Architects and designers are optimistic about 2023. While the uncertainty of the economy and supply chain issues still linger, there are exciting projects in the pipeline and a lot to look forward to. Hotel Business spoke with Meghann Day, president, The Americas, HBA; Lauren Rottet, founding principal/president, Rottet Studio; Linh Tran, director, architectural design, Premier; and Gina Deary, principal, KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group, for their insight.
—Abby Elyssa
What design trends are you forecasting for 2023?
Day: We will continue to see wellness being incorporated into the design of hotels and resorts in 2023 and beyond. In the guestrooms, wellness amenities such as workout mirrors, free weights and sauna mats will look more like curated accessories that are cohesive with the design of a space rather than randomly placed fitness equipment. Further driving sustainability, also look for the use of regenerative materials in hospitality design, such as timber, bamboo and sisal.
Lauren Rottet Rottet Studio
Rottet: The whole “great outdoors” trend will continue, with more indoor/outdoor inventions and more product that can go outside. More portable lighting that gives more lighting output, and ones that can hang in the trees or overhead like an outdoor dining table light. More interesting and contemporary planters for inside and out. Firepits that look like real flame, give out heat but can be used in non-fire allowed areas. More plant types for indoor and more specialists who know how to care for them. Color and pattern—color that is more complex and routed in color theory. Colors from the 1940s which were never pure but multiple colors mixed with white and black to give it that dreamy hue/nostalgic hue.
Tran: The rise of bleisure travel, a blending of business and leisure travel, is going to continue having a huge effect on hospitality design in 2023. Accommodating guests who need both business and leisure amenities will mean more business centers and areas throughout the hotel for people to work outside of just their room. Health and wellness will also be at the forefront of hospitality design, which goes hand in hand with the rise of bleisure travel. Guests want to have options after their workday is done to unwind and relax, whether that is at the pool or in the fitness center.
Deary: I always say that great design is not about the next trend, it’s about how a space makes you feel, and the experiences that unfold when you are in it. For 2023 and beyond, we will continue with our goal of elevating interior design by considering sociographics, demographics and past and future for the neighborhoods in which our projects are located. Always focusing on the communities that will experience the space, as well as collaborating with incredible artists, architects and clients.
What about design challenges for 2023? How should architects and designers work to overcome those?
Day: A challenging and changing economic landscape will continue to impact a project’s bottom line, from design fees to product budgets. Some of these challenges can be overcome by rethinking sourcing—looking at suppliers closer to a project’s location vs. China—and strategically building a cushion into project schedules to account for potential shipping delays.
Rottet: The good news is that freight costs have gone down, but the interesting news is that pent-up demand is getting worse, and it will be difficult to supply all the needed product in time for projects. So, supply continues to be a challenge. Hotels that had to put off renovations will not be able to put it off much longer, and this will exacerbate the situation. The other challenge is “on and off” projects—bank lending and others affect this and the uncertain nature of the economy. It seems one day a project is stalled and the next, they want it immediately or vice versa. All we can really do as architects/designers is stay flexible and nimble. The best advice I have is to make sure you can ride a roller coaster and not get sick, as it will be a good bit of up and down and up again.
Linh Tran Premier
Tran: Building material shortages and supply chain issues will continue in 2023. We need to be creative in how we manage challenges like delayed delivery of materials, labor shortages and demanding schedules. And that means being creative in securing financing for a project. While there is not one clear-cut solution to overcoming the restraints of the supply chain, we need to find creative financial solutions for the lack of available materials.
Deary: The biggest design challenges of 2023 will be the uncertainty of our economy and navigating the lingering results of COVID on our industry. The best way we can do this is by making thoughtful decisions that are best for our clients, and being honest about what lies ahead and making sure that any risks we take are calculated and well thought out.
What are you most excited about for the coming year?
Day: Having completed the design of four new-build resort projects in 2022 and with three currently in progress, we are most excited about the advancement of resorts internationally at HBA Americas. The resorts sector is seeing monumental growth globally and expansion in the upscale and luxury segments. Resorts are large-scale, complex assets that require skilled teams to operate and design in order to keep guests engaged for the duration of their stay.
Rottet: Creating amazing product for Rottet Collection with wonderful artisans, craftspeople and others in the U.S. and around the world; learning to blow glass and make large-scale ceramics for our projects; making new friends with these amazing makers and factories; and working with our existing and new clients who are trusting us to help them ride the wave of this unusual time in the design industry and the world.
Tran: The global pandemic has forced people to re-examine the density of public spaces, raising concerns about the ongoing spread of COVID-19. This new approach to public interactions gives master planners new opportunities to conceive mixed-use neighborhoods that foster health and well-being in the built environment. I am excited to design and plan communities with expansive outdoor spaces connecting people to nature and wellness spaces to improve the way of life for users.
Gina Deary KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group
Deary: A project I’m most excited about is the VAI Resort, a 600-acre resort property in Glendale, AZ, consisting of multiple hotels, 200-unit residences, a spa, restaurants, bars, night club and a mini-Mattel theme park surrounded by the world’s largest sand pool. The Music Hotel is the primary five-diamond flagship resort on the property that surrounds a 360-degree stage for all types of live performances. Skybox lounges and most of the guestrooms face the stage for a one-of-a-kind guest experience. Our firm has the privilege of designing all the public spaces in the hotel including the lobby and guest arrival experience, the VIP lounge, the performer’s green room suite, coffee and retail store, multiple sky box lounges, a cigar lounge, the signature steak house, a champagne lounge, guestroom suites and multiple bars throughout the resort. The anticipated opening is late 2023. Internally here at our firm, I’m excited to grow the place making and branding department focused on the hospitality, entertainment and multifamily markets.
