Category: Environments

Why Travel and In-Person Experiences Matter in Design

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“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

Design is inherently expressive, but it can become insular when offices, studios, and firms rely only on familiar experiences and desk research for inspiration. The working space often becomes a repository where we collect ideas, curate, and then project our experiences within the safety and comfort of our locality and centrality. I describe this as “folding in.” It can lead to sensory detachment from the broader world. As a result, our perceptions become overly influenced by our immediate surroundings, nomenclature and culture. These factors shape our sensibilities and preferences in expressing design ideas. Moreover, we can form contradictory beliefs that subconsciously privilege localized perspectives over others’ indigeneity, history, and cultural anthropology.

I often reflect on what I consider the Achilles’ heel of designers: an ocular-centric preoccupation, obsession and overreliance on the visual, focusing on seeing rather than feeling or experiencing. Juhani Pallasmaa’s book, ‘The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses’, captures this idea well. He notes; 

“But the world of the eye is causing us to live increasingly in a perpetual present, flattened by speed and simultaneity”.

I believe it is impossible to live outside the things you are designing for if your aim is to capture an authentic experience. Images may speak a thousand words, but journeyed memories last a lifetime and neurologically transform how we sense the world; we should seek the soul or spirit of a place, not just its image.  

Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand and appreciate that travel is a pain. In Toronto, the 401 and Gardiner Expressway drives, not to mention the TTC to the office, can be soul-crushing and mentally exhausting, let alone a 14-hour flight to Dubai. Yet travel is still the most effective means of achieving immersion and education in terms of cultural and social understanding, comprising ‘acculturation’—which is the process of learning and adopting the customs, values, and language of a particular local culture; ‘enculturation’—the process of aligning oneself with the requirements and expectations of the surrounding culture; and ‘assimilation’—that being the absorption of local information and culture in order to feel a part. 

“Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel the more truth we can comprehend. To understand the things that are at our door is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond.” – Hypatia

The ‘unfoldment’ of personal beliefs, cultural norms, and perceptions, and the relinquishing of the comfort of your own situatedness, is the un-tethering needed to grow. If we are to embrace the beautiful and romantic notion from author Christopher Day that places have a soul, or embrace the notion of Christian Norberg-Schulz that “to dwell is to belong to a given place”, or according to Pallasmaa the skin is our most important receptor that informs our eyes then perhaps we must experience the world first hand or risk the loss of authenticity falling into ‘inauthentic everydayness’ never to truly understand the true meaning of ‘Genius Loci’ (Spirit and Sense of Place).

Travel should be inherent to the design experience, and for us, it’s been a collection of memorable, transformative moments. For brevity, we will share only three memorable moments.

Never underestimate the irresistible charm of Canadian Maple Syrup.

Stüssy Tschudin (Principal + Creative Director, Forge Media + Design) and I spent considerable time deliberating what gift would best represent Canada. We agreed that we would never enter an office empty-handed, and we carry ourselves as emissaries and ambassadors for the country we represent. Therefore, having a token of appreciation that embodied Canada’s cultural values was important to us. After some thought, we concluded that maple syrup was the ideal gift. Little did we know how coveted maple syrup is worldwide.

Before our meetings ended, we handed out small containers of maple syrup to all attendees and were taken aback by the warm responses. The smiles, enthusiasm, and moments of people clutching the small containers to their chests were heartwarming. Even a year later, people still spoke of the gift with fondness, along with the challenge of rationing portions to family and friends as long as possible.

As Canadians, we often take for granted what “Canadiana” means to others. Maple syrup, often called “amber gold,” has an enduring quality that evokes nostalgia and heritage. This connection may stem from the craft of making it and its deep Indigenous roots.

Maple syrup also helped us navigate a ‘sticky’ (couldn’t resist) situation at the airport. Security pulled Stüssy aside for screening, and I initially thought his distinctive yellow Pantone suitcase drew attention. It became serious when armed security personnel began questioning the suitcase’s contents. After he tried to explain it didn’t contain motor oil or anything toxic, I saw Stüssy gesture as if pouring and say the word “pancakes.” The security personnel immediately registered it, responded with huge smiles and laughter, and let him pass.

Flying with Falcons

Falcons are already majestic creatures, mythical and highly prized, especially in the Middle East. So, you can imagine boarding a Saudi Air flight, walking down the aisle to your seat, only to find the row behind you occupied by three majestic falcons, neatly perched on a resting bar, complete with falconry hoods and plastic sanitary catch blankets suspended above the seat. The falcons were remarkably docile, but upon takeoff they sensed the gravitational lift of flight, and you can’t restrain a millennium of evolutionary instinct as they tried to flap their wings, settling once the plane reached altitude. Still, they were more behaved than some of the fellow unruly passengers we’ve read about of late. 

Without a doubt, it’s one of the more surreal yet privileged sights that we have experienced.

The irreplaceability of being there.

We understood why being there matters. Simply showing up is a sign of respect and shows we are invested in partnership, not just a project, but a personal investment sealed with a warm handshake. This has led to new partnerships, trusted relationships, and a global reputation, all from a small office in Liberty Village, Toronto. It’s why we are often referred to as ‘the little engine that could’.

It feels surreal to watch a streetcar travel on tracks through the stress of Musharib, and to pinch yourself to make sure you’re not on King Street in Toronto. Watching the sunset paint the historic Najdi edifice at At-Turaif District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvelling at architecture in Abu Dhabi’s museum district. Walking over the bridge and canals in the port city of Sharjah. Revelling in the freedom of public expression in the streets of London, immersed in graffiti and street art on the walls of the Leake Street Tunnel. These indelible experiences shape the notion of place and, in turn, the brushstroke of design.

Our three-week itinerary in 2025 looked like this.

Toronto to London: 5,723 km (3,556 miles)

London to Jeddah: 4,749 km (2,951 miles)

Jeddah to Riyadh: 852 km (530 miles)

Riyadh to Dubai: 874 km (543 miles)

Dubai to Toronto: 11,103 km (6,899 miles)

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By Keith Francis, Senior Associate, Human Factors, Forge Media + Design

Survey

We don’t share our thoughts or opinions just to get likes; we are a curious bunch, so we aim to spark discussion. We hope what we share is relevant and meaningful to you, and if so, we would be thrilled to hear your thoughts. This is how we connect and grow as a community. 

  1. What is the most interesting place you have visited?
  2. What difference did it make to your point of view to have visited this place, its inhabitants, and its way of life compared to the research you had done from your desk?
  3. How have the place, the people, or the culture influenced the way you see the world or your design sensibility?

What We’ve Learned in the Global Placemaking of Four Seasons Hotels

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“The reason for our success is no secret. It comes down to one single principle that transcends time and geography, religion and culture. It’s the Golden Rule – the simple idea that if you treat people well, the way you would like to be treated, they will do the same.” 

— Isadore Sharp

Nestled in the foothills of the Akaishi Mountains range in central Honshū, Japan, shrouded under a ‘kasagumo’, a distinct ring or brim of cloud and mist called a ‘bamboo-hat cloud’ lies the oldest hotel in recorded history. Guinness World Records recognizes it as Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Yamanashi Prefecture. To put that in perspective, it has been in existence, and, more importantly, ‘in service’, from 705 AD to today, 2026 – 1,321 years, offering a traditional ‘Ryokan’ (cultural lodging, seasonal multi-course dining and hot spring bathing) experience.

You might find this time-immemorial remarkable and rare anywhere, but Japan has more century-old businesses, termed ‘shinise’ (in English, ‘old shop’), than any other country. This extraordinary longevity is driven by unique cultural, historical and, most importantly, philosophical preservation of tradition. The bedrock that sustains such business legacies is defined less by trends, fads and predilection of fancy than by enduring human traits such as persistence, resilience, loyalty, trust, humility, respect and modesty as a way of life. But the most important sensibility that truly defines the perspective of hospitality is being ‘in service’, or what the Japanese elegantly describe as ‘omotenashi’: deep, heartfelt hospitality that anticipates a guest’s every need without expecting anything in return.

The throughline from Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan to the Four Seasons Hotel, and, more importantly, the philosophical link across continents that tied Canadian hotelier and philanthropist Isadore Sharp, founder and chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, to Japan’s sensibilities, is worth noting. It might help explain the enduring quality of one of the world’s most successful luxury hotel brands and our rare 17-year association, which helped a humble downtown Toronto design firm achieve global status. 

“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.”

 – James Cash Penney

It wasn’t until I read Isadore Sharp’s memoir, ‘Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy’, that this cultural connection began to make sense. Isadore Sharp’s reverence and respect for Japan wasn’t just cultural admiration; it was recognition of the paths a business entrepreneur could choose. One rooted in humility, the other defined by hubris. Either choice could sustain industry tropes or revolutionize its approach. Hubris at its worst can be hierarchical and ostentatious, as journalist Joan Didion said: “Of course great hotels have always been social ideas, flawless mirrors to the particular societies they service.” 

Humility and a reverence for humanism could remove operational hubris by returning to what Isadore Sharp called “the Golden Rule.” A simple yet elegant perspective on the human condition: “treating others the way you wish to be treated.” A service ethos consistently and uniformly practiced publicly from the founder CEO to the custodian as a one-voice, one-attitude approach. This is a mutually expressive ideal bound by a Japanese ethos called ‘Omoiyari’ described as the Japanese virtue of anticipating what another person needs and quietly acting on it, often before they ask. It literally means “sending your thoughts toward” someone, from omoi (thought, feeling) and yaru (to send).

“True hospitality consists of giving the best of yourself to your guests.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Restraint, discretion and invisible presence. Principles (beyond form and function) we’ve adopted in our philosophical approach to design. We call it “respectful prominence” (objects of design being there when you need them and out of sight when you don’t). It avoids visual pollution, finds the elusive existential factors of a sense of space and pride of place, and illustrates the journey narrative in a way that is distinctively and authentically local. 

Four Seasons operates more than 130 hotels and resorts worldwide. We’ve had the privilege of defining (through wayfinding signage and placemaking master planning) nine locations across four countries. From Toronto, Athens, Maui, Lanai, Boston, New Orleans, Philadelphia (Comcast), Doha (The Pearl) and Khobar. Each location tells a unique story defined by place distinction.

“When you get into a hotel room, you lock the door, and you know there is secrecy, there is a luxury, there is fantasy. There is comfort. There is reassurance.”

— Diane Von Fürstenberg

The greatest complement to any hotel lies in the feeling it evokes when you arrive and the enduring memories you leave with, especially the desire to return. No matter how much we enjoy moments of respite, we know they’re never permanent; but by catering to impermanence, to the idea that every moment matters, every nuance is considered, and that time bends to comfort and understanding, we keep dwelling in the sense of belonging that remains the fundamental goal of hospitality. In essence, from a designer’s point of view, the fundamental question we need to ask ourselves is: what story does each place want to tell? How does this story resonate with the consciousness of the visitor even before they arrive? What would be the journey narrative within place? How can we express the ordinary in extraordinary ways? And what memories do we hope they leave with, yearning to return? 

Each engagement with a Four Seasons Hotel reminds us that we are, in essence, in the ‘Feeling Business’: people buy less for products and services than for the perception of what those products, services, and brands provide, and nuance matters. 

Four Seasons Hotels is not just a client; they have been partners, teachers, friends and mentors who helped us grow as a business. As we celebrate Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ 65th anniversary, we thank Isadore Sharp and Alejandro Reynal for allowing Forge Media + Design to be a small part of this remarkable story.

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By Keith Francis, Senior Associate, Human Factors, Forge Media + Design