HIX 2023
HIX TALKS 2023: Designing the Future of Hospitality with People, Perspectives, and Progress
HIX TALKS, an innovative two-day series of panels, interviews, and discussions, and our main driver for attending the event, yet again delivered inspirational and forward thinking insights into the future of hotel design. Themed 'A Room with a Point of View,' this year's edition explored the intersection of people, perspectives, and progress in the ever-evolving landscape of hospitality.
In one of the first sessions, Local Heroes: How hyperlocal hospitality is shaking up the neighbourhood, Veerle Donders, Concept & Brand Director at Zoku, shed light on hyperlocal hospitality and its impact on neighborhoods. Zoku, a home-office hybrid, serves as a travel-friendly home base. Donders explained how this concept is shaking up the traditional hotel experience and fostering a sense of community within local neighborhoods by putting the locale at the centre of their amenity.
For Nomadland: How can hotels prepare for the future of work? VALO Hotel & Work took center stage, presenting an innovative, multi-use space and digital service concept. As the nature of work continues to evolve, hotels preparation for the future is paramount. VALO Hotel & Work is pioneering solutions to meet the needs of the modern, mobile workforce through amazing design and transformative room design.
Down in the main exhibit Furniture Fusion presented an interesting concept; Three is a Magic Number; a Collaborative Design project with three design studios joining forces to project their interpretation of the shape the future of hotel design. The 3DReid bedroom, featuring oversized bespoke headboards and bedside tables crafted from eco-friendly Agri-Panel, demonstrated a commitment to sustainability and creativity. A particularly interesting find, the eco-friendly panel product is made from highly compressed waste straw left after the harvest of crops including wheat, rice, sugarcane, or coconut.
Bell & Swift brought recycled structures and AI-generated fabrics to the forefront of their hotel design. Their lobby statement piece embodied three key principles: planet-friendly, people-friendly, and AI-friendly. AI was used to generate unique fabric designs, resulting in eye-catching pieces like a robot dog bed and futuristic sofas inspired by urban landscapes.
Among the standout products showcased, Mater and Houe, both Danish brands, stole the spotlight with a strong focus on sustainability and reuse. Houe crafts furniture from recycled everyday household plastic waste, while Mater combines sustainability and circular production through the creative utilization of waste materials.
HIX TALKS 2023 provided a captivating glimpse into the future of hospitality design, where innovation, sustainability, and community engagement stand at the forefront. As the industry continues to evolve, events like these serve as crucial platforms for exchanging ideas, fostering collaboration, and propelling the hotel design landscape into new realms of creativity and responsibility.
Words by
Lucy Goddard
Creative Director
