Radical Innovation announces 2020 grand prize winner

Radical Innovation, the annual competition that seeks new ideas in hospitality design, has announced Camp Sarika by Amangiri as its grand prize winner.

Created by Luxury Frontiers as an extension to Aman’s Utah resort, the camp comprises ten one- and two-bedroom pavilions that combine the touchstones of Aman luxury with increasing guest demand for more meaningful and contextual experiences. Surrounded by 600 hectares of wilderness in the heart of the desert, the tents are made from recycled plastic bottles, woven to produce a soft canvas that is durable, lightweight, long-lasting and able to withstand the region’s extreme weather conditions. Interiors are characterised by bespoke walnut and leather furnishings, and etched timber headboards that echo the undulating landscape, while sliding doors open to a spacious outdoor deck with a fire pit and private plunge pool.

Camp Sarika beat off competition from two other finalists – Dream Pod, an airborne accommodation concept by Populous, and The Modern Monastery by Indidesign, which seeks to transform decommissioned quarries into hotels – to take home the US$10,000 prize. In a change to the usual format, the event took place online, with the three finalists presenting their designs virtually before an audience vote of almost 1,000 hospitality professionals determined the winner.

In total, over 80 entries from 20 countries were submitted to this year’s Radical Innovation competition with each assessed by an expert panel for their design, creativity and feasibility. Previous winners, including Connectic by Cooper Carry Architects and Zoku by Concrete, have been a showcase for the quality of entries submitted over the years, with the latter – a co-working/living hybrid – opening in Amsterdam in 2016, a year after winning the competition. Having made its debut last Spring, Camp Sarika is already making an impact, inspiring travellers to seek out more adventurous experiences, and operators to enhance their existing properties in new ways. Could the industry soon see more tented camps appearing across the USA?

Radical Innovation 2021 is now open for entries.

www.radicalinnovation.io