I drove up the ramp
to reception, not realising that the conical light in the centre of
the turning circle was the roof light for the restaurant. The Entrance
is a strong architectural statement by day or night. Flat planes of
glass are a counterpoint to the black slab finishes, the windows being
ribbons of glazing across the façade.
The doorway is framed visually by strong aluminium clad structural
columns, their symmetry helping to create a powerful architectural
statement, and giving the first indication of the problems the designers
would have to grapple with in the public areas. The structure of the
building was as evident inside, where the public spaces were punctuated
by the measured spacing of the structural columns. |
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first floor level, with the ground floor being the car park, gym,
restaurant and some meeting rooms. This arrangement gives the restaurant
its own access at ground level. Security of the guests is assured
by formidable steel automatic doors for the car park (although these
may just be to protect the beer, this being Belgium) and by 15 closed
circuit cameras giving Reception office staff full surveillance of
all the public areas. |
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| Ransley Group, the interior
designers, were evidently undaunted by the challenge that the
structure imposed and responded with verve and boldness, varying
the treatment of the column cladding, including the use of funky
zipped leather 'coats' on some, polished plaster on others,
but making a kind of processional route from the Reception desk
to the bar through the use of contrasting floor finishes and
a suspended glass ceiling. |
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| Reception, lounge and
foyer bar flow one into another, cleverly delineated by the varying
formality of the seating, some of which becomes part of decorative
screens. Some of the 'modern' designer furniture, as so often where
fashion triumphs over function, is functionally deficient. The backward
sloping bar chairs unfortunately tip guests on their back if they
shout 'goal' too enthusiastically whilst watching the bars' wide screen
television. |
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is very good, and the bold use of colour enhances and lends excitement
to what would otherwise be a quite anonymous space. Glazed on both
sides, creating intimacy has been difficult in a large open plan area,
but Josef Ransley's team has achieved it here. |
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The Restaurant on the floor below is, if anything,
even more theatrical in the use of colour. Drama is added to the structural
columns, which again powerfully pierce the space, by the use of strong
colour and lights running in vertical bands along the sides of the columns.
The use of differing floor finishes and the positioning of the bar near
the external entrance to the Restaurant helps to break the space into
more intimate areas.
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There is inevitably a difficulty with any restaurant that has two entrances,
for whilst the bar is a natural pause for guests arriving from outside,
the maitre d' point is on the opposite side of the restaurant near the
lifts, the natural arrival point for the hotel guest.
The lifts also open into the breakout space for the
lower meeting room areas outside the Restaurant, and again the nature
of the architecture has left the conference and meeting rooms spread across
two floors, creating difficulties for the designers in resolving the function
of the spaces. Ransleys have however dealt with this deftly, although
there are probably still operational issues to be addressed here.
The bedrooms are the heart of any hotel, and Ransleys
have made use of the larger than normal space available to create separate
bathing and dressing areas in the bedroom.
The advantages of the dressing room outweigh the slightly
claustrophobic feel this gives to the bathroom itself, whilst the use
of glazed door and a glazed screen in the partition between bedroom and
dressing area allows daylight to reach through all areas.
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More successful is the development of a 'power tower' by the side of the
generous glass topped desk. This carries the now standard data, phone
and power lines needed to operate the portable office given everyone through
the use of laptop computers and mobile 'phones. The thoughtful addition
of a suit carrier is another touch in the bedroom that will endear NH
hotels to the business traveller.
The bedroom corridors use light wood and strong carpet
design to create a light airy feel, whilst the building form works well
here in giving quite short corridors, avoiding any lengthy walks for guests.
Ice machines are available on each floor adjacent to the lifts, whilst
the computer-controlled air conditioning prevents significant heat build
up through the large glazed area of each bedroom.
Stylish and contemporary, and with a friendly and effective
operational team, led very ably by manager Emmanuel Traore, NH Hotels
have developed a unit that promises to be successful. The business park
it is on is already generating significant business during the week, when
occupancy rates are already nudging the full mark, whilst the proximity
to the motorway, airport and the rail line into Brussels centre will help
in developing the alternative weekend market.
Development
Team:
Interior
Designers:
The
Ransley Group
Main
Suppliers:
Wallcoverings:
- Muraspec
- Tektura
Fabrics:
- Panaz Ltd.
- Sekers
Furniture:
- Chelsom
Lighting:
- Christopher Wray
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