hospitalitystyle.com

(September 2008) posted on Tue Sep 09, 2008 EDT

ReardonSmith Architects borrows a page from Indiana Jones to unearth the best blueprint for updating iconic hotels and resorts.

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By Matthew Hall

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ReardonSmith's forte is refurbishing historic hotels, but the way it goes about that architectural task bears a striking resemblance to an archeological dig.

"The clues are usually buried in the design of the original building, which has often been obscured by years of additions and facelifts," says Conrad Smith, managing director of the London-based firm. "By going back to the original design, our architects gain an understanding of both what can be taken away and what should be added."

ReardonSmith has taken that tack with some of the grandest of London's grand dames, including The Savoy, Grosvenor House, The Cumberland and the InterContinental London Park Lane. Smith notes that the specific type of renovation each of those hotels underwent was predicated on two underlying factors: the architectural merit of the building itself, and the extent to which the hotel has (or has not) become an icon.

The 1,000-room Cumberland, for instance, with its vast but unremarkable ground-floor spaces and empty basements, lent itself to a totally modern makeover in keeping with London's other large hotels, Smith explains. At the other end of the scale is The Savoy, an international hotel legend renowned for its art-deco elegance. "That reputation meant all the thinking and efforts of the design team were focused on balancing the provenance of the building and the spirit of the hotel with the needs of successful, modern hotel operations," he says.

Smith and Patrick Reardon credit their firm's success in landing such high-profile renovation contracts to its laser-like focus on hotel and resort architecture. That concentration, in turn, had its origins in the years that British-born Reardon spent in the U.S. during the mid 1970s and early '80s, working first for Holiday Inn International, then for Hyatt International.

"While based in America, I would visit Europe frequently looking for architects with credible hotel experience," Reardon recalls. "I couldn't find them. Consequently, on my return home, I recognized a gap in the market for a specialized hotel practice. So, after working for a few years for Richmond Design in London, I decided to fill that niche by starting my own firm."

Reardon launched his business in 1988. Four years later, he hired Smith, with whom he had worked at Richmond Design. Today, the firm bearing the two men's surnames employs about 60 architects and has annual billings of about  $10 million.

 

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