CONFRENCES: DESIGN INN SYMPOSIUM

Leading hotel designers, architects, owners, and operators will descend on SkyCity Adelaide this May 2 to discuss the future of hotel design at the 2023 Design Inn Symposium.

At a time when the industry is abundant in creativity with the emergence of new brands, refurbished properties and the rise of independent boutiques, the conference will present a deep dive into the critical components of hospitality design, from lighting to energy efficiency.

Under the theme ‘Aspire, Inspire, Innovate’, delegates will be invited to discover innovative design, be inspired by local and international design leaders, and aspire to achieve excellence across every facet of design.

“This year’s conference will invite delegates to discover innovative design, learn about Passive House design principles, and be inspired by local and international design leaders,” said Design Inn Symposium Content Chair, Ruth Hogan. “With a melting pot of creative thinkers and industry experts, the conference will provide an outlook on the future of hotel design in 2023 and beyond.”

Kicking off with a breakfast masterclass, presented by Shape, Design Inn will offer a bigpicture construction outlook that will delve into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. With panellists offering a range of perspectives across building, asset management, real estate, and investment, delegates can expect expert insights from those on the ground.

Sustainability continues to be front of mind for hoteliers and designers, and the next evolution of this is Passive House design – a model to achieve maximum energy efficiency.

Design Inn Symposium will present a deep dive into Passive House principles for hotels, learning from the leader in this space, Hotel Marcel – which holds the title of the first Passive House Design hotel in the U.S.

Hotel Marcel Owner Bruce Becker will lead this masterclass, and will be joined by Director Sustainability at Development Victoria, and founder of Australian Passive House Association, Clare Perry; Hilton Design and Project Director, Phillipa Le Roux, and other experts in this space.

A panel of design leaders will discuss the new brands and properties in the market including the recent launch of luxury lifestyle brand Capella, following the opening of its first Australian hotel in Sydney in March. Further to this, an in-depth design showcase of luxury brand Capella will be led by Make Architects’ Michelle Evans, exploring the restoration and design of this heritage site.

The keynote presentation at Design Inn will be led by Tim Kobe, an esteemed designed leader, author and founder of the globallyrecognised strategic and experience design firm Eight Inc. Kobe is the designer behind the original Apple Store and has worked with other major companies including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Nike, Coca-Cola, Knoll and Citibank.

At Design Inn 2023, Kobe will present his approach to design that focuses on a holistic way of creating change and how design is driven by creating successful human outcomes through the crafting of holistic experience.

Revered futurist and Co-Founder of The Future Laboratory, Chris Sanderson, will discuss the future of travel and accommodation in a thought-provoking interview with HM Editor Ruth Hogan.

A former presenter of Channel 4 series Home of the Future, Sanderson is an inspirational speaker that has been booked by major businesses including luxury group Kering, the European Travel Commission, Selfridges, Chanel, Harrods, General Motors, Design Hotels, Condé Nast Media and Omnicom.

Design Inn will also feature a masterclass in lighting and explore how products and advancements in technology are improving the guest experience while complementing design.

Back by popular demand this year is the operators panel, which will see design leaders from major hotel groups including IHG, EVT, Ascott Australia and Hilton share their learnings and their ambitions for future projects.

The conference will conclude with the Australasia-Pacific Hotel Design Awards. The awards celebrate excellence in hotel interior design for projects located in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific (including Hawaii) that were completed and opened during 2022.

The four awards – for new-build properties, conversions, refurbishments and an overall winner, the Paul Davis Award – recognise exceptional projects that demonstrate design innovation, a commitment to sustainability design practices and deliver exceptional guest experience.

Delegates will then be invited to take part in hotel tours, giving them an opportunity to discover Adelaide’s new and refurbished hotels including Vibe Adelaide and Tryp by Wyndham among others.

Register to attend now at designinnsymposium.com/register