Editorial Board   Guest Author

Ms. Tukan

Randa Tukan

Senior Vice Principal & Director of Interiors, HOK

Randa Tukan, leading the Hospitality, Retail and Residential Commercial Interiors practice at HOK Toronto, brings more than 25 years of experience in interior architecture and design, both in Canada and around the world.  Her expertise extends far beyond the world of interiors, encompassing architecture, urban planning, landscape, economics, branding and graphics. Her design vision is a fully integrated one, ensuring that the expectations of the client and the market are met and enhanced. As a director of interiors, she uses design to advance clients' branding and market positioning.

 

Ms. Tukan's client list includes many of the world's best-known hotel brands: InterContinental, Marriott, Delta, Renaissance, Shangri-La, Hyatt, and Hilton. Her projects have won numerous design awards and accolades. In 2016, the HOK Toronto interiors team, which she overseas, spearheaded the award-winning proposal, the Driftscape, which received the Radical Innovation Award. The coveted, annual award is juried by global hospitality industry influencers, leaders as well as operators and developers and selected by an audience of designers, architects and hoteliers.

Ms. Tukan holds a Master of Liberal Arts degree in Fine Arts and a Post-Graduate Certificate of Special Studies in Management and Administration, both from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

She is a member of the advisory board for Humber College interior design program, a site visitor for the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), and has taught at the Ontario College of Art. Ms. Tukan is fluent in English, French and Arabic.

Please visit http://www.hok.com for more information.

Ms. Tukan can be contacted at 416-342-7201 or randa.tukan@hok.com

Coming up in May 2020...

Eco-Friendly Practices: Creative Innovation

Being eco-friendly is no longer a fad. It is an urgent planetary need and hotels are actively doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint by implementing sustainable, green practices. In addition to the goodwill derived from doing the right thing, hotels are also realizing the benefits to their business. A large percentage of Millennials expect hotels to be eco-friendly and will only patronize those properties that are proudly conforming. Consequently, more hotels are realizing that sustainability is a key element in a successful branding strategy. In addition, going green can lead to a more profitable bottom line, as savings on electricity, water and cleaning materials can add up. Also, there are other advantages that come with being an eco-friendly business, such as government subsidies and tax and loan incentives. As a result, many hotels are finding innovative ways to integrate eco-friendly practices into their business. Geo-thermal energy systems, along with energy-from-waste systems, are being used to heat and cool the property. Passive solar panels, green roofs, natural lighting and natural ventilation strategies also assist in energy conservation. Low-flow water systems and plumbing fixtures make a contribution, as does eco-friendly hardwood flooring, and energy efficient televisions and appliances throughout the property. In addition, some hotels have implemented in-room recycling programs, and only provide all-natural, personal care items. One hotel has actually constructed a bee-keeping operation on their grounds. Not only is this good for the bees but the hotel also produces products from the operation which they sell. This kind of creative innovation also holds enormous appeal to guests. The May issue of the Hotel Business Review will document what some hotels are doing to integrate sustainable practices into their operations and how they are benefiting from them.


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