Hotel Lobbies and Lounges

Tom Avermaete and Anne Massey

Avermaete is a professor of architecture at Delft University. His research is regarding architecture, public space and public buildings. He received his degree and PhD in theory of architecture from the University of Leuven.

Massey is a professor of Design and Culture at LCC. She writes about how you analyse space concerning art and design. She received her BA degree in History of Modern Art and Design from the University of Northumbria and her PhD on ‘The Independent Group; Towards a Redefinition”.

The authors explain the different elements that constitute the design of Hotel lobbies and lounges. They explored the functionality of the hotel lobby. They argue the various design elements to consider when designing and how the incorporation of these have changed the layout of hotels. The hotel lobby is the personality of the hotel. Avermaete and Massey explore the revolving doors, the main hall, reception desk, stairs and elevators as the main elements that constitute the hotel lobbies/ lounges.

New York Times Square Hotel. Picture retrieved https://www.citizenm.com/destinations/new-york/new-york-times-square-hotel

Revolving Doors. Picture retrieved from https://dfsandez.blogspot.com/2011/

One of these elements is the revolving door. The authors explain the origins of these and how they provide a new limit between the inside and outside the public area. Curiously, As stated by the authors these doors were mainly designed for high rise buildings to combat the vacuum generated by the air of the elevators, stairs and chimneys. I found very interesting that these doors were marketed as ‘always closed’ and only provide entrance to the guests and not the external elements.

Westin Singapore. Picture retrieved from https://medium.com/@timgrassin/you-should-be-working-from-luxury-hotel-lobbies-right-now-dce3864a319a

One of the most critical elements to explore is the main lobby. As stated by the authors a lobby hall is the main social gathering place. One interesting fact is the before the 19th Century only luxury hotels used generous gathering spaces. In contrast, to today that all hotels provide these generous spaces depending on size and give the importance its deserve. They explained how a hotel lobby provided a sense of having a secure public space within an interior space.

Another element to explore is the reception desk. This is the first element that guest use and helps to register the guests into rooms. In the past, hotels reception were minimal, but nowadays design guidebook defines the size of the reception desk depending on the number of rooms the hotel have. These are designed nowadays like a bar or counter, and they represent a ‘passage’ between public space and semi-private spaces.

As all the elements above, Stairs played a crucial role for guests to get to one place to another. Bell boys carrying bags upstairs represented the upper class and gave a layer of distinction. Until the incorporation of elevators, rooms that were close to the lobby were more expensive than higher floors room. Proving how the dynamics of the hotel have changed nowadays. As stated by the authors, the design activity of the hotel fluctuated around the elevators.

In conclusion, all these elements constitute overall the design of these hotel lobbies and lounges. This text helps you to explore what actually form a space and how theseelements have evolved over time.

Questions

• Do lobby represent the hotel’s personality?

• Are chain hotel lobbies a non place?

• Do you feel hotel lobbies are a transition between public and private space?