dwellings and décor

So going off subject of Thanksgiving decorating I decided to show an amazing Hotel called Faena located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The genius behind the design of this stunning hotel is Philippe Starck and conceived by Alan Faena. The article from Architectural Record says “The designers conceived of the Faena Hotel + Universe as a temple that invites guests to participate in a world of passion, transformation, beauty, and adventure.” I think they nailed it but I might have to check it out myself to make sure. You can read more about this fabulous Hotel here.

Images from Architectural Record

For my thesis project in Interior Design school we had to put together what the industry calls case studies. We had to pick three types of places for example; hotels, retail, residential, etc. One of my options was a hotel and one of the case studies I used was the Hard Rock Hotel. We needed to pick spaces that had images and floor plans so we could study how spaces were layed out. I wanted to also have my design have a retail shop and restaurant on the ground floor so this floor plan was great because it gave me an idea of how it could be layed out in plan view. Another aspect if this building was that it had been renovated and I too was having to renovate an old building for my school project. What I liked most about the interior decor is that it brought in a little bit of the Rock and Roll style but the designer kept it more modern and not overdone like most Hard Rock Cafe’s you see. If I am ever in Chicago I would love to stay her and see it in real life. For more information please go to http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/bts/archives/hotels/04_hardrock/overview.asp

There is so much talent that went into this amazingly gorgeous interior. The Gramercy Park Hotel located in New York City is filled with custom designed furniture, finishes and details and much of the art was done by well known artist Julian Schnabel. They used furniture from many different time periods and they describe the interior design as Bohemia reinvented for the 21st century. I love how there were able to keep it elegant and sophisticated with so many vivid and extraordinary colors. I hope you enjoy these stunning images and have a great weekend!

All images from Gramercy Park Hotel

The architecture of this building is a beautiful example of the old with the new. The La Purificadora Boutique Hotel is located in Pueblo, Mexico; a city founded by Spaniards in 1531. The project was part of an urban development plan known as Paseo San Francisco that includes shopping malls, a convention center and a sculpture park to name a few.  Apparently the new hotel design was frowned upon by archeologists because The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) had designated the building as part of the city’s historic patrimony. You can read more about the design of this building in the link below.

I personally am a huge fan of reusing old buildings and modernizing it with architectural extensions and furniture. I love when architects and designers can embrace the history behind the building and use it as a source of inspiration instead of tearing the building down. I lived in Portland, OR during the huge development of the Pearl District which was originally full of warehouses and now most of them are converted into expensive condominiums. One of my favorite buildings is where Henry’s Restaurant is now on Burnside and SW 12th. Its another great example of the old with the new.

Images from Arch Record