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Why should Jacques Cousteau and Steve Zissou have all the fun? With the introduction of the world's first permanent sea floor luxury resort, marine biologists and scuba divers won't be the only human guests under the sea. Located off the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, the Poseidon Undersea Resort will offer adventurous travelers a complete underwater vacation. And since it will be connected to the surface via two tunnels and pressure and humidity controlled, other than the breathtaking views, guests will never "feel" as if they're underwater.
With 65 percent of the surface area occupied by transparent acrylic, the ocean provides all of the wow factor needed (guests will be able to see a variety of tropical fish, turtles, and possibly even sharks) in each of the 20, 550-square-foot rooms. To enhance the view, each room will also feature private coral gardens and underwater lights, fish feeders, and safety pods. In addition to the standard rooms, the underwater resort will include two luxury suites, a 3,600-square-foot restaurant and bar, and conference area. And for guests who aren't quite ready to be submerged, shore facilities will include 20 separate bungalows, two suites, a swimming pool, dive shop, tennis courts, and an additional restaurant and bar.
According to designer L. Bruce Jones, president of Poseidon Undersea Resorts and U.S. Submarines, a submarine design, engineering, and construction firm, what sounds like a daunting design challenge (especially since this is his first hospitality project), for him, is actually relatively simple. "It's completely different because this is being done from a technical standpoint first as opposed to having a terrestrial architect trying to design an underwater resort—an extremely complex undertaking" Jones says. "Building an underwater resort, because it's stationary, is not nearly as technically demanding as building a submarine."
Construction on Poseidon will begin this summer, and because of its modular, cookie-cutter design, Jones expects it to open as soon as the fall of 2006.
Eco Luxe
As green increasingly becomes the industry's favorite buzzword, the El Monte Sagrado in Taos, New Mexico, is making it a reality. Coined an eco-resort, the 30,000-square-foot complex, complete with 18 rooms, 34 casitas, retail, a spa, restaurant, and bar, was "built to preserve and sustain the land on which it resides uniting nature with exotic luxury," explains David Sargert, principal of local design firm Sargert Design Associates, Inc., the project's interior architect and designer (rooms and casitas were designed by Joan Duncan and Ady Artime respectively). "It's a timeless facility in theme, spirit, and materials."
To successfully create a sustainable structure, Sargert only used natural materials: granite, local sandstone, marble, and travertine instead of injection-molded plastics; wood and plaster on ceilings; elaborate millwork of sapelli, cherry, white oak, and Brazilian rosewood; mica on walls; 50-year-old fossils in lavatories; and 100-million-year-old petrified wood for handcarved desktops. "Integrating sustainable strategies and solutions goes well beyond just the use of green products," he says. "Once the industry adopts the integrative design philosophy of LEED, it will reveal the universal benefits inherent in the approach."
Rock 'n' Roll-Out
Hard Rock Café Inc. is stepping up its branding efforts beyond its core restaurant business: the company plans to open four more hotels in the next two years—in Biloxi, Mississippi, Madrid, San Diego, and New York City—to bring its portfolio to a grand total of 11 hotels. And the chain company is investing serious money in architects and designers to make sure each property has a unique look.
Two of its newest hotels, Hard Rock Seminole Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, couldn't be more different in design or size. The Hollywood location (below), designed by Laurence Lee Associates in Los Angeles and Cleo Design in Las Vegas, is an 86-acre resort featuring a 12-story Mediterranean-style tower with 500 guestrooms, a 130,000-square-foot casino, European-style spa, and 300,000-square-foot dining, shopping, and entertainment district (designed by Rockwell Group in New York City). Meanwhile, the Chicago location (above), the brand's first-ever urban hotel, is housed in the landmark Art Deco Carbide and Carbon Building and boasts 406 modern guestrooms and suites, and a chic lobby bar designed by Toronto- and New York City-based Yabu Pushelberg. But to accommodate a China Grill restaurant and ballroom, local architecture firm Lucien Lagrange (who also was charged with the structural redesign and historic preservation of the building) created a modern five-story, steel-and-glass addition. "It expresses the modern, more playful aspects of the program with the Art Deco character of the [existing building]," says Lucien Lagrange's Tim Hill. "It's meant to provide a window onto Michigan Avenue."
Viva Las Vegas
If you thought nothing else could fit on the Las Vegas Strip, think again. MGM Mirage recently announced plans to create a multibillion-dollar mini-city on the site of the Strip's Boardwalk casino. And even though it's in the heart of Sin City, "Project City Center" will have an emphasis on living and lifestyle spaces, not gaming.
Designed by New York City architecture firm Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn (EE&K) and managed by Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of Mirage Resorts, the $6 billion project (one of the largest in the country) will consist of 66 acres of cafes, retail shops, boutique hotels, entertainment venues, and residential buildings lining streets, public squares, and covered passageways. The nucleus of the complex will be the Casino Square, topped by a 3,000-room hotel tower. Over the next 18 months, MGM Mirage will seek out a team of architects, designers, and developers to implement the plan. "Cities ordinarily grow intrinsically over time, but with the vision of MGM Mirage, an entire city neighborhood is being developed at once as an integrated work of architecture," says Stanton Eckstut, principal-in-charge at EE&K.
One-Stop Hotel Shop
After providing marketing and global representation services for design-led hotels worldwide for 11 years, Design Hotels is naturally expanding its role to become a one-stop shop for hoteliers and developers. The company—which boasts a portfolio with 137 hotels in 41 countries—will provide everything from research and exploration of the market, brand strategy, positioning, and design and concepts through to development of marketing and communication tools including websites.
This year Design Hotels is consulting from the ground up (except for the physical building) for Lux 11 in Berlin and Hotel Daniel in Graz, Austria. Last year, Design Hotels created a 100 percent-correct projected guest profile for 25 Hours hotel (shown above) in Hamburg, Germany, which is now running at an average occupancy of 85 percent.
Flying Hotel
Airplanes are about to become the newest member of the hospitality industry. Virgin Atlantic Airways recently introduced the A380, a 500-seat aircraft that will be chock full of hotel-like amenities. High in the sky guests aboard the "superjumbo" carrier will be able to workout in the gym, sleep on double beds, gamble in the casino, and mingle and drink at the bar. "It is a proud moment for Airbus to unveil the first A380…an exciting opportunity for airlines to create new ways of flying for our passengers," says Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic. Ready to check in? The fleet of 12 A380s will begin
flying to and from New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Tokyo, San Francisco, and Sydney in the spring of 2008.
Book Nook:
"Each project I design is an authentic as well as unique experience," writes renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany in a one-on-one interview featured in his latest book, Tihany Style (Mondadori Electa, 2004, $95). "It is always a marriage between credible and creative operators and a design concept tailor-made to showcase their talent."
Though each project is unique, there is a unifying factor that makes each uniquely Tihany. Through a 240-page journey featuring his most significant projects from late 1999 through early 2004, including Aureole in Las Vegas, Per Se in New York City, Le Cirque in Mexico City, and the Grand Hotel Salone at the Milan Furniture Fair, along with commentary from a who's who of designers, critics, celebrity chefs, and colleagues (such as chef Thomas Keller and food critic Hal Rubentstein), the designer, with co-author Marci Sutin Levin, allows readers to draw their own conclusion to the age-old question, "what exactly is Tihany style?"
Accolades
ASID HonorsDeborah Lloyd Forrest, co-founder and principal of luxury hospitality design firm ForrestPerkins in Dallas and Washington, D.C., has been selected by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) as its 2004 Designer of Distinction, an award that recognizes a designer who exemplifies a commitment to the profession as demonstrated by a significant, high-quality body of work, exhibits attention to social concerns within the interior design profession, and expresses creative, innovative concepts that have advanced the profession. Forrest, who last year was one of HD's Platinum Circle inductees, received the prestigious award at the society's annual awards program at the Westin Horton Plaza in San Diego in March. Architecture for Humanity and Cameron Sinclair, its founder and executive director, will receive the 2004 ASID Design for Humanity award; Dianne Jackman is the 2004 ASID Educator of Distinction; Herman Miller, Industry Partner of ASID, is being honored with the 2004 ASID Patron's Prize; and the 2004 ASID Product Prize honorees are Edward Fields, Inc., Industry Partner of ASID for the corpoate category, and Holly Hunt, for the individual honor.
Charitable hotelier
Who's Who
Hospitality design veteran, Leslie Temples, has announced the launch of her firm, L. Temples & Company, a business development services company designed to strengthen and expand sales, industry trade show and marketing initiatives, and presence for small and mid-sized manufacturers in the hospitality industry...Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Canada, has appointed Scott Duff senior director of development, based in the Toronto office…Mike McBride has been promoted to president and COO of Westwood Contractors, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas; to accommodate the promotion, Robert D. Benda will assume the title of chairman in addition to continuing his role as CEO of Westwood…Leni Schwendinger Light Projects has moved to The Arts Building, 336 West 37th Street, New York, New York, 10018; telephone and email remain the same…HMS Architects, a New Orleans-based architecture firm, recently hired Glenn Higgins to further the firm's expertise and breadth of experience in the Healthcare and Medical Architecture arenas...Karisma Resorts has promoted Jose Brache to online marketing director, a new position created to further strengthen the company's focus on this area…Hiro Isogai has joined WDG Architecture, Washington, D.C., as director of design for interior architecture…SB Architects (Sandy Babcock) is pleased to announce that Janina Deppe and Stefano Falbo have been made associates of the firm's Miami office…Exclaim Design announces Haley Balzano has passed her Architectural Registration Exams to become a registered architect with the firm in Arizona…MBH Architects has announced several new hires: at its Alameda, California, office Caitlin O'Farrell is now public relations coordinator; Jenny Lin is drafter to special projects studio; Julie Stewart is drafter III to the specialty retail studio; Nick Montana is drafter to the specialty retail studio; Michael Dern is project manager to the specialty retail studio; and the Newport Beach, California, office welcomed Marcus Mitchell as senior job captain to the mixed-use studio…Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, Architects, Designers, Planners and Consultants, Newport Beach, California, recently promoted Monica Cuervo to senior associate, and Brett Tomer, Jason Van Auker, Rhonda Rasmussen, and Jean Dusek Klueter to associate.
Additional reporting by Tara Mastrelli and Jana Schiowitz
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Life Aquatic
April 01, 2005Why should Jacques Cousteau and Steve Zissou have all the fun? With the introduction of the world's first permanent sea floor luxury resort, marine biologists and scuba divers won't be the only human guests under the sea. Located off the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, the Poseidon Undersea Resort will offer adventurous travelers a complete underwater vacation. And since it will be connected to the surface via two tunnels and pressure and humidity controlled, other than the breathtaking views, guests will never "feel" as if they're underwater.
With 65 percent of the surface area occupied by transparent acrylic, the ocean provides all of the wow factor needed (guests will be able to see a variety of tropical fish, turtles, and possibly even sharks) in each of the 20, 550-square-foot rooms. To enhance the view, each room will also feature private coral gardens and underwater lights, fish feeders, and safety pods. In addition to the standard rooms, the underwater resort will include two luxury suites, a 3,600-square-foot restaurant and bar, and conference area. And for guests who aren't quite ready to be submerged, shore facilities will include 20 separate bungalows, two suites, a swimming pool, dive shop, tennis courts, and an additional restaurant and bar.
According to designer L. Bruce Jones, president of Poseidon Undersea Resorts and U.S. Submarines, a submarine design, engineering, and construction firm, what sounds like a daunting design challenge (especially since this is his first hospitality project), for him, is actually relatively simple. "It's completely different because this is being done from a technical standpoint first as opposed to having a terrestrial architect trying to design an underwater resort—an extremely complex undertaking" Jones says. "Building an underwater resort, because it's stationary, is not nearly as technically demanding as building a submarine."
Construction on Poseidon will begin this summer, and because of its modular, cookie-cutter design, Jones expects it to open as soon as the fall of 2006.
Eco Luxe
As green increasingly becomes the industry's favorite buzzword, the El Monte Sagrado in Taos, New Mexico, is making it a reality. Coined an eco-resort, the 30,000-square-foot complex, complete with 18 rooms, 34 casitas, retail, a spa, restaurant, and bar, was "built to preserve and sustain the land on which it resides uniting nature with exotic luxury," explains David Sargert, principal of local design firm Sargert Design Associates, Inc., the project's interior architect and designer (rooms and casitas were designed by Joan Duncan and Ady Artime respectively). "It's a timeless facility in theme, spirit, and materials."
To successfully create a sustainable structure, Sargert only used natural materials: granite, local sandstone, marble, and travertine instead of injection-molded plastics; wood and plaster on ceilings; elaborate millwork of sapelli, cherry, white oak, and Brazilian rosewood; mica on walls; 50-year-old fossils in lavatories; and 100-million-year-old petrified wood for handcarved desktops. "Integrating sustainable strategies and solutions goes well beyond just the use of green products," he says. "Once the industry adopts the integrative design philosophy of LEED, it will reveal the universal benefits inherent in the approach."
Rock 'n' Roll-Out
Hard Rock Café Inc. is stepping up its branding efforts beyond its core restaurant business: the company plans to open four more hotels in the next two years—in Biloxi, Mississippi, Madrid, San Diego, and New York City—to bring its portfolio to a grand total of 11 hotels. And the chain company is investing serious money in architects and designers to make sure each property has a unique look.
Two of its newest hotels, Hard Rock Seminole Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, couldn't be more different in design or size. The Hollywood location (below), designed by Laurence Lee Associates in Los Angeles and Cleo Design in Las Vegas, is an 86-acre resort featuring a 12-story Mediterranean-style tower with 500 guestrooms, a 130,000-square-foot casino, European-style spa, and 300,000-square-foot dining, shopping, and entertainment district (designed by Rockwell Group in New York City). Meanwhile, the Chicago location (above), the brand's first-ever urban hotel, is housed in the landmark Art Deco Carbide and Carbon Building and boasts 406 modern guestrooms and suites, and a chic lobby bar designed by Toronto- and New York City-based Yabu Pushelberg. But to accommodate a China Grill restaurant and ballroom, local architecture firm Lucien Lagrange (who also was charged with the structural redesign and historic preservation of the building) created a modern five-story, steel-and-glass addition. "It expresses the modern, more playful aspects of the program with the Art Deco character of the [existing building]," says Lucien Lagrange's Tim Hill. "It's meant to provide a window onto Michigan Avenue."
Viva Las Vegas
If you thought nothing else could fit on the Las Vegas Strip, think again. MGM Mirage recently announced plans to create a multibillion-dollar mini-city on the site of the Strip's Boardwalk casino. And even though it's in the heart of Sin City, "Project City Center" will have an emphasis on living and lifestyle spaces, not gaming.
Designed by New York City architecture firm Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn (EE&K) and managed by Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of Mirage Resorts, the $6 billion project (one of the largest in the country) will consist of 66 acres of cafes, retail shops, boutique hotels, entertainment venues, and residential buildings lining streets, public squares, and covered passageways. The nucleus of the complex will be the Casino Square, topped by a 3,000-room hotel tower. Over the next 18 months, MGM Mirage will seek out a team of architects, designers, and developers to implement the plan. "Cities ordinarily grow intrinsically over time, but with the vision of MGM Mirage, an entire city neighborhood is being developed at once as an integrated work of architecture," says Stanton Eckstut, principal-in-charge at EE&K.
One-Stop Hotel Shop
After providing marketing and global representation services for design-led hotels worldwide for 11 years, Design Hotels is naturally expanding its role to become a one-stop shop for hoteliers and developers. The company—which boasts a portfolio with 137 hotels in 41 countries—will provide everything from research and exploration of the market, brand strategy, positioning, and design and concepts through to development of marketing and communication tools including websites.
This year Design Hotels is consulting from the ground up (except for the physical building) for Lux 11 in Berlin and Hotel Daniel in Graz, Austria. Last year, Design Hotels created a 100 percent-correct projected guest profile for 25 Hours hotel (shown above) in Hamburg, Germany, which is now running at an average occupancy of 85 percent.
Flying Hotel
Airplanes are about to become the newest member of the hospitality industry. Virgin Atlantic Airways recently introduced the A380, a 500-seat aircraft that will be chock full of hotel-like amenities. High in the sky guests aboard the "superjumbo" carrier will be able to workout in the gym, sleep on double beds, gamble in the casino, and mingle and drink at the bar. "It is a proud moment for Airbus to unveil the first A380…an exciting opportunity for airlines to create new ways of flying for our passengers," says Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic. Ready to check in? The fleet of 12 A380s will begin
flying to and from New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Tokyo, San Francisco, and Sydney in the spring of 2008.
Book Nook:
"Each project I design is an authentic as well as unique experience," writes renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany in a one-on-one interview featured in his latest book, Tihany Style (Mondadori Electa, 2004, $95). "It is always a marriage between credible and creative operators and a design concept tailor-made to showcase their talent."
Though each project is unique, there is a unifying factor that makes each uniquely Tihany. Through a 240-page journey featuring his most significant projects from late 1999 through early 2004, including Aureole in Las Vegas, Per Se in New York City, Le Cirque in Mexico City, and the Grand Hotel Salone at the Milan Furniture Fair, along with commentary from a who's who of designers, critics, celebrity chefs, and colleagues (such as chef Thomas Keller and food critic Hal Rubentstein), the designer, with co-author Marci Sutin Levin, allows readers to draw their own conclusion to the age-old question, "what exactly is Tihany style?"
Accolades
ASID HonorsDeborah Lloyd Forrest, co-founder and principal of luxury hospitality design firm ForrestPerkins in Dallas and Washington, D.C., has been selected by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) as its 2004 Designer of Distinction, an award that recognizes a designer who exemplifies a commitment to the profession as demonstrated by a significant, high-quality body of work, exhibits attention to social concerns within the interior design profession, and expresses creative, innovative concepts that have advanced the profession. Forrest, who last year was one of HD's Platinum Circle inductees, received the prestigious award at the society's annual awards program at the Westin Horton Plaza in San Diego in March. Architecture for Humanity and Cameron Sinclair, its founder and executive director, will receive the 2004 ASID Design for Humanity award; Dianne Jackman is the 2004 ASID Educator of Distinction; Herman Miller, Industry Partner of ASID, is being honored with the 2004 ASID Patron's Prize; and the 2004 ASID Product Prize honorees are Edward Fields, Inc., Industry Partner of ASID for the corpoate category, and Holly Hunt, for the individual honor.
Charitable hotelier
Who's Who
Hospitality design veteran, Leslie Temples, has announced the launch of her firm, L. Temples & Company, a business development services company designed to strengthen and expand sales, industry trade show and marketing initiatives, and presence for small and mid-sized manufacturers in the hospitality industry...Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Canada, has appointed Scott Duff senior director of development, based in the Toronto office…Mike McBride has been promoted to president and COO of Westwood Contractors, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas; to accommodate the promotion, Robert D. Benda will assume the title of chairman in addition to continuing his role as CEO of Westwood…Leni Schwendinger Light Projects has moved to The Arts Building, 336 West 37th Street, New York, New York, 10018; telephone and email remain the same…HMS Architects, a New Orleans-based architecture firm, recently hired Glenn Higgins to further the firm's expertise and breadth of experience in the Healthcare and Medical Architecture arenas...Karisma Resorts has promoted Jose Brache to online marketing director, a new position created to further strengthen the company's focus on this area…Hiro Isogai has joined WDG Architecture, Washington, D.C., as director of design for interior architecture…SB Architects (Sandy Babcock) is pleased to announce that Janina Deppe and Stefano Falbo have been made associates of the firm's Miami office…Exclaim Design announces Haley Balzano has passed her Architectural Registration Exams to become a registered architect with the firm in Arizona…MBH Architects has announced several new hires: at its Alameda, California, office Caitlin O'Farrell is now public relations coordinator; Jenny Lin is drafter to special projects studio; Julie Stewart is drafter III to the specialty retail studio; Nick Montana is drafter to the specialty retail studio; Michael Dern is project manager to the specialty retail studio; and the Newport Beach, California, office welcomed Marcus Mitchell as senior job captain to the mixed-use studio…Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, Architects, Designers, Planners and Consultants, Newport Beach, California, recently promoted Monica Cuervo to senior associate, and Brett Tomer, Jason Van Auker, Rhonda Rasmussen, and Jean Dusek Klueter to associate.
Additional reporting by Tara Mastrelli and Jana Schiowitz
Save | Email | Print | Most Popular |
RSS | Reprints
