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R+B Completes Role as Architect for New W Aspen & the Sky Residences at W Aspen

W Aspen is the W brand’s first mountain escape in North America and the first new luxury hotel to open in Aspen in 25 years

 

 

ASPEN, CO — September 11, 2019 — Rowland+Broughton Architecture / Urban Design / Interior Design (R+B) is thrilled to announce the completion of the new W Aspen & The Sky Residences at W Aspen, located at the foot of Aspen Mountain. In addition to serving as architect, the R+B team played an essential role in the entitlements process and community outreach. The W brand’s first mountain escape in North America, and the first new luxury hotel to open in the iconic town in 25 years, opened to the public on August 29, 2019.

 

 

Between 1945 and 1960, Aspen’s rich history and skiing heritage inspired the infusion of a significant number of ski chalets in the area. Unfortunately, a number of these structures were lost during a surge in redevelopment, and very few remain. With a goal of reinvigorating the already wide variety of architectural types that contribute to Aspen’s strong sense of place, R+B sought to design a modern interpretation of a traditional chalet reminiscent of its skiing legacy.

 

 

The architecture of W Aspen expresses a sense of a gradual evolution of form and space, while remaining grounded in the chalet vernacular. Traditional characteristics of low-pitched singular rooflines, deep overhangs, continuous balconies, and flower boxes are juxtaposed with varying roof compositions, along with modern railings and wood slates that organize balcony volumes.

 

 

Conventional materials are paired with modern elements to further embellish the dialogue between the past and present. The strong base of the W Aspen is Flint Hills gray limestone. Most of the structure’s walls are clad in thick-plank, band-sawn and rough-sawn wood siding, with a combination of natural and stained applications, from Montana Timber. A few upper wall sections of the building are stucco. The windows and doors are black metal cladding from Sierra Pacific. The roof and other flashing applications are black metal as well. Black-painted railroad rails hover in front of the entry lobby storefront to recall the rail yard that once occupied the property during Aspen’s mining era.

 

 

About the project, R+B Principal John Rowland, AIA, comments, “W Aspen is a great example of how the true spirit of a property can be maintained while elevating the experiences of the next generation of travelers and residents. The iconic chalet style was first introduced to Aspen in the 1940s and, over time, the style has been slowly eroded.”

 

 

“The new design as a modern-day translation and renaissance of the chalet architectural style, with its sloping roofs, natural high-quality materials, many articulations and public accessed rooftop, weaves into the fabric of Aspen and contributes to the base of the mountain. The variety of amenities and thoughtfully designed public spaces at W Aspen will provide a venue and place to stay that encourages youth and fun. We are proud to be a part of such an amazing project.” Led by Rowland and R+B Principal Sarah Broughton, AIA, NCIDQ, the R+B team includes Project Manager Scott McHale, LEED, AP, Project Architect Derek Keil, AIA, and Tim Owen, AIA.

 

 

The 126,000 square foot project includes 88 guest rooms, and 11 W-branded residences, along with four WOW suites and one Extreme WOW suite that can be configured to be a one-, two- or three-bedroom space. The Living Room is a sophisticated alpine setting for dining and cocktails, and provides a large landscaped outdoor terrace for alfresco entertaining. 39 Degrees, a legendary après ski bar in the former Sky Hotel, is reinvented as an intimate cocktail lounge and grotto inspired by the famed Red Light District of Aspen. A see-and-be-seen venue, the year-round, all-weather rooftop WET® Deck features a heated pool, hot tub, fire pits, cabanas, full bar, dance floor, DJ booth, and panoramic views of Aspen. November through April, W Aspen Strategy Rooms serve as the hotel’s Ski & Snowboard shop, which will be operated by Four Mountain Sports.

In addition to working closely with hotel ownership and the development team on the conceptual design, public approvals and entitlements, R+B went on to fully document the permit construction drawings and collaborated with the W brand’s in-house design team and NEMAWORKSHOP for the interior design. Project consultants include General Contractor Haseldon Construction, Landscape Architect Bluegreen, Structural Engineer KL&A, MEP Engineer BG Buildingworks, and Civil Engineer Sopris Engineering.

 

 

About the completed project, Greg Durrer, General Manager, W Aspen, shares, “The buzz and excitement for the debut of W Aspen has been building for some time and we could not be more ready to bring the infectious energy, spirit and programming of W to this iconic American town. We know that W Aspen will not only serve as a year-round destination for travelers, but that it will bring a bold new point of view to the local social scene and become the latest player in the legacy of this incredible cultural mecca.”

 

 

About W Hotels Worldwide

Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels, part of Marriott International, Inc., has disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for nearly two decades. Trailblazing its way around the globe, with more than 50 hotels, W is defying expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands. With a mission to fuel guests’ lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit repeat. The brand’s provocative design, iconic Whatever/Whenever service and buzzing Living Rooms create an experience that is often copied but never matched. Innovative, inspiring and infectious, the brand’s super-charged energy celebrates guests’ endless appetite to discover what’s new/next in each destination, to see more, feel more, go longer, stay later. For more information on W Hotels, visit whotels.com/theangle. W Hotels Worldwide is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the new name of Marriott’s travel program replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz- Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG). The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including earning points toward free hotel stays and nights toward Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.

 

 

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,000 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 132 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company now offers one travel program, Marriott BonvoyTM, replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®(SPG). For more information, please visit www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.