Boutique Design - December 2013 - 19

Judges
Co-sponsored by Boutique Design magazine and HOTELS
magazine, the Gold Key Awards recognize excellence in
design, functionality and practicality. This year's judging
panel, the largest in the award's history, circled the globe
with visionary hoteliers who have made style an integral
component in the success of their hospitality projects.*

Caroline Baumann

Priya Paul

Director, cooper-Hewitt,
NatioNal DesigN MuseuM

cHairpersoN, apeejay
surreNDra park Hotels

Nikolas koeNig (geNerator BarceloNa)

Last august, when judges on three continents began

reviewing the record 261 submissions for the 2013 Gold Key
Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design, it was clear there
was a lot of good work being done around the globe. It was
equally obvious that good wasn't going to be good enough to
earn top honors in each of this year's 14 categories. "The main
reason projects didn't make the cut was that they were too safe.
They had too many recycled ideas," says judge Claus Sendlinger,
founder and ceo, Design Hotels.
While the 11 judges acknowledged that the entries adhering
to traditional design approaches probably wowed the conservative owners and developers who commissioned them, the panel
members used their votes to reward risk-takers. Any project that
garnered the comment, "I haven't seen that before," was an oddson favorite to be a finalist, if not a winner. Both the project and
the process had to be innovative to take home the gold.
"It takes more than just an interesting color scheme or some
nice fabrics to create cutting-edge design that translates to a great
guest experience," says judge Ong Chih Ching, founder and ceo
of China's KOP Properties. Fellow judge Ted Jacobs, vice president
of global design for Starwood Hotels & Resorts' W, Le Méridien,
St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brands, favors projects that
"don't define the design solely by the FF&E and materials that can
be procured by anyone, anywhere. It's not about the aesthetics any
longer; it's all about the narrative and design that tells a story."
Judge Priya Paul, chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels,
likes the new fusion movement in design-whether resort architecture that melts into the landscape, restaurant design that
grows directly from the menu concepts or a stylistic interplay
between quirky and classical themes. Larry Traxler, a fellow judge
and Hilton Worldwide's senior vice president-global design,
appreciates the new take on layering both style and functionality
into hospitality interiors, as well as inventive ideas for floor plans.
For judge Petter Stordalen, owner and ceo, Nordic Choice
Hotels, The Thief Hotel, Home Invest, Home Capital and Home
Properties, one of the most exciting trends is immersive, locavore
design-interweaving not only indigenous design motifs and
materials but proactively supporting the people and the environment around the hotel. The growing interest in cause-oriented
design gave rise to a new Gold Key category this year: Best Ecoor Socially Conscious Hotel-one of the strongest project types
in the 2013 competition, according to the judges.
What follows is a vision board of inspiration showcasing the
projects that the judges deemed the best of 2013.

ong Chih Ching

ian sChrager

fouNDer aND ceo,
kop group

fouNDer aND cHairMaN,
iaN scHrager co.

Carlos Couturier

larry traxler

MaNagiNg partNer aND
creative force, grupo HaBita

seNior vice presiDeNt-gloBal
DesigN, HiltoN worlDwiDe

Claus sendlinger

ted JaCoBs

fouNDer aND ceo,
DesigN Hotels ag

vice presiDeNt of gloBal DesigN,
w | le MériDieN | st. regis | tHe luxury
collectioN starwooD Hotels & resorts

riChard millard

Petter stordalen

cHairMaN aND ceo,
trust Hospitality

owNer aND ceo, NorDic cHoice Hotels,
tHe tHief Hotel, HoMe iNvest, HoMe
capital aND HoMe properties

*Judges recused themselves from
voting on projects included in their
company's portfolios.

glenn Wilson
vice presiDeNt, gloBal DesigN
for Marriott iNterNatioNal's
jw aND Marriott BraNDs

december 2013 boutiquedesign.com

19
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Boutique Design - December 2013

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