People, Places & Events
GROHE spreads the sensory design message
In a GROHE X exclusive, we take you to the rooftop of the Ham Yard Hotel in London for a roundtable discussion hosted by Hotel Designs editor Hamish Kilburn. The stunning setting is the perfect location for the assembled industry experts, including our own Projects Channel A&D Leader Karl Lennon, to discuss the movement towards sensory design in the creation of hotels and spas.
The idea of sensory design is to make the user’s intimate experience the key driver when creating relaxing and restorative spaces. Identification with a particular brand can be sparked by the familiarity of scents, or luxurious textures, that reach the user through less conscious means, and therefore form a deeper bond.
At GROHE we already strive to create products that invite users into a new sensory world, by their own visual and sensual appeal, and by giving access to the joyful realm of water. We want people to connect with how our products make them feel. Collections like the recently launched GROHE SPA continue to offer our design partners ways to fine-tune their sensory havens down to the finest detail.
Join Hamish, Karl and the others to find out more about these exciting developments in the world of hotel and spa design.
Hamish Kilburn
Editor Hotel Designs
Hamish Kilburn is the editor of Hotel Designs, which is the leading international hotel design website. For more than six years, Kilburn has been granted access into the world’s most esteemed design and architecture studios, while also travelling the globe to review groundbreaking hotels. In his day-to-day role, he is responsible for curating the content for Hotel Designs, bringing his readers the latest happenings, reviews, and features in the world of international hotel design. As a regular moderator of panel discussions at major international design fairs and respected presenter, Kilburn is confident to start conversations and lead debates in the interior design, architecture and hotel development arena.
Eric Jafari
Chief Development Officer and Creative Director, edyn
Prior to edyn, eric founded BridgePoint Ventures and Union Hanover Securities (UHS). BridgePoint was a boutique real estate firm that specialized in providing equity for middle-market property development. UHS was a sector agnostic real estate development firm with £1bn of development across North America and Europe.
Whilst at UHS, Eric co-founded Urban Villa, Europe’s first boutique extended stay experience, forming the foundations of what is today recognized as the pioneering lifestyle aparthotel brand Locke. Eric is also the co-founder of Birch.
Eric now serves as edyn’s Chief Development Officer and Creative Director, leading a Pan-European multi-disciplinary team managing acquisitions, asset management, construction, design, investment finance and planning.
Beverley Bayes
Co-Founder and Creative Director, Sparcstudio
Beverley Bayes, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Sparcstudio is an award-winning spa and hospitality designer renowned for her unique signature style that effortlessly blends form and function with informality and a touch of ‘barefoot luxury’.
With projects in the UK, Europe and around the world, she specialises in the wellness/ fitness hotel and Spa sectors. Recognised as one of the top 25 designers in the UK in The Brit List Designers of 2021, Beverley’s work, with her team at Sparcstudio has helped to transform and create ‘game-changing’ hotel spa and wellness facilities in locations including Calcot Spa, Dormy House Spa and Cottonmill Club at Sopwell House, & Third space London.
Beverley is also known for her human-centric & biophilic approach, always seeking to establish a link to the outside and nature. This is evident in projects including: Rockliffe Hall, Pennyhill Park, The Spa at South Lodge, & Aqua Sana Forest spa concept at Longford Forest, Ireland; Longleat Forest, & Woburn Forest.
Beverley works alongside Sparcstudio co-directors Neil Fairplay and Tom Howell on the company’s spa and wellness projects which have recently included the £10 million new Champneys Mottram Hall and the new 16,985 sq feet Harrods Hair & Beauty Salon, within the Knightsbridge store. Sparcstudio has just been voted Top ID company Winner 2022 by NEWH.
Joey Goei-Jones
Senior Design Manager, IHG
Joey Goei-Jones is a senior design manager for IHG, leading the interior design for its premium brands. For over a decade, she has been involved in many hotel projects all around the world, which includes both luxury and essential brands. She has previously worked with Accor Hotels and glh Hotels, to lead their major projects such as Novotel Canary Wharf, MGallery Leicester Square, Hard Rock Hotel London, and Clermont Victoria.
As an interior designer, the collaborative process of design is very important. Ensuring that guest experience is maximised, whilst still achieving the investor and operator’s requirements is crucial for a successful project. Creating unique spaces also means that her design style continually evolves with the project she is working on.
Yi-Zhen Jones
Associate, twenty2degrees Design Partnership
As Associate at international hospitality design practice twenty2degrees Design Partnership, Yi-Zhen works closely with the firm’s directors in leading the team on a diverse range of projects, currently including Hyatt Regency hotels in London, Paris and Nairobi, a Marriott Brussels refurbishment and a new Kempinski in Cameroon.
Joining twenty2degrees in 2019, Yi-Zhen quickly assumed a senior role on the interior design of The Fellows House Cambridge, which was completed last year and was soon hailed as establishing a new benchmark in apart-style hotels with luxury public spaces.
Before joining twenty2degrees, Yi-Zhen’s career, working mainly with global architecture and design firms, took her from her native New Zealand to Asia before bringing her to the UK over a decade ago. It was in London that she discovered a passion for hotel design which she is now taking to the next level at twenty2degrees. Yi-Zhen holds a Masters in Interior & Spatial Design and a Bachelors’ degree in Fine Arts.
Kirstin King
Senior Project Designer, Muza Lab
Kirstin’s design career encompasses Luxury Residential Interiors, Hospitality, Retail, Luxury Spas, and the Luxury Cruise liner sector.
She is a highly professional, driven, and creative Designer with excellent leadership and organisational skills, with a great knowledge in both design, site and project management.
Kirstin is a passionate soul with a love for all things natural. On the weekends you can find her in a forest by day and dancing to Chaka Khan at night. Always with a smile on her face and a cappuccino in hand.
Karl Lennon
Leader, GROHE SPA, LIXIL EMENA
Karl has been in his current role with GROHE for more than six years. He works with architects and designers on the specifications for their projects around the world, ensuring they have the information and support they need to bring their builds to completion, while giving due consideration to sustainability and environmental impact. He is the author of GROHE’s RIBA-approved continuing professional development modules on water-saving, 3D printing and hygiene.
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