Future Cities Forum Winter Awards hotels category 2026

Image: Hotel Kymaia in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico courtesy Productura

Three hotel buildings have made the shortlisted for Future Cities Forum's Winter Awards 2026. They are the Hotel Kymaia in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico by Productura, 30 Grosvenor Square, London (now The Rosewood Chancery) by David Chipperfield and Maison Heler in Metz, France by Starck for Hilton Hotels..

Hotel Kymaia, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Productora says:

'The hotel has 22 suites distributed on a 1.5 hectare plot of land, in such a way that privacy between them and views of the sea are guaranteed. The rooms are contained by inclined walls of rammed earth bricks, providing shade and protection due to their large thermal mass. Inside these sloped elements the service spaces, such as bathrooms, showers, closets and tubs, are located. Inspired by pre-Hispanic vestiges, these structures create a contrast between their geometric architecture and the organic growth of the surrounding landscape.

'The hotel's main restaurant is sheltered under a large palapa, 10 meters in height. This generous palm leaf canopy, a traditional typology of the area, hoovers over a solid basement that contains service spaces such as the kitchen, toilets and a hidden bar with wine cellar. Above this base—elevated to take advantage of ocean views and natural breezes—the open kitchen and dining area is located.

'Another important public area within the hotel is the “Shala”, designed for yoga and wellness activities. This volume is configured by superimposing on a square floor plan, a circular roof whose columns rest directly on the sand, extending the slab to maximize its shadow. Two V-shaped walls provide a backdrop for the space and contain a staircase leading to the rooftop, that can be used for sunset yoga sessions.

'In an effort to transform the arid conditions of the deforested terrain, new green areas were introduced to restore the local ecosystem. The presence of an existing mangrove running alongside the site, allowed for the expansion of this humid area and its enjoyable microclimate: a large sinuous green pool forms the focal point of this new environment. The hotel includes sustainable design practices to minimize its environmental footprint, such as solar panels to power part of its operations, and constructed wetlands to naturally process wastewater.'

Hotel Kymaia – PRODUCTORA

Image: 30 Grosvenor Square, front - courtesy David Chipperfield

The Chancery Rosewood, 30 Grosvenor Square, London - David Chipperfield

The architects firm describes the project:

'After nearly a decade of design and construction, the former US Embassy building on Grosvenor Square has re-opened as a luxury hotel. Originally designed by American architect Eero Saarinen and completed in 1960, the Grade II listed building has been transformed into The Chancery Rosewood, which welcomed its first guests earlier this month.

'The adaptive reuse project centred on preserving and enhancing the building's distinctive modernist architecture while meeting contemporary hospitality standards. Key interventions included the restoration and extension of Saarinen's signature concrete diagrid ceiling, the careful refurbishment of the Portland stone façade, a vertical extension that reinterprets Saarinen’s distinctive O-frames at a larger scale, and the addition of a new rear infill structure that completes the building's geometric plan.

'The transformation also saw the removal of security barriers that had accumulated over the embassy's operational years, opening it to the surroundings and embedding the hotel in its Mayfair setting. The iconic, purpose-built US Embassy building, designed by Eero Saarinen, overlooks Grosvenor Square in Mayfair. Built in 1960, it is a fine example of contextual mid-century modernism and is Grade II listed. Following the relocation of the US Embassy, the building has been converted into a world class hotel, The Chancery Rosewood. The design concept was based around the preservation and enhancement of the modernist qualities while responding to the ambitions and brief of the client to ensure the building’s long-term viability. David Chipperfield Architects led the restoration and adaptation of the overall building and defined the interior layouts and room configurations. The interior design and fit-out of spaces – including guest rooms, lobby, and restaurant interiors – were completed by separate interior design teams. 

'Reconfirming the building as part of Grosvenor Square forms the basic premise of the design. The removal of all external security measures accrued over the years, as well as the original perimeter glacis, reinforces the connection of the building to its surroundings. Retail, restaurant and bar units are located on the ground floor and connect to a newly landscaped public realm, creating an active street front.

Image: entrance lobby, 30 Grosvenor Square - courtesy David Chipperfield

'Internally, several additions and modifications had compromised the original design intentions. Central to enhancing Saarinen’s vision is the treatment of the first floor. All partitions, which were added to create separate office spaces, were removed to allow a continuous reading of the exposed concrete diagrid ceiling – one of the building’s most unique features. The diagrid ceiling is restored and extended to create a grand, open piano nobile that reaffirms the original intention for the building to appear as a ‘palace on the park’. This is the main public floor of the hotel and includes reception, a bar, lounge, restaurants and a multipurpose function area.

'The upper floors are largely re-built behind the existing façade to house the guest rooms, distributed around a new central atrium. The basement contains the ballroom, spa and retail units as well as car parking and plant rooms. A vertically extended sixth storey forms a new crown for the building, following the established language of the floors below with a new rhythm and increased floor-to-ceiling height. The design is the result of historical investigations which revealed an early Saarinen proposal suggesting a similar approach. Above this, a set-back pavilion contains the premier suites and additional public facilities with terrace views over Grosvenor Square and towards Hyde Park.'

30 Grosvenor Square • David Chipperfield Architects

Image: Maison Heler, Metz (Philip Starck for Hilton Hotels)

Maison Heler, Metz, France by Starck

Is this a hotel or the physical manifestation of a novel? Maison Heler is the vision of Philippe Starck, but based on a novel, published by Allary Editions.

Starck says:

“Maison Heler was born of a surreal, poetic tale I imagined. It is a hotel conceived as a habitable work of art, a literary principle crystallized in matter."

The practice states:

'Maison Heler is born. A strong symbol of the city of Metz, a monolithic 9 – story building is overlooked by a house with stunning views, whose architecture is reminiscent of 19th-century Metz mansions.

'It invites the entire world – curious onlookers, neighborhood regulars, seasoned travelers, occasional wanderers, and local and visitors alike to step into the imaginative universe of its mysterious owner Manfred Heler. A journey through his life, from the earth to his house perched atop. A delightful escape designed to live, dream, reflect, and love.

'Philippe Starck gives birth to a wonderful tale: “The Meticulous Life of Manfred Heler”, a novel imagined by the creator and published by Allary Éditions. This poetic project tells the adventures of Manfred Heler, a man with a contemplative and meticulous mood, devoted to new inventions, perpetually marveling, and seeking to charm his fantasized beloved, Rose.

With Maison Heler, a new page in contemporary hospitality is written today in Metz.'

Owner Hilton Hotels writes:

'In Metz's dynamic Amphitheatre neighborhood, Maison Heler is opened for everyone. Out of the ordinary, resonating with its iconic museum neighbor, the Centre Pompidou-Metz, Philippe Starck imagined Maison Heler as an inhabitable, surreal and literary work of living art. The 9-storey monolithic building is overlooked by a house with unobstructed views, whose architecture is reminiscent of 19th-century residences in Metz'.

Image: restaurant interior, Maison Heler, Metz (courtesy Starck)