hospitalitystyle.com

(Winter 2010) posted on Thu Mar 03, 2011 EST

Kathleen Dauber and Simone Micheli share their vision of what will be trendy, what will be tired and what should be tried for 2011.

By Mary Scoviak

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THE TREND

Dauber: The lobby as a social hub. Within these gathering spaces, seating will be grouped in “pods” to leave space for more types of activities. Multi-functionality won't come at the expense of design impact. The colors and furnishings will remain unique to the hotel's sense of identity. Technology and double-duty elements (like tables that work as desks; bars that convert to foodservice platforms) will have to fit in seamlessly. “More and more, lobbies will bleed into bars and bars will bleed into dining spaces. Operators have to maximize revenue-generating space.”

Micheli: Sensory stimulation. “Design should put human beings and their ability to perceive in the center of everything.” To do that, lobbies will be divided into “intelligent” sensory microclimates that invite guests to sample different experiences. Contrast will be a major design driver. “Increasingly, architecture will be seen as an aggregate of natural and artificial materials. Lobbies will be filled with sensory features and information. But they'll only come alive when people enter the space.” Think motion sensors, digital art and lighting that are activated in series as guests pass by.

THE LOOK

Dauber: Grown-up glamour with a sense of place. “My favorite lobby is based upon the New York grand hotel model. These lobbies give you an immediate sense of arrival which enriches the New York experience and elicits an emotional reaction.” What makes this new is an added warmth and experiments in scale, as in the high ceilings and the Long Bar in the Puli Hotel and Spa, Shanghai. Small can be beautiful—and may have to be as adaptive reuse presents designers with difficult fixed footprints. “The boutique library lobby will continue to be current.” Design fits the locale, but any style goes.

Micheli: Simple but not dull. “Everything should be simple and linear with the use of colors, finishes and furnishings that create a relaxing and perceptual atmosphere.”

THE MUSTS

Dauber: Technology that changes up the look and feel of a space and inventive materials. Media can be projected onto a chandelier, drape, rear walls of bars, etc.; it need not be relegated to an LCD screen. So designers can change the mood without reworking the design concept. Lighting will remain a primary inspiration, as will new materials. “Light panels and light tape are just a couple of recent innovations that are expanding design possibilities. New polymers are coming out every day, and textured glass continues to develop options for amazing textures and design elements.”

Micheli: Technology. ”It's part of the act of creation. It's a sign language that summarizes and processes images and symbols of different worlds.” And it's not just digital. Design's now stretching to include aromatherapy and music to enhance the visual mood. “Technologies for an architect are like colors for a painter: They allow us to define spaces that will be different every time guests react to them.” LEDs are also essential, as are ethically manufactured products.

THE MISTAKE

Dauber: Gimmicks. “The lobby must look good two to 15 years or even longer after it's installed. The high use of this space dictates the selection of materials.”

Micheli: A structured lobby concept. “The idea of a big entrance isn't modern. Those lobbies no longer exist. The important idea now is about accommodating the guest and fostering interaction between the guests and staff. I cannot conceive of the idea of the waiting room as a container of three-dimensional urban nomads where certain activities have to be performed until each person has been assigned a room. My thought is tied to the creation of places/non-places.”