PROJECT Hotels at The Wharf DC, Canopy by Hilton and Hyatt House
LOCATION Washington, District of Columbia US
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 10/12/2017
ARCHITECT SmithGroupJJR
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT
OWNER/CLIENT Hoffman-Madison Waterfront
CONTRACTOR / CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Donohoe Construction Company
PHOTOGRAPHER Depends on Image Selection
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM John Crump, Chris Mayor, Dayton Schroeter, Jamie Lee, Steve Adelman, Eva Kodouskova, Vitus Kaiser, Juan Mascheroni (former employee)
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
The Dual-branded Hotel at The Wharf is an integral part of a two-phase, 24-acre development on Washington DC’s Washington Channel, a long-neglected stretch of waterfront just off the Potomac River. The first phase of this $2.5 billion mixed-use development opened October 12, 2017 and includes the design for two hotel companies sharing one dynamic building. The 300,000 square-foot, 9-story building creatively intertwines ground floor retail, roof deck public spaces, and two hotels offering guests of each brand two distinctly different interior environments and tailored experiences. This two-flag hotel features a 237-room Hyatt House extended stay hotel and debuts the new 175-room Canopy by Hilton, the first to open in North America and only second property worldwide. In April, 2018, the LEED Gold certified hotels were the first parcel at The Wharf to receive Certification by the USGBC/GBCI.
Brand identity and guest experience is of paramount importance to these two hotel companies, and even though the two hotels are operated by a single operator, and share back-of-house spaces, from a guest perspective, they are two separate hotels. To provide separation of the hotel brands, the building was designed with separate arrival experiences, lobbies, and circulation within each hotel’s tower. The connecting hyphen between the two lobbies house shared amenities; meeting and pre-function spaces and the fitness center in a ‘brand neutral’ zone accessed by passing through a threshold demarking the transition from one hotel to another.
The hotels are not completely isolated from one another however. A variety of public and private spaces are available for guests to explore and discover. The central courtyard, a public plaza shared by both hotels with exceptional views of the marina and piers, contains a variety of seating areas, terraces, fire pits, a water feature, and event space.
The project looks to the history of the site, drawing references from both the nautical architecture of the structures and ships along the water’s edge and the masonry warehouses that defined the once industrial area. Opened in 1805, The Maine Avenue Fish Market is the oldest continuously operating open-air fish market in the United States – it remains a key participant at The Wharf. Gone, are the warehouses and other markets from the turn of the century that once drove commerce in this area. While modern, the hotel's exterior design references the site's maritime history and include teak decking, stainless steel rigging, and the use of water, sunlight, and reflection as design elements. The project’s modern design is accented by a sawtooth façade on the primary elevation; an abstraction of sails from the schooners and tall ships which once served this site. This serrated façade isn't only a bold gesture, it redefines the traditional hotel corridor and guestroom experience on the interior.
MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project/Jury PDF
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1 The Wharf DC mixed-use development includes the design for two hotel companies sharing one dynamic building. ©Judy Davis/Hoachlander Davis Photography
IMAGE 2 Looking back at the hotels from 7th Street Pier, the building’s slender profiles float above the masonry retail plinth. ©Judy Davis/Hoachlander Davis Photography
IMAGE 3 The publicly accessible central courtyard provides guests and neighbors with a variety of spaces to relax, connect, and enjoy the views. ©Alex Fradkin
IMAGE 4 The sawtooth façade of the Canopy hotel, provides guestrooms with views of the waterfront and 7th Street Park. ©Judy Davis/Hoachlander Davis Photography
IMAGE 5 Hyatt House features an outdoor deck perched atop 35,000 sf of vibrant boutiquretail and restaurants. ©Judy Davis/Hoachlander Davis Photography
IMAGE 6 The central courtyard includes many spaces for guests and the public to enjoy spectacular views of the Washington Channel. ©Judy Davis/Hoachlander Davis Photography
IMAGE 7 Whiskey Charlie, Canopy’s rooftop bar, provides a sunset cocktail experience with views up and down the Potomac River. ©Photofusion Media
IMAGE 8 The reflectivity of the building’s materials allows the hotels to dissolve into the water and sky. ©Photofusion Media
Hotels at The Wharf DC, Canopy by Hilton and Hyatt House
Category
Local > AIA Potomac Valley > Commercial Architecture (AIA Potomac Valley)
Winner Status
- People's Choice / Non-Residential Winner
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