The Brief was to create a new luxury hotel with 180 Bedrooms including a new reception, Bar, Lounge and Restaurant, Grand Ballroom and Terrace Bar About Birmingham.
Birmingham’s distinctive economic profile, with thousands of small workshops practicing a wide variety of specialised and highly-skilled trades, encouraged exceptional levels of creativity and innovation and provided a diverse and resilient economic base for industrial prosperity that was to last into the final quarter of the 20th century. Even at the beginning of the 21st it’s fast becoming a global recognised city and its new buildings and culture is at the forefront of any international city.
The Design Brief was to totally reposition and rebrand the hotel to attract a new and vibrant “lifestyle” audience. Focusing on “Luxury with purpose” mantra and using a natural materials pallet throughout. The use of unique showstopper features in each of the key areas to delight the guest and provoke interest in the hotel as part of Covent Garden’s vibrant and upbeat community. In the main welcome space there was total reconfiguration of the zone by removing the old Porte cochere to increase useable front of house space by 300m2. The lobby also had a complete reconfiguration of the double height lobby space so all key areas could be orientated and accessed by guests on arrival. Inclusion of a bespoke centrepiece welcome desk as an artwork upon arrival. Increase mezzanine area (originally B.O.H space and public wcs, to create and intimate residents Library lounge as a peaceful oasis amidst the vibrant space. Accessed via a bespoke illuminated “stairway to heaven” as a nod to the hotels musical heritage.
DESIGNER PROFILE: MANUELA MANNINO & NICHOLAS J HICKSON, OWNERS OF THDP
Tell us a little about your background in design. Manuela is an Italian architect with a background in history of architecture studies, Nick is a British interior designer, with furniture design background. How would you describe your personal interior design style? Eclectic with attention to technical specifications, our designs need to perform in a tough environment Where does your design inspiration come from? It is a mix generated by the location of the hotel mainly, it is lucky if we find an artist that fits the concept and is willing to take on the project. This is very rewarding as a final result. In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense? We expect more upcycling of old hotel furniture in the future, it will be interesting to create rooms that last longer and can be refreshed often, without throwing everything away
Applications are now open for The International Hotel and Property Awards 2021.
For over 10 years now, The International Hotel and Property Awards have supported the global interior design industry and brought together an elite group of companies and are constantly regarded as “the pinnacle of recognition within the industry.”
The Brief was to create a new luxury hotel with 180 Bedrooms including a new reception, Bar, Lounge and Restaurant, Grand Ballroom and Terrace Bar About Birmingham.
Birmingham’s distinctive economic profile, with thousands of small workshops practicing a wide variety of specialised and highly-skilled trades, encouraged exceptional levels of creativity and innovation and provided a diverse and resilient economic base for industrial prosperity that was to last into the final quarter of the 20th century. Even at the beginning of the 21st it’s fast becoming a global recognised city and its new buildings and culture is at the forefront of any international city.
The Design Brief was to totally reposition and rebrand the hotel to attract a new and vibrant “lifestyle” audience. Focusing on “Luxury with purpose” mantra and using a natural materials pallet throughout. The use of unique showstopper features in each of the key areas to delight the guest and provoke interest in the hotel as part of Covent Garden’s vibrant and upbeat community. In the main welcome space there was total reconfiguration of the zone by removing the old Porte cochere to increase useable front of house space by 300m2. The lobby also had a complete reconfiguration of the double height lobby space so all key areas could be orientated and accessed by guests on arrival. Inclusion of a bespoke centrepiece welcome desk as an artwork upon arrival. Increase mezzanine area (originally B.O.H space and public wcs, to create and intimate residents Library lounge as a peaceful oasis amidst the vibrant space. Accessed via a bespoke illuminated “stairway to heaven” as a nod to the hotels musical heritage.
DESIGNER PROFILE: MANUELA MANNINO & NICHOLAS J HICKSON, OWNERS OF THDP
Tell us a little about your background in design. Manuela is an Italian architect with a background in history of architecture studies, Nick is a British interior designer, with furniture design background. How would you describe your personal interior design style? Eclectic with attention to technical specifications, our designs need to perform in a tough environment Where does your design inspiration come from? It is a mix generated by the location of the hotel mainly, it is lucky if we find an artist that fits the concept and is willing to take on the project. This is very rewarding as a final result. In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense? We expect more upcycling of old hotel furniture in the future, it will be interesting to create rooms that last longer and can be refreshed often, without throwing everything away
Applications are now open for The International Hotel and Property Awards 2021.
For over 10 years now, The International Hotel and Property Awards have supported the global interior design industry and brought together an elite group of companies and are constantly regarded as “the pinnacle of recognition within the industry.”
