Boutique Hotel Lobby

The Brief

A developer converting a historic Loop office building into a boutique hotel needed a lobby concept that honored the building's 1920s bones while creating a contemporary arrival experience. The space needed to serve as both a working lobby and a social gathering point for guests and locals alike.

The Concept

Drawing from the Japanese philosophy of ma, the concept embraces negative space as a design element. The original terrazzo floors were preserved and restored. A central reception desk in blackened steel and walnut anchors the space, while a series of intimate seating alcoves along the perimeter create smaller moments within the grand volume. Lighting was designed to shift throughout the day, warm and inviting in the morning, dramatic and moody by evening.

The Presentation

The concept was delivered as a full 3D walkthrough, allowing the developer and investors to experience the space before a single wall was touched. Material samples accompanied the digital presentation, grounding the virtual experience in tactile reality. The project is currently in the construction documentation phase.