FORTH Atlanta by Morris Adjmi Architects

Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward holds many distinctions: it is the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., a haven of scintillating street art, and now, the site of FORTH Atlanta, a new hotel and social club by Method Co. and New City Properties, designed by Morris Adjmi Architects.

Nestled in the green interlude between Historic Fourth Ward Park and Ponce City Market, this innovative hospitality concept exemplifies wellness, design and culture. FORTH Atlanta is where mid-century design meets 1970s panache, a design language that evidently echoes the boutique hotel’s heritage- stamped surroundings. The interior design, a sleight of hand by Morris Adjmi Architects and Method Co., doffs its hat to European design and early Americana tradition by way of handmade timber furniture, scented potpourris, plaster walls, vintage treasures and objets d’art. “Our ambition was to create a new iconic landmark within the city, a beacon of hospitality that draws people in to experience Atlanta in a fresh and exciting way,” says Morris Adjmi, founder of Morris Adjmi Architects.

FORTH Atlanta is where mid-century design meets 1970s panache, a design language that evidently echoes the boutique hotel’s heritage- stamped surroundings.

The hotel boasts 157 luxury guestrooms and 39 apartment-style suites spread across 16 storeys, some offering sweeping skyline views, in addition to four separate dining concepts, a sumptuous outdoor pool and deck, a flexible event venue, an avant-garde fitness centre and an array of spa and wellness options. The crowning glory, however, is the exterior – more specifically, the tower’s exposed concrete diagrid, which channels enormous diamonds. “These are strikingly aesthetic, but also serve a functional, structural purpose,” says Morris. The podium underneath, subtle and unassuming, appears as though it could have been born in the same breath as its historic neighbours.

There is a sense of warmth in each guestroom, which feature plain-sawn oak flooring, hand-knotted antique rugs, custom floral wallpaper and floor-to- ceiling windows that bathe the rooms in natural light. Morris Adjmi Architects deemed no detail too small, customising the bed frames, armoires, minibars and bedside tables. As for the apartment-style rooms, the aim was to marry hotel-style luxury with homelike comfort. Earth tones adorn the living spaces, while lacquered brass hardware, sage green cabinetry and farmhouse sinks feature in the kitchens to evoke a Southern air. The bathrooms throughout are similarly considered, bedecked with three-toned floor tiling, travertine-topped vanities with dark-stained walnut bases and Hinoki-scented toiletries from Le Labo.

There is a sense of warmth in each guestroom, which feature plain-sawn oak flooring, hand-knotted antique rugs, custom floral wallpaper and floor-to- ceiling windows that bathe the rooms in natural light.

In a bid to conjure a warm, intimate ambience, the public spaces are mapped into a series of smaller realms, each thoughtfully furnished to channel a postcard from the past. “While sweeping windows frame the lush landscape, artwork was used to bring nature indoors,” says Lyle Starr, director of art services at Morris Adjmi Architects. Nature is summoned to the reception area with a forest painting by artist Jack Spencer and a mountain tapestry from BDDW, and similarly to the concierge space through an enclosed diorama – complete with taxidermied foxes, pinned butterflies and natural foliage – by artist Becca Barnet. That nature lives on either side of the threshold is perhaps the hotel’s greatest drawcard.

Architecture by Morris Adjmi Architects. Interior design by Morris Adjmi Architects, Method Co. and Stokes Architecture + Design. Build by New City Properties. Artwork by Jack Spencer, BDDW, Matt Kleberg, Christy Bush, Sisal Creative, Blake Dowling Weeks, Anna Moller, Michelle Marchesseault, Rich Shaefer and Bo Kim.