Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2021

1 4 5 INTERV IEW A modern material library Linda Roupé of Tillberg Design of Sweden discusses how the firm has built a library of materials that can cater to all cruise clients T illberg Design of Sweden (TDoS) is constantly searching and evaluating materials for an extensive modern and top-of-the-line library where sustainable and luxurious materials and artifacts can cater to all kinds of clients. “We have built a network of close collaborators and leading suppliers since the 1960s,” says Linda Roupé, project manager and head of studio at TDoS. “We strive to be at the top of our game when it comes to the knowledge, the skills and the technologies needed to create unique proposals for our clients.” The demand for sustainable and cradle-to-cradle materials has grown in the cruising industry over the last few years, with popular examples including water-saving taps, textiles made from recycled plastics or recycled floorboards. The challenge for TDoS is to probe the client’s vision and offer a story, design, and conceptual frameworks that go beyond their expectations. “We work in close contact with our clients and suppliers, visiting countless fairs, quarries, factories, all to be able to offer the best solutions that adhere to the quality standard of TDoS,” says Roupé. Roupé also sees a clear trend toward luxury ships in the cruise industry, along with a surge of larger yachts. “Passengers are opting for luxury and catered experiences, more than often with sustainability as an important ingredient,” she says. “This means new and exciting challenges in finding the right balance between a luxurious feel and bespoke solutions. We collaborated with an Italian porcelain manufacturer, using their know- how from making old fashioned soap bowls, when we made flowerpots for the walls in the Giardino Buffé Restaurant on the former Costa neoRomantica. And some years ago, we created a whole scenography by assembling second-hand objects like pot and pans along with handmade embroideries for Hurtigruten in Norway.” CFR “ Passengers are opting for luxury and catered experiences”