Timeless Well-Being
David Oberstein
Proprietor, Hotel Parq Central
A beautiful Italianate building—a hospital for most of its century-long life—is remade into a bespoke and utterly contemporary hotel where an historic sense of well-being infuses every aspect of its experience and design.
The hotel’s storied life is reflected in the textures, patterns, colors, and compositions that make up its public spaces. Fundamentals that harken back to the building’s prominence—one of the Topeka, Santa Fe Railroad’s most important hospitals—such as the studded leather chairs in the drawing room or the comforting calmness of neutral-colored walls set the tone. Unexpected notes, such as pieces of depression-era glass accentuated in wall-hung boxes, or the incorporation of Prohibition-era written prescriptions in the chair fabrics for Apothecary—the hotel’s rooftop bar—suggest complimentary stories. And, finally, the hotel’s historic and continuing importance in the community finds expression in the intricate handiwork of local blacksmiths, painters, tile makers, and local suppliers that fill the public spaces.
Project Contributors: HVL Interiors, Studio Southwest Architects, Klinger Constructors, Robert Reck
Inspiration
