Case Study: Hotel Indigo The Gaslamp Quarter is on of San Diego's main entertainment and tourist attractions. It was settled in the 1860s, as a way to connect the city to the marina. Unfortunately, many of the 94 historic buildings became mired in urban decay. Around the 1990s this began to change with the legendary revitalization that also spread to nearby sections of downtown San Diego, including the up and coming East Village, with its startling Hotel Indigo. Joseph Wong Design Associates (JWDA) designed this steel and glass hotel to appeal to travelers tired of bland “beige box” hotels. JWDA were faced with another design problem: how to integrate the hotel into urban fabric but maintain the outdoor aesthetic of San Diego. One solution was the installation of operable glass wall systems in two different locations. Promoting the Indoor/Outdoor Hospitality Experience “JWDA used a series of NanaWalls on the most important corner of the Hotel Indigo to blur the line between interior and exterior, guiding San Diego breezes into the space,” stated Albert Miller, LEED and AP, of JWDA. “Using the NanaWall as a window system instead of a door system controls access to the space, while allowing it to feel completely open. The second NanaWall located at the 9th floor Phi-Terrace Room allows the entire room to open onto the roof deck, promoting views overlooking PETCO Park, the bay and all of downtown San Diego .” Maximizing the Perception of Space Joseph Wong founder JWDA explained why his firm chose NanaWall instead of a competitor in these spaces. “The simple answer is that the spaces stretch over a very big span; we wanted to open up the whole space. Sliding doors are not completely open and with other folding door options you need more space to slide the doors back. NanaWall minimizes the footprint when retracted. Furthermore, it maximizes the psychological perception of the span .”