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
Libraries | Jan 13, 2023
One of the world’s largest new libraries opens in Shanghai
Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Shanghai Library East covers more than 1.2 million sf, 80% of it dedicated to community activity.
Religious Facilities | Jan 9, 2023
Santiago Calatrava-designed St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church opens in New York
In December, New York saw the reopening of the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine—the only religious structure destroyed on 9/11. Renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava designed St. Nicholas Church to address the traditional Greek Orthodox liturgy while honoring the Church’s connection with the World Trade Center Memorial site.
Government Buildings | Jan 9, 2023
Blackstone, Starwood among real estate giants urging President Biden to repurpose unused federal office space for housing
The Real Estate Roundtable, a group including major real estate firms such as Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, Empire State Realty Trust, Starwood Capital, as well as multiple major banks and CRE professional organizations, recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden on the implications of remote work within the federal government.
Sustainability | Jan 9, 2023
Innovative solutions emerge to address New York’s new greenhouse gas law
New York City’s Local Law 97, an ambitious climate plan that includes fines for owners of large buildings that don’t significantly reduce carbon emissions, has spawned innovations to address the law’s provisions.
Fire and Life Safety | Jan 9, 2023
Why lithium-ion batteries pose fire safety concerns for buildings
Lithium-ion batteries have become the dominant technology in phones, laptops, scooters, electric bikes, electric vehicles, and large-scale battery energy storage facilities. Here’s what you need to know about the fire safety concerns they pose for building owners and occupants.
Market Data | Jan 6, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending rises in November 2022
Spending on nonresidential construction work in the U.S. was up 0.9% in November versus the previous month, and 11.8% versus the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Industry Research | Dec 28, 2022
Following a strong year, design and construction firms view 2023 cautiously
The economy and inflation are the biggest concerns for U.S. architecture, construction, and engineering firms in 2023, according to a recent survey of AEC professionals by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
Performing Arts Centers | Dec 23, 2022
Diller Scofidio + Renfro's renovation of Dallas theater to be ‘faithful reinterpretation’ of Frank Lloyd Wright design
Diller Scofidio + Renfro recently presented plans to restore the Kalita Humphreys Theater at the Dallas Theater Center (DTC) in Dallas. Originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this theater is the only freestanding theater in Wright’s body of work.
University Buildings | Dec 22, 2022
Loyola Marymount University completes a new home for its acclaimed School of Film and Television
California’s Loyola Marymount University (LMU) has completed two new buildings for arts and media education at its Westchester campus. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the Howard B. Fitzpatrick Pavilion is the new home of the undergraduate School of Film and Television, which is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 10 film schools. Also designed by SOM, the open-air Drollinger Family Stage is an outdoor lecture and performance space.
Adaptive Reuse | Dec 21, 2022
University of Pittsburgh reinvents century-old Model-T building as a life sciences research facility
After opening earlier this year, The Assembly recently achieved LEED Gold certification, aligning with the school’s and community’s larger sustainability efforts.
