{"id":224072,"date":"2024-03-20T17:58:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T21:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=id_news&p=224072"},"modified":"2024-03-20T18:01:55","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T22:01:55","slug":"jeffrey-beers-hospitality-design-pioneer-dies-at-67","status":"publish","type":"id_news","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/designwire\/jeffrey-beers-hospitality-design-pioneer-dies-at-67\/","title":{"rendered":"Jeffrey Beers, Hospitality Design Pioneer, Dies at 67"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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March 20, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Carlene Olsen<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Jeffrey Beers, Hospitality Design Pioneer, Dies at 67<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jeffrey Beers, an innovative architect who transformed the hospitality industry with his fresh and unexpected designs, recently passed away after battling cancer at the age of 67. Known for living life to the fullest, a glance at his immense accomplishments raises the question: What hasn\u2019t Beers done? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From studying with Oscar Niemeyer as a Fulbright scholar in Brazil to working with I.M. Pei in New York and later founding his own firm, Jeffrey Beers International<\/a> (JBI), in the mid-1980s, Beers built a career grounded in adventure and a deep love of design. He even counted glassblowing among his skills, which he learned from artist Dale Chihuly while studying architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. These distinct experiences shaped his signature style, which infuses Modernism with emotion, creating experiential spaces that leave a lasting impression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take Jay-Z\u2019s Roc Nation<\/a> office in Chelsea, New York. After first connecting with rap superstar Shawn Corey Carter, or Jay-Z, to design the 40\/40 Club in 2003, Beers was later tapped to create a dynamic workplace for his entertainment company, which was formed as a joint venture with Live Nation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether working on luxurious hotels, like The Newbury Boston<\/a>, or creating a mixed-use development that nods to the area’s history<\/a> as he did in Norfolk, Virginia, Beers knows what it takes to generate a sense of awe with his visionary work. His designs also reflect his ability to maintain lasting relationships with clients and communities alike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJeffrey and I shared a deep connection early on. I always relished lunching at a favorite haunt where the chef was his pal, and we would feast on food and dish on design,\u201d shares Interior Design<\/em> Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen. \u201cAnd then there are so many work memories, like touring Roc Nation in Chelsea where the client wanted to show off their space and<\/em> working with Jeffrey. That\u2019s because he was the absolute nicest guy who was a deeply generous, engaging, and lovely man.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Jeffrey Beers. Photography courtesy of Jeffrey Beers International. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Those who worked with Beers at his namesake firm shared similar sentiments. \u201cJeffrey\u2019s impact on our studio, the architectural industry, the hospitality design industry and countless communities around the world is immeasurable. His unwavering dedication to excellence, innovation, and integrity has shaped JBI into the renowned firm it is today. His creative genius and compassionate leadership have inspired all who had the privilege of working with him,\u201d newly appointed partners Tim Rooney, Nora Liu-Kanter and Michael Pandolfi expressed in a statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beers\u2019s legacy is perhaps best reflected in his own words. \u201cOne of the keys to successful, long-lasting restaurant design is a harmonious, theatrical environment, in which cuisine and operation and environment are all on the same page,\u201d Beers told Interior Design<\/em> in a 2013 interview<\/a>. \u201cNone of them should outshine the other. Restaurants are inherently meeting places, and should be very festive. A restaurant\u2019s design is a background against which guests can be the stars\u2014stimulating them to be social and smile. The key is to be very aware of who your guests are, and what\u2019s the personality of the owner.\u201d This, in essence, sums his approach to hospitality spaces, like Manhattan\u2019s storied China Grill, ever forging ahead with a people-first mindset. That mindset also led to numerous awards, including a 2023 Interior Design<\/em> Best of Year honoree<\/a> for the firm\u2019s design of the US Bank Tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roc Nation\u2019s private reception area on the sixth floor. Photography by Eric Laignel.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Outside of the studio, Beers enjoyed spending time sculpting with molten glass, deep-sea fishing off the coast of the Atlantic, and cooking meals for family and friends. \u201cI will always remember Jeffrey for his undeniable talent for sure\u2014and the indelible mark he left on design with hundreds of projects\u2014but also for his humanity, and how he proved to us all the power of being good, and then sharing goodness with the world,\u201d adds Allen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beers is survived by his wife, Connie, and his two sons, Justin and Oliver. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n