NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND—A new eco-friendly hotel, The Orchard, has opened for business on The University of Nottingham’s award-winning main campus. Designed to complement the University-owned De Vere Venues East Midlands Conference Centre next door, the $32 million hotel complex will provide top class accommodation on University Park with extensive facilities including a roof garden, brasserie and gym. The Orchard Hotel has been built to the highest environmental standards featuring state-of-the-art technology to minimize carbon emissions including a green roof, photovoltaic panels, energy-efficient lighting, heating and ventilation systems.
“The University is proud to open The Orchard as a unique and environmentally-driven addition to our conferencing facilities,” said Pro-Vice Chancellor for Environment and Infrastructure, Professor Karen Cox. “It is a beautifully designed complex, funded entirely by the University, and will be available for use by conference delegates, university visitors, local businesses and the general public.
“The hotel will aim to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), which recognizes low-impact buildings that incorporate the best environmental practice,” Cox added. “The Orchard is the latest in a series of award-winning buildings developed on The University of Nottingham’s campuses which have underlined our commitment to sustainable architecture and construction.”
“The Orchard Hotel is fantastic new addition to our portfolio representing a significant investment by the University in the city of Nottingham,” said Tony Dangerfield, CEO of De Vere Venues. “At De Vere Venues we are committed to redefining the guest experience, doing things differently and giving our customers what they actually want and this new beautiful hotel will make the East Midlands Conference Centre a complete, one stop venue to fulfill and exceed all our guests’ expectations.”
Accessible Rooftop Gardens
The Orchard offers 202 bedrooms, of which 55 are executive suites and five are accessible bedrooms. There is also a brasserie-style restaurant, bar area, terrace, gym and four meeting rooms accommodating up to 20. Architects and interior designers have created a venue with accessible rooftop gardens, a glass atrium reception and lobby which is flooded with natural daylight, floor-to-ceiling windows, bespoke furniture and unique decor throughout. An executive lounge, leading to an exclusive rooftop garden, is reserved for those staying in executive accommodation, whilst a separate mezzanine provides an area for private hire in the evening for up to 100.
The hotel is aptly named as it has been constructed in an area of land next to the East Midlands Conference Centre that was previously an orchard. During the build, several rare varieties of apple tree had to be carefully relocated to make way for the new hotel. Some of these are related to the original Bramley apple tree, which has its origins in Nottinghamshire’s cathedral town of Southwell. In honor of this, the on-site 160-cover brasserie-style restaurant has been aptly named “Bramleys.
“The design concept for the hotel was inspired by the university’s parkland setting, with sweeping lines, lots of timber and regional stone, and echoes of the surrounding trees and plants throughout the interior,” said Corrie Jones, Associate at RHWL Architects who designed the Orchard Hotel. “Creating two separate wings, joined by a central atrium area, has helped to give the spaces a light and airy feel and we have focused on minimizing the building’s impact on its surrounding environment through sustainable features and careful location within the surrounding hillside.”
Gerard Flanagan, construction director at building contractor, BAM Construction, said: “BAM Construction is proud to have worked with the University and De Vere to build The Orchard. We share The University of Nottingham’s commitment to buildings of the highest standards and are pleased to have designed and built this new hotel to match this aspiration.”
Click here for more information.
