Sofitel Water Tower To Host Student Architecture Competition

By Benjy Lipsman in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 12, 2012 5:20PM

When it opened 10 years ago, the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower made a bold architectural statement right in the middle of the Gold Coast's skyline, and made just a dramatic one inside (in fact, that's one of the reasons we chose to get married there in 2008). Continuing to push architecture forward, the French hotel chain's outpost in the world' greatest city for architecture is teaming up with the next generation of architects to brainstorm.

The Sofitel is hosting a competition in which thirteen graduate students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago will design both an interior and exterior future concept for a fictional Sofitel property in either Helsinki, Finland, Mozambique, or Lima, Peru—sites varying from an urban center, to an eco-resort to a traditional beach resort. The students in the graduate level Fluid Spaces course will have a chance to gain "real world experience" by going through a Sofitel brand overview, client meetings, and a final judging by some of the city’s top architects. The first student renderings were posted on Facebook this morning.

On Nov. 14, Jean-Paul Viguier, the French architect who designed Chicago's Sofitel, will formally judge each of the SIAC students’ entries along with the panel of local architects. Winners will be selected for both the best interior and best exterior concepts.

Each winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and a complimentary five-night stay at any Sofitel property in the world. The top entries will then be on display in the Sofitel lobby for the remainder of November for the public to admire. We can't wait to check them out!