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Savannah’s Nimbly Converted Municipal Grand Hotel Nods to Both Tropical Modernist and Nordic Cues

11:31 AM ,

When one thinks of Savannah, they picture cobblestone streets enveloped in draping Spanish moss and lined with Antebellum-era, Georgian-style row houses. What they might not realize is that this compact, historically significant, and undeniably haunted port town is also home to a sprinkling of distinctive Moderne and Midcentury Modern tower blocks, rising amid the Hostess City’s quaint park squares.

A modern Municipal Grand lobby features a wooden reception desk, two maroon chairs, indoor plants, a staircase with a glass railing, and a colorful abstract painting on a blue-tiled wall.

Modern lounge with curved green seating, wood-accented bar and stools, indoor plants, a spiral staircase, and colorful abstract artwork on the wall. Natural light flows through large windows in this Municipal Grand-inspired setting.

One such postwar structure is the six-story First Federal Savings & Loan Association Building—erected by architecture firm Levy and Kiley—along the central commercial drag of Broughton Street. For the past six decades, the landmarked edifice has stood out with its well-maintained gray granite volumes, white concrete frames, and blue mosaic tile walls. When transforming the 36,000-square-foot building into the newly opened, 44-key Municipal Grand Hotel, polyvalent firm AAmp Studio sought to emphasize—even exaggerate—the texturally complex surface materials found within. Working with local practice Ward Architecture + Preservation, the studio achieved this by peeling back existing layers. What they uncovered was not only accentuated, but also served as inspiration for the non-structural changes that followed.

Modern hotel lobby at Municipal Grand with mid-century style furniture, including sofas, armchairs, and a circular bar, featuring warm lighting and large windows.

A modern restaurant interior at Municipal Grand with upholstered booths, cane chairs, round tables, globe table lamps, and potted plants, featuring warm lighting and floor-to-ceiling curtains.

“The challenges in taking a landmarked former bank—and later municipal building—and transforming it into a full-service hotel experience were evident from the start,” says Andrew Ashey, AAmp Studio co-founder. “But rather than be daunted by the task, we saw it as an amazing opportunity for creative design interventions that united historic and new in a very holistic fashion.” What this largely amounted to was the almost surgical introduction of deeply referential yet softening finishes and curvilinear inserts.

Modern lobby in the Municipal Grand features curved furniture, round light fixtures, indoor plants, a staircase with glass railing, abstract wall art, and patterned wallpaper on the left wall.

Modern indoor space at Municipal Grand with gray tiled stairs, metal handrail, green potted plants, a round chair, and a partially open door leading to a warmly lit room.

As respectful as these additions are, they clearly distinguish themselves from the original elements. The strategy reflects a more holistic, interpretive, and frankly successful form of architectural preservation, in the vein of the widely lauded 19th-century theorist Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. For him, the continuation of a building’s original intent and relevance—achieved through the technological advancements of its time—should supersede superficial facsimile.

A stylish lounge area at Municipal Grand features curved green booths, marble tables, bar stools, indoor plants, hanging lights, and blue mosaic tile walls. Artwork and a staircase are visible in the background.

Modern lounge area at Municipal Grand with brown chairs, small tables, floor lamp, green carpet, and large windows. Glass railing overlooks the lower level; potted plants and ceiling lights line the spacious retreat.

AAmp Studio began the building’s careful conversion by easing the threshold between the ground floor and the streetscape. The once uninviting entrance is now freshly illuminated and features an inviting lounge seating area, with new lush planters smoothing the transition. The subsequent double-height lobby now serves as the main hospitality space, complete with an expansive bar and a range of table and sofa arrangements. Original blue tile mosaics wrap the columns in this exuberant interior.

Two brown velvet chairs face each other across a small round table with a lamp and glass, set against a curved wooden slat wall and terrazzo floor beneath a circular ceiling light in the elegant Municipal Grand style.

A round window in a closed red door reveals a person behind the bar at Municipal Grand, surrounded by shelves of bottles in a dimly lit interior with wood-paneled walls.

Because of this repeated material language, the firm extended a tropical modernist sensibility across all public areas—a fitting response to the sweltering climate. Nods to Roberto Burle Marx’s proclivity for botanical motifs and Oscar Niemeyer’s organicism appear throughout. This locally rooted haunt is designed to operate at all hours: a family restaurant by day and a bustling watering hole by night. A former bank boardroom now ingeniously serves as a private dining space.

Dimly lit bar interior at Municipal Grand, featuring a long wooden counter, bar stools, modern lamps, and shelves of bottles and glasses behind the bar.

A dimly lit bar at the Municipal Grand with a marble counter, round stools, red leather booths, a yellow ottoman, and framed artwork on dark red walls. A drink and a lamp sit on the bar.

“We hold a deep, and slightly obsessive, reverence for the all-day lobby bar, which is really the foundation of Midnight Auteur,” says Ryan Diggins, partner and CEO at Midnight Auteur. “We love the idea of immersing our team and our guests in a vibrant, celebratory experience that only a hotel lobby bar can appropriately capture.”

A hallway with wood paneling and an arched entrance labeled "Restroom" leads to a dimly lit interior with decorative wall art and a terrazzo floor, evoking the refined ambiance of a Municipal Grand space.

Modern bathroom in a Municipal Grand style, featuring black and white geometric wall tiles, a round mirror, black countertop, and a small plant beside a rolled towel and soap dispenser. Warm lighting glows above.

Other Municipal Grand venues include the concealed-access Hot Eye cocktail lounge in the basement, clad in a palette of dark terrazzo, deep-stained wood, and shades of red. Sun Club abuts the rooftop pool—lined with an azure zellige tile wall—and frames some of the best views in town.

Modern hotel lobby at the Municipal Grand with patterned tile ceiling, dark wood furniture, blue wall cubbies, lounge chairs, and contemporary lighting.

Available in five tiers, guest rooms take on a far more subdued, sand-toned aesthetic—still aligned with the property’s Midcentury Modern character. Hints of Finnish master Alvar Aalto are hard to miss. Across the offering, bathroom-anchoring vestibules in a rich shade of green lead through millwork thresholds into the main bedrooms. Here, red marble countertops—serving as minibars and desks—play against style-appropriate curved mirrors, undulating banquette seating ideal for remote work, and plush headboards. Highly detailed terrazzo floors tie everything together, while some suites feature private balconies overlooking Broughton Street.

The overall scheme is a deft marriage of site responsiveness—both to the building itself and the surrounding neighborhood—and sophisticated references to international design movements and sub-movements.

Open elevator with wood interior and geometric tiled floor; nearby, a yellow stool sits against a dark green wall beneath abstract artwork—an inviting nook in the Municipal Grand.

Hallway with dark green walls and wood floors exudes a Municipal Grand charm, featuring a round stool, coat hooks with a bag, and a view into a sitting area with a table, purple sofa, and large window draped in curtains.

A modern Municipal Grand hotel room with a double bed, a curved burgundy sofa, two armchairs, a small round table, and framed artworks above the bed. Natural light enters through a large window.

Modern Municipal Grand hotel room with a double bed, green headboard, two framed leaf prints, maroon curved sofa, round table with a water bottle, large window, and balcony view.

A hotel room at Municipal Grand features a neatly made bed, marble-topped table, chair, wood-paneled wall, built-in bar nook, and striking modern artwork on the wall.

View through an arched doorway into a bathroom with terrazzo flooring, wooden walls, a potted plant, stacked towels, and framed artwork—bathed in natural light with a touch of Municipal Grand charm.

Outdoor rooftop bar at Municipal Grand with four stools, a tiled counter, and a small brick building behind. Cushioned seating and plants add comfort, set against a cloudy sky backdrop.

Outdoor pool with clear water at Municipal Grand, steps leading in, and striped lounge chairs beside potted plants on a rooftop with city buildings in the background.

A modern mid-rise hotel building, the Municipal Grand boasts a gray and white facade, balconies, rooftop greenery, and palm trees in front; several people stroll along the sidewalk.

What: Municipal Grand
Where: Savannah, Georgia
How much: $281 per night
Design draws: A rare modernist gem sensitively restored and turned into a thriving, public facing hotel with extensive nods to various modernist movements and a local, contemporary culture.
Book it: Municipal Grand

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Photography by Brooke Holm.

Adrian Madlener is a Brussels-born, New York-based writer specializing in collectible and sustainable design. With a particular focus on topics that exemplify the best in craft-led experimentation, he's committed to supporting talents that push the envelope in various disciplines.

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