Radical Innovation, which each year invites bold thinkers in the hospitality realm to compete in its annual awards program, recently announced the finalists for its 14th annual edition. Everyone—from hoteliers to designers and students—was encouraged to submit groundbreaking ideas in travel and hospitality, with an emphasis on health and wellness for the 2020 competition.
The finalists in the hospitality concepts/design category are: Camp Sarika by Amangiri by Luxury Frontiers from San Francisco; Dream Pod by Populous from Kansas City, and The Modern Monastery by Indidesign from Los Angeles. These firms will present their ideas at an event this fall. A vote by the audience will be held to determine the $10,000 grand-prize winner and the runner-up prize of $5,000 in the concepts/design category. The Radical Innovation jury of hospitality and design experts selected professional finalists from a pool of 80 entries spanning more than 20 countries based on the creativity of their vision, its design, as well as its potential feasibility and ability to impact the industry.
In addition to the professional finalists, the jury selected one student submission from a record number of entries this year. This year’s student winner is Moment Hotel by Jieru Lin, a recent graduate of California College of the Arts. Jieru Lin will be invited to explain the winning concept alongside the professional finalists. This student winner will also earn a $1,500 prize and an opportunity for an assistantship at The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Masters Architectural Program, or a teaching assistantship at the University of Illinois School of Architecture.
This year’s winners in the new hospitality product category are The Bruskin Glass Modular Shower by Belstone, Van Nuys, Calif., in the professional category and Mio A Smart Mirror by Arda Genç, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey. Each will be awarded $1,500.
The jury also selected two student honorable mentions among the design/concept entries—Earthquake (threat or blessing) by Sajjad Navidi, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran, and The Hideaway by Pratika Appaiah, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.—as well as one student honorable mention among the product entries—Improved Hotel Bedsheets by Devon Maywald, Texas A&M University.
Radical Innovation is produced by The Hardy Group with support from sponsoring companies and the University of Illinois School of Architecture, UNLV School of Architecture, and 2020 media partner Sleeper.
Radical Innovation 2020 Professional Design/Concept Finalists
Camp Sarika by Amangiri by Luxury Frontiers, San Francisco
Canyon Equity, the owner of the iconic Amangiri, charged Luxury Frontiers with designing North America’s first all-weather, year-round tented camp. The result: 10 one- or two-bedroom tented pavilions that offer guests the ultimate luxury Amangiri is known for and adventurous back-to-nature experiences in Utah’s desert landscape. Given the site conditions of sun, wind, snow, and extreme temperatures from 20° to 105° F, these unrivaled guestrooms thrive on performance and aesthetics.
Luxury Frontiers’ architectural and interior design is a contextual tribute. Thoughtfully positioned tents bow toward monumental sandstone formations. Clean lines, natural color schemes, and canvas work, distinguished by stitching and fixing details, cultivate a refined camp feel.
Dream Pod by Populous, Kansas City
The customer’s demands from the hotel and tourism industries have changed dramatically. Consumer satisfaction—the single most important metric in the industry—has taken on a whole new meaning in a world where customers are constantly seeking more personal and new experiences that they can in return share with the rest of the world. Especially with the rise of COVID-19 and the “new normal” that is to follow it, the cookie-cutter approach to hospitality and hotels is becoming more and more archaic. In a world where tourists and travelers have mounting ways of traveling to new locations, navigating while they’re there, and places to stay, Dream Pod aims to be a new experience like none available in the market—taking the idea of traveling and hoteling to the skies.
The Modern Monastery by Indiedesign, Los Angeles
The Modern Monastery is a unique destination for sophisticated travelers in search of a transformative experience. Quarries are perceived as large lacerations in the landscape that alter the image of the location in an irreversible manner. This project is based on the desire to embrace rather than conceal. The process of excavation and extraction of stone has created a dramatic open space with imposing sculptural quality and a unique scale. The design showcases the vertical quality of this structure views with a concept focused on reconnecting the quarry with its natural setting.
Radical Innovation 2020 Student Design/Concept Winner
Moment Hotel by Jieru Lin, California College of the Arts in San Francisco
Moment Hotel helps hard-working people to refocus on their own wellbeing by celebrating the small beauties in their everyday lives. The project blurs the boundary between work and life, enabling entrepreneurs to have productive work life while enjoying their journey to wellbeing. It is designed to be the one-of-its-kind environment that promotes the new lifestyle of living in dignity with a focus on users’ wellbeing. The final interior design is the joint of three approaches: Giving users a sense of being in nature, prompting users to notice the small moment in life, and helping them feel productive and accomplished.
Radical Innovation 2020 Hospitality Product Winners
Student Winner: Mio A Smart Wellness Mirror by Arda Genç, Istanbul Technical University
Mio is a smart mirror that has air purification and white noise generating functions for helping guests to sleep in a healthier, calmer environment. Mio aims to overcome guest’s concerns about health by improving air quality and sleep, enabling guests to experience new sleeping methods and waking them up in a more subtle way. Personalization is also essential in these processes. Mio personalizes sounds to overcome the discomfort caused by the unfamiliar environment. Mio can be controlled from its interface or an app. App integration allows guests to have easier access to Mio, especially guests with disabilities.
Professional Winner: The Bruskin Glass Modular Shower by Belstone, Van Nuys, Calif.
In today’s environment where hygiene is a primary concern, Belstone has engineered a modular glass shower that inspires guest confidence and leaves them with a transformative shower experience. The Bruskin Modular Shower is designed to work in both new builds and renovations, especially tub-to-shower conversions. Comprehensive yet customizable, the Bruskin is delivered with pre-cut glass surround walls ready for assembly. The components include precut glass panels, chrome finish metal trims, ultra-low-profile shower pan, shower door, and a range of LED lighting features. These components are shipped to site ready for installation and can be installed by a two-person team in about five hours. This time- and labor-saving shower can be installed over existing tile or shower alcove conditions. The glass surfaces with water-repellant technology are designed to be easy to clean.
