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Sheraton Laval Hotel and Convention Center
By : Massarelli Design
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Accommodation, Restaurant & Bar / Chain Hotel : Platinum Winner
Categories : Special Awards / Interior Design + Collaboration : Bronze Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Renovation (Before & After) : Gold Certification
The Sheraton Laval Hotel and Convention Center undergoes a massive transformation between 2019 and 2022 to coincide with its 40th year anniversary marking its rebirth. A large, complex project broken into eight phases, it involves a complete renovation of the following areas: arrival, reception, collaborative spaces, new market area, bar and restaurant, club lounge, conference rooms and banquet halls, convention center, long stay suites, pool area, basement washrooms and corridors.
The main design objectives are: to improve spatial planning for easy access to facilities while expanding convention center for increased efficiency, to convert dedicated-function spaces into flexible ones transitioning from day to night based on needs and to showcase the hotel’s specialty services of food and beverages as a main selling point to entice guests. One of the biggest challenges is to give the hotel a distinct, youthful character while respecting the design parameters of the Marriott Hotel Chain. Requiring the close collaboration of many trades and industries, each space is completely redesigned to enhance usage and to increase its appeal particularly to millennials.
The Art of Gathering
The idea of the public square as a place that brings people together to encourage a sense of belonging symbolizes Sheraton’s community focus. The main intention is to create a comforting, inclusive and inviting environment with global design influences, resonating with travelers and locals alike. Many areas are designed with an open-concept reflecting residential trends: colorful wall coverings and comfortable couches, playful light fixtures and lush plants, quirky décor and inspiring artwork. A clever combination of wood veneers, metal textures and recycled onyx slabs create interest and infuse coziness without compromising on quality and sustainability. New spaces like the Meet Area with its break-out niches where visitors work, relax and socialize in small groups emphasize a laid-back, fluid approach as a key component of modern life. Guests are made to feel at home while still enjoying the privileges of being in a hotel setting catering to their needs and preferences, making their visit a positive one.
Hybrid Work Environments
A flexible and coherent space layout featuring collaborative rooms opening up to create break-out dining areas during big event hosting is a key design element. Hybrid work and relaxation environments that adapt to guests are created with the introduction of Studios; these spill into the lounge and bar area to transition from meeting to dining with acoustics addressed through material choices, ceiling tiles and double-glazed walls. Staff offices are relocated and the vacant space made way for an open-plan new Market Area enabling a direct, easy access to the convention center. It features a barista bar and a 24-hour open gourmet counter, as well as banquette break-out spaces. These provide guests with a different setting to enjoy refreshments not usually found in hotel functions and eliminate the need for staff to carry folding tables and food to the venue. The convention center is expanded to offer 45,000 square feet of space – half fully modular with ceiling-retractable mechanical walls and sliding glazed walls – dedicated to corporate meetings. Eight multi-purpose rooms, configurable in 70 different ways, create endless possibilities for event organizers. The bright and spacious pre-function with its custom-designed wool carpet and versatile colorful poufs leads to the outdoor terrace offering visitors the chance to stretch their legs and catch fresh air during breaks.
Gustatory Delights
The creation of the public square and smarter spatial planning benefits the hotel famed for its weekend brunches. Custom-designed terrazzo slab community tables on wheels are easily moved to accommodate mobile cooking stations, expanding the dining area from the restaurant to the adjacent open spaces. The Club Lounge – once out of sight on the second floor – is relocated to the ground floor, now within easy reach of both the kitchen staff and the guests who can access its residential-inspired buffet. A wide range of culinary choices served in multiple locations create plenty of opportunities for social interactions, transforming the heart of the hotel into a community hub. For those wishing to prolong the pleasure, the new Long-Stay Suites replace the old Club Lounge spaces. With new windows added to respect legal requirements, they necessitated roof structure modifications below, creating challenges. The apartment-like artistic and colorful rooms – some equipped with full kitchenettes and dining areas – offer occupants a chance to rest and recuperate in style.
Breaking with set rules and traditions, the Sheraton Laval Hotel and Convention Center merges timeless and transitional design to create new experiences in each space no matter the season or the occasion.
Collaboration
Interior Designer : Massarelli Design
General Contractor : Construction Tyron
Project Manager : Yanick Pazzi
Manufacturer - Distributor : Linea P
Manufacturer - Distributor : Multi- Laques
Lighting : La Fontaine Électrique
