The Milan-based architect and designer has applied her love of colour and comfort to the project in the US city of Holland
Acclaimed Milan-based architect and design Patricia Urquiola has designed a 48-bedroom hotel in the city of Holland in Michigan, US. The project was delivered in collaboration with global furniture company Haworth, which actually started its life in the small lakeside city of Holland in the 1940s. Urquiola comprehensively transformed and reimagined a former inn and conference centre on the campus of Hope College in the city’s downtown.
The rooms of the building were completely remodelled, the lobby was rebuilt and a new coffee shop was created which is open to college students and the public. The new hotel retains conference functionality across 14 newly designed spaces, and has a ballroom which can accommodate 350 guests and which also serves as a student dining space for Hope College. The design of the entire hotel encourages interaction between a broad range of users, including the local community and members of Hope College.
The hotel lobby features a grand spiral staircase connecting the first two floors of the building. Flexible common lounge areas, designed to foster relaxation and wellbeing, include furniture from Cassina, Cappellini, Poltrona Frau and JANUS et Cie. Meanwhile, across the hotel, lighting has been created by Pablo Designs, rugs by GAN, textiles by Kvadrat and bathroom fixtures by Kohler.
Urquiola has designed a number of hotel interiors around the world, from the Four Seasons Milan (2021) to the Oasia Downtown Hotel in Singapore (2016). At the Haworth Hotel, she has balanced warmth and a domestic comfort with both playfulness and sophistication. Additional architectural design for the hotel was provided by GMB Architecture + Engineering of Holland.
Photography by Kendall McCaugherty and Hall+Merrick
