Architecture is structured: prescribed routes, defined stages and fixed deliverables. It’s also unavoidably human; consciously and subconsciously in dialogue with every person who frequents the space, on a mental, emotional and physiological level.

Brand is fluid: behaviour outweighs messaging and loyalty is a two way street. It’s where the outliers become legacy makers and independents compete with the conglomerates.

Tech is agile: MVPs, with emphasis on the M, allow you to sprint through build, test and iterations in order to help distill your product into the what the commercial strategy needs the development to be.

A new generation of operators are blending all three; especially in wellness, hospitality and serviced accommodation.

Let’s start with tech

Tech is super interesting from two positions: data and product integrations.

Data is a dormant giant within many developments from an operational, experiential and business model perspective. Are you generating and using your data? If you’re not using it, why not? How can it give you more insight into how to evolve, create additional revenue streams that are sought-after and have a proven market appetite; a competitive advantage for any development. No we’re not talking about surveys, reviews and form-fills but behavioural, qualified and deeply-qualitative data.

The agility of tech as a product is where brands and operators will win, especially when they commit to the approach longterm and in-house. Build-test-iterate. When your tech is proprietary it not only increases the value of your scheme but gives you compounding insight into what’s working for you, where you can pivot and how you can do better for your community and consumers, as well as your profits.

Brand is a non-negotiable

Not to open the generational debate, but with a historic transfer wealth on the horizon within the next decade, gen z are going to become one of the wealthiest generations we’ve seen in a long time. And, from what we already know, they’re driven by different things. They care about narrative, purpose, integrity. All things brand strategy and identity define and execute to ensure you’re not “just another”.

Whether you’re aligned with the approach or not, if you launch without a brand, gen z read the book before you’ve had chance to write it, and they don’t give you a second read once you’ve caught up.

It’s similar to the cut throat nature of the madmen era, but fuelled by personal development and authenticity instead of consumerism and intoxication.

Architecture done well

Costly to do well, and even more costly not to. This is where the stewardship and longevity mandates come into play. The largest investment of the three, and naturally we’d say the only one of the three you can’t afford to get wrong.

If your building doesn’t perform for the people it exists to serve, if the atmosphere is hollow, stunted or non-existent, if it makes poor environmental decisions, if the OpEx is too high, if it’s not built to last; you’ll pay 3-4, maybe even 5x what you could have to do it well, once.

And it’s not all about the finances. It’s also about the story people tell. “Ah, I wouldn’t bother going there, the other place does a better job of making you feel welcome”, or “avoid that place; they trapped radon in the ground for our grandkids to have to deal with”. Niche perspectives but talk travels, first impressions matter and PR is also expensive.

Not to state the obvious, but you can’t complete a development without architecture and interiors, so to consider the outcome from a holistic perspective is essential in today’s market.

Final Thoughts

The biggest opportunity is in creating physical spaces that behave like products; brands expressed through environments; and tech embedded into experience, not bolted on.

It’s exactly the play for building confidence in your financial forecasting, especially for months like January. It’s how wellness, hospitality and serviced accommodation operators sail through their stabilisation periods with increased capacity figures and higher footfall than any of your targets noted were viable. It’s also how you avoid the post-launch dip in sales. Because you become relevant, not just new. Because in a blink you’ll be old, but at least you’ll still be relevant.

Our advice is to consider all three as early as possible. At minimum architecture and brand simultaneously; they are integral to your business and operational models for success and you’ll feel it in the P&L reports. 



Incorporate early stage feasibility for maximising your outcomes and the potential of your objectives. Define what you want to deliver, build the narrative, sculpt the approach and run the models. If you’re interested in getting early stage advice, do get in touch, we’d love to help.