The Sinclair, Autograph Collection, opens this fall in Fort Worth, TX, having been transformed by ForrestPerkins and Merriman Anderson Architects into a modern hotel with deep ties to its Art Deco roots.
“The Sinclair hotel is an iconic building in the heart of Downtown,” said Hannah Walker, in-house designer, Sinclair Holdings LLC. “When you’re in the hotel, you’re getting the rich history of the Art Deco architecture, mixed with the young entrepreneurial energy of Downtown Sundance Square. It’s iconic and inclusive, and celebratory of the culture and history of the city.
“The inspiration in the project came from the city and the building itself,” she added. “As an Autograph Collection hotel, it’s ‘exactly like nothing else.’ The design and branding celebrates the uniqueness of the local culture and flavor of the city.”
Originally home to the Sinclair Oil Company in the 1930s, the building has been reimagined over the past four years, creating a contemporary feel while restoring the building’s signature ZigZag Moderne structural styling.
Noting that the building is a registered Historic Landmark in the City of Fort Worth—meaning that the Texas Historic Commission and National Park Service has to approve any changes made to the building, Walker said, “Our main goal was to transform the old office building into a luxury hotel property with beautiful finishes, furniture and technology, but it was always very important to us to celebrate and enhance as many of the main architectural features as possible. We took the absolute best of the amazing Art Deco architecture, and paired it with stunning design and finishes you can find today.”
The hotel offers 164 deco pop, loft style rooms and suites, as well as a two-story penthouse, each fitted with custom-made Italian furniture, as well as intricately layered textures and patters of materials, such as leather, bras, wood, marble, ceramic and glass. In keeping with the property’s history, interiors, guestrooms and corridors offer a color palette of deep blue and rich brown hues.
While Art Deco touches permeate the space, that doesn’t mean guests are stuck with the comforts—such as they were—of the 1930s. In-room amenities include Kohler DTW + Digital Showers, Savvy Electric Touchscreen Mirrors that can order your room service and custom LG 8K Wallpaper TVs. The In-Room Network Presence Sensing technology automates and customizes the in-room experience, including lighting, shades, locks and mirrors.
A key moment of the design, Walker said, is the main arcade. “As you enter the building, there is a beautifully restored long open corridor that will take your breath away,” she explained. “All of the original marble, flooring and ceiling coves remain, accented with new lighting fixtures and updated paint. This is the very first look into Sinclair and will immediately pull you back in time to the Art Deco era. Flanked on either side by the completely new reception and lobby bar, you’ll immediately see how the new and old seamlessly transition and create the new Sinclair hotel.”
