Inside Ace Hotel's new spin-off brand, Sister City, a lesson in "essentialism"
With its ultra-cool look and hedonistic ethos, the Ace Hotel group has won numerous hipster fans worldwide.
But now the studio behind the design is resetting its sights on the modern traveller with a new – and very different – type of hotel.
From the inner workings of Atelier Ace comes Sister City, “an experiment in essentialism” which is due to open in New York later this year.
While details are few on the ground, it seems the presiding philosophy will be one of "bare minimalism", providing guests with shelter while encouraging them to head out and explore the wider world.
According to its website, the hotel will be “distilled to its working parts”, which include (but are not limited to) a roof, plants and "soft feeling, courage and spirit".
It’s not yet clear how far this will affect details such as, say, décor or facilities, but the new brand does cite some of the inspirations behind its unusual concept, with Finnish saunas, Japanese bento boxes, prehistoric cave dwellings and experimental composer John Cage’s 4’33” all having informed the creative process.
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On a more practical footing, Sister City does list some details of what we might expect when it opens its doors (which is expected to be some time in the autumn).
Work is currently underway at 225 The Bowery on New York’s Lower East Side, close to Nolita, Little Italy and Chinatown. In a seemingly characteristic display of unobtrusiveness, access to the hotel will be through a garden situated at the end of an alleyway.
There will be 200 guest rooms – each one a “vessel waiting to be filled”, according to Sister City – with prices starting from a competitive $259 (￡183) a night.
The hotel will also feature ground-floor restaurant operated by Nick Morgenstern (of Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream) and a bar and lounge on the rooftop.