Client: La Pensione Hotel Courtyard

Overview

This biophilic courtyard environment, celebrating the natural world, was commissioned as a shared sanctuary by a hotel, a coffee house, and a restaurant. MC2 The Science Of Design (Craig Mitchell and Martha Channer) was awarded this public project based on our winning design concept “Nature Spirits”; balancing the four elements. This 900 square foot space, on the ground floor of a five-story hotel, anchors the central shaft around which architect Rob Quigley layered his multi-level, hillside structure. Earth, Air, Fire and Water are alchemically fused through a 9′ X 7′ “painting with plants” living wall; tension sail awnings that fly up the shaft for shade; fire pit tables made of concrete and local river aggregate; and a flowing water feature surrounded by luscious plantscapes.
The goal is to provide the peace, harmony, and sense of place inherent in the natural world while relaxing within a man-made structure. The human size nest (created by sculptor Craig Mitchell)exemplifies this nurturing aesthetic as it simultaneously represents a place to land – a concept that strikes a chord for hotel patrons, world travelers, and most anyone hoping to be sheltered and fed. The Genius Loci emerges and merges with each person; mystery abounds.

Goals

The goal is to provide the peace, harmony, and sense of place inherent in the natural world while relaxing within a man-made structure. Aesthetics/artwork combined with functionality turns the ergonomics of "user friendly" into a "user romance". This bio-environment feels as if it was born not made. In a large, integrated art environment the art is everywhere, not out of reach, but surrounding and embracing the participant. The space is the art - not only art placed for frontal viewing or even third dimensional effect, but a feeling of being within the art. The "Nature Spirits" courtyard installation allows this to occur and is simultaneously a very functional spatial addition to the hotel.

Process

We collaborated with contractors, architects, and structural engineers in order to replace flooring and add decorative elements, properly anchor the awnings, and resurface the water feature, We also collaborated with a graphic designer on creating images for the bent aluminum light barrels. The entire installation took a year to complete so we were constantly working with welders, a caste concrete company, and master tilers. The mural was designed and painted by Martha Channer, who oversaw the entire design process along with Craig Mitchell.