Renew

IIDA Hawaii Ho‘ohuli Award, Grand Winner - 2019

Hired to refresh a mid-tier boutique hotel in Waikiki, The Vanguard Theory provided full creative direction and brand strategy services to the client group. With a relatively small physical footprint, the hotel lacked the amenities of other, wellness-focused hotels, and the design team saw an opportunity to invert the typical hospitality experience, partnering with the nonprofit Travel 2 Change to provide concierge services catering to wellness-focused eco-tourism and Hawaiian cultural experiences. To craft interiors that were equally conscious, the team rehabilitated elements of the original design, brightening the dark guest rooms with a palette of terracotta, rose quartz, and marine blue. Fabric panels inspired by the Hawaiian lunar calendar become a focal point, connecting to contemporary ideas of wellness, while in the lobby, playful furniture and round shapes soften the previously stark, monolithic space.