Hotel designers are increasingly thinking outside the box when it comes to space usage. A prime example is multifunctional lobbies, a trend driven by bleisure and revenue opportunities. “Lobbies are continuing to evolve into multifunctional spaces that blend work, socializing, and relaxation. … We are seeing a continued focus on both business and leisure needs across nearly every brand and tier regardless of location and market,” observed Molly Forman, senior associate at //3877. Moreover, the trend toward making guestrooms into “wellness sanctuaries” goes hand in hand with work functions being “pushed down to co-working areas in the lobby,” she added.
Kellie Sirna, owner and principal of Studio 11 Design, confirmed that both clients and brands are wanting more flex spaces. For example, at The Talbott, a newly renovated Autograph Collection hotel in Chicago, “the lobby space can be closed off to create an intimate, pop-up dinner or meeting space,” she noted. “Flex spaces can also drive revenue in different ways and create different experiences for guests. You can come in one day and use it as a lobby space to work with your coffee, but the next day, you’re shifting the furniture to host a meeting there.”
Accordingly, designers are adopting more flexible thinking in how they divide spaces, leaving options to open up smaller spaces into larger ones or, conversely, partition larger venues into more intimate spaces. “And it feels intentional. It doesn’t feel like you just chopped things up,” Sirna added.
Flexibility can also be exercised in the amount of space allotted to certain facilities, based on the guest demographic being targeted. “Our work on the AC Hotel Arlington National Landing in Virginia included the design of an expansive fitness center that is more than double the square footage required by Marriott,” Forman related. “The design is sleek and modern, mimicking a high-end wellness and fitness club that would seek to attract high-profile members. The owner of the hotel wanted this wellness amenity to stand out within the area to attract and encourage guests to keep up with their fitness routines or create new ones.”
