PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
Metropolitan at The 9
Rendered and ready.
Takeform closes the gap between dreamy visions
and feasible plans.
Profile Details
WHAT: Interior wayfinding and signage design, exterior
on-building signage design, specification package.
WHERE: Cleveland, Ohio
CONTRIBUTORS:
DEVELOPER:
Geis Hospitality Group
BRAND:
Marriott Autograph Collection
The Metropolitan at The 9—a nod to East Ninth Street in downtown Cleveland—is a renovated two-building complex overlooking Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Guardians. The redevelopment involved an ornate, stained glass-domed bank built in 1908 and a 1971 Brutalist skyscraper designed by famed duo Marcel Breuer and Hamilton Smith.
Led by Geis Hospitality Group, the project has transformed the complex into a luxurious hospitality, entertainment, and residential centerpiece that preserved architecturally significant elements of both buildings.
“The brutalist tower and the ornate bank are such a crazy contrast in style. People didn't want to see either building demolished, they were worried about losing the bank's architecture. That's where the Geis proposal to preserve the character of both properties was allowed to happen."
- Kurt Lyons, Chief Creative Officer, Takeform
Patience for the process.
Romance. Nostalgia. Glamor and style. The developer had a vision of a modern interpretation of vintage vibes throughout the complex. Geis wanted to surround visitors with an eclectic mix of early 20th century nostalgia (think Roaring '20s and speakeasies), as well as touches of urban chic.
The signage system design balances simplicity and richness so as not to compete with other focal points in the space.
Geis, a long-time Takeform client, knew the kinds of experiences they wanted to create for people with Met at The 9. The 1908 bank would soon host several restaurants and bars. Former bank vaults now serve as speakeasy-inspired party rooms – each one greets guests with an enormous, steel vault door. A glass-domed rotunda serves as a majestic event space. The tower side would soon be remade into a 156-room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, with residential suites on the upper floors.
Signage for a speakeasy-themed gathering space built within an original bank vault.
But to translate that vision into buildable graphic elements? This was a job for Takeform. Which is why Geis selected Takeform to design a wide range of interior and exterior signage that would reflect the diverse signatures of its different spaces.
With so many contrasting aesthetics and goals, there was a delicate balance to achieve—from signature interior graphics to eye-catching exterior signs that would extend the destination's brand into the surrounding city. Each piece needed to complement a distinctive space, but not compete with some of the most striking elements within that space. In many cases, Takeform guided the client through several conceptual iterations before reaching one that felt just right.
A build-ready guidebook.
The client provided Takeform with broad-stroke direction and logos for the different sub-brands in the space. And Takeform transformed loose ideas into a detailed, on-budget roadmap for how each installation would work in the physical world.
Fine dining at ADEGA is signaled by this warm, red, backlight logo. Acrylic backing enables the illumination to shine through, achieving a more industrial look.
The vibe at Azure—a rooftop lounge with skyline views—is reflected in the bright blue backlight logo.
The inspiration for this sign was a classic theater marquis, surrounded by light bulbs. Takeform used that visual reference as a starting point to achieve a modern interpretation.
“We didn't just render the drawings, we had to show how it would be engineered, constructed, what materials it would involve," says Anthony Fearby, project manager at Takeform. “For instance, what kind of illumination would be required? What finishes and colors? What size should graphics be, and what were the right specs, from materials to thickness to backlighting."
“We didn't just render the drawings, we had to show how it would be engineered, constructed, what materials it would involve."
- Anthony Fearby, Project Manager, Takeform
This series of renderings show how Takeform's concept for one of the project's elements—room numbers— evolved from something more embellished to a simpler design that still captured the early 20th century era.
While the client loved the most ornate options for some of the graphics, they were looking to balance simplicity and richness so as not to compete with other focal points in the space.
Material and color specifications deftly complement the surrounding finishes and decor.
Ultimately, all of those considerations were answered in the form of a specification package with every detail the fabricator would need to run with it.
“It outlined all the finish requirements, materials," Anthony says. “It also noted the corners that shouldn't be cut when producing the graphics."
Sometimes it pays to avoid cutting corners. You can take that to the bank.
Want to transport your guests to a dazzling other world?
Find out why Metropolitan at The 9 turned to Takeform for a carefully planned experiential graphics package. We have the intuition to understand a client's grand vision—and the practical know-how to show them how to make it a reality.
Tell your brand story: Solutions for every market
Healthcare | Education | Corporate | Libraries | Senior Living | Government | Architects & Designers
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
Metropolitan at The 9
Rendered and ready.
Takeform closes the gap between dreamy visions and feasible plans.
Profile Details
WHAT: Interior wayfinding and signage design, exterior
on-building signage design, specification package.
WHERE: Cleveland, Ohio
CONTRIBUTORS:
DEVELOPER:
Geis Hospitality Group
BRAND:
Marriott Autograph Collection
The Metropolitan at The 9—a nod to East Ninth Street in downtown Cleveland—is a renovated two-building complex overlooking Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Guardians. The redevelopment involved an ornate, stained glass-domed bank built in 1908 and a 1971 Brutalist skyscraper designed by famed duo Marcel Breuer and Hamilton Smith.
Led by Geis Hospitality Group, the project has transformed the complex into a luxurious hospitality, entertainment, and residential centerpiece that preserved architecturally significant elements of both buildings.
“The brutalist tower and the ornate bank are such a crazy contrast in style. People didn't want to see either building demolished, they were worried about losing the bank's architecture. That's where the Geis proposal to preserve the character of both properties was allowed to happen."
- Kurt Lyons, Chief Creative Officer, Takeform
Patience for the process.
Romance. Nostalgia. Glamor and style. The developer had a vision of a modern interpretation of vintage vibes throughout the complex. Geis wanted to surround visitors with an eclectic mix of early 20th century nostalgia (think Roaring '20s and speakeasies), as well as touches of urban chic.
The signage system design balances simplicity and richness so as not to compete with other focal points in the space.
Geis, a long-time Takeform client, knew the kinds of experiences they wanted to create for people with Met at The 9. The 1908 bank would soon host several restaurants and bars. Former bank vaults now serve as speakeasy-inspired party rooms – each one greets guests with an enormous, steel vault door. A glass-domed rotunda serves as a majestic event space. The tower side would soon be remade into a 156-room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, with residential suites on the upper floors.
Signage for a speakeasy-themed gathering space built within an original bank vault.
But to translate that vision into buildable graphic elements? This was a job for Takeform. Which is why Geis selected Takeform to design a wide range of interior and exterior signage that would reflect the diverse signatures of its different spaces.
With so many contrasting aesthetics and goals, there was a delicate balance to achieve—from signature interior graphics to eye-catching exterior signs that would extend the destination's brand into the surrounding city. Each piece needed to complement a distinctive space, but not compete with some of the most striking elements within that space. In many cases, Takeform guided the client through several conceptual iterations before reaching one that felt just right.
A build-ready guidebook.
The client provided Takeform with broad-stroke direction and logos for the different sub-brands in the space. And Takeform transformed loose ideas into a detailed, on-budget roadmap for how each installation would work in the physical world.
Fine dining at ADEGA is signaled by this warm, red, backlight logo. Acrylic backing enables the illumination to shine through, achieving a more industrial look.
The vibe at Azure—a rooftop lounge with skyline views—is reflected in the bright blue backlight logo.
“We didn't just render the drawings, we had to show how it would be engineered, constructed, what materials it would involve," says Anthony Fearby, project manager at Takeform. “For instance, what kind of illumination would be required? What finishes and colors? What size should graphics be, and what were the right specs, from materials to thickness to backlighting."
The inspiration for this sign was a classic theater marquis, surrounded by light bulbs. Takeform used that visual reference as a starting point to achieve a modern interpretation.
“We didn't just render the drawings, we had to show how it would be engineered, constructed, what materials it would involve."
- Anthony Fearby, Project Manager, Takeform
This series of renderings show how Takeform's concept for one of the project's elements—room numbers— evolved from something more embellished to a simpler design that still captured the early 20th century era.
While the client loved the most ornate options for some of the graphics, they were looking to balance simplicity and richness so as not to compete with other focal points in the space.
Material and color specifications deftly complement the surrounding finishes and decor.
Ultimately, all of those considerations were answered in the form of a specification package with every detail the fabricator would need to run with it.
“It outlined all the finish requirements, materials," Anthony says. “It also noted the corners that shouldn't be cut when producing the graphics."
Sometimes it pays to avoid cutting corners. You can take that to the bank.
Want to transport your guests to a dazzling other world?
Find out why Metropolitan at The 9 turned to Takeform for a carefully planned experiential graphics package. We have the intuition to understand a client's grand vision—and the practical know-how to show them how to make it a reality.
Tell your brand story: Solutions for every market
Healthcare | Education | Corporate | Libraries | Senior Living | Government | Architects & Designers
