For a boutique hotel, Messana juxtaposes historic architecture with a ground-up, modern addition comprising two volumes that are connected by a horizontal glass gasket, forming a large, open void of light and air into the center of the structure. The gasket serves as the hotel’s central artery with window-like openings creating a play of light and shadow in the corridor through the day. The shared wall with the extant structure has its original brick, adding a rich materiality and texture while reminding visitors of the property’s past.
