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We try not to pay too much attention to trends and instead are interested in creating spaces for people to come together, make memories, and feel like there is an opportunity to add their story to the ongoing narrative.
What does the future hold for hospitality design? Tis year, Rockwell Group is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It’s a really significant milestone, and I don’t take it lightly in such a competitive environment and industry. I think we have grown and thrived because we’ve been diverse, working across geographical areas and typologies, and weathering the tough times with nimbleness and a willingness to dive into the unknown, and we will continue to do that.
Certainly, in the near future we are going to continue to explore and experiment with projects in the public realm, architecture and theatre, and to be focused on how they all come together to create new types of commons.
Please talk us through your recent projects COQODAQ and Bathhouse.
For COQODAQ, we wanted to contrast fried chicken with a beautiful, elevated and sexy space. We started with this prompt of ‘let’s build a cathedral for all things fried chicken’, and that, of course, called to mind all kinds of rituals and the sacredness of food and dining together. What is incredible about the owner Simon Kim is his passion for creating a sense of family and community at his restaurants. Tis inspired us to create seating that is either communal or for larger parties (there are very few two tops in the restaurant). From the moment of the entry, we had fresh thoughts about what a restaurant could be. A handwashing station greets guests, creating a moment of respite after entering from the busy street. It prompts an act of self-care and cues up the special moments to come. It also adds a playful, surprising touch.
What defines your studio’s approach to projects? One of the things that we have encountered over and over again is how powerful design can be when you build anticipation and create moments of surprise and discovery for guests, when not every move is revealed all at once. Sometimes this involves weaving references and details throughout a space so that a story unfolds with the choreography and circulation; sometimes it involves creating a series of portals and transitions that reveal new worlds. It’s a balancing of communal and more private spaces and creating rooms within rooms. Many of these ideas are ones I learned from being an avid theatregoer, as well as designing sets. You can tell amazing stories on stage with scenography, lighting, movement, and transformation. I realised this was true of architecture as well.
Given the ever-evolving nature of consumer tastes and trends, how do you deliver longevity in your designs? Creating unique experiences is at the core of our projects. Ultimately, our goal is to create a story about the client, and craft a physical expression of their story using every device. Our emphasis on the full experience is what enables us to create spaces that don’t feel repetitive. Our first step to any project is to fully immerse ourselves in the ideology, themes, inspirations, and goals of the client. Once we have this complete understanding, we create a narrative through which our design emerges. Maybe because I approach design with an eye for theatre and set design – a realm where the setting and the design directly influence the audience’s experience of the narrative – I imagine hospitality design as directly influencing guests’ experiences in our spaces.
Top left and right For COQODAQ, Rockwell Group wanted to contrast fried chicken with a beautiful, elevated and sexy space
Left The Bathhouse features six thermal pools…
Above …and an infrared sauna
We infused the dark, luxurious dining room with touches of art nouveau, custom furniture, and dynamic, highly strategic lighting throughout. Te material palette features hunter green leather, dark walnut wood, architectural lighting, champagne glass, soapstone, bronze, and glowing lacquered panelling. Te palette was driven by a desire to surround guests in an envelope of warmth, creating an inviting environment that changes in tonality and mood from day to night and is a joyful place to be at any time. Kim and I connected over the idea of daily rituals. Dining out is a way that friends and family can commune, and restaurants – from the most formal to the most casual – have their own series of choreographed experiences, even if guests aren’t aware or conscious of them. Our goal was to create a space where these little observances and routines are celebrated and raised to the level of exceptional hospitality. Our concept for Bathhouse’s Manhattan location was based on the idea of the ‘hero’s journey’. And, given the scale and programme of this project – 35,000ft2
across three
levels – we are asking visitors to go on a literal journey, so there should be a metaphorical and emotional complement to that. Te hero’s journey framework allowed us to create ritualistic nodes, or beacons, as guests pass through the different spaces. And then we were able to create tangible moments for each of these landmarks.
We worked within the constraints of the existing building, across several floors, to determine what the particular journey would be, and how to weave in these surprises using light, material, massing, form. We needed to offer a distinct departure from the outside world – in this case, bustling Manhattan. Our goal was to create a new architectural language, allowing guests to feel as though they’ve discovered a slightly futuristic ruin from an ancient civilisation.
rockwellgroup.com
ABOVE: ADRIAN GOUT
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