Based on a major peripheral highway along Chandigarh this is a nautical themed luxury boutique hotel designed by Ar. Sheetal Sharma and Ar. Dhruv Sarveshwar Lal from Dhruv Sarveshwar Lal and Associates.
With its mere 14 rooms, restaurant, rooftop lounge and banquet roots its design in its calm textures, materials and themed accents added by the artwork, accentuating the design sensibility it is conceived with.
Client Brief of the Hotel Design
The owner being a captain in the merchant navy wanted the built environment and the space within it to portray his passion and profession that is seafaring. The design made to convey a sea side setting in the typology of a bay showroom; a contemporary rendition of his classical poised sensibilities.
Design Challenges
With little room for maneuvering and having to achieve a feeling of a ship anchored at port, so as to meet the aspirations of the client in consonance with the name “HOTEL ANCHORAGE”. One could stay true to the brief by achieving a unique calmness and providing visual fluidity poised in its stillness. This was made possible from the adorning concave tubular columns of the facade, its bi-planar element flowing over from its side onto the floor and forming the landscape, to its seafaring adornments, selections of colors, textures and materials to bring about a certain sense of inertia in contrast to micro built environment it is located in.
Thereby, setting an expectant tone to be carried forward by its planning interiors, which are as engulfing and engaging as the outer look of the building in perfect counter balance.
The material context of the design
To design the space with a certain sense of inertia along with the materials used the method of application played an equally important role in defining its design language which could seamlessly fuse a rustic interior with a contemporary design sense while using an earthy palette. The defining material used either travelling in or a binding a space was chosen to be textured or rustic while the application remained modern and the design contemporary. Conveying the design sense through artwork and artifacts was an equally essential part of the design process and the user experience.
The Highlights
The symbolic translation into designs, throughout the project, there are key aspects and elements that adorn or are set in a space.
- The Feature green wall on the side elevation with its manicured landscape and a live boat set in it, is a translation of water flowing from the top of the building onto the landscape highlighted by the flowing design language of the element.
- With a similar design sense the reception table carries forward the same design language.
- The lobby envisioned as an area under water area is given a partition that is calm in pure white and makes the space look vast like the waves it signifies with a ceiling derived as an analogy to the underside of boats docked at a pier which is origami inspired.
- Restaurant overlooking the manicured external landscape with the ribbed arch ceiling and rustic materials including the styling of furniture lends in parts to the overall theme of a dockside café.
- The original sailing equipment’s placed as artwork throughout the space internally and a live anchor and boat externally create an unmistakable identity for the project while carrying forward the theme subtly.
