EMC2 Hotel

David Rockwell and his team have designed a new 195-room hotel in Chicago that merges science and art in a new 21-storey building designed by Koo & Associates. Hotel EMC2 is named after Einstein’s famous equation establishing the theory of relativity.

  On entering the hotel, visitors are met with a two-story volume centerpiece, a freestanding assemblage of bookcases piled on top of each other which creates a first place of exploration for the guest. Inspired by Einstein’s interest in collecting, it conveys a sense of discovery and wonder, like an unexplored attic or a modern day cabinet of curiosities. A bookcase wall extends further into the lobby, enveloping the reception area and creating a series curious nooks and crannies.

A curated collection of original artwork by local and international artists is featured throughout the hotel’s public areas adding personality to the lobby and restaurant. Guests can explore the area, sit within the smaller spaces, and immerse themselves in the quirky jumble of art, objects and books surrounding them. Next to the lobby, an airy double-height 120-seat restaurant serves globally-inspired cuisine and handcrafted cocktails.

Designed to create a lively casual neighborhood atmosphere, it hosts cozy grouped seating to enable smaller and more intimate-scale dining. Chef’s tables inside a large expo kitchen are partially concealed from the dining area by ribbed glass panels, offering diners a theatrical culinary experience. A bottle-green glass tile wall, wood and bronze dining tables, and a chandelier of copper pots add warmth and whimsy to the space. The 195 guestrooms, located on floors 4-21, also celebrate Einstein’s interests in discovery, invention, and creativity.

EMC2 Hotel, Chicago, USA
Program: hotel
Architects: David Rockwell, Koo & Associates
Completion: 2017