Chicago is defined by its relationship to the lake. The design of Navy Pier’s first hotel links Lake Michigan with the towering city it looks back on, capitalizing on its location through the use of window boxes as the organizing principle. Each of the 223 guest rooms feature a window seat facing lake and skyline. The design also pulls inspiration from the pier’s history as a port, and the naval training ship after which the hotel is named, by incorporating subtle nautical cues like weathered brass and the use of smooth curves in millwork gesturing to a ship’s interior cabin. These motifs are layered with whimsical elements drawn from vessel’s prewar life as a Great Lakes luxury passenger liner. The neutral color palette is highlighted by a spectrum of blues and blue-greens reflecting the colors of the lake.
