WHAT ’ S HOT :
FROM DISTINCTIVE ART INSTALLATIONS AND ADAPTIVE REUSE TO NEXT-GENERATION MEETING SPACES AND WELLNESS AS INSPIRATION , DESIGN TRENDS CAN PAINT WITH A BROAD BRUSH .
by ANN BAGEL STORCK , MANAGING EDITOR
The lobby at CitizenM New York was designed as an oversized living room with floor-toceiling bookshelves filled with an eclectic mix of art and objects from around the world .
ARTISTIC
LICENSE
Showcasing distinctive artwork in hotels is almost an expectation today , but some hotels are exploring unique iterations of this trend .
CitizenM is known for contemporary art and photography , and the new 230-room CitizenM New York is no exception . The lobby was designed with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with art and objects from around the world . A Julian Opie installation in the lobby is one of two commissioned art pieces at the hotel , which also boasts works by Andy Warhol , Daido Moriyama and David LaChapelle .
Hotel art can take unexpected forms , as with one of Sheraton New Orleans ’ latest additions — The Rodrigue Steinway Blue Dog Piano . George Rodrigue used a 100-year-old Steinway Model A grand piano for the piece , which will be displayed in the hotel ’ s lobby for up to two years .
Group Pestana bills its Pousada of Cascais in Portugal as the first hotel in Europe to have its own art district . The art district features six galleries and six open studios while the hotel — recently renamed Pousada Cascais Cidadela Historic Hotel & Art District — offers six rooms created by resident artists , seven site-specific installations and an art concierge .
“ The hotel stay is all about the experience ,” says Nancy Nodler , Houston-based principal and hospitality practice leader for Gensler . “ Properties should tell a story , and art is one way to accomplish this . Personalization and forming a connection with guests through art enhances their experience and promotes repeat business .”
Adrian Gaut
32 HOTELS June 2014 www . hotelsmag . com