Sleeper - Issue 88 (February 2020)

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THE LOBBY052While eco-tourism has increased in popularity in recent years, the question of accessibility remains; jetting from continent to continent on a polluting aeroplane is hardly conducive to a greener planet. When Finnish designer Robin Falck and sustainability consultant Neste launched the Nolla Cabin in 2018 – a sustainably-constructed A-frame structure the size of a small bedroom – the objective was to prove that modern luxury experiences do not have to take a toll on the environment. But for those uninterested in taking a carbon-heavy trip to the Finnish island of Vallisaari where the original prototype remains, the teams have partnered again for a competition that instead brings the cabin to the guest. With 12 sets of Nolla Cabin blueprints up for grabs – as well as all the materials and tools needed to piece together the structure’s plywood, pine and solar panel form – the competition seeks to democratise the zero-emission push and spread the word that sustainable living is in reach, even in locations where it seems unlikely. “The way we travel has a direct impact on our emissions and sustainability,” Falck explains. “Sharing the blueprints is a sustainable way to bring this design to larger audiences.” All entrants need to do is post a picture of the scenery they would like to see from the cabin’s distinctive triangular window, tagging #MyNolla on Instagram with a short explanation of what they would use the cabin for. “With the Nolla Cabin, we want to offer visitors the possibility to experience modern cabin life in the realm of nature, with minimal emissions,” Falck continues. “An ecological lifestyle does not only require giving up unsustainable commodities, but also discovering modern, sustainable solutions that can be used instead.”There is a catch, however. Whilst winners will be provided everything required to create their own cabin, it is down to them to both source the local materials required and assemble the structure, with build time estimated at between 2-7 days. But whilst this could see some put off, who said saving the planet would be easy?Cabin FeverNeste releases the blueprints of the Nolla Cabin in a bid to encourage people to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

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054Hospitality leaders descended on Mayfair for Deloitte’s annual European Hotel Industry Conference in November, where they were presented with the 2019 findings of its delegate survey, in which over 110 senior figures – including owners, lenders, developers and investors – were asked to highlight key opportunities for growth in Europe and the UK, as well as the challenges for the year ahead.“2019 was expected to be another volatile year from both an economic and political perspective,” said Andreas Scriven, Lead Partner, Hospitality & Leisure, Deloitte. “That undoubtedly posed some challenges for the hospitality sector, therefore the conference looked to discuss how we can make the impossible possible in 2020 and beyond.”Scriven went on to present the results of the pre-conference survey, revealing that Amsterdam continues to be the most attractive city for hotel investment in 2020 for the fourth year in a row; Paris takes second place as London falls to third position; while Lisbon climbs up to fourth spot. The survey also found that traditional bank debt is expected to be the most common source of financing, with European (54%) and North American (38%) investors set to drive investment next year. However, funding from the Middle East and Northern Africa (27%) was also predicted to increase.In answer to the all-important question of where we sit on the investment cycle, it was revealed that 50% believe the UK and Ireland have hit the peak, while Greece, Portugal and Spain were perceived to be markets on the upturn. When asked about the risks to the European hotel industry over the next five years, delegates flagged a lack of economic growth (66%) and political tension (22%) as their biggest concerns, followed by the break-up of the EU (21%), local resentment towards tourists (19%) and competition from new entrants (17%).With the spotlight on the UK, Scriven confirmed that Edinburgh tops the list of cities prime for investment for the sixth year in a row, with Cambridge remaining in second place. He also revealed that Oxford has overtaken Manchester as the third most attractive regional UK city to invest in, following a saturation of the market in the Northern powerhouse.Overall, there was growth expected for London, with 53% of respondents anticipating RevPAR gains of 1-3% in 2020. And though 42% stated that Brexit will have no impact on the capital’s attractiveness for hotel investment, 68% felt that regional UK would be less appealing as a result, with 65% foreseeing flat or negative RevPAR.Similarly, the UK investment horizon results saw 34% of delegates predict the UK hotel market will hit a downturn in the next 6-12 months, with a further 14% deeming it already in decline. In terms of capital, funds from Asia Pacific and domestic sources are expected to dominate in 2020, with institutional investors (28%) and private equity (28%) forecast to be the largest source of financing into the UK hotel sector.Concerns for the UK market centred around Brexit and the break-up of the EU (41%), a shortage of skilled labour (39%) and the weakening of the currency (26%), while almost half of respondents were apprehensive over a lack of economic growth. Political tension was also seen as one of the biggest risks for the UK hospitality sector, with results up by nearly 15% on 2018, likely due to the survey being held in run-up to the UK’s 2019 general election.Navigating the ImpossibleDeloitte reveals the hotspots for investment during its 31 European Hotel stIndustry Conference in London.

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056An hour’s drive south of Lisbon, the coastal region of Comporta is a dreamy unspoilt landscape of rice fields and pine forests, deserted sand dunes and crashing Atlantic waves. Until 2014, this entire area was owned by the Espirito Santo banking family; now small parcels of land are slowly being sold, although there are still strict building restrictions to abide by. One such plot in the village of Carvalhal was snapped up by Portuguese architect and designer Miguel Câncio Martins (his past global projects range from the Buddha Bar in Paris to the W Hotel in Montreal) who has finally realised his long-held dream of becoming a hotelier. “Growing up, I spent many of my holidays with my family in Comporta but there was nowhere to stay, so we always had to go back to Lisbon at the end of the day,” he recalls. “For as long as I can remember I’ve had the idea of creating a project that respects the ‘genius loci’ and slow lifestyle and identity of the village, by integrating everything that is characteristic about it in one place.” With Quinta da Comporta, a hotel with 73 guestrooms and suites, plus four 300m , three-bedroom wood and thatch 2villas, which took three years from design to completion, he has achieved it. For starters, there’s the entrance – or rather the lack of it. There is no flashy lobby, nothing really to indicate that you’ve arrived other than a simple sign on a white wall and a small, thatch and wood reception gate house in the style of a traditional fishermen’s hut where guests check-in. Even the car park is hidden away underground. “Mapping out the main structure of the hotel it was clear to me that I wanted it to be unveiled slowly,” explains Martins. “I wanted to make sure that arriving at the resort mimics what it’s like to arrive in Comporta, where you only discover its best treasures as you gradually immerse yourself.”From reception, sandy paths and a raised wooden walkway lead down past a vegetable garden to the main central terracotta courtyard where rice was once harvested and beaten to extract the grains. Dotted about there are a handful of comfy sofas and wood-frame chairs under shady pergolas but all eyes are immediately drawn to the slim, raised 40m infinity pool with glass sides and racing green tiles, and the rice fields beyond. Two vast, barn-like buildings – in exactly the same position as the old grain stores – house the restaurant and spa. Both are raised off the ground to maintain the irrigation channels for the rice and made from 150-year-old reclaimed wood that was shipped over from Quinta da ComportaCARVALHAL Portuguese architect and designer Miguel Câncio Martins realises a long-held ambition of becoming a hotelier, opening a country retreat that respects the genius loci.Words: Emma Love • Photography: © Manolo Yllera

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059Interiors follow a rustic decorative style with sisal rugs, wooden bed frames and wicker armchairs – all made by artisans

060Canada (it was also used for the soaring criss-crossing beams that dominate each space). Parallel to the pool at the back of the courtyard are two, low-slung white buildings, again in the same location as the old warehouses, painted with typical Portuguese royal blue bands and terracotta tiled rooftops which house a communal living space and the guestrooms. “I used traditional shapes and forms to preserve the visual identity of Comporta. The symmetric position of the buildings reinforces the harmony and functionality that I always look for in design,” continues Martins. Ranging in size from 42-113m , the rooms 2and suites all have a similar, rustic decorative style; white walls with sisal rugs on smooth concrete floors, wooden bed frames and wicker armchairs. Everything is designed by Martins and made by artisans in Portugal. “As we have a connection to rice fields, which are also in Asia, I have included some Asian touches too, such as the ethnic patterned cushions and Balinese bedside lights,” he continues. The Balinese lights are replicated on a far larger scale in the restaurant, alongside raffia armchairs by the fire in a pre-dinner drinks area and Portuguese marble-topped tables. In the spa, stand-out design details include floor patterns painted by French artist Patrick Michel inspired by traditional Arraiolos rugs; in the living room, clusters of brightly coloured woven ‘PET lamps’ made from plastic bottles by Alvaro Catalan de Ocon steal the show. Throughout, the hotel celebrates its surroundings, from the vegetation (olive trees, cactus, palms, herbs) that is typical of the region to the use of rice (a rice sake is in the pipeline, as well as a range of own-brand spa products) and the just-picked figs from the garden that appear as part of the buffet breakfast. Future plans include a cinema, wine cellar and a kid’s club, which all feel like lovely extras that won’t distract from what this authentic hotel is really about: staying true to the unique spirit of Comporta. EXPRESS CHECK-OUTOwnerr: Miguel Câncio Martins Architecture and Interior Design: Miguel Câncio Martinswww.quintadacomporta.com

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062CrossroadsMALDIVES In line with the Ministry of Tourism’s drive to diversify the accommodation offer in the Maldives, Singha Estate unveils the nation’s first integrated resort destination – an ambitious development spanning hospitality, retail and entertainment. Words: Neena Dhillon • Photography: Courtesy of Singha Estate

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064Serving as a maritime pit stop on the ancient Silk Road, the Maldives once would have provided shelter to weary travellers navigating from east to west and vice versa. In this heyday of trading on the oceans, cargo such as paper, gunpowder, porcelain and spices was transported from China and South Asia via Arabia to Europe, with horses, wool, gold and glass favoured on the return. Ship crews of different cultures, charged with handling these precious commodities, would have visited the Maldivian islands to take onboard new stocks and supplies while making repairs to their ocean-battered vessels. It is this historical legacy that Singha Estate’s multi-island leisure and lifestyle destination taps into, positioning itself as a modern meeting point for a new generation of explorers in the 21 century. stA NEW PROPOSITIONIn place of the traditional one-island-one-hotel norm, the Thai developer has introduced an integrated resort concept to the Maldives, one that aims to be the largest of its kind in the Indian Ocean when complete. Out of nine interconnecting reclaimed islands, two have so far been developed: the first comprising the 11,000m 2Marina at Crossroads and its adjoining hotel, SAii Lagoon Maldives; the second occupied by Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. From the same family stable of businesses that includes Boon Rawd Brewery, Crossroads operates under the hospitality arm of Thai real estate company, Singha Estate. Representing S Hotels & Resorts’ first flagship development of an integrated leisure destination, the nine-island complex spans the seven-kilometre-long Emboodhoo Lagoon and seeks to make the most of its accessibility, just 15 minutes by speedboat, from Malé International Airport. Elaborating, Chief Operating Officer Thiti Thongbenjamas says: “With the benefit of this location, we can attract potential new markets such as groups of friends, MICE travellers and local residents as well as transit passengers. By reviving the rich history of the Maldives as a destination for people from all walks of life, we’re set to bring a new lifestyle concept to the islands while working closely with local communities to promote the culture and history of the nation.”One of the main attractions for Maldivian residents

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067and transit passengers is the variety of tenants, approximately 70 in total, dotted around the marina, including big-name dining options such as Café del Mar, Ministry of Crab and Hard Rock Café. Retailers range from tea specialists to perfumers while an event hall is aiming to capture meetings, incentive and wedding business. Additionally, there is a yacht marina that can accommodate up to 30 luxury vessels. Tropical architecture with nods to a colonial aesthetic pervades the complex, where buildings are lent interest by hand-drawn paintings referencing the Maldives as a cultural melting pot. SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHTPhase one of the project, part of a US$311.5 million investment, has not been without its critics from an environmental point of view, with the initial stages of reclamation called out for carelessness. Since this early hiccup, however, Singha Estate has partnered with international agencies, local authorities and communities to ensure the sustainability aspect of construction, while the highly-respected Thai marine biologist, Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, has been appointed to lead on coral preservation and regeneration initiatives as well as social education. Picking up on the theme, Thongbenjamas outlines how construction has followed the protocol of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals with efforts concentrated on “closely measuring the marine environment, reducing wet work and avoiding discharge of grey water plus ensuring strict zero waste to the ocean”. At the Marine Discovery Centre – a facility that promotes environmental conservation and Maldivian local arts and crafts – interactive storyboards and installations draw visitors into the midst of an educational project focused on coral propagation while the resort’s two hotels use energy efficient LED lighting, waste management including composting and organic gardens, as well as a heat recovery system to power hot water.SAII LAGOONPart of Hilton’s Curio Collection, the 198-room SAii Lagoon has been conceptualised by S Hotels & Resorts as an enhancement of the marina, offering an intimate, chilled-out hospitality experience at an affordable price. Emblazoned with quirky art, textiles, fabrics and handpainted surfaces that reference a fusion of cultures, the property speaks equally of a colonial past as conveyed by Portuguese tiling and shutters. Landscaping and bespoke furniture weaves its way around the restaurants and strategically positioned pool bar, while hints of Asia and Arabia combine in an eclectic confluence of distinctive design, lifted by splashes of cerulean blue and sunshine yellow. HARD ROCK HOTEL Linked to the Marina by a 450m bridge equipped with Bose speakers, the high-energy vibe of Hard Rock International’s first Maldivian hotel is evident from the moment of arrival at the music organ-shaped welcome pavilion, with its drum-inspired reception booths. Guests are whisked up to the main resort block and invited to slide down a water chute to collect a mocktail once safely across the pool. Activities galore on land, water and in the air keep the social and buzzy atmosphere of the self-contained property going through day into night, when lighting and furniture changes create ambient mood shifts.Charged with designing the 178-key hotel, Singapore-based Eco-id Architects collaborated with an oceanography expert, the developer and Hard Rock to shape the manmade island, prioritising beach frontage for public areas while carving out spaces for activity hubs and creating scenery vignettes. “Once the masterplan had been established, it was a case of working on architecture with a contemporary tropical direction,” outlines the firm’s Director Carol Chng. “The island then became a showcase for the curation of these building forms.” SAii Lagoon is emblazoned with quirky textiles and handpainted surfaces that reference a fusion of cultures

068Interpreting the music ethos of the Hard Rock brand, Eco-id has infused a free-spirited quality into its vision, opting for airy and contemporary design Interpreting the music ethos of the Hard Rock brand in its own way, Eco-id has infused a free-spirited quality into its vision, opting for airy and contemporary design over traditional Maldivian thatched roof structures. “Our take is a composition of clean forms without sacrificing light, ventilation and shade,” confirms Chng. “So you see white architectural massing shine in the sunlight, contrasting and accentuating the blue and green hues of the water – like monuments to the rock-star lifestyle, they have a rebellious design angle.” Alongside white concrete and masonry, painted in ocean shades for overwater guest villas, synthetic thatched roofs have been selected to respond to the climate and timber for curving overwater walkways. MUSIC AND MOVEMENTWhile the brand’s music DNA is an essential factor, Maldivian culture has also been absorbed into the interior design approach, with the Boduberu another key source of inspiration. “To us, the image of locals dancing to the rhythm of drums on the beach is such a clear definition of music, the Maldives and Hard Rock,” describes Chng. “From the Boduberu tradition, we have extracted tactile elements such as the Maldivian mat, drum shapes, lacquer techniques and coir rope effects.” Around the resort, the art of Maldivian weaving is expressed as diagonal and graphic line motifs seen in tiling and panelling, while rhythmic bands of colour characterise timber louvered screens and villa entrance doors. Drum armchairs, rattan cocoon seating, rope-clad columns and intricate multi-hued tile installations bring pops of bright colour into the scheme with vibrant paintings by Maldivian artist Shaff Oceans a common feature in each guestroom. In combination with Hard Rock’s trademark music memorabilia dotted around public spaces, interiors are dynamic and youthful. “Memorabilia displays are juxtaposed with interior colours, patterns and textiles – a blend of local culture interpreted and abstracted with dialled-up energy,” explains Chng. “As music is synonymous with movement, we try not to keep things static.Standout spaces include The Elephant & The Butterfly, a pan-Latin restaurant and oceanfront pool bar that pays homage to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera,

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070its plates of food purposefully contrasting the rustic with the sophisticated. A playful ceiling fixture of suspended colour beads moves and sways to make a group of butterflies materialise while gold and white mosaics accentuate the same theme. Shaff Oceans’ memorable handpainted elephant wall mural took months of refinement but is now an Instagram hit. Elsewhere, Sessions – serving dishes inspired by contemporary global flavours – is a vibrant all-day dining affair, and on a more sybaritic note, Rock Spa makes an impression for its abstract architectural rendition of a wave crashing on seashells. Finally, the largest guest villa, appropriately named Rock Star, has been designed to redefine the tropical house party with its jukebox, tuk-tuk bar and carousel shaped as a seahorse. “From masterplanning to architecture and interiors, the total composition is akin to putting notes together to form a tune,” concludes Chng. “The vitality of Hard Rock’s DNA is on display in every aspect of the sensory experience.”BUILDING BIG, PROTECTING THE SMALLWith the first phase of development now operational, Singha Estates has turned its attention to what’s still to come. The next phase of Crossroads, which is due to open up a third island in 2022, will include a high-end lifestyle resort comprising 80 spacious villas for experiential travellers, built in partnership with Myanmar’s Eco World Developer.While the project is monumental in both scale and ambition, Crossroads is committed to its mission of ‘building big, protecting the small’, preserving the natural beauty of the Maldives and enriching the lives of locals.“With Crossroads, we are making history,” commented Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, Chairman, Singha Estate, on the resort’s debut. “By being the largest integrated leisure and entertainment destination in the Maldives, Crossroads is going to redefine vacation experience in the entire Indian Ocean region, while also being deeply sustainable and considerate of its environment, history and culture.”EXPRESS CHECK-OUTDeveloper: Singha EstateOperator: S Hotels & Resorts (SAii Lagoon); Hard Rock International (Hard Rock Hotel)Architecture and Interior Design: Singha Estate (SAii Lagoon); Eco-id Architects (Hard Rock Hotel)Landscaping: Topo Design Studio (Hard Rock Hotel)Lighting Design: Bo Steiber Lighting Design (Hard Rock Hotel)www.crossroadsmaldives.com

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072The names Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs will ring a bell with sports fans up and down the country, but mention them in the world of hotels and you may receive an altogether different response. The former professional footballers – both of whom captained Manchester United to success, lifting a combined total of 54 trophies – first cut their teeth in hospitality five years ago with the launch of Hotel Football, an upscale property inspired by the beautiful game that overlooks Old Trafford. And the ex-teammates didn’t rest on their laurels – a trait perhaps inherited from celebrated manager Sir Alex Ferguson – drafting in hotelier Winston Zahra as CEO of GG Hospitality in 2018 and subsequently unveiling plans for the £20million conversion of Manchester’s former Stock Exchange, having acquired the historic Grade II-listed building in 2014.Situated in the heart of the city on Norfolk Street, the Stock Exchange was originally designed by architects Bradshaw, Gass & Hope, opening its doors in 1906 and continuing to trade until 1979, when it was eventually amalgamated into the London Stock Exchange. Since then, the Edwardian Baroque structure has been used as offices and more recently a restaurant, though its history and heritage have often been overlooked, something that Neville and Giggs were keen to reverse: “We knew the Stock Exchange well from when it was a restaurant, but it was only when we viewed it in its entirety Stock Exchange HotelMANCHESTER Football legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs team up with Autoban to transform Manchester’s former Stock Exchange into a boutique hotel.Words: Ben Thomas • Photography: © Bevan Cockerill

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074that we realised the extent of the history there,” they recall, speaking at an exclusive pre-opening event. “Most people familiar with the building will know of the domed ceiling above the old trading floor, but there are many other original features that will not have been seen, such as fireplaces, vaults and stained-glass windows. For us, it was critical that this heritage was protected and now sits at the heart of what we hope will be an exciting new concept for Manchester.”Tasked with breathing new life into the former trading hub was JM Architects and Istanbul-based studio Autoban, the latter reimagining the interior spaces in a palette of subtle colours, pairing bespoke furnishings with original surfaces such as marble, glass and woodwork to channel the building’s deep-rooted history. “Our design concept was built on paying homage to the extraordinary heritage of the space,” say founders Seyhan Özdemir and Sefer Çağlar. “Much of the bespoke furniture for example, including the reception and concierge desks, were inspired by the former Stock Exchange’s cashier desks and resemble the detail of a coin’s edge.”The narrative begins as soon as guests enter the property – which has opened as a member of Relais & Châteaux – with well-dressed bellboys ushering city dwellers into the aptly named Traders Lounge for a glass of fizz before guiding them upstairs, where a collection of 40 guestrooms across three categories – The Bradshaw, John Gass and Arthur Hope – honour the architects who first envisioned the Portland stone structure. Reinforcing the connection to its trading past are two signature spaces – Suite Nineteen ‘0’ Six and The Boardroom Suite – the first named after the year in which the Stock Exchange was inaugurated and forming part of the newly constructed fourth floor, the second located in one of the most historic and architecturally preserved parts of the building.Accessed via a private staircase off the main lobby, The Boardroom Suite occupies the original Stock Exchange boardroom and features heritage details such as marble pillars, an ornamental fireplace, stained-glass windows and an original vault. The space can be extended via an interconnecting suite and its own private terrace, while other areas include a large lounge, dining room and walk-in wardrobe.At the heart of the hotel is The Bull & Bear, an The Boardroom Suite features heritage details such as marble pillars, wood panelling, stained-glass windows and an ornamental fireplace

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07687-cover restaurant headed up by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge. Housed beneath a striking domed ceiling on what was the original trading floor of the Stock Exchange, the dining room lends its name to the building in which it resides – which witnessed the ups and downs of bull and bear markets – blurring the lines between elegance and informality with a refined colour palette that takes its cues from Manchester’s iconic worker bee, together with carefully restored Edwardian architecture, elegant green banquettes and comfortable leather armchairs.“We used British racing greens and brass details, as well as various types and textures of natural stone mosaics combined with patterned parquet, to create a central focus under the dome,” add Özdemir and Çağlar. “On top of that, our blend of modern and traditional craftsmanship is shown in the processed wood cladding used for the bar and couch seating.”On the menu, Kerridge’s signature style of refined British classics is on show in the form of mouthwatering dishes such as Crispy Pig’s Head with Celeriac Remoulade and Spiced Date Sauce, Chicken Kiev with Maple Glazed Butternut Squash, and B&B Profiteroles with Soured Vanilla Cream – the latter brought up north by the chef after becoming a staple choice for diners at The Coach, his illustrious pub in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. In addition to The Bull & Bear, Kerridge’s team is in charge of The Bank, offering bespoke dining experiences for up to 16 guests, and The Vault, catering to 120 covers for private events and receptions. The Bank also hosts culinary classes and has its own wine cellar, which guests can enjoy while tucking into Kerridge’s award-winning cuisine.Having written their names in the history books at Manchester United, Neville and Giggs have undoubtedly captured the hearts of the Northern faithful once again, this time using their entrepreneurial nous to revive one of the city’s most iconic sites, both in style and spirit.EXPRESS CHECK-OUTOwner: Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Winston ZahraDeveloper: ZerumOperator: GG HospitalityArchitecture: JM ArchitectsInterior Design: AutobanArt Consultant: Ruth Davieswww.stockexchangehotel.co.uk



078The Paramount Pictures building in the dynamic inner-city neighbourhood of Surry Hills in Sydney was originally built in 1940 and served as the home of the film studio until the 1970s. In 2013, it began a transformation into a thriving hub of new, creative businesses driven by property investor Ping Jin Ng with the help of architects Fox Johnston. There is the Golden Age Cinema and Bar in the old screening room; The Office Space co-working floor; the Paramount Recreation Club and Kiosk on the rooftop; and the Paramount Coffee Project on the ground floor. And, the building’s newest tenant – the boutique Paramount House Hotel – fits right in with its neighbours. “The site is such an interesting microcosm of Surry Hills as a hive of creative businesses,” says Bonnie Herring, associate at Breathe Architecture, which oversaw the four-year project. “The Paramount House Hotel is interrelated with that whole tapestry.”The actual site of the hotel is adjacent to the original Paramount House offices – an important heritage building – in the old film distribution warehouse. The architects took inspiration from its Art Deco detailing and developed a concept that explored how old and new would relate to each other, such as in the way the chevron-pattern copper screen sits over the robust original façade. “There was a contrast of raw and honest materials with more delicate new materials,” says Herring. “Inside, there are a lot of exposed surfaces and structural elements that explain how the building came to be. We hope that the newer parts of the interior will patinate over time and become part of that narrative.”Visitors to the hotel enter through the ground-floor café, which during the day is a busy hub of hotel guests and locals eating lunch, taking meetings and catching up over coffee. At night, when the café is closed, the designers wanted to avoid the feeling of walking through a deserted space. “We came up with the idea of a corridor of light to guide you through to the lobby and make the rest of the space fall away,” says Herring. “At the end, you find a gleaming, copper-clad desk. It was very important that visitors pause at that spot. They’re served a local cider, wine or ice tea from taps on the reception desk, and have chance to relax. The hospitality is in the people, but the architecture is also designed to invite that feeling.”To this end, the lobby is filled with artwork curated by local gallery China Heights and changed seasonally, while natural light floods the space through a large skylight. The lift is wallpapered in a kitschy pink Hawaiian floral pattern – also found on shirts in the reception gift shop – that highlights the relaxed, fun feeling throughout. It’s no surprise that the hotel is the first offering from Russell Beard and Mark Dundon, with Ng – the team behind local café favourites Reuben Hills and Bondi Hall. “The hotel was a logical next step for us after we were approached to do the Paramount Coffee Project café here,” says Beard. “Hospitality is the focus – looking after people and being humble.”The accommodation offer comprises 29 guestrooms across five room categories – Nook, Everyday, Sunny, Loft and Mack Daddy Suites – and because of the quirks of working within an existing building with an irregular plan, no two rooms are the same. “We wanted to capture all the eccentricities of the heritage fabric,” says Herring. “I really enjoyed the process of stripping away what we decided was not productive for the project and seeing what was there waiting for us. At Paramount House HotelSYDNEY A boutique hotel joins the mix of cultural and work spaces at the sensitively restored former headquarters of Paramount Pictures. Words: Mandi Keighran • Photography: © Sharyn Cairns

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080one stage, we were about to fit out a suite and we realised that there were beautiful brickwork areas when we pulled away plasterboard. So, we decided to flip the switch and make these visible. These were really delightful moments.”While every room is different, they almost all have an outdoor space with plenty of greenery. The copper façade screen offers privacy without blocking the views or ambiance of the bustling inner-city neighbourhood. “If you come half way across the world, you want to know that you are in a particular place,” explains Herring. “In Surry Hills, there are these bursts of greenery amongst the terrace houses and we wanted to pick up on that.”The rooms have been designed to make guests feel at home, with warm finishes and furnishings more likely to be found in a domestic setting than in a hotel – think stripped back brick walls, timber floors, exposed concrete ceilings and copper details. To give the hotel a strong sense of place, the designers sourced as much as possible from local Australian brands and designers – the Japanese-style native blackbutt timber bathtubs are made by a craftsman from Coffs Harbour, furniture comes from family-owned company Jardan, Seljak merino wool blankets are crafted from scraps sourced from Australia’s oldest wool mill, and French linen sheets are from Cultiver. Even the scent, from Aesop, is Australian.“A hotel for us should be about aesthetics, place and hospitality,” says Beard. “That’s what we want when we stay somewhere, to feel like we are part of a community.” And, Paramount House Hotel is about as far from the anonymous hotel experience as you can get. Anyone spending the night here will wake up knowing exactly where they are – tapped into the very fabric of Sydney itself – and when the time comes to check-out, you will probably feel a little bit like a local.EXPRESS CHECK-OUTOwners: Ping Jin Ng, Russell Beard,Mark Dundon and Eden ElanDevloper: CitadinArchitecture and Interior Design: Breathe ArchitectureGraphic Design: The Company You Keep Art Consultant: China HeightsMain Contractor: Calida (hotel); Promena Projects (lobby) Project Manager: Artechne www.paramounthousehotel.com

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083In northern Botswana, Maun is the jumping off-point for the Okavango Delta, a landscape of sprawling grassy plains that transform into lush, water-filled channels during the seasonal floods. It was here that South African Cathy Kays and her husband David, who was born in Botswana, spent weekends camping with their children. That was until the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act of 1992 split the area into smaller concessions, which were then all privately leased. “Suddenly we didn’t have free access anymore,” recalls Kays. “We realised that the only way we could continue to visit was if we had a reason to be here, so we decided to go into the tourism industry. It was also the only way we could take part in conserving a very important part of the Okavango Delta.”The couple enlisted Johannesburg-based architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens (the roll call of previous camps they’ve designed includes Wilderness Safaris’ Vumbura Plains and Mombo in the Delta) to produce concept drawings for the management plan – which won the tender. “People were still in the stage of putting a tent on the ground whereas we came up with the idea of a Balinese long house,” continues Kays of the original camp, which opened in 1999 under the Wilderness Safaris tour operator umbrella. “I wanted the buildings to generate excitement and they definitely did that. The problem is that we are in a flood plain, so for six months of the year the building stands under water. It’s terribly bad for gum poles, which started to rot. In the last few years we knew we had to rebuild, so we went back to Silvio and Lesley and asked if they would do round two with us.”Jao CampOKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA Hoteliers Cathy and David Kays enlist Silvio Rech + Lesley Carstens for the rebuild of a Wilderness Safaris camp in the Okavango Delta.Words: Emma Love • Photography: © Crookes & Jackson

084The camp’s second incarnation, which re-opened last summer after an eight-and-a-half-month rebuild, is a complete departure. Instead of gum poles for the main space – which comprises the restaurant, bar and several hang-out living areas – the Kays opted for steel. The roof is artificial thatch, made partly from recycled plastic mixed to the couple’s colour specifications, with artificial cape reed grass and latte wood on the inside and fibre palm on the outside. The floor is composite decking and, unusually for a safari camp, there are frameless glass stacking doors that can close off the bar and restaurant area when the temperature drops. “We’ve tried to keep the same feeling of the original Jao but using materials that last longer. It’s a more sustainable approach, and also a sculptural one. The roof is like butterfly wings with the steel as the tendons,” explains Carstens of the structural element, which has also been used for the floor-to-ceiling faceted fireplace and bar in the camp’s living area. One of the main inspirations for the new look is nature, specifically plants, which are threaded throughout in all kinds of ways, from the rounded side tables and olive leather hanging seats in one of the living areas that reference lily pads, to the leaf patterns in the tableware. “We collected leaves from the trees in our garden at home in Maun,” says David. “Lesley froze them and put them into the ceramics, which she and her team made; when they were baked the leaf disintegrated but it left the impression.” Palm frond tan leather floor lights produced by Heino Schmitt Design, and an installation of opening-and-closing porcelain lily flowers hanging around a sun above the bar, are just two more nods to the natural world. “When we came for our first visit this time, there was so much water and a profusion of lilies everywhere, so we really wanted to use them,” adds Carstens. Along the red balau boardwalk, there are five 116m suites, plus a pair of two-bedroom 269m 22villas, ideal for families, which each come with a private guide and vehicle for game drives, a chef and butler. They all have a similar layout and Palm frond tan leather floor lights and an installation of porcelain lily flowers hanging around a sun above the bar are both nods to the natural world

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086chic, handcrafted style: there’s a kitchenette with a slab of sandstone as the counter; a dining area with a cedar table; and in the living zone, a patchwork of raffia grass mats handwoven in Swaziland as a wall panel, accompanied by pieces such as a cork coffee table and grey Karakul wool rug. “Everything is very tactile,” says Carstens, who together with Rech, designed the furniture throughout the camp and worked with mostly South African artisans to produce it. “We’ve used honest materials and tried to keep the rawness coming through.” In the bathroom meanwhile, two lily-shaped vanities manufactured by Iron Banister take centrestage, as well as a custom designed tub with lily pad side tables, produced by Boutique Baths, which looks out to the plunge pool on the terrace. Sustainability is a key factor too, so the suites are subsequently cooled with Climate Wizard, an evaporative low-energy cooling system and the entire camp runs on solar power – generated by over 600 panels. Rosewood from the original Jao was re-used on the floors of the spa and gym, while the old furniture has been re-purposed at another camp nearby. Other stand-out features are the main round pool with a decked seating area shaded by a domed latte wood nest-like structure and the new tower by the entrance, which comprises a ground floor shop, and on the upper level, a wine cellar, library and gallery. A two-storey-high giraffe skeleton – displayed for educational purposes after dying from natural attrition – provides the wow factor, while a series of prints from the National Herbarium in Pretoria – botanical pressings made by Kays’ great-grandfather, botanist E.E. Galpin – sit alongside black-and-white family photos and text that delve into the Kays’ past. “In the gallery, guests can learn about the history of the Kays but also the history of Botswana, as their story lines up with different elements of Delta,” concludes Carstens. This is a camp with a deep family connection, where the incentive for those staying here will surely be as much about the architecture as the animals.EXPRESS CHECK-OUTOperator: Wilderness SafarisArchitecture and Interior Design: Silvio Rech + Lesley CarstensLighting Design:Darkroom Lighting ProjectsLandscaping:Landscaping EnterprisesProject Manager: Errol Laingwww.wilderness-safaris.com

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088Adecade ago, the mention of serviced apartments would more likely inspire thoughts of a tired, half-functioning residence rather than a swanky New York-style loft. In recent years however, the sector has undergone a revolution, with a new breed of hybrids combining the comforts of home with the luxuries and services of a boutique hotel. This has led to a surge in popularity, so much so that in 2019, the sector enjoyed higher RevPAR growth than traditional hotels. New development is on the rise too – a report from HVS found that 23,600 units are set to open across Europe by 2022 – and amongst those adding to their portfolios is Native, a London-based operator that has recently expanded to the regions. 2018 saw openings in Glasgow and London’s Bankside, while 2019 brought a new northern outpost in the shape of Native Manchester. Nestled between the voguish Northern Quarter and developing Ancoats neighbourhood, just a stone’s throw from Piccadilly train station, the new apartments occupy the upper eight floors of the Grade II-listed Ducie Street Warehouse, a red brick building dating back to 1867 that was once used to store cotton. “This has been an extraordinary opportunity to take one of the great icons of Manchester’s industrial past and turn it into a major cultural and social destination for the city,” comments Guy Nixon, who founded the company in 1998 having grown tired of extended stays in hotels during his travels as an investment banker. Responsible for overseeing this renovation was London-based studio Archer Humphryes Architects, a firm known NativeMANCHESTERChanging the face of long-stay accomodation, Native’s new outpost in Manchester pays homage to the city’s rich industrial heritage.Words: Donna Salek Photography: © Keith Collie (unless otherwise stated)

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090for transforming old buildings into hospitality spaces, such as Chiltern Firehouse, The Standard London and Great Northern Hotel. In Manchester, Ducie Street Warehouse’s industrial heritage has been laid bare, with the architects choosing to retain inimitable characteristics, such as barrel-arched brick ceilings, cast-iron columns and an exposed skeletal frame – a hangover from its former life.The ground floor is a voluminous, open space housing independently operated F&B outlet Cultureplex. “We wanted to do something spectacular and recognised that hoteliers are rarely known for operating destination F&B offerings,” notes Nixon. “In addition to creating uniquely spacious aparthotel rooms in this magnificent space, we set out to identify an F&B operator that could bring the vast ground floor space alive by offering something truly unique to the Manchester market as well as our guests.” Seamlessly stitching itself into the cultural fabric of the neighbourhood, it is best defined as a multi-purpose, all-day hub for eating, drinking, working and socialising, the likes of which exist in cities such as London, but not so much in Manchester. Run by restauranteurs David Waddington and Pablo Flack, the minds behind East London eatery Bistroteque and Ace Hotel London hangout Hoi Polloi, Cultureplex boasts a dynamic events programme as well as luxury gym BLOK, private function rooms, and its own little cinema – ‘Mini Cini’, if you will. For eating, drinking and lounging, there are three main spaces: Klatch – an artisanal coffee counter; Bistroteque – the northern foil of the original Bethnal Green institution; and the Lounge – a central space with a standalone bar and communal tables. Heading Cultureplex’s interior design was Loren Daye, founder of New York design studio Love is Enough. Daye took cues from Hoi Polloi to create a ground floor design that harmonises with the building’s industrial underpinnings and is adorned with a neutral colour palette, terracotta features, plenty of foliage and a mix of caramel-coloured and dark grey seating. For Archer Humphryes, uniting the ground floor with the apartments above was crucial, and so the firm opted to introduce a glazed screen at first floor level providing sightlines up to the sky lights. “This allows for the building to be appreciated both in The ground-floor space – known as Cultureplex – is a multi-purpose, all-day hub for eating, drinking, working and socialising© Felix Mooneeram

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092height and depth,” David Archer, co-founder of Archer Humphryes notes. “And for visitors to see, at once, the hotel atrium, and the ground floor activities bathed in the gentle northern light from above.” Perhaps the most impressive feature, the atrium exposes the building’s metal structure, which has charmingly been painted in a light blue shade, and also provides a glimpse into the goings-on of Cultureplex below.In defining the layout of the apartments, one of the key ideas was to reverse the arrangement of living and sleeping accommodation, allowing the living areas to have windows with city views, direct daylight and a greater amount of wall area left with the original exposed bricks and jack arches above. The room count has also significantly increased from the former property to provide greater flexibility. “The aim was to allow rooms to be let together to provide larger living spaces as well as individual studios and one bedrooms being arranged off shared lobbies to allow groups of rooms to be taken by families, friends or colleagues,” continues Archer. The room sizes are still generous compared to industry norms, ranging from a mix of studios, one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom penthouses – the latter complete with mezzanine levels and private terraces – each unit lending a distinctly homely feel. Modelled off the wave of loft-living concepts developed in metropolitan cities over the last 40 years, in which industrial buildings are re-purposed with open-plan layouts, Native Manchester fuses style with comfort. “We developed the brief around the quality of one’s environment within a domestic setting,” Archer explains. “We wanted it to be as inviting as a home environment.” Solid, parquet flooring, comfortable beds and bespoke furniture supplied by Conran appear alongside vibrant velvet textures, lighting by Marset, fully furnished blue and brass kitchenettes and black and grey bathrooms – creating an interior scheme which oozes style without being excessive.Growing rapidly to meet market demand, Native’s portfolio has expanded significantly over the last few years and shows no sign of slowing. With further developments planned across the UK, the operator will continue to work with industry leading designers and architects to create boutique aparthotels that allow guests to feel like true natives of the city they’re in.EXPRESS CHECK-OUTOwner: Ares ManagementDeveloper: Styles & WoodOperator: NativeArchitecture: Archer HumphryesInterior Design: Archer Humphryes, Love is Enough (Cultureplex)www.nativemanagement.co.uk

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095As the UK’s most visited city outside London, Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of the most attractive spots for hotel investment in Europe. In recent years, the number of overnight tourists has soared, leading to rapid growth, and notably, diversification, of its accommodation offer. Adding to the mix of B&Bs and guesthouses, new lifestyle brands, design-led aparthotels and even a floating hotel have opened their doors, and now, the city is home to Scotland’s first Design Hotels member. Occupying a prime spot close to Waverley Station, Market Street Hotel is a new addition to Carlton Hotel Collection, a subsidiary of Foundation Group along with Glendola Leisure, which operates a number of bars, restaurants and nightclubs across the UK. The parent company was founded by Peter Salussolia in 1972, and takes pride in the individuality and sense of place of each of its 12 hotels, which range from a sensitively converted abbey in Brussels, to a sports-club-with-rooms in the Dutch town of Mierlo. “We call our hotels local heroes,” explains Christa van Camp, Sales Director at Carlton Hotel Collection, who helps develop new concepts for the group having worked with them for over 20 years. “All properties in the group have their own identity based on location, environment and local history,” she continues. “With Market Street Hotel, we wanted to create a new local hero, where location and history offer renewed relevance to guests, resulting in a contemporary hotel with a Scottish twist.”The property’s location – on the border between old town and new – called for a solution that would harmonise with the architectural greats that still stand, yet also speak of a developing city. And so, JM Architects was brought in to transform a derelict site into a new, eight-storey building that would integrate into the streetscape and protect the historic Edinburgh skyline. Following a rigorous analysis of the materials, proportions and geometries of the surroundings, the firm designed a contemporary structure clad in Market Street HotelEDINBURGH Design Hotels welcomes its first member property in Scotland, where contemporary interiors with a local twist take centrestage. Words: Catherine Martin Photography: © Robert Rieger

096traditional sandstone crowned by a folded rooftop of dark whinstone and glass. The materials, both here and throughout the hotel, are predominantly from Scottish sources, and quite often have a tale to tell. The cracked walls in the entrance lobby for example nod to the dried earth of the city’s former lochs, while the sandstone of the façade was quarried from within 90 miles of the site, ensuring a close geological match with the famous Craigleith stone used to build Edinburgh Castle and nearby Holyrood Palace. “The hotel is steeped in history yet reflects the forward-thinking nature of Edinburgh,” van Camp confirms. “The design scheme is inspired by local features and traditions reinvented in new ways, such as the Celtic imagery used in the hotel logo, or the individually designed tartans from a local weaving shop.”For the interiors, Carlton Hotel Collection once again turned to FG Stijl, having previously collaborated with the team on the design of The Dominican in Brussels, also a member of Design Hotels. “The brief for Market Street was to create a destination hotel in the heart of the city, with a strong connection to local craftsmanship and the area’s history,” explains the studio’s founder, Colin Finnegan. Delving into the archives, Finnegan found that the hotel sits on the site of the former Nor’ Loch, a marsh at the foot of Castle Rock that was once part of the natural defence of the old town. “We wanted to create a protective, almost fortress-like feeling within the hotel,” he notes. “The ruggedness of the landscape was a key inspiration together with the pure materials of Scotland.”This ruggedness can be seen in the coarse stone feature walls in the guestrooms, almost an exact match for the rocky crags beneath the castle, while tartans have been woven into the scheme in a variety of ways. Some applications are immediately noticeable, such as in the soft furnishings and headboards; others are more subtle, like the oak flooring, laid to mimic the chequered pattern. There are other local references too, including artwork depicting Edinburgh Castle and Nor’ Loch as it was in the 1500s, and the floating fireplaces in the lobby, their descending height symbolising the first five notes of Flower of Scotland, the unofficial national anthem. Guestrooms meanwhile are a break from the norm, almost Scandinavian in style with minimalist, clean The champagne lounge features a variety of seating options to suit every occasion

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098lines and plenty of exposed timber. Solid surfaces in stone, glazed brick and oak – including sliding shutters in place of curtains – create a modern version of a Scottish fortress, while Arte’s Enigma 3D foam wallcoverings, soft wool upholstery and signature lighting add warmth. The 89 rooms come in a variety of configurations, from the entry-level Cozy rooms to the spacious Alba Suite with a bathtub, fireplace and private outdoor terrace. All are designed with an ante-bathroom, in which the vanity area is separated from the WC and shower to become part of the guestroom, and rightly so – the striking grey marble basins are a feature in themselves. The hotel’s crowning glory is of course its champagne lounge, perched over the city up on the top floor along with check-in, where arriving guests are treated to a glass of fizz while the formalities are taken care of. Named Nor’ Loft in honour of the former loch, the spacious lounge has been designed to take full advantage of its lofty location, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views across towards the new town and a roof terrace for al fresco dining. There’s a few cosy corners too, and a variety of seating options to suit every occasion, from Arne Jacobsen’s Drop Chairs to perch on while tucking in to a hearty Scottish breakfast, to wingback armchairs for lounging post-afternoon tea. Rather than a full service restaurant, Carlton Hotel Collection has opted for a small plates menu, with dishes such as locally-sourced Ayrshire Pork Belly, Tweed Valley Flat Iron Steak, and of course oysters, to accompany the wide selection of champagnes on offer. While Nor’ Loft is undoubtedly an indulgent experience, the concept is intentionally accessible to all. Champagnes start at £9-a-glass while the sharing plates are priced at around £6-9 per dish. It’s a savvy move in a hospitality market that’s becoming increasingly competitive, and one that will surely keep guests coming back for more.EXPRESS CHECK-OUTOwner / Operator: Carlton Hotel CollectionArchitecture: JM ArchitectsInterior Design: FG Stijl in collaboration with Glintmeijer Design StudioGraphic Design: Guido de JongProcurement: Project FF&EMain Contractor: ISGFit-Out: SharkeyProject Manager: Leaskwww.carlton.nl

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