Marriott International is on track to stack the world’s tallest modular hotel, set to rise in New York City in late 2020. The 360-foot-tall AC Hotel New York NoMad, featuring prefabricated and pre-furnished guestrooms, will be erected over a 90-day period and will represent Marriott’s ongoing initiative to encourage hotel developers in North America to embrace modular for new construction projects.

“It’s ripe for innovation”

“In North America, the construction process hasn’t changed significantly in 150 years and it’s ripe for innovation,” said Eric Jacobs, Marriott International’s chief development officer in North America for select and extended stay brands.

“The world’s tallest modular hotel in one of the world’s greatest destinations will act as a game-changing symbol to ignite even greater interest in modular among the real estate and lending industries.”

The 168-room, 26-story AC Hotel New York NoMad is scheduled to rise at 842 Sixth Avenue with prefabricated guestrooms arriving at the hotel site fully constructed, inside and out. Besides finished, painted walls, each “module” will contain a fully outfitted guest room with beds, sheets, pillows, flooring and toiletries.

The hotel’s roof and rooftop bar are also expected to be produced using modular construction, and its more customised public areas such as the restaurant and lobby are expected to be constructed using traditional methods.

“Modular construction takes centre stage”

“This is the moment where modular construction takes centre stage,” said Danny Forster, a modular building advocate whose firm, Danny Forster & Architecture, designed the project.

Forster explained: “This hotel takes every advantage of off-site manufacturing, as you might expect. But it does so in a way that defies expectation. We wanted to demonstrate that modular building can do more than just harness the efficiencies of the factory. It can produce a graceful and iconic tower. And yes, it can do so at the rate of an entire floor a day.”