WATG.com Blog

Seattle to Mumbai and Back (the sequel)

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:16:05 PST

On a recent trip to Mumbai again earlier this month, Nick Poynton and Stephen Albert (from our WATG London office) and I attended the HIFI conference (Hotel Investment Forum India) at the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Centre 12-14 January. It was a “networking-fest” for hotel executives, investors, lenders and developers who are interested in doing business in one of the world’s hottest markets – India.

Tiantong Temple

(Mary Suenaga) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:54:29 PST

For our next project inspiration, Mrs. Feng Lin and Mr. Wang Feng of the New Century Real Estate Group escorted me to the Tiantong Temple (the temple of the heavenly child), which is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Taibai Mountain in Ningbo, China.

Russian Style: Nouveau Riche or Old News?

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:57:34 PST

Conde Nast Traveler magazine recently had a big feature on Russia today, and in a sidebar discusses the country’s stereotypical penchant for over-the-top style. This is my take on the notion that Russia is all about bling:

Fastest Project: Jaypee Greens Sports City

(Melanie Richards) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:40:32 PST

We were speeding through Delhi in darkness on our way to the airport. After a busy and successful trip to see our Jaypee Sports clients, we were enjoying some relaxation before a long flight home. Suddenly we looked up and saw not one huge banner high across the road advertising the launch of a new Jaypee residential development, the Lake District, but two or three in close succession. These were advertising phase one of the new Jaypee Greens Sports City, a city that we had just finished master planning. Already our client had engaged architects, designed residential apartment blocks and was marketing it ready to sell it off plan.

Observations of a Design-Focused Denmark

(Shanna Patel) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:29:15 PST

On my way back from our London office recently, I stopped in Denmark for the first time to visit some friends. It was an amazing experience and another example of how much we can learn when we travel to other cultures.

Master Plan Workshop in Bahrain

(Lale Lisya Sullam) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:21:23 PST

John Goldwyn and I went to Bahrain for a master planning workshop last week. This photo was taken at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, where from this perspective the natural salt water lake is already colonized by native species and flamingos. We are also envisioning a large, extensive wetland body to provide habitat for wildlife, scrub grey water and to also increase the value of the real estate adjacent for our coastal front development in West Bahrain.

Giaphat Signing Ceremony

(Cynthia Jacobs) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:36:16 PST

Earlier this month, Tom Williams, Jason Van Bruaene and I traveled to Vietnam for an official "signing ceremony" for a sport and recreation complex. Held in a Hanoi hotel in front of approximately 150 guests, the festive occasion was highlighted by a WATG presentation by Tom and myself, a string quartet, Vietnamese opera singers and confetti falling from the ceiling! Giaphat Finance and Investment had selected the Seattle office of WATG to master plan a 35-hectare complex at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park. The Hi-Tech Park is a 1586-hectare "Science City" development located west of Hanoi and will eventually become part of Hanoi City. It is expected to have a population of approximately 200,000. The program for the sport and recreation complex also calls for a five-star hotel and botanical garden.

St. Regis Princeville's Fine Dining Opening Gala

(Rashana Zaklit) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:50:21 PST

As Rhonda Rasmussen, Raj Chandnani and I prepared for the St. Regis Princeville Kauai Grill grand opening last week, I was excited and looked forward to coordinating two separate gala events.

The first occurred on Thursday, November 19th, the Grand Opening of the Kauai Grill Restaurant which included media, clients, regional representatives, and of course world renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten who was on Kauai to train his staff to present his famous Asian inspired cuisine. We spent several hours prior to the event making detailed lists and photographing the entire fine dining restaurant, and made notes of adjustments that needed to occur.

After adding a few final touches we got ready and joined close to 100 guests for a cocktail event to introduce and showcase the restaurant. We learned first-hand the difference between Kauai's "resort chic" wear and our own interpretation of it. Let me tell you our group was in the minority.

Friday, began with a "meet the press" breakfast where our own Rhonda gave tours and spoke to the history behind this renovation as well as the local historical stories behind the artwork chosen and displayed throughout the space. Once again we spent time to “set the mood” for the evening’s event which would be more elaborate than the previous.

At 6 PM that evening, champagne was served outside while we watched a breathtaking sunset. Inside, I experienced several different perceptions of the design of the restaurant and the local community’s view of the 3rd renovation of the Princeville property.

Representatives from "Food and Wine", "Travel and Leisure", "Forbes" and several local Hawaiian publications stopped by many times to give their feedback on the resort, take pictures, and interview our team on our design vision. Comments were extremely positive and re-enforced how appropriate the design was to Kauai, its people and culture. The general consensus was that WATG's vision and execution kept the focus on the views of the hotel and culture that this hotel has to offer.

Although this was a social event, it represented another aspect of a designer's job description: to continue to sell our product and hospitality expertise beyond the drawing table. Each of us were seated with a different group of people by the event coordinator to ensure we were mingling and getting the most out of the evening (I have a strong feeling Raj was most responsible for this mandatory interaction!). It worked. We not only met with the media, we also got to interact with the local community. I met with local restaurant owners of Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant, who have both lived in Kauai since the early 80's, and they both expressed that St. Regis is the best they have seen of the resort. The evening ended with speeches given by the general manager and chef Jean-Georges both continuing to give kudos to our team.

After all the interviews, tours, and reviewing the entire property we left feeling great accomplishment for creating a space that paid homage to the local culture and maintained what our company stands for: creating luxurious, comfortable, destinations while maintaining the thoughtfulness and genuine aesthetic that compliment Kauai.

How Suite It Is!

(Krystal Solorzano) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:47:02 PST

Here is a behind-the-scenes glance into how we won the first-ever USGBC Sustainable Suite design competition.

17 July 2009: WATG officially kicked off its collaboration with innovation firm IDEO with a fresh look at the hotel guest experience. The team began its research by staying one night in different hotels and observing the human behavior of other guests within the public spaces as well as their own behavior as they interacted with and utilized the guestrooms. IDEO sent each team member a booklet in advance to gather and organize their findings...

Hotel renovation window still open but may be closing soon

(Howard J. Wolff) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:11:41 PST

A compelling reason to renovate now is that construction prices have declined significantly following a 30-year rise. Saving money in labor and materials can increase the internal rate of return for any hotel renovation projects that are being contemplated … and have bottom-line benefits. But, as they say on TV, "Hurry, this offer won't last."

As reported in Rider Levett Buchnall's quarterly cost report , construction costs in the US declined for the fourth consecutive quarter, but the rate of decline has diminished considerably. Whereas in the first quarter of 2009, prices dropped in many cities by an average of seven percent, recent reductions in labor and materials (as well as overhead and profit) have leveled off to a single percentage point.

The data suggest that builders are unlikely to make additional deep cuts to their already tightened margins, even as workload projections remain pessimistic. In other words, if you're a hotel owner, operator or asset manager who has been deferring maintenance or waiting to renovate until prices go down even further, this is as good as it's going to get.

Act now.

Cash for Conservation

(Howard J. Wolff) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:00:27 PST

I recently spoke on a panel at The Lodging Conference in Phoenix on the subject of "Practical Green Concepts in Design, Construction and Conservation Practices." The session moderator, John Scaggs of HVS Eco Services, noted that we have the technology to monitor energy and water usage in individual hotel rooms. If we can do that, why not provide an incentive to guests to conserve resources by letting them know at check-out how their usage compared to the average and offering them a rebate if they used less water and electricity.

The Hotel Renovation Paradox

(Howard J. Wolff) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:42:35 PST

When times are good, hotel owners don't want to impact revenues by taking rooms out of circulation and embarking on a renovation program. Paradoxically, today, poorly performing properties in need of a facelift lack the necessary revenue to do anything about it.

Alas, a Catch-22: If your property is making money, you don't feel the need to renovate. But when occupancies are down and you feel the need, you don't have the money to renovate.

So, when is a good time to renovate?

John F. Kennedy once said, "The time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining." In terms of the economic climate, these are cloudy times at best (even stormy, in many locations). So, what can a hotel owner do today who is strapped for cash?

Find some money. Invest in capital expenditures and make decisions with an eye on ROI. (http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx?ArticleId=1565&ArticleType=1&PageType=Latest)

WATG has coined the term "RevPAD" to refer to the impact that creativity can have on a hotel's top- and bottom line: Revenue Per Amazing Design.

The most obvious advantage of renovating in this environment is cost savings. Now is the first time in the 30 years I've been in the business that construction costs have actually come down. Historically, they have gone up steadily, if not sharply. Today, in many parts of the world, costs are down by over 10% from just six months ago. According to statistics compiled by Rider Levett Buchnall (http://www.americas.rlb.com/documents/cost/reports/2009_q2_qcr.pdf), construction costs in cities like Denver and Seattle declined by as much as 8% in the first quarter of 2009 alone.

A second advantage: When business is slow and occupancies are down, there is less disruption to guests and less impact on cash flow from operations. On top of that, construction can proceed more quickly, and property owners can get the word out that their hotel is newly renovated and open for business.

Properties that have been newly renovated will be in the best position to restore and/or raise rates and increase occupancies. Hotels that defer needed maintenance and refurbishment and wait until times are better will miss being able to take full advantage of the inevitable upturn.
When planning a trip, travelers seek out hotels and resorts that are either new or newly renovated. Data from a study conducted by STR and Hospitality Advisors LLC shows that, over a five-year period, revenues for renovated properties increase at three-and-a-half times the rate of un-renovated properties.

Bottom line: Hard times are good times to prepare for better times.

Canstruction this Saturday!

(Sean Sih-Young Jeon) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:18:21 PST

We have our design ready.

Our cans were just delivered to Pearlridge Center.

Our build team has been practicing all week.

We're all set to go!

If you're in the area, please stop by Pearlridge this Saturday, 15 August, with cans of food and “vote” for our entry by filling our shopping cart. I can’t reveal what we’re building, but I can promise that it will be uniquely Hawaiian.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many companies for supporting our team and making it possible for us to participate in this event benefitting the Hawaii Food Bank:

Ayson HI, LLC
Bays Deaver Lung Rose Holma
The Chong Group LLC
Design Studio
Orient Travel, Inc.

And special thanks to Safeway for their tremendous support!

What Can We Learn from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts?

(Howard J. Wolff) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:52:04 PST

The story of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a tale of remarkable expansion, continual innovation, and a single-minded dedication to the highest of standards. WATG has had the pleasure of designing a dozen built Four Seasons properties around the world, including the recently-opened Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita.

Despite their stellar reputation, Four Seasons has not been immune to the troubles that luxury hoteliers are experiencing in these economically turbulent times. As everyone struggles to emerge from this downturn, we can learn something from Four Seasons in terms of their uncompromising commitment to maintaining the service, quality and culture that distinguish their brand.

Isadore (Issy) Sharp, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, wrote a book this year entitled "Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy." MSNBC.com's Christopher Elliott sat down with Sharp to learn more about the book, and to get his take on the historic downturn in the lodging industry. The interview - and the book - are worth a read. There are lessons in it for all of us.

Architecture Blog: Incorporating Innovative and Immersive Technologies: Changing the Art of Design

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:47:21 PST

It seems that everywhere you look, the economic downturn has affected everything: not enough work to go around, low morale, and generally bad vibes everywhere. Call me an optimist, but I think there is a sliver of a silver lining here. This is a time for reflection, a time for vision, a time for planning. When we do rebound, what will have changed for good, and how will we have to react in the new economy?

Bouncing along the bottom

(Howard J. Wolff) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:16:25 PST

Having just returned from the NYU Hotel Industry Investment Conference (1-2 June), I can tell you the sentiment seems to be that this is as bad as it's going to get. Now the question is: When will it get better?

Individuals at this conference seemed less depressed than they were five months earlier at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in San Diego, when the general sentiment seemed to be, "It sucks all over."

In town for the NYU conference, Arne Sorenson, president and chief operating officer of Marriott International, offered his thoughts to a CNBC audience , suggesting that hotels in the US will start to see improvement in occupancy and RevPAR in the second half of this year (aka as early as next month).

Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, agreed that the panic seen during the past eight months is waning. "We see the beginning of confidence," he said. "There is major pent-up demand; there will be a rebound."

Gilles Pélisson, chairman and CEO for Accor, said he couldn’t be as optimistic as his fellow chief executives. "We don’t yet see a very high level of recovery," he said, adding that European countries that have been hit hard, such as Spain, still are in dire straits. He also said France and Germany, which have been two of the strongest economies, now are slowing down.

Steve Rushmore, president of HVS, suggested that there is some good news in our current state of affairs. In his opinion, the relative lack of new hotel supply in this downturn will lead to a "rapid and strong recovery." Hotel real estate values (down as much as 50%) will lag, however, and are not expected to recover until 2011.

When it comes to looking down the road, everyone seems to have limited visibility. Predictions are, at best, educated guesses. All we can say with some certainty is that - no matter what the pace and how tough the journey - things will get better. Even the pessimists reluctantly agree.

Tweet This!

(Howard J. Wolff) — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:27:13 PST

Last week, I was invited to speak at a “Marketing Now” conference in San Francisco. The organizers presented WATG with a first-place Marketing Excellence Award for the design of our web site, and I was invited to speak on two panels on “new media.”

Layover in Tokyo

(Joanna Gondek) — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:26:32 PST

I recently stopped in Tokyo for a few days on my way home to Australia. The Japanese culture inspires me due to its eclectic blending of traditional eastern and contemporary western design, but made essentially Japanese through the newest ideas and perfection in technology.

Is it still okay to travel?

(Howard J. Wolff) — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:03:40 PST

Last week, I was on five airplane flights – all full – and people seemed to be taking all the hysteria in stride. I suspect there are three sorts of travelers: those who are immobilized and have decided to stay home; those who are cautiously proceeding with their travel plans; and those who see this as a terrific opportunity to snag great deals on hotels and flights. It seems hospitality investors can be grouped into three similar categories: those waiting on the sidelines; those embarking on well-thought-out capital expenditure programs; and those ready to snap up properties at bargain prices.

Sustainability Blog: Sustainable Design While Sustaining Your Bottom Line

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:41:12 PST

Several weeks ago, I sat on a panel at the 2009 ARDA Convention in Orlando to discuss sustainable design. The session was titled Sustainable Design While Sustaining Your Bottom Line, and one of its educational overlays was to discuss sustainable design in the context of the current economic market.

2009 Canstruction Kick-off

(Sih-Young Jeon) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:25:27 PST

As we assemble our fourth CANstruction team and begin planning for the annual CANstruction competition sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in support of the Hawaii Food Bank, I would like to pause and reflect on why it's more important than ever to support those in need. Like many other firms, we were forced to tighten our belts and make some difficult decisions. But we all agreed that despite the swirling negativity surrounding our economy, we would remain committed to the charitable organizations we supported in the past. There is a different feel to this competition that is very different than in the past. It's difficult to explain in words, but I believe we aren't focused so much on winning this year as much as we are focused on making this competition a success.

Architecture Blog: Panchiao, Taiwan

(Wendy Hoffman) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:48:44 PST

While visiting family, I had the opportunity to visit one of WATG's projects in Panchiao, Taiwan. WATG signed with the developer in 2006 to design the facade and the interior for the residential towers.

Is it okay to travel?

(Howard J. Wolff) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:39:08 PST

I remember, following the attacks of 9/11, that Japanese tourists stopped coming to Hawaii because they felt that it would be insensitive to be enjoying themselves when America was grieving. Very thoughtful. But not very helpful.

Today, many companies are cancelling meetings at hotels, not because of finances but because of the perception that such travel will be viewed as frivolous. Call it the AIG effect.

Case in point: Goldman Sachs reportedly paid a $600,000 cancellation fee recently and moved a technology conference from Las Vegas to San Francisco, a more expensive city in which to meet. Even companies not receiving federal money are now afraid to travel for fear of being criticized.

Destinations like Las Vegas and Hawaii are particularly hard hit – despite the great bargains they are offering – because of the concern over how it looks to travel to leisure destinations when times are tough. The cancellation of travel plans is having serious negative economic consequences. The loss of business is exacerbating the loss of jobs ... housekeepers, dishwashers, servers, florists, event planners, even designers.

Hilton area vice president Jerry Gibson watched $12.4 million in business evaporate within the last 45 days, when several companies cancelled corporate incentive meetings at their Hawaii properties.

Recently, some of the biggest names in the hotel industry wrote a joint letter to the US Congress with the message that a "robust travel industry is a powerful economic stimulus."

When “Saturday Night Live” resumed broadcasting a couple of weeks following 9/11, they had Mayor Giuliani on to open the show, along with the firefighters and police officers of New York, declaring that despite the terrorist attacks, New York City will run as normal and Saturday Night Live will go on as planned. Lorne Michaels, the producer, asked the mayor, "Is it OK to be funny?" and Giuliani replied, "Why start now?"

The bottom line: It's OK to travel. It's good for business and essential for the economy. Pass the word.

Campeche, Mexico and Panama

(Jin Koyama) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:06:23 PST

Jeff Naprawa and I recently accompanied our client on a trip to Mexico and Panama to visit potential project sites and do a little market research. Fortunately for us the trip also allowed for a stop at the Edzna Pyramids.

Photos from Mexico

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:29:19 PST

Photos from my recent holiday to Mexico.

Raj Chandnani on Design Trends

(Raj Chandnani) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:51:26 PST

You've been up since 4 a.m., and are harried from the hassles of airport security, the transcontinental flight, jet lag and back-to-back traffic. As you step out of the taxi and enter the hotel, your surroundings feel comfortable and you can eventually exhale. The lobby is a living room, and someone with a smiling face greets you. Your check in process is effortless and you are intuitively able to find your room. Whether you decide to have a glass of wine, check your email or have a hot shower, your day is suddenly looking better since the experience is the complete antithesis to your stressful day. The most important design trend for hospitality? Customization, ease and authenticity.

Read the whole article here.

Berlin's Holocaust Memorial

(Brigid Byrne) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:38:58 PST

A few photos taken from a recent trip to Berlin.

Bardessono Opening

(Cynthia Jacobs) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:50:41 PST

The pre-opening celebration for Bardessono in Yountville, California on January 30th was a special occasion. As architects, it is always wonderful to see the "fruits of our labor" in a built project.

Career Day at Niu Valley Middle School

(Tiffany Lee) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:33:00 PST

Salli Morita and I visited Niu Valley Middle School for their annual career day. We shared with them the different aspects of architecture, master planning, interior design, and landscape architecture, and the various types of projects we do globally. They were impressed... “Have you really designed a house on the water?”

Brave Bankers: An Oxymoron?

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:07:37 PST

Here’s a little exchange I had with a banker at ALIS (Americas Lodging Investment Conference) recently in San Diego. We were among the 2,300 in attendance.

HJW: Why are you at this conference?

He: I just wanted to get a sense of how bad things are.

HJW: And?

He: Things are even worse than I thought.

HJW: So, are you making any loans for any projects at all?

He: No. If I make one bad loan in this economic climate, I’ll get fired. When times are good, we have more leeway.

HJW: Well, forgive me for saying so, but it seems you’re a big part of the problem. Bankers get a bailout and then are afraid to lend money. A deepening recession becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

He: You’re right.

Awkward but honest.

Seems to me that smart money would be going into viable projects now. These properties will open ahead of the competition, when the economy inevitably rebounds. Any brave bankers out there?