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Hotel Chic&Basic Born
Hotel Chic&Basic Born
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Other Projects by EQUIP Xavier Claramunt
Hotel Chic&Basic Born
Type
YEAR
2006
SIZE
100,000 sqft - 300,000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
Who’s the Princess?
Does
anyone actually know if there was a real princess behind the name of the
well-known Barcelona street, Calle de la Princesa ? Of course there was, H. R. H. Isabel de Borbón y Borbón, Princess of
Asturias, a twice
recognized first heir to the throne of Spain who never actually reigned. She knew
very well the difference between a stately queen and a princess of the people
and she was very much the latter. A true people’s princess who became very popular, pure Madrid,
the city which nicknamed her “la chata”, or “little one”. If we come
back to Barcelona, a city with the noble title of Condal incidentally,
a very non-specific name was given to the street which followed on from
Calle Fernando - De la Princesa, or Princess Street. The decision was probably
inspired by a touch of republicanism. Using such a non-specific name avoided
saying which of the many well-known princesses it so graciously referred to. It’s not a bad
way of giving a nod to all those playing a minor role throughout history, a
practical solution which appeases everybody - streets, avenues and drives named
after unspecified generals, primates and supreme commanders. When you come up againstso many different interests,a right balance must be struck where you will unavoidably annoy
everybody to a certain extent, but you don’t lose sense of what you want to
achieve. In other words, the same applies to everybody, lump it or like it.
Where
Calle de la Princesa meets the Ciutadella Park, the first floor of a solemn,
middle-class building is being transformed into a hotel. A wide marble
staircase takes us up to what was once a luxurious residence and later was
uncompromisingly converted into a school. The layout bears witness to the fact
it must have been run on very traditional lines. Despite such a graceless
conversion, many traces of decorative cornices, carved doors and painted
ceilings have managed to survive the rigours of a school regime. The concept
for the present conversion is different this time as the design takes into
account the interests of two distinct groups and promotes a sense of
restoration.
The first
group are the residents already living in the building and who will live there
for the foreseeable future. From now on they will have to share with hotel
guests who come to the city to relax and enjoy their leisure. The other group
are the earnest champions of the scrolls, cherubs and other ornaments belonging
to the heritage of a more refined age, the conservationists. Their role is to
ensure we don’t forget certain parts of our history. Even though the building
will need to be subdivided for its new use, the refurbishment will seek to
restore the first floor to its former glory in a way which suits both interest
groups.
The new
structure will keep the regimented classroom layout while aiming to create
little idyllic oases which give the sensation of belonging to a wide-open
space. In each room the shower, wash basin and toilet will be housed in a
well-defined nucleus around which a distinctive design for each individual room
is based. The walls to each of the rooms will be built in accordance with the
new design while respecting features from the original structure, its
plasterwork and painted decoration, but without actually adhering to the same
layout. Cornice strips and wall festoons will cross the new divisions, sweeping
in and out of rooms, evoking their origins in more generously spaced quarters.
The upper third of the rooms will be covered with mirrors. As the mirrors face
one other, the scrolls, frames, cornices and parts of former walls are
multiplied into infinity. The trick is in trying to create the sensation of a
larger space, a stronghold of intimacy in an illusory greater living space
which is now reduced from the superstructure of a distant past.
The
neutrality of the semi-prefabricated nucleus and the informal design of the
walls and curtains allow such echoes from the past to endure in its adornments
and the illusion of a stately room, helping to create a new experience. Just like
the silly idea of playing a princess from the past, even though she never
actually succeeded to the throne.
Does
anyone actually know if there was a real princess behind the name of the
well-known Barcelona street, Calle de la Princesa ? Of course there was, H. R. H. Isabel de Borbón y Borbón, Princess of
Asturias, a twice
recognized first heir to the throne of Spain who never actually reigned. She knew
very well the difference between a stately queen and a princess of the people
and she was very much the latter. A true people’s princess who became very popular, pure Madrid,
the city which nicknamed her “la chata”, or “little one”. If we come
back to Barcelona, a city with the noble title of Condal incidentally,
a very non-specific name was given to the street which followed on from
Calle Fernando - De la Princesa, or Princess Street. The decision was probably
inspired by a touch of republicanism. Using such a non-specific name avoided
saying which of the many well-known princesses it so graciously referred to. It’s not a bad
way of giving a nod to all those playing a minor role throughout history, a
practical solution which appeases everybody - streets, avenues and drives named
after unspecified generals, primates and supreme commanders. When you come up againstso many different interests,a right balance must be struck where you will unavoidably annoy
everybody to a certain extent, but you don’t lose sense of what you want to
achieve. In other words, the same applies to everybody, lump it or like it.
Where
Calle de la Princesa meets the Ciutadella Park, the first floor of a solemn,
middle-class building is being transformed into a hotel. A wide marble
staircase takes us up to what was once a luxurious residence and later was
uncompromisingly converted into a school. The layout bears witness to the fact
it must have been run on very traditional lines. Despite such a graceless
conversion, many traces of decorative cornices, carved doors and painted
ceilings have managed to survive the rigours of a school regime. The concept
for the present conversion is different this time as the design takes into
account the interests of two distinct groups and promotes a sense of
restoration.
The first
group are the residents already living in the building and who will live there
for the foreseeable future. From now on they will have to share with hotel
guests who come to the city to relax and enjoy their leisure. The other group
are the earnest champions of the scrolls, cherubs and other ornaments belonging
to the heritage of a more refined age, the conservationists. Their role is to
ensure we don’t forget certain parts of our history. Even though the building
will need to be subdivided for its new use, the refurbishment will seek to
restore the first floor to its former glory in a way which suits both interest
groups.
The new
structure will keep the regimented classroom layout while aiming to create
little idyllic oases which give the sensation of belonging to a wide-open
space. In each room the shower, wash basin and toilet will be housed in a
well-defined nucleus around which a distinctive design for each individual room
is based. The walls to each of the rooms will be built in accordance with the
new design while respecting features from the original structure, its
plasterwork and painted decoration, but without actually adhering to the same
layout. Cornice strips and wall festoons will cross the new divisions, sweeping
in and out of rooms, evoking their origins in more generously spaced quarters.
The upper third of the rooms will be covered with mirrors. As the mirrors face
one other, the scrolls, frames, cornices and parts of former walls are
multiplied into infinity. The trick is in trying to create the sensation of a
larger space, a stronghold of intimacy in an illusory greater living space
which is now reduced from the superstructure of a distant past.
The
neutrality of the semi-prefabricated nucleus and the informal design of the
walls and curtains allow such echoes from the past to endure in its adornments
and the illusion of a stately room, helping to create a new experience. Just like
the silly idea of playing a princess from the past, even though she never
actually succeeded to the throne.
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