Washington - Can a hotel make me feel good about myself; perhaps even inspire me to a higher level? Interior designer Bruce Goff, ASID, IIDA poses that question in the latest issue of Implications, a monthly newsletter on design and human behavior produced by InformeDesign® (www.informedesign.umn.edu). In fact, says Goff, some hotels are already doing it.
Safety and comfort have long been the brand promise of most hotels, relates Goff. But in the battle for market share and customer loyalty, hotels are increasingly luring lodgers with style and luxury, such as plush bedding, spa-like baths and state-of-the-art technology. Finding an analogy with Abraham Maslow's well known "hierarchy of needs," Goff posits that the next step is for the hospitality industry to appeal to guests' higher, emotional needs, tapping into their values and sense of self. He cites several examples of hotels that are designed to do just that.
"Design for hospitality should no longer be simply considered only a ‘wow for the eye,' but a ‘wow for the mind' as well," says Goff. Design, he argues, can be used to engage guests and hotel staff on deeper levels, creating a greater sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, and creating an emotional bond between the establishment and the customer.
Go to www.informedesign.umn.edu to view the article in its entirety.
About InformeDesign
InformeDesign is the first searchable database of design and human behavior research on the Web. The site currently contains more than 1,700 "practitioner-friendly" Research Summaries of findings from research literature transformed from more than 170 scholarly journals related to design and human behavior. All services on the InformeDesign Web site are currently available at no cost to visitors. In addition to the searchable database of Research Summaries, the site features a calendar of research-related events and a glossary of terms. The Web site is interactive, allowing visitors to provide comments about specific Research Summaries or other site issues. Visitors may register with InformeDesign and receive automated e-mail notifications about Research Summaries pertaining to their areas of interest or practice.
About ASID
ASID is a community of people-designers, industry representatives, educators and students-committed to interior design. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, the Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people's lives. Its more than 38,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more about ASID, visit www.asid.org.
About the University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is one of the most comprehensive public universities in the United States and has been ranked among the top three public universities. It is a state land-grant university with a strong tradition of research, education, and public service with faculty of national and international reputation. The College of Design unites programs in architecture, clothing design, graphic design, interior design, housing studies, landscape architecture, and retail merchandising creating a nationally distinctive, multidisciplinary college engaged in research, teaching, creative production, and public engagement. For more information, go to www.cdes.umn.edu.
