The Hotel—Capsule Segment: Capsule Metro

Abstract

Capsule Metro is a capsule hotel segment that treat cheapskates with a good deal. It is part of The Hotel, a collective project that studies the hotel, both as a building type and as a place of hospitality, through a collection of fourteen individual contributions inside one skyscraper. The project imagines hospitality as a realm of exchange that condenses the diversity of the city through an assortment of guests, staff, and the broader public.

The hotel is a function of temporality and hospitality. The study questions the requirements for an architecture of hospitality to welcome, host, and entertain. As an architecture of temporality—an architecture that is dynamic and ever-changing, embodying a sense of transience and constant activity—the hotel allows for experimentation, while anticipating adaptation to meet the changing demands of its temporary residents. The hotel, as type, is understood beyond its curated front. It is, instead, a place of anonymity and exchange, of served and serving, a place characterized by short stays in a lasting structure.

The skyscraper, as a formal and monumental object, appears to contrast the hotel’s temporality. In its autonomy, the skyscraper is a landmark in the skyline. Located in Midtown Manhattan—on the former site of Hotel Pennsylvania and adjacent to Penn Station—this project is a reflection on the metropolis of New York City.

The Hotel consists of the design of the skyscraper as landmark—The Metropolitan—and the hotel as tenant—One Hotel.

Collective propositions:
1. The Hotel embraces the frenetic energy of New York City while opposing its outward expansion.
2. The Metropolitan will outlast One Hotel.
3. One Hotel accommodates fourteen types of guests, and its staff.
4. One Hotel shares accommodation, amenities, systems, and services with a 24/7 cycle.
5. The Hotel sets a standard for an architecture of hospitality.

Capsule Segment Propositions:
1.⁠ The Capsule segment provides a temporary rest stop in the center of Manhattan, a simple and affordable space after long hours of work.
2. The Capsule segment arranges the space and circulation between the skyscraper’s infrastructure and lodging near the core, creating a cozy temporary resting stop surrounded by cluttered service spaces.
3. The Capsule segment t formulates the physical space of the capsule by considering different postures and perceptions of minimum comfortable distances.
4. Despite being adjacent to other hotel segments with various statuses, the Capsule segment nests in the elevator corridor with a vertical arrangement, providing anonymity and indifferent contact with limited amenities.
5. The Capsule segment provides an affordable option for temporary stays in New York City, alleviating financial burdens and enabling visitors to enjoy what the metropolis offers.