lighting design and the result is too flat to do justice to the space.” To modulate the mood

/ 6 /


of the suites. They can thank the client for that. “When I went to my family’s home in the Algarve during the summers when I was a preteen, I used to take my mattress and sleep under the stars on the patio roof. I wanted to let guests ‘feel’ the night sky of the Alentejo and observe the cosmos as I did. We’re fortunate that this region still has one of the lowest light pollu-tion levels in Europe. So why not showcase that?” says José Cunhal Sendim, ceo, L’And Resorts. “The idea also ties in with the concept of sense of place in that it re-inter-prets the courtyard of the classical Roman/Mediterranean home.”

/ / / L’And Vineyards Resort in Montemor-o-Novo is the aesthetic equivalent of haiku. Nothing is extraneous in this 22-suite deluxe hotel set in a development of exclu-sive private residences, each with its own vineyard. Brazil’s mini-malist “starchitect” Márcio Kogan, founder of Studio mk27, continues his battle against “fireworks” and extravagance by telling a five-star story in a clear framework of hori-zontal lines and natural materials. It’s all part of his mission to ensure that “simplicity regains its just value” in design.

There aren’t any tchotchkes to help guests connect the dots. The essentials do that. Walls of rough-hewn brick or rich wood paneling reference the local vini-culture. Glass fronts blur the suites’ indoor/outdoor connec-tion, adding sparkle to the pristine white that washes the inside and outside of the hotel. Though most of the public and guest spaces are strongly horizontal, Kogan floats a sail-like ceiling above the indoor swimming pool, then extends it beyond the exterior wall to shelter a deck made for lounging.

Achieving true luxury requires drama and surprise. Studio mk27 delivers both with an amenity that will be new to even jaded high-spenders: retractable roofs on 12

WASTE NOT It’s what’s left out of Márcio Kogan’s bold architectural interiors that makes Portugal’s L’And Vineyards Resort simply luxurious.

BY MARY SCOVIAK, EDITOR

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/ 1 / The resort units’ clean lines channel the subtle beauty of traditional Mediterranean courtyard homes.

/ 2 / Honey-toned wood and an expanse of a pale stone wall bring the colors of the surrounding vineyards into this serene pool area.

/ 3 / The modern profile of 1970s-inspired Danish furniture contrasts with the artisanal look of a rustic bench to layer interest into this no-pressure lounge.

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Cunhal Sendim prioritized taking a natural sensuality throughout the resort. He asked Kogan to use indi-rect or softened lighting wherever possible to set an elegant mood. So the focal point of one of the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa’s treatment spaces is a stand of delicate, living greenery rooted in an uplighted stream. A table on an outdoor patio is lighted from beneath, not only brightening the tabletop but seemingly illuminating the white chair cushions. The vanilla-hued Taste restaurant has two window walls that allow for natural light and panoramic views. In the evening, four modern chandeliers and a shower of globular pendants shine with a candlelit quality.

As with most deluxe retreats, this Small Luxury Hotels of the World member integrates sustain-ability into its design and opera-tions. It’s the first project in Portugal to seek certification under the BRE-Environmental Assessment Method standard, which measures the envi-ronmental performance of buildings

in terms of energy consumption, pollution, materials used (in terms of toxicity and recyclable nature), water, ecology, land use and welfare. “Effective environmental sustainability is a fundamental characteristic of our identity,” says L’And’s ceo. That shapes not only the design, with its outdoor patios and LEDs, but also infrastructural components such as a micro elec-trical generation unit and integrated solar energy.

Kogan’s approach to the FF&E package pushes past the usual luxe formula of residential elegance. He purposefully avoids what he sees as unnecessary adornments that add cost, not impact. Instead, guests are treated to a few impor-tant statements in each area: an oversized fire pit rather than the expected fireplace in the lounge; wall-sized murals in the suites where the usual commissioned art would be; and singularly beautiful stone soaking tubs positioned in front of a downlighted wood wall, making marble feel bourgeois.

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/ 4 / Directional lighting brings out the color variations in tiles that line some of the spa’s wet treatment rooms.

/ 5 / The units’ patios are private worlds with cool seating and a warm fire ribbon. Angled walls provide shelter without sacrificing the view.

/ 6 / Thin vertical slats lend a sculptural quality to the walls and window treatment in the guest bathroom.

/ 6 /


and chandeliers, were designed exclusively for the hotel by Portu-guese architects (including a collec-tion of chairs designed by one of Portugal’s young lions, architect João Serôdio), artisans and Kogan himself, “to enhance the hotel’s identity,” says Cunhal Sendim. “We invested in some elements, such as the art in the lobby by Michael Biberstein and some of the exclu-sive furnishings,” says L’And’s ceo. “We plan to recoup part of that by

The stone, slate and wood may celebrate the surroundings, but Kogan wasn’t afraid to intro-duce other influences to shake up the definition of modern luxury, says Cunhal Sendim. Interiors mix reissues of 1970s-era Scandina-vian furniture (particularly Danish designs) with works by Vlad-imir Kagan, Nakashima, Jorge Zalzuspin and Tom Dixon (who did the vases and lamps). All of the other pieces, including the rugs

selling the furniture online and in the L’And Store.”

Overall, Cunhal Sendim sees the resort’s solution as sober luxury. “It has an atmosphere that is carved out by the quality of natural materials. It’s modern, simple, sensual,” he says. “We wanted the feel of a retreat, not a hotel. For us, the luxury elements are natural—the sky, water and fire. These are things that make an experience unique and discreet.” HS

/ 7 / Guests in the Sky View Suites can sleep under the stars, thanks to the retractable roof.

/ 7 /

http://www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=12&y=2011&b=HOSP&p=41&l=www.fairwindow.com


/ / / THE CLIENT BY MARY SCOVIAK

Presidential Suite, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Scottsdale, Ariz.

/ / / Philippe Starck may have a hard time getting a hearing from Strategic Hotels & Resorts. But Pierre-Yves Rochon, Rockwell Group and Anderson/Miller had no trouble getting in the door. Here’s why: “If designers tell me it’s their way or the highway, I’ll escort them to the nearest on-ramp,” says Laurence Geller, founder, president and ceo of the Chicago-based REIT. “They have to convince me they will let operational mandates dictate design and interpret those dictates into a functional plan that will make money for the hotel. There has to be passion, but it has to be a passion that translates to ROI. If I see another chandelier with pendants dripping down like drops of blood, I’ll vomit. Design isn’t theater; it’s marketing.”

Marketing has been a linchpin throughout Geller’s 40-year career. Understanding exactly who his guests are—or could be—and anticipating their needs helped

fast-track his career from operations jobs in London hotels to posts as Hyatt Development Corp.’s senior evp and coo, as well as svp of Holiday Inns Inc. He carried this philosophy into the investment realm with Geller & Co., a gaming, tourism and hotel advisory firm launched in 1989, and subsequently into Stra-tegic Hotels & Resorts (founded as Strategic Hotel Capital in 1997). Experience in developing, converting and renovating thousands of hotels, plus a stint as vice chairman of the Urban Land Institute’s Commercial and Retail Council, have given Geller an in-depth look into what designers need to know.

CAPITAL IDEASDesigners need to leave the diva attitude at the door if they want commissions from Strategic Hotels & Resorts’ outspoken Laurence Geller.

“ There are so many specialists in hotel

design. It’s rare that we would give the

same firm the restaurants and the rooms.”

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Laurence Geller

AGE63

HEADQUARTERSChicago

EDUCATIONEaling Technical College’s School of Hotel Management and Catering

PASSIONSWinston Churchill, philanthropy, reading, running marathons

SECRET SKILLWriting � ction, as in his novel, “Do Not Disturb”

ON HIS WISH LIST To be known as a Renaissance man

HIS BIGGEST REGRET That his father did not live to share his success

LATEST NON-HOTEL ACCOLADEBecoming chancellor of West London University (formerly Thames Valley University) in May 2011


/ / / THE CLIENT BY MARY SCOVIAK

Their answers give us our framework. Then it’s just a matter of finding the architecture and interior design firms that can deliver what we envision,” says Geller.

Since Strategic Hotels & Resorts isn’t afraid to tackle design projects in-house, hospitality firms seeking commissions from this luxury specialist have to justify their return on Geller’s investment. He gravi-tates toward presentations that demonstrate a clear understanding of the local competitive environment, the hotel’s demographics and the revenue potential of the hotel’s footprint. Bells and whistles are not advis-able. “If I can’t read a plan and look at color boards without a 15-minute multimedia presentation showing

That’s what makes his design briefs so different from those of most other investors. Designers will find most of the legwork has been done for them. Before RFPs go out, Strategic Hotels & Resorts’ design and development team blends feedback from customer interviews and surveys with inspiration from books, magazines, art and local culture to develop imagery themes. Digital versions of alternative designs are vetted by key prospective clients. “We ask deci-sion makers from each target market group to tell us whether our ideas work. Do they insist upon a green hotel? A hotel with video screens on the ceiling? A hotel spa—even one they know they won’t actually use?

young people half-dressed by the pool, it’s time for me to leave the business,” he says.

Just talking numbers isn’t enough. Known for his suave style and observant eye, Geller expects a 360-degree tour. “I might ask, ‘Could you tell me what background music and uniforms will look like? What about signage? What could the menu be?’ If the designer says, ‘It can be anything,’ I say, ‘So I’m supposed to build a kitchen that does everything?’ And then I say, ‘Next.’”

Geller clearly enjoys the role of enfant terrible—much like his hero and countryman Winston Churchill (Geller is chairman of the board of trustees for the

Public space, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Communal table, La Hacienda restaurant, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Nuna pool, Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, Punta Mita, Mexico


Washington, D.C., but we used Pierre-Yves Rochon as the lobby designer and Anderson/Miller for the suites. Each firm was an expert in its own area. There were no conflicts and no overruns. And the result was a reno-vation that outperformed our expectations,” he says. He’ll use stars if they deliver the best imagery, but they don’t have an inside track. “Big names might help get attention during the pre-opening, but I won’t get three guests who choose my hotels because they’re designed by a celebrity firm,” he says.

Despite his fascination with history, Geller is a futurist. And he expects his design collaborators to be equally ahead of the curve. He advises that the

Churchill Centre). “We share a great deal of informa-tion with the designers who collaborate with us. It’s like a military campaign. The more you plan, the fewer mistakes are made and the shorter the project time. To be brilliant, the designer has to have the neces-sary information on the customer, the asset and the owner’s goals and execute against that.”

More and more, says Geller, it’s unlikely to find a firm that can do that for an entire hotel. “There are so many specialists in hotel design. It’s rare that we would give the same firm the restaurants and the rooms. That’s why we hired Rockwell Group to do Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak restaurant in our Four Seasons

creative world learn more about how to use technology to craft a marketably different experience. “Designers need to stop thinking square footage and start concentrating on functionality. They’re going to have to understand all the ways lighting can be used and the applications for new kinds of materials,” he says.

Any designers putting in their bid to put their stamp on the company’s 17 hotels and new additions will first have to convince Geller that they know the hotel owner’s and operator’s business as well as they know their own. “Once I hire a firm, I’m the client,” he says. “Basically, I’m a Philistine. I don’t want magic. I don’t want ego. I just want return on investment.” HS

La Hacienda restaurant, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess


/ / / SHOWROOM surfacing

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SPECIAL EFFECTSSurfacing manufacturers have become masters of illusion. They’re turning out porcelain that looks

like wood and glass that simulates the richness of marble. Eco-friendly materials get a new spin with

bamboo formed into wall panels and recycled leathers that go from board rooms to lounges. Metal

is being shaped into fluid forms and angular, 3D patterns. Even suspension systems are changing to

adapt to the need for ripples and curves. So go ahead and make some waves.

/ 1 / Textural Designswww.texturaldesigns.comSculptured interlocking wall panels are made from gypsum. The line’s eight designs are grouped into three themes: repeating patterns (shown is Infinity), flowing lines and abstractions. Sizes include 16 by16 in. and 32 by 32 in.

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/ 2 / Architectural Systems, Inc.www.archsystems.comLightweight and seamless, Eco-Dimensions wall panels are made from pressed bamboo pulp. Available unfinished in six patterns, the panels can be painted or stained.

/ 3 / Modularartswww.modulararts.comInterlockingRock Blocks feature a soy-based core and cast rock for a fire-safe wall. Double-sided pieces are a 24-in. size that matches standard wall studs.

/ 4 / 3form USAwww.3-form.comWith its bold, X-shaped pattern and polished edges, Elevate offers curved dimensionality for vertical applications. Point support hardware can be used for mounting to concrete walls.

/ 5 / Phillips Collectionwww.phillipscollection.comBalls on the Wall offers polished aluminum and pearl white finishes. Available in four sizes, balls come with mounting attachments.

/ 6 / Ecodomowww.ecodomo.comNearly twice as dense as cork tiles, Recycled Leathers have abrasion rates comparable to linoleum. Colors and finishes vary within collections. Available in plank or glue-down installation options.

/ 7 / Spinneybeckwww.spinneybeck.comDesigner Genevieve Bennett’s organic patterns, such as Starflower (shown), create landscape effects on Laser-Engraved Belting Leather tiles. Sourced from European raw materials, the leather is 100 percent vegetable tanned and aniline dyed.

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/ / / SHOWROOM surfacing

/ 8 / Chicago Metallicwww.chicagometallic.comThe Curvgrid two-directional grid suspension system creates wave-patterned ceilings and vaults. This product can be used with or without in-fill panels.

/ 9 / Moz Designswww.mozdesigns.comPre-engineered ETA metal products contain 85 percent recycled material. The series includes column covers (shown), room dividers, wall panels and tabletops in a choice of hand-etched patterns and Classic or Blendz variegated colors.

/ 10 / Stone & Pewter Accentswww.stonepewteraccents.comHand-poured, marbleized Penny Rounds are made from recycled opaque glass. Paper-faced for ease of installation, these mosaic tiles are available in 13 colors and both pearl and silk finishes.

/ 11 / Pyrolavewww.pyrolave.comBlocks of stone extracted with handheld tools from volcanic craters in France, Volvic lava stone is cut into slabs, imbued with richly hued enamels and fired at 1832 degrees F. The range of glazed lava stone includes 16 glossy and 16 matte colors.

/ 12 / Envel Designwww.enveldesign.comCustom-marbled ENVELEX integrates unlimited color blends, combinations and veining details. Panels come in varying thicknesses and dimensions, starting at 4 by 8 ft. Standard, low-iron and tempered glass-laminate versions are suitable for countertop and high-traffic areas.

/ 13 / Hirsch Glass Corp.www.hirschglasscorp.comThe Allure Collection’s palette of frosted, gloss and shimmer glass is available in eight color blends.

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/ 14 / Chemetalwww.chemetal.comAluminum panels feature up to 85 percent recycled conent. Seven new designs display fi nishes from steel to a warehouse door. Available in 4-by-8-ft. panels.

/ 15 / Provenzawww.ceramicheprovenza.comW-Age features wood-look porcelain that is suitable for wall and fl oor applications.

/ 16 / Modono Glasswww.modonoglass.comOptical thin-fi lm coats the inside of glass tiles to create color-changing effects in designer Carrie Fazio’s Glass Tile collection. Each of the four series in the line offers distinct patterns, textures and coating. Standard sizes range from 3 by 3 in. to 12 by 28 in.

/ 17 / Pulp Studiowww.pulpstudio.comA series of laminated glass patterns re-creates the look of natural stone in the Pix Earth collection. The lightweight material, offered in four different patterns, can be used to create large panels. HS

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/ / / SHOWROOM amenities

/ 1 / Concept Amenitieswww.conceptamenities.comThe Jean-Michel Cousteau by Maricoid collection’s paraben-free liquids and soaps contain 100 percent organic seaweed extract from plants harvested off the coast of Tasmania. Eco-friendly bath and body care products feature biodegradable packaging.

DECADENT DETAILS

Amenities are the finishing touches in room design. It’s not only the trend toward exotic, natural ingredients that reinforces a pampering message. From their eco-friendly packaging to their aromatherapy-inspired scents, the personal care items presented in the guest bathroom support the mood created by the frame of the FF&E. Nothing’s predictable, not even the mirrors—from those that have inset televisions to versions with dramatic etching. All of these accents make their mark in a memorable guest experience.

/ 2 / Electric Mirrorwww.electricmirror.comThe Integrity mirror features an inner frame of frosted light with a polished edge, as shown in the guest bath of the Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C. Options include the addition of a TV, Diamond Clear glass, night light, LED lighting, a defogger and a glass shelf. This maintainence-free product is manufactured in the U.S.A.

/ 3 / Latherwww.latherhotel.comSkin and hair care products in the vegan Aromatherapy line are crafted with natural oils, extracts, conditioning agents and food-grade, naturally derived glycerin.

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/ 6 / Essential Amenitieswww.essentialamenities.comDeveloped for the hospitality industry, Australia’s Dickens & Hawthorne’s Cucumber & Acai personal care items are formulated with natural ingredients and antioxidants. All contain tea tree oil. HS

/ 4 / Thermasolwww.thermasol.com Fog-free mirrors can be placed anywhere in the guest bathroom, including on the inside of the shower. Each of the four designs is constructed of ¼ -in.-thick, tempered safety glass with a 1-in. bevel.

/ 5 / Room360° by FOHwww.frontofthehouse.comThe Sumatra handled tray combines stainless steel with textured faux python. The line’s ice bucket mixes stainless and brushed steel components. Also available are the Flare waste can and a round stainless room-service tray.

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BOUTIQUE RESTAURANTSJohn Riordan

This is a collection of the most creative restaurant designs in the world. Innovative storefronts, wall decor, place settings, lighting, and furniture are carefully examined. For designers, architects, and restaurateurs, Boutique Restaurants is a comprehensive guide to the most creative restaurant designs on the market.

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?

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PAGE ADVERTISER PAGE ADVERTISER HOSPITALITY STYLE (ISSN 1554-6772) is published quarterly by ST Media Group International Inc., 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242-1812. Telephone: (513) 421-2050, Fax: (513) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualifi ed individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to non-qualifi ed individuals in the U.S.A.: $48 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions in Canada: $70 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $92 (Int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A.Copyright 2011, by ST Media Group International Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Hospitality Style, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to Hospitality Style, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Debbie Reed at (513) 421-9356 or [email protected]. Subscription Services: [email protected], Fax: (847) 763-9030, Phone: (847) 763-4938, New Subscriptions: www.hospitalitystyle.com/subscribe.

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In “Fancy That” on p. 12 of our Fall 2011 issue, the company name and website were incorrect for item 16.

The correct company name is The Mitchell Group and the website is www.mitgrp.com.

/ / / CLARIFICATION


/ / / Q+A BY MARY SCOVIAK

You’ve also prioritized respect for the physical environment. How will Kingdom Tower advance our ideas of eco-friendly construction?The high-performance exterior wall system will feature low-emissivity reflective glass that will reduce heat gain as much as possible while at the same time providing panoramic views. In areas that do not need to provide good views, an insulated “shadowbox” panel will minimize heat gain and will have essentially the same thermal performance that a stone panel would.

Is the hotel industry going far enough in its efforts to adopt sustainable architectural practices? My sense is that the hotel industry is ahead of some other sectors of real estate development in terms of pursuing sustainability as a goal. That said, we can always do more. As for what could be done in the future, I would point to our design for a new hotel on the south plaza of Willis Tower in Chicago. It features building-integrated wind turbines, photovoltaics on the roof deck, sky terraces, a landscaped green roof on the podium, a double climate wall and many other sustainable features. When completed—it’s in the planning approvals phase now—it will be a model of the green hotel. I hope it will influence the thinking of developers and architects working on hotel projects around the world.

What’s the most fun element of technology you’ve found for the creative process? Certainly, computer-aided design has come a long way since I was a young architect. Today, software can depict anything you can imagine. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s buildable, however, at least not in a cost-efficient way, so you have to be careful. Probably the biggest and best thing to come along in recent years is Building Information Modeling (BIM), which allows us to create a 3D computer model that’s updated throughout the design process. That helps us visualize the project more accurately and keeps all the members of the design team in sync with each other.

What music inspires you? What books are on your night table?Recently, I’ve been listening to J.S. Bach, Al Jarreau and Count Basie. I’ve also been reading Ayn Rand’s novels, including “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged.” Is the architect always right?I think the amount of say architects have depends on how articulate they are in defending the design. If they can communicate their vision and explain why it is the way it is, they usually get their way. Not always, but usually. HS

For the full interview, go to hospitalitystyle.com

is, the better the building performs in terms of reducing the buildup of wind vortices—that was the basic idea. Later we came to realize that the top of the building resembled the leaves of a plant separating as they ascend, and that this could be interpreted as a metaphor for new growth in Saudi Arabia.

Your buildings are very much about creating a dialogue between the culture and the architecture. What do you want to say with Kingdom Tower and the community around it? The intent of the Kingdom Tower Waterfront District, as we call our master plan of the 57-acre area immediately surrounding the tower, is to create a dynamic, mixed-use, live/work environment with a pleasant, cohesive, highly walkable neighborhood feel. It will include a mix of residential and commercial buildings, a high-end shopping mall, high-quality outdoor spaces, a waterfront promenade and other amenities. We envision this as a place that has just about everything you might need or want, all of it within walking distance from everything else.

Q What is the biggest challenge in pushing design and construction into new territory with Kingdom Tower?A The key issue in the design of super-tall buildings such as Kingdom Tower is wind resistance. Wind vortices have a tendency to build up vertically around the building, potentially causing lateral movement in the tower that occupants can sense. With Kingdom Tower, we sloped the building, which is a slightly more expensive way to build, because each floor plate is slightly smaller than the one directly below it. And, just for the record, the height of Kingdom Tower is over 3,280 ft., not remotely close to the “mile-high” project widely reported.

How did you get the inspiration for a concept that looked like leaves unfolding? Actually, the asymmetrical massing of the tower—in particular, the way the three legs of the building terminate at three different heights at the top—was primarily the product of rational decisions related to resisting wind forces. The more irregular the massing C

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ADRIAN SMITHGrowing up in California, Adrian Smith says he “built sandcastles to see how high I could make them.” During his tenure at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (beginning in 1980), he moved on to the real thing, building a portfolio that includes four of the world’s 11 highest buildings. In 2006, he co-founded Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture with Gordon Gill and soon won the commission for what will be the world’s tallest building, Kingdom Tower in Jeddah. “The Chicago skyline taught me that humankind could make mountains out of buildings,” says Smith.

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