Adam, what draws you into a potential hotel design project? Is it the brand, the location, or a combination of factors?
We have been fortunate to be able to be selective in the projects we undertake. Our studio is very small, which is intentional. We don’t work with one particular style – our aim is to approach every project as a bespoke operation. We are the custom tailor of hospitality. I’ve learned that regardless of how interesting a project is, the relationships behind the scenes; with the client, operator, chef (whoever it might be) makes all the difference. After all, a space is just a space – the people make it a destination.
How does the local design stack up against other global destinations?
Dubai is a fascinating place. For a city that has sprung to life within the last few decades, there hasn’t been any indication of slowing. Seemingly every new construction project is a quest for “bigger and best,” which has carried over into much of the design in the city. Very recently, though, we’ve seen a shift towards a more refined, intellectual approach to design- one that carries historical rhetoric and philosophical reasoning. Four Seasons DIFC was designed for this new self-assured generation. Its intimate scale and personal, handcrafted quality has a sense of luxury that whispers, not shouts.
Would you say you had a particular magnum opus – a project that you feel is a true standout?
When I consider what makes a “magnum opus” in hospitality design, I think about the restaurants and hotels that achieved a true and original sense of self, that withstood the test of time and that had to the power to instigate change. These places leave a recognisable footprint no matter how long they stay in operation. My aim is not for one magnum opus, but to leave evidence of meaningful change across the hospitality industry. With that said, the original Jean-Georges and Le Cirque restaurants in New York were game changers, as was Per Se. The Aureole wine tower in Las Vegas changed the way restaurants merchandised and sold wine – and the Four Seasons DIFC will influence the next generation of hotel interiors in the UAE.
You’re now working with Costa Cruises – how does your approach differ with cruise ship design concepts?
Designing for a very large piece of moving stainless steel has its challenges, to say the least. Technicalities aside, there are three major elements to designing for a cruise ship that you have to keep in mind: movement, low ceilings and precision. There is very little margin for error – steel doesn’t allow for last minute changes like relocating an outlet. To me, the challenges and complexities of a project are what make it interesting – they provide the grounds for new ways of thinking and often result in unexpected solutions. I view every project – from a cruise ship to chair – as a creative challenge with a design solution. My role as creative director at Costa Cruises has allowed me to focus on the rebranding of Costa Crociere – creating a vision for the brand based on the theme “Italy’s Finest”.