Colour Voices: Shushana Khachatrian
Transforming spaces with colour, Shushana Khachatrian demonstrates that when it comes to contract projects, braver is always better. She speaks to Tamsin Kingswell.
Shushana Khachatrian
While artists are free to experiment with bold palettes, it takes a certain type of courage to bring this message to the often staid world of contract interiors. “When I presented to Paris ibis Budget, they told me that my work was a little more design than they normally went for,” laughs Khachatrian. Yet, colour for this Armenian architect is non-negotiable. Part of her approach, she believes, is cultural.
“I was born in Armenia, and I think, maybe, that is where my love of colour comes from. Armenia is sunny and bright and warm, that is why I don’t like grey.”
She also cites the work of artist, Martiros Saryan. “He is so open to colours and so happy to use lots of colour in his work,” she explains.
ibis Styles Old Tbilisi
After training as an architect, Khachatrian founded STUDIO SHOO in 2017. It didn’t take her long to build up an impressive roster of big-name hotel clients.
“I explained that now everyone is travelling, and experiences are all recorded on social media, the public spaces of hotels in particular need to be memorable.”
This persuasive argument led to ibis choosing Khachatrian to work on its budget Tbilisi hotel. Opting for bold primaries, with blue dominant, the intention was to create a friendly, but attention-grabbing space, utilising devices like a giant cassette tape desk. There are also subtle nods to the location through the use of Georgian calligraphy.
ibis Styles Old Tbilisi
Projects for Marriott followed, this time with pink interiors, and for Boutique Hotel Tbilisi, a moodier palette of deep aubergine and dusty mid blue. For ibis Styles Old Tbilisi, the colour scheme referenced the historic building and its distinctive stained glass. Khachatrian is careful though to balance the bright intensity of lobbies and social areas with calmer, subtler spaces for rooms. That said, “Even when I do neutrals, I add some colour, I can’t help myself.” Khachatrian calls her approach “Vivid Minimalism.”
Courtyard by Mariott Yerevan
If possible, she always prefers to work with local suppliers. “It’s good to support the local economy, but I also find that local craftspeople understand local materials best.” If she can’t find something, she has it made, repurposing often cost-effective plentiful materials like ventilation pipes as lamps, combining them with vintage finds.
She also works with tuff, a soft porous pink rock popular in Armenia for centuries, along with regional ceramics and industrial metals. “Budgets are hard, so you have to be ingenious,” she says.
Fantalampada
Khachatrian often designs many pieces herself, tailored to a precise location, ensuring that they perfectly fit the mood of each project. So far this has included chandeliers for Abu Gosh restaurant, a reception desk, ping pong table and sofa for ibis Budget Tbilisi and even bas-reliefs for Mövenpick Yerevan.
ibis Budget Tbilisi
Although she has worked on projects around the world, from New York to Greece, Khachatrian clearly loves working in the South Caucasus region, partly because Armenia and Georgia are opening up and there is cautious optimism for the future, not least with Armenia’s recent application for EU membership.
“My mission is to create projects that help with this opening up, to make more people want to come here, in turn supporting more tourism and bringing more wealth to the region.”
That said, she loves working all over the world.
MODULO
Khachatrian also released a new piece of furniture at last years’ Milan Design Week, made from one of her favourite materials, tuff. “It has long legs and little wheels, I like a little fun,” she explains.
Khachatrian’s ingenuity and attention to detail mean she is bound to be much in demand, but it’s that highly instinctive sense of colour that really separates her from the crowd.
“There often isn’t a lot of colour in the world. I genuinely believe that contemporary design should be unlimited. It’s good to know that, when clients contact me, they usually come for the colour.”
TUFF Pencil Cabinet | Photo Katie Kutuzova
This feature was first published on our creative agency Colour Hive's digital platform, In Colour.
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