Restaurants and bars call upon all of the senses, not just taste, to establish an emotional connection with customers. They rely on their architecture and decor to establish a visual identity that reflects ...
The Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf, shown above, and the Rafayel Hotel are breaking new ground in sustainable design in urban settings.
Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf
The Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf was built in one of the best of all possible green climates, with the owner, local regulators, management and the designers all dedicated to sustainability. But eco-friendliness still has its issues: the question of cost and the ingenuity required for execution.
“Going green is appreciated by everyone, but with a project of this kind, there are always numerous discussions about the potential for additional cost, restrictions in materials and which innovative energy concepts to use,” says Monique Dekker, the hotel’s general manager. “These assumptions have to be translated into design and construction.”
What did inspire the solutions for this 303-room property was the world-class recycling and sustainability system already in place in Germany. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen e.V. (DGNB) launched a certification program for new hotels (with the first award being made this year). Similar to LEED, DGNB evaluates hotels holistically for ecological and social responsibility. This rigorous program became the driving force behind the hotel’s quest for green from the inside out.
The groundwater used to heat and cool the hotel not only gets recycled for the toilets, but also forms an aesthetic centerpiece in the 4,700 sq. ft. ballroom. “The groundwater flows over the glass panels in the roof of the ballroom. This gives the ballroom daylight, and it gives the sense of flowing water into the carpet, which is designed as a lily pond,” says Dekker.
When it came to room design, Hyatt collaborated with Amsterdam-based FG stijl. The resulting airy, light-saturated spaces channel local style. About 85 percent of the materials are local, including bathtubs made with 100 percent recycled material.
Finding eco-conscious products and a knowledgeable workforce was easy, given Germany's widespread embrace of green practices. Providing specialized training with a green building auditor kept all employees in the loop. That effort paid off in a silver medal from DGNB.
Rafayel Hotel
Guest rooms are hotbeds for pushing green design and reference points for what’s ahead. London’s Iqbal Latif is one developer who’s capitalizing on green innovations, creating more luxurious, more personalized guest experiences. Latif’s Rafayel on the Left Bank, designed by London-based Latis, shows how high-tech and high-touch are coming together.
Personalization is the unifying force. Take lighting: The LEDs enhance the natural light that washes in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and are also a good energy-saving choice. But at the Rafayel, they’re part and parcel of the design. Guests in the suites can customize the illumination from bright task lighting to soothing “jet lag recovery” using VDA’s Micromaster, a system that also allows them to set the temperature.
“Edutainment” continues with Philips’ Ambilight and Aurea televisions, which show how much energy is being used in the guest room. LEDs have moved into the Rafayel’s bathrooms as well, with spotlights that amp up the drama and improve the overall lighting in the space.
Individualization doesn't end with the furnishings. The malleable floor plan of the rooms allows for the temporary creation of connecting suites. Custom furnishings contribute to the one-owner feel of the 65 guest rooms, 15 apartments and seven suites. The furnishings were bespoke designs by Latis and, like the wood doors, were crafted with an eye toward their ecological provenance. The beds were sourced from Hypnos, a U.K. company that provides beds that have a zero carbon footprint and a zero landfill recycling initiative.
Latis is designing hotels and resorts worldwide and has seen the trend toward green and environmentally conscious hospitality become increasingly important, both for guests and hotel operators. According to Robert Luck, managing director of Latis, hotels will need to adopt a holistic approach to sustainability, from the way in which they’re designed through to their future adaptability, energy demand and overall life-cycle. Sustainability provides a great opportunity to develop a new kind of personalized experience across multiple trends and styles, while addressing the wider challenges of climate change, says Luck.
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