The View Lounge, which crowns the 39-story San Francisco Marriott Marquis, recently completed a multimillion-dollar revamp managed by Hatch Design Group. The project caps off a massive renovation of the 25-year-old property. The Art Deco-inspired lounge is famous for its domed floor-to-ceiling starburst windows, which showcase panoramic views of the Bay Area and beyond. A modern, cool, and sexy aesthetic with both masculine and feminine touches gives the 4,500-square-foot space mass appeal, according Designers Glenn Chen and Christy Dao. Several distinctive lounges combine to create a club-like venue. A muted color palette of platinum, slate, and ebony is accented by deep ruby tones and rich textural fabrics and leathers. The design features subtle nods to San Francisco and Art Deco style without being cliché. “The main goal was to make sure the view was the focal feature,” Dao says. “In order to make the view stand out, we wanted to neutralize all the colors, but still have an accent pop here and there to keep it interesting.”
Vantage Point
Subtle references to San Fran include a mural with an aerial view of the city that’s mirrored several times. “It’s not just a simple picture of the Golden Gate or Bay Bridge, because you can always look out the window,” Dao says.
Out in the Open
The team removed the bulky glassware rack above the bar to create an airy atmosphere. “It now feels like one huge space, and the view is even more enhanced than it was before,” Chen says. This made way for the ethereal, jewel-like pendants that are suspended above the bar from aircraft cables.
Setting the Bar
The firm tore down the outdated bar and replaced it with one that has a variegated wood surface to lend a warmer touch. “A multi-tiered, mirror-back bottle display in the center adds to the vibe of the bar,” Chen says. Furnishings with rounded lines echo the towering arches that frame the room.
