Envisioning the luxury hotel of the future
For this eighth edition and to kick off a biannual series on the theme of luxury, competitors were asked to imagine the luxury hotel of tomorrow. In honor of Sofitel’s sixtieth birthday, students worked on this iconic Group brand. The challenge they faced was to reinvent the future of luxury hospitality and liven up the guest experience through immersive, contemporary and engaged design. This innovative concept would offer guests and employees alike a unique immersive experience combining art, culture and sustainable design with a dash of French-style art de vivre.
A successful 2024 competition
Demonstrating their appeal among future global design talents, the Accor Design Awards attracted nearly 100 applications from competitors studying at some 20 schools in 8 countries across 4 continents. Now the judging panel – chaired this year by designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, whose designs include Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Panama, opened at the end of 2022, the rooftop restaurant at Sofitel Athens Airport, officially opened just a year ago, and the Maison Delano Paris hotel – must select the winners from among ten finalists. The 2024 edition brought together an extensive design community supported by sponsors Laufen, Roca, Flos, Led C4, Ligne Roset and JVD.
“One of the key aims is to contribute to the future of design in the hospitality sector by offering a far-sighted perspective on what guests expect when it comes to culture, sustainability and well-being. The Accor Design Awards are a unique opportunity to reimagine the future of luxury hospitality and bring to light new talents and trends through the vision of each school. Asking international students to think about Sofitel, that most French of all luxury hotel brands, has encouraged them to dream up and conceptualize cutting-edge projects that are both sophisticated and engaged,” says Elodie Noël, Global SVP Brand Design for the Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems brands.
The 2024 winners will be announced at a ceremony at Maison&Objet on September 5 in the presence of the Chair of the judging panel, designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán and the patron of the 2024 Accor Design Awards, Elodie Noël.
Accor Design Awards practical information
- The 30th Maison&Objet Fair will be held in Paris from September 5 to 9, 2024.
- Accor stand (designed and produced by Emilie Roz and her team): Hall 6 K98-L99, Parc Des Expositions, Paris Nord Villepinte
- Place and time – September 5, Hall 7, “The Talks” space:
- 16:00 – “The Public Areas of Tomorrow’s Hotels”: a talk with Elodie Noël, Global SVP Brand Design for the Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems brands, and interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán. Moderator: Roddy Clarke, design journalist specializing in the positive social and environmental impacts of design.
- 16:45 – Accor Design Awards 2024 awards ceremony, with Anne Becker-Olins, Global Chief Design & Technical Services Officer Ultra-Luxury and Luxury, Accor
