With the theme of ‘Social FlexAbility’, the show will be exploring what design can contribute to human interaction in our age of digital disconnection and how hotels, restaurants and bars can be in the vanguard of social connection. Six Sleep & Eat sets will brave this question while the Sleep & Eat conference will include sessions that debate the issue and give a stage to some of the most significant leaders and influencers today. As in previous years, the event will also feature an international exhibition.
Reflecting the growing convergence between hotel, restaurant and bar design, the exhibitor line-up includes many companies which supply all three sectors, as well as cruise ships and spas.
This November will see the Sleep & Eat debut of Tarkett, the worldwide supplier of innovative and sustainable floorcoverings; YPRT, the Turkish manufacturer and fit-out contractor behind a number of major hotel projects in Europe; Catalano, the Italian manufacturer of ceramic collections combining cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship; Kriskadecor, the Spanish creator and supplier of bespoke metal elements, from wallcoverings to lighting; UK brands Prestigious Textiles and The Fine Cotton Company; and Marie Martin, a line of exclusive lighting by Dutch company, Lumière. As always, newcomers will be joined by an array of Sleep & Eat veterans, including Astro Lighting, Arte, Style Library Contract, Morgan Furniture, Bang & Olufsen, Laufen and VitrA, to name but a few.
Global game-changers
The conference will feature hospitality game-changers from around the globe, including CEOs Amar Lalvani of Standard International, Josh Wyatt from NeueHouse and Christoph Hoffmann of 25hours Hotels. Panel discussions will feature debate about how brands need to manage new hybrid offerings, design as a means of delivering physical and psychological wellbeing and what makes for a guilt-free guest experience when climate change is so high on the agenda. Development Roundtables will give delegates the chance to talk face-to-face with leading developers, operators and industry consultants including Maria Adamo of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Irene Hoek of Rosewood Hotels and Philip Lassman of Accor.
One of the event’s favourites are the Sleep & Eat sets, designed afresh each year. Six international design and architecture firms are now fine-tuning their vision for concept room installations, aiming to deliver thought-provoking, inspiring and experiential sets in response to the theme. They are: twenty2degrees, HAT Design, Maria Tibblin & Co and Miaja Design Group, who are each designing a guestroom, and SpaceInvader and NAME Architecture who are designing a bar and a restaurant respectively. Other pop-up spaces will include The Sleeper Bar designed by Michaelis Boyd, The Hub designed by Wilson Associates and the VIP Lounge created by MEGRE INTERIORS.
Sleep & Eat will be open from 10.00 to 20.30 on 19th November, and 10.00 to 18.00 on 20th November at London, Olympia.