Saleha Ahsan
Passionate about Interiors, Biophilic Design, and Sustainable Design. My goal is to create spaces that are sustainable, minimal, and which makes the users experience extraordinary. I have always been interested in the Hospitality field, that's why I chose to do a boutique hotel for my senior thesis.
Conrad Hotel
Conrad Hotel is a boutique hotel located at 21 Ossington Ave Toronto ON. It offers all types of designers to come under one roof to connect, socialize, and share their ideas. The purpose of the hotel is to merge biophilic design (green wall, use of natural & low VOC materials/ finishes, large windows/ skylight) together with the strength of cutting-edge technology ( mobile check-in/ check-out, unlock the door with an app, iPad in each room to control temperature/ light/ blind) throughout the space. The main goal is to gradually improve the traveler's experience.
Rationale and Design Narrative
Conrad Hotel by Hilton is built in a way where travelers experience connection with themselves and connecting with others. Conrad Nicholson Hilton says; “NEVER JUST STAY, STAY INSPIRED”. This boutique hotel is minimal “Modern Oasis” that emerges, a sense of calm through the integration of biophilic design in social areas, together with the strength of cutting-edge technology throughout the space, to improves the traveler's experience with the requisite greenery and natural lighting. The intention of my space is to create a platform for all designers to come under one roof to connect, socialize, and share their ideas. The focal area in the hotel is the open lounge that doubles up as an event space. Meet and greets, live talks, fashion shows, pop-up events, chair show, and interior design thesis show can be held there.
Design Connection to Research
The background of the design problem I am investigating is found through research and my experience. Research has shown that “80% of travelers place importance on properties implementing eco-friendly or sustainable practices” said Jenny Rushmore, director of responsible travel for TripAdvisor (Jennifer Champagne,2016). Travelers are also attracted to more hi-tech hotels, said by Virgin. Therefore, the goal is to design improved hotel spaces for efficiency. Tony Carty thinks that as technology evolves hotels will become hyper-personalized and hyperconnected. “As technologies become more accessible, I think the hotel industry is going to use them to provide better amenities for their guests. From providing additional comforts for guests to enhancing their stay through visuals - it's all going to contribute to a more pleasant consumer experience” (Eleanor, 2018). Through my research and observations on hotels, I found in several hotel properties problems; have inefficient use of space, check-in/ check-out line ups, no connection to nature. My study will address the solutions and improvements that can be made to the spaces. Therefore, how technology and the concept of biophilia together work to have a successful design bouquet hotel.
Character of Space
The main floor is more public area, as you enter you are greeted at reception/ lobby with a grand green wall and floor to ceiling windows, then we have the open workspace and three private meeting rooms, we have administrations office, then the main focal point of the hotel “open lounge/ event space” atrium features a large skylight that provides natural light to the whole space, kitchen, public and universal washrooms, café lounge for coffee and hang out and then we have the restaurant and bar that is open to the public as well. The second floor is mostly private. We have the four types of suites; family, universal, large, and standard. The yoga studio and gym and finally the storage and laundry and linen room.
