A hotel resort that’s essentially an elaborate tree house was the winner of this year’s Radical Innovation Award, which was presented at a ceremony in New York City on Oct. 4.
The five finalists that competed for the award had been chosen from more than 65 international entries. This 11th annual competition, which is produced by The John Hardy Group, challenges the hotel industry to elevate the guest experience through new ideas in design and operations.
This year’s winner, Living The Till, submitted by the Coral Gables, Fla.-based architectural firm EoA Inc., is a treetop resort concept that would allow for seasonal inhabitation in remote areas.
The concept, according to EoA, is inspired by the air plant Tillandsia, which “lives in harmony with a host tree.” The Till is conceived as a temporary nomadic structure that can be assembled and taken down in pristine, covered areas by a small team of climbers using simple tools. The environment wouldn’t be impacted negatively by the construction or deconstruction.
“Ultimately the Till is for people who passionate embrace nature,” stated EoA, which compared the concept to camping “on a hovering, transparent magic carpet.”
This year's award winning concept, Living the Till, can be built by tree climbers with simple tools, and without disrupting the environment. Image: EoA Inc.
John Hardy, CEO and President of The John Hardy Group, said this project “was perhaps the most serene of entries—the escape it provides is both rare and welcomed in a fast-paced modern world.”
Hardy was among the competition’s jurors, a group of hotel insiders who also included Michael Medzigian, Chairman and Managing Partner of Watermark Capital Partners; Jena Thornton, LEED AP, Managing Director of Magnetic ERV; Simon Turner, Managing Director of Alpha Lodging Partners; James Woods, head of WeLive, WeWork’s common living division; Wing Chao, Founder, Wing T. Chao Global Advisors; and Claude Amar, Managing Director, The John Hardy Group International.
The grand-prize winner received $10,000 to develop the concept. The runner up, which got $5,000, was a concept called Play Design Hotel, submitted by Taipei, Taiwan-based Play Design Hotel. The concept is conceived as an inhabitable design galley that functions as an incubator and living lab for designers.
The student winner—which received $1,500 and an opportunity to pursue a scholarship at the University of Nevada Las Vegas to complete a Master’s Degree in hospitality design—is Brandon Siebrecht for his Hyperloop Hotel, which uses customizable shipping containers that double as suites, where guests can travel and dock at one of 13 locations in the U.S., and manage their experience via an app.
Related Stories
| Jun 20, 2014
Sterling Bay pulled on board for Chicago Old Main Post Office project
Sterling Bay Cos. and Bill Davies' International Property Developers North America partner up for a $500 million restoration of Chicago's Old Main Post Office
| Jun 19, 2014
First look: JDS Architects' roller-coaster-like design for Istanbul waterfront development
The development's wavy and groovy design promises unobstructed views of the Marmara Sea for every unit.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 13, 2014
First look: BIG's spiraling museum for watchmaker Audemars Piguet
The glass-and-steel pavilion's spiral structure acts as a storytelling device for the company's history.
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
Bill signing signals approval to revitalize New Orleans’ convention center corridor
A plan to revitalize New Orleans' Convention Center moves forward after Louisiana governor signs bill.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
| Jun 2, 2014
Parking structures group launches LEED-type program for parking garages
The Green Parking Council, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute, has launched the Green Garage Certification program, the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
| May 30, 2014
Developer will convert Dallas' storied LTV Building into mixed-use residential tower
New Orleans-based HRI Properties recently completed the purchase of one of the most storied buildings in downtown Dallas. The developer will convert the LTV Building into a mixed-use complex, with 171 hotel rooms and 186 luxury apartments.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.
