Project Description
Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Draftsman Hotel offers 150 guest rooms. Designed by architecture and design firm BBGM, the 11-story hotel features a design that honors the history of the surrounding neighborhood, but also recognizes the dynamic, youthful spirit of the city.
Rather than opting for a contemporary tower structure, BBGM divided the property into three smaller sections that correlate to the scale of the neighboring properties the podium, the West Main Street facade and the tower at the corner of 11th and West Main Street. This design presents the contemporary building in a way that helps it to blend in with the neighborhood’s timeless aesthetic.
Visitors are first greeted by the 46 foot tall, four-story podium which houses the hotel lobby, retail space, meeting rooms, and two levels of parking. Along West Main Street, the podium is defined by separate retail and lobby entrances, helping to break up the ground-level scale. Above the podium, and set back from the street, is the West Main Street facade. This segment of the building is comprised of four staggering parts that reflect the proportions of neighboring buildings. Additionally, the change in material helps to visually detach this element from the podium. The remaining tower extends from the corner of the building and along 11th Street. A glass wall penetrates down through the podium, helping to clearly indicate the main entry and pulling together the various elements of the building’s facade.