Named for Albert Einstein’s famous physics formula, Hotel EMC2 in downtown Chicago bills itself as the “intersection of art and science.”
To start, local architect Jackie Koo wrapped the facade base of the Autograph Collection hotel in stainless-steel panels in three colors, mimicking the pattern of a tesseract. New York-based Rockwell Group adorned the lobby with a 19th-century zoetrope machine, thought-provoking art and vintage books, while the in-house restaurant–named Albert, a nod to the renowned scientist–pours house-made liquor at the bar through a custom glass chandelier-like piece dubbed the “infusary.”
Each guest room was designed to reflect the charm of 1920s science laboratories, and the bathrooms resemble a wet lab. The entire space is a giant design experiment–with successful results.
