HOTEL TRAVERSE

Iowa State University

Project idea

This hotel is primarily a redevelopment of a key site at the intersection of Rue Suffren and Quai Braply, in the Grenelle neighborhood of Paris located roughly 250 meter South-West of the Eiffel Tower with a maximum height restriction of 45 meter and a minimum 40% of open space, due to the conjunction of the city of Paris partnering with an international hotel brand and a local developer. The area of the site is roughly 35,000 square meters, and the hotel consists of 50 suites, 150 deluxe, and 250 standard rooms featuring the views of Paris from every room with customized windows to allow any guest a panoramic view for a high-end experience of the city. The hotel seeks to appeal to both smaller conventions and higher-end tourism, with spaces for business and meetings as well as casual and formal dining with a relaxing pool and spas.

Project description

The hotel Traverse offers guests an immersive experience of Paris, including its materiality, the view of the Eiffel Tower, the Seine river, and street life. It is an intersection of both historical and contemporary elements of the city, inspired by the creation of the iconic monument, the Eiffel Tower, a reflection of Paris itself. The design features a series of framed views of Eiffel Tower and invites the outdoor landscape features into the site for the guests as well as for the public through the canopy design, a picturesque rooftop bar, and an "instagramable" ballroom pre-function space to present unique experiences while transitioning through the spaces. This hotel also promotes health and wellbeing through an elevated jogging track which runs within the hotel, upscaling a dynamic experience with the view of the Eiffel Tower through a colonnaded interior space overlooking the pool and adjacent neighborhood avoiding the tourist traffic on the streets. This hotel's overarching aesthetic appeal and thoughtful functionality captures the much-coveted essence of Paris for a guest to furnish a lavish and sophisticated experience.

Technical information

The hotel traverses from the past to present by creating modern elegance through an amalgamation of concrete, steel, and glass, especially by using materials like Corten steel and luxurious finishes like marble with reference to the debate that brought the Eiffel Tower to life. The rich interior is inspired by the cloth from the Pierre Frey archives, including velvets, leather, and gold wallcovering. The façade has been designed to allow the double-paned tilted glass windows of the guest rooms to provide a panoramic view of the surrounding. The hotel is an intersection of different levels and materials that changes the look of the building depending on the side it is viewed and approached from, to uphold the interest and attention of the viewers, and to provide the explicit experience based on the user needs.

Co-authors

Kayley Tuchek, Sahar Nazarkardeh