Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 144

interview rockwell group

A rendering of the upcoming Nobu Hotel
Barcelona's vibrant yet understated lobby

restaurant in Tribeca, and then we had this
epiphany: they already host people every
night all around the world-the hard part of
hospitality-and they have given people great
experiences they want to come back for. It's not
an inexpensive experience, and people leave
wanting more. What if they hosted people for
an entire evening? What if they thought of
a hotel?
DR: Our first creative work for Nobu Hotels was
a book of all the experiences you might find in
a hotel filtered through Nobu. We deliver work
for them that, at its best, uncovers a core part of
the project they didn't know about.
SS: Our clients are collaborators. They are good
at their businesses already, and we learn so
much from them, but they come to us because
they want to take it to another level. Lightstone
[owner] Mitchell Hochberg is a really smart
client. For the Moxy [Times Square] he came to
us with an idea. People will go to a New York
rooftop no matter what. At the Moxy, you look
at the Empire State Building. It was a lovely
space and you could have just put furniture out
there and succeeded, but why stop there? Why
don't we push it and create a narrative, a story,
and make this one different? He was quite
fearless about it and for us, having a client like
that feeds on what we do anyway. We came up
with this modern carnival idea of a collection
of spaces [for TAO Group], and it's a really
fun [space].
DR: Things don't happen quickly. Danny
[Meyer] and I were friends 15 years before
we worked together. In a world of instant
gratification and Instagram culture, we believe
things don't happen that quickly.

144

May 2018 hospitalitydesign.com

On pushing ideas and innovation
DR: We're constantly analyzing how people
move in space, how lighting affects space, how
materials affect space. We intuitively look at
spaces as a sequence of spaces. When is the
last time a client said they want a timeless
design? To do that, you have to be willing to
do something that's timely, that's of your time,
and not just safe. If you were to speak to TAO
Group, they will tell you we pushed them way
outside their comfort zone on TAO Downtown
[in New York]. If you have a strong enough
concept, it should be able to survive every level of
reality-budgets, clients, construction. For TAO
Downtown, they tried to cut the video mapping
by the LAB on the large Kwan Yin [female
Buddha] statue many times, and the dining seats
on the [grand] staircase were something they
pushed back on originally, too. We were very
clear [on having those items]. There were other
things we were more flexible about.

On the Shed, a multi-arts center at
Hudson Yards in New York, designed
in collaboration with Diller Scofidio +
Renfro, complete with a retractable roof
DR: We've been working on it for 10 years.
I've been working with Liz [Diller] since 2001
when we designed the World Trade Center's
temporary viewing platform. The relationship
with the city came from [us building two]
Imagination Playgrounds [portable play areas
with foam and cardboard building blocks],
which came from post-9/11 work for PS 234.
Part of what looks strategic isn't strategic.
It's following what's interesting; it's following
what we're passionate about and then linking

An ash wood sculpture from John Houshmand in Nobu
Downtown New York depicts a swirl of watery black ink

it to a whole series of other things. If you look
in the rearview mirror and see how things line
up, it would make sense that we're working on
the city's most flexible cultural institution since
we are interested in mobility, flexibility, and
performance. You can't draw a line to that, you
can't say we're going to collect these things and
do that, you have to find it.
The Shed was preceded by the TED theater
in 2014 that moved [it is a completely deployable
and demountable 1,500-seat theater], which
was preceded 10 years ago by an exhibit we
did for the National Building Museum [in
Washington, DC in 2006] about moveable
theaters. You have to stay curious; you can't
slow down. The truth is we don't know what
artists are going to need in 10 or 15 years, and
we certainly didn't know it 10 years ago. I
think of the Shed as pure potential. Whenever
architects go to a theater, the most interesting
space is always the stage. It's so much more
interesting than anything else because it's all
potential. That's what the Shed is going to be,
for both visual and performance arts.

On how Rockwell's passion for theater
informs his design
DR: There are certain common things
between hospitality and theater. They both
create communities. As a kid, I always
thought restaurants created these instant
communities. Living in Mexico, so many of
the restaurants were outdoors, and they were
patio courtyard restaurants with exposed
cooking, and so my interest in theater preceded
my interest in architecture. In architecture
school and in my early work, I thought about

Photos by ERIC LAIGNEL and rendering courtesy of ROCKWELL GROUP

perspectives


http://www.hospitalitydesign.com

Hospitality Design - May 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - May 2018

Hospitality Design - May 2018
Contents
Online TOC
From the Editor
People: CitySCENE: Atlanta
People: HD Summit
Perspectives
Sketchbook
Trends: Chapel Redos
Trends: Hostels
Trends: Offices
Installations
Brand Identity: Sir Hotels
Interview: Rockwell Group
Interview: Passing the Torch
5 Questions for Amber Davis
Products
Designer Profile: Nest Studio
Product Trends: Collaborations
ICFF Preview
Carpet
Textiles
Seating
HD Expo Preview
From the Show Director
Places: Las Vegas
Conference Highlights
HD Expo Products
Special Feature: Development Duos
Wellness
Projects
Emiliano Rio de Janeiro
The Scott
The James New York — NoMad
Hotel Kabuki
casaFantini/Lake Time
The Murray
La Peer
W Bellevue
Macq 01
Ad Index
Back Space: Bobbi Brown
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Intro
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Hospitality Design - May 2018
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Cover2
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 1
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 2
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 3
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 4
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 5
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 6
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 7
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 8
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 9
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 10
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 11
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 12
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 13
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 14
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 15
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 16
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 17
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 18
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 19
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 20
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 21
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 22
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 23
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 24
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Contents
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 26
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 27
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 28
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 29
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 30
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 31
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 32
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 33
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 34
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Online TOC
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 36
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 37
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 38
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 39
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 40
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 41
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 42
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 43
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 44
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 45
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 46
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 47
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 48
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 49
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - From the Editor
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 51
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 52
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 53
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 54
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 55
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 56
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 57
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 58
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 59
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 60
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 61
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - People: CitySCENE: Atlanta
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 63
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 64
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 65
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - People: HD Summit
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 67
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 68
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 69
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 70
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 71
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 72
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 73
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 74
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Perspectives
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 76
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 77
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 78
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Sketchbook
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 80
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 81
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 82
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 83
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 84
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 85
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 86
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 87
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 88
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 89
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 90
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Trends: Chapel Redos
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 92
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 93
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 94
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 95
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 96
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 97
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 98
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Trends: Hostels
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 100
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 101
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 102
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 103
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 104
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 105
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 106
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 107
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 108
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Trends: Offices
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 110
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 111
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 112
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 113
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 114
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 115
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 116
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 117
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 118
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 119
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 120
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 121
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 122
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 123
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 124
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Installations
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 126
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 127
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 128
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 129
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 130
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 131
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 132
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Brand Identity: Sir Hotels
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 134
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 135
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 136
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 137
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 138
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 139
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Interview: Rockwell Group
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 141
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 142
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 143
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 144
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 145
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 146
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 147
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 148
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Interview: Passing the Torch
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 150
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 151
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 152
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 153
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 154
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 155
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 5 Questions for Amber Davis
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 157
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 158
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Products
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 160
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Designer Profile: Nest Studio
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 162
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Product Trends: Collaborations
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 164
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 165
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 166
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - ICFF Preview
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 168
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 169
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 170
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 171
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 172
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Carpet
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 174
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 175
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 176
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 177
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 178
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 179
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 180
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Textiles
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 182
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 183
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 184
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 185
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 186
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Seating
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 188
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 189
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 190
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 191
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 192
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 193
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 194
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - HD Expo Preview
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - From the Show Director
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 197
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 198
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Places: Las Vegas
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 200
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 201
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 202
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 203
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 204
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 205
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 206
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Conference Highlights
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 208
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 209
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 210
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 211
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 212
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 213
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 214
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - HD Expo Products
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 216
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 217
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 218
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Special Feature: Development Duos
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 220
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 221
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 222
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 223
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 224
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 225
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 226
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Wellness
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 228
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 229
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 230
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 231
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 232
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 233
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 234
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 235
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 236
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 237
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 238
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 239
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 240
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 241
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 242
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 243
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 244
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Projects
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Emiliano Rio de Janeiro
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 247
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 248
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 249
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 250
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 251
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - The Scott
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 253
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 254
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 255
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 256
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 257
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - The James New York — NoMad
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 259
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 260
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 261
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Hotel Kabuki
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 263
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 264
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 265
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - casaFantini/Lake Time
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 267
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 268
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 269
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - The Murray
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 271
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 272
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 273
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - La Peer
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 275
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 276
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 277
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - W Bellevue
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 279
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 280
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 281
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Macq 01
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 283
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 284
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 285
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Ad Index
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - 287
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Back Space: Bobbi Brown
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Cover3
Hospitality Design - May 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/20230506
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/Fall2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/Fall2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/hd/202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/fall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/expo2020_showguide
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/fall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/womeninbusiness_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/womeninbusiness_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/expo2015_showguide
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/expo2014_showguide
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hd/20140102
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com