Cooper Carry - The Center for Connective Architecture

Location: Portsmouth, Virginia
Client: Stormont Trice Development Corporation
Contact: Pope Bullock, Bob Neal, Brett Wylie, Richard Flierl

Located on the banks of the Elizabeth River in historic downtown Portsmouth, Virginia, the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center is the city’s only four-star luxury hotel. The 16-story, 216,000 square foot hotel provides 250 guestrooms, approximately 25,000 net square feet of conference space and a structured parking facility for 477 vehicles. Amenities include a three-meal restaurant, health facility, concierge club lounge, hospitality suites and a grand Presidential Suite overlooking the water.

The public spaces are oriented to take advantage of the beautiful exterior views, which include the River, Shipyards and the Norfolk skyline. A series of themed gardens were created along the edge of the hotel that relate to the breakout areas of the conference center. The landscape plan emphasizes the location’s nautical roots including a large public plaza in front and a small azalea garden for contemplation. In establishing an urban waterfront design vocabulary for Portsmouth, Cooper Carry provided planning, architecture, landscape architecture and environmental graphic design.

Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel & Waterfront Conference Center