MADGI and Concrete design 80,000 s/f, 230-room citizenM New York hotel

citizenM, the first citizenM hotel in the U.S. - the M stands for "Mobility" - has opened near Times Square, just off the corner of Broadway and 50th St. Headquartered in Amsterdam, citizenM has revolutionized the hospitality experience for today's mobile traveler, with offbeat sensibility and emphasis on affordable luxury, technology, and style. The development team included citizenM Hotel and Brack Capital Real Estate. The design for the 80,000 s/f, 21-story, 230-room hotel was a collaboration between Amsterdam-based design architect Concrete and New York City-based executive architect Montroy Andersen DeMarco (MADGI). MADGI principal Richard DeMarco, AIA, said, "The hotel is modern, elegant, and high-tech. The design team focused on optimizing space and quality, while maintaining citizenM's scale and design standards." The property offers numerous innovative amenities, including self check-in, highly customizable guestrooms through touchscreen MoodPads, communal workspace and Apple iMac stations, a design partnership with a Swiss furniture brand Vitra, an outpost of Amsterdam's bookstore MENDO, several outdoor spaces, and a canteen that offers locally-sourced food and beverage. In addition to MADGI and Concrete, the project team included structural engineer DeSimone Consulting Engineers; mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineer Matthew K. Bendix, P.E.; and façade consultant Gilsanz Murray Steficek. "The main entrance brings guests into the 2,300 s/f first floor. This floor houses a soaring, 26-foot high main lobby, a public canteen, and a bar," said DeMarco. "The elevator core is clad in black granite engraved with oversized human silhouettes with engraving filled in with gold leaf, a commissioned art installation by Julian Opie." Guest rooms, on floors two through 19, offer oversized super king size beds and wall-to-wall windows. Samsung touch-screen MoodPads allow guests to control TV, music, window blinds, temperature, ambient mood lighting, digital artwork, and alarm themes, as well as provide the Internet access. The shower and toilet are housed in a prefabricated pod enclosed with glass and an acrylic bottom and ceiling; the ceiling is contour-illuminated. The 3,000 s/f 21st floor is the hotel's main bar for up to 155 guests, which features a cut solid log countertop, stained oak walls and ceilings, fireplace, and black shelving that displays art and collectibles.