Developer: Sterling Bay
Interior design: concrete
Executive architect: bKL
Loose furniture: Vitra, ecopots, Alki, Herman Miller, Magis, viccarbe, E15, Hay, Ferm Living, Jielde
Outdoor furniture: DWR, Kettal
Carpets: Kasthall, Kvadrat
Lighting: JSPR, &tradition, Artemide, Flos, Tom Dixon, Gubi, Artek, Hatco, Jielde, Moooi, Angle Poise
Photo: Richard Powers
Chicago. The windy city, home of the blues, and Michael Jordan’s Bulls. A place with strong, palpable vibrations that accompany you as you stroll along the Riverwalk overshadowed by skyscrapers, when you take The Loop, the elevated metro that immerses you in this vertical metropolis, or as you search (in vain) for the opposite shore of Lake Michigan from one of its beaches where the scent of sea and infinity echoes.
This stimulating, profound, almost unique atmosphere is impossible to escape. Concrete and bKL have made it the identity of the citizenM Chicago Downtown, a true homage to the city in the form of a hospitality experience. The two firms—the first a long-time architectural partner of the hotel chain, the second a renowned Chicago-based studio—collaborated to recreate the “affordable luxury lifestyle” typical of citizenM, but with the vibrant and rhythmic appeal of a blues melody, as befits the city, thanks to a rich blend of art and design.
This combination is felt right from the lobby, on the ground floor of a 47-story tower at 300 N Michigan Avenue (ten of which are dedicated to the hotel), situated between the Riverwalk and Millennium Park: artist Nina Chanel Abney created the mural that adorns the walls and welcomes guests, as well as the two-thousand-square-foot outdoor terrace, identified by a geometric incursion on the facade. Contemporary artwork and iconic design pieces punctuate the large communal areas, extending to the rooms (280 in total).
A triumph of colors, shapes, and pop culture. The neon work titled “Ding Dong Your Opinion is Wrong” by Dutch artist Daniel van Straalen illuminates the bar area, while works by Muntean/Rosenblum, Yngve Holen, Rainer Fetting, and many other artists decorate communal spaces with an eclectic mix of painting, photography, and art objects inspired by the local community: spacious, hospitable, comfortable living areas where you can meet, rest, even work, supported by functional design by Vitra, which is citizenM’s furniture partner—not to mention unlimited cups of coffee available to guests.
Then there are the indispensable societyM meeting rooms, totaling three within the structure. The artistic touch also permeates the rooms, compact yet hyper-technological and above all, extremely comfortable. In the heart of the “windy city,” citizenM Chicago Downtown thus creates an experience intimately linked to the cultural and architectural context that surrounds it.
