INTERVIEW TDoS aimed to emulate a private yacht experience for Four Seasons I People before style Anna Silvesjö explains to Alex Smith how Tillberg Design of Sweden translates brands into experiences that guests can connect with For TDoS (Tillberg Design of Sweden), every project begins well before the first sketch. Each brief starts with outlining the client’s brand, operational ambitions and the guest experience they want to create, before any design language is explored. “Our philosophy is that great design starts with understanding people before designing spaces,” says Anna Silvesjö, CEO of Viken Group, TDoS’s parent company. “Rooted in Scandinavian design, we strive for clarity, warmth and purpose, but without a fixed house style. That discipline is equally valuable in richly decorative or themed environments.” That philosophy was tested by two recent projects sitting at opposite ends of the market, explains Silvesjö: an ultraluxury yacht for Four Seasons, and a flexible river vessel for Transcend Cruises. “On the surface they are very different products, but our methodology remains remarkably consistent,” she says. “We always begin by understanding the brand, defining the guest journey and identifying the operational requirements before exploring the design language. For Four Seasons, the emphasis was on emulating a timeless private yacht experience, fusing yacht-like and residential-style luxury. For Transcend, flexibility became one of the defining drivers. The vessel had to transform continuously throughout the day while maintaining the same comfort, elegance and operational quality.” Design, Silvesjö argues, is one of the most direct ways a brand can establish itself in a new market. “Our responsibility is not simply to design attractive interiors, but to translate a brand into an experience that people immediately recognise and emotionally connect with,” she says. “When guests step onboard, they should instinctively feel what makes that brand different, without anyone having to explain it. On Transcend Connect, The Forum illustrates this best. It continuously adapts to different guest experiences while maintaining a calm, elegant identity. On Four Seasons I, the Funnel Suite does the same through panoramic views and an exclusivity few ships can match.” For Silvesjö, delivering both projects side by side says as much about the studio as either vessel does individually. “It demonstrates that we are driven by strategy rather than style,” she says. “Some studios become known for a particular visual expression; we prefer to be known for solving the right problems. The visual outcomes may be completely different, but the process behind them is consistent – understanding the client and creating environments that are beautiful, commercially effective and built to perform over time.” 141
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