Sleep Hotel, dubbed “the catwalk of hotel design”, is set to bring together some of the hotel industry’s best-known designers with several newer names that are making their mark on the sector. Kelly Hoppen, BDP, The Hickson Design Partnership and Purpose Design are headlining the event this year which challenges design companies to create a concept for an imaginary hotel working to a particularly demanding brief. These design teams will collaborate with fit-out specialists and product suppliers of their choice to build their concept for Sleep Hotel, which is staged in London’s Business Design Centre annually.This year, the brief is inspired by the widespread interest in, and nostalgia for, the 1960s, and is asking designers to ‘redesign’ a junior suite in a fictitious hotel originally built during the heyday of ‘Pop Art’, translating the radical spirit of this cultural movement into a contemporary experience that is relevant today. An exciting added dimension to Sleep Hotel 2013 is that the Barbican, London’s leading multiarts venue which will be running a major exhibition Pop Art Design between 22nd October 2013 – 9th February 2014, has joined forces with Sleep. As a result, the Barbican exhibition curator, Catherine Ince, will be selecting the winning room set at the event with fellow judges, Anthony Ingham, Starwood’s VP – Luxury and Design Brands EMEA and Conrad Smith, Managing Director of ReardonSmith Architects.
“Sleep Hotel provides a great platform for designers, with their fit-out team and suppliers, to show just how imaginative they can be,” says Conrad Smith. “As a judge last year, I was so impressed by the talent, enthusiasm and attention to detail that all the contenders demonstrated, and by the fact that the sets weren’t just showbiz. They were rooms with great ideas for real hotels”.
Nous Design is creating another much favoured room set located in the Sleep Hotel space – the bar. “We will be creating a dynamic social experience,” promises Nir Gilad, Creative Director at Nous. “Without giving too much away at this point, think taps flowing with champagne and ice trays exuding mist!”
The Sleep Hotel challenge last year was the creation of a five-star bedroom and bathroom with a meagre 23 sq m space. This stimulated a collection of highly innovative and stylish room sets, all constructed to an astonishingly high quality despite the constraint of a mere one day to set-up. The winning room was Shaded White designed by Scott Brownrigg and built by Wilmott Dixon Interiors.
Speaking of the achievement, Una Barac, Director at Scott Brownrigg, says: “It was an incredible experience and we thoroughly enjoyed the teamwork with Wilmott Dixon Interiors and an excellent set of suppliers. The marketing and profile that the practice has received following the award has been invaluable and led to some very interesting opportunities.”
Sleep Hotel is part of Sleep, Europe’s number one hotel design destination, recognised as an exponent of fresh ideas and a showcase for new products as well as a celebration of excellence in hotel architecture and design. Sleep comprises: The European Hotel Design Awards, a design and development conference and a major exhibition as well as Sleep Hotel. Together, they attract over 4,000 visitors and guests from across Europe, the Middle East and North America making Sleep the number one networking opportunity for the hotel design, development and supply community.
A Wink of Sleep
The European Hotel Design Awards Dinner – Tuesday 19th November, Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge, London
Sleep Exhibition, conference and seminars – Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st November, Business Design Centre Islington, London
Sleep Hotel awards ceremony – 7.00 pm, Wednesday 20th November at the Business Design Centre
All of Sleep, apart from the European Hotel Design Awards Dinner, is free to attend. For more information and to book, visit www.thesleepevent.com
