{"id":9037,"date":"2022-05-03T20:58:52","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T20:58:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kevinbarry.com\/?p=9037"},"modified":"2022-05-04T20:17:38","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T20:17:38","slug":"five-ways-to-achieve-authenticity-in-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kevinbarry.com\/five-ways-to-achieve-authenticity-in-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Ways to Achieve Authenticity in Design"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cAuthentic\u201d may be the most overused term in the industry, but it’s what many strive for in their design projects. Successfully achieving an authentic, lived-in feeling, however, is elusive and difficult to describe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt needs to align with your values to create that connection,\u201d said Molly Swyers, chief brand officer of 21c Museum Hotels, KBAA\u2019s partner in the Social Hub at HD Expo where the panel discussions on \u201cDesigning with Soul\u201d and \u201cLifestyle and Beyond\u201d took place. \u201cIt can\u2019t just be transactional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From creating new spaces from scratch, to rehabbing existing buildings, here are five takeaways from the panelists on how to create a coveted, guest-centric, memorable impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Find ways to keep the space relevant.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While new builds certainly have their own set of challenges, older hotels have the challenge of striving to stay relevant and fresh<\/a>, while still established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDesign needs to be improved year over year, rather than that cycle of every seven years,\u201d said Joue-Yie Chou, partner at Post Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean a big rehaul, though; small changes can be made to keep the spaces fresh and in use. One of those ways, of course, is through contemporary art (which 21c Museum Hotels\u2019 Swyers vouched for), as art is always \u201cof the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Dig deep in research and craft a narrative.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s guests are thoughtful and discerning, and aren\u2019t looking for cookie cutter travel experiences\u2014which means they also aren\u2019t looking for cookie-cutter hotels. They want something personal and localized, and the only way to avoid that fate is by doing proper research and making sure your brand matches the location. Using that ample research, you can begin to develop a narrative or a storyline<\/a> that can be referenced throughout the entire process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Post Company\u2019s The Lake House property in New York, that meant \u201ccrafting a narrative that the property had always been there, but it\u2019s evolving over time. The property has been generational and that\u2019s reinterpreted for different generations throughout the property.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the designers use antique or vintage finds to add a sense of history to properties, but cautioned against ending up as a \u201cone-note antique show.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you make something new and make it feel warm and layered?\u201d said Maija Kreishman, principal at Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. \u201cThat\u2019s the challenging experience of authenticity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology has rooted itself in hospitality and using tools such as virtual reality or 3D rendering (which Kreishman does for every space) can help you better explain your narrative and create buy-in with the client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Get to know the community.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Sense of place and community <\/a>is vital to a layered, authentic experience; that can be done during the research phase, by connecting with locals, or even through programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Salt Hotels\u2019 Hutton Brickyards property in Kingston, co-founder Kevin O\u2019Shea takes their role as the largest employer in the city seriously, supporting local farmers and even creating a \u201cHutton Hangout Night\u201d where local musicians, food trucks, vendors and artists come on the property for a community night with locals and guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Post Company\u2019s Inness property features a golf course, the club for which has a \u201clow velvet rope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to be inclusive,\u201d Chou says. \u201cA large component of the property is public facing. We want to make sure the local residents that were already there feel the barrier is fairly porous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Avoid low-hanging fruit.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nearly every market has an archetype, a stereotype that every traveler knows. As a designer trying to create an authentic experience, try to avoid that low-hanging fruit at all costs. Rather than creating a honky-tonk that serves hot chicken in Nashville, try working with known contemporaries in the city, Jou-Yie said, from artists to musicians to chefs. Through your research, figure out the local tropes and discount them, then dig deeper. The result? A more layered and authentic experience for guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGuests are smart. You have to come up with something original and true for the space, that isn\u2019t some passing-by of an idea,\u201d said Diana Martinez, senior design director at Kimpton Hotels. \u201cIt needs to be grounded in something real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Michael Hsu\u2019s Austin hotel, Uchi, is located right on South Congress Avenue, famed for its neon signs. While it may have been the easy route to create a neon sign to fit in, Kreishman said they knew from the beginning it would feel too literal and instead designed a light fixture with a nod to the South Congress staple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of listening, trying to search a lot deeper so it\u2019s not one note,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. Embrace imperfection.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Part of designing with the goal of authenticity means trial and error will be involved\u2014and that\u2019s OK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to get something wrong at some point. The minute you design something, people will come and tell you what you want,\u201d O\u2019Shea said. \u201cDon\u2019t take the easy way out. Look at, how do you dig deeper, how do you create a more authentic moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, celebrate imperfection and find satisfaction in those happy accidents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are instances where that feels OK and you can see the hand in the worst ways and best ways,\u201d Kreishman said. \u201cIt\u2019s about allowing those moments to happen and those start to feel true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to create a coveted, personalized guest experience <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":9031,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kbaa-updates","category-inspiration-trends"],"yoast_head":"\nFive Ways to Achieve Authenticity in Design - KBAA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From creating new spaces from scratch, to rehabbing existing buildings, here are five takeaways from the panelists on how to create a coveted, guest-centric, memorable impression.\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kevinbarry.com\/five-ways-to-achieve-authenticity-in-design\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five Ways to Achieve Authenticity in Design - 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