As the popularity of eco-conscious travel increases, Artiq takes a look at how hospitality brands need to re-evaluate how they engage with green practices and find creative ways of communicating their commitments to stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape…
Integrating sustainable practices into the hospitality sector can be challenging in an industry that relies heavily on international travel and consumerism. A brand that’s cracked this code is the recently launched MM:NT. The first venture in their collection of ‘consciously-crafted places to stay’, MM:NT Berlin Lab is a new, forward-thinking hospitality venture in Germany’s capital city.
Image caption: Multiple Plays by Zdenek Konvalina | Image credit: Artiq
The space is designed with sustainability and community at the forefront. Focusing on conscious hospitality, MM:NT work with repurposed spaces and regenerative materials that are already in a reuse, return and recycle sequence. With a carbon net zero mindset, their website and app are run on green energy and emissions are considered throughout the entire value chain. These sustainable practices also demonstrate the brand’s commitment to flexible and informed evolution. As it says on the website: “We know the world is not static and neither are we”.
As a brand committed to evolution, it is no surprise that MM:NT chose a progressive approach to its art. Leading the brand vision and creative strategy at MM:NT, Philippa Wagner, Founder and Creative Strategy Director at PeoplePlacesSpaces, recognised the value of art rental and identified the opportunity to collaborate with Artiq. By leasing work from emerging Berlin-based artists MM:NT found an empowering way to support their local creative community while telling authentic stories about Berlin.
Image caption: A collection by Susanne Bonowitz | Image credit: Artiq
“Hotels no longer serve the sole function of a place to sleep; they serve as access points to the location, functioning as hosts, guides, and curators of experiences,” commented Wagner. “Meaningful connections are forged through active engagement – supporting local communities is crucial for the future of hospitality, and art is an excellent way to achieve that”.
While some elements at MM:NT will be standardised globally, the art provides a unique opportunity to immerse guests in the distinctive characters and stories of the local area. This approach commits to collaborating with local artists annually, infusing the space with the distinct vibe of each location. It’s not merely about decoration; the walls at MM:NT Berlin Lab become a platform to share stories and create authentic experiences for their guests .
Image caption: Experimental Landscapes by Stefanie Schairer | Image credit: Artiq
The art collection features four emerging to mid-career artists currently active in Berlin’s creative scene including Susanne Bonowitz and Zdenek Konvalina whose colourful, abstract compositions encapsulate Berlin’s vitality and vibrancy. In opting for a leasing model, MM:NT is taking its sustainability commitments a step further than most. Today, many hotels are engaging in partnerships with local farms, suppliers, and artisans. Furnishings, toiletries, and produce are increasingly sourced from local businesses, contributing to the socio-economic well-being of the communities in which they operate. As both MM:NT and Artiq recognise, the same can be said for the art.
Art rental provides vital sustainable support across the arts ecosystem and contributes to a circular economy by rotating existing artworks into new exhibitions. Plus, it minimises carbon emissions by avoiding global art shipping and transport. The model also creates a sustainable income stream for artists, who receive regular payments that allow them the financial freedom to better invest in their own practices. For brands, it creates a unique opportunity to refresh their spaces on a regular basis and allows for events and cultural programming to occur alongside rotations.
Working with Berlin-based artists, Artiq’s collection for MM:NT connects with and responds to its immediate locale. Works are made in Berlin, about Berlin and for Berlin. As a result, the art collection becomes a window into the creative heart of the city, offers guests a unique opportunity to engage with local artists, all in a sustainable and innovative way that does good for the planet.
Artiq is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: Artiq
