How to create inspiring design

Founder and CEO of Design Hotels, Claus Sendlinger, talks to Raini Hamdi about design that inspires and is timeless

claus-sendlinger
Claus Sendlinger
Founder and CEO of Design Hotels

What breakthroughs in design hotels are you seeing?
We’re seeing some real breakthroughs by independent, innovative hotel groups such as Mexico’s Grupo Habita, which has 11 hotels in Mexico and one in New York, and Unlisted Collection by Singaporean hotelier Loh Lik Peng, who owns hotels like New Majestic and Wanderlust in Singapore, The Waterhouse at South Bund in Shanghai and Town Hall Hotel & Apartments in London.

The hotels in both groups act as catalysts for renewal and reinvigorate the neighbourhoods. They are truly visionary hoteliers who look at an empty lot or a nondescript structure and turn it into a concept-driven, one-of-a-kind hotel attracting locals as well as travellers.

CitizenM has an interesting product within the mid-tier hotel chains by fitting out tiny spaces with intelligent design.

What breakthroughs in design hotels would you like to see?
I would like to see more hotels provide offerings that are authentic, challenging and surprising, which are attributes of an interesting city and exciting neighbourhood. So what was hot last week might not be available this week. The hotel should be a member of the community and its staff absorbed in the fabric of the neighbourhood, where the concierge takes on the role as a lifestyle consultant.

Besides functionality, I would also like to see more originality and intuitive design in hotels. I’m convinced that if something is made with intelligence, it will look good and be useful too. At The Upper House in Hong Kong, everything is entirely intuitive. When you open a drawer, you break out in a smile because it contains all the adaptors you could possibly need.

What’s passé about design hotels, what’s not?
Passé: overly-designed hotels which are not truly functional, over-using or misusing the term ‘design’.

Here to stay: going local and providing an increased depth of experience inextricably linked to the surroundings.

How do you maintain a collection that’s timeless when design evolves?
By having clear fundamentals and constantly keeping them on track. Only when a hotel has a coherent overall concept which embraces architecture, design, brand, long-term prospects, the right people to carry things through and a good connection to the local area will they be able to create a timeless product. These six pillars are indispensable for a timeless concept.

What changes in customer profiles and markets design hotels must adapt to?
Hotels need to determine which stage of luxury their customers and markets are in then adapt and tailor-make their offerings accordingly. Trend forecasting company The Future Laboratory has recognised the existence of five different types or stages of the luxury market today, each with its own set of attributes.

The first level is about demonstrative wealth and the purchase of luxury brands like Louis Vuitton or Gucci. You can observe this tide in the emerging economies like Russia, China, Brazil and India. The second level focuses on artisanal and heritage brands where a product tells a story like Dunhill and Hermes. Customers at the third level are engaged through emotions and experience, and are less concerned with the brand and value. The fourth level brings with it social and ecological responsibility. The ultimate luxury, or fifth level, is to take a journey inward and discover oneself, perhaps in a monk’s cell or consulting a shaman.

What’s your growth target for Asia?
We forecast an annual growth of five to 10 new members in Asia-Pacific and have been working to create a more diverse APAC portfolio over the last few years, especially in key cities where we do not have presence yet. Examples include the QT Sydney and Kimamaya, our first properties in Sydney and Hokkaido respectively. We also recently added The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon by Hulic to our Tokyo portfolio and the Mira Moon, opening in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district by February 2013.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, September 21, 2012 on page 16. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

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