In hospitality interior design, materials are a system, not a finishing layer — they are chosen first, for how they perform over years, not for how they look on opening day. Unformal Design, the Bangkok studio led by architect Alessio Carta, applies this across projects like AILATI, Ombra and Buzz Cove.
That discipline is visible in every space: the 120sqm heritage wine bar AILATI in Bang Rak, the immersive F&B interior of Ombra, and the light-and-texture atmosphere of Buzz Cove — all in Bangkok, all built on materials selected to survive real F&B conditions in a tropical climate.
Why “Systems” and Not “Styling”
A styling decision asks one question: does this look good? A systems decision asks a harder set — how does this material behave under this climate and usage pattern? How does it wear under constant guest contact? What does it cost to replace versus protect? Can the in-house team maintain it, or does it need a specialist? Every material at Unformal passes through those questions before it is ever judged on appearance. At AILATI, that meant auditing what a Sino-European heritage building in Bang Rak already had — high ceilings, aged plaster, arched windows — and revealing it rather than covering it with a new finish.
The Unformal Material System
Unformal’s Material System is a modular, reuse-led vocabulary. The same four core materials recur across projects because each one earns its place functionally before it does aesthetically:
| Material | Application in the space | Why it earns its place |
|---|---|---|
| Pallets | Walls, bars, seating, textured surfaces | Industrial character, cost-effective, highly adaptable |
| PVC crates | Bars, seating, partitions, illuminated surfaces | Graphic rhythm, lightweight, washable |
| Oil barrels | Bars, furniture, wall features, lighting | Bold industrial identity, expressive, circular rhythm |
| Glass bottles | Walls, counters, ceiling elements | Luminous, rhythmic, shapes intimate atmosphere through light |
The Framework Behind Every Material Decision
Across Unformal’s hospitality and F&B projects in Bangkok and across Asia, the same discipline applies regardless of the space:
- Function first. What does this material need to survive — humidity, heavy foot traffic, spills, constant cleaning?
- Cost over time, not cost on day one. A cheaper finish that fails in a year costs more than a considered material that lasts a decade.
- What it says about the place. Materials carry meaning and reinforce a location’s identity without relying on signage or decoration to do the talking.
- Who maintains it. A material that needs specialist upkeep is a liability if the business doesn’t have specialist staff.
Why This Approach Matters for High-Turnover Hospitality
Hospitality venues — hostels, restaurants, bars, beach clubs — face high guest turnover, informal use, and a demanding tropical climate. A material strategy built for a low-traffic, controlled environment fails here, either through rapid wear or through maintenance costs the business model can’t support. That is why the material-systems approach starts with the operational reality of the space, not with a mood board. At Ombra and Buzz Cove in Bangkok, the raw material language was chosen precisely because it holds up to real F&B use while carrying the venue’s identity.
What This Means for Hospitality Operators
For operators planning a hospitality fit-out in a demanding climate — coastal, tropical, or high-traffic — material selection deserves the same rigour as structural or mechanical decisions. The right material choice reduces long-term maintenance cost, reinforces brand identity organically, and avoids the recurring expense of replacing finishes that were never suited to their environment in the first place.
Contact Unformal Design at alessio@unformaldesign.com or via WhatsApp at +66 97 112 3561 to discuss material strategy for your next hospitality project in Bangkok or across Thailand.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does it mean to treat materials as a “system” in interior design? It means selecting materials based on how they perform over time — durability, climate resistance, maintenance cost, and the story they tell about a location — rather than choosing them purely for visual appeal at the moment of opening. Unformal Design applies this across its Bangkok projects such as AILATI, Ombra and Buzz Cove.
Why does material choice matter more in hospitality than in other interior projects? Hospitality spaces face constant guest contact, high turnover, and often demanding climates. A material that looks right but wears out fast, or needs maintenance the business can’t sustain, becomes an ongoing cost — not a one-time design choice.
How does Unformal Design decide which materials to use on a project? Every material is evaluated against function first — what it needs to survive and communicate — before it’s evaluated on appearance. Cost is considered over the material’s full lifespan, not just at installation.
Does this material-systems approach apply to any hospitality location? Yes. The underlying principle applies to any hospitality or F&B project, whether in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui or elsewhere in Asia. The specific materials change with the site; the discipline does not.