NEW YORK, NY – Director of Hotels John Tobin recently joined an elite group of design, operations, brand, and contracting professionals at the 9th Annual Radical Innovation Award event held at the New Museum in New York City.
This invite-only showcase offered Tobin and guests the rare opportunity to see, hear, and celebrate the latest innovations that promise to elevate the guest experience from a design, operations, and development perspective. Each year, submissions are reviewed by leaders in the hotel industry and presented in front of influencers and investors. Finalists are selected by a jury based on the following criteria: concept, design, creativity, and potential impact on the industry.
This year’s winner, Zoku, presented their home-office hybrid concept. Adapted for the traveling professional, the design combines the amenities of a hotel with the social buzz of a neighborhood. With the goal of broadening social networks with every visit, Zoku is expanding the definition of a hotel by making it a platform where knowledge, ideas, and people can mingle on a daily basis.
"Zoku's vision of a home-office hybrid as a new type of extended stay hotel meets the market demand for a live/work space," said John Hardy. "The audience saw the concept as one that could make a difference in the hotel industry within the short-term."
Snoozebox, also selected as a finalist, presented their concept of high-end, portable, on-site event and festival hotel accommodations. With the use of custom fit-out trucks, premium hotel rooms can be set up within 24 hours, at just about any location.
The 2015 competition comes on the brink of a new partnership that aims to increase the award’s presence internationally, furthering its legacy of discovering talent. The John Hardy Group joined Sleeper magazine—a leading magazine for hotel design, development, and architecture—to co-produce the program that honors some of the most progressive architectural and hospitality thinkers in the world.
Shawmut’s hospitality group has long enjoyed a close relationship with The John Hardy Group—collaborating on numerous high-profile projects, including the iconic New York Palace and waterfront Newport Marriott—so it was especially exciting for John Tobin to be part of such a prestigious event.
Continue to the Radical Innovation Award here