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    Adean Studios overhauls High Country Motor Lodge with nods to astronomy

    An old roadside motel on America’s iconic Route 66 has been renovated by San Francisco-based Adean Studios to reflect the culture and enviromnent of Flagstaff, Arizona.

    Adean Studios worked with local architecture studio Synectic Design to overhaul the High Country Motor Lodge, which is operated by Marc & Rose Hospitality.
    Dark blue walls and amber lighting set the tone inside the High Country Motor Lodge lobby loungeThe mid-century property is accessed directly off the historic, cross-country Route 66 highway that runs through Flagstaff – the city that provides a base for visitors to the Grand Canyon, the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort and miles of hiking trails through the surrounding wilderness.
    Almost 7,000 feet (2,100 metres) above sea level, the city is also home to the Lowell Observatory where Pluto was discovered in 1930.
    The hotel was renovated by Adean Studios to reflect the landscape and history of FlagstaffAll of these elements were combined as influences for the hotel’s design, which lands somewhere between a mountain lodge and a retro motel.

    “Our goal was to incorporate the rich astronomical history of Flagstaff, while also creating an environment that blends elements of a retro 1960s lounge with modern mountain design,” said Adean Studios principal Alexa Nafisi-Movaghar. “The entire property showcases a darker colour palette accented with rustic woods and 1960s-inspired fixtures and furnishings.”
    Guest room interiors are a cross between mountain cabins and retro motel roomsPainted midnight blue, the hotel buildings form a U shape around a central lawn and a large swimming pool, which was also renovated as part of the project.
    The lobby, restaurant and other public areas face the highway, while the majority of guest rooms are located in perpendicular two-storey blocks behind.
    Low furniture and cassette players add to the nostalgic atmosphereOn the west side of the site, three new shingle-clad cabins were constructed to house larger suites, bringing the total number of keys to 123.
    The dark facade colours continue inside the lobby, lounge and bar areas, where a variety of seating types and configurations allow guests to dine or relax as they choose.
    Dark green and blue hues throughout the property nod to the forested surroundings and night skyAmber-hued glass light fixtures emit a soft, warm glow in these spaces, while velvet curtains and blankets were included.
    The bar and lounge opens onto a stepped outdoor terrace, where more dining tables and low chairs are arranged around a series of fire pits.
    The property is arranged around a central lawn, which public events are held, and a large renovated swimming poolA general store off the reception area sells a curated selection of snacks, merchandise and other locally sourced gifts.
    In the guest rooms, navy blue wainscoting wraps the lower portion of off-white walls, and dark wood floors and low furniture add to the mid-century aesthetic.
    Three shingle-clad cabins that house suites were built as part of the projectEach is equipped with a cassette player and a set of three tapes, which play tracks that evoke nostalgia for the road trip era.
    High Country Motor Lodge also boasts a Nordic spa, comprising two private wood-lined saunas that guests can reserve for one-hour sessions.

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    These cabins are accessed from an enclosed courtyard with an outdoor shower and fire pits, and have direct access to the hot tub for further relaxation, or the swimming pool for a cold plunge.
    “Inspired by the local lifestyle of adventure-seekers, day-sleepers, and night-watchers, the great lawn, private cottages, and the Nordic Spa have been designed to enhance the outdoor experience, constantly reminding guests of the beautiful nature that surrounds,” Nafisi-Movaghar said.
    The hotel has a Nordic spa that guests can book for private experiences. Photo by Landon KroegerThe hotel’s branding was created by Charleston-based SDCO Partners, and also plays up the retro and astronomy themes.
    “Nestled between the Grand Canyon and Barringer Crater, the High Country Motor Lodge is at once both celestial and earthly, and the brand design honors both,” said creative director and founding partner Amy Pastre.
    The sauna cabins are located close to the hot tub. Photo by Landon Kroeger”An eclectic family of hand-rendered typographic and illustrative graphic elements celebrate the motor lodge’s vintage style, contemporary design, and the love of high desert adventure.”
    A range of public programming is organised at the location throughout the year, including theatrical performances, and a folk music festival in the fall.
    The private saunas can be reserved for an hour. Photo by Landon KroegerMany former motels and motor lodges across the US have been bought up and renovated into boutique accommodations over the past decade.
    From Hotel Joaquin in Laguna Beach and The Drifter in New Orleans, to Scribner’s in New York’s Catskills Mountains and Tourists in the Berkshires, these hotels are often designed with a location-specific twist.
    The photography is by Werner Segarra, unless stated otherwise.

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    Preen designs Prime steakhouse for a casino in the Arizona desert

    Designer Alexis Readinger of US studio Preen has incorporated earthy hues, wide arches and textured plaster into an Arizona eatery and bar that is part of a casino owned by a Native American community.

    The restaurant, Prime, is located on the top floor of an 11-storey tower at a casino and resort complex just south of Phoenix. The site, called Wild Horse Pass, is owned by the Gila River Indian Community.
    fThe restaurant features wide archesThe space was designed by Preen, a Los Angeles-based studio led by hospitality designer Alexis Readinger.
    Given that American casinos can often be ostentatious or kitschy, the design of Prime is meant to “challenge the traditional concept of a casino restaurant”.
    A “French aesthetic” permeates the spaceReadinger took cues from the surrounding landscape, which is dotted with cacti, shrubs and other vegetation found in the Sonoran Desert and the Estrella Mountains, located to the west of the site.

    “The design originates with the desert and is created intentionally to frame, to view and to honor the sacred land,” the designer said.
    The restaurant also exhibits a “stylised, lightly French aesthetic”, the designer added.
    Dining spaces are arranged around a central bar and loungeRectangular in plan, the eatery consists of multiple dining spaces that are arranged around a central bar and lounge.
    Rooms are divided by wide arches that reference those found at Arcosanti, an experimental, 1970s housing complex in the Arizona desert that was designed by architect Paolo Soleri.
    The bathroom features sink basins made of glazed lava stoneIn addition to the arches, the designer created a large, inverted pyramid that hovers over the main dining space. The pyramid is coated with textured “slagged plaster”.
    Throughout the restaurant, the team used earthy materials and colours.
    Preen added an inverted pyramid to the dining spaceIn the main room, seating areas are enclosed within half-walls made of rainbow limestone – a reference to “the desert moiré of sediment, horizon and time”, the designer said.
    Banquettes are wrapped in ultra suede in a reddish-orange hue. Chairs from Stellar Works are made of ash and oak.

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    Other elements include round tables with steel edges and mirrored tops, and globe-shaped pendants by John Barlow of Lightspeed.
    The globes have a finish that looks like a pockmarked moon, and are counter-weighted by long rods. “Another moment of time and suspension,” the designer said.
    Beyond the dining rooms, the restaurant has two waiting areas that are monochromatic. One is has an earthy red hue, while the other is a deep shade of green.
    The restaurant has two monochromatic waiting areasBoth spaces are fitted with leather chairs designed by Preen and built by the fabricator Jecco. Small, rounded tables are from Blu Dot.
    The bathroom features a vanity with a powder-coated countertop and sink basins made of glazed lava stone. Motion-activated faucets come down from the ceiling. Affixed to a wall are sconces from Rich Brilliant Willing.
    Outdoor terraces provide views of the surrounding landscapeThe eatery also has outdoor terraces where guests can take in the scenery. One setting features iroko wood furnishings and sculptural, built-in shelving that holds an array of candles.
    Other hospitality projects in Arizona include the Mountain Shadows resort, which features interiors by Mark Zeff that were inspired by desert mid-century modernism, and the Hotel Valley Ho, an iconic 1950s hotel that was brought up to date by architect Edward L Varney.
    The photography is by Brandon Barré.

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    Eight designs that make use of waste products

    The Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined exhibition at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art features projects that repurpose waste products. Here are eight highlights including vases sculpted from PVC pipes. The exhibit comprises over 30 projects that reimagine discarded materials and byproducts – sourced from manufacturing, agriculture, food and human waste – including building materials, home furnishings […] More