What’s New in Retail and Hospitality Design?
ROOFTOP ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY
Photos courtesy of Bison Innovative Products
Project: Godfrey Hotel
Location: Chicago
Architect: Valerio Dewalt Train
The Project: The Godfrey Hotel, a boutique hotel in the epicenter of trendy River North Chicago, was designed with style and luxury in mind. From the cubist inspired facade to the staggered truss post-tension design, the entire hotel is design focused.
The Challenge: From the fourth floor, a stunning roof area provides uninterrupted views of the southern Chicago skyline. The design challenge was to turn this space into a stylish addition to the rest of the hotel.
The Solution: The architects created a 15,000-square-foot rooftop space with a retractable roof that is home to an indoor/outdoor bar, a fire pit, shimmering water features, and a video wall. The foundation of this chic space was created using adjustable deck pedestals and 2-by-4-foot smooth ipê wood tiles for the deck surface. The wood tiles complement the modern aesthetics of the space and set the contemporary look, allowing for other modern elements such as oversized lamp lighting and seating—perfect for sipping drinks at the outdoor bar with a commanding view of Chicago.
The Results: The distinctive rooftop space provides a year-round attraction for patrons and differentiates the hotel from the many other lodging choices in the city.
OUTDOOR AMENITY SPACE CASE STUDY
Photo courtesy of Bison Innovative Products
Project: Cedar Rapids Pop-Up Park
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Architect: Seth Gunnerson
The Project: The City of Cedar Rapids has been striving to make sidewalks along its popular Third Street livelier. The ability to create outdoor spaces where people and pedestrians can meet and linger is generally seen as a good urban design strategy rather than simply making streets available for vehicular traffic.
The Challenge: Narrow sidewalks and limited space have posed a problem in the past. The physical limitations of the spaces along or adjacent to the streets were a concern, but so were the surface materials of the streets themselves.
The Solution: Pop-up parks were identified as an ideal solution for this urban area. They are readily created and adjusted using removable platforms that sit on adjustable pedestals to create a level surface above a sloping street surface. Combined with planters and wood tiles, the modular pop-up parks measure 20 feet by 8 feet and fit nicely inside a parallel parking spot. Each pop-up park has six planters spaced around the platform with cable rail fencing around the perimeter to separate pedestrians from traffic. The removable platforms are easily assembled during warm summer months when outdoor dining and activities are at their peak and disassembled in the winter and stored.
The Results: The modular deck system has low installation and maintenance costs, making them easy for city employees to embrace. The pop-up-parks also increase visibility of local businesses, creating interest in the street areas and spaces for patrons to enjoy being downtown.
OPERABLE GLASS WALL CASE STUDY
Photos courtesy of Nanawall Systems
Project: Shore Hotel
Location: Santa Monica, California
Architect: Gensler
The Project: Shore Hotel, the only hotel in Santa Monica to have obtained LEED Gold certification, is a chic and sustainable luxury boutique located on Ocean Avenue’s beachfront. As part of its sustainable design, the Shore Hotel features environmentally conscious amenities and technologies too. Among the most noteworthy are its sophisticated building control systems that monitor and adjust energy use in all parts of the facility, in addition to maximizing access to natural daylight, among other sustainable strategies.
The Challenge: The hotel owner desired the creation of multifunctional space that could expand readily between indoors and outdoors. That seemed easy in the sense of opening up an interior space to the outdoors, but when it came to separating the two spaces, there were some legitimate concerns. Any glazed system used would need to be rated, certified, and labeled in accordance with NFRC 100/200. Further, specific U-factor and solar heat-gain (SHGC) requirements needed to be met to achieve LEED certification. Acoustics were also important to help keep the hospitality interiors quiet and enjoyable. Finally, the system needed to meet appropriate requirements for wind resistance, particularly since the project site is so close to the Pacific Ocean.
The Solution: The team of architects at the Los Angeles office of Gensler decided to feature an opening glass wall system between the pool and a hotel meeting space by using a monumentally sized, thermally broken aluminum folding panel system. According to Design Director Fong Liu, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, “The design intention was to expand the space and use the part of the pool deck as a function space. The meeting room itself is multifunctional: during the day it hosts meeting functions, and, come evening time, it is transformed into a lounge. At times the area serves as party space along with the pool deck.” Further explaining the design solution, Fong points out, “The Shore Hotel is located on Ocean Avenue with great views towards the Pacific Ocean. By connecting the interior and exterior seamlessly without any obstructions, we are not only creating a great guest experience but also allowing the guests to enjoy the nice southern California weather or a spectacular view of the sunset, all while also expanding the capacity and use of the space.”
The Results: In addition to the features Fong and his team designed to achieve, the thermally broken opening glass wall is an energy-efficient system that helped achieve the LEED Gold certification. That also means the guests at the Shore Hotel are treated to an oceanfront view regardless of what the weather holds.
RESTROOM EXPERIENCE CASE STUDY
Photos courtesy of ASI Group
Project: Hotel X
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Architect: Stephen B. Jacobs Group
The Project: Hotel X Toronto was designed by Stephen B. Jacobs Group to “embrace all the wonderful flavors of the globe.” Every detail was carefully designed to offer guests a modern, luxurious experience that encapsulates authentic hospitality. The building embraces the hotel’s historic and iconic location on 192 acres of city parkland in the heart of Toronto’s Exhibition Grounds.
The Challenge: Stephen B. Jacobs, FAIA, president and founder of Stephen B. Jacobs Group, points out the design direction given by the client: “It was imperative that every aspect of Hotel X contribute to providing guests with an unparalleled hospitality experience.” In that light, every aspect of the hotel design needed to be reviewed carefully and thoroughly from the perspective of the guest experience.
The Solution: Hotel X’s sophisticated bathrooms were a primary design concern and were intentionally created to showcase luxury. “To convey our design inspiration within the hotel’s bathrooms, we envisioned an elegant European look that ensured as much privacy as it did design impact. Working together with a single manufacturer, we created a coordinated and completely unique design that is atypical in North America.” This included deep cubicles surrounded by towering doors, panels, and pilasters that extend from within inches above the floor to nearly touching the ceiling. The manufacturer went the extra mile to stay true to the architect’s specifications by partnering with a plant in Belgium for large phenolic sheets, as well as flying an experienced installer to Toronto to guide local crews on the custom installation.
The Results: The stunning bathrooms complement the vibrant, upscale, tailored design of Hotel X, welcoming guests to an experience of delightfully sophisticated luxury.
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