For our first ever monthly, vertical-specific blog, we’re talking hospitality. More specifically, we’re chatting about how senior living design should inform smart hospitality specification.
For many individuals and industries, 2020 incentivized us to re-think and reassess our own health and wellness practices where we live, work and play. Fortunately, because of Melissa Banko’s 15+ years of experience in senior living design, Banko Design has always designed for health and hygiene in every vertical we’ve entered. As a pioneer in the senior living design space, our firm’s designers know that there are many senior living design components that should be translated into other verticals, and this is something that Banko Design excels in.
One of the most important translations is specifying finishes and furniture with longevity and vigorous use in mind. As you would suspect in senior living, it is essential to specify items and materials that are durable and easy to clean, so why wouldn’t we do this in our hospitality designs as well? For both senior living and hospitality projects, we ALWAYS specify materials that are bleach-cleanable and have a tough double rub quality. Something else that may not immediately come to mind when specifying for health and wellness is off-gassing. Cheaper is not always better! We will never choose low-grade materials or furniture that would emote toxins into the air of your property.
Sure, healthy spaces are absolutely those that are physically clean, but we also consider the mental health of those using the space too. In senior living design, we design for the senior residents and aim to make their space feel like an inviting home where they can find solace and comfort. We apply this same tenet to hospitality. We think about how a space will make visitors feel rather than JUST how it looks. Is it programmed to promote ease of use, comfort, warmth and hygiene? Every aspect affects user experience!
Great design can and should do all of these things in any vertical! We have helped owners, developers and operators in all verticals create standards and programs focused on endurance and health from the beginning. Listen, we’re not going to give away all the tricks of the trade in specifying smart; you’ll have to call us for that. Let’s create healthy and beautiful spaces for people to thrive in together!
Interested? Reach out to our Business Development team at steph@brankodesign.com and brittany@bankodesign.com.
