Subscribe for Updates

WWII Museum Hotel Design Honors an Era

With Themed Terrazzo Floor

When asked to design the interior of the official hotel of The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Kay Lang took inspiration from that era, capturing it in the permanence of terrazzo.

“Terrazzo was an absolutely perfect choice for this project,” said Lang, of Kay Lang + Associates of Los Angeles. “It was the perfect material to set the stage in the branded lobby with a high ceiling and an Art Deco theme.”

Called by Forbes “America’s first true museum hotel,” The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center is designed to extend the museum experience to the onsite guest lodging. That led the design team to incorporate the war’s many fronts and perspectives, following the example of the displays in the museum.

To honor the generation that fought, while celebrating the war’s conclusion, the designers created a sophisticated ambiance through Art Deco detailing that conveys the glamour of the era, from the lighting to a distinguished military-themed terrazzo floor.

The epoxy thin-set terrazzo floor is reminiscent of the traditional terrazzo used commonly in WWII-era interiors. The hotel, where guest rooms are named for donors to the museum in honor of veterans, also features its own artifact displays, including General Patton’s piano.

Higgins Hotel

Art Deco detailing

Terrazzo as a Design Tool

 

Higgins HotelLang’s team provided comprehensive interior design services for the nine-story hotel and conference center, which opened in December 2019. Every element was custom-designed, from 230 guest rooms and public areas to 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

To infuse the interior with the lighting and ambiance of the 40s, the design team looked back in history. They studied Art Deco’s influence on design, as reflected in historic buildings, millwork details of the period, even aircraft and automobiles.

Lang appreciated terrazzo’s design flexibility to integrate such elements in the floor, including the hotel’s icons, art deco insets, and a compass treatment in the foyer. Chevron stripe patterning in brass in terrazzo in the lobby is reminiscent of that on WWII military uniforms. Intricate patterning is balanced with simplicity in the field color.

The military theme is executed in a patriotic palette of red, blue, and gold. Lang values the range of colors and sparkle possible with various aggregate chips.

“Terrazzo is a more interesting design tool than in the past when colors were more limited,” she said. “With today’s technology, you can put color in even small quantities.”

 

All about Maintenance

 

Earlier in her career, Lang provided design planning for large department stores, which would often use terrazzo in the high-traffic area for ease of maintenance. She also found terrazzo to be the best solution for a convention center she designed in Tokyo. For a current project in a Long Beach hotel with a convention center, she is bringing in a modern interpretation of terrazzo, which the owner also requested for its ease of maintenance.

“It’s better than stone because it has no grout lines and it’s easily mop-able,” she said. “It’s really about maintenance.”

Kay Lang + Associates is an award-winning interior design firm specializing in luxury hotels, residential, commercial, and mixed-use properties.

The terrazzo installer, Terrazzo Masters of Metairie, LA, was a recipient of a National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association (NTMA) 2022 Honor Award. The annual award program recognizes terrazzo projects installed by its members and based on creativity, design, and quality of craftsmanship. The program promotes member contractors as the sole qualified resource for terrazzo installations that meet the highest industry standards.

The Higgins Hotel is one of Hilton’s Curio Collection, an upscale brand with hotels of distinct character around the world.

Higgins Hotel
Share This
Share this...
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
Linkedin

Read Similar Articles