STUDIO SHOO on designing a destination at the Courtyard by Marriott

STUDIO SHOO, a design and architectural bureau, was assigned to creating and implementing the interior design of the restaurant and terrace in accordance with Courtyard by Marriott’s new concept. The project’s interior was designed not just for Courtyard by Marriott hotel guests, but also for visitors who wander down Yerevan’s bustling tourist street.

Image credit: Courtyard by Marriott / Sergey Krasyuk

The lounge’s main objective was to create a versatile area. As a result, it serves as not just a lounge area in the hotel lobby, but also a library where the guest can relax during the day and a bar in the evening. This area is designed in a light colour palette since it is a continuation of the already built lobby area and needs to blend seamlessly within it.

The ambiance of the restaurant area was influenced by natural textures and materials, including terracotta, mineral particle plaster, and rattan furniture. along with organic marble, soil, clay, and various hues of greenery. Flowers that have been dried and carefully arranged beneath glass embellish the wall.

Image credit: Courtyard by Marriott / Sergey Krasyuk

“It was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with the Marriott International brand and the Galaxy group to build a new, iconic destination in a fast-growing city,” commented  Shushana Khachatrian Founder of STUDIO SHOO. “When designing, we had to consider brand standards, history, and the country’s particular flavour. One of the key objectives was to design a restaurant that would appeal not only to hotel visitors but also to city dwellers,” continued Khachatrian.”Each hotel we work on has a unique narrative and provides a fresh source of inspiration, yet they are all unified by shared brand values. At the same time, the design approach should be independent of trends. In this particular instance, I was influenced by colours and earth tones such as terracotta, ochre, rich burgundy, and brick. I also wanted to engage with natural materials such as rattan, dried flowers from the Armenian fields, marble, and copper”.

The restaurant’s gastronomic direction is Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. The interior encompasses soil, sea, and environment in general. At the restaurant’s entryway, the visitors are met with an open kitchen featuring a vibrant burgundy pizza oven. Arriving guests may see every step of the food preparation process. the design team developed multiple types of sitting places for the restaurant, including round and square tables, an oval communal table, chairs with comfortable sofas and bar seating.

Image credit: Courtyard by Marriott / Sergey Krasyuk

The restaurant’s interior design features complex tones of warm terracotta and vibrant burgundy, as well as soft and delicate natural green and blue. Local furniture makers used natural veneer for creating shelving, tables, couches, and server stations. STUDIO SHOO paid particular attention to the floor finishing, and were fortunate to work with a true ‘jeweller’. The copper bits were handcrafted, set down in a certain order, forming a pattern based on the concept, and then filled with concrete.

“I appreciate incorporating handcrafted touches into every project we work on,” added Khachatrian. “Each panel in this project has been meticulously constructed using hand-picked dried flowers from Armenian fields to provide the sense of embracing the nature. In addition, a local artist designed flower and leaf shapes for the bar counter”.

All of these details, colours and tones, materials, and handicraft from a large number of local Armenian craftsmen added soul and individuality to the interior, allowing guests to obtain new insights and perspectives while also immersing themselves in Armenia’s welcoming and rich culture.

Main image credit: Courtyard by Marriott / Sergey Krasyuk