The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community
February 8, 2018
Text: Jesse Dorris
Savvy Studio Paints a Portrait of a Neighborhood at Brooklyn’s Gowanus Inn and Yard
Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood has long been a hub for artists drawn to the open plans and natural light of warehouse lofts dotting the banks of the titular canal. While the district is changing at lightning speed, the relationship between art and architecture continues, notably in the Gowanus Inn and Yard.
Savvy Studio took inspiration from a painting—a 1950’s portrait of a middle-class family by Robert Bechtle—for the 12,000-square-foot hotel’s concept, translating his sunny palette into optimistic colors dabbed onto neutral concrete walls and ceilings.
Custom built-in sofas and groups of seating offer guests ample space to meet and greet in the lobby. Photography by Coke Bartrina.
In the 76 rooms, the hardwood ceiling and floors and custom built-in beds and bookcases pay tribute to the old warehouses. “The idea is to constantly keep the guest feeling in the neighborhood with a design that is authentic, simple, and real,” says Savvy founder and creative director Rafael Prieto. And, in a nod to the area’s burgeoning gallery scene, the firm filled every inch with their own works of art: custom sectionals, arm chairs, tables, and chandeliers.
Savvy collaborated with Pablo Limón Design Office on some custom lobby furniture, which includes banquettes in rich earth tones and tons of greenery. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Red brick installed in herringbone patterns echoes the lobby’s angular staircase. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Custom lobby furniture includes marble-tooled tables and modernist seating by PLDO. Photography by Coke Bartrina.The signage at reception is made of stainless steel. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Savvy devised a solution-dyed acrylic overhang and brushed black nickel sign for the entrance. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Bedrooms feature cotton-covered cushions hung by leather straps across the walls, with table lamps by Jordi Canudas Studio. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Savvy focused on clean lines and a whitewashed palette for the guest rooms’ custom vanities and medicine cabinets. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Multiple tones of wood, from ceiling and wood panels to the custom desk and storage unit, warm up guest rooms. Photography by Coke Bartrina.Room numbers are simple illuminated squares. Photography by Coke Bartrina.
