It’s fitting that the theme of Cubes issue 85 (Apr/May) is hospitality, because in a new environment – even on the page – we always look for a comfort zone and a sign that we’re welcome. You’ll find plenty of welcoming signs as you flip through our pages. Our new format brings you everything you love about Cubes and more. But while we’re looking at our industry and our region with the same curious, research-driven and conversational lens, we’re presenting the results in a concise – and we think slick – new package.

This issue we tackle hospitality from numerous angles. What happens when designers become restaurateurs? We ask Alan Barr of greymatters. What do we need more of in social spaces, according to entrepreneurs in the F&B and co-working sectors? We throw some questions to Javier Perez (Series of Intentions) and Ben and Saranta Gattie (The Working Capitol). Is ‘theme’ a dirty word in restaurant design? We see how EDG handles it (Fat Prince and The Ottoman Room). Is it attention to design details that makes or breaks a hospitality space? Absolutely, according to Takenouchi Webb. Can conversations be engineered by the shape of a table? Bean Buro thinks so (Uber Hong Kong office).

We also look at transformation. How do architects and designers deal with the complex process of turning historic structures into hosts for hotel ventures? We see how A D Lab (Ibis Style Hotel) and Zarch Collaboratives and Asylum (Warehouse Hotel) tackled things. Could a theatre perform like a park? It can if it was designed by Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects (with Da-Ju Architects & Associates, National Taichung Theatre).

Do we need to rethink the food court and the hawker centre? Sure do, say Karya and our regular columnist Justin Zhuang; we should demand a better experience. Should hotel brands keep diversifying to give the people what they want? We present the views of Claus Sendlinger (Design Hotels). And what are the limits of hospitality? Could our next holiday destination be outer space? It might just be.

There’s plenty to digest in Cubes 85 so grab a copy, make yourself at home, and enjoy the issue! My thanks to the whole Cubes and Indesign Media team – and our very valued contributors – for all their input and efforts on this revamped issue of Cubes.

Note by Editor Narelle Yabuka.