Fresh inspiration for hotel design at Sleep 2015

Ground-breaking design installations

The hugely popular Sleep Set built-room competition promises captivating spaces by 5 international design teams each creating a guestroom inspired by ‘Wonder Tale’, a brief which draws on the essence of fairy tales and folklore from around the world.

The sets will be judged by three influential figures from the world of hotel architecture and design – Erik Nissen Johansen from Stylt Trampoli, Javier Hortal of Mandarin Oriental and Katy Ghahremani of MAKE Architects - with the winning team announced at a networking reception on the first evening of Sleep. “The first moment I laid eyes on the ‘Wonder Tale’ brief I thought: this is for me! I think this year’s brief is exactly what people crave today in an era when everybody has access to all the hotels in the world on their computer screen, and the hotel business needs to be more daring and adventurous,” says Eric Nissen Johansen.

Also conveying ‘Wonder Tale’ will be a striking installation by lighting specialists Preciosa, a formation of ethereal glowing ‘Souls’ that will ‘float' above the entrance foyer.

Sleep Bar

Sleep Bar (in association with Sleeper), the go-to destination for networking and socialising at the event, will also harness the power of storytelling through fairy tales. International hospitality design specialists Conran+Partners will bring their expertise to perform the magic as this year’s designers. Excited by the limitless possibilities for interpretation with this theme, the team has drawn upon Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and aims to create layers of theatricality with unmistakeable glamour.

Convergence – creating new ground in hotel design

Convergence is a series of installations and conference presentations that will examine the opportunities presented by shared spaces within modern hotels. As hospitality lifestyle brands surge in popularity, lobby and bedroom concepts are melding work, relaxation and play. Challenging the norms in spatial use are three leading architecture and design studios which will investigate how combining apparently contradictory influences can result in bold innovation.

Multidisciplinary practice Il Prisma Group, which has pioneered a revolution in attitude towards how we use interior space with its mission to “redefine habits”, will create the ‘Social Harbour’. This is a refuge for ‘new nomads’, digital travellers and smart workers – a place to express individuality as well as seek like-minded tribes. The Manser Practice, in association with Elegant Clutter, have come up with a thought-provoking and playful that will contemplate the meaning of convergence in terms of the coming together of opposites to produce something new and unexpected. And, with improved mobile connectivity and flexibility resulting in the rise of the ‘frictionless office’, international architecture and design practice Perkins+Will is combining its hospitality experience with workplace consultancy and fit-out experience to identify and exploit the potential opportunities of this development for the hotel market.

Conference

The Sleep Conference programme features design-led sessions and celebrated industry names from across Europe such as Philippe Perd, SVP Operations & Project Development at the Oetker Collection contributing to a discussion about the perceived differentiation in hotel brands and Johanna Lundstrom of Meliá Hotels joining a panel of experts examining the prospects for global hotel development. A “design dream team” comprised of directors from top hospitality design studios, including Seyhan Özdemir from Turkish studio Autobahn, will debate how to make design pay. Sleep Essentials will offer designers an opportunity to gain expert advice from top consultants in the fields of spa design, branding, landscape architecture, lighting design, art curation and procurement. And, in a controversial panel discussion that will debate whether the hotel designer is dead in the age of social media, online design and product libraries as well as a proliferation of TV DIY programmes, Michael Struck, Founder & CEO of Ruby Hotels in Austria, will join Maria Vafiadis, founder of hospitality interior architecture studio MKV Design, and Rose Etherington, former editor of Dezeen and now founder of clippings.com.

Exhibition

Every year Sleep handpicks a collection of both new and returning exhibitors to ensure visitors are treated to design innovations that will provide the “wow” factor and competitive edge in their projects. With both big-name manufacturers and bespoke artisans from around the world revealing their latest ranges of exciting and original products, visitors can expect to see a selection of stunning lights from Mineheart, Ingo Maurer, ALVE, Contardi Lighting, LED CS4 and Light Years; beautiful bathroom and wellness products from brand-leaders Dornbracht, Hansgrohe, Laufen, Perrin & Rowe and TOTO Europe; exquisite furnishing fabrics and wallcoverings from Timorous Beasties, Clarke & Clarke, Harlequin, OW Hospitality and Altfield; and cutting-edge furniture designs by Coco Wolf, Dare Studio, Parla Design and Imagine Hospitality – to name just a few of the finest brands on show. GROHE, Sleep’s Founding Partner, will be showcasing a variety of their newest designs as well as host the VIP lounge and all exhibiting companies will have their in-house experts on hand to discuss individual customer requirements at the event.

Sleep is on 24th and 25th November with a late opening until 8pm on Tuesday 24th where visitors can enjoy the design inspiration and networking opportunities during the show’s cocktail hour from 6.30-7.30pm.

Sleep’s official Event Partner is the European Hotel Design Awards which will culminate in a dinner on the evening of Monday 23 November when the winners will be announced in a glittering ceremony at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.