RESILIENCE IS AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF LUXURY DESIGN

Rachel johnson, senior vice president and studio director, wimberly interiors, on luxury hotel design

- Mignonne dsouza

Since 1945, when it was founded in Hawaii, WATG (Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo), has been at the forefront of luxury hotel design, spearheading such iconic projects as Sun City in South Africa, the Venetian in Las Vegas, and the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, amongst many others. According to Rachel Johnson, Senior Vice President and Studio Director, Wimberly Interiors, the firm’s in-house interior design studio, the first step when approaching the interior design of any kind of property is to ask a lot of questions. “Once we have established an understanding of the aspects, the design process commences with the creation of a narrative – a collection of interrelated ideas that are woven together to form the story of the design,” she says, adding, “These stories are drawn from the location, the history, and local references.”

Suite design has evolved in many ways over the years. Johnson explains, “From traditional city hotels and luxury lodges in remote locations to the emergence of barefoot luxury, today, there is truly an experience to meet all expectations – and, as designers, this only makes our world even more exciting,” explains Johnson. Technology has also become more important over time, adding to the seamless experience and anticipating guests’ needs. Also, says Johnson, “The bathroom often now equates to almost half of the area of the suite, allowing for large soaking tubs, double rain showers and other amenities. We are also seeing the introduction of private movie theatres and treatment rooms, among other private experiences.”