Portrait of the interior designer Alexandra de Champalimaud.
She knew from a very early age that design was her thing and she assures that, From his childhood, he "perceived the world from a very special prism". Perhaps he had to see that Alexandra de Champalimaud she was lucky to grow up in Portugal and educated between England and Switzerland her before completing her studies at the Espiritu Santo Foundation in Lisbon.
She founded her studio in Montreal almost 30 years ago, a city from which she moved to New York in 1994. Already in 2008, With the name of Champalimaud “plain”, she continued to grow until she became one of the key names in interior design, that without which it would be impossible to understand the paradigms of the new hotel luxury.
ABOUT HIS INNATE CURIOSITY
Conde Nast Traveler: At what point did you realize your vocation?
Alexandra de Champalimaud: I always had a lot of curiosity and a positive and inquisitive attitude that I maintain today in my work. For example, I was always in the gardens of my house in Portugal asking the gardeners things. At the end of my adolescence I definitely knew that I wanted to work in the world of design. It has to do with my Portuguese education, with the culture, architecture and decorative arts of my country, which are so special. From that passion for the 'traditional', I wanted to have a more contemporary approach to design. In fact, before I turned twenty I started creating pieces of furniture with my teacher.
Alexandra Champalimaud's house in Puerto Rico, a 1920 building converted into a luxury villa within Dorado Beach, at the Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
ABOUT HOTELS AND THE NEW LUXURY
CNT: What makes a hotel exceptional?
A.d.C. To create a great hotel, a series of interrelated elements must be given. Location is essential but also its ability to serve and enrich the lives of the people it hosts. Guests have to feel part of the place. On the other hand, I believe that a hotel should be involved in the community of which it is a part. Obviously it has to be beautiful, but let's not forget that the service is very important: extraordinary, discreet and efficient.
CNT: What is luxury for you? And the so-called 'new luxury'?
A.d.C. I am often asked this. It always depends on how the word is used. For many of us, if we are so lucky, 'luxury' is elevating the way we live in a way that is rewarding, tactile; that inspire us. Some people take it on another level and are only satisfied with their own version of luxury, packed with valuables. For me, pure luxury is a mixture of these two visions, but, above all, is having the ability to live very well. That is why we create interiors with enormous quality in the manufacture and within attractive spaces, which invite you to be in a non-aggressive, exaggerated or fictitious way. Luxury has a very delicate and kind side. Also a sense of comfort and positive energy, because you connect emotionally to something sublime and exhilarating. That's why for me luxury is also the spaces that transcend time, They don't pretend to be fashionable. We try to create trends, not follow them.
Suite Residence, in the legendary Raffles hotel in Singapore.
CNT: What elements do you take into account when conceiving the guest experience?
A.d.C. The most important thing is the arrival. All the way from the moment you walk in until you go to your room or one of the common areas. You have to imagine that first impact. Thus, one of the fundamental elements is the scale of the spaces, which must relate very well to each other. I think a lot about the rooms, because a room without light, for example, is something very negative, that's why having large windows is key. On the other hand, if I'm honest, bathrooms for me should be spacious and comfortable. I would of course add that the bed is ten, with sheets of the highest quality, just like the pillows, and that extreme cleanliness prevails. May everything be immaculate.
ABOUT CREATIVITY
CNT: And what do you have in mind when creating the concept for a hotel or restaurant?
A.d.C. The end user must always be kept in mind. The owner of the project is also thinking of him, therefore, when we work, the fundamental thing is the objectives of the plan, in addition to respecting the budget. The economic part is always a reality with which you have to optimize resources and be creative. In any case, I insist that to define the success of the project, the degree of guest satisfaction is paramount. When creating the different spaces I put myself in the place of the client and think about how he would interact in them. In the restaurant I appreciate the need for a dynamic space, whether it's by the sea or in a corner of New York.
Tiffin Room, restaurant of the legendary Raffles in Singapore, a hotel whose remodeling lasted six years.
CNT: Do you have any type of project that attracts you more than others?
A.d.C. My God, no! Everyone is a challenge although I recognize that I probably enjoy some more than others.
CNT: This leads us to want to know... which hotel has given you the most pleasure designing?
A.d.C. Looking back at the projects that changed my career, one of my fondest memories is designing wonderful hotels in Canada. And, without a doubt, the project that changed my life was the Bel-Air, in Los Angeles. Years have passed and now I am back in the same place creating the bungalows. In London I have collaborated in some private residence, and in New York what was probably the trigger that moved the scales of my professional life: the reform of The Algonquin. When I arrived, a contest was held for the renovation of such an emblematic hotel... and I was extremely lucky to win it.
CNT: *How good, Dorothy Parker and the round table... *
A.d.C. That's it! That's when people started paying attention to me and I managed to participate in wonderful projects.
CNT: And a job that you are proud of or that has been a challenge?
A.d.C. A challenge... mmm, I think I prefer to forget about those (laughs). We do commercial projects, but also very high-end residential buildings in New York, San Francisco... And right now Hong Kong is one of our key markets in this area, thing we love. But the truth is that I can not remember anything really negative ... and very positive. Not long ago we finished the renovation of the Raffles, in Singapore, imagine what an honor to face the remodeling of a hotel so beautiful and with so many stories. We have completely furnished and renovated the entire building, which took us six years. A long project, no doubt, which shows that something can be faced in six weeks, but also in years. This requires coordinating with a lot of wonderful people, from owners to operators, masons, architects, the four great chefs that we work with... It was a huge challenge, as we had to make sure that nobody would be disappointed with the result. Luckily, the reaction has been very positive and the balance wonderful.
Alexandra was in charge of the interior design of the restaurant of the Troutbeck hotel, chef Gabe McMackin, Michelin star.
ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
CNT: Sustainability is today the top priority. How is the 'green' design?
A.d.C. Absolutely essential. It's in every decision we make and we align ourselves to develop each project sharing this objective. On the other hand, we often find that the regulation, both of the city and the country where the work is located, establishes norms with which we identify ourselves at the moment. This makes it easier for them to be implemented and for us to comply with sustainability criteria without forgetting that things must be attractive. The same happens with the architects with whom we work. We have highly trained professionals in this regard, who they do things with intelligence and common sense and that they have a clear understanding of what is happening and what is available in terms of sustainability. We hold conferences in our office at least two or three times a week, very informative meetings, because we live in a world that is constantly changing. **The environment and how we interact with it is our priority. **
CNT. To what extent does craft play a role in Champalimaud's projects? Even more so being from Portugal...
A.d.C. The truth is that it is very encouraging to see that today the work of the artisans of Portugal is recognized and respected so much. I have always been a great defender of craftsmanship and, of course, more strongly of the Portuguese. I feel very linked to the crafts of my country, it is something innate for me. That sense of touch, that luster, the joints, the wood, the love of the person who creates each piece as something unique... Craftsmanship is absolutely essential to understand and respect each culture. For example, I rely a lot on the work of the Ricardo Espirito Santo Foundation (FRESS) in Lisbon: the work they do there in silver leaf, gold leaf, lacquer, Japanese lacquer and many other arts and crafts is spectacular. By the way, when talking about crafts you have reminded me of one of my favorite projects in the whole universe... Troutbeck.
Room in Troutbeck, a hotel intervened by Alexandra Champalimaud.
CNT: Without a doubt, we were not going to forget about Troutbeck either. Impossible to do it. It is the type of project that represents like few others what we talked about before about the 'new luxury'.
A.d.C. Indeed, Troutbeck fully represents the values of the new luxury. And that also implies a lot of craftsmanship. We used so many things to shape it... At one point, we proceeded to renovate the entire complex. I was not allowed to move even one light socket, so I had to use the old lights and get everything working again. And I remember the patina on certain details... it was very inspiring. We were in the middle of a renovation process when, suddenly, doubts assailed us about whether to modify some elements that, in the end, we considered that they had to be kept as they were. The patina of the years makes it fantastic. You know, that wonder of being able to preserve what has a soul and history. As we mentioned, you need to feel part of the essence of the place. And that is the most special gift: making people feel comfortable and being able to soak up such an essence. In Troutbeck it happens.
One of the original spaces recovered in Troutbeck by Alexandra Champalimaud.
ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL MARK
CNT: Is there a particular touch of Alexandra Champalimaud that we can identify through your hotels?
A.d.C. I think that always there is a differentiating touch of elegance in the things I do. It can be an oversized piece of art or an antique piece of furniture with a special story. The proportions I use, the quality of the materials... that also defines me. **I am very demanding in wanting always and only the best. **
CNT: What place would you recommend as essential in New York, your city of residence?
A.d.C. Le Bilboquet restaurant, one of my favourites.
CNT: And in Spain?
A.d.C. There are so many... I have a great connection with the Basque Country, my grandmother was from Hondarribia. Gastronomy comes to mind. Among my favorite restaurants I would say Elkano, Etxebarri and Rekondo, but I also like to go for pintxos in the old town of San Sebastián, Borda Berri and Cuchara de San Telmo.