HOTEL MARCEL
New Haven, CT
See the article in the New York Times.
See the article CNN Travel.
See the article on Wonderful Machine.
Original Designer | Marcel Breuer
Developer & Architect | Bruce Becker of Becker & Becker
Description:
Hotel Marcel New Haven occupies the former Pirelli Building, a 1969 modernist landmark designed by Marcel Breuer. The 110,000-square-foot structure was rehabilitated into a 165-room boutique hotel and became the first all-electric, fossil-fuel-free, Passive House-certified hotel in the United States.
Goal:
The initial assignment was to document the in-progress renovation of this historic Brutalist landmark for The New York Times, including environmental portraits of owner and developer Bruce Becker. Upon completion, I was commissioned to return and photograph the finished guest rooms and interiors for use across Hilton’s booking and marketing platforms.
Approach:
I documented the project in two phases: first during renovation, capturing the transformation of Breuer’s original concrete structure and producing environmental portraits within the active construction site; and later at completion, photographing the restored interiors and guest rooms with an emphasis on material integrity and lighting. Careful attention was given to preserving the clarity of the Brutalist forms while articulating the updated systems and finishes that support the building’s all-electric, net-zero ambitions.
