Designer travel: Five travel design marvels are pure genius

THE BACKSTORY

"We started with a blank sheet essentially. The premium economy seat has been designed from the ground up to be a very new product for Qantas and for the manufacturer Thompson Aero Seating in Belfast.

"We basically designed the aesthetics and features that are ergonomic and at the same time we're making sure it's attractive, and it interacts with the customer in the right way. [The seat includes an ergonomic headrest with custom pillow, two USB charging points and five separate storage compartments.]

"You've got to put yourself in the customers' place – I'm being a designer but I'm also trying to put my head in passengers' minds and imagine that I am flying for 17 hours, for example, between Perth and London. That's essentially what we do on any project – try to visualise and I guess pre-experience what that might be like."

The Qantas Dreamliner will begin services in December on the airline's Melbourne to Los Angeles route, and then in March 2018 on Perth to London route. See dreamliner.qantas.com/explore' caonstudio.com; qantas.com

THE CRUISE SHIP INTERIOR DESIGNER

Petra Ryberg, head of design, P&O Cruises

THE DESIGN

Pacific Explorer cruise passenger ship

THE BACKSTORY

"I am trying to work with the ships rather than against them. On Pacific Explorer [formerly Dawn Princess] there were a lot of natural elements such as marble and wood already so I tried to pick up on how to keep that integrity but add our twist to it and that came with a natural palette.

"I was inspired by corals and birdlife I've seen on my travels in Australia. I love the Bonded Store cocktail bar best onboard, that was so much fun to design. You enter through a sliding piece of art that's a hidden door. We created the wallpaper from prints of Australian vintage stamps.

"When I'm travelling around the world, I'm looking at hotels, bars and clubs and also picking up on those ideas of what's happening in Sydney, rather than what's happening on our competitor's ships in terms of design." See pocruises.com.au

THE HOTEL INTERIOR DESIGNER

Shelley Indyk, Director Indyk Architects

THE DESIGN

Indyk and her team worked on QT hotels in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Wellington, New Zealand

THE BACKSTORY

"The principle of the city-based QT hotel brand is that it is particular to the city it is located within. We are proud to design all items within our fitouts. At the time of developing QT Sydney from 2010 there was nothing quite like the concept in Sydney. The buildings and the whole quirky theme became the dominating influence.

"With the QT Melbourne our team spent several visits exploring Melbourne city to absorb the design feel of the neighbourhood and its creators. The rooms are highly-designed reflecting an industrial chic, which we felt was very Melbourne.

"QT Museum Wellington has evolved from an existing hotel, which was already quirky with an extensive local New Zealand art collection on show throughout the ground floor public areas. We worked up a new elegance and changed the whole ground floor area displaying the art within oversized reflecting framed panels propped against the walls.

"We're working on QT Perth now and have been doing so for two years. It will be something a little richer than Melbourne, not so industrial with very dramatic colours and more brass metal detailing."

QT Sydney, Melbourne and the new QT Wellington are open now. QT Perth will open in 2018. See qthotelsandresorts.com; indykarchitects.com.au

THE TRAIN INTERIOR DESIGNER

Rosina Di Maria, principal, Woods Bagot

THE DESIGN

New Platinum Club Lounge on The Ghan, operated by Great Southern Rail

THE BACKSTORY

"The Ghan is considered almost as a national icon so we were deeply aware of any physical changes that we would impart would have an impact [on Great Southern Rail]. We've started with the Platinum Club, the design itself is highly sensory, it's designed to slow you down, and consider every moment.

"In the Platinum Club you walk in past the dappled glass which just kind of glows on the back and hear the chinking of the glassware and the polished brass and slowly walk into that space and you're greeted by warm finishes and colours and muted tones to ensure that the backdrop of what you're seeing through the window – that is the colour of the Australian outback – is the drama.

"We're a global practice that deliver lots of beautiful hotels and bars. We really looked at what the traveller would expect and that's consistency in luxury. It's a really beautiful high-end bar and restaurant but with an Australian specificity. And in Australia luxury for us is quality of time with friends, attention to detail and restraint."

Great Southern Rail operates The Ghan, The Indian Pacific and The Overland. See greatsouthernrail.com.au; woodsbagot.com

THE AIRLINE LOUNGE INTERIOR DESIGNER

Hans Hulsbosch, Hulsbosch

THE DESIGN

Virgin Australia airport lounges and aircraft livery

THE BACKSTORY

"Each Virgin Lounge in Australia is designed to enhance the brand promise by giving people a glimpse into the identity, and values of the airline. Every aspect and detail that makes up the Lounge experience has been carefully crafted to portray the brand (a modern space designed to offer separate areas to work, rest and unwind, with natural light).

"Because we redesigned from the ground up, we were able to implement a consistent design vision across all platforms and made sure that at every touchpoint the design involved all five senses, linked in a natural and logical manner.

"Unfortunately, you often encounter a piecemeal approach where a new lounge design is implemented which does not relate to the overall brand identity. Sticking an airline logo in a prominent place above the check-in counter does not mean you 'brand' the environment.

"Branding is about visualising the emotion, heart and soul of an airline. We are well aware that the lounge is often the very first direct experience a passenger encounters on their journey. Therefore this environment provides a crucial opportunity to allow us to tell the Virgin Brand story."

See virginaustralia.com/au; hulsbosch.com.au

WHAT THEY SAID

DAVID CAON

THE ONE PIECE OF TRAVEL-RELATED DESIGN THAT EXCITES ME MOST IS ... Tablets – the digital kind – have improved travel for me. I like to work and sketch while I travel and would carry around a laptop, sketch book, book and magazines. Now with modern tablets and digital pens, all that is reduced to one object and I like the purity and efficiency of that.

MY FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT TO GAIN DESIGN INSPIRATION IS ... Tokyo. It is a future city. I'll never forget the first time I went there, I thought I was on another planet. And it has that incredible Shinkansen, or "bullet train", high-speed transport system. Everything about the place is hugely inspirational. See gotokyo.org

THE ONE HOTEL I COULD LIVE IN IS ... The Peninsula Hotel in in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. It's a bit old school but they just get everything right. It has a great bar that's busy all the time, even on a Monday night and if you're travelling Monday is the same as Saturday. The rooms are nice and quiet, there's a pool and a deck and it's terrifically-located. See beverlyhills.peninsula.com

THE FIRST THING I NOTICE WHEN I ENTER A HOTEL ROOM IS ... Poor lighting, I've been to some really cool hotels but if the lighting is too dim you can't see what you're doing it's like you're in a little bit of a box. But the most important thing in a hotel is service I think.

PETA RYBERG

THE ONE PIECE OF TRAVEL-RELATED DESIGN THAT EXCITES ME MOST IS ... Temples. I might visit a Shanghai temple and look at the metal work, stone work, wood work and then when I design an Asian restaurant on a ship, I have that in mind –it's the culture and history of a place that inspires me.

MY FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT TO GAIN DESIGN INSPIRATION IS ... New York. Not only are there great options for museums but I also love the vibe. There's also amazing showrooms. I go to this place that has 32 levels full of fabric houses and you just go there and play, it's called Design & Decoration Building on the Upper East Side. See ddbuilding.com

THE ONE HOTEL I COULD LIVE IN IS ... I like Soho House hotels around the world, which are a big inspiration. I love the one in Shoreditch, London – it's designed with the idea of flow and communication. The concept runs through the rooms, the elevators, the signs. They have a homewares shop on their website, you can buy it all, even down to the cutlery. See sohohouse.com

THE FIRST THING I NOTICE WHEN I ENTER A HOTEL ROOM IS ... the lighting, because it's the most important aspect. It's definitely a curse [being a designer]; you're tearing the hotel room down in all different bits and pieces. I'm analysing it all the time, from how the vents grid looks to the grout colour between the tiles in the bathroom.

SHELLEY INDYK

THE ONE PIECE OF TRAVEL-RELATED DESIGN THAT EXCITES ME MOST IS … a plane and the views you see from it. I think it's the patterns of nature and living as seen from above. You suddenly see an order in the world that you can't see when you're in it at ground level.

MY FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT TO GAIN DESIGN INSPIRATION IS ... Lisbon, Portugal. I loved it there. It's a city of seven hills, it's beautiful, there's a lot of colour. I love the detail in the tile work. And of course the hilly city gives you all those different aspects because you're at different heights looking out across the skies. See visitlisboa.com

THE ONE HOTEL I COULD LIVE IN IS ... Hotel Notre Dame in Paris. It's very quirky, in a very old building with really crooked floors and wooden beams. Christan Lacroix has upholstered and lined everything in the rooms, including the carpets. Plus it has a great view of Notre Dame. See hotelnotredameparis.com

THE FIRST THING I NOTICE WHEN I ENTER A HOTEL ROOM ARE ... Details details, details – I think that's just what architects do. I look at how the floor meets the tile, how doors open, how the joinery has been finished, all junctions between materials and finishes, how the lighting works as well as the fixtures themselves.

ROSINA DI MARIA

THE ONE PIECE OF TRAVEL-RELATED DESIGN THAT EXCITES ME MOST IS ... A doll that was made by local villagers in Thailand. I remember when we were at the Six Senses in Thailand and they had this handmade doll tinour room, which provided a direct link to where I was in a real way. For me it's those small touches, which can connect you to space, which make an experience totally memorable and enriching. See sixsenses.com

MY FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT TO GAIN DESIGN INSPIRATION IS ... London. It's a truly international city which manages to have an independent voice as a city but integrates varied cultures. The first thing I would do is go the Tate, and I would go to the rooftop bar and look at the city and the changing skyline have a drink up there. See visitbritain.com/au/en; tate.org.uk

THE ONE HOTEL I COULD LIVE IN IS ... The Bvlgari Hotel in Milan. Antonio Citterio designed it, it's got beautiful gardens and the rooms are great. Milan is one of my favourite design cities as well. See bulgarihotels.com

THE FIRST THING I NOTICE WHEN I ENTER A HOTEL ROOM IS ... Where they put the switches. I can tell a really good hotel is if the master switch works. You know when you're tired and you've been travelling and you just want to hit one button and it should turn off everything and it never does? A really good hotel has nailed that aspect

HANS HULSBOSCH

THE ONE PIECE OF TRAVEL-RELATED DESIGN THAT EXCITES ME MOST IS ... The smart phone because it is a camera, recording device, video camera, instant web access, email access, text messaging, safety tracker, map, library, hand held TV screen, news provider, a digital storage unit and much, much more. It also provides me with the use of apps so I can draw, paint, play games, read books, check my daily exercise routine … and did I mention I can also ring someone?

MY FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT TO GAIN DESIGN INSPIRATION IS ... Shanghai. It's incredible rich history reminds me of the European explorers and the trade routes of the past. It's energy and vibrancy reminiscent of modern-day New York. It's a timely reminder of the importance of China's social, cultural and economic position in the future.

THE ONE HOTEL I COULD LIVE IN IS ... The Aman hotel in Venice. It's like staying in someone's home. And in essence that's exactly what you do in Aman Canal Grande Venice as the palazzo's owner, Count Gonzaga, his wife and five children, still live on the top floor. No check in desks, or receptionists, no extravagant lobbies but unrivalled quiet personal attention; you are a privileged guest in a private palazzo. See aman.com/hotels/venice

THE FIRST THING I NOTICE WHEN I ENTER A HOTEL ROOM IS ... The design issues and my trusted camera (now smart phone) is never far away to record anything that catches my eye, good or bad. I'm always excited to try out new places to stay either for work or pleasure however what can be really disappointing is when I am expecting a hotel to be a certain way and that promise is not fulfilled.

THE ONE DESIGN PIECE THAT'S WORTH TRAVELLING THE WORLD TO SEE

MEIPING VASE, MUSÉE NATIONAL DES ARTS ASIATIQUES, PARIS

"Created over 1000 years ago, it is the perfect example of timeless design," says Hulsboch. "It has never gone 'out of fashion'. If it was created today it would be contemporary and unique. The beauty lies in its simplicity. Its refined, sensual form, curves out at the shoulder from a narrow base. It's a perfect example of traditional Song Dynasty (960-1279) models." See guimet.fr

EILEEN GRAY – BRICK SCREEN

"I haven't seen Elaine Gray - lacquer brick screen at the Museum of Modern Art, New York and would love to do so. It's really beautiful screen with pivoting pieces but in black lacquer," says Indyk. "I also love Anish Kapoor's artworks, Monet's Water Lilies and Jean Prouve's designer desks." See moma.org

MICARTA DESK BY MARC NEWSON

"Much of the design that I covet is still in production or relatively attainable at auction," says Caon. "My mind keeps coming back to personal connections – limited edition or gallery projects that I had some involvement in as an assistant. One is Micarta Desk by [the Australian designer] Marc Newson for Gagosian Gallery (2007), in New York." See gagosian.com; marc-newson.com/micarta-desk/

CARAVAGGIO PAINTINGS, CHURCH OF SAN LUIGI DEI FRANCESI, ROME

"Caravaggio was the master of dark and light," says Rosina. "This little church has one of his biggest collections, I go there every time I visit Rome. It speaks to the emotion of what he was thinking when he was painting and I do get inspired because it's relevant to a person like me hundreds of years later." See saintlouis-rome.net

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN – SAVAGE BEAUTY

"The fashion design and the details in that exhibition [at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and then the Victoria & Albert, London] were just stunning and could totally be translated into interiors; a stitching detail on a dress could potentially be a stitching detail on a chair," says Ryberg. See metmuseum.org; vam.ac.uk; savagebeauty.alexandermcqueen.com

FIVE OF THE BEST DESIGN FESTIVALS OF THE WORLD

SETOUCHI TRIENNALE, JAPAN

Held every three years on Japan's Seto Inland Sea and the coastal cities of Takamatsu and Tamano, the Setouchi Triennale sees contemporary artworks and design displayed on separate islands. It was created to reinvigorate the region which has suffered from depopulation. See setouchi-artfest.jp/en/

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL

Backed by the Mayor of London and positioned to establish London as the world's design capital, it's been described as the most inspirational festival of its kind. Now in its 15th year, the next festival is on next month at several venues and institutions around the British capital.See londondesignfestival.com

MILAN FURNITURE FAIR

The largest fair of its kind in the world, this annual event showcases the latest designs in furniture from around the world. Although the fair is ostensibly a trade event aspects of it are open to the public. The next Milan Furniture Fair will be held in April next year. See salonemilano.it/en/

DESIGN WEEK, MEXICO CITY

Taking place across Mexico City every October since 2009, the Design Week highlights creativity and design as catalysts for social change through exhibitions, installations, a symposium and film screenings. Next year is the perfect year to attend the event as Mexico City will be celebrating being named World Design Capital. See designweekmexico.com

GOOD DESIGN FESTIVAL, SYDNEY

Aligned to the annual Vivid Festival, the annual Good Design Festival held in June features talks and the Good Design Showcase, an interactive exhibition featuring the finalists and winners of the year's Good Design Awards and Young Australian Design Awards. See gooddesignaustralia.com