Contract Magazine - January 2020 - 69

PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL KLEINBERG, MOXY CHELSEA MARRIOTT INTL.

Marriott's Moxy Hotels brand, synonymous with individuality, experientiality,
and creativity, recently debuted its Moxy Chelsea location, complete with
two restaurants-The Fleur Room and Feroce Ristorante/Caffè-that enhance
the hotel's distinctive personality. "Our goal for each Moxy hotel that we've designed
is to craft a compelling narrative that reflects the hotel's surroundings," says Greg
Keffer, partner, Rockwell Group. "There is exquisite craftsmanship and unexpected
details at every turn, which makes Moxy Chelsea unique."
Given that the hotel is nestled in Manhattan's vibrant Flower District,
the Rockwell Group design team set out to create the surreal experience of being
surrounded by lush foliage in a bustling commercial neighborhood, according
to Keffer. They accomplished just that with The Fleur Room, a showstopping
"crown jewel" at the top of the 35-floor Moxy Chelsea tower, with rich floral fabrics
and custom resin tables embedded with floral arrangements, as well as smaller
touches like the bathroom ceiling fixture that evokes a plucked daisy with
petals drifting down the walls.
Glamorous details-like a copper-clad bar, glass chandeliers that
resemble giant water droplets, and a massive disco ball salvaged from the 1980s
L.A. nightclub Vertigo-and witty moments, like a Roman statue designed to hold
a smartphone for selfies, complement the botanical theme and set a lush scene
for visitors to take in the 360-degree views of Manhattan. "The goal was to create
a space that's stunning for day and night," says Susan Nugraha, vice president
of design and development, Tao Group. "And there's a secret weapon: a lounge
wrapped in a wall of glass that retracts at the touch of a button, transforming
the space into an alfresco sky veranda."
Down on the ground floor, Feroce Ristorante/Caffè also offers an
open-air vibe, with airplane hangar-style doors that face out onto the street,
seamlessly incorporating the Italian dining spot into the neighborhood. "With
its Venetian plaster walls, cork barrel-vaulted ceilings, and terrazzo flooring,
Feroce Ristorante/Caffè feels like a fresh interpretation of a secret spot off of
a narrow side street in Rome," Keffer says. The design offers a twist of traditional
Italian motifs with a playful floor pattern and oversize glass pendants, the
perfect backdrop for patrons to enjoy house-made pastries and traditional Italian
sandwiches. Cheerful details, like a vintage doughnut machine and walls lined
with old-school candy jars and aperitif and digestif bottles, entice locals to enter
the space, while a dedicated window counter at the hotel entrance encourages
visitors to grab a treat on the go.
A sliding glass door opens up to a private dining room with walls adorned
in large-scale, deconstructed vintage Italian liquor posters behind antiqued mirrors.
The restrooms boast rich, emerald-painted walls and dark terrazzo, and replicas
of Italian figurative sculptures in cheeky poses further support the hotel's
sense of whimsy.

"Each Moxy is different and inspired by its surroundings," Keffer says.
"I think our client recognizes that hotel stays are innately experiential, and travelers
want to stay in places that feel connected to the location and are well designed and
unique. Moxy Chelsea feels integrated into the neighborhood, and offers guests
different experiences for dining, socializing, and working." -LAUREN VOLKER

P RO J E C T C R E DI TS

Client Tao Group, Lightstone Group
Architect Stonehill Taylor
Interior designer Rockwell Group
Rockwell Group project team David
Rockwell, FAIA, founder and president;
Greg Keffer, AIA, LEED AP, partner
and studio leader; Brad Zuger, project
manager; Jenny Bukovec; Yulia Frumkin;
Courtney Richardson
Contractor C & A Seneca Construction
Lighting Focus Lighting
Kitchen Next Step Design
S E L E C T E D S OU RC E S

FEROCE RISTORANTE/CAFFÈ
Floor/table lamps CRW Lighting; Bloom
Lighting; DCW Editions
Pendants/chandeliers CRW Lighting;
Bloom Lighting
Sconces CRW Lighting; Roll & Hill
Other decorative Tony Milici (artist)/
RAREculture, LLC (grappa glass and
metal art); Lee Jofa (floral pillow); Samuel
& Sons (rectangular pillows); Stellar
Works (custom grappa cart); Jane Millett
Design (vintage painted mirrors)
Lounge seating Dine Rite Seating
Products Inc.; Stellar Works
Dining seating Stellar Works; Munrod
Custom Upholsterers; Jay Edward
Outdoor seating Stellar Works (cushions)
contract

Upholstery Demar Leather Co.; Angela
Brown; Mokum Textiles; Donghia Inc.;
Kravet; Holly Hunt
Dining tables John Houshmand
THE FLEUR ROOM
Pendants/chandeliers Compasso SRL;
Jamie Harris; CRW Lighting
Sconces CRW Lighting; Venicem SRL;
Roll & Hill
Floor/table lamps CRW Lighting
Other decorative Blackman Cruz
(1980s disco ball from the L.A. club
Vertigo); Rockwell Group/RAREculture,
LLC (infinity mirror)
Lounge seating Stellar Works; Dine Rite
Seating Products Inc.; Munrod Custom
Upholsterers; 1stdibs
Dining seating M.A.D./Nuans Design
(stacking barstool)
Upholstery/fabrics/textiles Majilite
Corp.; Tiger Leather; Creations
Metaphores; Osborne & Little; Turning
Star Inc.; Bramson House; Kravet
Dining tables Stellar Works; Putnam
& Putnam/Atta Inc. (custom resin high
table)
Custom DJ booth Stellar Works
Carpet/carpet tile Moooi/MCI Carpets
BV (floral area rug)
Contract Magazine - January 2020

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