New York (December 2, 2010) – During a breakfast ceremony at the International Hotel Motel + Restaurant Show, Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel, Architects, PC won the prestigious Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design for best guest room, Park Hyatt Macka Palas, Istanbul, Turkey. Randy Gerner, AIA, Principal and Bryan Bennett, Director of Design, accepted the award on behalf of the firm. The Park Hyatt Macka Palas was also a finalist for Best Hotel Design – Urban. Honorees were selected by a panel of notable industry experts from a field of more than 180 projects representing 19 countries.
Park Hyatt Maçka Palace marries historic and exotic elements with modern and luxurious, creating a unique space perpetuating Istanbul’s current culture. In addition to the façade restoration, GKV Architects designed 85 spectacular guestrooms, five penthouse suites, an ultra-hip rooftop bar, and a first-of-its-kind for Istanbul – a steakhouse, for the spare-no-expense luxury boutique hotel.
Each opulent guest room is equipped with numerous amenities including a chilled cosmetic cabinet, a state-of-the-art fully-stocked wet bar and fridge, i-Pod plug-ins and approximately two dozen light setting choices to adjust the mood and character of the room reflecting the guests’ current mood or character. Paying homage to the Turkish rituals and traditions of bathing, a separate room reserved for toilet and bidet as well as additional specially designed drinking and washing vessels were incorporated into the design. GKV Architects created a distinctive bathing experience called wet rooms, which feature five different bathing events: a splash tub, a rain shower, a Turkish bath, a steam shower and a light therapy shower.
“The Park Hyatt Macka Palas effortlessly combines historic and modern design to create a unique guest experience. We are thrilled that our work has been recognized by our peers and proudly accept the Gold Key Award for Best Guest Room Design,” explains Randy Gerner, AIA, Principal of GKV Architects.
About GKV Architects
Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel, Architects, PC is an award-winning New York City-based architecture and design firm with a focus on quality base building and interior design solutions. Founded in 1995 by Randolph H. Gerner, AIA, Richard N. Kronick, AIA and Miguel Valcarcel, AIA, the firm, with a professional staff of 40, has a broad portfolio of work in the residential, corporate, commercial, restoration, hospitality and institutional fields totaling more than 30 million square feet.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 14, 2023
Design considerations for behavioral health patients
The surrounding environment plays a huge role in the mental state of the occupants of a space, especially behavioral health patients whose perception of safety can be heightened. When patients do not feel comfortable in a space, the relationships between patients and therapists are negatively affected.
Engineers | Jun 14, 2023
The high cost of low maintenance
Walter P Moore’s Javier Balma, PhD, PE, SE, and Webb Wright, PE, identify the primary causes of engineering failures, define proactive versus reactive maintenance, recognize the reasons for deferred maintenance, and identify the financial and safety risks related to deferred maintenance.
University Buildings | Jun 14, 2023
Calif. State University’s new ‘library-plus’ building bridges upper and lower campuses
A three-story “library-plus” building at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) that ties together the upper and lower campuses was recently completed. The 100,977-sf facility, known as the Collaborative Opportunities for Research & Engagement (“CORE”) Building, is one of the busiest libraries in the CSU system. The previous library served 1.2 million visitors annually.
Higher Education | Jun 14, 2023
Designing higher education facilities without knowing the end users
A team of architects with Page offers five important factors to consider when designing spaces for multiple—and potentially changing—stakeholders.
Resiliency | Jun 14, 2023
HUD offers $4.8 billion in funding for green and resilient building retrofit projects
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released guidelines for its Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) that has $4.8 billion for funding green projects.
Arenas | Jun 14, 2023
A multipurpose arena helps revitalize a historic African American community in Georgia
In Savannah, Ga., Enmarket Arena, a multipurpose arena that opened last year, has helped revitalize the city’s historic Canal District—home to a largely African American community that has been historically separated from the rest of downtown.
Building Materials | Jun 14, 2023
Construction input prices fall 0.6% in May 2023
Construction input prices fell 0.6% in May compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices declined 0.5% for the month.
Mass Timber | Jun 13, 2023
Mass timber construction featured in two-story mixed-use art gallery and wine bar in Silicon Valley
The Edes Building, a two-story art gallery and wine bar in the Silicon Valley community of Morgan Hill, will prominently feature mass timber. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam posts and beams were specified for aesthetics, biophilic properties, and a reduced carbon footprint compared to concrete and steel alternatives.
Mixed-Use | Jun 12, 2023
Goettsch Partners completes its largest China project to date: a mixed-used, five-tower complex
Chicago-based global architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) recently announced the completion of its largest project in China to date: the China Resources Qianhai Center, a mixed-use complex in the Qianhai district of Shenzhen. Developed by CR Land, the project includes five towers totaling almost 472,000 square meters (4.6 million sf).
Engineers | Jun 12, 2023
Stantec to acquire Environmental Systems Design
Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has signed an agreement to acquire Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD), a 270-person engineering firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1967, ESD has built a reputation for excellence and innovation in high-performance design with a roster of industry-leading clients. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed.