Open Innovation Approach to Redesigning Hotel Rooms

Published Mar-13-17

Breakthrough:
A multipurpose bed for hotel guest bedrooms.

Company:
Eurostars Hotels, Spain

The Story:

Eurostars Hotels is a hotel chain based in Barcelona, Spain with 90 establishments in many European countries as well as Mexico City. Currently, it has set itself the challenge of reinventing the hotel concept, but it’s not going about this ambitious venture on its own. To inject some fresh thinking into the company and to get new eyes to study the issue, it has embarked on a series of open innovation competitions.

In so doing, the hotel group is joining the ranks of the many successful companies around the world who are taking advantage of open innovation to help them create new products and services, innovate old products and services and stay ahead of the competition.

Open Innovation Contest

The first edition of the Contest on Innovation and Design in Hotel Spaces was launched in 2016 and invited participants to submit novel designs of a hotel room that includes a wardrobe, luggage carrier, workspace, double bed and headboard. They had the freedom to add features and to redesign the available space within the room. The space they had to play with was 28 square meters, of which 24 square meters was to be used for the room, and four square meters for the bathroom, which didn't have to be redesigned.

The overarching goal was to think of a new type of hotel room based on four foundations: innovation, originality, feasibility and functionality.

Submissions and Decisions

A total of 135 projects were submitted to the open innovation project, from 19 different countries, including Israel, Thailand, Chile, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Romania and Uruguay.

The judging panel was comprised of design and interior design experts who based their assessments on the use of new materials, the functionality of designed elements and the feasibility of being able to apply the design throughout hotel chain's properties, among other criteria.

We Have a Winner

The winning team was the FOUR O NINE studio in Shanghai for their Play and Display project. The concept converts a bed into the principle element in a room, around which all of a guest’s activities could take place during their stay. So, for example the bed incorporates an extendable table top and a sitting unit so it can also become a functional working environment. For its creative input, the studio was awarded a check for 8,000 euros (approximately USD $8,400). Two runners-up each received 1,500 euros ($1,580).

Additional Open Innovation Initiative

The open innovation contest was so successful and so inspired Eurostars Hotels that they have already launched another one for 2017. This time, they are looking for innovators to design and create spaces and furnishings of a hotel reception lobby that meets both the present and future needs of travelers.

Next Story »