Hotel Designs. virtual roundtable: ‘Sustainable does not mean natural’ in surface design
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With ‘greenwashing’ still an all-too-common term in the global ‘sustainable’ hotel design and hospitality arena, Hotel Designs gather a cluster of designers and architects to attend a virtual roundtable, sponsored by Architextural to discuss sustainability solutions in surface design. Editor Hamish Kilburn leads the discussion.
What is driving the rise in upcycling surfaces – is this ‘trend’ purely linked to sustainability?
Una Barac: When I started in the industry some two decades ago, Wenge was a popular veneer. We, as designers, allowing for it to become so popular came very close to exterminating that entire species of a tree. This is why we will now use blackened oak as an alternative– so we will find sustainably sourced oak and we will treat to achieve that dark effect without having to travel the world to find exotic species of wood, cutting it down and flying it half way across the globe. So, for me, there are sustainable ways to being true and authentic – and we are learning more all the time. We should be designing with location in mind.
How can using upcycled materials in surfaces add new layers to a design of a hotel?
Una Barac: Everyone seems to have a broader awareness. Even the largest brands can be very excited by ideas around upcycling and recycling. Here are a few examples. Park Plaza purchased an existing property which had almost 400 chairs that were made from cherry wood and upholstered with paisley patterns. We literally stripped them down with a local workshop that sanded the wood, painted each chair and then reupholstered them with a modern fabric.
Another example is a Hilton property in Bournemouth. The owner had procured antique furniture. In the spa, we decided to use one of these items – a desk – and we upcycled it which we then encased in glass because there were concerns with splinters. This piece of furniture became a beautiful focal point within the hotel.
During R&D, what far-fetched materials have your teams discovered in new surfaces?
Una Barac: It’s about designers taking developers on a journey to set the brief and parameters and educating the client as you move forward.