H O S P I TA L I T Y
C e l e b r a n g o v e r 4 5 Ye a r s o f Hospitality through Design In 1975, Joe Rabun founded what would become a leading architectural force in the development world. Now, over 45 years later, Rabun Architects has amassed a portfolio of numerous successful hotel, conference, commercial and residential projects.
Throughout our history, hospitality has been the focus of our firm. We define “hospitality” not as an industry segment, but as a way of doing business. In service to our clients, our design team, and our employees, Rabun Architects offers a welcoming environment in which the highest quality design can be produced. The result: over 120 successful projects, a multitude of repeat-clients, and a highly experienced staff ready to take on the next challenge.
We understand the needs of the development world. Our team of architects and designers are adept at providing practical solutions in a tight timeframe. Leveraging the power of BIM and virtual reality, we are able to give clients a realistic view of their project early on in the design process and ensure quality of design is carried all the way to the final product. From intimate renovations to complex mixed-use developments, we provide every client with quality design, rooted in the practical, working knowledge of hotel, conference, residential and commercial spaces.
We a r e R a b u n A r c h i t e c t s , and we are proud to serve hospitality through design.
OUR PERSPECTIVE We are developer driven. We have developed a process to create a buildable layout in a minimal timeframe. From site plan to sellable renderings, Rabun maintains the momentum to keep projects moving forward.
We embrace emerging technology. For the past decade, we have fully integrated 3D BIM technology into all of our work. This allows us to provide clients with a live view of their project from conception through construction.
We are grounded in experience. Our biggest assets are our people and the experience they bring with them. With every project, Rabun brings a dedicated team, grounded in their experience in hospitality and residential design.
We deliver successful projects. We believe a successful project is one that operates well. With even the most challenging of sites, Rabun is able to deliver a layout that performs at an optimal level and is aesthetically pleasing.
BRAND EXPERIENCE
Rabun Architects has over 45 years of experience working with all major hospitality brands in the luxury, full-service, selected-service, and limited service classes. Our extensive connections with brands allows Rabun projects to be designed with the latest brand standards in mind, expediting the approvals process.
PORTFOLIO
Rabun Architects has amassed a catalog of over 120 successful hotels, conference centers, and residential commissions. Our expertise in hospitality design influences all that we do, leaving clients, guests, and residents alike with a welcome feeling that permeates every project.
St. Regis Atlanta, Georgia Inspired by the premier luxury hotels of the early twentieth century, the St. Regis Hotel and Residences merges European elegance with Southern grace in Atlanta’s second five-star hotel. Located in the heart of Buckhead, this refined hotel and condominium project boasts 53 exclusive residences, 150 stately guest rooms, a world class spa, two fine dining establishments, and an opulent ballroom. This project is a component of the larger Buckhead Plaza master plan, which includes office and residential towers, numerous restaurants, a pedestrian plaza, and a parking deck. Phase II of the St. Regis Hotel and Residences plans to encompass additional mixed use residential and office towers which surround spacious gardens and park space.
Ferry Wharf Embassy Suites Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Located inside the new Ferry Wharf development at Patriot’s Point in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, the seven story, 158-room Embassy Suites features a central Pavilion inspired by the historical architecture of neighboring Charleston. The Pavilion houses the lobby and a large meeting room with views out toward the Cooper River and the historic USS Yorktown WWII aircraft carrier. Abutting the hotel is a 760-space parking deck, with precast panels which coordinate with the design language of the overall project. The Ferry Wharf Development also includes a food hall, retail spaces, and office buildings.
Four Seasons Atlanta, Georgia Four Seasons Atlanta makes a bold statement, in both architectural and multi-use design, by thoroughly addressing the needs of people who live, work, relax and entertain in an urban environment. The Four Seasons is Atlanta’s first five-star hotel. Architecturally, this dignified 53-story mixed-use tower reinterprets neoclassic themes from the 1930’s in a powerful modern presentation. Functionally, it incorporates the services of a deluxe hotel as amenities for office and residential occupancies on other floors. The upper 20 floors of the hotel contain 96 luxury condominiums, including a custom designed three story penthouse.
Hilton Alpharetta Atlanta, Georgia This 8-story, full-service Hilton features 244 guest rooms, a 4,500 square foot ballroom with adjacent indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, restaurant and outdoor dining space, and a top-level club lounge with an outdoor terrace. Clean lines define this modern building, with a flying roofline that is accentuated with a metal trellis at the club lounge terrace. Pre-cast concrete panels and metal sunscreens form most of the exterior, lending a sophisticated look to this project, which is highly visible from the highway.
City Center Lexington, Kentucky City Center is a mix-used development in the urban core of downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Covering an entire city block, the development includes a Marriott and Residence Inn with shared meeting spaces, along with a 165,000 square foot office building, 10,000 square feet of retail space, and 700 parking spaces in three levels of underground parking. The nexus of the project is a large, central courtyard, which serves as the main arrival experience for guests of both hotels. Facing the historic fabric of West Main Street, the Residence inn features a façade with traditional brick detailing. The Marriott, which fronts the future Town Branch Commons pedestrian and bike path, carries the city forward with a clean, modern aesthetic.
The Lodge at Gulf State Park Gulf Shores, Alabama Located inside the naturally beautiful 6,150-acre Gulf State Park in Alabama, the Lodge consists of a five story, 350 room hotel, segmented in plan to maximize views. The guest space is complemented by a series of pavilions housing a 12,000 square foot ballroom, meeting rooms, a restaurant, lounge, and outdoor amenity spaces. Careful attention was made to ensure the natural surroundings were minimally impacted by the construction, and the Lodge earned both LEED Gold and SITES Platinum Certificates. Rabun Architects supported a large team, including design architects Lake Flato, in the final execution and construction of this special property.
LEED Gold Certified SITES Platinum Certified
Hilton Green Hills Nashville, Tennessee Located in the posh Green Hills suburb of Nashville, this unique project consists of a full-service Hilton and a Residence Inn, which share parking and service areas. Notably, the Residence Inn hotel wraps an 8-level parking structure with a singleloaded guestroom corridor. Using traditional design elements, such as cast stone and brick, this project distinguishes itself from its surroundings. Located adjacent to a large shopping center, this project features ground level Retail spaces, which activate the pedestrian way, drawing in potential shoppers. The top level of the Residence Inn building houses 30,000 sf of office space, with expansive views of the surrounding Tennessee landscape.
2019 Hilton Legacy Award (New Build)
Hilton Cool Springs Franklin, Tennessee Located in the Cool Springs office development in Franklin, Tennessee, this 8-story, full-service Hilton features 244 guest rooms, a 4,500 sf ballroom with adjacent meeting space, and a top-level club lounge with views of the Tennessee mountains. Clean lines define this modern building, with a flying roof that is punctured by an oculus at the club lounge terrace. Pre-cast concrete panels form the majority of the exterior, giving a sophisticated look in keeping with the surroundings.
2018 Hilton Legacy Award (New Build) ABC Excellence in Construction Award
Westin Birmingham + B.J.C.C. Birmingham, Alabama The Westin is part of a master plan to create the Uptown Entertainment District at the existing Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, home to an area of performing arts theaters, signature dining, 220,000 sf of meeting space, and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. In concert with the city’s vision for the entertainment district, the hotel’s bold design leaves a lasting impression of luxury, sophistication, and excitement. This property comprises 294 guest rooms, including 7 suites, a beautifully appointed rooftop pool, lobby restaurant, coffee shop, and lease restaurant. All of these spaces were designed with a commitment to memorable, modern style. Hotels and Conference centers present unusual challenges in the area of energy and water efficiency. The Rabun-led design team focused sustained attention on these important issues, leading to LEED Silver Certification. LEED Silver Certified
Hotel Indigo Riverfront Place Columbus, Georgia Overlooking the Chattahoochee River and Columbus Riverwalk, the Hotel Indigo features 107 guestrooms, a rooftop bar, restaurant, and elevated meeting wing. Inspired by the history and culture of Columbus, Georgia, the brick base grounds the hotel design and reflects the surrounding mill buildings, while the sleek appearance of the tower and rooftop articulate the technological development the city is experiencing. Connecting guests to the outdoors was key in the design—an ample outdoor dining terrace, meeting terrace, amenity deck, and rooftop bar provide varying views of the river, which is noted for its whitewater rafting. As a key part of the Riverfront Place development, this hotel will serve the downtown area for many years to come.
J.B. Duke Inn Duke University, Durham, North Carolina Duke University commissioned Rabun to design a major addition to the R. David Thomas Center at the Fuqua School of Business. This IACC certified conference center received a fresh look and dramatically increased capacity. The connecting corridor and walk connecting the two halves of the conference center was demolished and a five-story addition with two partial lower floors was built in its place. This addition dramatically increased the building’s visibility from various points along Science Drive, and, by virtue of its prominent central location, effectively created a completely new image for the front and back of the conference center. A guest’s first impression of the conference center is improved, as the addition also provides an entirely new front door, reception area, and lobby. Other key spaces created by the addition include 85 new guest rooms, 11,350 sf of additional meeting space, a business center, and two food and beverage facilities.
Washington Duke Inn Duke University, Durham, North Carolina The Washington Duke Inn functions as the living room of Duke University, a social gathering point for friends, faculty, and alumni. The renovations and additions maintained the architectural integrity of the original design (also created by Rabun Architects). The additions include a low-rise wing of conference space, a new 7,600 square foot ballroom, and appropriate support and back-of-house facilities. The guestroom additions include 101 guestrooms in two new five-story wings.
SpringHill Suites Cool Springs, Franklin, Tennessee With a contemporary design rooted in traditional materials, this hotel fits in with the local Cool Springs area in Franklin, Tennessee. Featuring 150 guestrooms, over 3,000 square feet of meeting space, vibrant dining area with a bar, large outdoor pool with gazebo, and onsite fitness center, the hotel provides guests with the latest in Marriott’s SpringHill Suites experience and the amenities match its lively and dynamic surroundings.
Hilton Garden Inn & Homewood Suites South Park, Charlotte, North Carolina Many challenges faced this Rabun commission, including a confined 3.65-acre site, rezoning approval, and a program of two hotel products with varying bay sizes and public space requirements. The design solution is based on a compact, Ushaped courtyard plan which divides nearly equally into a 120key Homewood Suites and 150-key Hilton Garden Inn. The plan arrangement provides for a select number of shared public and back-of-house spaces. The courtyard plan is simple to comprehend, efficient, and well suited to the program. It also supports the design objective of building two hotels in a single building that visually could be a single product. The traditional exterior detailing and symmetry of the front façade is consistent with the South Park context and blends the two hotel brands into a single architectural statement. A single Porte cochere is linked to two separate hotel entrances—a brand requirement—while giving guests a unified arrival point.
REFERENCES
Mr. Robert G. Schaedle III
Mr. Stephen Franklin
President & Managing Partner
Vice President/Division Manager
Chartwell Hospitality
Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC
615-550-1270
706-507-6600
rschaedle@chartwellhospitality.com
SFranklin@BrasfieldGorrie.com
Mr. Michael R. Bennett
Mr. Diego Ardid
Owner & Founder
President
Bennett Hospitality
Key International
843-722-8169
305-587-2459
anna@bennetthospitality.com
diego@keyinternational.info
Mr. Jay Jacob
Mr. Tad Snider
Managing Broker
Executive Director & CEO
Tavistock Buckhead Realty, LLC
Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority
404-563-7900
205‐458‐8461
jjacob@tavistock.com
tad.snider@bjcc.org
Mr. James Williams
Mr. Tye Warren
Project Manager
President
Crain Construction, Inc.
City Camper
615-244-1222
tye@citycamper.com
jwilliams@crainconstructioninc.com
CL
www.rabunarchitects.com