MM: NT Berlin Lab is a hotel brand in permanent beta mode. We spoke to the creative team behind this experimental start-up about how it reflects the wider shift towards conscious hospitality.
The way we think about travel has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years. For many, the onset of the pandemic has prompted a complete reassessment of our relationship with travel, while the rise of “digital nomad” culture, the impact of Airbnb on local communities, and the inherently unsustainable nature of air travel are raising some big questions for brands in the travel industry.
Philippa Wagner has over five years of experience helping hospitality brands find customers in a rapidly changing environment. After leading the insights and innovation team at Ennismore and working on the development of several new locations for The Hoxton and its spin-off co-working brand, she founded her own creative strategy studio, PeoplePlacesSpaces, during the pandemic and has since worked with hotel brands such as Rock and Birch.
“I work with brands to understand what the world will look like when we open in three to five years,” Wagner told CR. “I work with them to craft a story of who the guest will be, what the experience and design principles will be, and then bring in the right partners to build that ecosystem so that it eventually becomes a brick-and-mortar product.”
Above and below: Photo by Lars Brønset
