Hilton looks to purchase Graduate Hotels, Bjarke Ingels Group is set to transform Manhattan’s East River waterfront, and today is the last day to submit to the HD Awards. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
BIG’s Freedom Plaza project will bring affordable housing to New York
A rendering of the BIG-designed Freedom Plaza in New York; rendering courtesy of BIG
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) unveiled its design for Freedom Plaza, a 4.1-million-square-foot development along Manhattan’s East River waterfront that will aim to function as a net-zero carbon development. The ambitious project, writes designboom, would comprise public spaces, a museum, hotels from Banyan Tree and Mohegan, affordable housing, and a casino. The two BIG-designed residential towers, rising 50 and 60 stories high, will offer 1,325 apartments, 513 of those—nearly 40 percent—will be designated as income-restricted units. This was proposed by developer Soloviev Group in exchange for approval to develop a casino, which will be connected to the two 50-story hotel towers above.
Is Hilton eyeing a Graduate Hotels acquisition?
Graduate Hotels Roosevelt Island in New York, a collaboration between Stonehill Taylor, Snøhetta, and Graduate’s in-house team at AJ Capital Partners; photo by Steve Freihon
According to The Points Guy, Hilton may be eyeing an acquisition of Graduate Hotels, the brand known for bringing lifestyle hotels to college towns and cities across the U.S. and UK. Unlike its competitors Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG, which have acquired different brands, the takeover of Graduate would be a strategic departure for Hilton—known for organically launching and growing its own brands. This comes at the heels of rumors about Hilton potentially acquiring NoMad Hotels, fueling speculation of Hilton expanding its luxury and lifestyle presence. (Related: The 180-key Graduate Princeton is set to open in New Jersey this spring.)
Designer Little Wing Lee on inequity in America
Photo by Joseph DeLeo
In a wide-ranging interview with Dezeen, Brooklyn, New York-based designer Little Wing Lee talks about the importance of building equity in public spaces. Basic design decisions, like the temperature of light, reflect a lack of care and thought for people with less agency, she said. In response, Lee founded Black Folks in Design (BFiD) in 2017, which assembles architects and designers to talk about problems faced by minorities in the design industry. “Black Folks in Design was born out of my desire to create this community of Black designers across all disciplines and, obviously, to share resources and ideas but then to also commiserate and laugh about crazy experiences that we’ve had working in the design world.” Lee is currently in the process of turning BFiD into a nonprofit. Hear more from Lee on Hospitality Design’s What I’ve Learned podcast.
Competition in the multibillion-dollar accessible travel market heats up
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
In 2018 and 2019, at least 70 percent of Americans with disabilities spent $58.7 billion on trips, according to a 2020 nationwide study conducted by Harris Poll. Yet, 70 percent of special needs travelers reported that they encountered obstacles when planning trips. Enter accessibleGo, cofounded by CEO Miriam Eljas. The platform, writes Bloomberg, is expanding its offerings to help travelers with disabilities plan trips—from booking flights to finding rooms with accessibility features. Competitors, like Wheel the World and Responsible Travel, are entering the market with their own accessible travel options. “There’s been this awakening in the travel industry that there is this market—and they want to travel and they have these needs that must be met,” Eljas says.
Time is running out to submit to the HD Awards!
Ace Hotel Toronto, designed by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects and Atelier Ace, a winner at the 19th annual HD Awards; photo by William Jess Laird
Today is the last day to submit your projects and products to the 20th annual HD Awards. Don’t miss your chance to be recognized! This year, the projects portion spans 30 categories, including the newly introduced Small Hotel (50 rooms and under), Branded Residences, Landscape + Outdoor Spaces, and Transportation. The judges panels will meet in early March to narrow down the hundreds of entries to the finalists and winners that will be celebrated during an awards ceremony on April 30th during HD Expo + Conference in Las Vegas. Enter your products and projects today, and visit hospitalitydesignawards.com to learn more about the contest.
