Perhaps one of the most famous hotels in the world, the Fontainebleau Hotel, designed by Morris Lapidus, the quintessential Art Deco architect, is considered by many to be his masterpiece creation. Lapidus’s architectural language of “too much is never enough” is on grand display here. Recently, the hotel has undergone significant additions and renovations, largely ignoring the Collins Avenue entry area, and leaving it without a sense of arrival or drama. Our schematic design proposed two options for a contemporary update of the entry space: one is to borrow from the “French” gardening technique known as “tree pollarding” to impart a powerful visual experience, at once creating an iconic hotel entry commensurate with its architecture. Pollarded trees, topiary plants and water features are used to imbue a magical sense of place, paying honor to Morris Lapidus’ original vision of a hotel that recalls French royalty. The second option lies in the same idea as the previous, substituting the pollarded trees with Coconut Palms in order to create a signature, seaside hotel experience.

Collaborator:
Jeffrey Beers Interior Design