The goal of the design was to introduce a "new" Portsmouth architecture that acknowledged historic values and introduced modern life. Starting with a well-established formula associated with the Hilton Hotel brand, we designed a building shell using the hotel's parameters. Extending to the edges of a downtown site, a brick backdrop was used along with what appears to be a rhythmic series of buildings spanning 183 feet of the streetscape. A dramatic glass awning wraps the corner announcing the building's entry. At ground level and illuminated from within, pedestrians are invited to explore an expanded city center with the addition of another city block.