Client

EDC Aberdeen

Completed

2013

Description

This early stage design for a classic interpretation of the Holiday Inn Open Lobby Concept was created by Occa Design for Holiday Inn Aberdeen AEC.

Our brief was to create a Holiday Inn Concept which met the requirements of the brand but which was redesigned in a classic style which would be suited to the temperamental Aberdeen weather. The hotel would have inviting interiors which were warm and cosy whilst stylish and glamorous.

The existing architecture of the space was challenging. Designed in the 1990’s, the public areas were split over two levels with a huge glass roof light taking centre space, at some 6m from ground level. The existing division of the space created a poor flow and offered lots of blank spots from a service point of view. Creating spaces which felt intimate within this huge rooms was of paramount importance to the client team, whilst budgets required that the roof light and vast ceiling heights were retained.

A neutral base palette was selected and layered in texture stone, mirror and timber. Tile, timber and carpeted floors would be mixed to create natural zones throughout the open plan space. Neutral wall paints were supplemented with feature wallcoverings further accentuating these zones.

An eclectic selection of furniture pieces was chosen offering guests a variety of seating types in different styles to suit different uses, from relaxation, to work, to dining. Wool and leather furniture finishes, with chrome details, would further enrich the layering.

All Holiday Inn brand components were accommodated, reinterpreted to suit the classic style. Our layout included The Chefs Table, To Go Cafe and Media Lounge to name but a few. The proposals were well received by the client team and the design further developed to a full and final concept. Changes to the economic climate in Aberdeen saw the project put on hold in 2014, shortly ahead of the site start.

Like our Holiday Inn Aberdeen concept? See our DoubleTree by Hilton Dundee project here