October 26, 2016 (Phoenix, Ariz.) – Habitat Metro, in conjunction with BOND Partners, announces the opening of FOUND:RE Phoenix, a one-of-a-kind lifestyle hotel experience with every design detail inspired by local contemporary art, culture, fashion and music. The 105-room hotel welcomes guests and Valley residents to delve into the museum-worthy spaces as well as the creative programming woven throughout. The newly unveiled on-site restaurant, MATCH Cuisine & Cocktails, sizzles as Phoenix’s newest culinary dining destination. An art and hotel concept unlike any other, FOUND:RE Phoenix sparks curiosity and brings the creative culture together.
“Our goal is to create a place of community and invoke a sense of wonder for every guest at FOUND:RE Phoenix,” said Vittal Calamur, general manager. “We want people to feel inspired, connected, and engaged on a visceral level. We want every experience here to be an opportunity for our guests to discover and learn something new – we want you to find yourself.”
The soul of the hotel is centered around a vibrant art milieu, led by Cultural Curator Michael Oleskow. He has sourced more than 25 artists to feature works of various mediums enmeshed into every aspect of the guest experience, igniting curiosity and a sense of discovery. Both the Studio and the Gallery spaces will feature a roster of rotating shows, pop-ups and artists throughout the year. The hotel’s opening has forever changed the landscape of Downtown Phoenix with a captivating eight-story digital projection exterior light installation. Additionally, an outdoor display box provides omnipresent public art by exhibiting ever-changing, avant-garde masterpieces created by local artists.
Each piece of art has been sourced from Arizona artists, supporting the local artists, economy and overall health of the community. Notable local artists whose work will be featured at FOUND:RE Phoenix include Diego Perez, Cheryle Marine, Niki Woehler and Kathy Taylor. Five of FOUND:RE’s artists were recently selected to exhibit at ArtLink’s 18th Annual Juried Exhibition, where Kathy Taylor was selected as a runner up; a true testament to the hotels commitment to downtown Phoenix’s vibrant cultural art scene.
“FOUND:RE Phoenix truly unites our local artists with the global community,” said Michael Oleskow, cultural curator. “Not only are their works featured throughout the hotel, but guests can actually purchase the works, take them home, and keep the very best of Arizona with them forever. We can even arrange to take our guests on private tours of the artists’ studios and workspaces.”
For each of the guestrooms, on-site restaurant and public spaces, FOUND:RE has partnered with prolific design experts to create an industrial, raw aesthetic throughout. The guest rooms and suites offer an original blend of well-wrought design and welcoming gravitas; think concrete floors, exposed ceiling and floating beds. The hotel has also added unexpected amenities that include Bluetooth speakers playing various sounds based on the surface where they are placed, whimsical pre-set dial-in buttons on the guestroom phones and custom-designed room numbers by local artist Cheryle Marine. It is all instep with the hotel’s ethos that each guest “find yourself,” tapping into his or her inner artist.
Within the hotel, MATCH Cuisine & Cocktails is an extension of the art and lifestyle core of the property. The kitchen at MATCH is helmed by visionary Executive Chef Akos Szabo, who plans to take each guest on a multi-cultural culinary journey. Served in a fun, vibrant atmosphere that channels the spirited downtown art scene. The menu offers eclectic, globally inspired street food made with locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The restaurant will exude creativity through innovative interactive programming including “Shadow the Chef” where patrons work alongside the culinary team to prepare a four-course dinner at the 21-foot chef’s counter. Simple yet refined, the ever-changing menus and artful libations provide a community aspect that is inventive, approachable and ascends the farm-to-table model. MATCH is elevating the farm-to-table ethos by going full circle, delivering its compost back to its agricultural partners where ingredients were originally sourced.
“FOUND:RE has added a new layer of creativity in Phoenix’s growing arts community, embracing its urban location in the thriving arts district of Phoenix with nearby art galleries, the Phoenix Art Museum and creative pop-ups,” said Tim Sprague, principal of Habitat Metro. “Located within the Central Arts District, in close proximity to Roosevelt Row, across the street from the Roosevelt Valley Metro light rail station, Portland Street Park and the new Portland on the Park residences, the hotel is a welcomed addition to the neighborhood offering a warm gathering place of creative social spaces, interesting activations and captivating dining experiences.”
