DESIGN POD

Episode 50: Grant Woodrow – into the Wilderness

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On this episode of DESIGN POD, Sophie Harper speaks to Grant Woodrow, Chief Business Development Officer at Wilderness from the wilds of Botswana to hear more about the luxury safari company’s ethos and sustainability credentials, including its community initiatives and all-round good vibes…

Founded in Botswana over 40 years ago, Wilderness harnesses its hospitality business to drive transformative, lasting change, guided by its Impact pillars – Educate, Empower, and Protect. In addition to training and skills development, job creation and numerous conservation and community empowerment efforts in the region, Wilderness remains committed to growing its positive impact on the national economy through conservation tourism.

Wilderness Botswana employs more than 1,100 people, of whom 96% are citizens. Over the past decade, Wilderness has paid more than BWP1 billion in wages, stimulating local economies, particularly in the Ngamiland and Chobe districts. This has also generated significant payroll tax revenue, with BWP12 million collected in the 2023 fiscal year and BWP92 million over ten years, plus an additional BWP5.7 million in training levies. Additionally, Wilderness has invested in staff development, with 1,434 employees trained in accredited BQA in-house courses from 2017 to 2022; these programmes align with the national qualification framework, while developing both technical skills and leadership potential.

Wilderness also supports community development through annual payments of nearly BWP8 million for the use of local concessions, adding up to BWP63 million over the last decade. In addition to its business and employment impact, Wilderness has made significant philanthropic contributions. During the Covid pandemic, Wilderness distributed over 9,000 food parcels to local communities, equating to nearly 350 tonnes, which effectively reached around 37,000 people in northern Botswana.

The company’s educational impact is demonstrated through its flagship Children in the Wilderness (CITW) programme, which aims to ensure conservation through education and leadership development. Since inception, CITW has hosted 2,100 children on their annual eco-camps at Wilderness and partner property lodges, and continues to empower nearly 2,700 children via its Eco-Clubs. Furthering its commitment to education, two new classrooms have been constructed in Eretsha Primary School, and the premises have been fenced as part of a BWP1.9 million project, ensuring a safer and more conducive learning environment. These efforts demonstrate an ongoing dedication to fostering educational development and creating lasting benefits for local communities.

Wilderness’ conservation efforts are integral to its mission, with its Protect pillar emphasising that the quality of its tourism products and the sustainability of its business relies on the health of the habitats and wildlife they depend on. To enhance and safeguard these resources, the primary conservation contribution from Wilderness comes through payments to community and government landlords for land and wildlife concessions. Over the past decade, these payments total BWP269 million, with BWP38.5 million paid in FY23 alone.

Since 2012, Wilderness has implemented Group Environmental Management Systems (GEMS) to minimise environmental impacts from operations and to guide the development, operation, and decommissioning of camps. Camp management, staff, and contractors use GEMS as a standard, with bi-annual evaluations. Wilderness has set a five-year goal of 80% compliance, which was achieved, and now aims for 85% compliance, while currently at 81%.

Wilderness is a world-leading conservation and hospitality company, offering immersive journeys to a range of environments in Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Wilderness is part of a global collective working to conserve the world’s iconic unfenced, untamed and unpredictable wilderness areas. With more than 60 exceptional camps and lodges, Wilderness helps protect some 2.3 million hectares (6 million acres) of land across its eight African destinations. Its goal – to double that by 2030. Four decades on, the company’s purpose is stronger than ever: To increase the world’s wilderness, together.

Having been lucky enough to visit three safari sites in beautiful Botswana with the incredible Wilderness team in 2024, Sophie Harper caught up with Chief Business Development Officer, Grant Woodrow to find out how the business began and why its strong community ethics shapes the brand. Listen to the podcast now to hear the interview.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs, the digital platform for all things design within the hospitality industry. This series is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, your experts for tried and tested system solutions for the installation of tiles and natural stone, is produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper – the editor of Hotel Designs.

Episode 49: Fettle, the transatlantic design studio with Andy Goodwin and Tom Parker

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On this episode of DESIGN POD, Sophie Harper speaks to Fettle Founders Andy Goodwin and Tom Parker from their studios in London and LA to hear about the perks and practicalities of working across continents…

Founded in 2015 by friends and colleagues Andy Goodwin and Tom Parker, Fettle is a boutique interior design studio specialising in hospitality design.

Hailing from Reading, England, Tom pursued Interior Architecture at Oxford Brookes University. He gained experience working at United Designers and later at Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS), including a tenure in their New York office.

Originating from Matlock in Derbyshire, England, Andy studied Interior Architecture at Nottingham Trent University. He also worked at United Designers and MBDS.

Recognising their strengths as collaborators, Tom and Andy formed Fettle, and saw the benefits of having bases in two continents and have been a transatlantic business ever since.

Having added their unique touch to some exceptional projects internationally, Tom and Andy talk about their experiences working on The Georgian, Santa Monica; Le Jardin de Verre, Paris; San Carlo (Liverpool and London), and Cicchetti, London.

Listen to the podcast to hear more about how the duo got started and for an insight into what’s next for the studio.

 

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs, the digital platform for all things design within the hospitality industry. This series is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, your experts for tried and tested system solutions for the installation of tiles and natural stone, is produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper – the editor of Hotel Designs.

Episode 48: Redesigning Historic Buildings with Tom Thorogood

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On this episode of DESIGN POD, Sophie Harper catches up with her good friend Tom Thorogood, Partner and Co-Head of Interiors at Studio Moren, to find out the secret to designing interiors that are fit for a contemporary hotel set within the confines of a historic building.

With almost two decades of experience designing luxury hotel projects, Tom is involved in all aspects of design from concept through to completion and leads Studio Moren’s design team in delivering projects that exceed their client’s expectations.

Tom’s experience in luxury hospitality design is vast, and here he tells Sophie about starting out in the industry and working at RPW and MBDS prior to his current role at Studio Moren. He talks about his past and current work on historic properties and shares his appreciation of the unique details and opportunities these buildings bring to a luxury hospitality project. Last year saw the opening of one of his most recent projects: Hyde London City, and he is currently working on the refurbishment of a grade 2 listed luxury hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, a grade 2 listed luxury hotel in Fitzrovia, and two new build luxury resorts in Portugal.

Listen now to find out more about the projects Tom is currently working on – and what advice he’d give his younger self…

 

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs, the digital platform for all things design within the hospitality industry. This series is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, your experts for tried and tested system solutions for the installation of tiles and natural stone, is produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper – the editor of Hotel Designs.

Episode 46: 40 Years in the Making – David Collins Studio with Lewis Taylor

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During this episode of DESIGN POD, sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd,  Lewis Taylor, Design Director at David Collins Studio, talks to Sophie Harper about everything design – from cherished projects to team dynamics, and the ongoing achievements on the studio as it approaches its 40th anniversary…

Founded by David Collins and Iain Watson in 1985, David Collins Studio attracts and fosters industry-leading interior designers. United by an obsession with detail, a team of 60 interior designers sit across commercial, residential, and FF&E teams.

Since Collins’ death in 2013, co-founder Iain Watson leads the Studio as CEO. The Studio’s creative vision is led by Simon Rawlings, and closely supported by Design Director Lewis Taylor.

As Design Director of David Collins Studio, Lewis has led the design and delivery of the Studio’s hospitality and retail projects including the Alexander McQueen and Jimmy Choo worldwide store roll-outs, projects for Harrods, David Morris, McQ, Louis Leeman, Pret A Manger and de Grisogono and most recently Cunard’s latest luxury cruise ship, the Queen Anne. He works closely with Creative Director Simon Rawlings, ensuring that Simon’s creative vision is realised and oversees each element of the design and delivery process.

Since joining David Collins Studio in 2006, Lewis has tackled an increasingly global scope of projects. “The Alexander McQueen store roll-out was one of the most memorable,” he says. “Each of the 50 stores channels the same design concept – the signature element being a large-scale carved wax panel – yet each is unique. The New York store has double-height ceilings, Tokyo is edgier, while some of the stores were created on much smaller budgets while maintaining the core aesthetic elements. It was both creatively challenging and extremely rewarding.”

Lewis has a particular passion for the FF&E aspect of his work, having started out as a furniture designer – a passion for beautifully made furnishings instilled from an early age with visits to his grandfather’s antique shop. He studied for his BA in Product & Furniture Design at De Montford University and while showing his graduation work at New Designers, was invited to bring in his portfolio by a member of the David Collins Studio team. He was immediately offered a job and started on a part-time basis while studying for his Masters in Design Products at the Royal College of Art (under Ron Arad, in his valedictory year as professor). Lewis eventually joined The Studio full-time in 2008, working closely with David Collins on a variety of projects.

 

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Episode 45: The UK Hospitality Industry: The Lay of the Land with Harry Harris

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During this episode of DESIGN POD, sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, Harry Harris, Managing Director at SUSD, talks to Sophie Harper about the changes he’s seen in the hospitality industry over the years and gives us his opinion on the investment market and disruptors affecting the current hospitality landscape in the , UK…

An architect by training and an entrepreneur in spirit, Harry Harris is a developer and advisor to investors active in the hospitality, co-living/coworking, senior living and residential sectors in London and further afield.

Harry had tremendous success as the developer of The Curtain Hotel in London’s Shoreditch. A new-build hotel, it was conceived as a response to contemporary lifestyles. The Curtain comprised hotel, restaurants, members club, coworking spaces and a rooftop bar and pool together with a strong focus on live performance and music curated to attract the neighbourhood artists and creatives. In 2018, just 18 months after The Curtain launched, Harry successfully sold the hotel to the Reuben Brothers and the hotel was rebranded as Mondrian Shoreditch, and this summer rebranded again with new operators to become the first Virgin Hotels London.

More recently, Harry and his team at SUSD worked on the acclaimed The BoTree in Marylebone and is currently working with Cale Street Partners on the redevelopment of The Park Tower Hotel, Knightsbridge. He has completed several co-living ventures with Cheyne Capital/The Collective and the latest development, in Maida Vale, is now on-site. In Fulham, another project completed by the SUSD team, luxury retirement apartments Riverstone Living, a Cheyne Capital/Goldman Sachs backed scheme, is receiving its first residents, and Harry and team have most recently been appointed on the Lazari Investments backed mixed-use redevelopment of Fenwicks of Bond Street.

Hear Harry talk about his experience and projects, and the challenges the industry has had to overcome, as well as finding out what he thinks about the security of the current market.

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Hamish Brown, 1508 London

Episode 44: Growing a Successful Design Studio with Hamish Brown

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In the second episode of series 6 of DESIGN POD, sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper chats to Hamish Brown, Partner and Business Development & Marketing Director, 1508 London, about the key elements that have enabled 1508 to grow into the successful design business it is today…

Having been involved since 1508 London’s inception, Hamish has been pivotal to the growth of the company and has championed the studio’s expansion from private residential into multi-unit developments and hospitality, helping 1508 London become one the world’s most revered architecture and interior design studios. As an Interior Architect, Hamish’s ability to understand every facet of the design process ensures he is perfectly positioned to help support clients throughout their journey at 1508 London. His profound commitment to clients’ experiences has installed a dedication to the creation of timeless, elegant spaces of the highest quality, all of which are informed by a unique narrative, grounded in functionality with no one set style.

In this episode, Hamish tells Sophie how 1508 has grown from a small UK business to an international success by being flexible and open to ideas, embracing the cultural differences and expertise that comes with an expanding global team.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Greg Keffer speaks to Sophie Harper about integrating wellness into design

Episode 43: Integrating Wellbeing into Design with Greg Keffer

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In the first episode of our latest DESIGN POD series, sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper gets to talk to Rockwell Group Partner and Studio Leader, Greg Keffer, about injecting elements of wellbeing into different hospitality settings, and the impact wellness inclusion has for hotel projects.

Greg Keffer, AIA, LEED AP, is a Partner and Studio Leader at Rockwell Group where he leads multiple design studios and manages the firm’s Madrid office. He works on a wide range of projects including hospitality, retail, residential, and workplace, while adding new typologies to the firm’s portfolio. Greg’s combined strengths in architecture and interiors have allowed him to develop innovative and holistic design solutions for an international roster of clients including Marriott, Nobu Hospitality, Accor, Related Companies, Union Square Hospitality Group, and sbe.

Since joining Rockwell Group in 2012, Greg has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the firm through design and management excellence. In 2017, David Rockwell appointed Greg to Partner—the second partner in the firm’s history. As Partner, Greg has taken the lead in developing a firmwide structure and culture that better supports the firm’s designers in doing their best and most creative work.

As the critical link between New York and Madrid, Greg has helped accelerate the growth of the Madrid office. He established a structure for the Madrid office that enables more frequent and consistent collaboration with Rockwell Group’s New York designers and more seamlessly provides the Madrid staff with firmwide support and resources.  Under his leadership, the Madrid and New York offices have completed Nobu Hotel Barcelona, and the Madrid team is currently working on Spain’s first JW Marriott in Madrid, W Naples, the Seda Club Hotel in Granada, the Miraval Monte de Málaga, and a new SLS project in Barcelona.

With wellness tourism being the en vogue topic, I asked Greg how much of a consideration guest wellbeing is within hotel design, and he explained that it’s been a key aspect of hotel design for far longer than it being a trend.

Adding to this, we discussed the different ways in which a hotel without spa facilities can still offer wellness touchpoints, where even the subtlest additions can make all the difference, and whether sustainability counts as a measure of wellbeing.

Listen now to hear the full conversation.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. Series 6 is sponsored by Schlüter-Systems Ltd, produced by Kevin Lines and hosted by Sophie Harper.

 

Main image credit: Stephen K. Mack

Oscar Lucien Ono talks about the inspiration behind his design work in the latest episode of DESIGN POD

Episode 42: Inspiration Translated into Design with Oscar Lucien Ono

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In the last episode of series five of DESIGN POD, sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper talks to Oscar Lucien Ono, Founder and Director, Maison Numéro 20, about the influence of art and history in his design work and how he took an opportunity 20 years ago that formed the basis of his success today…

Oscar Lucien Ono describes his early forays into the design world as instinctive and fortuitous, driven by a love of art and a good eye for pairing colours and objects together. Not officially trained in design, Oscar learnt his trade on the job, having taken a leap of faith 20 years ago. Ten years later, Oscar had learnt enough to found his own studio, Maison Numéro 20.

Inspired by 20th century interior designers like Pierre Chareau, Oscar brings his own interior architecture expertise and creative flair to projects in which custom-made is paramount. Hotels, large residences, restaurants, and bars around the world have been the subjects of Oscar and his team’s design work with a focus on immersion and timelessness. The studio is made up of the talents of a team of architects, decorators, space designers, graphic designers as well as experts in hospitality.

 

You can catch Oscar at this year’s installation of EquipHotel Paris on 3rd – 7th November:

For the first time ever, EquipHotel has created a space designed as a mini-museum to play host to four designers and their take on the perfect seat for conversing, talking and sharing. That’s why the new Inspiration Gallery is featuring a new exhibition called “Confidences pour confidences”, giving carte blanche to four talents to showcase four tête-à-têtes (also known as conversation benches) in four different 30 square metre settings. Designer Fanny Perrier, architect Marco Lavit, interior architect Oscar Ono and the creative duo Marthe Simon & Paul Peller took part and set their tête-à-tête chairs in a winter garden, a dressing room, a salon and a space designed as a spa lobby, creating a way to show a piece of furniture differently by focusing on the experience.

Conversation is also at the heart of interior architect Oscar Ono’s design. His “Disco Bathroom” transports visitors into an undefinable space that’s part bar, part bathroom, part boudoir, part dressing room, all punctuated by creations made using traditional know-how and others using recycled plastic 3D printing, because the world is changing and so are practices.

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Emma King speaks to Sophie Harper about Implementing Sustainable Measures as Brand Standard

Episode 41: Implementing Sustainable Measures as Brand Standard with Emma King

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In the seventh episode of series five of DESIGN POD, sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper chats to Emma King, Head of Premium, Luxury, and Lifestyle Design – Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, about the changes the hotel company is making to its brand standards to ensure each of its hotel rooms is as sustainable as possible, from collaborating with external companies to forming its own Green Team!

Leading InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Design team in Europe, Emma King is responsible for the design, development and product quality of all new openings and refurbishments. Having been instrumental in developing new brand standards and design handbooks for IHG and taking a closer look at the products and materials used within their projects, Emma tells us how she and her team are working towards a more sustainable future.

 

 

From working with external companies such as MindClick and We Want More, to placing more responsibility on internal teams to find more sustainable solutions, Emma tells us how IHG is making waves to ensure their sustainable commitment is not only met, but shared with other hotel operators to help the industry as a whole.

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Andre Straja talks about creating the perfect vision

Episode 40: Creating the Perfect Vision with Andre Straja

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In the sixth episode of series five of DESIGN POD, sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper catches up with Founder and Principal at Goring and Straja (GaS) Studio, Andre Straja, about the mechanics of crafting and delivering the perfect design vision – especially when reality kicks in…

Andre Straja describes himself as a ‘cultural chameleon and professional immigrant’ – born in Romania, he then moved to Quebec, then Texas, then California before going back to his European roots and settling in Milan.

He brings logic and acute understanding of what makes a luxury experience to his designs, and in this episode he talks about the reality of delivering that all-important five-star experience where landscape plays a major role in the hotel architecture.

Straja talks about one of the studio’s recent projects, Casa di Langa, in Piedmont, Italy and the intricacies of the design and impact of the site.

He tells us more about his career and his views on the design world in general, believing if we want to know what’s in store for the future of design, we should refer to the past…

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

 

 

 

Tina Norden speaks to Sophie Harper about Experiential Design on the latest DESIGN POD podcast

Episode 39: Experiential Design with Tina Norden

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In the fifth show of series five of DESIGN POD, sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper catches up with Partner and Principal at Conran and Partners, Tina Norden, about the logistics of working on global projects and creating experiential hospitality design that appeals to tourists and locals alike…

A well-known personality in the design industry, Tina tells us about her evolving role from architecture to design through to her current role as partner at Conran and Partners and how she’s excited to see her peers’ careers unfold.

Her design knowledge and understanding of the human condition has contributed to her natural ability to sculpt hospitality environments that offer guests an all-encompassing hotel experience.

Listen now to hear Tina talk about working closely with clients to really get under the skin of their target market and showcase the visual expression of the brand, as well as incorporating each project’s locality to add depth and immersion.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Nicholas Oakwell speak to Hotel Designs about Fashion's Affinity with Hospitality for DESIGN POD

Episode 38: Fashion’s Affinity with Hospitality with Nicholas Oakwell

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In the fourth show of series five of DESIGN POD, sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper talks to Creative Director and Founder of NO Uniform, Nicholas Oakwell, about his career and the inspiration behind his unique clothing collections designed specifically for the hospitality sector.

Ahead of the opening of the brand-new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London, we caught up with Nicholas Oakwell, who designed the team’s wardrobe to honour the hotel brand’s Asian heritage while keeping the styling modern and respectful of its surroundings.

Having started his career in millinery and gone on to launch his own couture design label, Nicholas didn’t anticipate the swerve ball that led him to establish No Uniform, a bespoke clothing design service that now dresses the teams at the most exclusive hotels in the world.

 

 

Listen now to hear about some of No Uniform’s most notable project collections, from Raffles and Fairmont Doha, to Rosewood London, and Nobu Portman Square. Talking about the complexities of fabric choices to ensure durability and practicality, Nicholas explains that one of the most important aspects of his designs are that they wholeheartedly represent the hotel brand – as well as making the team feel fabulous whilst wearing them!

 

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

 

Main image credit: NOUNIFORM

Louis Thompson talks about Unconventional Design on episode 37 of DESIGN POD

Episode 37: Unconventional Design with Louis Thompson

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In the third show of series five of DESIGN POD, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper chats to Nomadic Resorts Founder, Louis Thompson, about his ideas on unconventional design and how he applies different forms of architecture and craftsmanship to some truly unique hotel projects.

A true believer in creating experiences that enhance a guest’s stay and that complement the local surroundings, Louis Thompson thinks so far out of the box, it makes you question why there was even the option of a box in the first place.

Talking about customer demand for more interesting and adventurous hotels and resorts, Louis tells us about the projects he has worked on and why going back to basics is key to making unique experiences that are in harmony with and utilise their natural settings.

Here he unravels his thought process and the research that goes into creating some of the most stunning hospitality projects in the world which, as it turns out, are built in a more conventional way than stereotypical developments.

Listen now to hear about Nomadic Resorts‘ projects, including a restaurant in the Maldives made in the form of a stingray and constructed from bamboo, and  a completely accessible luxury development in Fiji.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Main image credit: Nomadic Resorts

Episode 36: Creating Timeless Design with Tatiana Shevleva

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On the second show of series 5 of DESIGN POD, Sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper talks to Tatiana Sheveleva, from Chapi Chapo Design Inc., about creating timeless design within an ever-changing landscape and Tatiana tells us about some of her latest design projects…

Tatiana Sheveleva comes from a diverse background that has shaped where she is today. Moving to the United States of America opened her eyes to interior design, where she made a massive career move to be part of the beauty she saw in front of her.

She talks about the definition of luxury and what that meant to her, and how we can use timeless details to bring together design, both in interiors and in fashion. If it’s not comfortable and it’s not beautiful, it’s not timeless design. We discuss how to bring timeless design to multiple generations, especially in a world that moves as fast as ours does today.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Main image credit: Tatiana Sheveleva

Jacu Strauss, Creative Director, Lore Group

Episode 35: Storytelling in Design with Jacu Strauss

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On the first show of series 5 of DESIGN POD, Sponsored by EquipHotel, Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper talks to Jacu Strauss, Creative Director at LORE Group, about the storytelling process of hotel design to get a better understanding of how forming a narrative directly impacts the guest experience…

Jacu Strauss is, by his own admission, a serial country dweller and culture seeker… this has opened his eyes to a number of fascinating local communities and the stories to which they relate – which is why he considers storytelling such an integral part of the design process for hotel projects.

Speaking about the storied design projects he has directed, Jacu tells us how he lived in Amsterdam to soak up the local atmosphere whilst working on Pulitzer Amsterdam and in the ‘States whilst working on Riggs Washington DC.

He describes the buildings’ historic relevance and the stories already imbedded within their walls, and what his go-to is when a building doesn’t offer up immediate inspiration.

We also discuss the features that make a hotel special and memorable, and how in turn that makes its staff and guests feel. Storytelling is, after all, an inherently human trait of connection and familiarity offering a sense of intrigue and experience whilst giving us a level of safety and comfort.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by EquipHotel, produced by Kevin Lines, and hosted by Sophie Harper.

Main image credit: LORE Group

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Episode 34: unconventional narratives in design

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Episode 34: unconventional narratives in design

The final episode of series four of DESIGN POD, sponsored by Geberit, welcomes John Williams, Founding Director of SpaceInvader Design, to discuss creating meaningful, unconventional narratives in design…

John Williams headshot for DESIGN POD

Meet John Williams, an interior designer based in Manchester who is the Founding Director of SpaceInvader Design, a studio with a single-minded purpose: to transform the way organisations use space and motivate people through their environment.

With this approach, John and his team have created some impressive – and unconventional – design narratives, which Editor Hamish Kilburn explores on this episode of DESIGN POD.

As well as taking a look at the people and projects that have helped to define SpaceInvader Design as a leading interior design studio, including WILDES Chester, Tribe Hotel Malta and Oddfellows on the Park Cheadle in Manchester and Stock Exchange Hotel Manchester, the episode also throws it back to Williams’ somewhat unorthodox launch into the industry as a studio owner.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by Geberit, produced by Mel Yates and hosted by Hamish Kilburn.

Great Plains Dereck Joubert with camera

Episode 31: design through a filmmaker’s lens (Dereck Joubert)

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Episode 31: design through a filmmaker’s lens (Dereck Joubert)

In episode 31 of DESIGN POD, Editor Hamish Kilburn strips back the layers to understand how two National Geographic wildlife filmmakers and photographers, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, have designed luxury safari camps in harmony with the natural world…

Great Plains Dereck Joubert with camera

Welcome to Africa, where nature unapologetically rules! In episode 31 of DESIGN POD, Editor Hamish Kilburn meets Dereck Joubert, a wildlife photographer and filmmaker who for his whole life, while working with the likes of National Geographic, has campaigned to protect wildlife conservation in Africa.

To part-fund his and his wife Beverly’s selfless journey, they created Great Plains, a cluster of luxury safari camps dotted across the continent. But these aren’t just any camps. Each one tells a different story through design and has its own raw personality.

The considered approach at the start of each development always starts the same; with Dereck and Beverly camping out under the stars, exposed to the elements, in order to take conscious steps to ensure that each property, deliberately designed to feel ‘semi-permanent’ – works with and not just in nature’s spectacular setting. “The way we design was to limit impact on environment,” Dereck says. “I also wanted to convey a sense on impermanence. I wanted to give a sense that we, all of our guests are temporary here. We are here for a moment. We are visitors to landscapes like this.”

Redefining luxury through the filmmaker’s lens, Dereck and Beverly’s social approach to luxury travel has resulted in Great Plains African safari experiences in Botswana, Kenya and now Zimbabwe. And it doesn’t stop there. The husband-and-wife team are committed not only to wildlife conservation in Africa, but, through many charities and initiatives launched and nurtured by Dereck and Beverly themselves, they also work tirelessly to offer and promote equal opportunities for those living and working in and around their camps. This took on a whole new meaning after one incident, sensitively explored on the podcast episode, that Beverly fighting for her life in hospital.

DESIGN POD is brought to you by Hotel Designs. This series is sponsored by Geberit, produced by Mel Yates and hosted by Hamish Kilburn.

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Episode 27: Sustainability in materials (Richard Holland)

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Episode 27: Sustainability in materials (Richard Holland)

Meet Richard Holland, Co-Founder and Director of Holland Harvey Architects, who is pioneering a new era in socially and environmentally designed buildings. Some of the studio’s recent projects, explored in this episode of DESIGN POD, are, put simply, changing the game in this new chapter of meaningful hospitality, design and architecture.

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In episode 27 of DESIGN POD (the first episode in series four), sponsored by Geberit and produced by Mel Yates, Editor Hamish Kilburn welcomes Richard Holland, Co-Founder and Director of Holland Harvey Architects, on the podcast to explore the significance of materials when having a sustainable approach to hotel design. To contextualise this, Kilburn starts the episode by asking Holland about how his ‘free architecture’ concept led to the creation of the socially and environmentally driven architecture studio, before exploring some of the projects that, put simply, change the game in the conscious hotel and hospitality arena.

Listen to the full episode here:

InHabit Hotels, is a fine example of this, which is a cluster of socially connected, environmentally responsible hotels. Holland Harvey Architects together with the interior designers at Caitlin Henderson Design were on the design team from when the brand launched its first hotel in 2019, in Paddington, London. The confident mindset from the client allowed the design team at the studio to, well, design deeper by applying research and finding unconventional ways to retain materials existing buildings, while not taking anything away from the contemporary Scandinavian-meets-British design aesthetic.

 

In addition to discussing how the story of Inhabit Hotels developed through conscious approaches in both design and architects, and understanding how this developed further in Inhabit Hotels’ second property, Holland and Kilburn discuss greenwashing, materials and putting emphasis on the social aspect of ESG in hotel design.

Inhabit London Queens Garden

Image credit: Inhabit Hotels

Outside the hotel arena, the studio recently completed a project for Shelter From The Storm (SFTS), a London-based homeless shelter that provides 42 beds, fresh food and holistic support to its guests. “Every single space had to be considered with a particular mindset, which myself and my colleagues did not understand at first,” Holland says on the podcast. “We very much leant on the founder to help us understand what the experience meant, what the challenges were and how design could soften the impact of finding yourself in this situation, arriving at the shelter and finding the space and time to rehabilitate yourself to leave the shelter, which is the ultimate goal.”

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Ivaylo Lefterov Svart DESIGN POD

Episode 20: Energy-positive hotels (Ivaylo Lefterov)

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Episode 20: Energy-positive hotels (Ivaylo Lefterov)

In episode 20 of DESIGN POD, Editor Hamish Kilburn catches up with Ivaylo Lefterov, inside the Minotti London showroom, to understand how his plan is coming along to develop the world’s first energy-positive hotel, which sits under a glacier in Norway…

Ivaylo Lefterov Svart DESIGN POD

Ever since Hotel Designs heard the first whispers of the project – and its ambitious aims – the publication has been engaged and excited to follow the development of Svart, which in 2024, is slated to become the world’s first energy-positive hotel. Whether its the curvaceous architecture, iconic location, striking interior design scheme, its eco-conscious attitude, or all of the above, Svart which will be operated by Six Senses Hotels and Resorts, is going to break new boundaries on the global hotel design and hospitality scene. And the man pulling together all element to ensure it hits all the right notes is Ivaylo Lefterov, who caught up with Hamish Kilburn recently to discuss how the project is coming along.

Designed structurally by Snøhetta, the 94-key Six Senses Svart will combine a futuristic design, led by interior design studio, Space Copenhagen, and technological innovation with earthy, organic materials that will use the latest embedded energy. The hotel, which will be poised on poles above the crystal-clear waters of the Holandsfjorden fjord, at the base of a glacier, aims to raise awareness of the possibilities of regenerative travel and the importance of the polar region, in partnership with the local community.

Innate to this project, and an integral part of its DNA, is the commitment not to compromise the fragile and pristine glacial surroundings or the property’s beauty and quality. The major design pillars of Six Senses Svart are environment and nature, sustainability, technological innovation, wellness and mindfulness, which have been integrated in tandem because they all directly impact each other.

Main image credit: Hotel Designs/DESIGN POD

DESIGN POD Series 2 Jo Littlefair

Episode 15: A new era of luxury design (Jo Littlefair)

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Episode 15: A new era of luxury design (Jo Littlefair)

In episode 15 of DESIGN POD, in association with Minotti London, interior designer Jo Littlefair joins the sofa discuss interior schemes, materials and projects that are shaping a new chapter of luxury in hotel design and high-end residential (scroll down to listen)…

DESIGN POD Series 2 Jo Littlefair

Jo Littlefair, who won Interior Designer of the Year in 2019 at The Brit List Awards, is the Co-Founder of Goddard Littlefair, a design studio that is unquestionably on the curve of the hotel design industry. Taking time out of her daily mission to purposefully challenge the perception of luxury in interior design, she joined Editor Hamish Kilburn and co-host Harriet Forde – virtually due to a Covid-19 curveball – to discuss the ever-evolving luxury hotel sector in 2022 and beyond.

Injecting inspiration from her travels into the studio and sharing her passion for new and exciting dining, dwelling and hospitality experiences, Littlefair’s curious and observant nature allows her to recognise emerging evolutions in consumer, industry and design trends.

Having recently completed projects such as Villa Copenhagen, The Curtain – At The Mondrian Shoreditch and The Mayfair Townhouse – while currently working on, among others, the interior design scheme inside Mandarin Oriental in Vienna and the spa inside Raffles’ first hotel in London, Littlefair and her team shelter the skillset (and passion) to make meaningful noise and intuitive impact within the hotel design and hospitality arena.

So, let’s meet her shall we?

DESIGN POD, series two, is sponsored by Minotti London. In the next episode, Kilburn and Forde chat to Ed Murray, Associate at Dexter Moren Associates, to explore fluid and boundless architecture.

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DESIGN POD Series 2 Hen'a Yadav

Episode 13: Unconventional materials in design (Hen’a Yadav)

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Episode 13: Unconventional materials in design (Hen’a Yadav)

In episode 13 of DESIGN POD, in association with Minotti London, Hamish Kilburn and Harriet Forde meet Hen’a Yadav, Principal at Studio Carter, to explore the qualities of raw and unusual materials in design and architecture…

DESIGN POD Series 2 Hen'a Yadav

Hen’a Yadav’s journey in hotel design recently moved her from LA to London. The Principal at Studio Carter’s first gig here was at HIX 2021, when she was asked to design a multi-layered hotel wellness suite concept. Her approach to design “one room with many faces”, as she described it, allowed her to explore new materials and forms, while harnessing wellbeing properties through a soft and muted design scheme.

In episode 13 of DESIGN POD, Yadav joined Hamish Kilburn and co-host Harriet Forde to explain what those materials were, and how the project gave her a deeper sense of understanding when exploring opportunities that have emerged since modern travellers started for wellness and wellbeing being enriched in the whole hospitality experience.

It’s an uncanny chain of events that led Yadav to this exact moment. She was born in Bombay, raised in Katmandu, and studied in Dubai, followed by Basel. With this unusual upbringing and paradoxical perspective on different cultures, she became curious about the various environments she lived in and how they mould us. Thus, her innate drive to study interiors led her to Montreal, to where she came with an ambition to revolutionise and rethink the word ‘lifestyle’.

After graduating, she started her career in Dubai by designing royal palaces. The opulence of that lifestyle led her to seek a role specialising in hospitality. She continued to explore different design communities and cultures by working in Hasselt, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore, quenching her creative curiosity with fabulous mentors and celebrity designers along the way.

After 18 years of this nomadic, creative journey, she has seamlessly accumulated a vast and versatile portfolio with unique set off experiences. This has now all culminated in a fabulous role in London after Los Angeles, and as a principal of a boutique, a lifestyle-driven firm called Studio Carter where she continues to spearhead the London office.

Studio Carter consists of a team of internationally based creatives that provide a personal and articulated perspective on hospitality, creativity and wellbeing. The studio commits itself to have a positive influence through holistic and timeless design. Years of experience, a highly talented team and a strong vision create a position of trust and dependability with our clients. All work starts from an artistic viewpoint, adding authentic creativity to a unique interior design. Studio Carter transfers a story into a tangible and sharable experience whilst constructing a narrative that people will be immersed in.

DESIGN POD, series two, is sponsored by Minotti London. In the next episode, Kilburn and Forde meet Guy Oliver, Co-Founder of Oliver Laws.

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