Hospitality Design - June 2016 - 49

perspectives

sketchbook

the william
vale
> The William Vale, the soon-to-open hotel in Brooklyn,
New York's Williamsburg neighborhood from Riverside
Developers, is making a dramatic statement while engaging
the area. Rising more than 20 stories tall to take advantage
of spectacular views of Manhattan, the mixed-use concrete
and steel complex is a blend of retail, office, public space,
and 183 hotel rooms, elevated above and surrounding a
central plaza. "The form of the truss under the hotel portion
of the building is partly driven by necessity, and partly
by our desire to express the sculptural qualities of the
building's structural elements to intensify the experience of
the building, both from afar and underneath it in the plaza
and on the green roofs," says the building's architect, Nick
Liberis, a partner at Brooklyn-based Albo Liberis. "With
the truss, we acknowledge and play off of other physical
characteristics in the neighborhood, from the local bridges
and manufacturing facilities to the various tank and tower
support structures."
Inspired by the ways urban spaces interface with each other, they
crafted a grand stair from the street that leads to the rooftop park-
15,000 square feet of green space complete with rolling hills. "It's a
fluid design that encourages people to filter in and out of the hotel
while hopefully enticing them to remain in this single destination for
socializing, entertainment, and leisure," Liberis says.
As for the interiors-which include a third floor 60-foot-long outdoor
pool, and ground floor restaurant Leuca and rooftop bar Westlight from
chef Andrew Carmellini's Noho Hospitality Group-Alessandro Munge
of Toronto-based Studio Munge "embraced the architecture, nurturing
the natural flow in public spaces by keeping it as unobstructed as
possible and by creating pockets for people to settle in," he explains.
That translates to the use of "clean materials in their purest form," such
as natural stone and white marble, residentially informed furniture,

much of it custom by area craftspeople, and a local contemporary
art program.
Munge points to the two-level presidential suite with its soaring
ceilings, marble feature wall, and luxe contemporary furnishings as a
standout, as is the faceted ballroom outfitted with extensive angular
paneling clad in a light off-white wood. And since the rooms were tight,
challenging spaces, Munge kept the palette light and youthful with black
accents as a modern nod to the industrial area.
"Our main design challenge was linked to Williamsburg's identity-it
really was our mission to create spaces respectful of the local community,
yet speaking to a new generation of youth and talents moving into
the neighborhood," Munge explains. "We aimed to give the interiors a
personality of their own, slightly more polished than the industrial look
the area is currently known for. It will set new standards for Brooklyn."

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