The Domain

Hotel, Residential | Oliver Mc Millan | Gensler | Houston - Texas

DESCRIPTION

The River Oaks district in Houston is a growing high-end neighborhood near the Galleria business area. This development has been a reflection on how to bring life to an entirely new downtown including office, retail, residential and entertainement buildings; while respecting the existing residential area. My primary focus was to design a 37 story tower with retail, W hotel and luxury condos. The stategic location of the tower on the site as a signaletic entry element drove the design to emphasize "floating" geometrical elements that create a dynamic hierarchy which play with the interlocking aspects of the program.

 

Peachtree Center

Retail, Restaurant | Village Solutions Company | Gensler | Atlanta - Georgia

DESCRIPTION

Peachtree center is an existing indoor retail/food court in Atlanta. It is part of an office complex design by John Portman in the 1970's. The need for a better street connection and more fluid circulation drove the organic shape idea. The openings in the floor slabs create a pedestrian canyon from front to back three levels down. The project also re-animated the street frontage by creating a more inviting entrance; the opposite of the existing monolithic three story building.

 

Arizona Biltmore

Spa | Waldorf Astoria | Gensler | Phoenix - Arizona

DESCRIPTION

One of the most unique features of the Arizona Biltmore hotel, is the claustra pattern designed by Frank Loyd Wright. We were commissioned to design a spa addition to this hotel. In order to keep the integrity of the building and to address the spa program, we worked on a way to keep privacy and bring light inside thanks to a double skin metal/glass wall that would include a reference to the famous pattern. Another challenge on this project, was to bring water from a gentle flow to a fall; participating in the spiritual aspect of the spa experience.