The cleared site, located in a floodplain, on a very narrow cut of land, was quite the test for the design team. The building was raised from the floodplain upon which it sits between two canals, the design team devised a grade-level garage to house valet, bike rentals, and storage. The entirety of the curved plot was able to be utilized while creating intriguing and visually distinct designs that fit seamlessly into the existing panorama of the historic town on the irregular and narrow footprint of the property.
To do so, New Hope’s past and present industrial ties with various contemporary elements and features were brought together. For instance, its brick and stone facade, sourced from a nearby quarry that outfitted many of the area’s homes and businesses, is accentuated by striking steelframed windows, providing sweeping views of the Delaware River. The front porch, constructed using timber framing techniques and illuminated by hanging lanterns, leads guests to the main lobby, a double-height space that ties to its exterior with timber beams, board and batten paneling, and a stone fireplace. Once again, both modern and traditional techniques were employed to erect the building. Auger cast piles were used to support the foundation and steel and pre-cast concrete plank compose the building frame (modern). Heavy timber joinery with mortises and tenons cut into the beams and posts and secured together with hardwood pegs frame the front porch (traditional).
This design captures and exudes the essence of its historically significant location and the quirky village personality of the New Hope artist colony it now lives in! The exterior encapsulates the stone clad former Odette’s Bed and Breakfast with a brick façade emulating the local areas plethora of textile mills. Odette’s romantic vivacious spirit is showcased throughout the interior! Plush textiles, Leather Sofas and vintage lighting speak to her French flair and the boisterous cabarets she hosted in the location for decades prior! Today’s visitor is drawn an edgy, yet elegant, urban inspired environment. A brilliant kaleidoscope of rich color and finish materials coupled with vintage reclaimed architectural features and bold fixtures offers an unparalleled riverfront experience.
Destination worthy, this New Hope hotel lies on rolling hills that climb from the west bank of the Delaware River about thirty-five miles north of Philadelphia and sixty-nine miles south of New York City. It is also a mere three hours from Washington DC. A ‘tweener’ location that draws from the East Coasts’ most significant urban locations. This project has spawned a resurgence of tourism for the area, created from a design that summons a towns rich past and celebrates local artists and craftsmen.
The goal of the design was to celebrate art sourced from the local community and region. Vintage sepia photographs of Odette Myrtil grace the ballroom area. New Hope’s Lorenzo Bianca penned and painted the Chez Odette Love letters and musical score that became the ballroom wallcovering. An antique wrought iron light fixture from the original Odette’s Tavern was salvaged and used to fabricate a three-dimensional sculpture that hangs above the fireplace in the piano lobby. Guest Corridors and Dining Venues are thoughtfully covered with original and reproduced oil paintings curated from local artists; most notably Gordon Haas, as well as from renowned former New Hope Artist Colony’s most talented. Live edge wood furnishings pay homage to the areas famous George Nakashima.
It’s imperative that architects and designers communicate globally. The work we cultivate develops communities, cities and regions! Design literally creates our culture! These projects provide society with reasons to ponder, smile, celebrate and be proud of what we are doing! They also educate us about unique locations of the world. By sharing we force each other to think about solutions for our future projects; allowing us to express these solutions in our unique way; appropriate to our own locations and allowing more people to benefit from such.
Situated along the Delaware River in charming New Hope, PA. River House at Odette’s, the luxury lifestyle hotel, is the cornerstone of a dining, lodging, and entertainment revival in the alluring and diverse town. The boutique hotel Hospitality features an edgy, yet elegant design, inspired by the site’s previous life as actress and musician Odette Myrtil Logan’s boisterous cabaret, Chez Odette, a social hub for over two decades attracting celebrities and locals alike from Philadelphia and New York. Odette’s vibrant personality and French flair effortlessly permeate the property, inspiring opulent odes in everything from menu selections at Odette’s restaurant to plush velvet textiles & leather couches in the vaulted ceiling lobby piano lounge and exclusive ROOF, a member only rooftop bar with breathtaking views of the surrounding New Hope & Lambertville landscapes. Lest her romantic spirit be forgotten, the open-concept ballroom with glamourous design and vintage flair features a delicate, airy color palette and dreamlike sophistication from the custom antiqued wall coverings with embedded musical scores and love letters from Chez Odette’s past to the floor to ceiling glass doors leading out to eh private veranda with refreshing river breezes. Weaving vintage and modern industrial elements throughout, the space beckons a town’s rich past while igniting its promising future.
