Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 87

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neri & hu
By Alissa Ponchione
Photography courtesy of Neri & Hu

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DESIGN INTERVENTION
A mutual culture leads to common ground

It's hard to argue against fate's role in
bringing together Rossana Hu and Lyndon
Neri. Both are ethnically Chinese, though
he grew up in the Philippines and Hu in
Taiwan, before they both moved to the
U.S. during their early teens, attended
high school in California, and-as luck
would have it-studied architecture at the
University of California, Berkeley. They met
during Hu's first year and Neri's last, but
they would end up together, nonetheless,
both personally and professionally, while
working at Michael Graves & Associates
(after stints at Architrope, Steven Harris
Architects, and Team 7 International
for Neri; and Ralph Lerner Architects,
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and the
Architects' Collaborative for Hu). It could
be their shared respect for Asian culture
that brought them together or their
complementary design skills. Or it could be
chalked up to destiny.
Their work on the Three on the Bund
dining and entertainment project for
Michael Graves took them to Shanghai in
2002, and they never left-launching Neri
& Hu in 2004. "It was not a complicated
decision," explains Neri. "We always seemed
to know that one day we would work
together." Eleven years later, the firm boasts
more than 100 people on staff and a second
office in London.
"We work very organically depending
on time, availability, and interest," says Hu.

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"We have different strengths, and we make
up for each other's weaknesses." Neri's early
passion for drawing, for example, led him to
enjoy the freedom of putting his imagination
on the page, excelling at the design concept
stage and working with clients, while Hu
is more inclined to the development stage.
"With each project, it is like solving a new
puzzle or going on a new journey," she says.
The husband and wife team is currently
at work on a number of projects including
restaurants for Michelin-starred chef
Jason Atherton in Sydney and London;
a seven-story mixed-use building for
LVMH and developer Dacra in Miami; the
transformation of London's Bow Street
Magistrates Court into a boutique hotel; a
Residence G in Hong Kong; and Le Méridien
Zhengzhou. On top of all that, the duo
continues to grow its product offerings.
"We have dabbled with product design
since we started our practice," Neri says.
And because Graves was a prolific product
designer, "our experience working there
probably influenced us a lot, too," he adds.
Having this year been named Maison&Objet
Asia designers of the year, Neri and Hu are
working on creations for their own brand
as well as collections for 12 to 15 companies,
such as the recently launched Jian (a
character in Chinese that "is very profound
yet simple and ordinary," according to Neri)

1. Hu and Neri started
their own Shanghaibased firm in 2004.
2. Designed for Gandia
Blasco, outdoor furniture
collection Jian offers an
ethereal quality.

3. Neri & Hu partnered
with De La Espada for
the Solo dining chair, an
updated version of the
Eames shell chair.
4. The designers
reinterpreted Arne
Jacobsen's iconic Series
7 chair for Fritz Hansen.

for Spanish firm Gandia Blasco, where they
explore the connection between outdoor
furniture and indoor space. And in January
they debuted the Shaker (a dining table and
chair inspired by the simple, utilitarian
approach) and Frame series (the bed and
sofa are supported by a wooden frame
structure) for De La Espada.
Whether a hotel project or piece of
furniture, Neri and Hu infuse each venture
with their ingrained sensibility, using
everyday life in Shanghai as inspiration.
"Asian designers have a burden of proving
to the Western First World that we can
be as good, as relevant, and as creative,"
explains Hu, "and at the same time still align
ourselves to our Eastern lineage." hd
en.neri and hu.com

hospitalitydesign.com October 2015

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Hospitality Design - October 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - October 2015

Hospitality Design - October 2015
Contents
Online TOC
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Perspectives
Sketchbook
Business Sense: Industry Insight
Sustainable Studio: Open Farm Community
Trends: Suites
Trends: Fast-Casual Dining
5 Questions for John Simeonidis
Products
Profile: Neri & Hu
Trends: Scandinavian Inspiration
Trends: Rose Gold
Tabletop
In the Room
Special Feature: Chefs
Platinum Circle
Gary Dollens
Kemper Hyers
Nobu Matsuhisa
HD Visionary Award: HBA
Projects
Margherita Saint-Germain
Le Lapin
The Continental
Scone City
Untitled
Lago
I Love Paris
Ad Index
Back Space
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Intro
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Hospitality Design - October 2015
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Cover2
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 1
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 2
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 3
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 4
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 5
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 6
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 7
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 8
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 9
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 10
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Contents
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 12
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 13
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 14
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 15
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 16
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 17
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 18
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Online TOC
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 20
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 21
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 22
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 23
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 24
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 25
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - From the Editor
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 27
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 28
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 29
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 30
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 31
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - From the Show Director
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 33
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 34
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 35
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 36
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 37
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 38
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Perspectives
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 40
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 41
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 42
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Sketchbook
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 44
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 45
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 46
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 47
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 48
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 49
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 50
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 51
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 52
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 53
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 54
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Business Sense: Industry Insight
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 56
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 57
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 58
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 59
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 60
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Sustainable Studio: Open Farm Community
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 62
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 63
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 64
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 65
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 66
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Trends: Suites
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 68
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 69
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 70
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 71
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 72
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 73
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 74
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 75
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 76
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 77
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 78
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Trends: Fast-Casual Dining
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 80
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 81
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 5 Questions for John Simeonidis
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 83
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 84
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Products
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 86
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Profile: Neri & Hu
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 88
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Trends: Scandinavian Inspiration
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 90
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 91
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 92
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 93
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 94
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Trends: Rose Gold
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 96
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 97
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 98
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Tabletop
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 100
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 101
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 102
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 103
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 104
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - In the Room
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 106
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 107
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 108
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 109
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 110
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Special Feature: Chefs
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 112
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 113
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 114
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 115
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 116
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 117
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 118
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 119
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 120
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Platinum Circle
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Gary Dollens
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 123
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Kemper Hyers
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 125
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Nobu Matsuhisa
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 127
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - HD Visionary Award: HBA
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 129
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 130
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 131
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 132
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Projects
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Margherita Saint-Germain
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 135
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 136
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 137
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Le Lapin
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 139
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 140
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 141
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - The Continental
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 143
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 144
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 145
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Scone City
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 147
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 148
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 149
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Untitled
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 151
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 152
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 153
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Lago
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 155
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 156
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 157
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - I Love Paris
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 159
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 160
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 161
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 162
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 163
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 164
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 165
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Ad Index
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - 167
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Back Space
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Cover3
Hospitality Design - October 2015 - Cover4
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