Jestico + Whiles

What inspired the founding of your company?

The genesis of interior design at Jestico + Whiles is rooted more in luck than judgement (noting, of course, that the harder you work the luckier you get). Some decades ago, we were appointed as executive architects on a unique hotel in a set of terraced townhouses on a quintessential London square, working with a visionary interior designer operator.

As that hotel opened, taking London by storm, another gifted hotel operator, Gordon Campbell Gray, arrived in London with a view to opening a new kind of hotel that would marry immaculate service and exquisite design. We worked together to transform the Edwardian headquarters of the Morning Post newspaper into the seminal hotel, One Aldwych. We’re still working at the hotel, with the same owner, 25 years on.

After the opening of One Aldwych, we were approached by visionary operators around the world, often with particular design challenges to tackle. Since then, we’ve delivered projects for clients including Mandarin Oriental, Hakkasan, Kempinski and W (Marriott).

What is the core philosophy behind your work?

We approach every project as a unique opportunity, bringing depth of experience but an open mind. Design starts with a contextual deep dive, encompassing culture, history and climate. Guest experience is everything. Our goal is joy and delight, with as many surprises along the way as we can incorporate. It’s the seamless synthesis of environment (that we can define) and service (that we can enable) that creates these extraordinary experiences.

Is there a particular aspect of your company or projects you’d like to highlight?

For us, design is about the crafting of space, light and sound to create a seamless set of experiences, as much as the curation of two-dimensional applied finishes. Our aim is to take the guest on a journey to remember.