projects

ReardonSmith was introduced to the opportunity to design a new hotel for Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, by the operator, Four Seasons. The client, Pasha Group, a leading local development company, already had a scheme in place but neither Pasha nor Four Seasons felt that it truly reflected their ambitions — to create a jewel in the crown of Baku architecture and the most luxurious hotel in the city. The location for the new hotel was prestigious, at a crossroads facing the Caspian Sea and Baku’s smart promenade to one side and the President’s palace to the other, with beautifully landscaped public gardens to the rear.

In a city where Ottoman and Islamic styles meet European influences, ReardonSmith, taking a specific design direction defined by the clients, has created a building which draws its inspiration from late 19th century French urban public buildings. Also, key to the approbation of ReardonSmith’s design, was the decision to change the orientation of the building by moving the proposed entrance from a corner to the sea facing façade and introducing a porte cochere. By doing this, the issue of vehicle flow was resolved and a suitably ceremonial sense of arrival achieved. Structural integrity is a major consideration in the design since Baku sits in an active earthquake zone and a particularly thoughtful solution is being developed in this respect to create a large ballroom without internal columns. There will be a total of 175 keys with many of the suites accommodated within the roof level domes, thereby offering 180 degree views; there is to be a roof top spa and a pool at fourth floor level under an atrium that soars upwards to a glass roof.