Contract Magazine - January 2020 - 93

PHOTOGRAPHY: NICOLE FRANZEN

says. "Beyond that, our goal was to design an environment that would serve
as a hub-an energetic landmark for visitors, and an inviting, inclusive space
for locals to linger."
That respect for craftsmanship began with the designers' treatment of the
existing historical structures. Gachot Studios worked with Detroit's Kraemer Design
Group, a leading historic renovation and architectural consulting firm, to oversee
the complex and delicate undertaking. The idiosyncratic arrangement of the three
buildings led the formation and reorganization of all interior spaces, including the
layout of the guest rooms, which includes 57 different configurations in all.
Furniture, wallcoverings, and accessories were all custom designed, many
of them manufactured in the United States and produced in Michigan by local
vendors: They tapped Pewabic for the ceramics, Booms Stone Co. for the stone
finishes in the guest rooms, and Great Lakes Stainless for the decorative metalwork
found throughout common spaces and public areas. A cocktail lounge called the
Evening Bar awaits visitors through a discreet passage in the main "living room,"
outfitted with etched glass panes and curved ceilings gilded in gold leaf.
Local flavor further permeates the space through the selection of many
artworks, curated by local gallery Library Street Collective, as well as customwoven panels by Detroit artist Margo Wolowiec, which provide a burst of color
and energy at reception.
The design team also took care to repurpose original materials and details,
such as the charming terra-cotta tile from the old Rayl's hardware store exterior,
which they molded and recast as plaster for the ceiling of the event space. They
also took an old paint chip from the Singer sewing machine building and developed
it into a custom Shinola blue, which is used throughout the hotel in concert with
a palette of caramel, camel, and gray hues accented by touches of soft blush, deep
greens, rich woods, plush mohair, and oil-rubbed bronze, in order to create "that mix
of intimacy, comfort, style, and familiarity that defines the world's greatest hotels,"
Gachot says.
It's a sentiment that echoes that of Shinola's creative director, Daniel Caudill:
"Shinola is a brand that was built by the city and people of Detroit, and that's what
sets us apart from other brands opening hotels in the city. We are aiming to be
Detroit's 'living room,' so to speak. We want the space to be welcoming to travelers
and tourists, but also be a space where locals feel at home." -AILEEN KWUN

A purveyor of American-made luxury goods, from watches to bicycles and
leather accessories, Shinola has become synonymous with its home base in Detroit
and its legacy of manufacturing. For its next chapter of growth, the company has
doubled down on its Motor City presence with the opening of a new boutique hotel,
in collaboration with real estate firm Bedrock Manufacturing and designed
by Gachot Studios.
"Shinola was designed with the community in mind," says Christine Gachot,
principal and founder of Gachot Studios. "We wanted to make sure the hotel felt
familiar and authentic, yet exciting and lush. With the rich history and buzzing
energy of Detroit in mind, we set out to design with texture, weight, and substance.
We used these notes as the baseline to tell a new story, one of an exciting future
that is unfolded in real time, welcoming to new ideas and experiences."
Gachot Studios had already been collaborating on the brand's flagship
stores when it was tapped for the hotel project as a development consultant. Located
on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit, the new 129-room, eight-story property
combines two existing buildings-the historic Singer Building and the T.B. Rayl
& Co. store-and three new annexes into a single structure. Working with Bedrock
and Shinola to establish the programming and user experience for the hotel, Gachot
Studios also consulted on the exterior architecture and designed all interiors
throughout the property, which began booking stays in January 2019.
While the brand's name is baked into the property, the designers' brief
was much more expansive. Their approach sought to convey "the high level
of craftsmanship and elegant detailing that defines the Shinola brand," Gachot

P RO J EC T C R EDI TS

SE L E C T E D SOURC E S

Clients Shinola, Bedrock Manufacturing
Architect Kraemer Design Group
Kraemer Design Group project
leader Brian Rebain, principal
Interior designer Gachot Studios
Gachot Studios project leader
Christine Gachot, principal
Contractor Barton Malow Co.
Art consultant Library Street Collective
Lighting L'Observatoire Intl.
Engineering Engineering Plus
(low-voltage, IT); IDS (mechanical,
plumbing, electrical)
Landscape Planterra
Graphic design/branding/visual
identity Shinola, Jacque Ostrom,
Love & War
Operators Mac & Lo, NoHo Hospitality
Group
Developer Bedrock Manufacturing
Purchasing firm/procurement The
Parker Co.

Woodwork (public space) MOD
Interiors, Master Craft Floors
Woodwork (guest rooms) Division 6
Fabrication & Installation, D.E. McNabb
Flooring
Stone and tile (public space)
Wolverine Stone Co.
Stone and tile (guest rooms) Artisan
Tile Inc.
Wood flooring (guest rooms) D.E.
McNabb Flooring
Plaster vaulted ceiling (public space)
Russell Plastering

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Contract Magazine - January 2020

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