Sleep, the annual hotel design and development event, proved once again why it is considered to be in a league of its own by hotel designers, architects and senior industry executives
Experiential, insightful, thought-provoking and eye-catching, Sleep 2014 provided a full programme of conference sessions to packed houses and engaged with some of the industry’s most respected designers and hoteliers.
More than 150 exhibitors participated in Sleep 2014, comprising a hand-picked selection of newcomers and new exclusive brands, along with recognised industry names from around the globe. The exhibition highlights the companies whose products and services help to create award-winning hotels, and, in keeping with the show’s emphasis on high quality design, exhibitors excelled this year in producing visually striking stands to best showcase their products to the hospitality design community. Just a few of the many with stand-out displays were Curiosa & Curiosa, Dare Studio, FRONT London, Lasvit and Morgan Furniture.
New exhibitors were delighted with the quality and international mix of visitors to their stands, with Designheure, Gira, Jacuzzi, Moroccan Bazaar, Orangebox, Sara Newman Design, TOTO Europe and Ultrafabrics amongst this year’s newcomers.
The industry’s favourite brands were once again well represented including lead sponsor GROHE, Agua Fabrics, Chelsom, Dornbracht, Harlequin Contract, Heathfield, Keramag Design, Kobe, OW Hospitality, Vescom and Wilton Carpets who each unveiled their latest designs.
Revealed at Sleep, the new generation of Snoozebox, which is transforming the potential for overnight accommodation, greeted visitors before they had even reached the front doors. Also outside was Polcom Modular, a full-size model of a hotel bedroom concept demonstrating how a leading edge digital design process combined with modular manufacturing production can reduce development costs and enhance quality.
Outdoor spaces were highlighted in the stunning Above & Beyond roof terrace designed by Scape Design Associates which was furnished by KETTAL Outdoor Collections with surface and light sourced by Cullinan Interior; a mycoocoon pod allowed visitors to find out for themselves the re-energising and relaxing benefits of light immersion treatments while the fabulously imagined Sleep Bar from award-winning firm Stylt Trampoli, provided another working and socialising haven.
The hotly anticipated Sleep Set did not disappoint. Here, design companies and their contractors competed to create the most inspired hotel guestroom, edging conceptual thinking forward and daring to challenge industry assumptions. This year, it was industry outsiders, SKM Design, who triumphed in their design for a new ‘Hotel Simplexity’ brand.
The Sleep Conference brought to the stage many industry authorities. One topic, which wove its way through Sleep, was the growing importance and value of leading-edge BIM technology. The igloo- shaped Digital Lounge offered vertigo tingling “fly-throughs” enhanced by Google Glass and Oculus Rift glasses, created by Space Group and Soluis. Rob Charlton of Space Group gave an upbeat conference presentation on BIM and it fell to Mark McDonnell of Soluis to announce the winning team in the nationwide Underground Hotel challenge, which tasked school children to design a hotel in a London underground station using BIM. The winners were from St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School near Salford.
Aspiring young talent was also celebrated at the event in the form of the Sleep ReardonSmith Student Award which bought the winning duo from Poland as well as the runners up to Sleep to share in the learning, soak up the atmosphere an collect their prize.
