CROWNE PLAZA
The Designworks spatial team was asked to create an innovative and fresh design approach to a well known local hotel, which has found a new site in Christchurch’s tallest existing building on an engaging corner opposite Victoria Park.
Before it fell in the 2011 earthquakes, the original Crowne Plaza Hotel was a Christchurch icon. It has been reincarnated through the bravery of its owners who have restored a former 17 floor 1980’s office building in order to breathe new life into the city and restore the city’s premier hotel.
The focus was to create a guest experience based around being welcomed and how that flowed into relaxation, eating and working, across the entire hotel
The brief was to create a premium 4.5 star hotel experience that put a fresh spin on the Crowne Plaza brand as well as making it work locally, and to ignite the theatre and drama of the Performing Arts Precinct. As the city’s largest hotel attracting both locals and those from across the globe, the design needed to deliver an exciting and unique experience maximizing the 360 degree views of the Port Hills, Southern Alps and Pacific Ocean.
The design idea was centered around a “New Energy” in Christchurch, building on the creative force that having a blank canvas unleashes, a reinvention.
On arrival to the 204 room hotel, guests are greeted with a welcoming and boldly crafted interior featuring timber slats wrapping the walls, accentuating height and anchoring the lobby space, bringing a warmth to the arrival experience.
A large freeform mesh ceiling feature glows over the reception pods inspired by the winding Avon and the space connects to the adjacent lobby bar through a striking double sided central fireplace helping to draw guests inside.
The full height windows flood the ground floor with natural light during the day and the carefully curated and dramatic lighting brings the spaces to life as dusk falls and allows changing mood and atmosphere.
The food and beverage experience is open and theatrical showcasing local cuisine from within the crafted café, sophisticated lobby bar and the Market Place restaurant, named after the original market on site.
A grand open staircase connects to the first floor dining, library and meeting rooms and feature carpets and rugs have been carefully designed drawing inspiration from the braided rivers and typography of the South Island.
To maximize the feeling of space and engage with the extensive views, three tiers of guest room design offer glazed bathrooms, and are focused on large window seats in every room framing the ever changing and magnificent views. With the flexibility of a custom designed table adjacent to the window seat, guests can rest, work and eat from this unique spot.
Unique features of each guestroom include a Vida Poche to drop your keys, charge phone and hang your jacket at the door, along with a fully glazed wardrobe, mini bar and luggage rack unit.
Optimising an office floorplan to suit a hotel and maximize occupancy was challenging but we were able to overcome this ultimately delivering 12 rooms per floor.
Also managing multiple client stakeholders located in different cities was often challenging as well as balancing the needs of the brand owner IHG but through regular video and phone project meetings and building the clients trust we were able to deliver a world class design.
Undertaken while Group Head of Spatial at Designworks - also see Awards