Client: Motto by Hilton New York City Chelsea

Overview

We created unique works of art at the Motto by Hilton New York City Chelsea, such as the jewel-tinted, stained-glass reception desk backdrop. The sculptures all pay playful tribute to the property’s location within the city’s art district. The hotel’s design was also inspired by the number 24, an homage to the hotel’s address on 24th Street: The “24” design concept is highlighted by way of three unique concept pillars. The first, the 24 hours in a day, takes inspiration from the passage of time, the sun, the moon, and the contrast of light to dark. The second “24ism” references metals, in particular 24-karat gold and chromium, the 24th element on the periodic table. For the third concept, the we looked to 24-bit color, a means to produce color digitally in its truest form, which resulted in concentrated moments of vibrant jewel tones carefully selected in art glass tones for the hotel.
The four sculptures vary in size and medium. The round panels at the reception are art glass and steel (8’x8′). The entry vestibule has hand painted acrylic panels along the ceiling. The restaurant has a 40′ series of metal elements strung along steel cable. And finally the mixed metal wall sculpture is comprised of metals, mirrors and glass (5’x10′).

Goals

In all, we created a series of 4 sculptures that were created around these concepts:
*The 24-hour day is reflected in contrasting moments of light to dark on millwork, furnishings and walls. Spherical objects represent the sun and moon, while midnight blue tones create a celestial space.
*Chromium, the 24th element on the periodic table, and 24-karat gold are referenced through the brass and chrome finishes of light fixtures, case goods, art and more.
From the kaleidoscopic sculptural entryway installation to playful color pairings in artwork and area rugs, a vibrant, 24-bit color depth was used to produce color digitally in its truest form.

Process

The collaboration between our studio and the designers at Stonehill Taylor was ideal. They had this early vision of artful elements throughout the new hotel they were developing in Manhattan. We took the concepts and ran with it, developing a series of elements that are elegant and significant without overwhelming the space.