W Hotels
Cultural Brand Strategy - Custom Made Art Installations & Fabrication
Since the debut of the W Hotels® chain, the contemporary lifestyle brand has always used design and architecture to attract a sophisticated blend of guests from the worlds of media, fashion, and entertainment.
In 2016, the W Montreal initiated a major renovation project of its spaces, again highlighting design as a brand-builder and an experience-maker thanks to their avant-garde approach. They wanted to renew their hospitality experience, and become an even more iconic place.
In collaboration with the W Montreal, MASSIVart spent 1 year working with Sid Lee Architecture on the integration of artworks into their vision. The challenge was to amplify the experience through art. It resulted in 3 main art & design pieces permanently integrated in the breathtaking lobby and 4 artworks in the conference rooms.
MASSIVart curated and produced these art installations in order to embody the hotel’s new identity and to enhance the customer experience. We magnified the sense of arrival with an impressive golden and luminous installation by Toronto artist Camille Jodoin-Eng, which is inspired by a bank vault as a reminder of the building’s roots, that used to be a banking institution.
The bar area has been beautified with a 67′ long and 5’4″ high artwork by French artist Etienne Rey – constantly changing, it reveals color combinations that change depending on the viewer’s position. MASSIVart also added warmth to the space with a design installation of light playing with a neon heart, as a reference to the streets of Montreal. An investment which resulted in a cohesive aesthetic to enhance the new design and to boost the hotel’s ambiance.
Anchored in the life of Montreal, the hotel also wanted to honor local artists by highlighting some of the best of the urban art expressions of the city with artists Cyndie Belhumeur, Jason Botkin, Derek Mehaffey, Whatisadam & Stikki Peaches. They magnified the conference rooms of the W Montreal.
Artworks:
Solaire #2, 2019 - Etienne Rey - © Etienne Rey, ADAGP Paris
Sun Vault, 2019 - Camille Jodoin-Eng
Neon Heart, 2019 - Design by Sid Lee Architecture, Production by MASSIVart
Alleyway, 2016 - Whatisadam & Stikki Peaches
Path of Self-Determinism, The Un-Begun, Change, 2016 - Jason Botkin
Crowded, 2016 - Derek Mehaffey
Enchevêtrement, 2019 - Cyndie Belhumeur
Collaborators:
Expozone, Enseignes Landreville, Robocut
Photos: Felix Audette