Independent Hotel Show - ESG Hub October 2024   We are thrilled to introduce: “BEYOND THE BUSTLE”

We are incredibly honoured to have been invited to design the ESG Hub at this year's Independent Hotel Show at Olympia. Collaborating with the brilliant Sarah Duncan from Expert Advice | Sleeping Lion (EASL), the show’s fantastic logistics team and our valued design supply partners has made this project an exciting and rewarding journey.

Sustainable design is a challenging path to navigate, and while we’re not claiming perfection, we’re committed to making progress every day.

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​​​​​Concept Description for the ESG Hub at the Independent Hotel Show:

studio ATARA proudly presents the ESG Hub, a space designed to embody our commitment to sustainability and timeless design. Inspired by the health benefits of connecting with nature, the Hub features natural materials and elements that promote a harmonious balance among air, water, earth, and life. This immersive environment invites visitors to escape ‘Beyond the Bustle’, encouraging engagement and knowledge sharing through a variety of interactive activities.

The design integrates soothing sensory experiences, offering a space for calm clarity that enhances focus and inspires learning. Collaborations with sustainable partners, bring elements like water features and greenery into the space, reinforcing our dedication to biophilic design.

Every aspect of the Hub emphasises our holistic approach and the principles of the circular economy. As a platform for inspiring industry-wide change, the ESG Hub reflects our vision for a greener, more responsible future in hospitality.

Breathe, feel and absorb the timeless energies within our sustainable, rejuvenating space. 

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• About our design for the ESG Hub at the Independent Hotel Show, Olympia:

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Our design for the ESG Hub at this year’s Independent Hotel Show reflects our commitment to sustainability and timeless design. At studio ATARA, we’ve created a space that not only highlights sustainable materials and regenerative design choices but also fosters conversation around the future of responsible hospitality.

The informative nature of the Hub encourages visitors to actively engage and absorb the knowledge-sharing activities within, making it a dynamic space for learning and inspiration. We’ve collaborated with sustainable suppliers and incorporated elements rooted in the circular economy, ensuring the Hub showcases innovative, eco-conscious solutions that endure beyond trends.

The ESG Hub is more than a showcase; it’s a platform to inspire industry-wide change, with sustainability embedded in every detail. As the hotel sector increasingly embraces sustainable practices, our design embodies a forward-thinking vision for a greener, more responsible future.

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• Our inspiration for the design:

 

Our design is inspired by the health-giving benefits of connecting with nature and using natural materials in the built environment. The concept centers around the core elements of nature—expanding beyond air, water, earth, and fire to also include flora, fauna and natural light. The natural world thrives in a delicate balance, where land, water, air, and life aim to coexist in perfect harmony to sustain the planet. The seamless harmony of the planet’s ecosystems interact in a delicate equilibrium that nourishes life, which is the inspiration for our design. 

We also aim to engage the main human senses to enhance the visitor experience, aligning the show’s theme with the idea of providing respite from the hustle and bustle of a busy trade show. “Beyond the Bustle” offers a pathway to a calming sanctuary, a natural oasis that invites visitors to pause, clear their minds, and refocus. This space encourages them to absorb the valuable information shared by the Hub’s fascinating educational partners, gaining knowledge and insight in a serene and inspiring environment.

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• How our designs relate to the show’s theme of escaping the hustle and bustle:

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We wanted to create an environment where visitors could truly escape the hustle and bustle of the day. First, we considered the orientation of the stand and played with its basic structure. The full height of the back wall extends only halfway down the side walls before dropping to half height, allowing passing visitors a glimpse inside the stand. These half walls are filled with stones and return across the front, creating a narrowed entrance that invites and encourages visitors to step inside, in order to fully engage with the space.

Upon entering, Yatlina’s incredible aromascape greets visitors with a bespoke scent designed to clear the mind, calm the senses, and enhance focus. This was a wonderful collaboration as we really got deep into how we wanted our visitor to feel and interact in teh space

Max RP’s soundscape subtly introduces natural sonic frequencies, grounding visitors with ambient, non-intrusive sounds, to avoid distraction.

Water’s kinetic energy—like the mesmerising effect of even the smallest waterfall—naturally draws people in. Since humans are 70% water, we are instinctively attracted to its calming qualities, especially when in motion. Our collaboration with the brilliant sculptor David Harber brings this soothing, enticing element symbiotically into our design. Although the feature does of course use water which is a precious resource, it is self circulating and so does not require very much to deliver it’s mood enhancing effect. More importantly, we ensured that the water would be reused by donating it to the venue's cleaning services so nothing went to waste.

Plants create joy, and we incorporate biophilic design in all our projects where possible. The scientifically proven benefits of plants, such as their oxygen production and CO2 absorption, are invaluable for life itself. Working with Get Leafy to integrate greenery into the Hub has been a fantastically collaborative experience. Understanding their approach to biophilic design has been super inspiring. We have brought in plants to not only give biophilic and aesthetic benefits to the design but also to create zones for the knowledge sharing activities. 

We also embraced natural stone in our design, as it can be a sustainable choice for hotels. Stone requires minimal processing, avoids harmful chemicals of other decorative features, and is highly durable; reducing the need for frequent maintenance or regular replacement.

Working alongside Spark & Bell lighting, with their truly sustainable products, has been incredibly rewarding and using Tala bulbs also, ensured our lighting specifications adhered to sustainable healthy environments.

 

In addition Vank furniture from  Story London  provided us with their beautiful yet functional pieces, that are intelligently designed, with respect for nature. They add a certain timeless quality and despite incorporating several of their furniture pieces into the stand, with their light Ring frame, they fuse subtly without being too demanding in the space

 

At studio ATARA, we love using textured finishes to add creative depth and evoke a visceral response. The textured walls, covered with both Omexco and Muraspec products, add a tactile dimension to the Hub, enriching the atmosphere and influencing visitors’ mood and emotions.

 

When approaching the flooring we had to be quite creative with our brief for sustainable circular design choices. We struggled to bring in truly sustainable products. We worked with the amazing Plusfloor who had discontinued product that they were unable to sell. This will also be re-used after the show

At every chance, we approached either sustainable brands or products with highly sustainable manufacturing processes, suppliers with pre-existing products (to avoid introducing brand new items using virgin resources), ex display or discontinued products, that would otherwise go to waste.

 

 

 

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• studio ATARA’s work within the hospitality businesses:

 

At studio ATARA, we take a holistic approach to all our designs, honoring the principles of the circular economy. Our work spans a range of projects, from community libraries with performance and hospitality spaces, to wellness activities, cafés within retail environments, and various commercial settings. We collaborate closely with sustainably-minded clients and supply partners, always striving to innovate and develop new sustainable and regenerative approaches to interior design, sticking to the spirit of collaboration. Central to our ethos is creating healthy buildings that benefit both people and the planet.

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• Why we are keen and eager to meet with independent hotels and the broader hospitality sector:

 

We believe independent hotels, by their very nature, can operate outside the constraints and limitations of larger chains. This allows them to have a broader vision and greater flexibility in design aesthetics. The collaborative potential within the independent hotel industry supports innovation and creates a landscape for advancing sustainable development goals, as we aspire to align with the UN SDGs. This is why studio ATARA is eager to continue building connections within the independent hotel sector.

 

• Addressing what trends are popular in the world of hospitality design this year:

 

At studio ATARA, we believe true sustainable design is about longevity, not fleeting trends that lead to waste. While it’s encouraging to see more people embracing sustainability, we want to see it viewed as standard industry practice, not just a passing movement. Our commitment is to ethically driven design and build choices that create lasting, systemic change. By focusing on timeless aesthetics and regenerative creativity, we strive to ensure that sustainable design becomes an essential part of the hospitality industry’s future, rather than a trend-driven afterthought.

Here at studio ATARA, we prioritise working with sustainable suppliers and clients who actively engage with the evolving circular economy, focusing on products, materials, construction methods and systems that align with our long-term vision. In terms of the broader hotel industry, we’re encouraged to see a growing push for sustainable principles across the board. From building design and construction to interior design and customer experience, the collective move toward industry-wide awareness is both inspiring and essential for the future of hospitality. Together, we can shape a more responsible, environmentally conscious industry.

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