Santa Monica, CA - HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, one of the world's leading hospitality interior design firms, recently announced that it is initiating a series of audio podcasts on its corporate Web site.
Leading off the series is Michael Bedner, chief executive officer of HBA, with a discussion on "Why Hospitality Design?" It gives his personal reflections on the hospitality design industry at large, especially what makes it so fascinating and compelling today.
"I've been in this business for over 40 years now, and it never ceases to amaze me, to stimulate me and to challenge me," says Bedner, who drove from Detroit to Southern California in the early 1960s and joined the firm in 1964 with his friend and partner, Howard Hirsch.
"Hospitality design serves to communicate a wealth of messages, feelings and emotions using the universal language of interior design," adds Bedner. "No other business that I know of can do that. We add value, raise standards and help enhance the brand equity of every project with which we become involved."
Bedner's creative energy, vision and business acumen have helped HBA grow to be ranked number one in its industry, with 12 offices and more than 450 employees worldwide. HBA's portfolio includes hundreds of the finest hotels throughout the world, including: the Beverly Hills Hotel; the Wynn Macau; the Park Hyatt Zurich; the Pan Pacific Seattle; the Fullerton in Singapore; the Mandarin Oriental in New York, Miami and Washington, D.C.; the Ritz-Carlton Millenia and Singapore, and the new Ritz-Carlton Beijing, among others.
Bedner's podcast, which is available on www.hbadesign.com, is the first in a series of podcasts that will feature senior executives and designers from London, Hong Kong, Brisbane, Melbourne, New Delhi, Dubai, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo addressing topics relevant to those persons working in and serving the field of hospitality design. That includes developers, operators and architects occupied with the design of hotels, resorts, casinos, spas and other hospitality-oriented facilities.
Each podcast will cover news and issues relevant to the business of design and be aimed at encouraging discussion and debate. In addition to the broad topic of hospitality design, subjects to be covered will include: the cultural impact of design, contemporary design vs. traditional design, trends, restaurant and bar design, hotel lobbies, spa and fitness facilities and sustainability.
"There are so many fascinating aspects to hospitality design today, and we're very excited to be exploring them in our new series of podcasts," says Lemor Moses, HBA's podcast facilitator. "Hopefully, we will provide some fresh insight and, at the same time, stimulate dialog and debate. We look forward to hearing from our listeners and getting their views on different issues."
To listen or subscribe to the podcast, one can simply click on www.hbadesign.com/podcasts and follow the instructions. The podcasts can be played directly from one's browser window or the programs can be played/viewed in iTunes.
