HIX TALKS

and learns, and discovers

Faced with a crisis, hotels have adapted, innovated and evolved. In the wake of great disruption, our HIX Talks programme will explore the new concepts and movements set to define tomorrow’s hotel experience.

What’s next for zero waste design? Where does hospitality stand in the new metropolis? Why are hotels betting on the metaverse?

Join us to discover the future of hotel design, and leave with actionable expert advice to take into your next project.

Thursday

10:30 – 11:10

The Stories We Tell: In Praise of Spatial Experience

Narrative-driven design is the key to developing holistic experiences where the sum is greater than its parts. Like any good book, each paragraph builds and seasons the plot with layers of context and subtext that can resonate far beyond a hotel’s walls. Join Alon Baranowitz for an exploration of the power and importance of design stories, and a guide to creating holistic, coherent and inspiring hospitality experiences.

Alon Baranowitz

Founder, Baranowitz + Kronenberg

11:20 – 12:00

Absolute Zero: What’s Next for Net Zero Design?

As the zero-waste and net zero movements enter the mainstream, the hospitality industry is turning to circular concepts and ambitious pledges in a bid to create more sustainable and ethical supply chains. But what’s next in the push for absolute zero? Can design give back more than it takes? And what will this mean for the guest experience?

Brendan Mullard

Co-Founder & Director – Object Space Place

Object Space Place are sustainable hospitality designers who, over the past 5 years, have been researching the complex sustainability challenges facing both the restaurant industry and the interior fitout sector. As a result, they have developed a unique “Restorative Design Framework” that is built around the principles of a circular economy; designing with end of life in mind, building in rigorous flexibility, designing out waste and lowering embodied and operational carbon.

Brendan Mullard of Object Space Place is an architect who has worked across many sectors including private residential, retail and hospitality, and on varied project types from rural cookery schools to listed buildings in central London. In 2011 he founded OSP with David Chenery. OSP is a RIBA Chartered Practice working across the complimentary disciplines of Architecture, Interiors and Branding with a core focus on sustainable hospitality design. Over the last 5 years Brendan has worked to understand the sustainability challenges facing the restaurant industry and this now dominates his approach to design.

Diana Darmina

Interior Design Manager – Room2

Diana is an interior designer and architect, specialising in hospitality design. Diana is passionate about how the built environment can affect one’s well being, state of mind and influence social behaviours. Diana designed Missionworks, a new holistic coworking brand, part of Lamington Group’s portfolio and has been heavily involved in delivering the design of room2 Chiswick – the world’s first net-zero hotel. She is currently working on the upcoming room2 hometels in Belfast, York & Liverpool, consistently pushing the boundaries of sustainable, net zero interior design.

Jeremy Grove

Co-founder, Sibley Grove

Jeremy is the co-founder of Sibley Grove, an award-winning architectural and interior design practice with offices in Devon and Cambridgeshire.

Sibley Grove was established in 2010 to tackle the systemic environmental and social problems exacerbated by the design industry, such as resource depletion, waste, carbon displacement, and exploited labour markets. The studio believes that good design should enhance people’s lives and work in harmony with the natural world.

Jeremy has written extensively about design, sustainability and ethics and has a book coming out in 2023 called The Art of Sustainable Design in the 21^st Century.

13:00 - 13:40

Members Only: Behind the Curtain of Hotel Members' Clubs

Creating organic guest communities that extend beyond a hotel’s four walls is a necessity in today’s hospitality market. Take a look behind the curtain and see how three of the best hotel member’s clubs leverage a subscription model and experiential design to drive loyalty and engagement.

Naomi Heaton

CEO, Founder, Co-Owner The Other House

Naomi Heaton, MA Hons (Oxon) is founder and Chief Executive of The Other House, a new lifestyle hospitality brand in prime central London from The Portfolio Club. Established in December 2019, this is a joint venture between London Central Portfolio Ltd (“LCP”), leading real estate investment advisory and APG, the largest pension provider in the Netherlands which manages approximately €587 billion in pension assets on behalf of its pension fund clients.

Since its creation, the venture has acquired two assets, the Harrington Hall in South Kensington and the Wellington Block in Covent Garden, both of which require significant development, opening in early summer 2022 and 2024, respectively and is actively acquiring more.

The Other House will blur the lines between hotels, serviced apartments and the Private Rented Sector to create a new sector of ‘Residents’ Clubs’ in the accommodation space. Residents are able to book from a day to a year (or more) and there will be real emphasis on place making. Whilst the initial focus will be on prime central London, the venture will expand globally, catering for the aspirational business and leisure traveller

Naomi is also Chairman of the LCP Group. She founded LCP in 1990, exclusively to represent investors in the private rented sector in Prime Central London. It offers an all- encompassing service including property search and acquisition, refurbishment and design, letting and rental management, based on sophisticated financial modelling. She has also launched a number of funds investing in this asset class.

Her unparalleled experience in the sector and entrepreneurial vision led Naomi to observe the rapidly changing requirements of the millennial generation in terms of place making, lifestyle, and the use of technology in the accommodation sector and the need for a sea change in how this is approached. Previously Chief Executive of the LCP Group, she appointed Andrew Weir, ex head of Foxtons, to this position in 2020 so she could concentrate on the development and launch of The Other House.

After graduating from Oxford University, Naomi entered advertising becoming a main Board Director at Saatchi & Saatchi and Young & Rubicam, advising blue chip, multi-nationals. She writes frequently in the national press and is regularly invited by the BBC and Sky News to comment on property related matters.

Naomi has been elected one of Citywealth’s Top 50 CEOs and is represented in the Spear’s 500 and Tatler’s Advisory.

Natalia Miyar

Founder, Natalia Miyar Atelier

Natalia Miyar is an architect, designer and founder of London, New York and Miami based practice, Natalia Miyar Atelier. Her residential and hospitality work is internationally resonant, spatially intelligent and intricately crafted.

Natalia’s formal discipline as an architect is responsible for her deep love and respect for the power of materiality and proportion – this is coupled with her commitment to helping clients and their own decorative identity. The result is a portfolio that varies greatly in terms of style but is bound by a confident understanding of pattern and texture. And always, a luscious interplay of luxury and comfort.

She has built a varied body of work that includes a grand English villa, a vibrant Miami family home, contemporary London apartments, nuanced Manhattan penthouses, a secluded escape in the hills of Ibiza, a chalet in St. Moritz, a beach retreat in the Bahamas and hotel suites in London and the West Indies.

Myriel Walter

Global Director of Culture & Membership, Sircle Collection

Myriel Walter is the Global Director of Culture & Membership of Sircle Collection. The hospitality group’s creative brands (like Sir Hotels, Max Brown Hotels, and Park Centraal Hotels) all bring an artful touch and fresh energy to Europe’s most vibrant neighborhoods. She is responsible for the creation and implementation of Sircle Collection’s latest project, The Cover: a private members’ club for entrepreneurs, innovators and the culturally curious.

Myriel is a professional with 12+ years of experience in membership, branding, PR, events and communication. She started her career in London, working for an independent music label, followed by a couple of roles in Berlin’s hospitality scene, including acting as the PR & Marketing Director of Cookies and as the Membership Director for Soho House Berlin. She’s been with Sircle Collection for six years and has contributed to the portfolio’s ambitious growth.

Chris King

Co-founder, Birch

Chris is a serial entrepreneur having started several businesses in property, hospitality, recruitment and sport before launching the first Birch with his team and business partners. He now drives the growth of Birch as well as the design and development of new sites and partnerships whilst the day to day running of the business is managed by the Managing Director.

13:45 - 14:25

F**k the Algorithm; it’s empathy that counts

Dictated by budget and norms of taste, the decor of hotels is usually left to chance. Add AI to the hospitality industry and the problem worsens; the ‘experience’ will overtake any style or sensitivity in design. Coates argues for the designer to practice psychiatry in absentia, using design as a vehicle to persuade, inspire and empower the visitor. In this brief window into his design code, he will explore the two CCs – comfort and curiosity, the two Hs – heterogeneous versus the hybrid, and the two Es – environment and empathy.

Nigel Coates

Architect, author, educator and designer of furniture

His new memoir is published by RIBA Books.

14:30 - 15:15

The Ultimate Resort: All Inclusive Redefined

In line with Accor’s redefinition of ‘all-inclusive’ hospitality, Conran & Partners were tasked with researching and designing a masterplan for the ultimate resort project; based on research into the behaviours, values, habits and desires set to drive the next generation of guests, this session will outline the results and share a blueprint for the future of resort hotel experiences.

Tina Norden

Partner, Conran and Partners

Tina Norden is an Interior Designer and Architect with a diverse portfolio stretching across multiple contexts and continents, from hotel and restaurant design to high-end residential and boutique retail projects. She is passionate about travel and loves designing spaces that enhance the enjoyment of life.

Tina leads design teams in both the UK and Hong Kong and was instrumental in building the Conran and Partners team in Asia. She directs projects across the globe and thrives on the cultural exchange and collaboration this entails.

With every project, Tina develops the client brief by delving into the specific context and history to create a bespoke narrative and design language that tells a unique story.

She believes in style over fashion in design to ensure the result is timeless and remains fresh. Whilst her main focus is hospitality, many of the lessons learnt from her extensive experiences are applied to her other projects to create an equally experiential solution.

Tina joined the practice in 1997 and joined the board of Conran and Partners in 2016.

Federico Toresi

Global VP Design, Ultra Luxe, Luxury & Premium brands, Accor

Federico Toresi leads the team that defines the design and product strategy and creates standards and concept guidelines for Accor’s luxury and premium hospitality brands, overseeing design initiatives to evolve the design, performance, guest experience and market development of their brands.

A qualified architect with over 20 years of experience in hospitality, focusing on the design of hotels, resorts, private residences and high-end retail, he delivers experience driven luxury projects and has overseen the development of innovative and award-winning destinations.

Federico’s strategic team is the key link between the Ultra Luxe, Luxury, Premium, Lifestyle & Partner Brands and the Regional Design & Technical Services Teams, working closely with Operations, Marketing, Brand and Development, facilitating concept creation with the necessary market adaptations across the globe.

Born in Rome, grown up in London and currently residing in Paris, Federico explains his design thinking by comparing it to his barbequing skills: nomadic but rooted in European traditions, informed by an experimental antipodean approach and with a twist of American confidence.

15:20 - 16:00

A Designer's Mindset: Creating environments where great things can grow

When it comes to dealing with project problems, WeWantMore believe it’s all about adopting a designer’s mindset and searching out opportunities to rethink traditional design values. Rather than seeing restrictions, co-founder and Creative Director Ruud Belmans urges the audience to challenge the status quo by taking things apart, reinventing them and making them relevant again, figuratively, as well as literally.

Ruud Belmans

Co-founder and Creative Director, WeWantMore

Friday

10:30 - 11:00

Great Things Will Grow: Data for the Hotel Recovery

Following a once-in-a-generation crisis that shook the hospitality sector to its core the market is returning to pre-pandemic booking, development and construction levels. With the outlook positive, we crunch the numbers with data specialist TopHotelProjects to find out what opportunities and challenges await in this brave new world

Caroline List

International Sales Director – TopHotelProjects

Caroline List is the International Sales Director at TOPHOTELPROJECTS, interacting with clients worldwide, contributing to the company’s global network and industry influence. She has presented TOPHOTELPROJCTS’ design, construction, operation and investment data at hospitality events around the globe, informing the decisions of leading industry figures with invaluable insights regarding pipeline, market and revenue conditions.

11:20 – 12:00

Inner City Pressure: Hotels in the New Metropolis

Major shifts in the design and social purpose of urban space are driving inner-city hotels to reassess form and function alike. From digital nomads and mobility concepts to hybrid models that combine live, work and play, where does hospitality stand in the new metropolis?

Damien Perrot

Global Senior Vice President Design & Innovation, Accor

After graduating from the Vatel Hospitality School, Damien Perrot joined Accor in 1998, as IT Project manager for the Wagon-Lits Company. He was then appointed Project manager in the Procurement Department.

From 2000 to 2012, he successfully occupied various positions within the Hotels Equipment Services: as IT Project leader first to eventually Department Director and Design & Technical Services Communication Director in 2009. In 2013, he joined the ibis Family teams, as Technical Vice-President for Europe.

Since 2014, Damien has been leading the Group Global Design department. As of February 2021, he is also in charge of Innovation.

Damien’s major challenge today is to define the Design strategy for each Brand and ensure to reinforce the brand equity and brand identity, bringing his team and the group strategy beyond hospitality traditional borders in terms of design and innovation. Always respecting operational obligations, the Global Design and Innovation department is increasingly looking for creativity to build experiences and arouse emotions, while also increasing the performance for our investors.

Eric Jafari

Chief Development Officer and Creative Director, Edyn

Prior to edyn, eric founded BridgePoint Ventures and Union Hanover Securities (UHS). BridgePoint was a boutique real estate firm that specialized in providing equity for middle-market property development. UHS was a sector agnostic real estate development firm with £1bn of development across North America and Europe.

Whilst at UHS, Eric co-founded Urban Villa, Europe’s first boutique extended stay experience, forming the foundations of what is today recognized as the pioneering lifestyle aparthotel brand Locke. Eric is also the co-founder of Birch.

Eric now serves as edyn’s Chief Development Officer and Creative Director, leading a Pan-European multi-disciplinary team managing acquisitions, asset management, construction, design, investment finance and planning

Tristan Du Plessis

Founder, A Studio

Tristan du Plessis is an internationally recognised award-winning interior architect based in South Africa with offices in both Johannesburg and Cape Town.

His bold, distinctive design has been serving international luxury hospitality, dining and tailor-made residential design spanning from Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the US.

Tristan Du Plessis Studio was founded in 2015 with a focus on collaborative groundbreaking projects throughout the world. Since inception, the studio has accumulated a number of awards including Best Global Restaurant Designer at the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in 2019 The Hotel Of The year at the 2019 Ahead awards (Middle East and Africa) Best Luxury Design (Middle East and Africa) Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in 2021 and GQ’s Man of the year, to name a few. Most recently, he was selected as Head Judge for the prestigious Accor Design Awards in 2022.

To date, he is the most awarded designer to come out of South Africa.

Born and raised in Johannesburg, Tristan currently splits his time between Cape Town, Johannesburg and Dubai with his two golden retrievers, Nobu and Mischu.

12:40 - 13:10

Sens Fiction: Fiction and the Future of Design

Why should today’s designers care about imaginary visions, futuristic tales and the power of fiction? To understand how guests will use and inhabit the spaces of tomorrow, designer and curator Ramy Fischler looks to fiction as a tool of foresight, exploring the power of books, films, and advertising to reveal the habits, uses and applications of future design.

Ramy Fischler

Founder, RF Studio

13:15 - 13:55

Into The Metaverse: Why Hotels Are Betting on Cyberspace

Bleeding edge or a glitch in the system? With hotel designers and operators diving into the metaverse, the hotel experience finds itself at the forefront of emergent digital environments and facilitating new social experiences. But beyond all the buzzwords, what does it mean for the guest?

Pallavi Dean

Founder, ROAR

Pallavi Dean is Founder and Creative Director of ROAR – a boutique interior design studio founded in 2013. She was born in India, raised in Dubai and spent years working in London; her designs reflect these eclectic influences, and her portfolio includes a string of high-profile projects in the Middle East, North & East Africa and the UK, across the hospitality, commercial and residential sector.

An architecture graduate of the American University of Sharjah with a master’s degree in Interior Design theory from Savannah College of Art and Design, she is also a LEED Accredited Professional.

Pallavi is an active member of the UAE design community, writing for industry publications, assisting with key trade events and mentoring students in the region. She has also been an assistant professor of interior design at the American University of Sharjah.

Timothy Griffin

Co Founder, Leven Hotels

Timothy is a Principal at Wellbrook Hospitality and co-founder of LEVEN Hotels. Prior to founding Wellbrook Hospitality with his two partners, he was Managing Director for North America for Ennismore’s the Hoxton brand. Timothy brought The Hoxton to the US, establishing the US office and leading the New York based team; successfully opening sites in New York, Portland, Chicago and LA.

Previously he was the group’s Global Brand Director where he played a key role in defining the Hoxton brand to enable it to scale globally. He oversaw the graphic design, PR, social media, retail, digital marketing, partnerships and events teams in the London office.

An alumnus of the University of West London where he graduated with a BA (Hons) in Hospitality Management and Cranfield University School of Management’s Accelerated Talent Development Programme. He began his career in hospitality at New York’s The Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue and the Hilton Short Hills where he held various leadership roles.

He has taught Rooms Division Operations at NYU to post graduate students, is a member of the Savoy Education Trust’s Scholarship St. Julian’s Scholars and is on the Advisory Board for Hospitality Design Magazine.

Emma Chiu

Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence

Emma Chiu leads Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, the agency’s in-house futures and innovation think-tank. Her mission is to understand how the world is and is not changing to best advise organizations on how to transform for the future.

She consults with clients to build long-term strategies based on qualitative and quantitative insight that incorporates cultural and behavioral change, sector innovation and zeitgeist shifts. Clients include Microsoft, HSBC, Unilever, Samsung and Dell.

Emma is a 2022 ambassador for Women in Innovation (WIN) and is part of the advisory network for OK Mentor. She is also a member of the WARC Awards and Creativepool 2020 judging panel. In addition, Emma speaks at international conferences including SXSW, CES and the National Retail Forum.

14:00 - 14:40

From Sustainability to Regeneration: Designing for an Earth-centred future

Fresh from curating a Barbican exhibition exploring the power of creativity in an era of climate emergency, Caroline Till – co-founder of materials, colours and sustainability futures agency FranklinTill – discusses the design visions brought about by an environmental crisis, and encourages guests to rethink their perceptions of the natural world. Hosted by Festival of Hospitality, this session is an optimistic, academic and urgent deep dive into the future of sustainable design.

Caroline Till

Co-founder, FranklinTill

Caroline Till is a researcher, designer, design commentator & educator working across the fields of forecasting and insight, creative strategy, and creative direction.

Working at the intersection of disciplines, Caroline is passionate about forging new knowledge and ideas through collaborative practice. With considerable experience facilitating relationships across science, design and technology, prior to setting up FranklinTill Caroline led design research projects commissioned by major institutions such as the Home Office’s Design & Technology Alliance and the Institute of Materials and Mining.

Previously Design Editor at renowned forecasting agency The Future Laboratory, Caroline has considerable expertise editing and directing digital and printed design publications such as Viewpoint and LS:N Global.

In 2010 Caroline set up creative consultancy FranklinTill with Kate Franklin. Working with a range of clients that span the lifestyle industries FranklinTill Studio creates alternative and inspirational ways of delivering cutting-edge research, creating tangible experiences such as presentations, reports, books, exhibitions and events. With specific expertise in colour and material innovation, FranklinTill are regularly asked to comment on issues relating to future materials, speaking at a variety of global design events, also sitting on a number of innovation strategy panels to advise brands such as Unilever, Gucci Group and Lycra.

Combining academic teaching with directing FranklinTill Studio Caroline is currently the Course Leader for the renowned MA Textile Futures programme at Central Saint Martins, a two year Masters course dedicated to designing the future of materiality. Caroline is also the External Examiner for the BA/MA Design Futures at University of Brighton, and the BA Digital Fashion at University of East London.

HIX TALKS

Thursday

10:30 – 11:10

11:20 – 12:00

13:00 - 13:40

13:45 - 14:25

14:30 - 15:15

15:20 - 16:00

Friday

10:30 - 11:00

11:20 – 12:00

12:40 - 13:10

13:15 - 13:55

14:00 - 14:40

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