Hard Rockin' in Chicago

This month's Architectural Record features hotels in their Building Types Study, including the Hard Rock Hotel (registration req'd) in Chicago by Lucien Lagrange Architects with interiors by Yabu Pushelberg.

The Hard Rock Hotel is a renovation of the 1929 Carbide and Carbon Building by Daniel Burnham's sons, a dark green and gold leaf, art-deco tower. I always thought the building was clad in black stone, but that impression was due to years of dirt build-up, now restored to its original finish. Located on Michigan Avenue about halfway between the Chicago River and Millennium Park, the hotel sits in an area once reserved for offices but now the growing domain of hotels and residences. A four-story addition north of the hotel tower contains a restaurant, ballroom and other amenities. Here, the architects contrasted the existing tower design with a clean and contemporary, mainly glass design.

Lobby of Hard Rock Hotel

The interiors by Yabu Pushelberg seem to be a continuation of the exterior, in terms of color and tone, with dark leather and other materials. Reflective surfaces actually hark back to the Art Deco style, though their stylishness seems very "LA" to me. Pushelberg is quoted in Record saying it's, "almost a Playboy Club vibe," definitely an appropriate analogy in the city that's the corporate home to Hef's magazine.

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