Sofitel New York wins award. (Insiders Outlook).

This year's Hermes Awards, which honor the best in the lodging industry, were recently handed out at a presentation in Paris, France. Sofitel New York, designed by BBG/Architects for Accor, a European provider of travel, tourism, and corporate services, won for "Best Construction." The Sofitel New York was one of 130 projects considered in 16 categories in the competition, organized by HTR Eurotrends magazine and MKG Consulting.

The judges commended the 400-room hotel's blending of "French style and American spirit." The building's exterior is a combination of traditional and contemporary expressions. In a nod to its prestigious landmark neighbors the Harvard Club, the Yacht Club, and the New York City Bar Association, the base of the building is fully articulated in limestone. The facade not only provides a context for the new property within its neighborhood, but also links it to Sofitel's French roots, as limestone is a popular building material in Paris.

The bold, curved tower on the 44th Street side is a modern statement in glass and limestone, satisfying the client's desire for a 21st Century building. The 45th Street facade was inspired by Parisian Moderne limestone buildings and relies on clean, repetitive panels of horizontal banding articulated with precast concrete mullions and simple punch windows.