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      Cells in former Berlin prison turned into guest rooms for hotel Wilmina

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      German practice Grüntuch Ernst Architects has converted an abandoned women’s prison and courthouse in Berlin into a “tranquil” hotel.

      Called Wilmina, the hotel occupies a duo of listed 19th-century structures in Charlottenburg that had been forgotten for decades prior to their renovation.
      Grüntuch Ernst Architects has converted a prison into the Wilmina hotelThe former court, which sits at the entrance on Kantstraße, accommodates the hotel’s reception as well as a temporary gallery called Amtsalon.
      An extension housing Wilmina’s restaurant connects the courthouse to the prison’s U-shaped cell block, which fits 44 guest rooms across five levels including a new penthouse floor at the top.
      Grüntuch Ernst Architects also added a roof terrace above the penthouse alongside a library, bar, spa and gym.

      Guest rooms are arranged on narrow galleries around the atriumInteriors were designed to respect the buildings’ existing architecture and reveal traces of their former use.
      “The process involved reversing the spatial configuration and its meaning so that an anti-social space can become an inviting place,” said the architecture firm, which was founded by husband-wife duo Armand Grüntuch and Almut Grüntuch-Ernst in 1991.
      “Through sensitive interventions with deliberate openings, build-ups, superimpositions, relocations and penetrations, the existing structures were expanded, connected and reprogrammed.”
      The rooms occupy the prison’s former cellsVisitors enter the Wilmina via a bright lobby and journey deeper into the hotel through a sequence of courtyards, passages and rooms that become increasingly private.
      In the hotel proper, narrow galleries with wrought-iron balustrades are wrapped around a central atrium, leading to the guest rooms that were set up in the former prison cells.
      Windows were enlarged to offer views into the courtyardA lighting installation with glass pendants is suspended from the ceiling of the atrium to emphasise its height.
      Although no two guest rooms are exactly the same, all of them are finished in light colours, soft textures and warm, tactile materials to create a soothing ambience.

      EPR Architects transforms historic prison into NoMad London luxury hotel

      Where possible, the cells’ small high windows were enlarged to provide views into the main courtyard. But their prison bars remain intact to remind visitors of the building’s history.
      The new penthouse level features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views down across the complex and its gardens. The new rooms are designed to be minimalist, clear and calm, with fine metal chain curtains that shimmer in the breeze.
      Minimalist bathrooms blend in with the larger interior schemeAt the centre of the site sits the hotel’s restaurant Lovis in an extension constructed using bricks that were removed elsewhere during the prison’s transformation.
      The eatery occupies the site of the former lock yard, its old gates now replaced with large windows providing views of a small enclosed garden with rare ferns, vines, climbing plants and an old birch tree.
      The hotel occupies a U-shaped red-brick cell block”The unique location and the detailed, sensitive transformation make the forgotten place a special experience in Berlin,” said Grüntuch Ernst Architects.
      “Wilmina is a place of discoveries, of surprising visual links, ambiguous layers of space and traces of the past. Wilmina is also a place of natural tranquillity, relaxation and comfort – an oasis in the middle of the city.”
      An extension formed from reclaimed bricks houses the Lovis restaurantMeanwhile in London, EPR Architects and interior design firm Roman and Williams recently transformed the former Bow Street Magistrates Court and Police Station in Covent Garden into the first overseas outpost from American hotel brand NoMad.
      The photography is by Patricia Parinejad.

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      Holloway Li transforms Munich office building into Wunderlocke hotel

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      Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract paintings influenced the colourful yet understated interiors that design studio Holloway Li has created inside the Locke hotel in Munich.

      The aparthotel, called Wunderlocke, contains 360 serviced studio apartments and is situated in Munich’s Obersendling district, taking over an office building that previously belonged to German tech company Siemens.
      A timber desk anchors Wunderlocke’s receptionLondon-based Holloway Li aimed to celebrate the building’s raw structure and reveal its “inner voice”, avoiding a more traditional “material intensive” approach to retrofitting.
      This decision was chiefly informed by the work of 20th-century Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky – a pioneer of abstract art who spent a significant portion of his career in Munich.
      Adjacent to the reception is a co-working area”Kandinsky’s work explores how we can develop a closer relationship to nature through abstraction, rather than through more figurative approaches favoured at the time,” explained Holloway Li.

      “He believed that by connecting with the ‘innerer klang’ (inner voice) of things, an artist could reveal the natural essence of objects and materials.”
      Teal-coloured leather runs around the edge of the bar counterIn line with this idea, the studio stripped back the building to its concrete shell and added a carefully curated selection of furnishings using natural colours and materials where possible.
      At the heart of the ground-floor reception is a curved timber desk inset with panels of wheat-coloured carpet, which were also used to wrap the lower half of the room’s structural columns.
      Yellow and red furnishings bring a burst of colour to the barBeyond the reception is an informal co-working area dressed with plush sea-green sofas and communal timber desks.
      Holloway Li placed leafy potted plants around the periphery of the room and along the trellis-style shelves, creating the impression that the nearby Grünwald forest has “grown into and occupied” the interior.

      Fettle designs Schwan Locke Hotel in homage to early German modernism

      This floor of the Wunderlocke hotel also houses a drinks bar, with the lip of its countertop upholstered in supple teal-coloured leather to encourage guests to get comfortable and hang around for longer.
      Mustard-yellow tub chairs and a red seating banquette provide extra pops of colour.
      The building’s terrazzo staircase dates back to the 1960sThe upper floors of the hotel can be reached via a terrazzo staircase, which dates back to the 1960s but was updated with a stainless steel handrail.
      Painted in natural blue and green hues, each guest suite is designed to function as a small studio apartment with its own lounge area and kitchenette.
      Guest suites are decked out in shades of blue and greenIf guests don’t want to cook in their room, they have the option of eating at Mural Farmhouse – a group of five food and drinks venues spread across seven floors of the Wunderlocke building.
      Run by the founders of Munich’s Michelin-starred restaurant Mural, the complex encompasses an all-day restaurant, a wine bar, cocktail bar, coffee shop and an upscale eatery.
      All of the venues follow a farm-to-table ethos, making use of hand-picked herbs and vegetables from the hotel’s rooftop farm, which offers views over the Bavarian Alps.
      Each suite comes complete with a lounge and kitchenetteWunderlocke is the second Munich outpost from British aparthotel chain Locke. The first, called Schwan Locke, pays homage to early German modernism and features a colour palette informed by the work of Mies van der Rohe.
      Holloway Li was previously tasked with designing Locke’s location in the London district of Bermondsey, which evokes sunny California deserts.
      The photography is by Ed Dabney.

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      Arco Suites is a cliffside hotel in Crete with rooms carved out of the rock

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      Cave-like suites and a yoga studio with an arching bamboo roof feature inside this wellness hotel on the Greek island of Crete, which local hoteliers Danae and Konstantina Orfanake have perched on a rocky precipice above the sea.

      The Orfanake sisters spent almost five years designing and developing the Arco Suites resort together with Athenian architecture office Utopia Hotel Design and interior designer Manos Kipritidis.
      Arco Suites is set on a cliffside in Crete’s Mononaftis bayThe complex accommodates 49 suites and villas in buildings constructed from locally sourced stone and wood, which were designed to blend into their surroundings along Crete’s Mononaftis bay.
      Some of the stone was excavated directly on-site while the rest was sourced from Mount Ida, the highest mountain on the island.
      The hotel overlooks the Aegean SeaEach of the hotel’s suites has its own private saltwater pool with views of the Aegean Sea and interiors finished in a palette of natural materials.

      This ranges from raw silk bed covers to furnishings custom-made by local artisans using marble from nearby Feistos.
      The hotel’s Cave Suites are carved out of the cliffsideSome of the suites were carved directly out of the cliffside, with parts of the rockface left exposed around the pool terraces and throughout the interiors to preserve their cave-like feel.
      The stone walls also help to maintain a pleasant temperature all year round, reducing the need for heating and air conditioning.
      The hotel’s external stone walls were crafted by Cretan sculptors, as were the custom-made clay light fixtures in the Cave Suites.
      A thatched roof covers the Circle BarKipritidis worked closely with the Orfanake sisters on the design of the hotel’s Cremnos restaurant and the Circle cocktail bar.
      Echoing the natural look of the suites, the restaurant is furnished with custom-made marble furniture, natural fabrics and copper and wood details.

      KRAK Architects imagines subterranean house on Cretan coast

      The Circle bar features a ceiling made from Makuti – a type of East African thatching that consists of sun-dried coconut palm leaves.
      This natural material provides shade and sways in the breeze, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
      The spa area combines wooden joinery with rough stone surfacesUtopia Hotel Design was brought in to help with the design of the in-house spa, which features an oval layout and smooth stone surfaces contrasted against roughly hewn walls and wooden doors.
      The wellness area houses a Byzantine hammam, a Finnish sauna, two treatment rooms, an outdoor pool and a heated pool.
      The spa contains an outdoor poolThe hotel’s Asana yoga studio is covered by an impressive arching roof that was custom made in Crete using wood and bamboo from Thailand.
      Danae and Konstantina Orfanake are members of a prominent Cretan hotelier family. Arco Suites is the latest addition to their growing portfolio of resorts on the island.
      The hotel’s yoga studio has an arching bamboo roofA number of other design studios have explored the idea of embedding buildings into the rugged topography of the Greek islands.
      KRAK Architects recently developed a concept for an underground house with an infinity pool on Crete’s south coast. And on Mykonos, Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects has blended a wellness hotel into the surrounding hillside using stones excavated on-site.
      The photography is by Giorgos Sfakianakis.

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      Rockwell Group blends Japanese and Spanish design in Nobu Hotel Barcelona

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      New York studio Rockwell Group has mixed references to traditional Japanese crafts and the work of Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi in its interior design for this hotel in Barcelona by American hospitality brand Nobu.

      Located in the former Gran Hotel Torre de Catalunya near Barcelona’s main train station, the 250-room hotel is topped with a Nobu sushi restaurant on the 23rd floor as well as incorporating a pool, spa, meeting rooms and event spaces.
      The Spanish outpost marks the thirteenth hotel opening from Nobu, which started as an upscale Japanese fusion eatery in New York in 1994 but quickly expanded into a celebrated chain of restaurants and hotels spanning five continents.
      Above: guests enter Nobu Hotel Barcelona through a lobby with a lounge area. Top: among the hotel’s 250 rooms are a number of suitesArchitecture and design firm Rockwell Group has worked with the hospitality chain for almost 30 years, designing its first location in Manhattan followed by another 25 restaurants and eight hotels.
      In Barcelona, Nobu sought to create a location that blends the best design features of its restaurants with nods to the city’s architectural heritage.

      In response, Rockwell Group created a “collage of materials, textures and spaces” within the hotel, paying homage to the colourful mosaics in Gaudi’s Park Güell as well as the traditional Japanese craft of kintsugi, which involves mending broken pottery using metallic lacquers.
      A woven screen snakes its way from the facade into the double-height lobby”The fusion of these two arts felt natural and makes the property feel truly unique and grounded in its place,” Rockwell Group principal Eva Longoria told Dezeen.
      “We envision the environment as an abstract landscape, in which every element and detail is crafted in an unusual and unexpected way, much like Nobu’s cuisine,” added the firm’s partner Greg Keffer.
      From the street, the hotel’s entrance is framed by tall bamboo trees set behind a wall of rammed earth.
      A grand spiral staircase connects all of the hotel’s public areasA bright orange woven screen designed to evoke Japanese Shinto gates wraps the entry vestibule and continues inside to create a connection between the hotel’s interior and exterior.
      The screen leads guests into a double-height lobby lined with textured limestone and wood. The space is anchored by a dramatic brushstroke artwork – a recurring feature in Nobu’s interiors – that hangs behind the check-in desk.
      Off to the side, a grand spiral staircase connects all of the hotel’s public areas including the ballroom, lobby and meeting rooms.
      Millwork features heavily in the guest rooms. Photo is by Cristina GarciaIn the lobby bar, a monumental stone counter is lined in pale gridded wood reminiscent of traditional Japanese joinery, while a pair of central columns is clad in cracked stone with gold-coloured infill in a reference to the kintsugi mending technique.
      The lounge is framed by a gridded wooden structure similar to the one found in the bar. But here, it is stained a deep indigo blue.

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      In the guest rooms, Rockwell Studio combined millwork pieces with leather and bronze-coloured detailing, while slabs of stone and travertine with bronze inlays feature in the bathrooms alongside frameless glass-panelled showers.
      A moodier atmosphere reigns in the suites, where sofas sit on plinths and millwork is finished in saturated lacquer colours. The presidential suite is organised around a sculptural Japanese tea hearth made of roughly carved stone.
      Bathrooms in the suites also include a traditional ofuro soaking tub, which is separated from the shower by screens clad in ceramic tiles.
      Bronze-coloured detailing accentuates the rooms’ built-in storage. Photo is by Cristina GarciaThe hotel’s meeting rooms feature views down into the lobby for a casual, connected feel, while sliding wood panels can be used for conjoining or separating different spaces.
      A Nobu sushi restaurant sits at the top of the building with panoramic views of the Catalan capital. Its kintsugi-influenced ceiling consists of live-edge walnut panels intersected by gold-coloured veins.
      Over the backlit onyx bar, a cracked blue ceramic ceiling complements columns clad in kintsugi sculptures made from blue and white ceramics.
      Millwork details also show up in the bathrooms. Photo is by Cristina GarciaNobu opened its first hotel in Malibu in 2017, with the aim of bringing the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese inn to the coast of California.
      Since then, Nobu Hotels has opened 12 more outposts including a beachside resort in Mexico made from locally sourced stone.
      The photography is by Ricardo Labougle unless otherwise stated.

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      Home Studios refreshes Daunt's Albatross motel in Montauk

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      Brooklyn-based Home Studios has turned a dated motel into a boutique hotel near the beach in Montauk, New York, using vintage furniture to make it feel like a “remote family home”.

      The revamped Daunt’s Albatross has 23 guest rooms located two blocks back from the sand in the Long Island beach town.
      Home Studios has renovated the guest rooms at Daunt’s Albatross, including the hotel’s Koda SuiteA family-run establishment since 1977, the hotel was last fully renovated in 1982, so proprietor Leo Daunt decided it was time to make improvements while retaining the family-friendly layouts.
      “The story of Daunt’s Albatross is one rooted in a family’s passion for sharing Montauk’s natural beauty with visitors and locals alike, welcoming them to a space that feels like home, even if just for a short stay,” said Home Studios founder Oliver Haslegrave.
      Pale colours and wooden furniture feature in the space”Our guiding design principles included three overarching themes: the rugged beauty of untouched nature; the collected warmth and family history; and the comforts of a modern sanctuary,” he continued.

      The complex comprises two buildings separated by a narrow courtyard, populated with Adirondack chairs arranged around fire pits on areas of gravel.
      Deluxe Double rooms were furnished with only the essentialsIn the lobby, a patchwork of flagstones across the floor and reclaimed oak ceiling beams complement a custom limestone-and-alder wood reception desk.
      Bright and airy Deluxe Double and Standard Queen bedrooms are sparingly furnished with an assortment of vintage and antique pieces from multiple eras, “as if a the hotel were a remote family home” according to Haslegrave.
      An assortment of vintage and antique pieces are used through all of the spacesThe hotel’s Koda Suite includes a living area with a wood-burning fireplace, a kitchenette with a small dining area and a daybed tucked behind a linen curtain.
      In all of the guest rooms, there are pastel blue doorways and cabinets, dark blue tile backsplashes, wooden furniture and woven textile artworks.
      Black fixtures add a contemporary twist to the green-tiled bathrooms”The furniture, lighting and decor are handpicked antique pieces and unique, custom elements that prioritise function, simplicity, and materiality,” said Haslegrave.
      “Layers of art and decor – from paintings of the original owner, Grandma Daunt, to handmade textiles – add a layer of sentimental warmth throughout the lobby and guest rooms.”

      Montauk hotel takes its sand-coloured palette from its beachy surroundings

      Bathrooms are lined in pale green tiles and accented with black fixtures and hardware that provide a contemporary touch.
      The site also includes a swimming pool and terrace area at the western end, and guests are encouraged to go out and explore the area’s clifftop walks and state parks.
      A custom reception desk sits upon flagstones in the lobby”The Albatross represents a modern and charming haven where guests can enjoy Montauk’s surrounding natural beauty with a sense of comfort and relaxation that only an intimate and regionally inspired hospitality experience can provide,” Haslegrave said.
      At the far eastern tip of Long Island and nicknamed The End of the World, Montauk is a popular summer vacation spot for New York families, surfers, party-goers and wealthy homeowners alike.
      The property has been run by the Daunt family since 1977Typically more affordable than the Hamptons down the coast, the town has a mix of relatively inexpensive and luxury accommodation.
      One such luxury hotel is the Marram Hotel, which opened in 2019 following renovations by Studio Tack.
      The courtyard is populated with Adirondack chairs and fire pitsDaunt’s Albatross is Home Studios’ third hotel project to date, following The Hu Hotel in Memphis and the Mediterranean-influenced Alsace in LA.
      Founded by Haslegrave in 2009, the studio has also recently completed a brasserie in Salt Lake City, a townhouse overhaul in Brooklyn and a restaurant in a Wisconsin.
      The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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      Flack Studio designs Ace Hotel Sydney as a “deep homage” to Australia

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      References to the landscape and industrial heritage of Australia are woven into the Ace Hotel’s new outpost in Sydney, with interiors designed by local practice Flack Studio.

      Situated in the city’s historic Tyne House factory in Surry Hills, the 257-room Ace Hotel Sydney marks the American hotel group’s first location in the southern hemisphere.
      Ace Hotel Sydney houses a lobby, bar and lounge on the ground floorOn the ground floor, public spaces include a lobby, bar and lounge, a neighbourhood restaurant and a day-to-night cafe, while the building’s top floor is occupied by a rooftop restaurant designed by Australian interiors studio Fiona Lynch Office.
      Describing the project as a “deep homage” to Australia, Flack Studio said the interior draws on the warm neutural tones of the country’s desert landscapes and the paintings of Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira.
      The sunken lounge features brown leather sofasThe hotel has sandstone feature walls on the ground floor, a red marble staircase that stretches from the lobby to the first floor and terracotta-coloured tiles in the guest bathrooms.

      A sunken lounge on the ground floor is rendered in shades of caramel and burnt orange – reminiscent of the easygoing design favoured in Australia’s suburbs in the 1970s – while abundant planting throughout the hotel recalls the country’s lush rainforests.
      A red marble staircase leads up to the first floorFlack Studio also took cues from the work of Australian architect Robin Boyd, who proposed a functionalist and regionally grounded approach to architecture using simple forms and local materials.
      In the Ace Hotel Sydney, this can be seen in the off-form concrete walls, locally sourced timber and aged brass that reflect the utilitarian history of the building and the neighbourhood.
      Guest rooms are designed to feel cosy and residentialThe hotel’s 18-storey brick building was originally erected in 1916 to house the factory and distribution centre of chemist chain Washington H. Soul Pattinson.
      It also sits on the site where one of Australia’s oldest ceramic kilns was discovered, used by potter Jonathan Leak to produce domestic pottery as early as the 1820s.

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      Ace Hotel Sydney’s wayfinding and signage were created by graphic design practice Studio Ongarato, incorporating elements of 70s modular design alongside bold geometric forms and textured materials.
      A sense of craftsmanship is conveyed through glazed ceramic room signage and hand-painted details on the entry signs.
      They feature custom lighting, furniture and fixturesThe hotel’s guest rooms feature custom lighting, furniture and fixtures and are designed to feel cosy and residential. Each room features a Rega turntable and a vinyl collection put together by Melbourne-based record label Efficient Space.
      Other highlights include an art collection curated by Flack Studio that showcases the works of contemporary Australian artists and a minibar stocked with goods from local producers.
      In the coming months, the hotel is also set to launch a residency programme spotlighting First Nations artists.
      Terracotta-coloured tiles line the walls in the guest bathroomsAce Hotel was founded in Seattle in 1999 and now has locations in cities including Los Angeles, New Orleans and Kyoto.
      Last August, the hotel chain opened its Brooklyn outpost, which features art in every room and a public gallery in its lobby that houses rotating exhibitions. Ace Hotel’s next location in Toronto is due to open in 2022.
      The photography is by Anson Smart and Nikki To.

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      Nate Berkus designs panoramic sunset bar for luxury cruise ship

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      Celebrity Cruises has tapped several well-known designers for the interiors on board its newest vessel, which include a sunset lounge by Nate Berkus and bedroom suites by Kelly Hoppen.

      The Celebrity Beyond, which completed its maiden voyage around Western Europe this spring, is the third in the Miami-based company’s Edge series of cruise ships.
      Spaces unique to this 1,073-foot (327-metre) vessel include a larger, updated version of the outdoor Sunset Bar, which enjoys almost 360-degree views from an upper deck at the back of the ship.
      Spaces unique to the Celebrity Beyond ship include the Sunset Bar designed by Nate BerkusHere, American interior designer Nate Berkus aimed to create a laid-back atmosphere for guests wishing to enjoy cocktails after spending the day at the pool.
      “I’m always inspired by my own travels and in this case, it’s the international beach clubs I’ve been to in places like Mexico, or Europe,” he told Dezeen. “They always feel so effortlessly chic, and casual. The opposite of fussy.”

      The main entrance to the bar is through a plant-covered pergola that frames the gently sloping walkway leading down to the deck.

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      This curves around a series of seating niches and planters before reaching the covered area where drinks are served.
      An arched colonnade and patterned floor tiles give the bar a Mediterranean feel, which is continued to the outdoor seating through custom Kravet fabrics based on Ancient Greek motifs.
      “We also incorporated timeless materials like terracotta, bronze, brass and wood,” Berkus said.
      Kelly Hoppen is behind many of the ship’s interiors, including the suites and stateroomsThe Celebrity Beyond joins the Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex in this class of vessel, which first launched in 2019, and is the largest of the three – accommodating up to 3,260 guests.
      The trio share many of the same design elements, including the 1,646 bedroom suites and staterooms by British designer Kelly Hoppen that feature neutral decor with red and orange accents.
      Hoppen also designed the ship’s rooftop garden, its spa and The Retreat – an exclusive section for suite guests that includes private spaces like a lounge, a sundeck and a restaurant called Luminae.
      Other spaces by Hoppen include The Retreat, an exclusive area that includes a private pool deck”The Retreat deck and resort deck have been designed in a way to allow for a multifunctional space, by creating private pods and moments alongside the busier areas, allowing all to enjoy,” Hoppen told Dezeen.
      Another of the ship’s features is the Magic Carpet: a deck cantilevered from the side of the ship that travels up and down at different times of the day.
      A bright orange structure supports a bar and lounge, where guests can take in uninterrupted ocean vistas.
      Like other ships in the Celebrity Edge series, the Beyond features a moving cantilevered deck known as the Magic CarpetAmong the other spaces to eat and drink on board are Eden, which has a garden-themed design by Patricia Urquiola, and the World Class Bar with its dark beige and brass decor.
      Le Voyage restaurant offers a menu created by chef Daniel Boulud, while the Grand Plaza at the heart of the ship serves martinis beneath a giant light sculpture programmed to sync with the music.
      British architect Tom Wright, best-known for designing the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, was the principal architect for the ship.
      The World Class Bar is among the places to enjoy cocktails on boardCelebrity Cruises frequently taps well-known designers like Berkus and Hoppen in a bid to attract younger generations to luxury cruising.
      “We really wanted to embrace the challenge of getting the younger demographic onto these glorious ships along while not isolating the older generation and current clientele,” said Hoppen.
      “With that in mind, we have made sure that we have given a fresh feel to the accommodation while keeping the key elements the same but with a modern twist.”
      Signature restaurants include Le Voyage, with a menu by chef Daniel BouludIn a similar move to entice Millennial and Gen Z cruisers with A-list designers, Virgin Voyages’s first ship features suites by Tom Dixon, while its crew wears uniforms by Gareth Pugh.
      The Celebrity Cruises fleet also includes the Celebrity Flora, which sails the Galápagos Islands and was designed by BG Studio and has a reptilian theme.
      The cruise industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, but has bounced back following strict vaccination and testing policies.

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      Bachmann Associés gives Belle Époque hotel in French ski resort a modern update

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      Bare brick and concrete are exposed in this renovation of a grand hotel at the foot of Mont Blanc by French architecture practice Bachmann Associés.

      Set in the ski resort of Chamonix, La Folie Douce Hôtel Chamonix occupies the former Savoy Palace – an 18,000-square-metre Belle Époque building with 250 rooms and five restaurants that was originally constructed in 1904.
      La Folie Douce Hôtel Chamonix is set in the renovated Savoy Palace hotelIn the 1920s, the hotel hosted lavish balls and tennis tournaments. But it later fell into disrepair and was abandoned by French travel operator Club Med in 2018 after it stated that “the site simply no longer meets our criteria”.
      Commissioned by the hotel’s new operators – hotel groups La Folie Douce and Les Hôtels Très Particuliers – Bachmann Associés wanted to reconnect the hotel with its opulent heritage and create spaces that would appeal to an “eclectic clientele”.
      Concrete and brick are exposed throughout the interiorThe Dinard-based studio, founded by architects Christophe Bachmann and Jérôme Gesret, left many of the hotel’s walls and ceilings intentionally rough, using lighting to accentuate any cracks and uneven textures.

      These raw surfaces are contrasted with opulent antique furnishings and finishes, including velvet-upholstered chaises longues, bespoke patterned carpets and brass fixtures.
      Modern fixtures replace old-school chandeliers in the atriumIn the public areas, dark and intimate spaces are alternated with generous light-filled rooms blessed with expansive Alpine views.
      In the lobby, partitions and false ceilings were stripped out to create a grand atrium with a sweeping staircase and a series of contemporary suspension lights that replace the hotel’s old-fashioned chandeliers.
      On the first floor, a cocktail lounge called Le Janssen is anchored by a brass-fronted bar and surrounded by arched floor-to-ceiling windows.

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      “For this project, we had an exciting playground,” Gesret and Bachmann explained. “It was demanding because we had to bring an old palace back to life by completely reinventing the codes of the classic hotel industry. But that is really what appealed to us.”
      “We really like to shake up and reinvent places and we had a lot of fun exploiting the volumes, imagining spaces of freedom and conviviality in the very spirit of La Folie Douce.”
      The cocktail lounge has a brass-fronted barWith a similar aim, Snøhetta recently updated another Belle Époque hotel set in a tiny mountain village in Norway, while Roman and Williams converted a historic London police station into the first international outpost from American hospitality chain NoMad.
      The photography is by Gaelle Le Boulicaut.

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