Futuristic innovations are coming soon to airports, New York hotels feel the impact of Local Law 18, and Colette’s Sarah Andelman is back with a new Paris shop-exhibition. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
More than 40 artists bring color and chaos to Meow Wolf Houston
A mind-bending immersive hallway at Meow Wolf Las Vegas; photo by Kate Russell, courtesy of Meow Wolf
Founded in 2008, Meow Wolf started as a small collective of Santa Fe artists, whose collaboration evolved into the creation of immersive, maximalist experiences that take guests on a journey through large-scale art. This year, Meow Wolf is setting up its fifth exhibition in Houston, for which more than 40 artists have signed on to contribute their work, reports Colossal. Among them is Adela Andea who will install the Adela Oceanic Trench, a kaleidoscopic display of LED lights, cables, and recycled plastics, along with local artist Ana María Ortiz, known for her murals of fantastical creatures. Other names on the roster range from international art activist Kill Joy to the Fifth Ward’s very own El Franco Lee II.
5 futuristic trends landing in an airport near you
An AI-generated image of robotic airport assistants; image courtesy of Adobe Stock
This month, the Biden administration allocated nearly $1 billion in grants to 100 U.S. airports, which it has done every year since 2022. Although research and development can take time, architecture firm Gensler is already planning to introduce exciting new innovations in major North American airports within the next six years. Their prototype includes Segway-like scooters that will serve as a personal airport vehicle, moving you seamlessly through check-in based on the data it scans off your phone. Facial recognition machines will verify your identity and direct you to a security tunnel where you self-screen your luggage. Bloomberg takes a look at the five airport trends to keep an eye out for, including pre-booked security time slots and AI-powered mini manicures.
The impact of New York’s short-term rental crackdown
Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York, a project by 2023 Platinum Circle honoree Martin Brudnizki; photo by Matthieu Salvaing
Local Law 18 went into effect last September in New York, requiring short-term rental hosts to register with the city and be present during stays, while imposing restrictions on rental durations. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky called it a “de facto ban” on short-term rentals. Six months later, we’re seeing the impact of the law, particularly on the city’s hotel industry, which is poised to gain $380 million this year from increased demand, according to a new report by real estate firm JLL. Skift covers the additional ripple effects of the law, like how New York’s 46 percent decline in demand growth for short-term rentals in December consequently lifted the tides for neighboring New Jersey cities Newark and Jersey City, which saw a surge of 53 percent the same month.
Colette’s Sarah Andelman curates an eclectic retail exhibition
Jean Jullien’s Paper People sculpture at Le Bon Marché; photo courtesy of Just An Idea
As creative director of Colette—the now-shuttered Parisian store she founded with her mother, Colette Roussaux—Sarah Andelman is back with a new curated project: a book-themed exhibition in the iconic Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche department store. The project, called Mise en Page (French for“layout”), unfolds like a concept store over 10,000 square feet, featuring more than 1,000 items in a Colette-esque range of categories and prices, from a $3 postcard to a $65,000 table designed by architect Aline Asmar d’Amman, writes The New York Times. Andelman was inspired by the still-thriving independent bookstores like the Strand in New York. “I wanted to have a story, a link, to fill all this space, and books was perfect,” she says.
Register today for HD Expo + Conference!
The 2024 Women in Design honorees, clockwise from top left: Staci Patton, Davidson Hospitality Group; Sarah Bonsall, Six Senses; My Nguyen, Holland America Group; Meridith Zimmerman, RLJ Lodging Trust; and Gulla Jónsdóttir, Atelier Gulla Jónsdóttir
HD Expo + Conference is right around the corner! Join us in Las Vegas from April 30th-May 2nd, 2024 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center where we’ll be hosting 650 exhibitors, can’t-miss networking opportunities, and 30 inspirational sessions, including Leaders Talk: CEOs on the State of the Industry, where panelists Paul Coury of Coury Hospitality, Ace Hotels’ Brad Wilson, and Amber Asher of Standard International will share their strategy, insights, and biggest takeaways. Panelists including Meridith Zimmerman from RLJ Lodging trust will dive into effective team communication during the Radical Candor 2.0: Can Project Teams Please Talk? session on Tuesday, April 30th, and Zimmerman is also one of the five honorees we’ll be celebrating during our second annual Women in Design Awards breakfast, also on April 30th. To buy tickets and learn more about the tradeshow, check out hdexpo.com.
