Collection by Allie Weiss
Bright Hotel with Spacious Communal Lobby in Times Square
When creating a hotel in the madhouse that is New York's Times Square, designers can go one of two ways—create a protected sanctuary that provides some quiet from the nonstop bustle on the streets, or make a 24-seven party house that attempts to capture the neighborhood's energy. The newly opened CitizenM, the European hotel brand's first outpost in the U.S., does a little bit of both. With architecture and interiors by Amsterdam-based firm Concrete, the hotel offers an ample lobby for lounging, drinking, and laptop-ing the day away (on plush Vitra furnishings, no less), while compact, streamlined bedrooms provide peaceful sleeping perches. Click through the slideshow for a tour of the bright space.
A 24-foot-high cabinet that begins on the entrance plaza continues inside, running the length of the lobby. "The cabinets create a familiar atmosphere for everyone: a 'home away from home’ for our guests," Vermeulen says. "They're filled with art for inspiration, accessories from all over the world, books, TVs, and more." An Eames Elephant and La Chaise chair for Vitra provide one of the lobby's many seating spaces. Photo by Adrian Gaut.
!["We tried to create places where [people] can work, meet, eat, drink and relax," Vermeulen says. "This calls for a large variety of seating arrangements, all with their own intimate atmospheres but still part of the whole." A large mural by Julian Opie, carved out the granite cladding of the elevator core and filled with gold leaf, provides a dramatic backdrop for a long communal table lit by hanging Tom Dixon pendant lights. Hella Jongerius's Polder Sofa for Vitra sits next to Fauteuil chairs by Jean Prouvé, restyled by G-Star Raw. Photo by Adrian Gaut.](https://images2.dwell.com/photos/6063391372700811264/6133467407357644800/original.jpg?auto=format&q=35&w=160)
"We tried to create places where [people] can work, meet, eat, drink and relax," Vermeulen says. "This calls for a large variety of seating arrangements, all with their own intimate atmospheres but still part of the whole." A large mural by Julian Opie, carved out the granite cladding of the elevator core and filled with gold leaf, provides a dramatic backdrop for a long communal table lit by hanging Tom Dixon pendant lights. Hella Jongerius's Polder Sofa for Vitra sits next to Fauteuil chairs by Jean Prouvé, restyled by G-Star Raw. Photo by Adrian Gaut.
In addition to work and lounge areas, the spacious lobby includes a 24-hour canteen and bar. Photo by Adrian Gaut.
Each guest room features a bed tucked against a large window. High-pressure laminate wood lines the floors and ceilings. Photo by Adrian Gaut.
The rooftop bar features custom green sofas and lanterns by Concrete meant to replicate an urban garden. "Every great spot in New York has a rooftop bar," Vermeulen says. Photo by Adrian Gaut.