Boutique Design - January/February 2019 - 26

MOXY SEATTLE DOWNTOWN, DESIGNED BY THE SOCIET Y

If you want to be on the cutting edge of hospitality design, close Autodesk Revit for a minute
and download a personality quiz. Self-introspection can give you a glimpse into how hotel
customers perceive themselves and how they're using that knowledge to make travel decisions.
This shift is changing the face of hotel brands and design. Just ask Marriott International.
BY MARY SCOVIAK

THE HOTTEST DESIGN trend for 2019 isn't about futuristic tech

like artificial intelligence. It's about people-specifically, getting
inside the brain of the people who will check into the hotels
you're designing, according to a survey of experts at the world's
largest hotel company.
With an eye toward the future of the hospitality design industry,
Boutique Design is here with an exploration of some of Marriott International's most dynamic brands and the design philosophies behind
them. The forecast that follows is based on an unprecedented series of
exclusive conversations between the company's brand leaders and top
designers who join forces to make these flags unique.
"Creating memorable hotel design is more challenging-and
fascinating-than ever before because peoples' needs, lifestyles, technology habits and expectations are evolving at a pace never seen
before," says Jeff Voris, Marriott's senior vice president for design. "At
the same time, consumers increasingly expect hotel spaces that are
relatable and have context to their neighborhood or city-yet support
a compelling brand narrative that they can understand. Consumers
want it all, and they're really good at sniffing out what's fake."
Every day, Voris's team of more than 20 designers collaborates
with Marriott's brand team led by Tina Edmundson, the company's
26

boutiquedesign.com JANUARY + FEBRUARY 2019

global brand officer. The two groups work together to determine
the best ways to cater to their target audiences, delving deeply into
consumer research to hone in on what consumers think, feel, want,
dislike. "Then, we leveraged these insights to inform how we
approach the guest experience around design, brand programming, food and beverage experiences and more," says Edmundson.
The challenge-and opportunity-for outside design firms is
to bring ach distinctive brand to life at the property level. So, if
you're pitching this global giant to get shortlisted for work on any
of the nearly 450,000 signed rooms in the development pipeline,
you'll have to demonstrate your expertise of how interior design
relates to a brand's touchpoints and ultimately its guests. You'll
also want to learn how to translate the social, psychological and
cultural aspects of a particular flag into a 3D environment.
In addition to mastering brand standards and processes,
you'll need to become an experiential concierge, anticipating
what lighting levels are appropriate for a brand that attracts day
people versus one made for night owls or how neuroscience will
inform the new guestroom. Read on to find out how this holistic
new view of branding has revolutionized some of Marriott's
biggest flags and what it means for the future of design.

TINA EDMUNDSON

JEFF VORIS

M A R K C O M P T O N ( M O X Y S E AT T L E ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F M A R R I O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L ( E D M U N D S O N ; V O R I S )

META DESIGN

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - January/February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - January/February 2019