Towards a New Hôtellerie; A Look At The Future of Hotel Design With THDP 16th March 2021 | IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN | BY SBID

Nicholas J. Hickson and Manuela Mannino, founders of THPD, lead us on a trail that winds through the new tendencies of Hotel Design.

The hotel and tourism industry rest on an ever-changing canvas and today more than ever – also considering the pandemic period – the customer and traveller requirements express themselves through novel brushstrokes.

“If we were to identify the new directions our work is heading in, the necessity to conceive and design projects as authentic travel experiences and stone narrators of the place housing them, that is to say, destinations worth admiring and living would be the at the first place” – Nicholas Hickson says.

New frontiers of hotel design open up and the positions that recently come out during “Designing New Hospitality” – the digital conference fostered by Elle Décor Italia –  seem to meet Hickson’s philosophy. “Emotional hotels” capable of offering stories, experiences and emotions and “story-teller interiors” wherein the city itself may be to some extent retained and enclosed are ­– according to the industry experts surveyed last January by Il Sole Ventiquattrore – the new hôtellerie avant-garde (Pierotti, Paola).

, Towards a New Hôtellerie; A Look At The Future of Hotel Design With THDP

Today, according to THDP, hotels are places of enchantment for travellers and local inhabitants, rather than mere ports of passage. Modern sanctuaries far from the hectic pace of the city or refined niches where divorcing from reality, contemporary hotels are the background to unique experiences and places to appreciate the rare flair of the inside spaces. Two fundamental reference models may be cited. The Indigo Verona Grand Hotel Des Arts, largely inspired by the Arena di Verona theatre and based on Romeo and Juliet second act, and the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre, where the welcoming atmosphere of Manhattan – the New York district that lends its name to Frankfurt city – informs the magnificent construction.

, Towards a New Hôtellerie; A Look At The Future of Hotel Design With THDP

“Designing the Indigo Verona Grand Hotel Des Arts has been just like writing poetry ” – the architecture Mannino explicates.

Upon entering, the reception and the hotel lobby feature an evocative counter inspired by the stone masonry of Juliet’s renowned balcony in Via Cappello. And not only that. “The rear panels behind the newly designed reception take cues from the staggered wings of the theatre. Given the renown of Verona’s signature Roman arena, it would have been a pity not dedicating him a tribute…” – the architecture Mannino explains.

The burnt bronze and the deep indigo blue colours are complemented by terrazzo sophisticated finishes, thus rendering the whole place a postcard-worthy spectacle to be admired in every single detail. The lightning is entirely made in Italy and conceived to enhance the Roman arches on the reception pod front. “The café façade is a homage to the Hotel Des Arts – namely the hotel prior to becoming Indigo – and consists of frames in varying shades”. The most precious Italian marble completes the ambience with a further hint of elegance.  “The selected furnishings feature soft shades of blue and aquamarine with rattan and orange hues, manufactured by the Italian firms Miniforms and Tehkne”. The former hotel’s art masterpieces and the mirrors have been carefully tended and maintained, with the intention of providing the atmosphere with modern touches.

, Towards a New Hôtellerie; A Look At The Future of Hotel Design With THDP

“We wanted them to merge with works already part of the heritage of the hotel, belonging to Classical periods and mid-century. Sustainability is a priority for us and recycling is a valuable resource we have at our disposal. We wanted to give the existing works new life rather than throwing them away”. And the resulting effect is astounding.

Indeed, GlobalData’s “Luxury Hotel Market to 2024” 2020 report has revealed an upward tendency as regards the tourism industry sustainability. Paperless counters, refillable dispensers and recycled materials are trends likely to gain increasing popularity over the next years, thus leading to greater competition in the market. A further aspect highlighted by GlobalData’s report is the key role technology will play in the near future as a consequence of the pandemic restrictions, as luxury hotels are expected to redefine their design towards a more contactless experience, (GlobalData, November 2020).

, Towards a New Hôtellerie; A Look At The Future of Hotel Design With THDP

“The new Hudson Yards Bar at the Hilton Frankfurt Centre resembles a typical New York café, with brass gantry shelving, custom counters, brass foot stops and a Rancilio coffee machine realized ad hoc” – Hickson explains. The ideal place for relaxing during the day or in the evening. “The bar is designed to work day and night. We have installed swing doors so that, besides hosting a ‘day’ focus section for coffees and sweet treats, the night discloses an unedited set-up, with cocktails and liqueurs”. The guests find themselves wholly immersed in the New York atmosphere, albeit with a local food menu. The spaces combine urban and chic vibes, with green marbles and brass elements. To top it all, a parquet reminiscent of the asphalt colours. “We have worked with a four-colours palette: we wanted the guests to feel as though they were standing at the very heart of Manhattan.”

, Towards a New Hôtellerie; A Look At The Future of Hotel Design With THDP

Article written by Stella Manferdini.

We hope you enjoyed this look inside the hotel design sector. To read about how Heritier Founder, Julien Bonzom, is pushing the boundaries of product design click here