The Domain, a high-density business, retail and residential center is located in the high-tech corridor of Northwest Austin, TX. In that area is the up-and-coming Rock Rose section that is becoming one of Austin’s newest hotspots. Sitting within the Rock Rose district is the Archer Hotel, which packs a significant amount of upscale style into its eight-story, 171-guest room building. At the center of the boutique hotel’s design is Crossville’s Reclamation porcelain tile collection — furnishing most surfaces, including those in the guest rooms, baths and elevator halls, as well as on the building’s exterior. The collection was chosen because the tiles answered aesthetic and performance challenges that are common in the hospitality sector.
One of the challenges in designing the Archer Hotel was to find alternatives to carpet in the guest rooms. In large hotel brands, luxury vinyl tile has been the most utilized alternative, but Linda Ehlen and the rest of the team at LK Architecture wanted to go with something different. “We have been trying to reduce the amount of carpet that we use; the tile gave us a very good alternative,” said Ehlen. “We wanted a porcelain tile that was durable and easily cleanable, yet gave the visual impression of the warmth of wood.” For the project, a total of 25,000 square feet of Reclamation porcelain tile was used — 19,000 square feet of it was in 12- x 24-inch format, 3,500 square feet in 6- x 24-inch pieces and 2,200 square feet in custom 3- x 3-inch mosaics.