The Memphian Hotel is a boutique hotel a part of the Marriott Tribute Portfolio brand and was designed by Renaissance Group. Located in Memphis, TN’s Overton Square entertainment district, the Memphian is the embodiment of the successful revitalization efforts that have preserved Midtown’s character.
The Memphian Hotel
A hotel with flair to match the neighborhood
The Scope
Challenges & Resolutions
Midtown Memphis is well known for its artistic and historical character. The new hotel must fit among the style of the neighborhood and generate its own creativity and inspiration for guests. From exterior elevations down to fabric and finishes, Renaissance Group considered each detail and selection to best support Memphis’ unique community.
Brick corbels, arched glass windows, multi-colored storefront windows, and a decorative frieze board create a beautiful balanced façade both horizontal and vertical. The color palette of The Memphian is a monochromatic off-white, with a clean and ornate design aesthetic with hidden architectural surprises. The interior design includes nods to film, theatre, performance art, visual arts, and music. The design inspiration extends into the guestrooms and guest corridors as well, from the antelope print carpet in the corridor to the fully conceptualized room layouts.
The small site footprint in Overton Square also presented a design challenge. Within a 200-foot wide space, the hotel needed to include 106 rooms, parking, and multiple dining venues. Renaissance designed the hotel to expand upwards, topping 7 stories and featuring a rooftop bar.
How The Renaissance Approach Benefited the Client
The Renaissance team attended planning meetings to address various concerns including the limited parking available. Due to the small site size, the hotel is able to accommodate 70 onsite parking spaces with the Overton Square Parking Garage handling the remaining requirements.
During design and planning, Renaissance used Autodesk Revit 3D BIM modeling for architecture and MEP coordination, as well as renderings for daytime and nighttime lighting views and solar studies.
By working closely with the owner and contractor, we were able to design an hotel that fit the Midtown atmosphere and provided a nearly 10% budget reduction by revising the final CD pricing set.
Outcome
Since opening in 2021, the national hotel market has returned with strong earnings, and The Memphian is no exception. According to the Metropolitan Memphis Hotel and Lodging Association and CoStar, The Memphian, along with other area hotels are seeing occupancy rates reach close to 70%, higher than the national average.
The hotel continues to serve the area well, not only by providing high-end, sought after lodgings, but also by being a destination for dining and creative inspiration in Overton Square.
