Opening Shot is a column that peeks inside new hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops with dreamy interiors.
Location: Atlanta.
Designer: Morris Adjmi Architects, Method Studios, and Stokes Architecture + Design.
On Offer: Atlanta’s history-laden Old Fourth Ward, famously home to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, has been undergoing a gradual yet dramatic revitalization since the 1980s. Galvanized in part by the adaptive reuse of a former Sears distribution center into the shopping mall Ponce City Market and the conversion of a disused rail line into the eastern portion of the bustling BeltLine pedestrian trail, the neighborhood’s energy has never been higher. With the recent arrival of the handsome Forth Atlanta, it now sports a world-class boutique hotel that melds a moody nocturnal ambience with hallmarks of Southern hospitality.
Morris Adjmi Architects contained the 16-floor structure in an exposed concrete diagrid (not unlike Manhattan’s Hearst Tower) that casts artfully oblique silhouettes in the 157 guest rooms and 39 apartment-style suites. The Gotham-esque architecture gives way to warm, cinematic interiors evocative of European and Americana design traditions thanks to abundant handmade wooden furniture, taxidermied foxes, wood-burning fireplaces, and bucolic art by Jack Spencer and Becca Barnet set against dark-stained walnut panels. For the nature-averse, floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of Atlanta’s skyline and the lush Historic Fourth Ward Park’s verdant glow, bringing the outdoors in.
Standout Amenities: On that note, guest rooms make the most of the area’s outdoorsy vibe. Antique hand-knotted rugs soften rustic oak flooring, as does floral wallpaper that lends a home-away-from-home touch. Spa-like bathrooms, meanwhile, are outfitted with glistening travertine vanities and perfumed with hinoki-scented Le Labo toiletries. The actual spa is designed to promote “flourishing”—a research-supported model for wellbeing—through cold plunges, a dry sauna, and steam room, state-of-the-art fitness center equipped with Technogym equipment, and a 2,300-square-foot rooftop pool.
Beyond serving as a place for well-heeled visitors to hang their hats, the Forth’s world-class culinary program and first-of-its-kind members club makes it a magnetic hangout spot for locals. Start the day at Bar Premio, the all-day cafe and wine bar that serves La Colombe coffee and Italian-inspired sandwiches. Mediterranean flavors and ambience delight at Elektra—nibble on mussels with merguez, whole branzino with roasted carrot zhoug, and shakshuka on the poolside patio. After dark, drop by Il Premio, the stately 120-seat Italian steakhouse where prime beef, Japanese wagyu steaks, seafood crudo, and housemade pastas can be enjoyed on leather banquettes overlooking an open kitchen and wood-fired grill. The champagne-soaked Moonlight lounge is the place to be after dark, where Art Deco–inspired furnishings set the scene to enjoy magenta-hued cocktails and tiki-style drinks that pay tribute to the vibrant restaurant rooftops of the ‘70s.
All photography by Matthew Williams.
