Friday, August 18, 2017

Lowenstein Sandler Fuels Collaborative Culture with New Suburban Space

Lowenstein Sandler LLP announced the opening of its new New Jersey office space to complement its recently upgraded and expanded midtown Manhattan office.



Entrance to One Lowenstein

“The new space is designed to be an epicenter of collaboration for flexible teams that benefit from having one foot in Manhattan and another in a natural, suburban setting with proximity to great corporate and individual clients in both locations,” said Gary Wingens, chairman and managing partner of Lowenstein Sandler. “We designed the space to harness our intense energy and facilitate greater collaboration and efficiency.”

Lowenstein Sandler is now the anchor tenant at One Lowenstein Drive – part of a wooded office campus in Roseland, New Jersey which also includes 56 Livingston Avenue– where it occupies the entire third floor as well as a vertical townhouse section of the newly repositioned building.



Front Lobby of One Lowenstein

Lowenstein collaborated with Mountain Development Company, the redeveloper of the property, and Marner Architecture to rethink what had been a big pharma headquarters to reflect and amplify the firm’s culture. The office is unified by a central diagonal “parkway” from which one can see the building’s glass front entrance in one direction and the scenic surroundings in the other – connecting teams as it spans the length of the building. On either side of the parkway, practices gather in “neighborhoods.” Avoiding monotonous grids and squares, the office is cut into novel triangular spaces, nooks and angles, offering settings to stop and meet colleagues.

A 5,000 square foot common area called the “Lab” is a gravitational social space at the midpoint of the parkway. It knits together the neighborhoods and features a coffee bar, game rooms, and casual seating. It is ringed by junior associate offices, plugging them into the heart of the firm (as well as the snacks). The Lab is complemented by alternative gathering spots, including a secluded rooftop garden.



The Lab collaborative space at One Lowenstein

Flexible conference rooms and other areas are designed to accommodate everything from small team huddles to large closings, litigation proceedings, public company board meetings, and community and pro bono events. A dedicated data and network operations center, as well as security and backup power systems keep One Lowenstein operational 24 hours a day.



The Lab collaborative space at One Lowenstein

The new office consolidates Lowenstein Sandler’s former suburban offices into a single building in a park-like setting. Just 17 miles from Lowenstein’s Rockefeller Center offices, the new campus allows Lowenstein lawyers the continued flexibility to work in both urban and suburban environments over the course of a day, week or career. It also reflects the innovative thinking of the firm’s real estate practice group, which led the effort, about how office space, particularly in suburban office parks, can evolve to better serve a mobile and everchanging workforce.

“Law firm offices in the U.S. are typically designed for work behind a closed door,” said Ted Hunter, chair of Lowenstein Sandler’s real estate practice group. “A rabbit warren of individual workspaces results, shut off from the rest of the office. As work has become mobile, the primary mission of an office is no longer to provide access to a computer and a desk. Workplaces are evolving to provide more specialized spaces in which to meet and collaborate with teammates and solve problems together that you can’t do as well alone or remotely.”

“One Lowenstein has been a great opportunity for our real estate practice to illustrate the same creativity and problemsolving we utilize for our clients, here propelling our own firm's investment in real estate that advances our goals,” said Hunter. “Set free from the traditional thinking about office space as a collection of individual workspaces, businesses are exploring buildings they wouldn’t typically consider. They are structuring space in a way that they wouldn’t have thought of previously, and making real estate decisions based on new economics to unlock their optimal business culture. In our case, the new One Lowenstein campus allows us to make our entrepreneurial personality work seamlessly in the city and in the suburbs, wherever our clients’ and professionals’ needs are best served.”

“The project is an outstanding collaboration between not just the principals but all the design professionals as well,” said Michael Seeve, President Mountain Development Corp. “The interior design supports an innovative, collaborative approach. Employees and guests are assured state-of-the art amenities and technologies within our 56 Livingston campus.”

Lowenstein Sandler is a national law firm with approximately 275 lawyers based in New York, Palo Alto, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, D.C. The firm represents leaders in virtually every sector of the global economy, with particular emphasis on investment funds, life sciences, and technology. Recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and high standard of client service, the firm is committed to the interests of its clients, colleagues, and communities.

Lowenstein Sandler 
www.lowenstein.com

All images courtesy of Lowenstein Sandler 

Monday, August 14, 2017

Hyatt Centric Guatemala City Officially Opens

Hotel Opening Marks the First Hyatt Centric Hotel in Central America


Hyatt Hotels Corporation, in conjunction with LATAM Hotel Corporation and GHL Hotels, announced the opening of Hyatt Centric Guatemala City, the brand’s first hotel in Central America. The 138-room hotel is located along 2nd Avenue in the heart of Guatemala City’s Zona 10, known locally as “Zona Viva,” which is considered one of the city’s most upscale commercial areas and provides a perfect launch pad for guests to explore and discover the diverse offering of shopping, dining and entertainment options.



“This hotel is a prime destination in Guatemala City, allowing guests to begin their journey of the country’s economic, governmental, and cultural center,” said George Vizer, vice president of franchise operations, Hyatt. “We are confident Hyatt Centric Guatemala City will deliver on the brand’s commitment to put guests in the middle of the action and inspire them to explore Guatemala’s capital city.”




As the first Hyatt Centric hotel in Central America, the hotel is designed to make guests feel welcome and connected to the heart of Guatemala City and all it has to offer. From Hyatt Centric Guatemala City, guests can meander through the National Museum of Archeology, shop for handmade textiles at the Plaza Mayor, and experience the Historic Center and National Palace. Additionally, La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala’s passenger and cargo hub, is only 10 minutes away from the hotel.

“Hyatt Centric is a globally recognized brand – we are confident that Hyatt Centric Guatemala City will serve as a terrific launch pad for guests, but will also be a great gathering point for the local community. Furthermore, the location of the hotel in Zona Viva will position Hyatt Centric Guatemala City as an outstanding hotel in the city,” said Fernando Paiz, president of Latam Hotels Corporation.

“We are delighted to open Hyatt Centric Guatemala City, which will set a new standard for hospitality, service and facilities in Guatemala City. Hyatt Centric is a globally recognized brand, and whether traveling for leisure or business, our guests will have the opportunity to explore a full service lifestyle hotel and have a wonderful experience,” said Jorge Londoño, president of GHL Hotels.

Guestrooms
Modern explorers can relax and recharge in one of the hotel’s 138 guestrooms and suites, each complete with floor-to-ceiling views of Guatemala City or the hotel’s atrium. Design features include vintage artwork highlighting Guatemalan culture and desired conveniences such as complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and an airport shuttle to La Aurora International Airport are provided with your stay.

Dining and Drinking
Food lovers can discover local flavors at the hotel’s distinct dining outlets. Starting with the hotel’s main restaurant, Zamat brings a unique open kitchen concept offering a delicious mix of modern inspirations and classic dishes prepared with local ingredients. Decorated with organic materials such as wood and the colorful textiles from Guatemala, Zamat features a display wall with the traditional masks of Guatemala as a central point of the restaurant. Adding to its character and a sense of place, an artisanal cocktail menu featuring local plants enhances the experience and atmosphere.

When the sun starts to set over Guatemala City, guests will find themselves at Zielo. This unique rooftop restaurant with a central open kitchen is the perfect place to relax or spend time with friends, family, and colleagues while being in the middle of the action. Enjoy tropical cocktails, live music once a week and a casual menu consisting of pizzas, small bites, and other sharing plates.

Additional food and beverage outlets include the exclusive Bar Zeis and Ezprezzo Corner, which serves delicious coffees from different regions of Guatemala with gourmet pastries.

Wellness and Recreation
The rooftop fitness center at Hyatt Centric Guatemala City pulls out all the stops to motivate your workout. Guests can enjoy skyline views while getting their heart rate going on a treadmill or stationary bike. Additionally, guests can round out their workout with a suite of strength-training equipment.

Pet Friendly
Guests are welcomed to join us with their favorite four-legged friend during their stay in Guatemala City. Up to one dog per room weighing up to 40 pounds. The hotel offer beds, bowls, toys, and treats, free of charge.

For more information, please visit www.hyattcentricguatemalacity.com

The Hyatt Centric Experience
Hyatt Centric is a brand of full-service lifestyle hotels located in prime destinations. Created for millennial-minded travelers who want to be in the middle of the action, Hyatt Centric hotels are thoughtfully designed to enable exploration and discovery. The lobby lounge is a launch pad providing guests with information about the most sought after food, nightlife and activities the destination has to offer. The bar and restaurant are local hot spots where great conversations, locally inspired food and signature cocktails can be enjoyed. Streamlined modern rooms focus on delivering everything guests want and nothing they don’t, including Beekind’s environmentally conscious bath products, Bluetooth-enabled electronics and salon-grade blowdryers. A team of colleagues is always available to recommend local hidden gems to launch guests’ discovery of the destination. 

For more information please visit hyattcentric.com 

About Latam Hotel Corporation
A company focused in the development of mix-used properties by building and operating real estate development and hotels of select service for the Hyatt Place brand, as well as lifestyle hotels for the Hyatt Centric brand and recently the corporation introduced Latam Hotel as their own brand.

About GHL Hotels
A leading hotel operator and developer, based in Colombia with more than 52 years of experience in the tourism market. It operates over 70 hotels in 13 countries in Latin America with their own brands and international franchises such as Sheraton, Hyatt Place, Four Points by Sheraton, Sonesta, Howard Johnson, GHL Collections, GHL Style, Hilton Garden Inn, among others.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 13 premier brands. As of March 31, 2017, the Company's portfolio included 708 properties in 56 countries. The Company's purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to create value for shareholders, build relationships with guests and attract the best colleagues in the industry. The Company's subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences and vacation ownership properties, including under the Park Hyatt, Miraval, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Andaz, Hyatt Centric, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt™, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Zilara™ and Hyatt Residence Club brand names and have locations on six continents. 

For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com

The term “Hyatt” is used to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.
All images courtesy  of Hyatt Centric.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Samsung Chef Collection Brings Smart Technology and Beautiful Design to Premium Built-In Home Appliance Category

New Line Redefines the Modern Kitchen and Simplifies Daily Lives


Samsung Electronics America, Inc., the number one selling brand of major appliances, announced its new Chef Collection line of premium built-in appliances. Merging elegant design and industry leading technology, the newly redesigned line of Chef Collection was unveiled at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) in San Diego.




With Chef Collection, Samsung brings its most innovative and popular home appliance features to the premium built-in category, reflecting its deep consumer insights and industry expertise. For the first time, Samsung is introducing two new fully integrated built-in refrigerators, including the industry’s first 42” Built-In 4-Door Flex model. The line also includes signature features that only Samsung offers in a full suite of kitchen appliances that includes wall ovens, cook tops, Pro ranges, and dishwashers. All models are Wi-Fi-enabled, offering modern functionality and convenience to consumers.

“As homes have become more modern, we felt it was important to give people more choices when selecting premium appliances that complement their elevated sense of style,” said John Herrington, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics America. “With the reimagined Chef Collection, we’ve integrated our best and brightest innovations and design details in a premium built-in platform that meets the needs and priorities of modern families and fits how they live their lives.”

The New Samsung Chef Collection Line

Samsung Chef Collection seeks to redefine and modernize the home, with advanced features that don’t just complement modern kitchens, they enhance the overall look and functionality of the space. It is available in Samsung’s exclusive matte black stainless steel – a soft brushed metal finish, as well as stainless steel. The line is also panel-ready so the look of the appliances can adapt to changes in design preferences over time. Other Chef Collection highlights include:

Refrigeration



  • An industry first, the fully integrated 42” Samsung Chef Collection Built-in 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with FlexZone™ compartment that easily transitions from fridge to freezer at the touch of a button
  • 36” Samsung Chef Collection Built-In includes Metal Cooling stainless steel interior and TwinCooling™ to keep food fresher, longer
  • The Wi-Fi-enabled built-in models feature Samsung’s View Inside cameras so consumers can see its contents from anywhere on their smart phones
  • Frame LED lighting (1) that illuminates what’s within, and hidden electronic controls to give a truly seamless look
  • A Chef Pantry compartment in each model that can be set to three different temperature options to handle various food preservation needs

Cooking

  • 30” Samsung Chef Collection Wall Ovens, available in single, double, and the industry’s largest capacity microwave combo (2) configurations, feature Steam Cook technology and Flex Duo™ design in which a removable Smart Divider splits the bottom oven cavity into two to create three independent ovens
  • 30” and 36” Samsung Chef Collection Cooktops, available in gas and induction, offer power, precision and seamless design. A powerful 22K BTU Dual Power brass burner on the gas cooktop goes from high and hot to a true simmer. Virtual Flame Technology™ on the induction cooktop gives the real feel and visual glow of a flame. It also features a large FlexZone™ cooking surface for maximum efficiency
  • Bluetooth-enabled 30” and 36” Samsung Chef Collection Range Hoods automatically turn on with the Pro Range or Cooktop, and change fan speed with the Heat Sensing feature, which automatically adjusts based on the heat being generated from below
  • The 30” Samsung Chef Collection Pro Range offers 5.8 cu ft. capacity with 22K Dual Power brass burner and dual convection oven, and bold LED-illuminated knob design

Dishwasher


  • The Samsung Chef Collection Dishwasher with Samsung’s exclusive WaterWall™ technology delivers a powerful, streaming wall of water for corner to corner cleaning, and a Chef Mode that provides concentrated cleaning power on heavily-soiled pots and pans. The AutoRelease™ Door opens automatically to circulate air and improve overall drying by as much as 35% (3)

The complete line of new Chef Collection built-in appliances will be available later this year.

Wi-Fi Capabilities Throughout

Samsung Chef Collection reflects the aspirations of a new generation of state-of-the-art homeowners who not only prefer a beautiful look in their kitchen but also appreciate having the latest innovation in their homes. By making the appliances Wi-Fi-enabled, for example, Chef Collection gives consumers peace of mind that the stove isn’t still simmering while they are out of the house, and that the dishwasher cycle has been started after a big night of entertaining. Now, all of this can be controlled from a smart phone, bringing necessary smart technology to the built-in category.

“As my career has flourished over the past year, I need to be as efficient as possible and make every moment count,” said Candice Kumai, leading wellness expert, chef and author. “This is especially true when it comes to the kitchen. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in bed and realized that I didn’t start the dishwasher. Or, I’ve been in the middle of a fitness class and wondered, ‘Did I turn off the oven?’ I feel like Samsung created Chef Collection with people like me in mind.”

Built with Installers in Mind

Knowing that installation time and repair work are major pain points for installers, Samsung set out to make the process easier than ever with Samsung Chef Collection. Less cumbersome packaging solutions and time-saving features like pre-drilled holes and easy leveling make installation faster. Installers can run Wi-Fi-enabled, remote diagnostic checks to ensure the appliance is functioning properly and help reduce repeat visits for repairs.

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovative leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA is pushing beyond the limits of today’s technology and providing consumers and organizations with a portfolio of groundbreaking products in appliances, home entertainment, Internet of Things, mobile computing, smartphones, virtual reality, wireless infrastructure and wearables, in addition to offering leading content and services related to mobile payments, 360-degree VR video, customer support and more. Samsung is a pioneering leader in smartphones and HDTVs in the U.S. and one of America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more about Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com

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(1) Built In refrigerator models only
(2) Among leading brands (Q4 2016 Traqline Report)
(3) Compared to conventional Samsung dishwashers

All images courtesy of SAMSUNG

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

IBEROSTAR Opens Its Exclusive Designer Hotel in Portals Nous

Designed by Marcel Wanders, the new five-star IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Portals Nous is situated in one of Majorca’s most exclusive areas.


The facilities at the new hotel include Astir, a gourmet restaurant and the only one on the island to serve El Capricho meat, the finest in the world. Guests at the hotel will enjoy a butler service endorsed by the prestigious British Butler Guild, as well as an extensive ‘menu’ of special services.


IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts opened its newest hotel, the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Portals Nous, boasting a prime beachfront location in one of Majorca’s most exclusive areas. This grand luxury five-star hotel is the first establishment in the Mediterranean to be included in The Grand Collection, the company’s premium category, combining impeccable designer architecture with the most innovative and personalized services.


The 66 rooms include four double penthouses with a private terrace and jacuzzi, and five unique themed suites, all designed by Marcel Wanders.


The accommodation options include two Naughty Suites for those wishing to live out their most secret fantasies, and a Stargazer Suite, where guests will have the chance to travel far beyond the stars in a unique adventure into outer space. The fun-filled facilities in the Games Suite feature a pinball machine, table football, video game console and even a putting green on the terrace. In turn, the Heritage Suite has been designed with lovers of art and antiques in mind, whilst the Spa Suite is the ideal choice for those in search of total rest and relaxation. All in all, a fabulous range of one-of-a-kind rooms.





The hotel stands in a prime location set against a stunning backdrop, and meticulous attention has been paid to every detail of the interior design. Five-star hotel standards are guaranteed thanks to the butler service endorsed by the prestigious British Butler Guild, including a fabulous ‘menu’ of special services.




The chain’s painstaking attention to even the smallest detail is also reflected in the hotel’s gastronomy options. The IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Portals Nous has four spaces serving locally sourced organic products including the Astir Gourmet Restaurant, the Selini Lobby Bar and the Dom Pérignon Champagne Bar. Guests will also be able to take advantage of the Guest Experience offering unlimited personalized services such as getting a table at any of the island’s restaurants without having to give a thought to waiting lists, access to a personal shopper, or even making a last-minute booking for a helicopter or boat. Nothing is beyond the reach of guests staying at the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Portals Nous.




IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts is a resort hotel chain based in Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain), founded by the Fluxà family in 1986. IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts is an integral part of GRUPO IBEROSTAR, one of the main Spanish tourist companies with over 60 years of experience, which currently has 100 hotels of 4 and 5 stars in 17 countries around the world.







For more information, please visit: www.IBEROSTAR.com

All images courtesy of IBEROSTAR