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Wish You Knew The 411 On Room 414 At The Westin Philadelphia?
Uwishunu™ and The Westin Philadelphia Tap the City’s Design Community for a Philly-Themed Hip Hotel Room Makeover, Debuting in May
Press Release
WISH YOU KNEW THE 411 ON ROOM 414 AT THE WESTIN PHILADELPHIA?
Uwishunu™ and The Westin Philadelphia Tap the City’s Design Community for a Philly-Themed Hip Hotel Room Makeover, Debuting in May
PHILADELPHIA, May 2007 - Redrawing the boundaries of standard overnight hotel stays in Philadelphia, uwishunu™, in partnership with The Westin Philadelphia, encourages visitors to uncover ‘unconventional Philly’ inside their hotel room and out. Their “uwishunu Hotel Room Makeover” program calls on nearly 30 of the most creative minds in the Philadelphia design community – interior designers, printmakers, luminaries, textile artists, and accessories designers, to name a few – to create the ultimate Philadelphia overnight experience within the walls of Room 414 at The Westin Philadelphia at 99 S. 17th Street. From paintings and custom lighting by local artists, to organic soaps and shampoos created locally and sold in Philadelphia storefronts, every element of the uwishunu™ room reflects authentic Philadelphia.
uwishunu™ Hip Hotel Room Makeover
at The Westin Philadelphia, Room 414
Photo by J. Smith for uwishunu.com
“uwishunu focuses on the unconventional assets in Philadelphia that are attracting a new kind of visitor, the kind of visitor who likes to discover cities as a local resident experiences it,” said Errin Cecil-Smith, Program Director, uwishunu™. “In creating a uwishunu hotel room with The Westin, we’re bringing the contemporary, hip Philadelphia story alive right into the hotel room. Our guests will have a one-of-a-kind stay in an environment created by and reflective of the artistic soul of Philadelphia.”
“At The Westin Philadelphia, we are committed to providing exceptional stays for our valued guests,” said Mike Manzari, General Manager of The Westin Philadelphia. “When GPTMC approached us with this project, it was perfect timing. We were undergoing a $10 million hotel renovation in our own effort to revitalize and re-envision the overnight experience, and the uwishunu room makeover presented a wonderful opportunity to enhance Philadelphia stays,” he said. “We’re excited to be the first Philadelphia hotel property to partner with the uwishunu campaign, and look forward to an outstanding space for guests to enjoy.”
Local designer RJ Thornburg and art curator Eileen Tognini are the masterminds behind the uwishunu™ room makeover. One of Philadelphia’s most sought-after residential interior designers, Thornburg currently showcases an eclectic mix of art and art-furniture in his showroom at bahdeebahdu in Old City. Tognini is a contemporary art curator and the force behind the annual ‘Gallery in the Garden’ exhibition, and she has curated gallery shows and organized art events in Philadelphia and the surrounding area for the last 10 years. For the uwishunu™ room at The Westin, this creative team draws design inspiration from contemporary urban scenes to narrate the Philadelphia experience in a hip, artistic way.
“As a fabulist and story teller in the world of design, this opportunity allowed me to utilize a Philadelphia cast of characters, artists and resources,” says Thornburg. “With this special room graciously provided by The Westin and GPTMC, we are able to tell the story of our amazing city on the inside, that which is so visible on the outside…the Philadelphia and the Philadelphians you wish you knew.”
“This is a unique opportunity for guests to experience local artists’ work in the context and comfort of an intimate environment,” Tognini adds. The Westin and uwishunu has provided our community and the visitor to our city with a gem that indeed everyone will wish they knew about.”
“We offered RJ and Eileen a blank canvas,” Manzari said. “There were no design restrictions. We want this to be a truly environmental experience for our guests, shaping the way they stay in Philadelphia. Of course, there will be touches of The Westin in the room: our signature Heavenly Bed® and a 35” flat-screen LCD TV, standard in all rooms since the renovation,” he said. “But what really comes through in the design of the space – the furniture, the lighting, the art work, even the tiling – is a celebration of Philadelphia’s deep design talent and creative spirit.”
A curated and changing collection of artwork from local emerging and recognized artists including sculpture, photography, painting, and functional design, will embellish the space of the uwishunu™ room.
Internationally acclaimed mural artist Meg Saligman, of the Philadelphia Mural Arts program, visually transforms the uwishunu™ space with a two-dimensional mural of hope and urban renaissance, that leaps off the wall and onto the upholstered headboard for The Westin’s Heavenly Bed®.
Lighting sculpture by Warren Muller, the other half of the creative vision behind bahdeebahdu, will illuminate the uwishunu™ room. The space will also take shape with custom hand-crafted cabinetry, courtesy of Sherman & Gosweiler; custom hardware by Greg Nangle; and textile design by Kevin O’Brien, including curtains, upholstery and fabric accents.
“The artisans and vendors have been incredibly generous with their time, product and labor, and we’ve made it an article of faith that to create a truly Philadelphia experience – explicitly and implicitly – the art, amenities, furniture and design must come from local sources,” Cecil-Smith said. “Our guests will walk into the room and absolutely feel transformed by their surroundings in a way that can’t happen in any other city.”
The uwishunu™ room will be completed and available for reservation in early May 2007, in coordination with The Westin’s Philadelphia’s Grand Hotel Re-Opening. To book your stay, call 215-563-1600.
In addition to the uwishunu™ Hip Hotel Room Makeover at The Westin, uwishunu.com is promoting “Philly Like A Local” hotel stays, available in hotels throughout the city, including The Westin Philadelphia. These hotel stays feature a welcome kit filled with tools to help visitors discover all they wish they knew about the city, such as a CD of Philly bands, fun privileges at shops, bars and restaurants throughout the city and late check-out to afford a few extra hours in the city. Book a local stay on uwishunu.com, gophila.com or through the individual hotels.
Contributors to the uwishunu™ room at The Westin
Designer: RJ Thornburg
Designer/Curator: Eileen Tognini
Outdoor Artist: Meg Saligman
Lighting Design: Warren Muller
Featured Artists: Jenny Lynn, Greg Nangle, Barbara Schaff, Dolores Poacelli
Photography/Graphics: Jenny Lynn
Digital Design: Robert Hakalski
Furniture Maker: Jack Larimore
Textile Designer: Kevin O’Brien
Cabinet Makers: Sherman & Gosweiler
Hardware: Greg Nangle
Painters/Finishes: Javier Teran, Beth Tafel Shuster
Nickel Tiles: Mohawk Tile (King of Prussia, PA)
Wall Covering: Colonial Wallpapers (Philadelphia)
Carpet: Bentley Prince Street (Third Street, Philadelphia)
Selected Furniture: KNF Furniture (bahdeebahdu is Phila. distributor)
Amenities: Duross & Langel
About uwishunu™
uwishunu™, created by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and funded by the City of Philadelphia, reveals the unconventional side of Philadelphia by providing an insider’s look at the city’s dining, drinking, nightlife, active pursuits and cultures as shared by Philly-wise locals. For cool things to do in Philly from the people who really live there, visit uwishunu.com.
About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 127 hotels and resorts in 31 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.
CONTACT:
Susan Hamilton/Kim Hallman
(215) 568-2525, shamilton@devinepowers.com
Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com
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