Hospitality Lab: Maison&Objet dreams the future of the hotel industry

1. Stylistic fusions with REV Architecture

At the heart of the “Hospitality Lab”, in a laboratory-like space specially designed for the occasion by the audacious REV duo co-founded by Sophie Thuillier and Cristiano Benzoni, visitors were able to dive in an experience both poetic and high-tech to re-examine the challenges of retail and hospitality. Enhanced with a touch of “French savoir-faire” and dubbed the “Reality Lab”, the room presented an exclusive monumental green table designed by the studio, a symbol of a successful marriage between the traditional aesthetic of Palaces and an utterly contemporary take on luxury’s codes.

This fusion of styles proposed by Sophie Thuillier and Cristiano Benzoni thus offered a new perspective on how hotel or restaurant spaces evoke sophistication while embracing modern sensibilities. “Designers and clients today seek the reassuring traces of an eternal past that opens towards a serene future,” Cristiano Benzoni explained. For Sophie Thuillier: “Hotels become public squares where functions mix, without losing the place's inner legend, whose layout can rely on its memory elements.”

2. Exalting local emotions to re-enchant a global design

Martin Brudnizki and Élodie Noëlle (ACCOR) share their best-kept secrets 

The hybridisation of reception venues and the delicate balance between authenticity and contemporary influences with globalised inspirations is the cornerstone of Martin Brudnizki's work. Invited on the Talks set, the prolific decorator behind the most prominent “Members’ Clubs” and restaurants in London and Paris revealed some of his recipes for re-enchanting hospitality venues: “When it comes to remodelling an emblematic place already full of history, we must take into account the imagination-imprint of the place and its pre-existing memory already living in the minds of visitors. Redecorating such places should allow them to enrich their collective memory with a new reality.” 

For Élodie Noëlle, invited to share her experience as “Head Designer” of the Accor group’s emblematic set of brands (Sofitel, Sofitl Legend, Emblems, MGallery) during a conversation with REV Architecture, emotion must be found in a skilful articulation from local to global. “Preserving the DNA of a group bringing together more than 40 brands deployed in 5,000 hotels is a daily challenge,” she explained. “But working to reinvent the codes to ensure the continued readability of a world-famous group to integrate its brands site-specifically can be a fertile ground for creativity through the renewed use of local materials and know-how.”

3. Towards long-lasting hospitality memories

This second edition of the Hospitality Lab thus recalled the unlimited possibilities of the hospitality sector for creating immersive spaces and experiences. While undoubtedly globalised, the industry stays mindful of the memory of places and continuously honouring local practices. Maison&Objet intends to continue this crucial support for professionals in an industry increasingly dedicated to pushing the boundaries of design while ensuring that each space celebrates – as much as it renews – its history to leave a lasting impression on the visitor.