On the MONEY

by DAPHNE NIKOLOPOULOS

Think “bank” and a few images come to mind: vaults, coffered ceilings, teller cages, and acres of dark wood. It’s the design aesthetic of old money, and it’s given even more gravitas when the clients are U.S. presidents.

Such is the history of the Riggs Washington DC hotel, housed in the 1891 landmarked building that was once home to the capital’s Riggs National Bank, which handled the finances of 23 presidents. This illustrious heritage did not go unnoted by Lore Group creative director Jacu Strauss, who helmed the property’s reimagining. Strauss preserved many of the original features of the Richardsonian Romanesque Revival building—one of few remaining in the city—including the iconic barrel-vaulted lobby and coffered ceilings.

Nods to the building’s past life are everywhere: A reception area recalls a teller window; decorative safes house minibars and, well, safes; and a giant medallion of the Goddess of Money looms in the lobby. One can even strike cocktail gold in the original bank vault, now transformed into subterranean bar

Mr Lyan (real name Ryan Chetiyawardana), of White Lyan and Dandelyan in London, has to be one of the most creative mixologists on the planet. Mr Lyan interprets a place’s history and culture into concoctions that have to be sipped to be believed. An example: While you wait for your Ceres Joker, the server brings you a masked-bear figurine holding a helium balloon. The bear sways creepily until the Macallan and sloe gin–based cocktail arrives. The server sets the string alight and the balloon detonates, releasing the scent of gunpowder into the drink. There are less dramatic ways to deliver a smoky cocktail, but where’s the fun in that?

The hotel’s 181 guest rooms are modern interpretations of the early twentieth century style that informed the original building. The suites are inspired by First Ladies, an idea that came to Strauss following a private tour of the White House. “I chose four lesser-known First Ladies, but each had a strong mind with regard to the atmosphere and culture they wanted to create in the White House,” he says. “I tapped into these legacies in an abstract way to avoid creating a museum-like interior.”

As with all interiors, it’s the small details that, when taken together, make a big statement. For instance, Strauss created “trophy cabinets” in Silver Lyan displaying trophies that women have received for such quirky things as a tractor-driving competition. He reiterated the building’s heritage through framed checks from Riggs National Bank (some more than 120 years old), which he’d collected over the years and installed on the wall behind the reception desk.

“Riggs came with a rich history from its time as a bank during the golden ages and the architectural expression that came with it,” Strauss says. “I wanted to contrast this with aspects that were more playful [and] surprising moments throughout the hotel.” riggsdc.com ❖