A Large City Hotel: RIBA Medallion Prize

In 1907 The Soane Medallion and £100, open to British subjects under the age of 30 years, was awarded to Harold Cooper, whose design was submitted under the motto "Cameo." The subject set was that of a large city hotel facing a public square.  Harold Cooper described his design as follows: 

A LARGE CITY HOTEL: RIBA MEDALLION PRIZE DESIGN - Externally I have made an effort in the design to express the purpose of the building. The detail is somewhat French, and of a playful rather than severe feeling. The high semicircular-headed windows to banquet-room suite match in general outline those on the other side, which enclose bays to two stories of private suites. This treatment was intended to bring the elevation into line. In the frieze below the main cornice the sculpture groups are intended to represent various nations. In the centre of the court the group under the pediment and dominating feature which marks the entrance represents the meeting of East and West, as a central group to the cosmopolitan series. The elevations are in Portland stone, and the crestings to the ridges cut in the same material, the slates similar to those used by Mr. Hare at Hammersmith Library and his new building in the Strand. Speaking of the ground floor, the entrances have all been arranged from the court clear of traffic in the centre of the long side. The best apartments are all grouped at the south end facing the open square, and these are arranged round a marble stair which connects them with the banquet-room suite on the first floor when required in conjunction. The banquet suite can be entered separately from the court as required by the conditions. The lounge is placed centrally and entered direct from the court; a portion of the 4omeover is glazed, and light is also obtained from the winter garden. The visitors' entrance leads to the visitors' hall and second marble stair around which are grouped the coffee-room, reading-room. inquiry and manager's offices, lifts, telephones. etc. The grill-room is also provided with a separate entrance. The coffee-room is decorated and fitted in the Old English style, while the other apartments are treated in a cheerful modern manner, as indicated by the section: some idea also of the central vista of the building will be gathered from this drawing. On the first floor the private apartments are shown around the visitors' staircase: these are quite cut off from the banquet-room suite by the dome to the lounge. In this way the plan bears rather an irregular appearance: but this disappears on the second and higher floors, which are devoted entirely to private apartments, the staff bedrooms being nearest the roof. All supplies enter from the back street, and to this gateway as an exit the fire-escapes lead. Lifts, service-rooms, and conveniences are placed in suitable positions, musicians' galleries are provided between the lounge and the winter garden, and over the main landing for the banquet-room. Both dining and reading-rooms have terraces overlooking the winter garden, and a verandah is placed in front of the drawing-room overlooking the square.  No light is taken from the gardens of the adjoining houses, as this was forbidden by the conditions. Harold Cooper, A.R.I. B.A. [Building News 1 March 1907 page 309]