Boutique Design - June 2018 - 43

GOOD
InnInGS
It's a whole new game for the hospitality scene around Wrigley
Field. Stantec Architecture and Studio K Creative team up to
pay tribute to the famed architect behind the iconic Chicago
ballpark with a newbuild boutique that embodies his personal
and professional lives.

DAVE BURK

BY CHRISTINA GREEN

CHANGE up. It takes more than prime real estate to attract upscale guests, even if the
location overlooks a historic landmark. That's why when it came to creating Hotel Zachary
at Gallagher Way, giving the new stadium-side structure visual meaning with interiors that
would reflect both the residential warmth of Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood and the
heritage of the mastermind behind Wrigley Field was vital.
Hickory Street Capital already had its power hitters in mind. Stantec Architecture had
been contracted by the Chicago Cubs to execute a multiphase renovation of Wrigley Field
in 2013 before the real estate development company awarded the firm the adjacent hotel's
architecture and guestroom interiors (as well as a plaza and office building) one year later.
Locally based Studio K Creative had an in too, having previously collaborated with Hickory
Street president Crane Kenney, who's also president of business operations for the Cubs, on
other projects (including the major league baseball team's new offices) before being tapped
to create Hotel Zachary's public spaces. Chicago's Walsh Construction rounded out the
all-star team, serving as the hotel's general contractor.
From conception to opening day, it took just under a year and a half for Studio K to
complete the hotel's 8,000 sq. ft. of public areas. To create a natural traffic flow and overall
multifunctionality, the designers defined various spaces within an open floor plan,
including a communal reception area, bar, dining lounge, window seating and a breakfast
area. A more secluded lounge, dubbed "the fireplace room," serves as a warm welcome
during the Windy City's brutal winters.
"We tried to create fluidity so that guests could gather in groups, have conversations,
host meetings and still feel connected to any activity at Wrigley Field," says Studio K principal Karen Herold. That meant limiting the number of televisions to four to maintain a
certain level of intimacy, and adding lightweight furniture to allow for casual flexibility. (The
firm has added more loose ottomans since the hotel's debut in response to requests by the
staff who noticed the need for seating solutions for larger groups.)
Giving the newbuild hotel lasting impact without boring guests with a literal interpretation meant digging deeper than sports trivia and doing some serious history homework.
Early 1900s architect Zachary Taylor Davis became not only the hotel's namesake but the
key reference for its overall visual narrative. "We wanted to honor his career legacy and his
family by making each space feel like an extension of his home," says Herold. So Studio K's
designers set up meetings with Davis' family, who were flown into Chicago from New York
and other cities, to get their inspo.

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Boutique Design - June 2018

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