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
Contractors | Apr 10, 2023
What makes prefabrication work? Factors every construction project should consider
There are many factors requiring careful consideration when determining whether a project is a good fit for prefabrication. JE Dunn’s Brian Burkett breaks down the most important considerations.
Building Tech | Mar 14, 2023
Reaping the benefits of offsite construction, with ICC's Ryan Colker
Ryan Colker, VP of Innovation at the International Code Council, discusses how municipal regulations and inspections are keeping up with the expansion of off-site manufacturing for commercial construction. Colker speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2023
New 20,000-seat soccer stadium will anchor neighborhood development in Indianapolis
A new 20,000-seat soccer stadium for United Soccer League’s Indy Eleven will be the centerpiece of a major neighborhood development in Indianapolis. The development will transform the southwest quadrant of downtown Indianapolis by adding more than 600 apartments, 205,000 sf of office space, 197,000 sf for retail space and restaurants, parking garages, a hotel, and public plazas with green space.
Giants 400 | Feb 9, 2023
New Giants 400 download: Get the complete at-a-glance 2022 Giants 400 rankings in Excel
See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Giants 400 | Feb 6, 2023
2022 Reconstruction Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. building reconstruction and renovation sector
Gensler, Stantec, IPS, Alfa Tech, STO Building Group, and Turner Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest reconstruction sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Hotel Facilities | Jan 23, 2023
U.S. hotel construction pipeline up 14% to close out 2022
At the end of 2022’s fourth quarter, the U.S. construction pipeline was up 14% by projects and 12% by rooms year-over-year, according to Lodging Econometrics.
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.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Dec 20, 2022
Acoustic design considerations at the building envelope
Acentech's Ben Markham identifies the primary concerns with acoustic performance at the building envelope and offers proven solutions for mitigating acoustic issues.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
High-rise Construction | Dec 7, 2022
SOM reveals its design for Singapore’s tallest skyscraper
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has revealed its design for 8 Shenton Way—a mixed-use tower that will stand 63 stories and 305 meters (1,000 feet) high, becoming Singapore’s tallest skyscraper. The design team also plans to make the building one of Asia’s most sustainable skyscrapers. The tower incorporates post-pandemic design features.