The Chelsea Hotel
The transition from wakefulness to the world of dream and fantasy is at the core of my hotel’s concept. I was inspired by the splendid color gradient—the subtle interweaving of blues, pinks, yellows, and oranges—that bursts in the sky as day transitions into night. My reimagining of the famous Chelsea Hotel on 23rd street invites guests to leave the gray dinginess of New York City and escape to a colorful, surreal, dreamlike environment in the hotel. Structured almost like a “summer camp for adults”, my hotel offers a wide variety of programs and activities throughout the day, ranging from a mystical-based tea service in the library to a roller disco on the tenth and eleventh floors to a magical forest-themed bar on the roof, and more.
To create a whimsical experience for guests that transports them to a different reality, I intermingle different design periods and styles. Art deco floor tile mixes with classical molding and French vintage Louis XVI chairs in the Library. In Cloud 23, the roller disco, 80’s retro graphical style pairs with postmodern color and form. For the roof bar, an Arabesque glass conservatory encases a fantastical arboretum bar. What unifies the myriad of design influences is a common color palette and fluid, curved form language.
With so many imaginative experiences, my Chelsea Hotel could serve as an escapist destination for both New York City locals and visitors.
Hotel Brand Book
Hotel Program
Reflected Ceiling Plans and Lighting Schedule
The lighting for Cloud 23 is complex, and just as integral to the overall design as the explicitly spatial elements. The floor of the roller rink is an LED floor, which not only generates light, but also creates an interactive element for guests to engage with the space. The floor can be programmed in multiple ways, for example, to display visual images that sync to the DJ’s music or video games for the guests to interact with while they skate. The other major lighting element is a sculptural arrangement of cloud LED lights hanging from the ceiling. The lights change color, so together with the floor they can completely transform the mood of the space, as well as create stunning visual displays. At the center of the clouds is a gigantic disco ball. Throughout the space, all of the arches are illuminated from lights in the floor, creating a soft glow throughout the space. In the bars, the shelves are backlit to illuminate the glass bottles from behind, and retro white pendant lights hang from the ceiling to light the bar seating. Finally, in the bathrooms, drop pendant lights hang from a dark ceiling, visually creating a grid of lights.
