Returning to the AHEAD Americas' judging panel for a second year, Aliya Khan, Vice President of Design Strategies at Marriott International spoke to us following the AHEAD judging day at Ace Hotel New York. Winners of this year’s awards will be announced at Faena Forum on 12 June 2018.

How was the AHEAD judging process this year?
It is always a pleasure to sit with friends old and new to talk about good design. The projects were compelling, and I certainly had my favourites. But it was the animated dialogue between us all that I really enjoyed. It’s a big part of why I love being a part of this industry – listening to and interacting with peers who are trying to make unique and memorable experiences all over the world.


What are the current trends throughout the Americas?
We’re seeing a lot of effort to create unique experiences that tie back to the local environment. Even the big box brands are focused on making sure the personality of a place shines through. I also appreciate that design is now touching every component of the hospitality experience, collateral, key cards, signage, everything. Design is no longer just a collection of tasteful FF&E.

Agreed! Have you noticed any standout projects in this year’s shortlist?
There are two that come to mind. One took the conventional notions of a spa and turned the model on its head. The result was a thoughtful experience with a tremendous amount of personality that also strongly tied the hotel to its location. The second was a project that paid a tremendous amount of attention to the surroundings and landscaping, drawing those features into the hotel in a deliberate way. Each view was thought through, with plant material curated to further enhance the architecture and associated spaces.

Central and South America seem to be growing in strength, which is great to see...
Absolutely – but I want to see more. There is such tremendous growth in these regions, and the hotels and design teams need to do an even better job of showing off what they do. The materiality, the relationship to art, landscaping and authentic cultural experiences are all so unique to that part of the world, and thoughtfully brought to life.

What projects are you currently working on?
I have the pleasure of leading design strategy for Aloft, Element, AC and Moxy Hotels at Marriott International. We are working on a number of different things right now – the future of the Moxy guestroom, the next generation of Aloft public spaces and a whole lot more. We are also weeks away from debuting our first Aloft Hotel that features the Gen 4 design and layout that we established last year after the Marriott / Starwood integration – the latest iteration of the product that really brings it up to date for today’s connected traveller. I am excited to see the team’s hard work come to life.

Join Aliya and fellow judges at Faena Forum on 12 June by clicking here. Limited spaces remain.

Images: AC and Aloft's next generation renders, courtesy of Marriott International.