DESIGN : THE LANGHAM , CHICAGO
As it enters Chicago , Langham Hospitality Group is looking to build upon the storied history of an iconic landmark building .
by ANN BAGEL STORCK , MANAGING EDITOR
Chicago architect Dirk Lohan — the grandson of Mies van der Rohe — fashioned the ground-floor lobby to convey a residential softness . The sofas are based on a pattern van der Rohe designed for his daughter in the 1940s , and many of the teak furnishings are patterned after those found in van der Rohe ’ s Farnsworth House .
Photos by Mike Schwartz
Chicago is known for its striking architecture , so it is fitting that Langham Hospitality Group chose an iconic building as the site of its first hotel in the city : a 52-story tower in the heart of downtown , originally designed by renowned architect Mies van der Rohe and designated as both a Chicago Landmark and part of the U . S . National Register of Historic Places . This summer , The Langham , Chicago , debuted in the first 13 floors of the building as a 316-room hotel that marks the first purpose-built hotel for Langham in North America . “ The opening of The Langham , Chicago is a very important addition to the Langham Hospitality Group ’ s portfolio of hotels ,” says Robert Schofield , the hotel ’ s managing director . “ It will definitely be a showpiece for our brand and our company .”
“ The design of the original building from an aesthetic and construction standpoint was well conceived and built , making the remodeling much simpler than in many refurbishments ,” says Fiona Thompson , principal at London-based Richmond International , the lead interior design firm for the project . “ We respected the basic building fabric , retaining the façade and cores while in areas such as reception , the Pavilion , ballroom and pool creating double-height volume to add drama and bring the landscape of the city further into the building .”
“ Richmond created an interior in character with Langham ’ s traditional design sensibility yet set in an iconic mid-century modern building ,” Schofield adds .
The ground-floor lobby , for example , is the handiwork of architect Dirk Lohan — the grandson of Mies van der Rohe — and features sofas based on a pattern van der Rohe designed for his daughter in the late 1940s . Bronze is used throughout the interior , referenced from the building ’ s façade , while walnut timbers pay homage to some of van der Rohe ’ s residential buildings .
“ We wanted to interpret the strong brand values of luxury and quality in a modern way ,” Thompson notes . “ We felt it was important to create a calm and warm environment that was not intimidating , but presented a level of luxury that everyone could enjoy .”
Travelle , the hotel ’ s restaurant and lounge , also derives much of its design from the building ’ s history . New York ’ s Rockwell Group used IBM , the building ’ s original tenant , as inspiration for an interior dominated by clean lines and wood and metal finishes while also bringing in the modern age with a digital art installation .
Schofield says The Langham , Chicago , is catering to both business and leisure guests and has posted an average rate near US $ 400 . The hotel soft-opened in July with a limited inventory of rooms , but he says occupancy has risen with the property adding rooms entering autumn .
“ The hotel is performing nicely so far ,” Schofield says . “ We have slowly added all of our outlets during our soft-opening period , giving the team the time it needed to acclimate to each outlet and allowing their confidence to build as our occupancy begins to build .”
www . hotelsmag . com October 2013 HOTELS 31