First word: Tools of the trade

Patricia Sheehan

Since joining Hotel Design a year ago this month, I've had the privilege and pleasure of tweaking an already fine publication to better reflect the rapidly changing nature of the design and publishing industries.

You might have noticed a few additions along the way: a front-of-the-book news page; expanded people, vendors and events news in associate publisher (and industry insider) Mary Malloy's Design Pulse column; and increased coverage of industry trends and how-to stories. Art director Rob Ghosh's keen eye for layout and an enthusiastic staff of talented writers are critical to making it all come together.

While our magazine's founding mission to showcase cutting-edge and inspirational hotel design guides editorial decision-making, we realize that our audience of designers, architects, purchasing agents, product vendors and hotel owners and managers is also hungry for news they can really use, including exploration of issues related to the business of running a design firm in a volatile environment. Social, political, cultural and economic forces are key signifiers in tracking the "next big thing" in design, be it the rising wave of sustainable initiatives or the influence of emerging design influences abroad.

We also continue to welcome fresh new voices from the design and hotel industries. Their talents and wisdom are on display in contributed columns. This month we welcome Lloyd Princeton, a prolific speaker on the business of design and designer/architect Anthony DiGuiseppe, whose work has been showcased in these pages and this month offers a case study on high-end bath design. Do you have a particularly strong point of view on industry issues or an expertise that you'd like to share with our readers? We'd be happy to consider publishing your words in Hotel Design. Send your proposals to me at psheehan@questex.com
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Still, our founding mission to showcase fabulous hospitality design projects drives our focus. Check out this month's featured projects: New York's Jumeirah Essex House and W San Diego.

Contest alert! You have just a few weeks left to submit your recent design projects for HotelWorld's second Hospitality and Design Awards. Don't miss out on a chance to participate. Submission instructions can be found on page 52.