Boutique Design - Winter 2024 - 53

THE ROMER HELL' S KI TCHEN LOBBY
THE HOST DESK AT THE UBS CLUB AT UBS ARENA
CURV I NG BOOTHS AT SO & SO' S
THE BAR AT CI S I AMO IN NEW YORK
AU: It's also very useful for clients. Design can be
subjective, but when decisions are tied to a solid
foundation, it's easier to gain their trust and alignment.
Hines Fischer, Lead Product Designer: The challenge
with product is often what is structural about a
product is also the thing that gives it an aesthetic.
So there's an interplay between your concept and
your end result. You're checking your work as you go
that the whole thing's going to work. The fi rst thing
is that it should be useful, usable, and desirable. So
you always start with the function in relation to the
end user, and that can often guide the lion's share of
the aesthetics.
On convincing clients.
RR: We involve clients in the discovery phase,
ensuring their buy-in from the start. If something
doesn't resonate, we adjust the foundation. The
foundation's strength allows us to pivot while staying
rooted in the project's core narrative.
CR: It's about fi nding common ground. If one
concept thread doesn't resonate, we lean into
another. The foundation keeps us aligned while
allowing fl exibility.
MS: The design narrative is really where we come
in, but if you think about it from a full design project
standpoint, there's a whole phase before us with the
client where they're thinking about the form and
the function that they want, but also the inspiration
they're bringing to the table.
On the Romer Hell's Kitchen hotel project.
RR: Romer exemplifi es our multidisciplinary
approach. The client wanted a neighborhood hotel,
and Matt lives nearby, so it was very personal. We
designed the interiors, created custom furniture
and lighting, developed the F&B concept, and had
creative freedom in branding.
CR: For the piano bar, we suggested adding an
apostrophe 's' to the name So-and-So, creating a
character and story that infl uenced everything-
from programming to the art and drink pairings.
It gave the space a distinct personality. The name
really infl uenced a lot of the brand and ID in the
space as well as function of the music program. That
was all part of the creative process.
HF: The building was designed by Morris Lapidus
in the 1960s. [Matt and I love] to fi nd ways interject
a few references to what it originally was into
the furniture and lighting. We looked at some of
his other buildings, their interiors, fi nding old
photographs in the neighborhood to pull the
references from. Everyone has an idea of what things
were like in the 1960s that's a little different than
what it actually was. One of my favorite pieces is a
four-sided sofa in the lobby made from big red-oak
slabs, which is what subway benches are made from.
The reception desk is made of a raw aluminum that
gives it a lot of patina and it's going to continue to
get interesting over time. You have these high-low
elements together.
On infl uences from other sectors.
CR: [Working in industries like fashion and
tech] taught me speed and effi ciency. In tech or
beauty, you're designing a fi nal product, while in
hospitality, you're creating an experience that
HO S P ITA L IT YD E S I GN . COM
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Boutique Design - Winter 2024

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