DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
CSAP : When approaching this project, we’ve examined many possible styles of contemporary interiors for the chalets, as well as the traditional elements of the local architecture and we tried to offer our own personal vision.
The key element of our concept was the connection between the interior space to the beauty of the landscape outside.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
CSAP : The design had to meet many different expectations and needs, and find a balance between the local tradition and the international vocation of the place. We wanted to achieve a style that blended timeless elegance and modern luxury, combining local materials and traditional craftsmanship with innovative design solutions and creative decor.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
CSAP : The interiors were designed to reflect the spirit of the place, while offering something new and up-to-date in order to meet the needs and expectations of today’s travelers.
I hope that our contemporary design has added interest and a twist of surprise to these interiors and to the overall holiday experience.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
CSAP : It has been quite a long job, which lasted almost 3 years. The hotel was an existing building, so we had to fit our concept to the existing space and to the size of the previous rooms. Thus the necessity of finding solutions that could improve the perception of the space itself. In our intent of increasing the sense of space, we conceived each room as a unit, each one with different features. The 33 rooms have different interior layouts, we customized the design to offer tailor made solutions to each one.
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
CSAP : The project was carried out from the concept of the standard room. The size of the room was given, so we had to develop an idea that could make the most out of it.
We imagined our room as a wooden box opened on a side to the exterior landscape, and we placed a mirrored glass cube, the shower box, in the middle of the space: its presence would have started a series of multiple reflections, a link between the indoors and the outdoors. The key element of our concept was the connection between the interior space to the beauty of the landscape outside: this link could turn the stay in the room into an inspirational experience of authenticity.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
CSAP : Our design was customized for the job and it has been produced and set by IHD Interior Haut Design.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
CSAP : The balance between natural and artificial is the key concept of the project. The interiors are stylish blend of the traditional authentic charm of a mountain chalet and the sharply contemporary design of today's luxury resorts.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
CSAP : When approaching this project, we’ve examined many possible styles of contemporary interiors for the chalets, as well as the traditional elements of the local architecture and we tried to offer our own personal vision.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
CSAP : The contemporary Alpine resorts are conceived to fulfill the desires and expectations of an international and sophisticated clientele.
In our project in Rougemont, we wanted to convey a discreet sense of luxury combined with the friendly atmosphere of Alpine hospitality, with the same high-standard comforts and facilities that can be found in other resorts all over the world.
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
CSAP : The interiors were designed to reflect the spirit of the place, while offering something new and up-to-date in order to meet the needs and expectations of today’s travelers. The choice of materials had to enhance the concept of authenticity, so most materials, such as wood and stone, belong to the local tradition.
The walls of the common areas have been covered in reclaimed lumber from old Swiss chalets, and have been set by the expert and qualified team of artisans.
The pureness of the lines and the smooth glass surfaces contrast with the rustic irregularity of the aged timber and convey a natural and sophisticated effect to the whole.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
CSAP : It's just the project's name.
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
CSAP : Any design tool is effective, we worked through every stage of the design process, from concept to completion, developing the idea from mood boards, freehand sketches and 2D drawings to photorealistic 3D renderings.
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
CSAP : Each project is different, our multidisciplinary approach to work is always a guideline.
We consider simplicity as the ultimate sophistication and we give a great attention to detail.
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
CSAP : The general contractor of the job was IHD. We worked with their highly skilled specialised artisans as well as with the local craftsmen selected by Sieber C Architecture.
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
CSAP : The hotel has high-standard comforts and facilities conceived to fulfill the desires and expectations of an international and sophisticated clientele.
DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
CSAP : No, it hasn't.
DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
CSAP : We had to fit our concept to the existing space and to the size of the previous rooms. Thus the necessity of finding solutions that could improve the perception of the space itself.
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
CSAP : We believe in the quality of this work and we've been encouraged by the general appreciation of our job.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
CSAP : The Hotel de Rougemont has been a long and complex work, we stuck to the owners’ brief and we believe we fulfilled their expectations. Teamwork played a key role in the project, so everyone involved added something to the final result: the hotel management as well as architect Christian Sieber, for the architectural project, and the company IHD, Interior Haut Design, who developed and supplied the interiors.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
CSAP : The palette of colors is mainly based on natural, earthy and sandy tones, the rough-textured textures add some interest and are related to the rough surfaces of the mountains outside; the dark stone accents and some metal glitter help to break the uniformity; the presence of glass and mirrored surfaces add some lightness and transparency and recall the closeness to the sky and to the water of the Alpine lakes and rivers
