imitates the city outside. They are welcomed
by golden eggs atop white columns and
gigantic bell-shaped lights. A mosaic treas-
ure box adorns the reception area, and an
elaborate spiral staircase ascends though
the atrium. The surprises don’t stop there.
Wanders’ vastly diverse interiors include
a poolside area in black and white tiles,
crowned by a stained-glass skylight; a
bridal suite furnished with the designer’s
signature pieces; and a 24K gold-plated lift
that descends directly from the bridal suite
to the hotel’s event halls-slash-ballrooms.
Architectural elements are blown out of
proportion, and different patterns cover
almost every surface, offering hotel guests
a whimsical, ever-changing experience.
A fantasy for kids and arguably for
their parents, too, the Neobio restaurant –
a feature of the Neobio Family Park, an
indoor amusement complex in Shanghai’s
Minhang district – is a place for climbing
and dining. Bearing in mind both sides of
the coin – adult dining and energetic kids
eager to leave the table – the designers at
X+Living created a 500-m^2 space perme-
ated with soft pastel tints. The otherworldlyscheme, ideal for play and relaxation, was
inspired by the image of a hot-air balloon
rising above a castle, thus the huge animal-
shaped objects that hang over play pits
filled with balls, sand and toys. Transparent
crawlways connect the pits. Dining tables are
positioned to let parents keep an eye on the
children without leaving their seats.
Entertainment for kids that conveys
a more mature vibe is found at MaMa Kelly,
an Amsterdam restaurant whose older sister
resides in The Hague. Guests find a carousel-
shaped bar at the middle of the restaurant’s
1,000-m^2 all-pink interior, courtesy of Rein
Rambaldo of De Horecafabriek. Housed
in the Dutch city’s Olympic Stadium, the
dining destination is fitted out with – you
guessed it – pink carpet covered in illustra-
tions of chickens and lobsters, adding to
the bold design statement and the location’s
‘instagrammability’.
The theatricalities that hospitality
venues use to attract customers are reminis-
cent of those found in today’s retail scene,
where attention is shifting from merchandise
to experience. Dressed like film sets or fairy-
tale kingdoms, the new breed of hotels and »‘Hotels in
the future
will have
themes
based onimmersive
worlds’
Floral rugs from Moooi Carpets – a division
of Moooi, Wanders’ furniture brand – pop
out in a pale white lounge area that features
‘tree of life’ sculptures.114 SPACES