Graven Images is the name on everyone's lips!

21.10.11

Words by Emma Morgan

Since 1985, Graven Images has provided interior design, branding and communication design services to a global clientele in the corporate, public and hotel and leisure sectors. Boasting an impressive portfolio, which includes innovative design for Hotel Missoni, The Corinthian Club and Radisson Blu hotels to name a few.

HL caught up with founding director Ross Hunter, design director William Nolan and creative director, Jim Hamilton to discuss those exciting projects and the importance of world design.

Graven Images has worked on some amazing hospitality projects, what has been the most prestigious?
RH: More than 10 years ago we had to design a dinner for Tony Blair and 700 guests in Shanghai. It was well outside our normal sphere of activity, but it was brilliant fun working with chefs we brought over from the UK, as well as the security team. We got Cherie Blair and the Mayor of Shanghai chopping herbs, which was a sight to behold!

In terms of hospitality and leisure, what areas of design do you cover?
RH: We work on everything to do with the brand itself and create places that people want to spend time in. We also specialise in workplace design and have brought a lot of knowledge to that from our work in hospitality. In our studio, we have interior designers and a few architects, as well as graphic designers and an engineer. Having said that, we don’t usually get involved in the exteriors.

Which is your favourite area to work on and why?
RH: Hotels are the most fun as you can tell a great story but it’s also always satisfying to design a really popular bar. It’s a great feeling when you see people queuing to get into the space you designed.

Hotel Missoni is renowned for its design, on which you have worked. How does it feel to be recognised for such elaborate work?
WN: It feels very satisfying, especially since we were part of a large team. It’s good to be part of something that has such amazing potential. You can feel it building momentum in a way that is impossible for a typical hotel project.

It feels organic, each of the locations connected to each other with Missoni energy. The brand is off to a great start but has so much more to do.

What or who inspires the original Missoni designs?
WN: Rosita Missoni. She is a wonderful inspiration and we are delighted to be able to work with such a talent. Rosita has a great eye for colour, pattern, texture, and materials, which helped us to develop genuinely stylish and convincing interiors. She has a very personal vision and huge breadth of experience…

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