Hotel Marcel: An Adaptive Reuse of the Historic Pirelli Building

Project Background:

The Pirelli Building, designed by Modernist architect Marcel Breuer in 1967, is located adjacent to I-95 in New Haven, CT. Armstrong Rubber owned this unique, panel-clad lab and office space from 1970 to 1988. It was later purchased by the Pirelli tire company (1988-2003) and subsequently by IKEA (2003-2019), but was left vacant for two decades. The building was listed on the Connecticut Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Now, Becker + Becker has transformed the Pirelli Building into a net-zero, all-electric boutique hotel and conference facility named after its original designer. The building’s proximity to the highway along with its restaurant and conference space make it a convenient business meeting location.

Becker + Becker strives to revitalize urban communities through the retrofit of historic buildings, and the team used an integrated design strategy and interdisciplinary solutions to solve unique building challenges. Hotel Marcel sets the bar high for future retrofit projects. The team is pursuing EnerPHit and LEED Building Design + Construction (BD+C): Hospitality Platinum certifications. After a full year of operation, it will submit utility documentation for New Building Institute’s Net Zero certification.

Becker + Becker’s objective to pursue Passive House certification results in energy savings, increased occupant comfort, and building durability. The building features an all-electric commercial kitchen to service hotel guests, complete with electric appliances and ventless hoods. On-site, rooftop, and carport photovoltaic systems offset 100% of the building’s greater energy loads, working toward the net-zero operation. The solar PV canopies for electric car charging and rooftop solar enable the building to react to demand response signals from the utility grid.

Awards:

• CTGBC 2022 Green Building Awards – Award of Excellence
• 2023 Connecticut Preservation Awards – Award of Merit