Overall design concept:
The city of Edmonton boasts wide open skies and is bounded by large agricultural prairies. The summer sun and winter lights are renowned, and the city enjoys the second-most hours of sunlight in North America, helping shape the perspectives of Edmontonians. This formed the basis for the overall design concept at the DoubleTree by Hilton™ West Edmonton, with a colour palate of bright gold, deep purples and reds to represent the sky’s natural canvas. Browns are used throughout to represent the region’s rich and fertile soil and the subtle use of glass and steel is a nod to the city’s urban edge.
Lobby
The lobby introduces the hotel’s design concept with splashes of red and gold upholstery and dark wood panels, creating a rich and inviting space to welcome guests. Bright yellow panels and an abundance of overhead lighting recreates the large open skies Edmonton is known for.
Features:
- The lobby houses a steel sculpture called ‘Edmonton Summer Solstice’ to capture the essence of the longest day of the year, offering residents 16 hours of daylight
- The piece shows two abstract figures entwined mid-twirl in a dance. This signifies the spirit of celebration so common during the summer months
- The sculpture is crafted from steel, a robust and honest material used prevalently in Edmonton’s oil and gas industry, acknowledging that the city owes much of its economic success to its place in this resource-rich industrial heartland
- Additionally, this material is not commonly used in art and cannot be polished to a finish like aluminum. This serves as a further nod to the city’s industrial beginnings
Stages Kitchen & Bar®
The new restaurant, Stages Kitchen & Bar®, builds on the lobby’s design concept, with rich aubergine furniture and lavish dark wood panels to evoke a feeling of excitement and richness. The bar itself displays splashes of sunshine yellow to add to the lively atmosphere.
Features:
- The walls of the restaurant and bar are adorned with artwork focusing on the theme of Albertan prairie landscapes, grasses and wheat, juxtaposed with images of prominent Edmontonian architecture
Public Spaces
Public spaces, such as the corridors and elevators, are designed to connect guests with city and the rest of the hotel. Staying true to the design in the lobby, restaurant and meeting spaces, the concept of skies and fields is cheerfully displayed with artwork of Edmonton’s ever-changing and colourful skies and the natural light show of Aurora Borealis, as well as the surrounding farm land stretching out from the city limits.
Features:
- Public spaces display artwork of sunsets, skylines and the Northern Lights
- Additional artwork show abstract images of wild grasses, manicured crops and never-ending prairie landscapes
Fitness Area
A proud and active sports city, Edmonton’s river valley represents the longest stretch of connected urban parkland in North America and is an outdoor space where locals enjoy outdoor activities throughout the seasons. The fitness area reflects this local sports and outdoor culture, using a mural of the river valley as its central piece.
Features:
- A large mural of the river valley provides the main piece of artwork for the fitness centre
SilverBirch Conference Centre®
The conference centre blends the natural beauty of the prairies with the man-made brilliance of the city, with a particular emphasis on Edmonton’s striking architecture and bustling business district. Detailed photography captures unique features of prominent downtown buildings including City Hall, Legislature Buildings and the Art Gallery of Alberta. Specifically, the images showcase Edmonton as the capital city of Alberta, a major financial hub and the heartland of Canada’s oil and gas industry. The images also illustrate the city’s expanding infrastructure as well as its thriving cultural and performing arts scene.
Features:
- Photographs of prominent Edmonton buildings are the main feature. Each image is inscribed with a label of the building it represents
- Images of prairie landscapes create a balance between the metropolitan city and its surrounding farmland
Guest Rooms
Inspired by the City of Edmonton’s metropolitan ambiance, the guest rooms have a sophisticated and urban feel with the warm silver tones paying homage to the glass and steel of Edmonton’s city centre. Accent colours of rich aubergine mirror the design concept throughout the hotel. Soft furnishings and carpets create a sleek and modern impression, finished off with a crisp and refined tiled bathroom.
Features:
- Guest rooms feature photography of prominent Edmontonian buildings, complimented by more abstract images of wheat fields and open skies