Duk Kim asks a question many people probably have when settling into their hotel rooms.
“How many times have you walked into a hotel guest room and can't figure out how to turn on the lights? It drives me up a wall and I design hotels,” he says.
Kim, the senior principal, Global Hospitality Leader for Stantec, was part of a panel on designing interior spaces at the recent Chicago Build Expo. The panel included designers who have been part of projects involving restaurants, hotels, government buildings and universities, among other facilities.
The panel discussed the balance interior designers need to take between using their personal touch and the facility’s needs to operate effectively. The example of struggling to find a light switch in a hotel room is the perfect example of how a facility manager can work with a designer to serve as a voice for the guest.
“I think interior design storytelling with a backbone of that (working with building stakeholders) is really going to tie everything together and justify where our design is coming from,” says Lisa Chung, design director for Gensler, an architecture and interior design firm.
One strategy that facility managers should embrace is tying the design for a space to the history of the building, or an approach that honors the history of a region or that specific facility. The panelists referred to a Chicago factory that was repurposed into a hotel with a design theme that resonated with the neighborhood it is located in.
“Effective design should be understandable, approachable and comfortable, ensuring it resonates with the people who interact with it,” Timothy Schwarz, an associate principal at architecture firm KTGY.
A good designer will always have their own ideas for a space, but the best designers also work with their client, whether that’s a facility manager or a building owner.
“Make sure we’re co-authoring the project with the client,” Chung says. “Not every client wants to be part of that, but if they’re willing to, making sure they’re heard, is crucial, and we are their design advocates.
“We have visions and tools and skills to bring the project to life, but we have to be mindful of who the end users are. If you’re designing a restaurant, we want to hear from their servers, because they’re going to be the ones who will operate in the space right after we take our beautiful pictures and walk away. It’s always about making sure the end users’ voices are heard, and that also makes a great project.”
Dave Lubach is the executive editor for the facility market.
