Texas hotel’s creative ‘ribbon’ design twists rules
by arslan_ahmed | October 24, 2023 1:39 pm
The facade of the ARRIVE hotel in Austin, Texas, playfully responds to building regulations that mandate a specific relief for structures longer than 30 m (100 ft), which requires buildings above this height to have a 0.6 x 6 m (2 x 20 ft) relief.
Designed by Balbridge Architects, the structure uses articulated concrete “ribbons,” rather than feature typical awnings, meeting the requirement and expanding its creative possibilities. These ribbons create overhangs and corner balconies for hotel guests, while black materials (e.g. iridescent brick, vertical windows, and smooth plaster) fill the spaces in between. The firm, BEC (now Terracon), provided envelope consultation.
At the street level, various restaurants define the pedestrian experience. The low-level sand-colored brick building, with potential historic significance, is connected to the hotel and features a bar and restaurant. It is only when visitors ascend to the amenities deck, which houses the “Gin Bar,” that the complexity of the entire structure becomes apparent.
The 7,153-m2 (77,000-sf) ARRIVE hotel features 83 rooms within a unique five-story L-shaped tower connected to a two-story podium. This podium includes two restaurants, three bars, a coffee shop, street-side retail space, and parking. The owners sought a distinctive hotel design that challenged traditional hotel elements such as the grand entry, standard hotel restaurant, and empty lobby. Instead, they wanted a dynamic hotel that integrated seamlessly with the Plaza Saltillo neighborhood in east downtown Austin.
The design draws inspiration from the 1920s-era warehouses in the area and the masonry and concrete construction of the historically Black, Huston-Tillotson (HT) University, which looks over the hotel. It emphasizes a high-quality building that pays homage to its location and departs from cheaper design strategies used in the area to the west.
ARRIVE stands as a response to the uniform multifamily residential buildings along the street. It draws from the architectural language of East Austin’s older structures, making it instantly recognizable to passersby.
Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/texas-hotels-creative-ribbon-design-twists-rules/