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Hadiprana Perspective

Shinta Meirina Hapsari - Journal of Harris Malang

23 Mar 2014

Harris Hotel is located at a residential and commercial district in Malang, developed by a property developer company; Riverside. The site is an ideal place for a resort hotel to reside since it is located at the main gate of Malang city, and situated side by side with Mewek River facing Mahogany forest.

Our client wants to have the first 4-star resort hotel in Malang, while staying true with Malang's iconic art-deco design style, which is applied to architectural design. However, there is a challenge for the interior designers; Harris' brand color identity is bright green and orange, these two color combinations do not incorporate well with the art-deco concept that the clients want to achieve. Moreover, Harris' is usually associated with simple yet modern interior characteristics.
 
Our concept strives to harmonize the Art Deco Architecture into an elegant Interior Design with a sense of unique atmosphere by integrating Harris’ signature color as interior elements with a true colonial touch.
                                         
Scope of our work includes public area only. Guest rooms are not included because Harris' already has their own design standardizations.
 
Lobby
Lobby area is, architecturally, detaches from guest rooms' building. It also has its own unique colonial house look. Our interior approach is to reinforce the characteristic of this lobby building as if it has been existed for the past 50 years. This approach is done by exposing the architectural shape of the roof and installing a fake exposed structural truss. The impact of this idea is huge because the guest can sense the colonial feel much bolder. The orange color, Harris' brand color identity, is applied on floor pattern, carpet design, and throw pillow fabrics in a more dark, elegant tone.

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Bar Lounge
Bar lounge is a transitional area between lobby, which appears more elegant, and guest rooms' building, with its contemporary look. To achieve lighter colonial feel and look, louvered panels are installed on wall next to White Carara marble wall. Ceiling are relatively low in Harris, to avoid a sense of constriction on a low height ceiling,  the general ceiling for bar lounge area is wooden except for the recessed ceiling on the bar counter to distinct the center area of this bar lounge. To stay in line with Harris' brand color, green stained-glass material is used on the bar top rack, and dark orange for throw pillow fabrics. Swinging benches located at one of the corner of this lounge are put to break the stiffness with its unique interactive presence while staying true to art-deco design from its wood edging detail and fabric chain cover.

Room Corridor
For room corridor area, we intend to give a more calm and settle look because this area delivers the guest to their resting area. Again, the ceiling is low at 2.5 m height, therefore we simply paint finish the corridor wall and give an accent to one side of the floor with terrazzo with patterns on it to give a light colonial touch. Shaft doors are covered with louvered panels to enhance colonial feel.

All-Day Dining
All-day dining area on Harris Hotel Malang is expected to be one of main guest attraction by satisfying their appetite throughout the day. It is situated on Ground floor facing towards the infinity pool, that attached with mahogany forest scenery. By looking at the location we need interior to be fun and appealing. Therefore Harris brand identity color can play along with the interior without eliminating the art deco concept. This area is divided into 2 smaller areas; indoor and outdoor. The indoor buffet counter is placed right in front of the entrance way, in line to an open kitchen, to arouse hotel guest's appetite. The design for the buffet counter is modern yet functional with a touch of colonial feel by using Statuario marble and a well-lit green acrylic as an accent. The freshness of interior are illustrated through the upholstery color on chair and also graphic artworks on wall.
 
Spa
The spa area was originally 4 guest rooms combined. To achieve relaxing and calming atmosphere, our design approach is to have bolder resort atmosphere with a touch of art-deco. These ideas are applied through the use of solid wood, simplified art-deco architrave, camouflaged sliding lattice door, and latticed wardrobe with art deco pattern. To achieve a more resort feel, strips of wooden block along the spa corridor way are decorated.

Ballroom
Ballroom is also architecturally detached from the hotel and lobby building. Just like in lobby area, the ballroom needs more art deco look to reinforce its true style.
It stands on 1000m2 area and can be occupied up to 1500 guests. It has its own pre-function area, public toilet, and drop-off area. The pre-function area has a 5-meter ceiling height, the entrance door is incorporated with rich art-deco lines to give a stronger art-deco look and to stay in line with the architecture as well. Other essential features to create a bolder art-deco approaches are done through the use of customized chandelier, furniture, and also old-style patterned terrazzo. High back chair with its gigantic size along pre-function area is resulted from a design study to create a balance proportion between the furniture and the ceiling.

The function room has its own 'wow' factor with its 8 meters ceiling height with a compliment from lattice and carpet details which are resulted from a study between art deco style and Harris' brand identity color and style. Due to the ceiling height, air conditioner system is placed on the wall (4 meters height) with fully covered lattice grill. It is intended for the air flow efficiency and energy savings.

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This project has defeated many challenges, from combining 3 different interior style (art-deco, resort, and modern) to a limited budget from client. We managed to give a wiser and selective design decision by using local source (local suppliers, local materials, local contractor, local artists). This project started in mid of 2011 until early 2012, while during the construction phase occurred in mid of 2013. After 2 years operating, based on the information given by the client, Harris Hotel Malang has successfully achieved a high occupancy rate as much as 90%. Harris Malang has also won a certificate of excellence from tripadvisor in 2014.
 

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