Boutique Design - April 2017 - 144

CARL ROSS REFUSES to accept the status quo. After nearly 20 years as president/ceo of his eponymous interior architectural design firm, he and his
long-time business partner and wife Dolly rebranded the El Segundo, California-based company as Clear on Black, a moniker that reflects the notion of
bringing the unknown to light. "What we learned is that we really had evolved
quite a lot and our image didn't begin to convey who we'd become as
designers-or as people," says Ross. "Had we not undergone a rigorous introspection, we wouldn't have had this level of clarity."
That type of analysis is key to Ross's empirical approach. Over the years,
he's developed a diagnostic assessment to explore the full range of
constraints and variables that influence each hospitality project. "We look
at all of this independently so we can openly and honestly identify what
quandaries need to be solved," he explains. "No offense to clients, but the
presenting problem they give us isn't always the true problem. It's no
different than me walking into my doctor's office and telling him how to fix
my illness or prescribe the treatment I think I need. That's why our diagnostic method is so valuable. Some issues will be solved by our team and
some will be solved by other consultants. But we've got to have a holistic
understanding of the project if we're going to do our best work."
For more words of wisdom from Ross, read on.
WHAT'S THE HOTTEST SPOT ON YOUR DESIGN RADAR?

Luxury. Why is it expected that luxury equals the use of materials that are
becoming extinct? Luxury encourages the consumption of marble from
mountains mined and flattened until they are no more and the deforestation of old-growth forests, which causes the loss of entire ecosystems.
Our company's focused market niches are upscale and luxury, and I
would like us to redefine this class of design so that the expectation
isn't about precious stone columns and exotic veneers-resources
that are finite and are in need of preservation. Can we foster design
that doesn't contribute to the relentless chase of opulent materials
that can never be regenerated?

CLEAR THINKER
Having decades of design experience is
no excuse to rest on your laurels. Just ask
Carl Ross. Following a radical rebranding,
his California firm is out to redefine luxury.
INTERVIEW BY CHRISTINA GREEN

144 boutiquedesign.com

APRIL 2017

Everyone who interacts with built space strives to make sense of it,
regardless of their station in life or their education level. Humans want to
feel good. I believe that for a space to be successful, there needs to be an
intuitive understanding of it. It shouldn't need a written narrative or a soliloquy from a hotel staff member to give it meaning. I see how good design
can transform lives-how a handmade mosaic telling the island's folkloric
story of creation can spark a sense of belonging. I also see how formulaic
design can cause confusion and ruin a guest's experience. Well-designed
space speaks to our humanness.
This really hit home for me when I was standing in the lobby of a resort
I'd designed and watched a family enter to check in. The little boy dropped his
backpack and turned to his father to say, "It's just like I pictured it, Dad!" For
me, authenticity is considering all of the people who use a space-the guests,
the child and his parents, the housekeeping staff, the valet, the director of engineering, the sales team, everyone. I believe that if it's authentic, they'll feel
proud to be a part of it; they'll take ownership. Then their care for the space
will become self-generative. I don't believe in creating a "story" because it's not
real. A deeper, truer meaning behind design creates a culture within a space or
a property that's far more significant to me than merely focusing on brand and
story. I think culture is what brings a guest back again and again. 

GINA ROSS

"AUTHENTICITY" IS A BUZZ WORD WE SEE TIME AND AGAIN. HOW
CAN DESIGNERS CREATE A LOOK THAT FEELS GENUINE?

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Boutique Design - April 2017

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