B O U T I Q U E D E S I G N A W A R D S Boutique’s Elites Twelve top-tier hospitality projects took home the trophies in the sixth annual Boutique Design Awards. BY MAT THEW HALL BEST HOTEL Dream Downtown, New York Handel Architects LLP, New York Converting a building that noted architect Albert Ledner originally designed to house a maritime union hall into a flagship Dream hotel was potentially a nightmare commission for Handel Architects. For example, natural light was scarce within the ’60s-era structure. To help overcome that problem, designers took the bold step of removing four floors from the center of the building to create a new pool terrace that’s overlooked by guest rooms with balconies. Beyond that, the Handel team worked to saturate the hotel interiors with the Dream brand’s trademark mix of the sexy and the surreal. That includes the 200 hand-blown glass globes that float through the lobby and congregate over The Marble Lane restaurant (shown), filling the space with what designers describe as “a magical light cloud.” Says competition judge Eric Lam: “The design statement matches perfectly with the name of the establishment. Dream Downtown is vibrant, chic and authentically boutique.” The hotel also won a BD Award for Best Exterior (see page 28). 24 Boutique Design | January+February 2012 Bruce Damonte