HBA completes The Summit, a Dolce Hotel by Wyndham in Cincinnati

Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) completed the design of The Summit, a Dolce Hotel by Wyndham in the Madisonville neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. The boutique hotel is an adaptive reuse project with its history woven into the design story.

Originally the Nutone door chime and fan ventilation factory built in 1950, the property became the new headquarters of Medpace, a medical research campus. The old factory structure became an unused parking garage known for its signature rainbow painted columns visible from many directions.

Architects then transformed the structure into a nine story, 239-guestroom hotel. The design vision for the hotel interiors was to marry inspiration from the building’s industrial roots in combination with modern, art-centric features.

According to Nicole Smith, associate at HBA’s Atlanta office, the brief called for a boutique, art centric hotel with an emphasis on attracting meeting groups. So HBA worked with art consultants in redeveloping the property. Due to the building’s history, the design team used bold colors and patterns with industrial undertones.

The lobby has 20-foot ceilings with the original exposed sandblasted columns, stained concrete floors and an industrial metal clad floating staircase. There is flexible seating available. There is an artistic metal screen reception desk with display case for industrial factory parts, and a massive modern abstract art mural that acts as a colorful visual. Linear light slots wrap from the ceiling down the wall.

Design inspirations that were included are industrial factory elements, seen in the feature staircase, furniture, lighting and artwork. HBA created angled vents in rainbow colors that surround the atrium, which hint towards the former painted columns of the garage, and integrated the existing columns into the public spaces and guestrooms. Asymmetrical modern furniture arrangements also adorn the atrium space.

The guestrooms have space for seating at the window wall. The overall design is also tied to medical research. For instance, the headboard mural is an image of a DNA strand under the microscope. There are strong accent colors of red that tie back to the building’s exterior windows. Modern custom furniture is grounded by a bold area rug. The bathroom mural is an abstract watercolor Cincinnati river city scene.

The coffee bar/nourishment hub is adjacent to the lobby atrium near lobby level meeting rooms. It has a self-serve kitchen, and a variety of seating groups that can be used for meetings. There is also a long communal table, illuminated motivational words and a linear fireplace.

The library room is positioned at the back corner of the lobby atrium. It is a private lounge space designed for small group functions. It has unique artwork and brightly colored accent shelves.

The meeting areas and break out spaces are located on the fourth floor.

Meanwhile, the restaurant and bar have a relaxed design, and feature woods with black iron acting as industrial accents. As a nod to Cincinnati’s pork industry, kitschy pork art references are a playful touch.

Photo credit: Hirsch Bedner Associates