Vancouver may be celebrated as the “city of glass,” but it’s also known for its spectacular waterfront setting and easy access to the mountains. That dichotomy drives the narrative behind the Douglas, an Autograph Collection hotel, located within urban resort PARQ that’s built to LEED Gold standards. “The architecture of the building was a big influence,” says Vincent Celano, principal of New York-based Celano Design Studio, which handled interiors for the 188-room hotel. “Its reflection of the mountains, the water, and the city informs a large part of our narrative.”
The mixed-use building blends with its environment without disappearing into it, according to project architect Maxime-Alexis Frappier, principal at ACDF Architecture, which partnered with fellow Montreal firm Architecture49 on the project. Its exterior is clad in copper-colored glass that “talks with its neighbors while providing a surprising contrast,” he says. “Sort of like the red sole of a Christian Louboutin heel.” Metal fins—“like sequins on a black dress,” he adds—catch and disperse fragments of the surroundings. A swooping cutout reveals an expansive terrace park on the sixth floor, a major sustainable element, that’s packed with berms, native trees, and water features to ensure that visitors are treated to more immediate natural splendors than those off in the distance.
“For us, the architecture became a part of a story that has a lot to do with abstractions of nature,” Celano continues. “The lobby, for example, is about capturing framed views of what is literally a forest floating in the sky.” In the rooms, design cues elegantly nod to “warm and glowing cabins” (think buffalo plaid throws and plank headboards), though bathrooms suggest “carved out glaciers” with white marble and large-format windows. Further, Celano envisioned the hotel’s elevator as a mountain mine shaft through dynamic lighting and technology, while the lobby carries hints of a grand lodge hall.
Throughout, the spaces are rich in stamped concrete, walnut wood paneling, and blackened steel—choices inspired by the work of Arthur Erikson, a seminal Canadian architect who was interested in how modern technology could be applied to traditional building materials. The light, industrial, and masculine vibe is offset by touchpoints like brass detailing and decorative lighting. A handful of luxury suites—including Celano’s favorite, the “musician’s den”—up the curated feel by bringing in urban touches like concrete on the ceiling and metal accents.
All told, the Douglas and its sister property, a JW Marriott, share access to a casino, eight restaurants and lounges (Celano was responsible for three of them), a variety of multifunctional meeting spaces, and the rooftop garden. “Vancouver is a very international city,” Celano says. “So the idea is that guests can come to PARQ and define their particular experience and what it means to them.”
