Marriott International wants designers to re-imagine what a hotel restaurant concept could look like. They want to break through traditional approaches and introduce a highly dynamic design that can physically transform within a single restaurant space. In some cases, so dramatically that someone who dines for breakfast might not even realize they’re in the same restaurant for dinner.
Unlike most stand alone restaurants, hotel restaurants need to be flexible enough to offer a variety of dining experiences including breakfast, lunch, dinner, private dining, cocktail happy hours, and even accommodate non-dining occasions such as private/small business meetings.
Briefing Update 09/01
Design a restaurant interior that has the ability to physically transition and transform into forms that take on a whole new mood, shape, function, staging, lighting, attitude, and size. This means going beyond the typical transition cues that are commonly used like uniforms, light dimming, and table settings. You can come up with concepts that either transform the whole space or create distinctive areas that house micro concepts or distinct zones within the bigger space. However, no matter how the concept is expressed, there must be a strong sense of coherence and harmony to the total design.
Think of it like a set design for a theater production. From scene to scene the physical elements are quickly moved around to create a whole new setting and environment for the audience. Through easy and simple sliding, flipping, rolling and turning, the space should have the ability to create new settings or a completely new environment. This is the essence of the challenge and vision behind the concept for Marriott.
Concept Requirements
1) Express your idea with descriptions and visuals of the concepts. Feel free to explore multi-media (e.g. video, 3D modeling) and make sure all drawings are to scale.
2) Design the space within a ~5,000 square feet (~460 square meter) footprint that can be flexible enough to host 150-200 people for breakfast and then 150 people for dinner. The space should feel neither crammed or bare as the numbers of people in the room fluctuate.
3) All submitted concept explanations of the rationale should include:
- How the space will change visually and functionally
- The intended effect of transition and transformation elements
Prize Money
The total prize money for this challenge is $15,000 and will be broken down in the following way:
Community Prize: $7,500
1st: $3,500
2nd:$1,500
3rd: $1000
4th-6th: $500
Jury Prize: $7,500
Winner: $4,000
1st Runner Up: $2,500
2nd Runner Up: $ 1,000
The target group includes both travelers with a strong focus on local residents. The target places a greater value on hotel restaurants than they do on the hotel rooms, largely because dining and drinking are thought of as a primary means for entertaining company or business colleagues. For this target group, their restaurant recommendation is a strong reflection of their personal taste and image, so stepping into a restaurant that offers not only amazing food, but an equally amazing atmosphere and experience, is of critical importance. The target’s perspective is that the restaurant experience should feel like an event and not just a simple meal transaction.
Concepts must incorporate a buffet in all designs. It should be connected to the open/exposed kitchen and be active for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The buffet counter top will be used for two main functions:
- To place buffet trays on top of when the buffet is active.
- To serve as a plating counter/warmer for chefs when the buffet is closed and the restaurant turns into a non-buffet experience.
Designs need to accommodate the basic sections of a restaurant which includes:
- Serving Stations for servers to store and access cutlery, bread, and water
- Greeting/Reservation entry/ Host Stand
- Dining Areas
- Open Kitchen/buffet counter combo
- Restrooms
- Bar/to-go food market combo
All concepts should consider the cost implications of building the design. These concepts should be grounded by realities of budget and ability to execute.
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