The German capital counts its nightlife among the best in the world, not just because of the sheer volume of clubs, but due to the wide variety and quality of music and “only in Berlin” attitude. The recently launched ,…
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Foliage is scattered around the interior of this hotel in Berlin by designers Studio Aisslinger to create an “urban jungle” (+ slideshow).
Studio Aisslinger incorporated plants throughout the interior of the 149-room 25hours Bikini Berlin Hotel, located inside the listed 1950s Bikini-Haus building close to Berlin Zoo. “The [hotel] is as diverse as the big city it is located in and as wild as a jungle,” said the studio.
Walls of planters partition communal areas and bags filled with vegetation are hung from the ceiling sporadically.
Plants also climb through windows and doorways of the greenhouse-like restaurant.
The bar is stocked with bottles displayed in metal backed with wire mesh and drinkers can relax on large steps that double as seating.
Illuminated room numbers hang above doors along dark corridors with exposed concrete ceilings. Similar lettering marks communal areas such as the lounge.
Decorative features in the bedrooms include copper headboards and illustrations on the walls.
The hotel also boasts a sauna overlooking the Tiergarten park and a rooftop terrace with 360-degree views of the city.
25hours Bikini Berlin Hotel is due to open later this week. Photographs are copyright 25 Hours.
Here’s some more information from the designers:
25hours Bikini Berlin Hotel – Urban Jungle
25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin celebrates its grand opening on the 20th and 21st of February, 2014 in the heart of Berlin. Together with Restaurant Neni Berlin and Monkey Bar the new hotel on the bor- der between city and jungle is going wild.
The 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin is as diverse as the big city it is located in and as wild as a jungle. The hotel showcases cosmopolitan Berlin at its location in the listed Bikini-Haus building between the Tiergarten park and Breitscheidplatz with Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The hotel is popular not only among its own guests thanks to the restaurant and bar on the top floor with a 360° rooftop terrace and first-class views of the city and the Tiergarten park.
Neni restaurant
Neni Berlin is the place to come for indulgence, be it a diverse breakfast, a light lunch or a more extensive evening meal. In keeping with the urban jungle theme, it can be found in a striking green- house built out of parts of old hothouses. The restaurant draws its inspiration from cuisines from all over the world and is a place to meet and sample and enjoy a little of everything.
Rooftop terrace
The rooftop terrace is the highlight of the whole hotel thanks to the breathtaking view of western Berlin and the tree canopy in the Tiergarten park. It surrounds NENI Berlin on three sides and also Monkey Bar, with its six-metre full-length windows. The view and the location speak for themselves.
Monkey bar
Monkey Bar is located right next to the restaurant on the tenth floor and is an evening and night-time hotspot for top drinks and sophisticated bar food created by NENI. The NENI Berlin world of herbs has also found its way into the bar and its cocktail creations. With its outdoor enclosure, Monkey Bar is the coolest place in which to watch the sun set and enjoy music events.
Bikini island
The Wohnzimmer lounge at the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin comprises multiple areas. The Working Lab, Bikini Island and DJ corner segue from one to the other and transpose Berlin’s diversity right to the heart of the hotel. People can work, relax and chat here side by side. The aim is to create a space that provides a little time out from work and productive discussions.
Work hard, stay calm and enjoy tonight
Extraordinary settings result in extra special events. The 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin boasts unique function rooms with a great deal of atmosphere: the three rooms come alive thanks to the interplay of transparency and being obscured from view. The two Microhouses and the Freiraum function room are the perfect places for workshops and conventional meetings. And together with the NENI Berlin restaurant, Monkey Bar and the rooftop terrace, they constitute an extra special event option. Free Wi-Fi is available to the guests throughout the hotel.
The post Plants create “urban jungle” at Berlin
hotel by Studio Aisslinger appeared first on Dezeen.
News: architect Frank Gehry has won a competition to design a skyscraper for Berlin that is set to become the city’s tallest building.
Gehry Partners saw off competition from eight other shortlisted firms, including Adjaye Associates and David Chipperfield Architects, to land the commission to design the 150-metre residential tower for international real estate firm Hines.
Proposed for a site between Hackescher Markt, Friedrichshain and Berlin-Mitte, the building is conceived as a cluster of distorted cuboids that have been rotated away from one another to relate to some of the city’s main focal points, particularly the nearby Karl-Marx-Allee.
Three hundred apartments and a hotel will be located within the building, while the exterior will be clad with stone.
“Gehry’s design is strong in visual expression and introduces an unusually eccentric, new pattern for this location. Nevertheless, the facade radiates agreeable tranquility,” commented Regula Lüscher, director of the city’s urban development department and one of the competition judges.
“The design blends well with the neighbourhood and conveys all aspects of metropolitan living,” she added.
This will be the third time that Gehry has collaborated with Hines. The firm was his client for the DZ Bank in Berlin and acted as development manager for his New World Center in Miami Beach.
“The quality of the designs submitted was extremely high and reflected the importance of this prominent location in the centre of Berlin,” commented Christoph Reschke, one of Hines’ managing directors.
“This place has a strong symbolic character and will develop into a metropolitan residential and retail area. In order to transform the square, we want to take a chance on something new and exceptional,” he said.
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tallest skyscraper appeared first on Dezeen.
Le studio Me&Him&You a été fondé par Peter O’ Gara & Ronan Dillon. Ils ont décidé de réaliser une série de posters des grandes villes du monde, montrant les plus hauts bâtiments de chacune d’entre elles. Des créations minimalistes limitées à 400 exemplaires chacune, représentant ainsi Londres, Berlin ou Paris.
Designing unique apparel that appeals to both the home crowd and international shoppers is easier said than done. But when two artists—Nando Cornejo and Silvia Salvador—decided to transfer their ideas from the canvas to a new medium of knits and silk, they hit…
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News: architect Daniel Libeskind has unveiled plans to build an angular apartment block in Berlin that will feature a gleaming metallic facade.
Daniel Libeskind, whose previous Berlin projects include the Jewish Museum, designed the eight-storey building for a corner plot on Chausseestrasse, in the Mitte district of Berlin.
Set to complete in 2015, the building will accommodate shops at ground level and 73 residences on its upper storeys.
The facade will be clad using a specially developed stoneware tile with a reflective metallic coating, which the studio claims will be both self-cleaning and air-purifying.
Large asymmetric windows will be added to maximise natural light within the building and parking will be located underground.
A penthouse apartment at the front will feature a double-height living room, as well as a roof terrace looking out across the city.
Describing the building, Libeskind commented: “Even as my studio is often called upon to design skyscrapers these days, I continue to love to build homes, the basic unit of human life.”
Here’s a more detailed description from Studio Daniel Libeskind:
Daniel Libeskind returns to Berlin to build and apartment building in centre of city
Studio Daniel Libeskind has just unveiled the design for a residential building in Berlin that, upon completion in 2015, is expected to brighten the already emerging neighbourhood of Chausseestrasse. With large angular windows designed to catch maximum light, canted walls, and a metallic-coated ceramic facade, the 107,000 sq. ft. (10,000 m2) Chausseestrasse 43 occupies the corner of a block in central Berlin. Says the architect: “Even as my studio is often called upon to design skyscrapers these days, I continue to love to build homes, the basic unit of human life.” In this case, Libeskind is adding a dash of brightness and transparency to a key spot in Berlin, one that also happens to be located directly opposite the headquarters of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service.
Daniel Libeskind’s challenge was to create 73 desirable one- to four-bedroom apartments on a more or less rectangular plot a little less than half an acre (16,000 sq. ft.), accommodating attractive retail on the ground floor, underground parking, and a common outdoor area. The architect achieved this and more. The dramatic coda is found at the top, where a penthouse apartment, perched on the prow of the building, embodies the ultimate in inside/outside urban living. Here, a double-height living room is lined on one side by a sloping wall of obliquely shaped windows, which leads out to a patio overlooking Berlin. A floating stairway ascends to an open-plan living area, bedrooms are tucked into the rear, and the ceiling sweeps up to a height of 21 feet.
The facade cladding is an innovative three‐dimensional stoneware tile that Libeskind designed with the Italian company Casalgrande Padana. The geometric ceramic panels not only create an expressive metallic pattern, but they possess surprising sustainable properties such as air purification and they are self-cleaning.
This cathedral for modern living occupies a piece of land where the Wulffersche iron factory once operated before being expropriated from its Jewish owners during World War II.
The Berlin-based real estate developer, MINERVA, is handling the technical and economic implementation of Chausseestrasse 43 in partnership with the Berlin-based property developer, econcept. The 20-year-old MINERVA specialises in real estate development for commercial and residential projects, such as the contemporary Alexander Parkside apartment and hotel complex that recently opened in Berlin. Econcept specialises in the construction of new residential buildings, such as the Palais KolleBelle, a new residential complex in Berlin inspired by the architecture of 19th-century Paris.
The post Daniel Libeskind designs metallic
apartment block for Berlin appeared first on Dezeen.
In our continued quest to find the very best coffee, we came across the Kickstarter of Berlin-based start-up Bonaverde. Their revolutionary new machine not only grinds and brews…
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Berlin practice Sauerbruch Hutton has renovated and extended a former Prussian military uniform factory to accommodate its own offices and an artist’s studio.
Sauerbruch Hutton added a two-storey extension with a grey render and zigzagging roof that contrasts with the listed brick building, which is the largest in a cluster of former barracks.
“The building as a whole appears to be made of two halves – a historic brick ‘base’ and a new addition,” the architects told Dezeen.
A long glass wall running along the centre of the renovated second floor separates a series of offices from a large open-plan space, while a staircase cast from concrete connects the two new storeys.
The new third floor contains a reception area and conference room that flank a gallery leading to a library and a series of smaller offices and meeting rooms.
Roof lights in the extension introduce daylight into the offices, while large windows frame views of the trees outside.
Sauerbruch Hutton also created a studio and apartment for conceptual artist Karin Sander in the eastern portion of the building.
Studio spaces with skylights, bedrooms, a kitchen, a library and a living room are spread across two storeys, with a roof terrace providing outdoor space.
A cast concrete wall separates the expansive 5.5-metre-high studios from the living spaces, with an opening connecting the main studio to the raised reference library.
The project was completed in 2009 but has not been widely published. We recently published a church in Cologne designed by Sauerbruch Hutton, which is clad in diagonal timber planks.
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uniform factory by Sauerbruch Hutton appeared first on Dezeen.
Exposed ductwork and rough materials feature at this hostel in central Berlin (+ slideshow).
Anwar Mekhayech of Toronto firm The Design Agency collaborated with local architects Ester Bruzkus and Mark Asipowicz of WAF Architects to design the hostel interior.
The latest accommodation in the Generator chain is located in an early twentieth-century building in Berlin’s central Mitte district, close to the city’s Museum Island.
Minimal en-suite rooms and dorms with exposed concrete ceilings can accommodate up to 552 guests.
In the reception light wood panels contrast with dark flooring and seats in pink and red. Patterns are created by overlapping strings stretched from the exposed ceiling pipes to the walls.
Wooden work benches act as tables in the dining area, accompanied by wood and copper-coloured stools. Bright artwork on corridor walls is based on graffiti around the city. The doors are covered with large room numbers.
Communal areas include a bar, library, cafe and central courtyard. An event space in the basement with seating integrated into steps will host exhibitions by local artists and performances by local bands.
“Generator Berlin Mitte has been one of the most exciting Generator projects to date because of our collaboration with local interior designer Ester Bruzkus and also the talented Berlin-based artists who added a relevant cultural dimension,” said Mekhayech.
Generator also operates a hostel in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district and has recently opened branches in Venice and Barcelona. Photography is by F+W Fotografie.
Read on for more details from the hostel:
Generator continues to challenge the traditional hostel concept with the launch of its third property in 2013
Generator Berlin Mitte follows the openings of Generator Barcelona and Venice and further strengthens the company’s position as Europe’s largest and most innovative urban design hostel group
Located in a historic 1900s building in the bohemian neighbourhood of Mitte, the design-led Generator Berlin Mitte accommodates up to 552 guests across 139 en-suite rooms and dorms. Public spaces include a lively Generator Bar, chill-out library, café, historic central courtyard and a basement event space that will be used to showcase the work of local artists, designers and musicians.
Carl Michel, Executive Chairman at Generator which is backed by Patron Capital, said: “Our new Berlin property is in an area that has undergone many transformations, from being the old Jewish quarter to the pulsing heart of the city that it is today with a vibrant nightlife scene. Our newest Generator offers our growing customer base a high standard of comfortable and stylish accommodation at an affordable price and just a stone’s throw from the Museumsinsel (Museum Island).”
Chief Designer Anwar Mekhayech, one of the partners at The Design Agency, has set the standard for the new wave of Generators with his work in Barcelona and Venice. For Berlin Mitte he has worked in collaboration with Mark Asipowicz from WAF Architects and guest designer Ester Bruzkus, from Ester Bruzkus Architects, whose impressive portfolio includes some of Berlin’s most celebrated boutique hotels and restaurants.
Bruzkus’ very distinctive style is combined with strokes of Berlin’s own grunge flair, very present in the use of cement tiles. The style is very clear: old vs. new, bright vs. dark and moody, rough vs. smooth and sleek; all visibly translating into a contemporary atmosphere that exudes an air of unpretentious style. The rough wood panelling and open ceilings, raw copper panels against black walls in the basement and the simple furniture and mastic asphalt in the breakfast area that contrast with the mirrored ceiling in the bar are just some examples of the stunning design details that are featured in this project.
Anwar Mekhayech, chief designer, said: “Generator Berlin Mitte has been one of the most exciting Generator projects to date because of our collaboration with local interior designer, Ester Bruzkus and also the talented Berlin-based artists who added a relevant cultural dimension.”
True to Generator’s commitment and passion to creating an authentic and locally inspired experience, the Berlin Mitte property has embraced the city’s love of street art. The colourful mural was created by London artist Luke Embden during a Berlin residency, while the legendary Thierry Noir has adorned the corridors with his famous ‘heads with big lips’, similar to those at the Berlin Wall, Eastside Gallery. In addition, over the coming months, the collective Urban Art Clash will be in residence, running a studio from the hostel’s top floor and curating an open exhibition in the basement space. Other artist collaborations include Bella Leonard, who has created a distinctive crochet sculpture in the shape of Generator’s “G” and notable artist Sebastian Preschoux has set up one of his famous string installations in the café and reception.
This new urban design-inspired hostel joins Generator’s first property in Berlin, situated in the bohemian Prenzlauer Berg, and will cater for the growing number of travellers choosing to explore the German capital.
Josh Wyatt, Investment Director at Patron Capital responsible for the Generator brand, said: “We are thrilled to bring another Generator to Berlin. As well as being one of Europe’s most visited destinations, it was also the first city where Generator opened when we expanded outside of London. Having grown our leadership role as the hostel industry’s largest urban design hostel group, this new property seems a natural step. Berlin’s cultural and social heritage, coupled with the vibrant art and music scene, is a perfect fit for the Generator brand. Building on this latest opening, we will continue to increase our portfolio both within Europe and globally.”
The post Generator Berlin Mitte hostel by Ester Bruzkus
with Anwar Mekhayech and Mark Asipowicz appeared first on Dezeen.
Design studio Weiss-Heiten used emerald-coloured tiles to cover the walls, floors and surfaces of the new Berlin store for skincare brand Aesop (+ slideshow).
Aesop Mitte is the brand’s first flagship store in Germany and was designed by Weiss-Heiten to marry Berlin’s industrial history with references to the Bauhaus art school.
Handmade concrete tiles in different shades of green cover most of the surfaces, intended to reference the monochromatic canvasses of German artist Gerhard Richter.
“Our aim was to create a space that combines the clarity of industrial grids with the strength of historical materials and their individual patina,” said architect Alberto Franco Flores.
Shelves made from both German oak and steel display the range of products, while a 1950s sink salvaged from an old farm was added as a nod to the building’s former use as a dairy shop.
The back of the building provides a meeting space to host events and extra room for running Aesop’s German online store.
Aesop regularly works with different architects and designers and each store features a unique design. In an interview with Dezeen, founder of the skincare brand Dennis Paphitis said he was “horrified at the thought of Aesop evolving into a soulless chain”.
The brand also recently opened a new store in London’s Covent Garden designed by French studio Ciguë.
Here’s some more information from Aesop:
Aesop Mitte
Aesop’s first German signature store recently opened on Alte Schönhauser Strasse in the capital’s central borough of Mitte. Crafted in collaboration with local architects Weiss-Heiten Design, it marries elements of historical Berlin with Bauhaus and contemporary influences. Inspired by Gerhard Richter’s abstract, monochromatic canvases, and by the city’s industrial history and everyday charm, the interior assumes a palette of sea-green and a quietly clinical aesthetic. Handmade raw concrete tiles cover the walls and floor creating a sense of having wandered into Berlin Alexanderplatz station or a hidden glade in the forest. A countertop of oiled German oak and near-invisible steel shelves provide subtle contrasting accents.
An aged sink salvaged from a 1950s farm tethers the heritage-listed building to its previous life as an early twentieth-century dairy store. Beyond the retail area, which occupies approximately half the store’s 80 square metres, a concept room provides the opportunity to host events; an additional space will service Aesop’s German online store.
The post Aesop Mitte by
Weiss-Heiten appeared first on Dezeen.
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