Lobbies are becoming entertainment hubs and stand as the example of today ’ s hottest design trend .

As part of a US $ 32 million refresh of the Renaissance Chicago Downtown , the 15,425-square-foot ( 4,701.5-square-meter ) lobby now has several sectioned-off areas to give guests choices : the Artist Studio shows work from local artists ; Staytion Market & Bar serves local ales and lagers , hand-crafted cocktails and street food made with locally sourced ingredients ; the R-Lounge offers live music , cocktails and food for Marriott Rewards Elite members ; and the Renaissance Navigator puts a modern spin on concierge service .

Designed by The

Gettys Group , the high-low design pairs high-end finishes with raw , gritty , concrete and graffiti-inspired surfaces . Staytion features transit bus-inspired windows from the early 1900s that provide a peek into the chef ’ s display kitchen , while wallpaper and elevator artwork illustrate the Chicago “ L ” train map . Other artwork includes commissioned piece of a local cab made of colored pencils .

“ Hotels used to not want non-guests to hang out in the lobby , but now locals are even encouraged to visit ,” says Chris McDonough , senior designer at The Gettys Group , referring to how the hotel ’ s lobby also serves as a pedway for commuters and residents . “ We want to create Instagram moments for our guests

and to the thousands of commuters passing through every day .”

Encouraging guests to spend more time in the lobby was also an objective for the team at Ovolo Wooloomooloo in Sydney . Designed by Hassell and housed in a 100-year-old heritage-listed wharf , the lobby has a series of pavilions that create “ zones ” for reception , a bar and a lounge . The Ovolo brand ’ s “ young , energetic and cheeky ” personality also inspired the furniture selection .

“ The lobby space is an all-inclusive , non-discriminating area with a feeling of fun , life and vibrancy that makes guests want to spend their time just hanging around ,” says Adam Teloni , general manager at Ovolo Wooloomooloo .

ovolo Wooloomooloo ' s lobby was designed to be a space where guests want to stay .

32 hotelsmag . com June 2016