Radical Innovation Season 8 Finalists Announced
Nearly 100 entrants from 28 different countries answered the call by industry leaders: feasible ideas that can solve real problems within the hotel industry in the next 3-4 years. Design professionals and students put their proposals forward, and just four ideas have been shortlisted for the Radical Innovation in Hospitality Award.
Two professional entries were selected as finalists by Radical Innovation’s jury. These finalists will present their concepts in front of a live audience in Las Vegas on May 15, 2014, during the HD Expo.
“For the last eight years, we’ve challenged the hotel industry to rethink the guest experience. This year, our concepts offer new solutions that are on the leading edge of change,” said John Hardy, CEO of The John Hardy Group and founder of the global Radical Innovation Competition. “To present these concepts in their best light, our jury members will team up with the finalists before they take the stage in Las Vegas, sharpening their ideas and their potential impact.”
All submissions were selected by: Michael Medzigian, chairman/managing partner, Watermark Capital Partners; Jena Thornton, managing director, Eagle Rock Ventures; Simon Turner, president, global development, Starwood Hotels; James Woods, president and COO, The Bowls; Wing Chao, renowned master planner, architect and designer, and John Hardy, CEO, The John Hardy Group. The event will be moderated by Claude Amar, president, The John Hardy Group International.
New Format
In the weeks leading up to the Radical Innovation live event, the jury will be split into two teams of three. Through feasibility analysis and presentation coaching, the jury will prepare their team to present their concept live, in front of the opposing jury members and a live audience, challenging them to make a case for future development of the concept. A live vote will be placed for the best concept development strategy, and the grand-prize winner will receive $10,000 in seed money for the project.
The Professional Finalists
Green Air Hotel
Jury Team: Simon Turner, James Wood and John Hardy
Submitted by: Studio Twist
Submitters: Lip Chiong
Country: China
Proposal: With the current crisis of air pollution crisis in China and hotels trapped in outdated generic buildings in urgent need of an upgrade, this hotel has interior and exterior green lungs where greenhouse gardens act as air filters to remove harmful toxins in the air and replenish it with oxygen.
Hotel 2020
Jury Team: Michael Medzigian, Jena Thornton and Wing Chao
Submitted by: Code Design Studio
Submitters: Natasha Bajc
Country: USA
Proposal: Furnished with 3D-printed interiors, this hotel offers guests an augmented reality where the user can interact with the space through computations. The 3D-printed parts, reinforced with latest composite materials, not only enhances the “buildability” of structures, but also takes into account different emotional states of guests to increase the impact of the design.
Honorable Mention
S_LOT
Submitted by: Natalie Kwee & Caio Barboza
Submitters: 2B-1H
Country: USA
Proposal: Short for “small lots”, this modular system will occupy unused vertical parking structures, allowing each guest to easily modify their experience using interchangeable amenities. The pods can be shifted up and down to create a variety of facades, and the system can be expanded upon or shrunk depending on the urban site it inhabits.
The Student Winner
Sky Lofts on the Boardwalk
Submitted By: Evelyn Choy
Submitters: Evelyn Hartojo
School: University of Melbourne
Country: Australia
Proposal: With the abandonment of monorail beamways in Sydney, Sky Lofts is the upcycling of these structures into pedestrian- and bike-friendly boardwalks with prefabricated accommodation, cafes and reception lofts.