The Cambrian

Reimagining a Design Hotel to be as epic as its view.

In 2013 we (literally) bumped into the owner of the Cambrian on the piste. A year later we became their creative partners charged with reimagining every aspect of the hotel from the brand to the bedrooms. The relationship is ongoing and our ski technique is improving year-on-year...

Brief—

Our brief was to define a future vision for this Design Hotel outpost at the top of the Adelboden Valley in Switzerland. Put simply we were asked to create an all-encompassing brand that would make it the hotel of our choice.

Approach—

As well as re-aligning the hotel’s brand language we loosened a few ties, stoked some fires and generally turned up the volume. We worked with the owners and management team on all brand touchpoints — from the interiors through to the food and beverage offering. Multiple photoshoots were undertaken aiming to catch the hotel and the village of Adelboden at their best across all four seasons. 'Corbusier' seemed a fitting choice of house font and serves to bind 'all things Cambrian' together.

Result—

“Smörgåsbord started working with us back in 2014 and have been our trusted creative sparring partners ever since. The fact that the Cambrian's average overnight stays have soared from 47% to 93% is in no small part down to them.”
Grant Maunder/Co-owner

Photography

Multiple photoshoots took place with Michael Sinclair with the aim of catching the hotel and the village of Adelboden at their best across all four seasons.

Interior design

—

We worked with interior designer Johan Bouman and furniture & product designer Jeroen Wand on the interiors, ensuring that the 71 bedrooms are simple in spirit, satisfying in quality and timeless in design.

Grub's up

We worked with the owners and management team on all brand touchpoints from the interiors through to the food and beverage offering, ensuring that the latter looked as good as it tasted.

The Cambrian Journal

—

The Summer of 2019 saw the publication of this 98 page, 235mm x 175mm perfect bound journal that showcases all the good things about the Cambrian, Adelboden and the wider Bernese Oberland.

Yodelboden

—

You may be wondering where the title of the Journal comes from. Like many good ideas it came about in a bar. In the Axe Bar to be exact. It was during our Summer shoot — ‘crew and cast’ were tucking into some hearty fare, helped along with a few beers, and the conversation turned to yodelling. One thing led to another and a ‘Yodeloke’ ensued. Not content with merely inventing a new Swiss bar sport we renamed Adelboden...