The Peninsula Hotel
Formerly the "Gotham Hotel"
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Project Mission
Design the interior of a prestigious,
newly gutted New York City hotel: spa, fitness center, pool; lobby,
registration, concierge; cocktail lounges, restaurants; business
center, meeting rooms, ballrooms; guestroom suites and a fifteen room
Presidential Suite.
Client Goals
Model the NYC Hotel after the Paris Nova
Park Elysee Hotel so that the Parisian ambience would appeal to
Arabian Royalty as well as sophisticated Europeans and New Yorkers.
Design Constraints
The
project had to be “fast tracked” to meet the grand opening date, and
avoid incurring late penalties written into the construction contract. French
designers, who did not speak English and new nothing about New York
City codes or design documentation, were blended into the CFA design
team because they understood the Nova Park culture. Narrow corridors presented difficult installation challenges.
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Design Approach
The
grandeur of the hotel was achieved with exotic woods from Africa, huge
antique crystal chandeliers from Paris, classical marbles from Italy
and restored original architectural moldings. Mystery
and illusion in the suites was created by separating the sleeping area
from the living room with partly mirrored, partly open trellis room
dividers. Furniture, such as collapsible four
poster beds, was custom designed in segments in order to be maneuvered
down narrow halls and installed in the guestrooms. Security cameras
were installed above ceilings to be lowered at the request of royal
guests. Exterior lighting was designed to allow the building to be
seen as part of the NYC skyline
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