For The Merchant Hotel, Cycle Projects designed approximately 17,000 square feet of public-facing space within a new 18-story hotel on Orchard Street. The project draws on the neighborhood’s history as a center of small trade and retail, with interiors informed by the visual and material language of the Lower East Side.

At street level, a recessed foyer narrows toward the entry, with concealed lighting washing across wood-paneled walls. This leads to a lobby organized around a formal check-in desk and café, with banquettes and lounge seating supporting a range of uses throughout the day. Custom walnut millwork and large-aggregate terrazzo flooring create continuity while grounding the spaces in a distinct material identity.