AN INSPIRED LANDSCAPE
18 Sep 2019
The landscape that surrounds this stylish hotel in Los Angeles was inspired by the Hollywood Hills’ hiking trails and has been appropriately named The Canyon. Take a look at the result and get inspired!
The 1 Hotel West Hollywood marks the latest outpost of 1 Hotels – a chain run by brand management company SH Hotels & Resorts. New York firm AvroKO created the design for the property, which was then executed by SH Hotels & Resorts' interior design team, to revolve around the natural environment.
The hotel spans two towers, formerly occupied by The Jeremy Hotel, and is anchored by the series of courtyards named The Canyon. Los Angeles firm Rios Clementi Hale Studios devised the landscaping surrounding the hotel to be a symbolic extension of Hollywood Hills' hiking trails.
The landscape utilises textures and earthy tones to create a space that is integrated in nature. Raw and repurposed materials are present, but used with restraint to maintain a balance of pale and dark tones. 
"We wanted to give guests a taste of the Hollywood Hills, which are an extension of the Santa Monica Mountain range running from Malibu to Griffith Park," principal architect Nate Cormier said.
The abundance of nature follows in the style of the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge outpost, which was designed as an extension of the nearby park.
In West Hollywood, a wide granite pathway meanders through the "canyon" in between the two buildings, lined with massive salvaged-timber planters from naturally fallen trees around the city – a collaborative project with Angel City Lumber. 
The guest drop-off area becomes the focal point, with a grand planter of eucalyptus trunks that support three ancient olive trees.
Within the courtyards are a collection of custom ceramic pots filled with endemic flora, mini grassland meadows, and raw logs in place of park benches.
"Sage scrub and chaparral-inspired vegetation and rustic natural materials spill down out of the hills and through the courtyards, lobbies and porte cochère to provide an immersive environment that immediately carries you away through the diverse textures, sights, and smells," Cormier added. 
An outdoor cafe is framed by a stacked split rail fence which disappears into the trail plantings of native grasses, agaves, and California poppies. Above The Canyon is The Skyline Deck, an open-air venue for outdoor fitness classes and special events. "All outdoor plantings and seating areas were composed as vignettes visible from the inside so that the common areas of the hotel always provide biophilic benefits of connecting with nature throughout a guest's visit," said Cormier.
A rooftop plunge pool and lounge deck with a rope pergola overlook the Los Angeles skyline and provide a place for guests to relax, cool off and enjoy the views. 
Via Dezeen | Images by RCH Studios
