Q&A: Dayna Lee, Powerstrip Studio
by Mary Scoviak, Contributing Editor -- HOTELS Magazine, 1/1/2008
 Dayna Lee, Powerstrip Studio |
HOTELS: What convinced you to go into hotel design and what new things did you want to say with your designs for W, The Ivy, (San Diego), Hotel Derek (Houston), Hotel Zoo (Berlin) and other recent projects?
Lee: We did not actually pursue going into hotel design. We had very successful careers in film and did not even consider making a change until Barry Sternlicht (then chairman of Starwood Hotels and Resorts) came to us. He asked us to bring our film design perspective to hotel design and awarded us the W Los Angeles.
HOTELS: What was your training?
Lee: I have a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design which included credits from Brown University. After graduation I moved Manhattan and worked at NBC in the Advertising and Promotion Department on the roll out of the new NBC peacock. That was followed by a position as the art director in the fashion industry. My focus was Helmut Newton Illustrated, the photographer’s first magazine. A freelance graphic project for a Warren Beatty feature film introduced me to the 4-D medium of film. Over the last several years we worked on over 20 films and 30 commercials as art director, set decorator and production designer. We worked with some incredibly talented directors as Jim Jarmusch and Academy Award winners Ridley Scott and Kevin Costner. When Starwood Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht announced the launch of a new brand, W Hotels, he approached us about being principal designer for the W Los Angeles and Powerstrip Studio was born.
HOTELS: What will be the biggest changes impacting resorts?
Lee: In the past, resorts were thought of as places where you leave your cell phone and electronic devices behind. Now, travelers want to take everything with them so it is important for resorts to have all the electronics and conveniences that people have in their daily lives.
HOTELS: How much has that been inspired by fashion, how much by guests' preferences and changes in their lifestyles and how much by operational requirements or owners' needs?
Lee: Having worked around the world, we have seen all of these disciplines come into play, as well as the impact of the economy.
HOTELS: Your website describes Powerstrip's mission as both conceptual and interior design. How are concepts changing to meet customer demand and address new demographics/psychographics?
Lee: There is a generation that is growing up that is well acquainted with design hotels and they are much more design savvy than past travelers. This generation of travelers has an expectation that exceeds what designers have done in the past. New concepts have to be even more creative and unique.
HOTELS: How will that help hoteliers build rate, occupancy and market reach/capture?
Lee: Good design is newsworthy. Design hotels generate more editorial in lifestyle publications than a traditional hotel ever would. Public relations is an integral part of the marketing for a hotel and the design is usually the number one topic for a new hotel or a renovation. The design also generates great word of mouth which can drive a tremendous amount of business to a hotel.
HOTELS: How do you balance the need for comfortable spaces with the need to create exciting spaces for the guests?
Lee: We have always believed that comfort is a critical element and take that into consideration for all of our projects. The seating areas are designed to be comfortable, encourage conversation and voyeurism. The surrounding space provides the creative stimulation that is exciting for the guest.
HOTELS: What differentiates your lobbies, restaurants, guestrooms/suites, meeting spaces and spas from their competitors?
Lee: For all of our projects, we spend a considerable amount of time talking to the owners to understand their vision. We also spend time in the city to see how the project will interact with its surroundings and learning about the history of the project. For example, our project in Berlin was formerly the home of a very wealthy and eccentric family. We have incorporated certain aspects into the design that were inspired by how that family might have lived—old family portraits, furnishings from around the world, etc.
HOTELS: What do owners want?
Lee: Owners want a design that in some way is a reflection of them and something they can be proud to show friends and colleagues.
HOTELS: What do operators want?
Lee: Operators want a hotel that attracts guests and provides everything guests are looking for while being easy to maintain. We try to take that into consideration when developing a design.
HOTELS: What do guests want?
Lee: Guests want all of their basic needs taken care of in an unexpected way. They want to be surprised and feel like they have discovered something special. People love to come back from a trip and tell their friends about a fabulous place to stay.
HOTELS: What do chefs want?
Lee: Chefs want a design that showcases their own talent. For them, the food is the star so we work very closely with chefs to insure that the space will complement the culinary creations.
HOTELS: How much can designers tell clients what to do, and how much do they have to be a conduit?
Lee: We are very good listeners and pull a lot of information from our clients to determine what they like, what they have seen that inspired them, what their vision is. As a result, when we present a design, the owner sees the results of his/her input and is more likely to embrace what we have proposed. A great example is The Ivy Hotel in San Diego. The owner is very well traveled and leads an active lifestyle. He did not want a hotel that was nice for San Diego; he wanted a hotel that would be considered world class in any city. He also wanted it to be fun and sexy. We used that information to create the design and the owner did not change a thing. Also, we are skilled in being able to critique an idea without attacking it personally. We use this skill to help clients to understand why some ideas are not the best additions to a design.
HOTELS: Are concepts such as W and Kimpton’s hotels really leading by design or are they becoming too standardized?
Lee: It will be interesting to see where these brands go in terms of design. The real question is how brave are they going to be? When W Hotels was started, Barry was very courageous with the design even as Wall Street raised a doubtful eyebrow. That courage led to a great brand and it will be interesting to see what they do next. At some point, many brands become afraid to change and at that point, they become boring.
HOTELS: What do deals such as Marriott/Schrager signal for the future of hotel design?
Lee: I think it will be an interesting partnership. In the past, Ian Schrager was able to work with designers that were cutting edge and the design was not questioned. They could certainly do some interesting projects if they move forward with that same philosophy.
HOTELS: Is there enough money to go green and, if so, are there enough green products to deliver a truly luxe experience?
Lee: Going green is really just starting to be a serious consideration for hotels. Eventually, they will get there but it will be a long process. The variety of products is growing exponentially so we certainly have options now that we did not have five years ago.
HOTELS: What are the stumbling blocks operators pose unnecessarily to limit design?
Lee: They usually are concerned about the maintenance of some design elements. The finer fabrics and exotic woods require more care than polyester and plastic.
HOTELS: How is uniform design changing?
Lee: Hotels are definitely seeing the attire of the staff as an extension of the design.
HOTELS: What new materials are you using for them?
Lee: There is more emphasis on using natural fabrics which are usually more comfortable for the employee.
HOTELS: How are operators’ attitudes changing on design?
Lee: When Ian Schrager started his hotel company, many people said it was just a fad. They were even saying that when W Hotels was launched. I think that it is pretty easy to see that the interest in design is not a fad—it is part of the evolution of our culture. Operators are starting to see design as a necessary in order to be competitive.
