The Move Hotel in Mogliano, Veneto, opened its doors to guests in May 2011. The 200 room 4 star hotel is part of a larger complex of buildings, that includes a commercial office building which, with the hotel, form a semi-circular composition with an existing villa as the focal point. The hotel is strategically sited in a semi rural setting adjacent to a major highway interchange with easy access to Venice and Marco Polo airport.
Strict local authority restrictions of a maximum 2-stories above mean ground level, posed the first serious design challenge. In order to accommodate the brief, whilst providing sufficient garden and open space, the 3-storey building was designed with the entire ‘ground’ floor below ground level. The main hotel building is arranged in a semi-circular protective arc, with access off a landscaped parking forecourt which turns its back to the highway. Entry is via a central steel and glass porte cochere into a highly transparent glazed treble volume lobby, on axis with the villa. The lobby houses a central reception desk, a lounge with bar and restaurant extending in a linear fashion. The back-of-house kitchen and support accommodation is located in the wing to the right, with administration office, baggage handling, garden suites and rooms to the left.
The main feature staircase is positioned to take advantage of the views to the central garden and is extended vertically to form a lightweight semi-transparent, mesh clad campanile, around which the buildings pivot, visible from the highway beyond. Glass balustraded bridges link the upper wings of rooms on either side of the central volume. Externally, the two upper floors of rooms are defined by strong stucco frames housing a carefully structured alternating pattern of modular, vertical fenestration and natural timber panel infill. This treatment was chosen to bring a calm, natural warmth and scale to the buildings in contrast to the predominantly pinkish plaster and stucco of the surrounding local vernacular.
The strong geometric arc of buildings embraces and encloses the landscaped garden and courtyard spaces, and include a fully divisible multi-functional conference centre, assembly area, breakaway spaces and support facilities, all linked directly to the main kitchen and back-of-house areas. Completing the complex of buildings in the courtyard is the gymnasium and indoor/ outdoor pool pavilion and outdoor recreation areas all set below ground level within a green landscaped park. The courtyard buildings are angular and orthogonal in plan and contrast with the soft arc of the main building.
Materials include off-shutter concrete and stucco for the primary structure, with cladding and sun control elements in horizontal timber panelling, responding to the main building’s superstructure. Transparent steel and glass internal, umbilical tunnel, walkways provide year round weather protected access to the central buildings.
Steel, glass and timber, weather canopies and sun protection pergolas, are provided along the fringes of the buildings. These lightweight elements, together with the timber garden room dividing screens, serve to add scale, texture and animation to the composition. Access to the villa is via a strong axial walkway with pedestrian ramp and staircase elements adjacent to the feature pond. The buildings have been designed with a strong emphasis on sustainable design in terms of solar protection, reduction of mechanical services, harnessing of waste heat and selection of renewable materials.
The completed building has surpassed its operational mandate in terms of practicality, comfort and ease of use. The success of the design and facilities offered can be seen by the local acceptance of the development as a local landmark, with conference facilities and room reservations exceeding expectations.