Leading Hotel Design Firms in Taipei: Review

A hotel is a complicated dynamic, and one that involves the user of many people and many companies. From the architects that design the building to the people that plan it and build it, right on through to the people who design the interior, the job of the hotel owners is typically one of delegation to begin with. This is still a complicated process though and to make sure they create the right hotel, the owners need to make sure they hire the right people. A hotel that aspires to be a 4-star or a 5-star, for instance, is not going to benefit from a designer off the street which is relishing a shot at the big time. It needs someone with experience, someone who has created such hotels before and understands the aesthetics and the attention to detail needed.

That’s why these hotels hire expensive designers, companies that might not have a say on the skyline of a city, but have been innovating and renovating the interiors of the world’s best hotels for decades. In this article we will look at the companies that have worked on some of the most beautiful and iconic hotels in the city of Taipei, both inside and out.

B&H

When it comes to architecture companies, they don’t come much bigger than B&H, at least as far as Asia and North America are concerned. This company has worked on dozens of huge projects across China, and they have also created many in other countries, including Canada. They are widely respected and often sought-out by hotels, restaurants and retail stores at the planning stage, as they know they can turn to B&H to create something beautiful and iconic, whilst also ensuring it is practical and useful.

Their worldwide projects have included the L’Hermitage Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, a 60-room structure that is breathtaking on the inside and out; the You You Grand Sheraton International Plaza in Shanghai, China, which is an award winning building, praised for its design; and the Westin Verasa Napp in Napa Valley, United Sates, which is a resort that encompasses 180 units, with everything that travelers could ask for.

The B&H firm consists of close to 500 architects, designers and more, with 13 offices in locations around the world. The people responsible for some of the projects completed in Taipei include Michelle Wong, who was also involved in designing the interior of the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam. This is a firm that clearly know what it is doing and one with a client list that many other firms could only dream of acquiring.

G.A. Design International

This company are actually based in London, England, some distance away from Taipei. That didn’t stop the W Taipei from turning to them when they needed a new design though, and this experienced company was responsible for turning the W Taipei into one of the most unique and beautiful hotels in the city. Operating away from their home country was not a first for G.A. Design International either, as their designs have featured in cities around the world, focusing on hotels and the hospitality industry.

Founded in 1985, G.A. Design International are one of the most respected names in the industry of interior design, responsible for some innovative and trendsetting designs. You may not recognize the firm by name, but you may recognize them by the designs they have created, and you are certainly going to love the aesthetics they have put together. They use modern styles and techniques to create vibrant and open spaces that make the guest feel at home, whilst also offering them a sense of wonder that is vital in any hotel. Their portfolio includes some of the most beautiful hotels in the world, of which the W Taipei is definitely one. Other hotels that G.A. Design International have worked on include Hyatt hotels in Goa and Mallorca and a Four Seasons in Marrakech. Their work is also popular in Tokyo and they have been hired by a number of hotels in the Japanese capital to turn their aesthetics around.

G.A. Design International’s work is so popular that they have also been hired to complete residential projects. These have included premises in exclusive Mayfair, London, known to be home to the super rich — which is saying something in the city of billionaires. Their focus, though, is typically on turning the interior of 5-star hotels into something iconic, mesmerizing and unforgettable, with a painstaking attention to detail that is simply unmatched.

Four IV

When it comes to interior design in Taipei, there is a noticeable connection with London. These are two beautiful cities, one of which is old and has always been part of history, whilst the other is new and growing quickly, aspiring to be much bigger and much more important, and getting there. Four IV are a London based design firm that worked on the Mandarin Oriental in Taipei, designing their interior to the exceptional standard that has left guests in awe since it first opened its doors.

Four IV had already established itself in the retail sector before it was hired to complete this project, with a portfolio that included work for the upmarket supermarket chain Harvey Nichols, the handbag designer Mulberry, and the luxury brand Emporio Armani. Their work in the Mandarin Oriental covered most of the public areas and some of the private areas, creating a design that was harmonious to the facade of the building, and one that incorporated a European elegance with a classical feel. The design company were heavily influenced by the designs of Paris, one of the world’s most iconic cities, and for this project they immersed themselves in Parisian culture and styles, spending several weeks in the city so they could better understand the style and ambience of it, which they then worked into the Mandarin Oriental hotel. The goal was to make guests feel like they were stepping into a grand and luxurious French chateau, perhaps one from an area gone by, even though they were in the heart of an Eastern city. To achieve this effect they included panelling, chandeliers, etched mirrors and bespoke rugs, among other features, all while maintaining a contemporary feel and not detaching from the Eastern sensibility — it is the Mandarin Oriental after all.