Hospitality Design - March/April 2016 - 76

perspectives

brand identity le méridien
midnight blue accents, "everything has meaning
and significance to the city," says Studio 11
principal Kellie Sirna. Carpet patterns are
taken from topographical city street maps, while
lettering and dates applied to the glass surface
of the desk represent important moments in
Indianapolis history. The focal point: an oldmeets-new headboard wallcovering that's a
kaleidoscope of a historical map inclusive of the
city's railroad lines overlaid with a current map.
"Patterns in artwork and fabrics also reflect
significance to the city although you may need a
second to realize what they actually are," Sirna
says. "We wanted to infuse these elements to
evoke a feeling of discovery."

2. A rendering of the
library at Host's Axiom
Hotel in San Francisco, set
to debut this fall, operated
by Kokua Hospitality.
3. The lobby lounge,
shown here in a rendering,
of Host's yet-to-benamed lifestyle property
in Phoenix, which will
reopen by the end of the
year as part of Marriott's
Autograph Collection.

Photos courtesy of LE MÉRIDIEN

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3

Indianapolis > For the $13 million

transformation of the historic 1928 Canterbury
Hotel into the Le Méridien Indianapolis,
Rockbridge brought in two design firms: New
York- and San Francisco-based AvroKO (lobby
and Spoke & Steele restaurant) and Dallas-based
Studio 11 Design (guestrooms and suites).
AvroKO's main challenge was to make the
public spaces "feel like one, seamless space,"
says partner Kristina O'Neal. "The bones of the
building structured the layout, creating divisions
in the floorplan and smaller areas to set up more
intimate gathering spots-more residential in
feel," adds partner Greg Bradshaw. Detailing
and furniture "capitalize on the French-Parisian
residential inspiration," he adds.
To that end, the designers outfitted the spaces
with masculine fabrics and leather done in gray
and black with pops of blue; midcentury pieces

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March/April 2016 hospitalitydesign.com

such as a custom reception desk akin to a piece
of furniture found in one's home; dark wood
herringbone floors; and copper accents (on light
fixtures, shelving, and furniture)-all set against
white brick or white paneled walls. Artwork and
finishes reference the city's racing industry (since
it is home to the Indianapolis 500) and actor
Steve McQueen, who was born there. Take his
namesake private dining and event room that's
covered in McQueen memorabilia and pixelated
pictures, says partner William Harris, or the
abstract, backlit chrome light piece that greets
guests in the lobby that looks "like the profile of
a car bumper in the shape of the Indianapolis
racetrack," explains partner Adam Farmerie. The
double stitching found on racecar seats inspired
the leather seating detailing, and the bartop is
high gloss metal, much like the hood of a car.
In the 100 gray-toned guestrooms with

5
1. Spoke & Steel features
white brick walls and a
pop of blue on a curved
banquette.
2. The arrival art piece
resembles a chrome car
bumper in the shape of
the Indianapolis racetrack.
3. A fireplace warms
the Hub, which has a
residential feel thanks to a
series of smaller rooms.

4. A gray and white
wallcovering of a historical
city map overlaid with
a current version hangs
above a guestroom bed.
5. Wall paneling behind
the residentially informed
reception desk is a
reinterpretation of what
would be traditionally
found in a Parisian pied-àterre, with the inclusion of
metal panels as a wink to
the car racing industry.
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