Client: Marriott International

Overview

At the heart of a rising city centre due north of one of Canada’s major cities, the new Marriott hotel was designed to be a glittering embassy for the senses. Toronto Markham Marriott is recognized as an emerging global centre for technology, the city`s exciting union of progress and growth is the inspiration for Marriott’s new downtown hotel; a mixed-use building that seamlessly integrates hospitality, residential and retail functions. The hotel interiors replicate the energetic movement of the city, representing a beacon of culture, identity and activity.

Goals

The most outstanding part of this project was the designer’s conceived idea of the Greatroom as a central gathering place for guests, where “Draco” is the pinnacle feature element to unify the space.

Process

Designed by II BY IV DESIGN, and executed by Preciosa, the vision for the “Draco” art installation took a collaborative approach from inception to production with meticulous attention to detail as if it were fine jewellery. The team collectively focused on the complex geometry to maintain the integrity of the multi-faceted design, emphasizing the polished chrome spine and illusion of levitating and glistening in the space.

Additional Information

"Draco" soars an impressive 10-metres in the air at 68-metres long, a striking 1,500-kilogram crystal glass sculptural installation. “Draco” is one of the largest sculptural crystal ribbons of its kind, and the largest in Canada. Custom hand-crafted designed with 1,235 crystal rods manufactured in the Crystal Valley of Bohemia, a historic town with over 470 years of glassmaking traditions, near Prague, Czech Republic. “Draco” was inspired by a dragon’s tail, named after the legendary Chinese constellation, “The Dragon”, possessing a protective and graceful quality for guests. Strategically placed lighting highlights the naturally glistening crystal glass, that animates the tail linking the guest entry and the Greatroom. Unifying the design with Draco’s swirling reach is curved rhythmic lines on the high-end finishes and staircase, to create sense of movement resulting in design excellence and art integration execution.