Tony Chi and Hyatt unveil innovative projects in Bangkok and Taipei

The rapid growth of China and the return to better times in the economies of East Asia are providing new opportunities for classic, but cutting edge interior design in the luxury hotel industry, internationally acclaimed designer, Tony Chi, said at the Asia Pacific Space Designer’s 2005 Congress in Taipei today.

New York-based Chi, who splits his design time between projects in Asia, Europe and the US and was keynote speaker at the Congress believes the recovery in the East Asian economies, spurred on by China’s growth, is providing new scope for hotel owners and operators to upgrade and expand their facilities for both business and leisure travellers.

“Nowhere is this more evident in our latest design work for Hyatt International in two of Asia’s great cities, Taipei, Taiwan and Bangkok, Thailand,” he says. “We have enjoyed a special relationship with Hyatt in Asia over the years, but these new projects are special indeed, bringing new ideas and design excellence to these properties.”

His New York-based company, tonychi and associates, with its expert group of designers, has always had more than its fair share of work in the East Asian region, doing interior design projects for both hotels (rooms, suites, public areas and food and beverage outlets) and stand-alone restaurants.

“But I think it is safe to say that we have never before had the number and scale of exciting projects that we do today,” he says. “There are more projects now in the planning stages, but the work done on the Grand Hyatt Taipei and the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok shows the level of design sophistication and innovation that the region now expects in its accommodation and event facilities.”

Certainly, tonychi and associates and the Hyatt group are today working together to produce some of the most innovative and exciting, modern but classic and attractive but practical designs in the hotel and hospitality industry in the East Asian region.

“Geographic location, existing architecture and market demands mean that these two projects had substantial differences in approach,” he says. “But within each I have tried to provide a subtle sophistication and a blend of East meets West that gives the traveller an instant feeling of comfort, but also with the reminder that they are in Asia.”

New meaning for “Residence” in Bangkok

At the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok tonychi and associates has given new meaning to the term “the residence”. This is not about accommodation but a completely new concept in providing facilities for meetings and events in one of Asia’s great cities.

the residence is one of Bangkok's first residential style, multi-function event facilities occupying a creatively designed area on the Mezzanine level of the hotel. It combines luxurious decor and the best of facilities with the latest audio-visual technology (plasma screens, video conferencing and wireless broadband connections) in a “stand-alone” environment.

Designed by Tony Chi and his team the residence features a collection of four residential-style event rooms surrounding a communal coffee bar with a seven metre high open Loft Kitchen. The best in furniture and fittings, wooden floors, stylish wall hangings and subtle lighting create a relaxed but business-like atmosphere.

With the addition of the residence, the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok strategically located on Rajdamri Road, right in the heart of Bangkok - will have 10 function rooms and over 2,500 square metres (26,000 square feet) of function space ideal for large scale meetings of up to 1,100 people and conferences as well as intimate business or personal gatherings. 

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