Boutique Design - December 2014 - 30

2014 GOLD KEY AWARDS

BEST LOBBY - LUXURY

WINNER

W VERBIER,
SWITZERLAND
Designer: concrete, Amsterdam
THE CHALLENGE: Create a concept for W Hotels' first
ski retreat that disrupts expectations about luxury Alpine
resorts without losing connection to the locale or the
brand's urbane vibe.

carving through snow, the designers used the bold lines of
architectural elements and contemporary furniture to slice
through the interior volume. A slalom of upholstered white
benches interrupts the vertiginous slope of the stone-clad
grand staircase. The red-hot ribbon of the lobby's 20-ft. fireplace introduces a strong horizontal feature that provides
an intimate, cozy contrast to the neck-craning climb to the
reception desk. But before guests get too comfortable with
the idea that this is just another chalet-style retreat, the
mood shifts again. Two sculpted stone blocks, inlaid with
brass and backlit marble, add vertical reach and a bit of an
urban gallery appeal to the easy profile of the Living Room's
understated FF&E.
Carefully constructed contrasts hold everything in
dramatic tension. Natural stone, wood and glass keep
it real. It's the decision to play them against obviously
manmade statements like the boxes that house takes on
the brand's signature W at the entrance and high-shine
surfaces like the lipstick-red tunnel that leads to the nightclub, Carve, that throws everything off kilter. Distinctive
touches from sleek silvery upholstery to brushed metal
lighting fixtures and a suspended translucent bubble chair
infuse an unmistakable touch of New York glamor.
THE SHOWSTOPPER: The 360-degree street panorama by
tape artist Buff Diss in the Living Room.
THE TAKEAWAY: Throw sense of place a curve by using

local materials in expected and unexpected ways. For
example, wood reprises its traditional role as the obvious
choice for many of the walls in this reformatted chalet, as
well as the furniture. But it also gets a star turn when used
in the form of a 33-by-10-ft. sculpted block that includes
both seating options and a cozy fireplace. The same material takes on a more urban feel in a piece that integrates
various species of wood into a signature suspended light
fixture. Glass transitions from window walls to focal art
work in the form of the "glaciated" bar.

boutiquedesign.com DECEMBER 2014

"THE STUNNING ATTENTION TO DETAIL,
TO THE SIGHT LINES AND TO THE CONCEPT
THAT BRINGS THE OUTSIDE IN WHILE STILL
REFERENCING THE BRAND'S NEW YORK
ROOTS ALL ADDS UP TO A 'WOW'"
-ALAN PHILIPS, MORGANS HOTEL GROUP

SOURCES
CLIENT: Les Trois Rocs; DESIGNER: concrete: Rob Wagemans, creative director; Lisa

Hassanzadeh, project architect; Daniel Schröter, junior project architect; Keshia Groenendaal,
specialist interior architect; Paula Gäbel, specialist interior architect; Femke Zumbrink, visual
marketer; Soﬁe Ruytenberg, visual marketer; Erik van Dillen, interior architect; ARCHITECTS:
Architecture Stephane et Vincent; Luisier SA in collaboration with Fima Architecture SA;
DEVELOPER: Les Trois Rocs; FURNITURE: Decca; JOINERY: IHD

Y V E S G A R N E AU F O R C O N C R E T E

THE INSIDE STORY: Inspired by the dynamism of skis

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - December 2014

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