The William Vale
The William Vale, the soon-to-be-open hotel in Brooklyn, New York’s Williamburg neighborhood from Riverdale Developers, is making a dramatic statement while engaging the area. Rising more than 20 stories tall to take advantage of spectacular views of Manhattan, the mixed-use concrete and steel complex is a blend of retail, office, public space, and 183 hotel rooms, elevated above and surrounding a central plaza.
“The form of the truss under the hotel portion of the building is partly driven by necessity, and partly by our design to express the sculptural qualities of the buildings structural elements to intensify the experience of the building, both from afar and underneath it in the plaza and o the green roofs,” says the building’s architect, Nick Liberis, a partner at Brooklyn-based Albo Liberis. “With the truss, we acknowledge and play off of other physical characteristics in the neighborhood, from the local bridges and manufacturing facilities to the various tank and tower support structures.”
Inspired by the ways urban spaces interface with each other, they crafted a grand stair from the street that leads to the rooftop park- 15,000 square feet of green space complete with rolling hills. “It’s a fluid design that encourages people to filter in and out of the hotel while hopefully enticing them to remain in this single destination for socializing, entertainment, and leisure,” Liberis says.
"It really was our mission to create a space respectful of the local community"
Alessandro Munge
As for the interiors – which include a third floor 60-foot-long outdoor pool, and ground floor restaurant Leuca and rooftop bar Westlight from chef Andrew Carmellini’s Noho Hospitality Group- Alessandro Munge of Toronto-based Studio Munge “embraced the architecture, nurturing the natural flow in public spaces by keeping it as unobstructed as possible and by creating pockets for people to settle in,” he explains. That translates to the use of “clean materials in their purest form,” such as natural stone and white marble, residentially informed furniture, much of it custom by area craftspeople and, a local contemporary art program.
Munge points to the two-level presidential suite with its soaring ceilings, marble feature wall and luxe contemporary furnishings as a standout, as is the faceted ballroom outfitted with extensive angular paneling clad in a light off-white wood. And since the rooms were tight, challenging spaces, Munge kept the palette light and youthful with black accents as a modern nod to the industrial area.
“Our main design challenge was linked to Williamburg’s identity – it really was our mission to create a space respectful of the local community, yet speaking to a new generation of youth and talents moving into the neighborhood,” Munge explains. “We aimed to give the interiors a personality of their own, slightly more polished than the industrial look the area is currently known for. It will set new standards for Brooklyn.”
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