Balancing the expected with the unexpected, Studio Paolo Ferrari outfits The Long Bar at Raffles Hotels and Resorts’ new Boston outpost; the established luxury brand’s first property in North America. The celebrated Toronto practice set out to pay homage to the New England metropolis historical undertones while also introducing contemporary details. The overall scheme champions its understated refinement with a timeless design scheme folding in boldly unique accents.

Studio Paolo Ferrari was given carte blanche to imagine a cohesive concept while also adhering to the brand’s intention of carefully situating the hotel within its storied surroundings. Perched on the 17th floor of the new mixed use guest room/condominium tower, The 1,700 square-foot hospitality space and adjoining 805 square-foot terrace offers sweeping skyline views.

The practice drew inspiration from the great rooms of beloved institutions like the Harvard Club. It was all about reinterpreting the monumentality of great early 20th century civic architecture evident throughout Boston; a modernist architectural style infused with classic inflections. They endeavored to develop a space that could present this tried and true typology in a refreshed light. They did so by discreetly blending in a series of unconventional features and implementing a total-work-of-art strategy. Everything from the lighting and furniture, to the hardware and finishing were custom-made by master artisans.

Emphasizing the monumentality of the double height venue’s South and East-facing exposures, the practice introduced low-lying furnishings and built-ins. A meticulously conceived distribution of curvilinear seating, a perfectly proportioned bar, and alcove-embedded table settings make the most of the layout. A nuanced interplay of rich materiality, contrasting textures, attuned colorways, visual complexity, and distilled tectonics ties everything together.