Tag: Hotel

POD in Singapore: High-Class Hostel Meets Capsule Hotel

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Full of small surprises, this minimalist modern urban retreat blends elements of a free-for-all hostel of bunk beds for college backpackers and high-end hotels catering to business executives.

At The POD in Singapore, designed by Formwerkz, guests stay in variously-sized capsules reminiscent of radical pod hotels in places like Tokyo or Hong Kong, but with warm materials (primarily wood and stone), soft lighting and tactile finishes one might expect from a traditional suite in Kyoto or Beijing.

The bedrooms are semi-private affairs – slots in the walls you can slip into with a curtain you can pull down for privacy, but no actual door or solid space divider. A private desk folds down from the wall and private reading light lets you set your own hours for sleeping at night.

For security, separate cubby lockers below beds and shoe lockers in the main space let you keep valuables out of reach. Common areas provide both lounge and meeting spaces as well as private office pods for getting work or calls down out of sight.

The washrooms with basin sinks and broad mirrors are open and shared, but the bathroom stalls inside of them (including a smaller sink, shower, toilet and mirror) are closed and private, resulting in a blend of semi-public yet also personal restrooms .

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Singularly Singapore: 13 Hip, Chic & Relaxing Hotels

These 13 hotels represent some of the coolest, most design-oriented lodgings in Singapore, from hip urban hotels to rainforest resorts.
Click Here to Read More »»

New Tech Meets Old World: Paintings in Ultra High-Res

An Italian project called Haltadefinizione gives us an unprecedented, practically microscopic look at renowned works of art including Leonardo’s Last Supper.
Click Here to Read More »»

Botel: Floating Hotel with Modular Detachable Room Boats

Instead of static spaces, the unique sleeping areas in this hotel are dynamic vehicles you can use to depart the core structure in which you are staying.
Click Here to Read More »»

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

November 10, 2013
POD in Singapore: High-Class Hostel Meets Capsule Hotel

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Full of small surprises, this minimalist modern urban retreat blends elements of a free-for-all hostel of bunk beds for college backpackers and high-end hotels catering to business executives.

At The POD in Singapore, designed by Formwerkz, guests stay in variously-sized capsules reminiscent of radical pod hotels in places like Tokyo or Hong Kong, but with warm materials (primarily wood and stone), soft lighting and tactile finishes one might expect from a traditional suite in Kyoto or Beijing.

The bedrooms are semi-private affairs – slots in the walls you can slip into with a curtain you can pull down for privacy, but no actual door or solid space divider. A private desk folds down from the wall and private reading light lets you set your own hours for sleeping at night.

For security, separate cubby lockers below beds and shoe lockers in the main space let you keep valuables out of reach. Common areas provide both lounge and meeting spaces as well as private office pods for getting work or calls down out of sight.

The washrooms with basin sinks and broad mirrors are open and shared, but the bathroom stalls inside of them (including a smaller sink, shower, toilet and mirror) are closed and private, resulting in a blend of semi-public yet also personal restrooms .

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Singularly Singapore: 13 Hip, Chic & Relaxing Hotels

These 13 hotels represent some of the coolest, most design-oriented lodgings in Singapore, from hip urban hotels to rainforest resorts.
Click Here to Read More »»

New Tech Meets Old World: Paintings in Ultra High-Res

An Italian project called Haltadefinizione gives us an unprecedented, practically microscopic look at renowned works of art including Leonardo’s Last Supper.
Click Here to Read More »»

Botel: Floating Hotel with Modular Detachable Room Boats

Instead of static spaces, the unique sleeping areas in this hotel are dynamic vehicles you can use to depart the core structure in which you are staying.
Click Here to Read More »»

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

November 10, 2013
POD in Singapore: High-Class Hostel Meets Capsule Hotel

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Full of small surprises, this minimalist modern urban retreat blends elements of a free-for-all hostel of bunk beds for college backpackers and high-end hotels catering to business executives.

At The POD in Singapore, designed by Formwerkz, guests stay in variously-sized capsules reminiscent of radical pod hotels in places like Tokyo or Hong Kong, but with warm materials (primarily wood and stone), soft lighting and tactile finishes one might expect from a traditional suite in Kyoto or Beijing.

The bedrooms are semi-private affairs – slots in the walls you can slip into with a curtain you can pull down for privacy, but no actual door or solid space divider. A private desk folds down from the wall and private reading light lets you set your own hours for sleeping at night.

For security, separate cubby lockers below beds and shoe lockers in the main space let you keep valuables out of reach. Common areas provide both lounge and meeting spaces as well as private office pods for getting work or calls down out of sight.

The washrooms with basin sinks and broad mirrors are open and shared, but the bathroom stalls inside of them (including a smaller sink, shower, toilet and mirror) are closed and private, resulting in a blend of semi-public yet also personal restrooms .

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Singularly Singapore: 13 Hip, Chic & Relaxing Hotels

These 13 hotels represent some of the coolest, most design-oriented lodgings in Singapore, from hip urban hotels to rainforest resorts.
Click Here to Read More »»

New Tech Meets Old World: Paintings in Ultra High-Res

An Italian project called Haltadefinizione gives us an unprecedented, practically microscopic look at renowned works of art including Leonardo’s Last Supper.
Click Here to Read More »»

Botel: Floating Hotel with Modular Detachable Room Boats

Instead of static spaces, the unique sleeping areas in this hotel are dynamic vehicles you can use to depart the core structure in which you are staying.
Click Here to Read More »»

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

November 10, 2013
POD in Singapore: High-Class Hostel Meets Capsule Hotel

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Full of small surprises, this minimalist modern urban retreat blends elements of a free-for-all hostel of bunk beds for college backpackers and high-end hotels catering to business executives.

At The POD in Singapore, designed by Formwerkz, guests stay in variously-sized capsules reminiscent of radical pod hotels in places like Tokyo or Hong Kong, but with warm materials (primarily wood and stone), soft lighting and tactile finishes one might expect from a traditional suite in Kyoto or Beijing.

The bedrooms are semi-private affairs – slots in the walls you can slip into with a curtain you can pull down for privacy, but no actual door or solid space divider. A private desk folds down from the wall and private reading light lets you set your own hours for sleeping at night.

For security, separate cubby lockers below beds and shoe lockers in the main space let you keep valuables out of reach. Common areas provide both lounge and meeting spaces as well as private office pods for getting work or calls down out of sight.

The washrooms with basin sinks and broad mirrors are open and shared, but the bathroom stalls inside of them (including a smaller sink, shower, toilet and mirror) are closed and private, resulting in a blend of semi-public yet also personal restrooms .

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Singularly Singapore: 13 Hip, Chic & Relaxing Hotels

These 13 hotels represent some of the coolest, most design-oriented lodgings in Singapore, from hip urban hotels to rainforest resorts.
Click Here to Read More »»

New Tech Meets Old World: Paintings in Ultra High-Res

An Italian project called Haltadefinizione gives us an unprecedented, practically microscopic look at renowned works of art including Leonardo’s Last Supper.
Click Here to Read More »»

Botel: Floating Hotel with Modular Detachable Room Boats

Instead of static spaces, the unique sleeping areas in this hotel are dynamic vehicles you can use to depart the core structure in which you are staying.
Click Here to Read More »»

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

November 10, 2013
Sea Fort Retreat: Island Hotel in 1860s British Harbor Base

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Known for its naval power, England has a great many leftover army and sea forts. Some have been turned into private islands, radio station or micronations, but this one has been made into a museum and luxury resort.

The Spitbank Fort was the result of an 1859 Royal Commission and is located in the Solent, near Portsmouth, England. Though its purpose and wares shifted somewhat over time, it was aimed at protect British shores from both sea and (eventually) air attacks.

The structure remained an operational military island for a full century before being decommissioned in the late 1900s as obsolete.

Five million dollars worth of renovations later, the structure is now a hybrid of its original architecture and engineering and added luxuries including (but not limited to) hotel rooms, bars, restaurants, libraries, saunas, sun decks and swimming pools.

Day and overnight guests alike can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner in the cozy brick interior or with a 360-degree exterior vista above.

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

July 26, 2013
Ground, Up! Curved Green Sky Gardens Wrap Tower Hotel

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

The best of both worlds: guests at this hotel get to enjoy skyscraper-high views and still experience layers of intensive greenery on virtually all levels.

A series of sleek towers rises up from an organic base that provides shelter and visual interest on the lower levels. These curvilinear forms support an interstitial outdoor floor, and can also be found far above, stretched between the towers at upper levels, serving as platforms for lush greenery.

A grid of circular concrete columns pierces the various levels, rising up to support the towers. These provide for the structural needs of the building, but also serve as a transitional design element to bridge the heavier free-form concrete clouds below and the lighter frame-and-cladding rectangles above.

The design by WOHA is meant to be a landmark for its city “Most of Singapore’s recent architecture – especially in and around the city centre – is nothing more than generic and can be seen anywhere in the world, regardless of climate and culture.

The concept is about balance, as is the architectural result: “An equilibrium point of architectural anonymity has been derived from a number of factors. Finally the city has a uniquely expressive urban landmark that reinterprets and reinvigorates its location”

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

June 6, 2013
Botel: Floating Hotel with Modular Detachable Room Boats

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

You may have to move rooms when you arrive at your hotel, but has your room ever had to move you? Instead of static spaces, the sleeping areas in this hotel are dynamic vehicles you can use to depart the core structure in which you are staying.

Ivan Filipovic‘s idea is to let people in different physical contexts to do everything from exploring remote surroundings (in regions difficult to reach by land, for instance) to watching races or other city-side events (in more urban contexts).

The core structure provides all of the expected amenities, including a reservations desks, restaurant, cafe, bar, nightclub, rooftop terrace and swimming pool, but the autonomous room modules are equipped with solar power collectors and global positioning systems to allow them to depart and return on demand.

Whether they can be realized in a practical way is up for debate, but the concept is exceedingly convincing from an experiential perspective. The solution is a best-of-both-worlds hybrid of adventurous semi-independent world tours and luxury scripted cruise-ship expeditions.

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

May 30, 2013
Abandoned Philadelphia: The Divine Lorraine Hotel

[ By Steph in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

One of Philadelphia’s most intriguing buildings stands at a prominent intersection on the north side of the city, a Victorian beauty that once housed wealthy residents and later served as a hotel. The ten-story structure is now a monument of decay, covered in graffiti, many of its windows boarded up. Empty for over a decade, the Divine Lorraine Hotel is an enticing site for urban exploration.

(images via: lei han 1 + 2; top image: jukebox)

Arguably Philadelphia’s most famous abandonment, the Divine Lorraine was built between 1892 and 1894. The ornate style chosen by architect Willis G. Hale was considered outdated by the time it opened as the luxury Lorraine Apartments and one of the first high-rise buildings in the city, but it was still a magnet for the newly-rich who had made their fortunes in the industrial revolution. It offered all the latest modern amenities, like electricity, and had its own staff, eliminating the need for servants. It was also open to whites only.

(images via: lecates, robert moran)

In 1948, it was sold to Father Divine, leader of the Universal Peace Mission Movement, who had a new idea for it: turning it into the first racially integrated hotel of its kind. Open to all who were willing to obey the rules of the movement, which included abstaining from smoking and drinking and separating men from women (even if they were married), the hotel also offered spaces for public use, like a low-cost dining hall and a place of worship. After Divine’s death in 2000, the hotel was sold; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Next Page:
Abandoned Philadelphia The Divine Lorraine Hotel

[ By Steph in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

May 30, 2013
Sleeping Around: Pop-Up Hotel in a Shipping Container

[ By Steph in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Do you want to spend a night on a river bank, a cliff, a meadow or a busy urban street? The ‘Sleeping Around’ pop-up hotel concept can go virtually anywhere you like, setting up quickly in locations where static architecture isn’t possible or practical. Made from four recycled 1950s shipping containers, this traveling hotel opens up possibilities for travelers who want more than just a night of comfort.

Sleeping Around consists of six shipping containers – four are individual hotel rooms, one serves as a sauna and the sixth is a breakfast and lounge area. Each of the hotel rooms has a floating bed, spacious rain shower, iPod docking station and air conditioning system.

The hotel has already spent a few weeks on the banks of the Scheldt in Antwerp, where the containers were procured, and is now on the move. Travelers interested in staying there can track its location on the website, and put in requests for future spots. It can be set up and ready to go within five hours of arriving.

This hotel may not be quite as mobile as the super-compact Hotello, which is basically a self-contained hotel room setup in a wheeled trunk, but it opens intriguing possibilities for the future of travel accommodations. If you could choose any location to set up a temporary hotel, where would it be?

[ By Steph in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

April 11, 2013
Hotel on Wheels: Portable Room Travels the World With You

[ By Delana in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Cities all around the world have vast, empty spaces just going to waste – abandoned buildings, empty lots, decommissioned military barracks – but the Hotello wants to put those spaces to use. The Hotello is a tiny, portable hotel room that can go anywhere and provide a comfortable sleeping space no matter where you are.

Designed by Antonio Scarponi and Robert de Luca for the Swiss firm daskonzept, the Hotello starts out as a rather nondescript wheeled trunk. It does the seemingly impossible by packing an entire 4 square meters room into a surprisingly small area – bed, desk, wardrobe and all.

Thanks to its wheels, the Hotello can be taken almost anywhere. You can set up the room in a matter of minutes by folding out the bed and setting up the metal structure that supports the sound absorbent privacy curtain. A small work space and stool let you catch up on work before bedtime, and the trunk itself acts as a storage area for clothing or other objects.

Several Hotellos could be placed together to create unique configurations if desired, but a single unit is perfect for the business traveler who simply needs a place to lie down for several hours before work starts again in the morning. Since the portable hotel room doesn’t come with a bathroom, though, it would be wise to plunk the Hotello down in a place near some public facilities.

Looking beyond the most obvious uses of the Hotello, though, it is clear that a solution like this would be ideal for housing victims of natural disaster. Similar, though hopefully more modest and cost-effective, solutions could be used to house homeless populations in otherwise-abandoned buildings. But of course, part of the project’s appeal is the idea that you can travel around the world with nothing but a suitcase and a red trunk on wheels and always have a comfortable place to sleep at night.

[ By Delana in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

March 30, 2013