When most hospitality projects typically take between three to five years to complete, designers constantly work as creative soothsayers to anticipate what guests will need to ensure the longevity of their designs. “As designers, we always try to embrace what the users are saying; in so many ways, you have to guess how the space will be used years later,” explains Nagata. “Right now, there’s the sense of interiors becoming more residential and more personal, so that people can relate to them.”

Their goal is to create interiors that cater to unique experiences for each hotel or resort, in order to entice guests to visit and also make return trips. It’s a challenge that the firm rises up to—whether by including nods to its Singapore roots for the brand-new Raffles Maldives Meradhoo resort, or when designing a property on a conservation estate, such as for Capella Shanghai. “The Blink approach doesn’t take something cut-and-pasted. It’s always reimagined to create a new story for each new location,” says John.

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More hotels are looking at transforming their restaurants and bars into destination venues that draw both hotel guests and visitors to their property. “Nowadays, the hotel operators want to separate the hotel design from the restaurant design by hiring two firms,” says Nagata. “We are able to do that with our own teams led by two different directors that can drive the designs independently from one another. You get that distinction between the spaces but there is still some visual commonality because (the design) is from the same firm.”

“I think a good bar and restaurant are essential to any hotel,” adds John. “In Asia, it should provide enough privacy and enough comfort, as people don’t tend to sit at the bar.”

Combining contemporary accents with timeless style is what Blink Design Group strives to do, while staying true to the cultural heritage of each location. “We’ve always managed to put a modern touch on designs, even if an operator wants a traditional-looking hotel,” says Nagata. “It always goes back to how you reinterpret (tradition) to create something that is of today, and not of yesterday. I think that’s what makes our designs look timeless.”

Ultimately, wellness is both a lifestyle and state of mind. More hotels are now looking at incorporating gym equipment and other amenities catered to specific sports and workouts that cater to travellers keen on being active during their stay. “We’re building more purpose-built facilities that reflect the wellness lifestyle—more yoga decks and male or female-only facilities that make women feel more comfortable working out, to embrace that wellness direction even further,” says Nagata.

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According to John, biophilic architecture is on the rise, not just in terms of landscaping but also through blurring the boundaries between the interior and exterior while maximising the use of natural light and ventilation. “Hotel owners are beginning to feel that there is a sense of well being associated with biophilic architecture, being around greenery and what it does to you visually when you’re connecting yourself with the outdoors,” he says.