Last summer, SERA Principal in the Hospitality Studio Gary Golla convened a research group to look at mass timber construction in the hotel industry. Mass timber buildings tend to be thought of as beautiful, with warm, welcoming spaces and distinct sustainability advantages, but that doesn’t mean they’re a perfect fit for every use or building […]

Last month, guests were served the first round of tapas and signature cocktails at AC Hotels’ newest property, in downtown Portland, Oregon. Originating in Spain, the brand by Marriott is aimed at travelers seeking a modern, European twist to their trips – even if their travels are stateside. Blending laid-back comfort with visual excitement, the AC Hotel Portland […]

Despite what Howard Roark and Ted Mosby imply, most buildings are not the product of a sole architect’s vision at the drawing board. Rather, a design is created by the architectural team and engineers, who hand over the permitted documents to the contractor to build. This is how it’s planned, but what really goes on? […]

When our hospitality studio isn’t designing hotels from the inside out (see: Pearl District Residence Inn, AC Hotel by Marriott and more), they’re helping revitalize existing hotels around the country. The redesigns are always remarkable, but when juxtaposed against the original conditions, the transformations are stunning. Check out four of SERA’s recent hotel interventions below. While the Before images are amateur snapshots (taken during […]