The Press Hotel in Portland by Stonehill & Taylor

The building that housed the renowned Portland Press Herald is experiencing a renaissance as a “lifestyle” hotel in the city's Old Port district. The redevelopment project - targeting LEED Silver certification - has been designed by New York-based architecture and design firm, Stonehill & Taylor.



The Press Hotel in Portland, Maine by Stonehill & Taylor pairs contemporary comfort with an industrial soul, where its project pulls the building's architectural history into the forefront.





New York-based firm, Stonehill & Taylor has extensive experience in corporate storytelling, particularly in the contract industry, and their design team worked very closely with the publishers of the Portland Press Herald, to come up with an ambience that exudes urban sophistication, while allowing guests to experience the building’s history and celebrating the tradecraft of the reporters who wrote millions of articles here.





This mix of past and present is presented on the one hand through the effective reuse of some of the architectural elements, such as the wooden pillars, or the preservation of the coffer ceiling in the reception hall, and on the other it specifically references journalism with newspaper headlines covering the walls and decor stressing the ties with the newspaper office. Details that include newspaper racks for periodicals, vintage desks and even chairs emblazoned with the classic phrase using every letter of the alphabet "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog".





Another interesting thing about the hotel is the fact that it has involved local artists. The Press Hotel is a fantastic showcase for their artworks, displayed in the hotel's dedicated gallery but also in the common spaces and even in the rooms themselves. The artists are all from Portland area and were personally selected by the Stonehill & Taylor design team and owner Jim Brady.



The Press Hotel has thus been turned into a warm, friendly place to stay, filled with stories whose 110 rooms show a love for detail completely lacking from the major international chains, just as they lack the charm of history, of tradition and of the thriving local art scene. All of this has enabled Stonehill & Taylor to create a unique hotel with uncommonly sustainable features, which are reflected in its targeted LEED Silver certification.

Christiane Bürklein

Project: Stonehill & Taylor
Location: Portland, Maine, USA
Year: 2015
Images: Courtesy of Stonehill & Taylor, thanks to DadaGoldberg