Seattle’s Fairmont Olympic Hotel has stood as a beloved landmark for close to a century. It has hosted generations of celebrations, from engagements and weddings to afternoon tea with family and friends. Opened in 1924, the hotel is one of the oldest, most historic buildings in the city. As the city’s premier hotelier and National Register of Historic Places member, it has accommodated dozens of elites throughout history, from President Teddy Roosevelt to John Lennon.
Recognizing the importance of preserving the hotel’s rich heritage while updating its timeless charm, Fairmont Olympic Hotel leaders embarked on a restoration project. To achieve their goal, the hotel’s representatives needed a team that could blend modern elegance with classic sophistication while paying attention to every intricate detail in preserving the property’s legacy. Renovating this historic gem wasn’t just an enormous hospitality project, it was an honor and a privilege for the team at MG2, a local architect with a dedicated interest in community and culture.
A VESTED INTEREST IN CONSERVING LEGACY, COMMUNITY AND CULTURE
While Spanish design studio Lázaro Rosa Violán curated the interior design, including the large nautical-themed art installation at the center of the Olympic Bar in the building’s lobby, the Fairmont Olympic Hotel brought in MG2 to handle code enforcement, design reviews and execution. MG2 was responsible for understanding, embodying and maintaining the history of the property—a challenge that was exhilarating.
Like any retrofit, MG2’s team anticipated unforeseen obstacles and surprises. However, the distinct hurdles the team faced, coupled with the far-reaching implications of every decision, made the Fairmont Olympic Hotel’s renovation an endeavor that will be remembered for years to come.
100-YEAR-OLD TERRAZZO FLOORS
One of the biggest surprises came when the team lifted the carpeting at the hotel’s south entrance and uncovered original, nearly 100-year-old terrazzo floors. The floors had been hand-laid by artisans in 1924. The team knew as soon as the floors were uncovered, it had to do everything in its power to ensure they were preserved.
Rejuvenating these terrazzo floors was a particular highlight of MG2’s work on this historic restoration. Terrazzo is a beautiful surface that is durable and repairable, and MG2’s team was excited to discover the hotel’s terrazzo floors on the main staircase and landings were still in fantastic shape.
The crew began the process by removing the existing carpet, as well as the carpet adhesive and any residual fillers. The original terrazzo was then ground down using diamond grinders, and repairs and replacements were made to create the original look. The original colors were matched as best as possible, and aggregates were procured from Italy and domestic sources to make the floors look original. After a full grout coat, the floor was ready to polish, and then it was sealed to give it a patina. It’s a thrill to say that the hotel’s terrazzo staircase is as beautiful today as it was almost a century ago.
1920s WROUGHT-IRON HANDRAILS
One of the project’s biggest challenges was bringing the hotel’s original 1920s wrought-iron handrails up to code height. Typically, rails like these would be removed and replaced with new materials for ease of installation. However, MG2 knew that these historically significant elements were irreplaceable, so custom metal extensions were designed by MG2 and created so the rails would meet code height while retaining their original pickets and wood caps. This approach was not only a sustainable choice but also was 75 percent less expen- sive than replacing the rails and allowed the hotel to retain a critical historical feature.
300-POUND GEORGIAN CHANDELIERS
The hotel’s two historic 300-pound Georgian chandeliers are another crowning statement of elegance, grace and glamour. The chandeliers had presided in the hotel’s restaurant, overseeing decades of celebrations and momentous occasions. Each chandelier was carefully dismantled, and each individual crystal was removed, labeled and wrapped. The pieces then were sent to Artech, which provides fine arts services, and stored in a state-of-the-art facility. The chandelier was rewired for use with dimmable LED bulbs, and The Service Companies, a provider of cleaning services, cleaned the individual crystals, chains and pendants. Once the chandelier structures were in their new location in the Spanish Ballroom foyer, the crystals were placed one by one using a ladder for the lower crystals and an onsite lift for the upper parts. The chandeliers once again shine brilliantly in their new location.