Jetgala - FALL-WINTER 2022

J 14 DESIGNING A HOMECOMING T he renovation of the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong aimed to sustain the establishment’s market position against upcoming competition. Over the past few years, several five-star deluxe properties have opened in Hong Kong. With the incumbent’s design starting to date, a thorough renovation was deemed, says Peter Remedios, Chief Designer of Remedios Studio. How extensive was the renovation of Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong that your client required? The scope of the renovation included a new look for all 399 guest rooms and suites at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.The rising competition drove a full-on renovation of the rooms and suites slightly earlier than the usual hotel life cycle and involved a rework of all FF&E, fabrics, case goods, millwork, finishes with strategic renovations to the bathrooms, retaining previous materials sustainably and incorporating new ones in order to take the transformation to the next level to create a superlative experience. What were the key points of the renovation? We are rarely given a specific design brief; clients come to Remedios Studio because they are looking for innovative ideas and our expertise to position hotels for success. We set out to create the Four Seasons Hong Kong as a ‘Homecoming’ and to give a sense of pampering through design that is caring.This sense of a ‘Homecoming’ is felt as you enter through a portal coming off the lift lobby that feels like the foyer of a beautiful mansion or a spectacular penthouse before getting to your room. When you walk into a room or a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong we want you to feel like you are home. This ‘Homecoming’ is a concept that we developed in the last 10 years or so of creating spaces where you can work yet relax without ever feeling like it is a workspace. Being a world traveller myself, after a day of meetings, the last thing I want is to feel that I am sleeping in the office. Hence, there are no desks or ergonomic desk chairs in Remedios Studio’s designs. We came up with a concept that I call “The Luxury of Choice and the Luxury of Time”. In the rooms that we design, you can choose to relax or work or eat from the sofa, the lounge chair or at the table, multi-task wherever and whenever you want.We believe time and choice are the most precious commodities nowadays. How did you arrive at design concept and direction for the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong? The design concept largely grew out of the rich heritage and history of Hong Kong.We wanted to create a refined and timeless design by connecting the old with the new. The redesigned lift lobby and the 399 guest rooms and suites at Four Seasons Hong Kong are curated with Chinese- inspired elements balanced with modern furnishings for a harmonious blend of contemporary elegance.Abiding by the hotel’s design ethos, our design concept for this project not only accentuates the city’s unique traditions and rich culture but also enlivens the Four Seasons brand concept and reflects a heightened level of deluxe comfort. Our goal was to create an environment that offers the hotel guest an immersion into the local culture yet also a haven within the bustling city and a home away from home! Peter Remedios