Portfolio
The Ritz-Carlton, Rabat Dar Es SalamMorocco
Investigating the locale for a potential project, I visited the Maruekatayawan Palace, constructed in 1923 by His Majesty King Rama VI, in Hua Hin, Thailand.
A stunning building ... more than a building … a guided perambulation through a tropical garden, a careful selection of vistas, a cool sea breeze on a heavy afternoon.
Envisaged by a King as a place to 'fully relax, in great comfort', realised by a travelling Italian architect, constructed by local craftsmen – the parallels with our current design process struck me.
Recyclable, minimal, prefabricated materials … a refined and modern response to a climate and an ideal.
There is so much to inspire our contemporary design of 'places to relax' through continuity with times passed.
/ 0 comments / Permalink
When WATG launched a blog three years ago, we were among the first architecture and design firms in the world to embrace this medium.
While most company blogs in existence today – and there are still relatively few – have a single voice, ours includes contributions from over 50 WATG staff members to date.
Many senior leaders were skeptical at first, considering blogging a waste of time. But some of these folks have come around, even posting a blog or two themselves.
In addition to providing a forum for sharing insights and observations internally, our blog has become the fifth most popular way that people find and enter our website. Over 35,000 visitors have read WATG's blog in the last year alone. If you Google "architecture blog," WATG now appears on the first page of results.
According to research conducted recently by HubSpot among 1,531 businesses, other benefits of blogging include increased lead generation, customer acquisition, Twitter reach, and website visits.
Blog on!
/ 0 comments / Permalink
It's really satisfying to see one of our most interesting jobs, with such a great client—Haluk Kaya, covered on CNN.
We've been on this one as master planners from the very beginning and have thoroughly enjoyed the journey with Bekay Property Partners. Turkey is a really exciting market for us and the strength of the team on Olivion—from the visionary client through to the consultant group—is apparent. We all share an infectious enthusiasm and desire to see the successful realization of a great master plan in the very near future.
/ 0 comments / Permalink
12:29 PM - That's what time we finished the presentation for the Radical Innovation Competition due to some technical errors.
12:30 PM - When we walked on stage to give the presentation!
It's amazing what you can do when you are under pressure. Our team had little time to rehearse together, but we knew the project. After a little coaching, we knew we just had to get up there and show the audience how passionate we were about this concept and how it could impact the hospitality industry.
Our 10 minutes flew by, and I was back in my seat watching the other two finalists present their ideas. Both presentations were really great and the speakers were quite charismatic. When it came time for the final vote, I don't think anyone knew how it would turn out.
"This year's runner-up...Aircruise" (clapping, clapping)
"And this year's winner of the Radical Innovation in Hospitality Award...Mosaic by WATG" (loud girlish screams from the back and lots of clapping)
It took a minute for it to set in, and when it finally did they were placing a very large $10,000 check in our hands (no complaints there). All of our colleagues who were there were just as proud as we were to finally be bringing home the win after four years of being a finalist. The judges told us later that every year WATG has had amazing submissions and this year we finally hit it out of the park.
The team was Jerod Costner, Karen Mitri and me. Larry Rocha, Raj Chandnani, Robert Payan, and Mike Seyle (who built a model out of straws) acted as our advisors through the process. We also have to thank the WATG Irvine team for sharing their creative minds with us in our brainstorming sessions. This really was an office-wide effort and we couldn't have won it without them.
 |
|
Jerod Costner, Karen Mitri and Krystal Solorzano being interviewed in WATG's Sustainable Suite after their big Radical Innovation win. |
Last night, WATG was honored at HD Expo at the Venetian in Las Vegas for 65 years of service. We are now part of Hospitality Design's prestigious Platinum Circle. Here are the remarks I gave after receiving the honor on behalf of the firm.
I am very honored to accept this award on behalf of all the talented designers and employees of WATG.
First, I would like to thank Hospitality Design for hosting this incredible annual conference and this Gala. HD is major force in the industry and, in addition to fostering an amazing community, this conference teaches us the value of creating and innovating year-round.
So what is the secret to a design firm that prospers for 65 years?
Well, as you can tell from our video, WATG has not only been around a long time, we've also been all around the world. We believe if you want to work in one place, you generalize; if you want to work everywhere, you have to specialize. WATG made a choice early on to specialize in hospitality design. That choice to become hospitality specialists went against the prevailing wisdom of doing everything possible to avoid being narrowly defined.
But since our beginnings in Honolulu in 1945, our designers have traversed the globe creating some of the world's most uplifting destinations. Our designers do so much more than just create, they are inspired and innovative storytellers. We have a rich history of creating destinations that guests can experience with all their senses and that deliver on the dreams of their owners.
And we are not yet satisfied. We remain focused on the future; on what hospitality can be beyond a hotel or a resort; on enriching the guest experience, wherever that guest may travel, explore or enjoy.
We are very pleased that this year WATG, in conjunction with IDEO, won the first annual Sustainable Suite Design competition sponsored by HD and the US Green Building Council. And we are very proud that for the last four years, WATG has been a finalist in HD's Radical Innovation in Hospitality competition, the award that promotes innovation and global thought-leadership in hospitality. And this afternoon, we took first place in that competition.
I would like to recognize a couple of people here tonight who have helped make WATG successful for many years. First, I would like to thank Howard Wolff, our Director of Marketing. Howard has helped make WATG known in almost every corner of the world.
I would also like to recognize Rhonda Rasmussen, our Director of Interior Design, for her tireless work on behalf of our firm and our clients. Her vision is unrivaled, her skill unmatched, and her travel schedule leaves us all speechless.
WATG realized early on that we needed to be two things to do work around the world: nimble enough to go where the action is, and humble enough to listen once we got there.
Today, we look forward to continuing the adventure with all of you, and to continuing to listen.
Thank you again for recognizing our firm's achievements.
 |
|
Raj Chandnani, Director of Strategy, and Rhonda Rasmussen, Vice President and Director of Interior Design, on the Green Day panel.
Photo by Robin Clewley |
/ 0 comments / Permalink
The awards includes excellence in quality construction and design of new and remodeled, residential, kitchen & bath, commercial, landscape, public works, and historical projects.
St. Regis Princeville won the Overall Grand Award for Commercial Renovation
Marriot Ko Olina Beach Club won the Overall Grand Award for New Commercial
Kahala Hotel & Resort won the Grand Award for Commercial Renovation under 5,000 square feet
Read more about the awards here.
Congratulations, WATG interiors!
 |
|
Building Industry Association of Hawaii Renaissance Awards Plaques
|
/ 0 comments / Permalink
Six months and 23 days, that's how long it has been since we found out we had won the first USGBC Sustainable Suite Competition! Now with the Hospitality Design Expo just 3½ weeks away, we are making sure all the pieces are in place for our Haptik suite to come to life. We're putting together our final check lists and marking items off every day as the show gets closer.
Reclaimed wood headboard…check, outdoor garden balcony…check, eucalyptus sheets…check, walls…check!
We have been working closely with USGBC to make sure this is a success for everyone. On May 19th, WATG and IDEO will unveil their winning design at the Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas, NV for all to see. This isn't just another model room, it's an experience. If you will be attending the HD Expo, please visit the Haptik Suite and discover all the subtle nuances of sustainability enveloped in luxury. Also be sure to check out our many gracious vendors and sponsors that helped make this a reality with their donations of sustainable products.
After the HD Expo, the Haptik Suite will be moved to a more permanent location at the College of Southern Nevada.
 |
|
Guestroom Axon View
|
/ 2 comments / Permalink
After a client presentation in northern Italy last Thursday, I was traveling back to the Pisa airport, when Sadie, an executive assistant in London, rang me to tell me I was going nowhere fast and certainly not back to London. But she managed after a lot of hassle to book me a nice hotel where I waited...
Two days later I was sitting in my Pisa hotel dining room wondering how much longer I would be there (the travel agents weren't optimistic!) when I noticed that the people at the next table spoke English. Pretty soon we got to talking. Like me they were also stuck after a week's Italian language course.
"Why don't we rent a bus and drive back to UK?" I suggested.
Within minutes most of the diners, overhearing our conversation and likewise "stuck," mobbed us. They were all potential passengers. We had doctors from a conference on schizophrenia in Florence, biologists from a workshop in Pisa, families on holiday and a few business people making a group of over 40 including six kids. Within four hours, thanks to my Italian speaking friends, we had our bus with two drivers. In the end, 35 of us departed at 4 am the following morning for Calais leaving a number of disappointed people behind. Not enough space for everyone. We drove through the glorious northern Italian and French Alps and up past Lyon. 20 hours later, after three 10 minute 'comfort stops' (no time to eat so we carried food with us), we had arrived at Calais. Although we missed our ferry booking, the coach was much s..l..o..w..e..r than anticipated, we were able to get on the last midnight ferry to Dover.
Although exhausting, we made it!
I met great people.
It was relatively inexpensive - only euro 150 each - and a real adventure!
/ 0 comments / Permalink
Things are bigger in China, as you can see. As part of our project introduction, we toured many locations in the new city of Ordos in Inner Mongolia. The goal was to see the icons and culture of the region that we could incorporate into the story of the new hotel project.
Here vice president Bill Reed stands in the foreground of one of four magnificently large scale sculptures that pay homage to the great Genghis Khan.
Amazing attention to details can be seen on the faces of each of the 50 warriors as part of this sculpture.
The wonderful world of Ordos! Sometimes on trips we forget where we are. One location looks like the last after weeks on the road. But, not on this trip. One morning before being picked up for our meetings, Bill and I took a stroll around the cultural center of the new city of Ordos. We found ourselves on what just happened to be a yellow brick road. This took us to a long landscape plaza reminiscent of our own National Mall in Washington DC.
/ 2 comments / Permalink
