Skift grip
Post-pandemic, many travelers seek a “maximalist” aesthetic, or more is more, immersing all their senses in a profusion of colors, patterns and textures. Designer Bill Bensley captures this look at a new Thai resort. Expect to see maximalism in more hotels.
Carley Thornel
Bill Bensley strives to push all the right buttons when designing hotels and resorts. The New York-based architect, landscape architect and interior designer is well known for his “maximalist” – or “more is more” aesthetic. The “Bensley look” for hotels sits in the sweet spot of what many guests say they crave today.
Social media giant ICT Tac recently worked with Airbnb to create a design trends report highlighting the emergence of a “maximalist” aesthetic. The report notes that interior design trends have shifted from minimalism, which has been in fashion for more than a decade, to maximalist styles, which have attracted 693 million views on TikTok to date.
Many independent hotels and brands have experimented with maximalism. Designer Natalia Miyar has imbued The twenty-two hotel in London with a theatrical profusion of materials, from bronze to papier-mâché and wood. Accor 25 hours brand of hotels features lobbies packed with bric-a-brac.
Bensley, however, does not follow the maximalist trend. Rather, society is catching up with him. Bensley’s use of color, plant life and pattern has always been part of his design DNA. Park Hyatt Siem Reap combines Khmer architecture with Art Deco influences. Danang Sun Intercontinental Peninsula was inspired by the resplendent colors and shapes of Vietnamese temples.
Bensley’s dynamic Belle Mont Farma sustainability-themed hotel on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, boasts arguably the world’s first and most abundant ‘resort garden’, as well as a golf course stocked with sustainably tended edible plants by goats.
Khao Yai Resort embraces maximalism
One of Benlsey’s latest projects is an example of maximalism in action. In Thailand, Bensley recently concluded a recycling project in the new InterContinental Khao Yai Resort. The property — an escape from the heat and bustle of Bangkok — has 45 rooms, in addition to 19 suites and villas housed in repurposed heritage train carriages.
The original plan of traditional accommodation evoking the era of King Rama V throughout the resort was scrapped when Bensley saw an abandoned train carriage en route from the grounds to the airport. Channeling a ‘Willy Wonka’ vibe into the hotel’s design, the designer coined a tale of train driver Somsak as the guiding theme for the property, set amid forested mountains and waterfalls.
The main hotel complements the train carriages, with shiny touches from the golden age of travel woven throughout. In the rooms, this includes station signage, antique luggage racks, and (in some rooms) bunk beds.
The bar is called the Caboose, the spa is called Back on Track, and the interiors of Somying’s Kitchen restaurant are half provincial train station and half American restaurant.
Each of the painstakingly revitalized luxury cars evokes a Somsak adventure, with destinations such as Luang Prabang, Saigon, Phnom Penh and Chiang Rai coming to life in vibrant colors and textures.
Another one-bedroom wagon pops with Art Deco-style emerald fabric that pops against the cool white paint and dark wood trim. Vertical stripes extend a feeling of space.
Bensley said another hurdle was getting hold of the carriages themselves, as the trainsets have an avid group of collectors reluctant to give them up.
Biophilic design as a signature
One of Bensley’s signatures is biophilia, which means he tries to evoke natural elements in his designs. In the case of the wagons, his team added real or simulated plants and ensured plenty of lake views. The abundant and often whimsical energy of natural shapes, forms and patterns helps maintain a maximalist aesthetic grounded in a sense of order.
“Bringing the outdoors in” is a mainstay in his portfolio, given Bensley’s academic background as a landscape architect.
Creating nature-themed illusions in confined spaces was a challenge at the Khao Yai resort. Bensley’s team incorporated natural lighting wherever possible and added or retained walk-through space in each car, the best suites of which are 2.5 meters by 30 meters, or about 500 square feet.
Designing a hotel is like producing a Hollywood movie. Both need a compelling script and without it they are often faded by opening night. … This core DNA is woven into every aspect of the hotel, from interiors to signage to uniforms – everything follows our narrative. And then it really comes to life!
—Bill Bensley
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