Bespoke Hotels announces new competition
The Bespoke Access Awards is an international design competition that seeks original ideas to improve access and provide an enhanced experience for hotel guests, particularly for those with disabilities. It aims to employ good design to re-imagine the welcome that extends to guests with physical disabilities and learning difficulties with the aim of making the hotel experience more joyful and inclusive.
The awards will take place on the 1 December, at an event in the Palace of Westminster that will mark the UN day for disability.
According to organisers, the competition is not about improving current regulations, rules or standards that may apply in any particular country, although these may change over time as new ideas are adopted. RIBA, the Royal Institute of British Architects, will administer the competition and fully support the initiative throughout 2016.
This year marks the first of the awards, with the intention of continuing as a biennial event.
The awards will include architecture, product design and service design with focus on the concept of innovation, challenging the way in which designers and owners think about disability within the hotel design. The competition – suggested by peers in the House of Lords and administered by RIBA – seeks to remove restrictive thinking and is open to singular or collaborative ideas that can be utilised positively within any aspect of the hotel experience.
The awards will be overseen by a panel of judges knowledgeable within the industry that include Baroness Celia Thomas, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, DL, and Executive Chairman of Bespoke Hotels, Robin Sheppard.
Lord Roger of Riverside comments: “I am delighted to support this worthwhile and timely design competition. Worthwhile, because the needs of disabled people should be valued and celebrated by designers rather than seen as merely satisfying building regulations.”
Closing date for entries is 1 September 2016, followed by a shortlist announcement in October. Winners will be announced on 1 December, in support of the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December. The Bespoke Access Awards have the full support of HM Government Department of Work and Pensions.
