Splitting the Cube 

 

As the initial design progressed, it became clear that in order to meet both client aspirations and operator brand standards, the hotel and hotel apartments would need to fall under separate brands. On this basis a concept evolved which created a dual branded hotel development, where the hotel and hotel apartments were different brands with shared back of house facilities to maximise efficiency.

From a design perspective it was important that this duality was reflected in the architectural approach. Each hotel needed its own identity and access, while the overall development also needed to read as one. Godwin Austen Johnson, developed a number of different massing options which explored this approach, while also looking into the practicalities of obtaining the required accommodation mix, and operational efficiencies.

The final design was based on the two hotel masses interlocked to form a cube, when viewed from the main approach along the Northern Ring Road . The split between the hotel masses is expressed by a glazed slot, which snakes its way up the building. This glazed slot provides views out to the city from the lift lobby on each of the Double Tree floors and on the upper floors of the Garden Inn Hotel. 

The façade treatment is the same for both masses, however the colour has been changed to provide each mass with its own identity. Whilst the façade was designed to look random in nature, the number of different panel types were minimised to increase repetition and reduce costs.