As Founder and Creative Partner of BLINK Design Group, Clint Nagata’s passion for travel, hospitality and design is the inspiration behind the practice’s philosophy.

He has spent a lifetime imagining concepts, delivering considered spaces, and welcoming guests to some of the world’s most desirable destinations. Nagata relocated to Thailand eighteen years ago to pursue his mission in creating something stronger than an individual thought, which has become the premise of BLINK.

Nagata spent thirteen years of his career at WATG in Honolulu, Hawaii and left as their youngest partner before establishing BLINK in 2006. His fascination towards Asian culture and design attracted him to open the first studio in Thailand. BLINK has since expanded its presence in Asia with studios in Shanghai, Singapore and Dubai.

A rising star in the global design stage since its inception, BLINK is a collective of bold thinkers with an open-minded approach that provides the opportunity to explore creative ideas with a restless enthusiasm.

Nagata recently shared his insight and experience on hospitality design in Sydney as guest speaker the Global Hospitality Talk; on the occasion, Nagata sat down with Architecture & Design Australia’s digital editor Clémence Carayol to discuss the future of sustainable design in hospitality, and one of his most recent project, the monumental Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

Villa Living at the Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam. Image: BLINK Design Group

Architecture & Design: Can you describe the initial vision for the Regent Phu Quoc project and how it evolved over time?

Clint Nagata: At the start of this project, we make it a point to look at the project through the lens of a local - as if we were born and raised there and not through the lens of a foreigner. We sat down with the brand stakeholders and created a design that resonated deeply and emotionally with them. The goal: create a luxury resort experience imbued with the soul and culture of Phu Quoc in an enviable location on the island’s most beautiful and longest beach on its serene western shore.

It was an interesting realignment of the design vision from the original Regent branding to IHG’s reinterpretation of the brand, bringing in touches of luxury lifestyle and layered decadent. As the key designer on this project, we took a step back and bring in hints of colours and textures. We built layers of well-articulated touches onto the original subtle neutral tones.

The construction took place during the pandemic which affected logistics and supplies resulting in a delay. Nevertheless, the end result did not deviate too much from the original plans.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during the design and construction phases, and how did you overcome them?

Working during the pandemic was definitely one of the most memorable highlights of my career. Executing designs during the lockdown when travel, shipping and logistics were heavily constrained was very challenging. Our work was mostly carried out via videos/Zoom with the team on the ground. Despite the challenges, the Regent Phu Quoc was magnificently built and generated worldwide acclaim and accolades – it was a hotel project that I was immensely proud of.

The reception of the Regent Phu Quoc. Image: : BLINK Design Group

How did you ensure that the project met the client’s needs and expectations?

Before we undertake any project, the first step of the creative process is listening: clients’ reasons for choice of location, its location history, the community relationship and connection with guests. This is a crucial part of the process, and we invest a lot of time in this preliminary phase of the process. We apply this process for all projects. This process is central to our philosophy of ‘place making’. Our goal is to transform our clients’ visions into outstanding works of architecture inspired by travel experiences and cultural encounters.

Were there any unique or innovative techniques or materials used in this project?

Our research into local traditions provide us with inspiration from cultural elements, indigenous materials, traditional craftsmanship and local artworks. The result is a design that reflects the fundamental qualities of a place through the eyes of locals.

We strive to source for local materials that help to convey a sense of locality but always using the material in a different manner or highlight a common design pattern in a modern way. Design should be reflective and respectful of the past.

The hotel in all its grandeur. Image: : BLINK Design Group

Our objective for the Regent Phu Quoc was to create a luxury resort experience infused with the soul and culture of Phu Quoc sited favourably on the island’s longest beach on its western shore.

We use materials like laquerwork with the delicate duck eggshell inlays for which the region is famous. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on natural materials in line with the island's pristine natural setting such as hand-woven abaca wall coverings used in the villas as a soft contrast to the local dark natural stones for the floor. The interior spaces are filled with neutral undertones with hints of local-inspired accent colours on throw pillows and accessories.

Materials in the public areas have the general theme of neutral undertones yet are presented with a clever twist to each venue. For instance, the Fu bar on the rooftop has a dark feature wall with gold accent pieces, almost like reflecting the rays of sun at sunset. The centerpiece in the Regent Club is a bar counter with hand-painted custom green wall covering by DeGournay, inspired by the native plants and animals in Phu Quoc

The Regent Phu Quoc's sky bar. Image: : BLINK Design Group

How does this project fit into your broader portfolio and design philosophy?

My design philosophy is to take both clients and guests on a journey that tells the story of a place through a modern design lens. We seek to create inspiring interior based designs that capture the spirit of the place through simplicity, balance, and proportion. This is done by delving into the history and traditions of the place.

To be successful, the design needs to resonate with locals and visitors alike. This is what I term as ‘place making’, a philosophy firmly entrenched in my studio’s core values.

The main pool at Regent Phu Quoc. Image: : BLINK Design Group

What differentiates hospitality and hotel design to other architectural types, what are the key considerations to have in mind to design the best, most sustainable hotels?

I believe that hospitality and hotel design play an important role in storytelling, which forms the larger part of travel, which is very much an aspirational experience. The art of storytelling is not confined to hotel design but as designers, we need to be mindful of creating a design with personal significance that would make a deep lasting impression on the user.

Sustainability especially in recent years has been a big buzzword. A lot of our projects start off with very lofty goals of being sustainable but in the end, there are too often compromised by economic constraints or realities.

We try to embed sustainability into our design ethos for every project and by doing this it becomes so integral to the design that it must be retained. Sourcing of local materials and working with local artisans is key in creating not only a sustainable destination but in creating a design that speaks of the location it is in.

For all of our renovation work, we really try to push the idea of upcycling. At the JW Marriott Khao Lak, the resort had some wonderfully built teak furniture and solid flooring that we were able to modify and give a new life.

Clémence Carayol

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