Golfers’ Paradise

by Stacy Rinella | May 14, 2024 7:01 am

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Nestled alongside the PGA of America Headquarters and sprawling over 267 ha (660 acres), the Omni PGA Frisco Resort is a $520 million destination for leisure, golf, dining, and more.

International architecture firm SB Architects, part of Egis Group, are known for creating spaces which capture history, culture, and context. Jeffrey Beers International (JBI) is a full-service studio which specializes in planning and designing for hotels, resorts, restaurants, and residential projects, and in May 2023, their combined vision came to fruition. The result was a destination featuring smaller districts within the resort which include: 500 guest rooms and suites, 10 four-bedroom ranch houses, 13 restaurant and bar concepts, nearly 12,077 m² (130,000 sf) of indoor-outdoor meeting space, a golf training center, spa, and four pools, including an adult-only roof top escape.

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Metal minimalism

Soft color palettes and raw elements like metal, stone, and glass provide a contemporary feel, reminiscent of the modern ranch style homes found throughout Texas. JBI’s design followed a mandate of luxurious, intimate, delightful, and often cheeky nods to Western and golfing vernaculars.

According to Nikoletta Stagias, associate principal with JBI, “The aesthetic we were going with was Texas Modern, with touches of hospitality.” She says by adding all the wood, the stone, and layering it with warmth creates comfortable spaces, with a masculine minimalism. These concepts permeate the hotel’s public spaces, from food and beverage outlets, the spa and the clubhouse to the intimate guest rooms, suites, and private villas.

The material palette starts with a grounded foundation of blackened steel, oak, and limestone and adds flourishes like smoked glass, perforated brass, and antique bronze for extra interest. Layered natural materials were used to create warmth with stone, large overhangs, and ironwork all working together.

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Cheeky nods

Inspiration for this Omni came from the most unexpected places. The Bridge Suite was inspired by southern belles playing bridge, sipping on mint juleps, and indulging in some lighthearted gossip, and features wood paneling with metallic paint accents.

Materials strike a harmonious balance between strong and severe, for example split face travertine at the fireplace, and perforated brass at the columns. The 9-m (30-ft) open bar is layered with a Sahara Noir marble countertop, elegant leather paneling and distinct brass frame detailing. Special touches throughout such as brass banker lamps add to the ambience.

Art plays a crucial role in all that JBI does. The studio worked with Oakland, Calif.-based creative collective Local Language to commission local artists, instructing them to draw inspiration from the game of golf. This becomes evident in the clubhouse and meeting spaces where portraits and vintage and modern golf clubs adorn the walls, in hopes of education the public about the game. What is more, all the meeting rooms are named after different golfers and the two big ballrooms are named after the Wanamaker and Ryder Cup trophies.

A metallic nod to the authentic rancher narrative is prominent in the upscale Trick Rider restaurant. “The Trick Rider plays homage to rodeo stars and Texan culture,” explains Stagias. Kicking the metal elements up a notch, bespoke artwork is made from cowboy spurs and pistols. The back wall displays silver foil wallcovering, and star-shaped mirrored sconces pay cheeky homage to the Texas Star. Stagias says the bar features a zinc countertop, with a corrugated design and horseshoe shape, accentuating the larger-than-life hand-cut crystal horse chandelier above.

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Brazen bronzes and heavy metals

In the lobby area, thoughtful metal touches can be seen at every turn. “The predominant architectural metal is a dark bronze, which we do carry in the interior,” says Stagias. “Where we have signature design features, we also wanted to do a counterpoint to the darker metal in an antique brass finish.”

Conveniently located near PGA Headquarters, Stagias says the Ice House was one of the first buildings on the resort to be completed, and this lively space was immediately “a hit” with guests and locals as it is open to the public.

This modern ranch-style venue was inspired by the airy barns that once dotted this region of Texas. The Ice House incorporates six live hitting bays at the back of the venue and offers stunning views of our grounds.

The structure features a metal roof and communal tables with an operable garage style facade. The standing seam metal roof at the Ice House was chosen to connect the built environment to the history of the site, which was previously a working ranch. Many of the buildings throughout the site are designed with an agrarian contemporary ranch aesthetic.

The open ceiling and exposed metal beams in The Panther Creek Pavilion event space is another indicator of the Texas vernacular. So much so Stagias says at one point they called it “the event barn.” Early on there was so much excitement for this space, Stagias said weddings were booked long before completion. “For the resort’s wedding venue—the Panther Creek Pavilion—an industrial aesthetic was embraced with an open steel structure and polished concrete floor. The design provides a neutral design space, enabling the event planner, bride, groom, etc, to recreate the space.”

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Texas oasis

The vision for this OMNI was a destination resort for everyone, not just the golf community. Since opening their doors in May 2023, they have welcomed couples, families, bachelor and bachelorette parties. While an ice cream shop, splashpad and three of the pools make OMNI super family friendly, a roof-top pool is adults only, so the 18-plus crowd can enjoy a modern Texan escape while they take in the views. Similar to the Ice House, they wanted to make a material connection to the history of the site and create a contemporary ranch style design approach.

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The OMNI PGA Frisco Resort stands as a testament to the seamless fusion of modern metal minimalism, and as guests continue to flock to this captivating destination of excitement and gathering, remains a beacon of Texas hospitality.

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/golfers-paradise/

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