In today’s hospitality design world, we are doing more and more placemaking – custom designing to meet the needs of both out-of-town guests and the local neighborhood – whether we are working on independent hotels, soft branded hotels, or fully branded hotels. Placemaking is defined as a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design, and management of spaces. This involves catering design to the local communities’ resources, potential, and inspiration with the goal of creating spaces that promote well-being, health, and happiness.
Nearly all recent and current Group One projects have implemented some level of placemaking – from using specialized artwork to reflect the environment of the surrounding neighborhood, to designing public spaces that embody the needs of guests and local residents, and creating guestrooms that serve the desires of business travelers and other visitors. This is typically a win-win for all parties. So, how can modern-day hotels serve their guests, local residents, and neighboring businesses?