Champalimaud Design
In our latest edition of Cultivating Conversations we spoke with Ed Bakos, one half of the duo behind Champalimaud Design. Known internationally for their design work, most recently the restoration and reinvigoration of the iconic Raffles Singapore, Ed and Alexandra Champalimaud and their team are keen observers of the destinations their work is rooted in, paying homage to culture and climate while having a distinct point of view. Here Ed shares with us the vision of Champalimaud Design, their stance on sustainability among construction, and what truly makes a hospitality experience unforgettable.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF?
My name is Ed Bakos and I’m the Co-Founder of Champalimaud Design. I’m an architect by training, with degrees from Cornell and Harvard. I’m also a commercially rated pilot with a lifelong interest in aviation. I cut my teeth working in my neighbor’s firm while in high school, she had an architectural practice in western New York and that’s where I learned to draw. I spent the first part of my career working and teaching architecture in Italy and Switzerland before moving back to New York. Those were great years where I had the opportunity to study the interrelationship between large cities and small rooms and explore the idea of scale, and craft. The Germans have a great word: Gesamtkunstwerk – the idea of a synthesis of the arts, and for me that included the idea of creating something that might be bigger than just Architecture alone. When I returned to New York, I joined what was then a small firm and was asked to lead what would become our first hotel project – actually the first W Hotel, it was a dream project.
“A hotel is perhaps the only type where one is expected to design a building and everything in it–sheer Nirvana!”
HOW DID CHAMPALIMAUD DESIGN COME TO LIFE?
Alexandra Champalimaud had formed the firm almost out of necessity. She and her family left Portugal in 1974 as a result of a revolution and resettled in Montreal where she founded the firm. She had worked on a multitude of projects for an increasingly impressive group of clients (including the office of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau).
“The office developed a loyal clientele and a reputation for crafting great hotels with designs that were unique and full of character.”
The firm I had been working with had grown and become well known, and while that was amazing in many ways, when Alexandra approached me to join her in 2012 I saw the opportunity to be part of a smaller group focused on work recognized for its character and individuality as an exciting way to stretch my own interests in design across new boundaries.
HOW HAVE YOU KEPT THE CORE ETHOS OF THE BRAND?
“The growth of our studio has been focused on bringing deep expertise and senior level experience into our team.”
Our goal is not to be a large office, but rather a studio of incredibly talented people capable of mastering the full range of expertise required to deliver exceptional projects with a unique and independent character. To that end we have assembled an amazing and diverse group of senior talent all sharing the same vision: to deliver excellence as part of a single creative team.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE START OF EACH PROJECT?
“We always begin with research.”
Finding the right strategy in a given market is essential to success, so how we interpret the perception of luxury, craft the right mix of experiences relevant to place and local culture are critical. But we also do a substantial amount of visual research to define the right voice and begin to define an aesthetic approach unique and appropriate to each project. It is also important to understand how each project’s unique approach to service might be leveraged to provide differentiated experiences. At the end of the day we bring all of that together in a design that conveys an inspiring lifestyle.
HOW DOES LOCATION AND CULTURE PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR DESIGNS?
“It is important to remember that luxury is interpreted differently around the world.”
Finding the right “voice” for each project is critical to success and understanding what that might mean in London or Los Angeles is an important part of our own DNA.
HOW HAVE YOU ENGAGED LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN YOUR WORK?
Every great hotel is an important part of the fabric of its neighborhood, so we are always thinking about how to engage the local market as well as those coming from afar.
“A great food program is always a good way to engage the local community.”
From a design and construction standpoint, we almost always work with local fabricators to complete each project, and often work with local workshops on specialty elements. For a recent project in Switzerland, we worked with a Swiss fabric company as well as custom furniture makers and drapery workshops in northern Italy. For a project in Jakarta, we are working with a group wonderful local furniture fabricators.
YOU RECENTLY COMPLETED THE LONG-ANTICIPATED RENOVATION ON THE STORIED RAFFLES SINGAPORE. WHAT WAS YOUR APPROACH FOR SUCH AN ICONIC LANDMARK?
“Raffles had always been the center of Singapore’s social scene.”
However, the last renovation treated the property more as a relic. We did that by working with the operators to re-think how service would happen, conceive new guest experiences that would allow the hotel to reengage the local community, create experiences for day visitors to the property as well as its exclusive hotel guests.
We thought about how the main building should be programmed, adding an intimate new bar and re-thinking how the restaurants engaged the social spaces, relocated the guest services desks to create more intimacy, and created new venues, including a spectacular spa and meeting facilities oriented to welcome the local community as well as hotel guests. Singapore is a great melting pot and our design reflects the decorative traditions, but we also wanted to make sure that the solution was unique and represented the hotels independent character.
In the guest rooms we respected the classic tri-partite layout of the historic rooms, but completely upgraded the bathrooms, with Paranakan inspired marble floors, integrated the latest technology and delivered a design with character and charm that feels modern and fresh at the same time as it feel that it might always have been there.
WHAT DO YOU PERSONALLY LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A HOTEL OR PLANNING A TRIP?
“Location is really important to me, as is character and inspiration.”
IS THERE A HOTEL DESIGN THAT INSPIRES YOU?
“For me, it’s the San Pietro in Positano, a little slice of perfection.”
Alexandra loves the Lisbon Four Seasons – a midcentury beauty with a huge amount of character and originality.
WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT YOU BELIEVE ARE VITAL TO THE DESIGN OF A SUCCESSFUL HOTEL PROJECT?
“Character, charm, and a great service model.”
Food and cuisine are essential to a great hotel, it establishes and anchors a place and gives it a personality if well done.
AS CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE, ARE YOU LOOKING AT MORE SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES IN YOUR DESIGNS?
Construction is one of the biggest contributors to landfill waste and greenhouse gasses, so designing for longevity is one of the best ways to contribute to the environment.
“We avoid fads and focus on delivering inspirational design that will stand the test of time.”
HOW SPECIFICALLY DO SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR WORK?
“In addition to designing for longevity we’re also focused on providing a healthy interior environment.”
The vendors we work with are always developing new advancements that we incorporate into our specifications. Low VOC adhesives, wallcoverings that breathe, natural fiber carpets that don’t off gas, naturally fire-retardant fabrics so they do not need to be chemically treated – these are all really important ways to create healthy spaces.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR CHAMPALIMAUD DESIGN?
Our calling is personality, uniqueness, and places that are culturally distinctive. Look for us in St Moritz, the Portuguese Coast, the Valleys of Western Connecticut and Beverly Hills.
