This summer, our director, Claire Smith attended The Lobby in Copenhagen. This is a popular Nordic hotel event focusing on the ever-changing movements in the hotel sector. Sustainability was the focus for this year’s event which included a full day of really inspiring talks.

The event got underway with an uplifting ‘Meet the speakers’ session at VIPP Garage. As delegates arrived, there was a DJ playing in the courtyard of a beautiful space which comprised VIPPs offices and exclusive hotel venue, ‘The Loft’. This is VIPPs newest member of their portfolio of design experiences located in Copenhagen’s Islands Brygge area.

After drinks and canapes, Claire enjoyed a range of workshops, where the sponsors discussed sustainability in future hotels. This was followed by a tour around VIPP Loft which showcased another level of Scandi luxury followed by a bowl food reception with drinks on the roof terrace with a cool summer vibe.

  

Sustainability across brands

One of the speakers Claire really enjoyed hearing from was Catherine Dolton who is chief sustainability officer for IHG who was talking about “Implementing sustainability on a bigger scale and across brands.” Catherine discussed the 10-year plan for IHG and the challenges they face when implementing sustainability across a large portfolio of brands. The IHG brands range from Holiday Inn, which have a very strict template design, to Six Senses which are one of the world leaders in hotel sustainability. It was interesting to hear how much IHG are pushing the control of food waste across the entire estate.  

The importance of community

Another inspiring speaker was Reiulf Ramstad, who is founder of Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, an independent architectural firm based in Norway. He was talking about adjusting to the surrounding social, economic and cultural context, and spoke a lot about integrating himself into the community when working on projects. It is important to listen to locals to gain trust in the project and develop a strategy to be part of that place. Reiulf encouraged the audience to be present and understand the local eco-system and why you are doing the project. Another interesting point was how designers need to redefine the concept of luxury as a feeling and cover all senses when working to achieve this.

Working in collaboration

A truly thought-provoking session was led by Simon Caspersen, co-founder of Space10, who talked about “Co-creating a new IKEA Future”. Space10 is the IKEA research and design lab exploring the future of living. Simon addressed how the definition of ‘home’ has changed since the pandemic as we now use our homes in different ways. This talk addressed how hospitality can embrace the ‘homely feel’ and the new ways we work and travel. Space10 and IKEA want to create spaces where people meet; bearing in mind IKEA is the world’s 6th biggest hospitality chain this gave lots of food for thought. You can find out more about this partnership here.

 

Claire came away from this event feeling inspired, motivated and full of ideas to share with the design team. Some exciting connections were also made at the networking events and Claire loved the whole experience in Copenhagen.

Being out and about can provide great inspiration for our team and this is something we actively encourage. As we get back to a more normal way of working after the summer break, we asked our team to share one place they have visited and tell us why it inspired them.

Designer, Anabel Twitchell Requena​ went to the Medicine in the Mailbox in Birmingham where she felt the interior was very glamorous and inviting. The colour palette is natural which gave a calming feel whilst the plants displayed around the venue made her feel like she was transported to a tropical country. It was a refreshing place which was reflected very well in its interior design.

Rachael Sheldon, who is our senior designer, visited Mercato Mayfair on a Friday summer’s
evening. She actually stumbled across it accidentally but found the place had such a great buzz. The building itself is spectacular and included more than 40 food and beverage outlets located over several floors. This creates a really diverse offer for visitors.  Due to the amount and variety of food and drink on offer, the space was very busy, and it felt like a really social place with a great atmosphere.

 


Over the summer, senior designer, Michael Hall visited Wine Freedom in Digbeth, Birmingham. This was actually on a work night out with senior designer, Annie, and they were just passing by but felt they had to go in. The interior was very simple and made use of the factory style building in a revitalised area of the city. An effective use of pallets to form the bar, tables and displays had been completed by the designer. Michael spoke to the lady who owned it and she said they don’t rely on trade within the venue as they also have an online ordering business and the venue hosts seminars and groups for wine tasting events.

Michael told us: “To fully refurbish such a large space could cost a small fortune but I think they have effectively fitted out the space by retaining many of the industrial elements. Adding the planting, white walls and music vibe has given the space enough of an edge without costing too much.”

Sam Pearce told us about a visit to a restaurant on the quayside in Exeter with four friends. Just next to the restaurant a live jazz band was playing so people just sat and listened to them giving it a real sense of community. With the historic architecture, and features like a cobblestone path and vintage accents, it made her feel as though she was in an old Disney movie.

What venues do you find most inspiring? We would love to hear from you on our social channels. If you would like to talk to one of our team about your design, simply complete the Contact Us form.

To be a designer you obviously need to be creative and at ABDA we work hard to ensure our team are given the opportunity to work on this skill. They are the people we turn to for new ideas and a solution to a problem. If they aren’t feeling creative, we could run the risk that they would repeat old designs or copy something, instead of simply taking inspiration from it. A lack of creativity can come from too much time pressure or budget restraints, but it can also come from having no constraints as there needs to be a focus.

It’s important our designers are given time to step away from their desks, and take a break from screens, email and phones to let their minds think without other pressures.

If you are struggling with your own creativity, why not try some of these lessons from our design team?

• Our junior designer, Anabel Twitchell Requena told us that she can improve creativity by going to new places such as museums or galleries. She also finds inspiration in taking a break from her screen and enjoying nature; this method has helped many mental blocks in the past. Magazines, Instagram and Pinterest are where she turns to when she needs to feel creative. However, she is actually at her most creative in the studio surrounded by the team as she finds learning from more experienced designers helps her with her creativity. Anabel makes time for a daily walk at lunchtime to keep those creative juices flowing.

• Designer, Rachel Sheldon admits she finds it hard to switch off from work when she is away from the business as she is constantly thinking how she can improve a design or make the solution better. When she’s struggling with something creative or an element of a design isn’t working for her, she enjoys long walks or hikes. Simply being outside seems to really help her with creativity.

• For designer, Michael Hall listening to music or keeping up to date with new trends such as fashion can really help him. He finds having a break with something completely different is key and he likes to visit historic places or the wilderness as these are both far away from contemporary interior design. Going to art galleries or viewing new public installations and cultural events also helps him to feel creative. Interestingly he is most creative when visualising in 3D as he finds he can build things and experiment in 3D quickly. Plenty of cups of tea, cake and chats with his colleagues in the studio also helps.

• Our designer, Annie Wearn believes it is extremely important for designers to maintain their creativity through immersing themselves in design experiences. Whether that’s through design shows for new trends or simply going out to different places and soaking up the culture and architecture. Feeling uncreative for her could be as simple as a bad night’s sleep or a project that isn’t her particular “style”, but they are the ones she finds the most exciting as it’s challenging and puts her outside of her comfort zone. Taking a walk or a break away from a project always gives her a “fresh pair of eyes” so getting outside is important to her too.

• Examples of activities that give our junior designer, Sam Pearce, inspiration include visiting cities, as she finds the interiors of buildings have had a lot more thought put into the design due to the higher number of visitors than other areas. She also finds watching tutorials on YouTube inspire her to be creative as well as things like DIY projects, digital art and painting.

 


Nature or nurture?

So, with all the work our team do to improve creativity, is this something that comes naturally to them as human beings or is it something they’ve had to work on over time?

Annie feels that it’s both telling us “I think you tend to naturally be a more creative or more logical person. With the left or right brain being more prominent, there are definitely people who are more logical and struggle to be creative and vice versa. I think you can only be nurtured if you are interested in the first place which means that the creativity is already there.”

Rachel believes that creativity comes naturally to people but also feels that this can be developed and nurtured adding: “I think attending design shows and consuming design content such as Pinterest and Instagram can help to develop someone’s creativity.”

 “Anyone can be creative but to be professional it has to be honed” commented Michael. “The initial spark of creativity can come from someone who isn’t a designer, such as the client who has a want for something and is not clouded by practicality. It’s then down to us to think of creative ways to make that happen.”

Sam also believes people can naturally have more creativity than others adding “I know from being in school it was clear some people had desires to do art and design-based subjects, even from an early age. But this doesn’t mean it can’t be nurtured. If someone is inspired to do creative activities and they do them consistently, I believe they can become more creative over time.”

 


Want to learn more? 

When it comes to a good read to help with creativity Michael will find an artist, architect or designer who has currently built something inspiring and then find a book about their work. He is currently enjoying “Grayson Perry – Vanity of Small Differences” and is already looking forward to any publication on Morag Myerscough who is currently an important source of inspiration to him.

Maya Angelou once said: “You can’t use up creativity, the more you use the more you have”. Creativity is vital for our design team and it’s important we ensure they have time away from their desks to soak up the latest trends. That’s one of the reasons we recently had an outing to the London Design Festival. The team went in two groups so they could enjoy time together without thinking about workloads or impacting the timescales on our current projects.

The team really valued this opportunity with designer, Annie Wearn telling us: “Getting to go to a work event for the first time, after what seems like an age of being cooped up and avoiding people, was amazing. It felt liberating to be surrounded by like-minded individuals. Meeting passionate designers and smaller businesses striving to make their own impact on future trends, especially against the bigger chain brands was inspiring.”

Designer Michael Hall felt that it was a good team building event and enjoyed learning about and experiencing new coffee trends. By going as a team, they could each share their instant reaction to something new. The show was very vibrant and buzzy although Michael did admit that might have been due to the dozen or so coffee and espresso shots they all consumed!

Our junior designer, Anabel Twitchell Requena, found it interesting to learn about the different coffee machines as well as the developments in sustainability in the industry. She loved hearing about the changes coffee brands are implementing to make a difference. Being in the audience for coffee tastings was also a highlight.

What’s on trend?

Visiting events like this is all about discovering the latest trends as you usually see exhibitors full of innovation. With a lack of events for the past two years we knew it would be the place to be for inspiration and new ideas. Plant-based food and drink was definitely a big trend spotted by our junior designer, Sam Pearce. She commented: “I think this trend benefits companies in two ways. Firstly, it helps people recognise these brands as being kinder to the planet, as reducing the amount of farming of livestock helps to reduce global warming. It also appeals more to the younger generation, as veganism is being adopted by a lot more of Gen Z and Millennials.”

In terms of design, Annie saw lots of natural and reusable materials, including a stand that was created using large cardboard rolls to make up the desk. She witnessed other natural materials such as timbers and lots of foliage. Biophilic design has become even more important in creating a feeling of wellbeing. Sustainability and biophilic design were the two biggest inspirations she took away from the show.

Looking at the food and drink products on display, Michael discovered a trend for health infused drinks with ingredients such as ginger, which contains antioxidants. This helps turn the daily coffee or tea into a more healthy choice.

Why visit the show?

After the trip the team were full of energy and ideas and it really hit home how important it is that as a business we give them the time to live, breathe and soak up the hospitality industry. It’s more important than ever after us working in isolation for so long. We asked them to share their thoughts on how this has helped them now that they are back in the office. Sam said: “Finding inspiration online can be more difficult, as this doesn’t provide a sensory experience, as you can’t smell, taste or touch things like you can in real life. Being in London also means a lot more exercise than being at your desk!”

Designer, Rachel Sheldon agreed and shared: “It is important to visit these events as it helps to broaden horizons to current trends and speak with reps to establish the latest materials and products. Physically being out and about gets the design juices flowing and you can take in everything around you to help assist project developments. This is something that can’t be fully achieved from reading design magazines. I really enjoyed that the show wasn’t just about coffee, there was a huge selection of snacks and other drinks such as juices.”

Annie believes that it’s important to experience events like this to understand key trends moving forward and stay ahead of the design styles. She recognises the value of getting out and networking as you never know who you might meet and where this may spark a relationship for future project collaborations.

Michael said it helped him to switch off from the day-to-day work and focus on the event itself commenting: “Impromptu things always happen like learning how to sign language a flat white coffee, tasting chilli infused coffee or seeing how baristas work. These experiences can help new ideas form and stay in the memory because of an emotional connection.”

Were there any surprises?

For Annie, one of the biggest surprises of the festival was the surge in the importance of furry friends in this market. This became more evident during the lockdowns with an increase in people getting pets as companions. At the show, this was clearly shown with animal friendly approaches. You would hear about the likes of dog friendly venues and cat cafes which provide inspiring and calming spaces to hang out with some furry pals. She also loved receiving samples from Denzel’s Dog Treats.

Feeling inspired too?

If you would like to chat to our design team about working with you on a hospitality project, you can call the office on 01604 770686 or complete our enquiry form on our website.

There is no doubt that when it comes to designing hospitality venues our team must consider social media. Shares on channels such as Instagram and TikTok play such an important part in driving awareness of a venue and it’s the attention to detail in a design that is often engaged with most widely.

Instagram is one of the most important tools when it comes to hospitality marketing. An article on Sprout Social revealed that 39% of people report increased interest in a brand or product after viewing it on an Instagram story, whilst 73% of businesses report acquiring new customers.

What features do people share photos of most?

Our designer, Anabel Twitchell Requena, feels that lighting plays a really important role when it comes to social sharing as it can change the look and feel of a room dramatically. She also told us that designers are exploring outside the standard choices and making restaurant, hotel and bar spaces more unique. She explained: “In my designs, I will look at using bold features such as interesting tiling or wallpaper as a main feature. These materials can really bring a room together and add an element of ‘fun’ into it. With an increase and interest in home renovations and DIY on TikTok and with lots of people posting transformations, we know there is a huge demand for sharing design inspiration.”

ABDA Designer, Rachel Sheldon agreed that bold colours can bring or create drama to a room, and this can be particularly impactful on social media. She revealed: “Pinks and greens seem to be particularly popular at the moment. To lighten a palette or break up a space, a chosen shade can be used with a complementing white. This can sometimes enhance the feature colour more as the eye is drawn to colour.”

How do you make a venue ‘Instagrammable’?

“It all begins with considering the target customer and what will excite them enough to make a post” says ABDA senior designer, Michael Hall. “On Instagram there is largely a drive to show off a fun lifestyle and inform followers. I would advise a client to think about creating something unique and aspirational.”

It’s also important that venues actively encourage photography and perhaps even have something on the menu or in the design which regularly changes to suit the latest trend as this can help with repeat posts. Unusual backdrops, slogans, and lighting are often elements that Instagrammers will want to take a selfie with.

Michael also suggests that interiors are changed and updated regularly but without the expense of a full refurbishment. He said: “This can be done effectively with the use of bric-a-brac and pictures which can be easily changed. Perhaps there is enough in the space that each time a customer visits they share a different experience.”

Michael spends a lot of time understanding consumer behaviour as this is important when considering the needs of the target audience. He told us about a study which found that men are more likely to upload selfies captured from a camera held at waist height. This tilted-up angle is selected as it makes them appear more powerful and taller, according to the research. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to snap their selfies from just above head height, in a bid to disguise any areas of the body they are less confident about. The selfie research was conducted by the University of Saskatchewan in Canada who used over 900 profiles from men and women on Tinder. This could provide valuable insight for designers when thinking about backgrounds such as ceilings, lighting and signage for men with flooring, seating and tables being more relevant for selfies taken by females.

How to find Instagrammable products?

There are a number of ways we look for products that will photograph well on Instagram and TikTok and we build strong relationships with suppliers to help us find those perfect products.

Rachel said: “If there is something specific I need ideas for I will use hashtags on Instagram. I also find Pinterest helpful for initial inspiration and getting down to finer ideas. Publications such as Frame magazine and Dezeen are also sources of design.”

We asked our designer Annie Wearn to reveal some of the places she would turn to when looking for ideas and inspiration for an Instagrammable design. When it comes to different lighting ideas, she would explore the sites of Industville and The Workshop Below. Divine Savages would be somewhere she would look for British luxury wallpapers and fabrics with Arthouse Ltd also offering a great range. Pickleson Paint Co and Valspar Paint are ideal for searching out a huge choice of colours. You will find tiles ranging from the stunningly simple to something more unusual from CTD Tiles and Porcelain Superstore. Margo and Plum have a range of art deco pieces and beautiful furniture whilst Print Club London is a screen-printing studio and online shop offering affordable, limited edition prints.

Seven social media friendly venues you may want to explore

It’s important that all our design team get out into the hospitality industry and explore hotels, restaurants and bars as it helps with their creativity. We asked our team to tell us some of their favourite venues for social sharing.

Efficiency within a kitchen has always been important but recent challenges relating to the pandemic and subsequent staff shortages have had a major impact on the industry. Having a well laid out kitchen, with the flexibility to adapt it, will no doubt be extremely beneficial to operators at the moment. Chefs and restaurateurs are looking at ways to offer a service with either fewer staff or by having the flexibility to alter menus or food offers.

We are now seeing another challenge for hospitality businesses – the cost of energy. Embracing technology and the efficiency that then brings through design and careful planning can reduce these costs; it includes everything from controlling storage to induction with reactive ventilation. The days of all the gas on and ventilation sucking out energy are not part of a modern kitchen. Control and limitation of waste, both in production and uneaten food, brings both ecological and cost efficiency to a business.

The unpredictability of trade, product supply and availability of workforce has meant a refocusing of core values for the catering sector and any kitchens we design need to be flexible and efficient to ensure the unexpected can be adapted to.

Efficiency is key in 2022

A good kitchen design will focus first and foremost on efficiency as the more efficient the kitchen, the more profitable it will be. As kitchen designers, we need to manage the space effectively so there are no unused areas. We’ll look at the flow of movement, waste, product storage to increase longevity and how easy it is to maintain and clean.

Our designer director, Richard Steade said: “When working in a kitchen you will want to have the most frequently used pieces of equipment close to hand. By us understanding the menu and food offer through research and rigorous investigation this will inform our design. Ideally, you want the most frequently used items no more than two steps away, so it becomes second nature for the chef to lay their hands on what they need to work efficiently.”

At ABDA we talk to the chefs we work with about how simple improvements can have a significant impact on their kitchen, the food they produce and the staff who work in them. We have a number of tools we use to communicate this and we create plans and elevations to show the zoning and workflow of a kitchen. However, some chefs find 3D renders easier to understand as this lets them see themselves navigating the space and picturing in their own mind how they will use the area. We also use manufacturer visits; taking chefs to factories and showrooms to see catering equipment first-hand. There are often demonstrations and workshops which give chefs the opportunity to use equipment and understand the benefits before committing to what is often a significant cost outlay.

What does the perfect kitchen look like?

The zoning for a kitchen should be laid out in a similar way to a production line. We would look at areas for storage, cold storage, hot and cold preparation, cookline, assembly/pass, dishwash and waste control. Ordinarily, you want the raw foods and products arriving at one side, preparation and production in the middle and the finished product coming out at the other side. However, there are always lots of considerations; the type of service and menu will dictate how large each zone needs to be and if any of the production zones need to be adjacent to one another. We also have an aesthetic consideration as to how this kitchen will appear to the customer if the kitchen door was open. There are certain zones which you would not want on show to diners.

Creating a modern and connected kitchen

There is lots of technology being integrated in kitchens, from labour saving devices to connected equipment which can communicate to a central hub. Some of the more useful items create huge flexibility with the ability to do the role of many traditional pieces. Often these come with programmable functions to streamline the process, take guesswork away and provide consistent results, allowing chefs to concentrate on simply delivering fantastic food.

 

Want to know more?

If you would like to know how to make your kitchen more efficient you can chat to one of our kitchen design team. Complete our contact us form or give us a call on 01604 770686.

Accessibility is an important part of any design process but surprisingly, in 2021 it’s still something that isn’t at the forefront of people’s minds. When people look at accessibility, they often consider access for wheelchairs, and don’t think about all disabilities and the importance of looking after the needs of everyone.

It’s a subject that’s always been close to the heart of ABDA project director, Gary Mackness. In his university days, one of his projects was to find a venue in Leicester and create a concept of his own choice. Whilst many fellow students thought about the aesthetics of the venue, Gary wanted to focus his time on accessibility so that the building could be enjoyed by all. He chose on old site near the centre of the city and decided it would make a good community hub where people of all abilities could mix and share leisure facilities, as opposed to a dedicated facility for people with disabilities.

After he watched a recent Institute of Hospitality webinar on accessibility, we caught up with Gary to find out his thoughts on this hot topic.

How do you think we are doing as a nation on accessible hospitality, leisure and tourism?

I think some sectors are doing more than others but as a nation we still have a long way to go. Some of the bigger tourism brands have a different mindset and are giving accessibility a lot of thought. The National Trust is a great example of a business who does it well. Sadly, I think it’s still some way down people’s list of priorities and so much more could be done. When it comes to design projects, the practicality and functionality of a space is so important. Whilst everyone wants a design to look good, and that’s also very important to us at ABDA, it must work operationally for our clients and their customers.

What’s the most important thing to consider with accessible design?

The big question you need to ask when you explore whether you are accessible is “are you excluding anyone with the facilities or services you are offering?” A truly accessible venue must not exclude anyone in society. When it comes to design this means not only entry into and around the building, but lighting, signage, use of space, noise levels and so much more.

What do you think is the biggest challenge with accessible design?

It’s a lack of knowledge, education and awareness. When studying, you don’t generally have specific training on accessibility in design as there are so many disability groups to cover. However, there is additional training that you can do and it’s also important to bring in experts to ensure you have thought about all areas of accessibility.

What are your hopes on accessible design in the future

I would love it to become a natural part of the design process for all designers. Imagine how good it will be when there is so much knowledge and awareness out there that accessibility comes naturally to everyone working in the hospitality industry. Events like the Institute of Hospitality webinar provide a fantastic opportunity for businesses to drive change.

What’s the biggest barrier to accessible design?

Unfortunately, budgets are probably the biggest barrier as it can add additional expense on a project. But what businesses don’t always understand is that if you get it right, it will bring a return on investment. The accessible market is worth over 250 billion pounds and if you promote an accessible venue correctly and offer fantastic customer service, your disabled customers will come back time and time again. I think apathy is also an issue as often people don’t consider accessibility until it impacts them or someone they care about. We should all play our part in making a difference as it’s the right thing to do.

If a hospitality business could only do one thing to change their design what would you recommend that is?

This is an impossible question as it depends on what area of accessibility you are looking at. For example, if you wanted to make it more suitable for wheelchair users you would look at access, but for a person with autism you would focus on reducing noise. When looking after those with a visual impairment lighting or signage would be the change needed. It’s a huge subject to consider and sadly there is no one fix, however, lots of small changes can make a really big difference to the overall experience.

It’s so important that as an industry we understand consumer behaviour if we are to come out the other side of this pandemic stronger. So much has changed in 2020 that you can’t just continue doing what has worked for you over the last few years and school meals are no exception.

Children have been through an experience that will potentially change their entire futures and it’s vital that as an industry we listen to their views. Following on from their primary school focus group in the summer ABDA director, Claire Smith spoke to secondary school pupils from across the UK. ABDA wanted to learn from this focus group how lunchtimes had changed since they returned to school in September; discover the places students like to eat out and seek some ideas on how schools could increase sales with improved experience, food offering and design.

Changing behaviour

The focus group included students aged 12 to 18 years old and before the first lockdown every pupil was having a school meal. Many of the pupils have changed their lunchtime behaviour since returning to school with the majority now taking their own food in from home or buying it from the high street. The main reason for this is lack of time to queue and eat food as the time in the dining hall has been greatly reduced. This really highlighted how important it is for schools to get the customer journey right so waiting time is minimal.

Safety first

This group of pupils were very aware of safety when both eating at school and dining out. One of the 12-year-old pupils had decided to stop having school meals because she didn’t feel confident in how well shared items were being cleaned. This is an important marketing message for caterers to get right.

Safety was also a factor in where this group had been choosing to eat out with their families and friends. McDonald’s was defined as somewhere they felt safe due to “being better at social distancing” with self-ordering, screens in-between seating and the fact you could be completely isolated if you chose to use the drive-thru.  The use of apps in places like a local pub, Wetherspoons and Nando’s also proved popular as they felt they could reduce contact with others.

Experience matters

Whilst the students accepted that their experience wasn’t going to be the same as dining outside of school, they felt that improving the customer experience was important for schools. Pre-ordering was felt to be a good idea for the majority of the pupils as this would speed up the process and give them more time to actually enjoy eating their food. Some members of the group explained they only had around five minutes to actually eat their food before the next bubble were allowed into the dining hall.

Explore outside dining

ABDA talked to pupils about the fact that some universities are using food trucks to enable catering to take place in outside spaces. Everyone on the focus group agreed they would like to see this style of dining in their own schools. They wanted to see street food with an emphasis on tastes from around the world.

Design inspiration

Pupils were asked to share feedback on restaurant designs shown to them on screen. The look and feel of Nando’s was a big hit with pupils feeling it was light and bright and they liked the colours of the restaurant design. They also felt it was inviting, relaxed and comfortable. A less uniform seating arrangement, good choice of colour and the use of images on the walls proved popular in the Wahaca design. A Dodo Pizza concept was also discussed, and they liked the fact that this concept enabled them to quickly get food from a counter and then go.

Commenting on the focus group, director, Claire Smith said: “What was most evident from this session was just how dramatically what they are doing for lunchtime dining has changed. They are craving quick dining solutions to enable them to have as much time as possible to eat. The dining experience has been lost in a bid to get pupils through the dining hall quickly. Whilst the process will have been taken out of the hands of some caterers, there are clearly some ideas that could be brought in. This includes pre-ordering, looking at ways to reduce queues and even offering outside dining. We’ll be sharing this insight with our education clients and considering the pupil’s input and current behaviour when creating future education designs.”

Whilst we don’t want to wish our lives away, most people working in hospitality are constantly looking ahead to 2021 when hopefully we will see more positive times. To help hospitality businesses prepare for a return to some kind of normality, the team at ABDA has been exploring design trends we can expect to see in our industry over the next year. The research project also considered what impact the pandemic has had on hospitality designs of the future.

ABDA explored colours, counters, lighting, furniture, sustainability, operational activity and customer experience. They have used their expertise and insight to create some stunning and creative designs and highlighted the key takeaways hospitality operators can build into their business. Seven key words summarised the design trends we will expect to see in 2021 and these were:

  • Community
  • Sustainability
  • Experiential
  • Escapism
  • Tech
  • Adaptability
  • Bold

The ABDA design team has illustrated their thoughts on what venues could look like in 2021 to demonstrate how these trends can be easily implemented into new or existing venues. This includes a café/bar concept which is a warm, bright and inviting space where customers can have a break from the norm. During the day it is a relaxed community social space, and, in the evening, it becomes a bar and restaurant. The space aims to bring people together and build on social distancing, bubbles and support networks. It includes an area to showcase community arts to provide consumers with a way to relax. Communal furniture is used for dining but also for craft events where schools, local care residents and charity groups can come together. Community art is something that lifted people during the pandemic, and it is something that is expected to stay as we’ve learnt to appreciate these little things so much more. The use of bold colour in this concept fits with trends we are seeing across cities such as the New London Fabulous project.

 

 

ABDA predict we will see a lot more touchless technology in 2021 and it is also expected that consumers will want a higher use of microbial fabric with hard services which are easier to clean. Future designs will need to be adaptable as COVID has highlighted that most industries and sectors were not pandemic proof. Flexibility is going to be absolutely key so businesses are ready to adapt to whatever situation may be thrown at them. COVID has made people more aware of what they put in their bodies and emphasis on healthy options is more important than ever. With households feeling the pinch, going out is going to become much more of a treat and consumers are going to be looking at the overall experience so it is much more memorable. Consumers are also expected to crave that feeling of bringing the outside inside as this is known to have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. This can be achieved through adding more plants, using wildlife prints or natural materials so people feel closer to nature. ABDA created a conceptual design showing what a sustainable hotel would look like if it incorporated 2021 trends.

 

 

Director at ABDA, Claire Smith said “Once hospitality is fully re-open the appetite for this sector is going to be huge. During the pandemic we have been offering practical advice that can be quickly and easily implemented by any hospitality business right now as well as helping those planning for the long-term. Our research is available for all those working in hospitality, so simply contact us via our website or social media channels to request your copy. Many of the ideas include simple and small tweaks to an existing venue so they don’t need to be costly but will show consumers you have really taken note of what they want and expect. Make sure you are ready to capture that excitement and interest in your restaurant, bar, café, hotel, garden centre, staff restaurant, event catering or school meals service in a post-pandemic world.”