Following years of collaboration at HBA, Inge Moore and Nathan Hutchins teamed up to launch their own London-based practice. Muza Lab reflects their shared curiosity and eclectic styles, shaped from careers designing around the globe. Here, Moore and Hutchins discuss their diverse portfolio of luxury properties, their vision for the future of the firm, and their refusal to conform.
Why was now the right time to launch Muza Lab?
Inge Moore: My wish has always been to continue evolving as a designer, to push my creativity in new directions and be part of a team developing high-concept projects in fascinating parts of the world. Over many years of working closely with Nathan, we discovered we share the same dreams and values. Last year, the time felt right to launch a smaller studio with a more personal, hands-on approach designing projects that veer away from the mainstream.
Can you talk a bit about how the idea came about?
Nathan Hutchins: Inge and I decided we wanted to go through a high-level branding process before any launch and this proved exciting and hugely important. We had a business aspiration but no name, language, or graphics. The branding exercise helped us to really explore who we thought we were, how we were different and what we thought the business could become.
What makes this venture stand out—is it the type of projects targeted, the style of work, etc.?
IM: We are realizing our vision to create a small, independent practice that enables us to get back to our creative roots and team up with people we like to work with on projects we enjoy designing. We believe in creating spaces where people go to share special moments and make memories. Therefore, our aim is to make these moments rich with feelings that can’t be shaken and to create a stage for new stories that will be held close to the heart. As a very experienced team, we can deliver on this philosophy quickly, intuitively, and imaginatively.
NH: Muza has a very particular studio culture, shaped by the skills and passions of the team. This means we are interested in the potential of the project and the client’s aspiration more than simply the size and scale of the commission. This is a key competitive difference. We like to work with clients who understand the power of storytelling through design. We ourselves are naturally curious, delving into the past and absorbing so many of the details of the location. Then we model a new tale and we experiment and explore further so that the essence of the place is woven into the sensation of our spaces.
What is your design approach? For instance, how will your team work together and work with the clients—is it different than a traditional approach?
NH: One of our reasons for setting up Muza was that we both wanted to have more time to be hands-on designers, to be collaborative and professional yet comfortable and informal. The beauty of our new studio is that Inge and I are separately or together very much involved in every phase, not just at the beginning when you may expect the principals to work on the initial concept.
IM: Our aim is to continue to have adventures with clients who really want to offer unforgettable experiences to their guests and residents. This means the team at Muza will have the time to think in depth and design afresh to create unique and inspiring projects. We are a team of 16 people based in our London studio and have the resources to manage any project. Our vision for growth is about establishing Muza in other parts of the world, each a small team focused on special projects and maybe led by people who have been with us in London.
What about your personal styles/backgrounds make this venture ideal for you?
IM: My vision for Muza sprang from a belief that the design process should be intimate, where insight, experience, and creativity are shared to achieve outstanding interiors. I find inspiration in travel and like to search out what lies behind the enduring qualities of beauty, style, and the sense of well-being. For me, the creation of Muza is very much about this, leading a well-balanced life is important. I rely on my instincts for beauty and visual harmony, as well as in-depth research, to design spaces which make people feel elegant and cherished.
Drawing upon a place’s history and natural surrounds, I like to develop a story that will inspire our team and help shape the design down to every last detail. In 2013, I was honored to be recognized as the “Gold Key Designer of the Year,” and many of the projects I’ve designed have won awards, for example the historic grande dame, Hotel Alfonso Xlll in Seville, the transformation of the ground floor public spaces at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London’s Park Lane, and the Belmond Eagle Island Lodge in Botswana which we completed last year, an exquisitely beautiful resort for lovers of the luxury safari experience.
NH: I also like to travel and find inspiration in the world’s cultural cross-currents. From an early age, I have been fascinated by the soul of buildings. I flourish in collaborations with clients and design partners whose visions are as mindful and particular as my own, as seen, for example, with the highly acclaimed Alpina Gstaad in the Swiss Alps and award-winning ESPAs in Macau, Hong Kong and the Istanbul EDITION.
Can you share any of the projects that are coming up for Muza?
IM: Muza was launched with a dozen active projects. We are very privileged to be handling several extraordinary projects for Belmond, including their new Andean Explorer train, and Villa San Michele in Florence. In Barcelona, we are designing luxury residences in one of the city’s most central locations. We are also designing a Four Seasons hotel and residence for the new Kingdom Towers in Jeddah, which will be the tallest building in the world.
NH: Our vision is global, as every country, region, and city offers design inspiration. It is the variety of project locations that makes our experience amazing. There is strong design competition in many parts of the world and that’s how we like it. Competition is good for us and the industry.
What other types of work are you targeting?
NH: Hotels, resorts, spa, and residential design will continue to be a prime focus but we are also excited to be designing trains and boats and would like to do more combining the adventure of travel with the luxury hospitality experience.
IM: I really enjoy taking the concepts of a hotel’s spatial design and extending these into its branding. We just completed the renovation of the Kanuhura Maldives where we were responsible for every aspect of design, from the interiors and staff uniforms to the table tops and picnic baskets. It would be wonderful to do more of this because it ties every aspect of the collection together. Staff uniforms should be every bit as much part of the overall design vision as a bedroom interior so that the employees can play their part in the narrative. Hotel guests spend a lot of time looking at the crockery and cutlery and touching it. They can tell a story as much as a piece of artwork.
Can you share some trends you’re seeing in hospitality now? What do you think is coming up/that you’re excited about?
NH: Conventional “rules” are less important now when it comes to design. It’s all about mixing up styles and materials to create spaces that feel unique and special, an evolution into something new.
IM: Social responsibility is really coming into focus as guests are increasingly concerned with supporting the local environment and community. More and more, developers and operators are encouraging us to specify green materials and regional manufacturers. Choices aren’t driven solely by cost, they’re driven by ethics too. Caring for the wellbeing of guests and staff is also part of this picture, from biophilic design elements that introduce a sense of calm to high quality back-of-house facilities that provide an enjoyable workplace.
Anything you wish would go away?
IM: Repetitive design. The world is a beautiful, vibrant place with so many different things to see and experience. Life is much nicer when you can spend time in places that express this energy.
What do you think defines luxury today? Can it be defined?
NH: My aim is to design quiet luxury that offers an ageless quality, authentic values, and reveals discovery.
IM: Luxury is defined by the details. Bespoke creativity can’t be purchased off the shelf—every client likes and wants different things. As designers, our goal is to meticulously develop every detail with quality and imagination so that the result is uniquely suited for its context. Luxury also means time to share with those most precious to you, time to connect with nature, and time to listen to cultural echoes of the world we live in.
Anything else you’d like to add/feel is important about Muza Lab?
IM: The Polish word “Muza” translates as “inspiration,” which suits us perfectly as our wish is to create inspired spaces that will inspire those who use them. “Lab,” in one respect, conveys the meticulous, analytical framework required for successful results, yet it also expresses the “mad scientist” aspects of our designs, ideas that push the boundaries and defy expectations to come up with something innovative and memorable. Muza Lab is all about putting emotion and love back into design.
