10 Questions With…Jacu Strauss

One Hundred Shoreditch in London. Photography courtesy of One Hundred Shoreditch.

Jacu Strauss, creative director of international hospitality company Lore Group, thinks that having limitations based on taste is never a good idea. “I love to experiment and try new things and I hope this never changes for me,” he shares. His approach towards exploration and experimentation has allowed the London-based architect to complete the redesign of award-winning Dutch hotel, Pulitzer Amsterdam, and Lore Group’s U.S. properties, Riggs Washington DC, which opened in February 2020, followed by Lyle, which opened in April 2021. When concepting and designing both Pulitzer Amsterdam and Riggs Washington D.C., Strauss relocated to each destination in order to live and breathe the cities, ensuring that the properties reflect the communities around them.

Born in South Africa, Strauss completed architectural training in New Zealand. He later studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture and Westminster University in London. Soon after graduation, the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, and the global financial crisis meant a shift in the traditional architect’s path that Strauss was about to follow. Instead, he was offered a role composing Tom Dixon’s interior design projects.

Jacu Strauss and his team design and create bespoke furniture, fixtures and equipment for each project through Lore Studio. Furthermore, in 2022, he took part in the redesign, refurbishment, and launch of One Hundred Shoreditch, a well-known hotel in East London. Among his works completed earlier this year for Pulitzer Amsterdam were The Flower Collector’s Suite that opened in March, and more recently, in May, The Merchant Suite, The Porcelain Collector’s Suite and The Beauty House, a beauty and wellness destination located in the hotel set within 25 interlinked 17th- and 18th-century canal houses.

Jacu Strauss in the lobby of One Hundred Shoreditch in London. Photography courtesy of One Hundred Shoreditch.

Jacu Strauss Brings Storytelling Magic To The Hospitality Space

One Hundred Shoreditch in London. Photography courtesy of One Hundred Shoreditch.

Interior Design: When you think about your childhood and teenage years in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert, how do you think they relate to the projects you have created over the years and your way of paying homage to architecture and design?

Jacu Strauss: Often, a rural upbringing is associated with a lack of resources and especially creative stimulation—and this is true—but this is exactly what sparked my interest in art and design. I was always aware of my surroundings. From as early as I can remember, I literally had to “create” with what I could find around me, with my own hands. Experimentation was key, and my skills are mostly self-taught. This “creativity within limitations” is still a mindset I use today. I am still just as hands on with all my projects. I make things, I paint, I experiment with materials found locally, I collect, and I like to use and reuse what is already there. True sustainability.

ID: Could you share your journey up to becoming the creative director of Lore Group?

JS: When I finished high school, I traveled a lot before settling in New Zealand and doing my part at architecture school. I then moved back to London and finished my second degree in architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture. I graduated in 2008 as the financial crash hit the world and I was faced with challenging job prospects in the field of architecture. I decided to use it as an opportunity to work for someone beyond the world of architecture. I was lucky to meet creative director Tom Dixon and his team and, eventually, I accepted a job in his interiors department. The projects grew larger and more international. Eventually we pitched for our first hotel project and won the job. This was for Sea Containers in London, and this is where I fell in love with hospitality design.

After Sea Containers, I was offered an opportunity to work on another hotel in Amsterdam, the Pulitzer, and design it under my own name. During my first visit to the Pulitzer, I realized that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity—albeit a very complex one—that required a hands-on approach. On the back of the success of that hotel, we had the courage and confidence to do more hotels and, after doing a few more, we founded Lore Group.

Sea Containers, the first of Jacu Strauss’s hotels, created during his time working with Tom Dixon. Photography courtesy of Pulitzer Amsterdam.

ID: What is your criteria when evaluating potential projects?

JS: Although I mainly represent the design, I also have to wear other hats when it comes to creating hotels. It is important to understand operations, service, location, scale of a business with a very long-term plan. All of these need equal attention and consideration for a hotel to work and have proper longevity. A key element is storytelling—this is where we always start. We spend a lot of time asking ourselves why we are doing this, what the message is, and if the story already exists or if we need to create it. Hotels are organic and constantly evolving, and as a result, the design and storytelling needs to be strong enough from the beginning in order to allow any necessary changes and updates in the future.

ID: How has your view of architecture and design changed since working with hotels all over the world?

JS: There has been a great shift towards hotels where the design is contextual to its location and surroundings. Most major hospitality markets now have such variety that we, as designers, get better license to design what we think is right for our buildings and locations, rather than try applying a cookie-cutter formula. At Lore, we get to create our own rules for each hotel, and this results in an experience that feels authentic and unique.

Cafe Riggs at Riggs Washington DC. Photography Courtesy of Riggs Washington DC.

ID: Your vision combines respect for the past, storytelling, and longevity of design, how do you find the perfect balance? 

JS: It is a bit of science and a bit of art. Nevertheless, with each project, we start from scratch and have to constantly experiment to find that sweet spot where the story is truthful. This truth informs the design and eventually allows us to create something unique with a strong narrative that resonates with guests and staff. Sometimes, we get there quickly and other times, it takes several journeys to find what exactly works for each of our hotels and why. But, I believe this is one of the key steps to a successful project—big or small.

ID: When you get involved in commercial real estate projects, I’ve heard your approach is towards people. How do you instill your design approach into workplaces?

JS: I am in a position to bring that spirit of hospitality into a sector that is generally not associated with good design for people at work. Most traditional workplace examples were cubicles and white marble mausoleum lobbies, but I also think some recent examples have gone a little too far the other way with way too much “forced fun.” Design is always about people, and the way we work has changed so much so quickly, yet the commercial world has not kept up with all these changes. A workplace needs to be a safe and comfortable place—with the right amount of personality—and provide decent amenities and flexibility to encourage workers back to the office where they can engage face to face with colleagues. Everything you would notice in a good hotel should also be considered for office design, including how the lobby smells, the lighting, and how the restrooms look.

Jacu Strauss relocated to Amsterdam while working on the renovation of Pulitzer Amsterdam in order to live and breathe the city, ensuring that the property reflects the community around the hotel. Photography courtesy of Pulitzer Amsterdam.

ID: What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?

JS: We have had to accommodate the ways that travel has changed since the pandemic. Examples include longer stays, travel with bigger groups like families, and technology (which seems to be changing faster and faster). From a design perspective, supply chain issues with projects have been a bigger challenge than before. A general challenge, but a good one, is that guests have an increasing appreciation of value—and hotel standards need to reflect this.

Challenges are a major part of what design is about. We are problem solvers and with the right attitude, you can turn those challenges and problems into meaningful solutions that can truly delight people. I am very fortunate to work on projects with long-term prospects and this sets in motion a certain state of mind: designing something well once. Some interior design has become a bit more like fast fashion and this means the turnovers are quick, often uninspired and without any substance. Our surroundings are too important to our well-being for it to feel so temporary.

ID: Can we talk about The Flower Collector’s Suite, The Merchant Suite, The Porcelain Collector’s Suite and The Beauty House, your new projects for Pulitzer Amsterdam?

JS: The inspiration for the new additions was in keeping with Pulitzer’s blend of mid-century décor and contemporary luxury, combined with a timeless elegance seen throughout the rest of the property. The Merchant Suite is inspired by the country’s maritime traditions and merchant exploration around the world, symbolizing the collections of relics one would have brought home. The room presents exposed beams and a neutral palette, offering curated vintage furniture and artifacts with oak herringbone floors throughout.

The Flower Collector’s Suite is an ode to the city’s longstanding history of flowers, re-imagining a 19th-century tulip trader’s home, which combines traditional Dutch architecture with floral artwork and bespoke antique furniture. The room features neutral color tones with handmade tiles originating from an artisan in France, antique mirrors and carved wooden tulips in the bed’s headboard. The Porcelain Collector’s Suite completes the series and it is inspired by the previous inhabitant’s passion for collecting, presenting an array of locally sourced porcelain objects and artistry, featuring intricate tableware and fine vases. The Beauty House brings a sense of wellbeing within an innovative design-led space and it symbolizes our first venture into wellness.

The Flower Collector’s Suite opened its doors just in time for the city’s tulip season in March 2024. Photography courtesy of Pulitzer Amsterdam.

ID: What else have you completed recently?

JS: I was part of a special residential project in New York called “Anagram Columbus Circle.” It was a residential brick tower situated at the north most point of Columbus Circle, at 1 West 60th Street. We engaged with INK architects for the project, and I painted the art in the lobby.

ID: What is next for Jacu Strauss and the Lore Group?

JS: We are always waiting for the next beautiful building to find us so we can do our magic and add it to our portfolio or hotels. We are ambitious but we are also patient. We only work with buildings we love and where we feel we can create stories that last and delight. In the meanwhile, a hotel is never fully “done,” so we are always revisiting elements at our current hotels to make improvements and adapt to constant changes and needs.

Jacu Strauss & Pulitzer Amsterdam unveiled three brand-new suites in 2024, completing its Collector’s Suite series with the Porcelain Collector’s Suite and paying tribute to the building’s history with an eclectic display of locally sourced porcelain artistry. Photography courtesy of Pulitzer Amsterdam.

The Beauty House in the Pulitzer Amsterdam. Photography courtesy of Pulitzer Amsterdam.