COMMUNITY-DRIVEN HOSPITALITY
Charlotte
For our clients at Refuge, the hotel is a creative medium to express identity and create value. Their latest project will launch as a five-room prototype in the beloved, culturally rich Belmont neighborhood, adjacent to Plaza Midwood and Elizabeth, where they will test service offerings, spacial configurations, food and beverage, programming, and local partnerships to inform the design of an eventual larger scale hotel.
Murmur Ring designed, led, and documented two immersions to connect the hoteliers to a diverse collection of Charlotte’s creative leaders and expose existing challenges and opportunities within the community. We led strategy sessions to explore how the hotel could proactively respond to community needs and support the launch of the inventive space.
Night stroll in Plaza Midwood
Refuge co-founders Nimisha and Jay Patel visiting multi-use industrial space Camp North End
About the Refuge Founders
Indian-Americans represent the majority of hotel owners and operators in the United States. Nimisha, Jay and Anup Patel were born and raised in the hotel business. Their depth of expertise in the industry, immigrant identity combined with their desire to create a new kind of space that invites dialogue are the basis of their vision for Refuge.
“Hotels are what we know. With Refuge, we wanted to put our values at the forefront and create a space where people who look like us would feel comfortable in. We want them to feel like it belongs to them.”
Artist Nico Amortegui outside his studio
Artist Justin Ellis working at longstanding Charlotte photography institution The Light Factory with Executive Director Kay Tuttle
“Most of the work is very raw. I didn’t go to school. My work connects with my roots of South America and I try to keep it super playful.”
— Nico Amortegui
The language is shifting. Our non-profit is about getting people to understand that they need to trust the artist’s vision.”
— Sam Guzzi
“We are a 50 year old organization with a full photo lab with a mission to build community through art. We practice radical empathy.”
— Kay Tuttle, Executive Director of The Light Factory
“The people make the city, so why would they not be the buildings?”
— Nico Amortegui
CREDITS
DYLAN CHANDLER
Photographer
MATT MOORE
Muralist
SAM GUZZI
Brand the Moth
NICO AMORTEGUI
Artist
DIANNA WARD
Charlotte NC Tours
MANOJ KESAVAN
BOOM Festival
KRISTEN WILE
Unpretentious Palate
VARIAN SHRUM
Camp North End
KAY TUTTLE
The Light Factory
JUSTIN ELLIS
Artist
DANA WHITE
Artist
MIKE SALES
Designer
AMY HERMAN
Goodyear Arts