Design Hotels™ Announces Programme Details For Its Architecture And Design Symposium "future Forum"

27 September 2007 in Barcelona New Shelter

Berlin | Design HotelsTM confirms additional guest speakers as well as event partners for its forthcoming architecture and design symposium. This year's "New Shelter" Future Forum debuts a new format for exploring cutting edge concepts for the hospitality industry.

The conference will kick off with presentations by key speakers who will then curate individual laboratories during the afternoon session. Each interactive laboratory addresses one of the four cornerstones of progressive hospitality. The curator will be joined by other experts who are recognised as trailblazers in their respective fields:

Lab 1: Food & Beverage - A Taste of the Future
Curated by Chris Sanderson of The Future Laboratory with guest chefs Peter Lute of Lute Restaurant and Suites in Amsterdam and Jordi Roca of Moo Restaurant at Hotel Omm in Barcelona. Their culinary ingenuity will be shared through a mix of theory and practice.

Lab 2: Architecture - The Future of Space
Curated by Luke Fereiss, Berlin-based curator, editor and artist, with guest speakers Arne Quinze, a self-made designer and Creative Director of Quinze and Milan as well as Lucas Young, architect and partner of the acclaimed firm Sauerbruch Hutton.

Lab 3: Art & Culture - The Future of Experience
Curated by Sebastien Agneesens of Formavision, a company that creates a common ground for art and brands. Guest speakers include Etienne Russo of Villa Eugenie, a company that specialises in lifestyle-oriented experiences and Joachim Sauter, founder of Art+Com, a design and research group composed of designers, scientists and technicians.

Lab 4: Design: The Future Style
Curated by Robert Klanten, editor-in-chief of Die Gestalten Verlag, with guest speaker Marcus Fairs, editor-in-chief of the architecture & design magazine dezeen and founding editor of icon magazine. Also participating are Cédric Decroux and Yves Fidalgo, the Swiss design duo from Fulgaro, which is known for working multi-disciplinary from graphic design to furniture and product design.

Design HotelsTM also announces its partners for the event. These were chosen for their like-minded approach and commitment to progressive concepts and ideas: Zumtobel Lighting GmbH, Laurent- Perrier, Heartbeats International, Santa & Cole, Lufthansa Miles & More, Philips, bulthaup and Fiji Water.

More than 50 member hotels are reaffirming their commitment to progressive hospitality through their attendance at the event. These include: HOTEL BLEIBTREU Berlin, 25HOURS HOTEL COMPANY Frankfurt & Hamburg, GASTWERK HOTEL Hamburg, THE GEORGE Hamburg, GRIMS GRENKA Oslo, SKT PETRI Copenhagen, HABITAT CORPORACION HOTELERA Madrid, Barcelona, CONTINENTALE Florence, GALLERY HOTEL ART Florence, THE PURE / GERBERMÜHLE/ ROOMERS Frankfurt, HILLSIDE SU Antalya, THE ROCKS Laax, HOTEL CRAM Barcelona, DERBY HOTELS Spain, MAVIDA BALANCE HOTEL & SPA Zell am See, HOTEL MAURITZHOF Münster, GRAND HOTEL CENTRAL Barcelona, THE FRANKLIN London, PURO HOTEL Palma de Mallorca, HOTEL OMM Barcelona, FAROL DESIGN HOTEL Cascais, NORDIC LIGHT HOTEL Stockholm, HOTEL ONE Siracusa, MIRO HOTEL Bilbao, WIDDER HOTEL Zurich, ALILA HOTELS & RESORTS Singapore, HOTELPHILOSOPHY S.p.A Rimini, CHAMBERS New York, GRUPO HABITA Mexico City, FIRMDALE HOTELS London, THE METROPOLITAN London, ARTUSHOTEL Paris

For details about the speakers and programme, please visit the official website: and the related blog:


Company Information: Design HotelsTM
Design hotelsTM represents and markets a hand-picked collection of more than 160 hotels in over 40 countries across the globe. Established in 1993, as the first of its kind, the company offers unparalleled specialist knowledge from conceptual branding through to market trend consultancy and international representation.

The member hotels are independently owned but united by a commitment to individuality, progressive design and cultural authenticity. The quality and the diversity of the design hotel’s portfolio offer cosmopolitan travellers a unique way to choose and experience unconventional and creative approaches towards luxury and hospitality.

Design HotelsTM provides services ranging from public relations and marketing to global sales and revenue & distribution management. As of 2007 the company has an expanded service portfolio to include consultation in hotel development.

The company has its headquarters in Berlin and branches in London, Barcelona, New York, Singapore, Bali and Tokyo.

Design HotelsTM is a registered trademark of design hotels AG (a German Joint Stock Company)

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Design Hotels™ represents and markets a curated selection of over 300 independent hotels in more than 60 countries across the globe. More than a collection of hotels, the company is a collection of stories. Each property reflects the ideas of a visionary hotelier, an "Original", someone with a passion for genuine hospitality, cultural authenticity, thought-provoking design and architecture.