PETER SILLING &ASSOCIATES <strong>Hotel</strong> <strong>Interior</strong> <strong>Design</strong>
Foreword As a sign of increasing prosperity, the number of hotels is increasing dynamically worldwide. And this also applies without restrictions to the category of luxury hotels. There is a special class of interior designers who specialise in the functional, colour and optical design of these noble lodgings, imprinting them with their own, distinct signature. Names such as Norman Foster, Antonio Citterio and David Chipperfield are familiar to all – many of them also because they are active in other metiers. One name which must undoubtedly be rightfully mentioned with relation to this sector is Peter Silling. Peter Silling does not design clothing or jewellery, and is not active as an architect. For this reason, he is almost exclusively known to insiders. His metier is interior configuration in hotels. What distinguishes him from his colleagues is that he does not restrict his thoughts to functions, colours and shapes. What makes him exceptional is that he also knows how what he designs is to be made. This is a very special quality which is unusually beneficial to investors. Even during the planning, he knows how his drafts on paper are to be implemented and what these will cost in terms of time and effort. Peter Silling is able to project himself into the world of those who have to realise what he wishes to achieve. He knows how things are made. And it is not presumptuous to say that what he wishes to achieve as a designer need not fear comparison. His sense for aesthetics, shapes and colours can be measured against the characteristics of the great names mentioned above. One of his particular strengths lies in the revitalisation of the Grand <strong>Hotel</strong>s which were built all over Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. Their revival is sometimes needed because today’s cityscape requires such a project, but also because not all real estate owners and investors, and certainly not all hotel operators wish to identify with the often cool, minimalistic forms, featuring glass, steel and concrete. Peter Silling has imbued the symbiosis between modern technology and the architectural style of the Grand <strong>Hotel</strong> period from the early part of the last century with new life, and, due to his pronounced knowledge of the craftsmanship, has made them affordable without forfeiting aesthetics and effect: Powerscourt in Dublin, Breidenbacherhof in Düsseldorf and the Ritz Carlton in Berlin are only a few examples. The list of the projects he has realised can not be counted on the fingers of four hands. And the countries and continents in which he has left his mark comprehend India, the Emirates, the USA and Europe. I myself have built with Peter Silling. What impressed me most in addition to the characteristics already mentioned was that he consistently retained the entire project, with all its facets and particularities, in his head. In this area, too, he represents a true exception. His detailed knowledge of the respective project on which he and his team are working can only be explained through his possessing a photographic memory. His initial grasp of design and processing using different materials is due to his origin from a family-run company operating in the wood-working trade. Talent, diligence and an immense store of experience have marked him and have allowed him to become one of the internationally leading designers for luxury hotels today. His specialisation in this metier has made him something of an insider’s tip. Peter Silling is without doubt one of the leading interior designers for luxury hotels at an international level. Measured against the huge oeuvre, he is still young in years, so that we can assume that we have yet to see much of his work. His sphere of activity is global, and it is highly probable that frequent travellers will come into contact with his work. Mr. Erwin Conradi
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