KINDLING

A PLATFORM TO HIGHLIGHT, ELEVATE AND CELEBRATE THE WORK OF UKRAINIAN STUDENTS OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

KINDLING is a new student competition created by leading hotel design firms ReardonSmith Architects and MKV Design and supported by HIX – Europe’s hotel design event.

Ukrainian Students – as individuals or in groups – are invited to present their concept for a new hotel building to symbolise the rebirth of the country’s hospitality industry following the end of the war.

“Within the heart of every person exists the flame of wisdom that transforms all suffering into kindling for the fire of creative energy”- Daisaku Ikeda

CRITERIA

VISION: Does your concept deserve to be the first hotel in Ukraine after the war? Is it beautiful? Is it Innovative? Is it beneficial? Does it demonstrate aesthetic rigour and strong detailing?

COMMUNITY: Does your design bring people together? Does it create meaningful shared experiences? Submitted designs should facilitate interpersonal connections and social experiences for guests and local residents alike.

SUSTAINABILITY: Does the design consider the hotel’s place in the environment and wider ecosystem? Does it demonstrate an awareness of sustainable materials and the potential for technology within this context?

JUDGES

• Patrick Reardon, Executive Chairman, ReardonSmith Architects

• Maria Vafiadis, Founder & MD, MKV Design

• Sundras Naidoo, Technical Director, ReardonSmith Architects

• Joel Butler, co-founder, HIX Event

• Su Pecha, Managing Director, ESP Business Development

CATEGORIES & BRIEF

Entrants are free to select a site of their choice from the following 3 categories: Urban (city) or Rural (resort). Submissions can be newbuild projects or conversions of existing buildings, and awards across both settings will be split between awards for:

• Architecture (urban or rural)

• Interior Design (urban or rural)

• Both

BENEFITS & REWARDS

CONTINUED COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP: Winning students will enjoy an online collaborative mentorship with the studios involved (3 winners: 1x Architecture / 1x Interior Design / 1x Both).

MENTORSHIP: Ongoing mentorship throughout the competition from the leading hotel designers taking part in the platform. The programme includes 2 mentors – Patrick Reardon and Maria Vafiadis – who will each provide two lectures exploring their area of expertise. Lectures will include sessions covering hotel architecture, hotel interior design, and restaurants. Each mentor will provide two blocks of lectures which will be based around questions from students. (Please note any questions should be submitted and collected in writing by universities no later than a week before the lecture. This is not mandatory, but desirable for productive cooperation.) Subsequent lectures will be based on submitted work, an be devoted to closer analysis of form and function.

PAID TRIP: A 4-day, all expenses paid trip to London for the 3 category winner to attend the Kindling ceremony at HIX 2023, as well as tickets to join the hotel industry’s leading lights as guests at the AHEAD Awards. Team members will need to allocate one representative who will represent them in London.

CASH PRIZE: A £500 cash prize to the winners, as well as coverage via a dedicated social media and press campaign across major hospitality and design media titles.

ENTERING THE AWARDS

Entrants should provide sufficient information to fully illustrate their concept for the building or interior design by SEPTEMBER 1st 2023.

One PDF file should consist of: a text in English of no more than 500 words. Describe your hotel (location, type of building, guest profile, name) and the design solutions you are proposing. The final submission should include a description, layouts, 3D visualised imagery.

Notes:

• Please give your hotel a name that you feel reflects its values and style.

• Layouts: Find more details in the briefs.

• Up to 5 3d visualization of hand drawn sketches.

• Renders the size of final PDF should not exceed 10 MB.

• Students must send their work to zabliazizova@reardonsmith.com before the final deadline.

TIMELINE

28 APRIL – Deadline for intention to enter forms

18 MAY – Deadline for submitting work in progress

19 JUNE – Online mentoring sessions (Based on works in progress)

1 SEPT – Deadline for final submissions

W/C 15 SEPT – Final judging (review of final entries)

16-17 NOV – HIX reception and AHEAD Europe awards in London

THE MENTORS

ReardonSmith Architects

ReardonSmith Architects was established in London 30 years ago and was the first UK architectural practice to specialise exclusively in hotel design. Today, the practice is internationally recognised as an authority in its field with projects spanning the UK and Europe, ranging from grande dame hotels in major cities to country estates and coastal resorts. The company’s experience of organising Europe-wide competitions for students of architecture & design inspired the firm’s Executive Chairman to propose an initiative entirely for Ukrainian students that would combine learning with an opportunity to look forward to a time when the war is over, when hospitality will replace hostility.
www.reardonsmith.com

MKV Design has planned and designed interiors for some of Europe’s most prestigious hotels and resorts, including the restoration and redesign of palaces, the creation of mountain and coastal resorts, and the revival of historic hotels for new audiences and eras. MKV was established over 20 years ago and continues to be led by its Founder, Maria Vafiadis – a passionate believer in the power of design to create long-lasting, resonant experiences and memories.
www.mkvdesign.com

ARCHITECTURAL BRIEF

SITE PLAN

The site plan should indicate the location of the hotel within the site boundary and the routes of vehicular access, both for guests (cars & coaches) and service vehicles. Guest and service access should be kept separate. The plan should show the way the vision sits within the site selected.

CONCEPT

Entrants should provide sufficient information to fully illustrate their concept for the building. This information should include perspectives (can be hand drawn or CGIs), indicating materiality.

FLOOR PLANS

Floor plans are required to illustrate the flow of guests and services within the hotel. These plans should include a typical guestroom floor and floors open to both visitors and hotel guests. It is important to note that guest and service routes should never conflict, ie crossover.

GUESTROOMS

A total of 120-150 guestrooms should be provided, with each guestroom (unit) – including its bathroom – should be approximately 35sqm in area. On each guestroom floor there should be provision for a housekeeping/floor service room. Suites consisting of linked units should be shown, and as a guide there should be a total of 4 two-unit suites, 3 three-unit suites and 2 four-unit suites. Allowance should also be made for 1 guestroom for disabled guests per floor.

FOOD & BEVERAGE and PUBLIC SPACES

A café or all-day dining room with a dedicated bar area, together seating about 100 guests, should be included. You may also like to include a speciality restaurant. Both must have direct access to kitchens. The café might contain a show kitchen, in which all cooking and food preparation is visible to the guests. It is becoming increasingly acceptable for all ground floor public space – ie entrance hall, reception, bars and restaurants etc. – to be considered as a single communal area to allow for a multitude of activities without formal divisions between each.

OPERATIONAL DIAGRAM

The diagram below has been provided to inform entrants of the general relationship between various hotel functions, as well as the adjacency of one function to its neighbour.

(Insert diagram)

DELIVERABLES:

The final submission should comprise:

• 1 Site plan

• Up to 3 exterior concept images – hand-drawn or computer generated

• 1 Layout of typical guestroom floor

• 1 Ground floor lobby and entrance area

INTERIOR DESIGN BRIEF

CONCEPT

Entrants should provide sufficient information to fully illustrate their concept for the building’s interior portion. This information should include perspectives (can be hand drawn or CGIs), indicating materiality. You should also consider the type of guests you want to stay in your hotel and on this basis decide whether your hotel is at a luxury five-star level, mid-range or a “lifestyle” hotel. Judges will be looking for designs that meet (or exceed) the expectations of your chosen guest profile.

FLOOR PLANS

GUESTROOMS

A total of 120-150 guestrooms should be provided, and each guestroom (unit), including its bathroom, should be approximately 35sqm in area. On each guestroom floor there should be provision for a housekeeping/floor service room. Suites consisting of linked units should be shown, and as a guide there should be 4 two-unit suites, 3 three-unit suites and 2 four-unit suites. Allowance should also be made for 1 guestroom for disabled guests per floor.

STANDARD GUESTROOM

A standard hotel room comprises a single or double bad, a dressing table, a chair, a working desk, a cupboard, a private bathroom, a coffee maker, Wi-Fi, and a TV.

Deliverables

The final submission should comprise:

• 1 floorplan of typical guestroom floor

• 1 Ground floor lobby and entrance area

• 1 layout of standard guestroom

• 3 or more of standard guestroom concepts, hand drawn or computer generated (bedroom and bathroom)

• Mood board or collage of public space (ground floor)

• Each visual should be accompanied by a short description of materials, furniture and fittings proposed. If your scheme involves an associated outdoor space, for example a dining terrace for the restaurant or an inner courtyard for the lobby area, this should be shown on your floorplan.

Notes from the judges: “Wars have huge societal and environmental impacts. People are affected both physically and psychologically while the natural and man-made environment is degraded. As one of the first hotels to be completed after the end of the war, your designs should offer a refuge from this pain with spaces where guests are able to rejuvenate and feel their way towards a more hopeful future. In other words, this hotel should have wellbeing at its heart. It is entirely up to each entrant to decide what form this wellbeing might take and how it should be translated into the design, but you should bear in mind the overwhelming evidence that connection with nature yields huge human benefits. In the post-war world of Ukraine, care for human beings and care for the natural world will be aligned. Finally, remember that hotels are about bringing people together, the welcome given to strangers and the chance for human harmony and discovery.”

For more information about Kindling or any submission enquiries please contact zabliazizova@reardonsmith.com