The Hotel-Kompetenz-Zentrum (HKZ), or centre for hotel design excellence, has launched in Oberschleißheim near Munich. Hospitality interiors studio, JOI-Design, was commissioned to transform over 1000m² floor space into a curated showroom from which hotel developers, operators and managers can gain inspiration and test a range of concepts and products.
HKZ is a permanent exhibition of design options for guest rooms, corridors, bars, cafes and receptions. In addition to space-planning the overall flow and coordination of the centre, JOI-Design developed each space’s design from concept through to installation. The gallery floor reveals 11 diverse guest room scenarios, ranging from a comfortable three-star setting to an opulent five-star suite, as well as a large reception area and a working bar and cafe.
The bedroom prototypes have been individually styled to correspond with distinct guest profiles, as Peter Joehnk, co-managing director at JOI-Design, explains: “You can stand in a luxurious suite designed for an urban business hotel, for instance, and then five steps away be transported to a family-oriented Bavarian resort.
“The ability to compare so many different set-ups side-by-side helps hoteliers discover what is possible and most appropriate for their own properties. This hotel without guests features a representative cross-section of the world of hotel facilities. Fully operational equipment has been installed in realistic scenarios so that visitors can experience first-hand how products work – for example, the water pressure from a tap or showerhead, or the illumination cast by a pendant light.”
Although the HKZ is primarily aimed at hoteliers, other professions should also find it beneficial. For example, the bar and cafe set-ups offer insight for restaurateurs, and the bedroom configurations suggest up-to-date options for senior residences and extended-stay wellness centres.
The concept of a hotel design gallery has proven quite popular with FF&E providers. Products and services from more than 195 well-known companies have been installed thus far. The showroom will continue to expand with new design scenarios installed within the 5500m² HKZ business park, which also has conference facilities.
