ALVEAR ART HOTEL New tower, 5- star hotel located in the Buenos Aires Retiro neighborhood. We carried out a low profile, subtle, modern and somewhat timeless aesthetic project, with half empty spaces and in line with a strong urban environment. Palettes and textures bind different materials together: wood mingles with silk and leather with marble. Patinas on wood, earthen and grey hues blend settings and some textiles add vivid colors. Silver and golden accents are visible in the common areas, and engraved backlit crystal panels create a warm backdrop to the bar and restaurant. The design was also focused on the details and the control of the entire productive process. Spa and swimming pool occupy the top two floors, and here our intention was not to interfere with the spectacular view of the city. So, floors were coated with grey rustic stone as unique contrast to the light blue sky and walls. The hotel owns an important collection of Argentine art from the first half of the 20th century which is permanently on display in the reception area.
Read More
SOFITEL CARRASCO HOTEL Built in 1924 in Montevideo, Uruguay, this landmark of the Uruguayan Belle Époque was renovated to regain its category as one of the leading hotels of the world. The interior spaces were designed to harmonize contemporary and historical features; 116 rooms and spacious suites combine renovated architecture with modern comfort. The visual integration of the bathrooms to the rooms redefines the concept of privacy. Textiles and carpets in neutral tones, the palette is inspired in the earthy shades of the River Plate. Walnut veneer features on doors, grids and coatings. At the spa the water flows, merging with the symphony of silver reflections on the walls, mirrors and crystals.
Read More
ALVEAR PALACE HOTEL SPA A much needed 1000 square meter space, comprising a wellness center, a spa and a gym, was added to this renowned and historic hotel. We aimed at creating sensory experiences through the use of materials and dimmed lighting for each activity. Details and equipment were designed in line with the tradition of the facility, its European refinement and discreet luxury. Stony materials with different textures were chosen for the humid premises, harmonizing with steel and glass.
Read More
CASINO CARRASCO– MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY A 15 meter deep excavation under the foundations of a historical building had to be carried out in order to build the Casino. It covers 3.000 square meters on two levels to provide for the gambling halls, the bars and performance halls. We combined transparencies, tangential lighting on shiny surfaces, dark wood in contrast with wine- red velvet and a carpet with a very intricate design in silver, red and golden colors which unifies all the halls. As a whole the idea was to convey, through lighting, textures and furniture, a sensation of magnificence and offer the visitors a sensory experience that would generate empathy for the place.
Read More
LLAO-LLAO HOTEL, LAKE MORENO WING A seven thousand square meter new building was annexed to the main hotel to add 42 spacious suites. All the rooms have panoramic large windows overlooking Lago Moreno and the distant snow-capped Cerro Tronador. For the new interior decoration we evoked Jean Michel Frank, who had collaborated in the decoration of the main building in the late 1930´s. Patagonian wood, mainly lenga and cypress wood, were used and adapted to these mountain lodgings. As for the textiles, Andean llama and guanaco wool were woven imitating the colors and designs of the local native people. The bathrooms were conceived in tune with the landscape, emphasizing comfort and spaciousness, with stony surfaces, earthen colors and rough textures, in contrast with the softness of wood and textiles. Our major challenge were the very long corridors as they required coatings, accessories and, specially, modelling with lighting.
Read More
TERRITORIO HOTEL Located between the Patagonian desert and the Atlantic Ocean, the hotel panoramic windows overlook the bay where whales can be seen during the mating season. With textiles and accessories we set out to create a comfortable, homely and austere atmosphere, in harmony with the environment and inspired in the homes of the Welsh immigrants that settled in this coast in the 19th century. Wooden panels and furniture covered with thick woven fabrics are in sharp contrast with the concrete floors and naked walls. Curtains in light colored soft fabrics frame the large windows and enhance the breathtaking scenery.
Read More
LA CABAÑA RESTAURANT Updated version of a legendary Buenos Aires restaurant of the ´30s, internationally renowned for the quality of its meat. It reopened its doors as a restaurant and as event hall. Most of the accessories and ornamental lighting fixtures, in wrought and cast iron from the old location, of excellent manufacture and patrimonial value, were restored. Each event hall was designed to represent a region or an Argentine tradition, hence their names: Salon Polo, Salon Patagonia, Salon Salta. All the wood, patinas, stuccos and leather wall coverings were produced locally and specially treated for this job. The textiles were imported and adapted to the Argentine style, but the English influence is always there.
Read More
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL - LA MANSIÓN La Mansion, the former Alzaga Unzué Palace, was built circa 1915 in the strict French classical tradition and restored to become the flagship of this international hotel. The design project included halls for events and “signature” suites. Although the total surface does not exceed a thousand square meters, the job was extremely complex and very challenging due to budget limitations. In Piano Nobile the valuable stuccos, the polished gold-plated facings, the carved cedar wood panels and Italian marble coatings were recovered and restored. The ceilings of the four main halls exhibit trompe l´oeil paintings, commanded to artist Carlos Azulay, allegorical of the four seasons. For the design of the grand suites we resorted to the spiritual guidance of Visconti´s films with subject matters of the 19th century. Therefore one suite is reminiscent of the French post rococo style, another one of the Italian neoclassical style of the Risorgimento and others have a combination of different styles in order to rescue part of the furniture of the building´s heritage collection.
Read More
