Perfect Partnership

Renowned interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud joins forces with the Rajawali Group, the property developer for the upcoming St. Regis Jakarta in the heart of the city

Trained at the espirito Santo Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal, Alexandra Champalimaud is the founder of Champalimaud Design, which has established a reputation for developing bespoke blueprints of the highest calibre. Drawing upon a wealth of personal experience and professional commissions throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, Alexandra will be forging a fresh collaboration with the prestigious St. Regis Jakarta. What initiated the collaboration with the Rajawali Group? The company and I go way back to the days of the Four Seasons, and I got along with everyone in the company almost instantly. Creativity is not a flash in a pan and takes time to develop, which comes from a long life of living and knowing. Therefore, I’m very careful with whom I share it. And that’s what I found with Rajawali Group—i was making the right move. Our ethics and values are on the same wavelength, and there really is nothing like having a partner you get along well with.

What can we expect from the refurbished St. Regis Jakarta? You can expect newly built ideas woven into an interesting environment. The new establishment is all about personal experience. It is going to be made up of lots of colours and layers, and it’s going to be extremely user friendly and comfortable. It will also have a number of restaurants, bars, and lounges with the notion of music woven in from everywhere within the establishment.

We’ve made it a priority to blend in with the culture of Indonesia. There will also be specially designed crafts to be placed against the walls, again depicting the lively culture of this country. Above all, it is going to be sophisticated, intellectual, and emotional, as well as interactive and fun.

What inspires you to bring to life such creativity? You have to be able to find a place in yourself to be inspired. It’s as if there is a void in you and you have to fill it up. You let yourself be inspired if you have this space inside you. And what you need to do is to ensure that everything else inside you and around you inspires you to be creative because you have the tools, but they work best when the environment around you is a good one.

How challenging has it been to recreate a project that was already in existence? It has been both a challenge and a responsibility, but I think you have to be very sure of yourself and certain that what you’re going to do will be nothing short of spectacular. And I can see the end result already—that’s the thing about being too visual: I can see the end already and I have to get there to make it all happen. All I can say is that it’s going to be beautiful.