Creating Physical Connections: Sylvamo Global Headquarters
Sylvamo, a top global paper company employing more than 6,500 people worldwide, is focused on creating connections that only paper can foster. The company’s new global headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, is designed to reflect its commitment to providing its employees with a balance of collaboration and privacy, a space with a strong sense of branding and cultural identity.
The clean, modern office design features a neutral color palette that allows the treescape views to shine as a major player in the design story.
Muted tones of Sylvamo’s signature purple brand color highlight key spaces. A large custom painting in the lobby features an abstract design that flows well with the connection to nature and the contemporary brand. The Sylvamo Global Headquarters regularly hosts international staff and visitors, and the office’s boardroom is equipped with an elegant white marble table and privacy measures for business meetings, including electronic frosted glass interior walls that can be clear or opaque depending on the level of privacy necessitated.
Light-Filled Work Spaces
A repeating baffled ceiling element runs from the entry lobby through office wayfinding paths and collaboration spaces to symbolize forward motion while echoing Sylvamo’s logo design.
A hint of industrial inspiration is provided from the open mechanical ceiling plane that serves to elevate the office height for an open feel.
Every Memphis-based employee has a universally sized workstation or semi-private office with adjustable height desks, and access to multiple open and closed collaboration spaces throughout the workplace.
Workstations are located along the exterior floor to ceiling window walls allowing light to permeate through the main spaces into the internal glass fronted offices at the nucleus.
In-Person Collaboration
Situated in an existing Class B office building, the office floor plan enables various open and closed workspace and collaboration zones for employees and leadership who work on hybrid office schedules.
Formal and Informal Break-Out Spaces
Because most employees work on hybrid schedules, the office space is designed to be highly collaborative with numerous styles of formal and informal break-out brainstorming and meeting spaces.
Each of the Sylvamo Global Headquarters' three floors contain a Work Cafe that honors the Memphis location, named Soulsville, Beale, and Graceland, respectively. These café hubs serve as central, informal gathering areas, providing counter seating and dining table seating, and can be opened to collaboration areas to accommodate events. These floating kitchenettes are located at the angular building’s end point and their geometric configurations help maximize space and flexibility during events.
‘Sip and Print’ stations are the office’s printer kitchenette break out spaces. Each ‘Sip and Print’ is centrally located for ease of access and wayfinding for guests.
HBG Designers Select Their Pick of the Trends
HBG Design is on the forefront of the latest ideas in 2023 hospitality and entertainment design. Read our lead designers’ pick of the trends for the year ahead.
HBG ‘Design Thinking’ Contributors:
- Emily Marshall, IIDA, NCIDQ, Principal / Interior Design Director
- Alexandra Milkovich, IIDA, NCIDQ, Associate / Lead Interior Designer
- Landon Shockey, IIDA, NCIDQ, Lead Interior Designer
- Thor Harland. Lead Architectural Designer
Focusing Capital Budgets on Distinctive Amenities and Unexpected Experiences to Attract a Wider Market
Competition in most markets will continue to be intense in 2023. Properties large and small across the U.S. are elevating competitive advantage by renovating and expanding new market-driven, revenue-generating amenities. Many of our resort clients are betting BIG on unique features to bring in a new untapped customer base from greater distances. “For Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland, Michigan, that ‘wow’ factor is a large multi-purpose pool and events complex. The new six-story, 32,000 SF architectural marvel is set to be an oasis for ‘superregional’ customers in Chicago and Detroit looking to escape those harsh Midwest winters,” says Thor Harland. “With a year-round temperature of 82 degrees, The complex is a never-before-seen expansive, mixed-use environment, completely climate-controlled under a stunning glass roof. At its heart are terraced, landscaped pools that transform into a one-of-a-kind event center within the atrium environment. A resort pool by day and a performance complex by night, the concept includes three distinct pools, a swim-up bar, live palm trees and tropical flora, and a large entertainment stage that can host events for up to 2,400 people.”
“We always work closely with our clients and their operations teams to keep project costs down,” says Emily Marshall, IIDA, NCIDQ. “By identifying and eliminating superfluous or unnecessary square footage, we help Owners focus their design budgets on those eye popping, revenue-generating amenities that create visual and experiential distinction in their markets.”
Multi-Functional Hotel Lobbies and Centralized F&B
Gone are the days of guests zipping through the lobby as a passageway to other destinations. The new hotel lobby beckons you to sit and stay a while. “Furthering the residential trend that has taken off in the hospitality space, lobbies are appearing more like a comfortable living room – offering a place to eat, drink, work, and play,” says Marshall. The new lobby lounge coined ‘Talk Shop' at Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis reimagines the guest arrival experience with a lively multi-functional welcome area, all-day lounge and workspace, coffee shop, eatery, grab-and-go artisanal market and cocktail bar. “Energy reverberates throughout the colorful space, which was designed to encourage social interaction inside and outside at the adjoining beer garden courtyard,” she adds. Similarly, the adjacent Hyatt Centric Beale Street Hotel’s lobby offers a variety of amenities to suit visitors, locals and remote workers alike, including a large lobby bar and lounge, a communal worktable with integrated outlets and charging stations, a convenient grab and go market, and high-profile dining venue.
“We are also leading changes in F&B design that improves operational efficiency, as a direct outgrowth of the industry’s ongoing staffing shortages,” says Marshall. She explains that menus and food selections may be branded around an experience, but online ordering and room service / delivery / locational pickup means that food preparation no longer needs to be in separate kitchens attached to individual venues.
“Another good example is a property like Resorts World in Las Vegas where food and beverage operations are streamlined by creating centralized, shared hub and spoke type kitchens that service all dining venues on property.” There are many diverse solutions; it all comes down to creating efficiency and functionality that produces high quality with reduced resources.”
Dark, Dramatic, Statement-Making Design
“We are taking bright colors like coral, violet or turquoise and deepening their tonality to create more subdued, rich, darker shades that are visually interesting and restorative,” says Landon Shockey, IIDA, NCIDQ.
The simplicity of white interiors and a minimalist palette is always in style, yet as casino resort designers we LOVE that deep, moody colors are back. One example: The Oak Room at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Arkansas–a perfect blending of contemporary and traditional design–features an early 1900s era aesthetic reminiscent of a dimly lit, moody speakeasy. The noted F&B venue mixes deep, luxe tones and geometric patterns with brilliantly colored, stunningly energetic LeRoy Neiman original paintings as a playful contrast in the eclectic eatery. Globe pendants, tufted leather banquettes, and custom oak detailing finish the look while transporting guests to a different era.
“Complementing inky hues, we’re blending rich textures like leather, velvet, natural stones, and a variety of woodwork that adds depth and softness which is irresistibly cozy and welcoming,” adds Alexandra Milkovich, IIDA, NCIDQ.
Continued Alignment of Sustainability and Design
Sustainability is taking center stage these days and major hospitality brands like Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood and Marriott are committing to significantly reducing their environmental footprint in the coming years and focusing on wellness as a key benefit for guests.
“HBG Design is actively aligning our design concepts and interior selections to help clients down this path,” says Milkovich. “Our teams have prioritized sustainable materials in our interiors library and are training designers to select materials for their durability and ease of maintenance and to extend the duration between property refreshes/renovations.”
"Durability leads to a longer lifecycle, especially for furnishings; and the lifetime of a product is something that is extremely important to not only the environment, but also to our client’s bottom line,” adds Milkovich. “For instance, instead of using an exotic wood species such as Mahogany or Walnut that may be overharvested, we would specify Eucalyptus, which is a more renewable species and sustainably sourced. Today’s products made from Eucalyptus can often mimic the appearance of a rarer wood.”
Design That Supports Guest Wellness and Well-Being
Many of our clients are excited to promote wellness, mindfulness and health benefits among their guests, making spas within the resort environment even more popular today.
“Reduction of stress and increased well-being and healing are some of the overall benefits of biophilic design through the infusion of natural and nature-inspired materials into the built environment,” says Marshall.
The new Cedar Spa at Four Winds Casino Resort in South Bend, Indiana, is a great example of how the demand for wellness is being incorporated into gaming resort properties. At Four Winds, the resort’s signature design elements of copper, cedar, birchwood and stone--each representing significant cultural elements of the Owner’s heritage--are integrated throughout the spa, holistically adding to the wellness experience. Located on the first level of the new 23-story, 317-room hotel tower, The Cedar Spa provides a variety of traditional and unique spa therapies, including steam rooms, saunas, vitality pools and separate lounges for women and men.
“The transition from the high energy zone of the gaming floor to the relaxation zone of the spa is highlighted by an illuminated feature that appears as sunlight shining through a canopy of cedar trees,” adds Marshall. “This simulation was created through ornate copper ceiling elements allowing pockets of light to peek through, creating dancing shadows around the spa entry.”
GGB Casino Style Magazine: Designing Emotional Connection
Read how HBG is designing emotional connection into three of our new casino resort projects.
“An entertainment experience is all about emotion—basically about having fun and enjoying yourself in an extraordinary environment,” says Dike Bacon, principal at HBG Design. “For many casino patrons, the resort is their country club. It’s their escape. It’s what they do to have fun.
“I use the analogy of a golfer. Even in tough economic times, golfers will find the money to play golf because that’s what they like to do. Even in tough times, gamblers will find the money to gamble because that’s what they like to do.”
Gaming operators jockey to find an edge. They mirror the Field of Dreams concept from the famous movie: if you build it, they will come.
“Owners and operators are expanding with larger, more targeted and exceptional property developments and improvements,” Bacon indicates. “From small-scale renovations and incremental expansions to huge multi-faceted super-regional resort-level entertainment additions. There are also exciting expansions to existing jurisdictions like Illinois and New York and huge investments in new jurisdictions like Virginia.”
Bacon hails the industry’s resilience. It faces headwinds regarding economics, the pandemic and oversaturation, but finds a way to emerge stronger.
“The industry seems to always be battling Chicken Little headwinds in some form or fashion, but always seems to just push through better than ever,” Bacon says.
“Owners are currently molding and reshaping their expansions and renovations to accommodate changing economic conditions, but many regional gaming properties continue to ride a wave of success. In many markets, expanded facilities are creating entertainment experiences that often rival or eclipse what’s offered in Las Vegas. At HBG Design, we are working with great clients; we are busy; and we are doing great things.”
READ MORE IN GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS' 2022 CASINO STYLE MAGAZINE
Designing Emotional Connection
Gun Lake Casino Resort, Wayland, Michigan
One of HBG Design's largest projects is the $300 million Gun Lake Casino expansion for the Gun Lake Tribe in Wayland, Michigan. The project is located just south of Grand Rapids, which is only a few hours’ drive from Chicago and Detroit. Gun Lake owners have set their sights on creating the premier entertainment destination in the Midwest, Bacon says. It’s a true super-regional resort with an expansion program designed to drive traffic from those two major metropolitan areas. The new project will consist of a 252-room hotel tower, multiple support amenities, and a new climate-controlled atrium pool and events complex.
Rock & Brews Casino, Braman, Oklahoma
The first-ever HBG-designed Rock & Brews Casino and Restaurant owned by Kaw Gaming opened for business in Braman, Oklahoma this year. Co-branding with recognizable names from outside the casino industry to anchor key amenities is not a new concept, but is gaining more traction with tribally owned casinos as a means to broaden market appeal and greater name recognition from an expanding customer base, Bacon says. The 71,000-square-foot gaming project features an expertly curated interactive rock-inspired entertainment experience that only Rock & Brews—and its co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of iconic rock band KISS—can provide. The Rock & Brews brand and venues are noted for using heavy integration of rock ‘n’ roll imagery and iconography to elicit emotion and nostalgia in customers.
HBG Designers Share Post COVID Design Solutions
https://www.indiangaming.com/magazine/#flipbook-df_6153/33/
See full article in Indian Gaming Magazine
As life starts to return to a new version of normal, our designers are focused on integrating more flexible design sensibilities into public spaces and amenities. As we’ve learned, spaces throughout the casino, hotel and amenities must be able to easily transform and handle fluid situations.
The idea of physical space and user experience are more connected than ever before and that’s especially key in rethinking design as we move forward. We are shaping spaces that are more malleable and can adjust to a host of layout options suitable for induvial privacy, groups, social interaction, and even remote workspace within the leisure setting. Property design must be equipped to flex and adapt to overnight changes in conditions.
We’re working now with several tribes who are renovating underutilized, non-revenue generating areas into spaces that can easily transform into a variety of flexible, revenue-generating uses. Functions can change and adapt to the visitor mix, giving operators the ability to “blur” the purpose of the space, based on the needs of their guests.
Now that individuals have greater flexibility in their ability to work remotely, we’re seeing a significant shift toward longer overnight stays at the casino resorts/hotels. Weekends will extend longer into mid-week, so operators will want to get ahead of meeting the needs of the “blended traveler.” Our clients at Cache Creek Casino Resort outside Sacramento, CA were way ahead of the curve on this trend. In our design, all guestrooms feature round, desk-height tables and chairs that transform from in-room dining to remote workspace instantly. Studios indicate leisure guests are creating the greatest demand for flexible spaces that easily align with their evolving needs.
Connection to nature and wellness, or biophilic design, has garnered more attention as we emerge from the pandemic. We’re hard-wired to react physically and emotionally to nature, and that creates a feeling of health and wellbeing. Biophilic design is central to Cache Creek Casino Resort. The hotel tower and function spaces are sited to amplify the limitless panoramic views over the valley, opening to the outdoors. Inside, a neutral color palette blends with patterns and textures that draw from the region’s landscape and connects guests to the abundant valley that surrounds the resort.