“Introducing nature into the hotel” was the premise of International Hospitality Projects (IHP) for the fulfillment of this incredible interior design project. The changes in how the space is arranged and the use of next-generation materials like HI MACS® have transformed the renovated Novotel Madrid Center into a model for contemporary design.

The recently inaugurated four-star Novotel Madrid Center is located in one of the most central, best-known parts of Madrid, adjacent to the elegant Salamanca district and very close to the emblematic El Retiro Park.
Owned by the Santos Family, what was formerly the Hotel Convención is now managed by the Accor chain, under the Novotel brand name. This is the largest Novotel in the world, with 790 rooms and almost 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft) of common areas, of which more than 2,500 m2 (27,000 sq ft) are rooms for conferences and meetings.

The remodel covered the building’s entire interior space – lobby, bar / restaurant, conference rooms and hotel rooms – as well as the new and impressive foyer, inspired by the theme of nature because of the hotel’s location near Madrid’s greenbelt.
According to Paolo Mauri, the project’s designer, “We needed to be able to create something that would have a real impact, from a visual and esthetic point of view.” Thanks to its distinctive characteristics, HI-MACS® emerged as the ideal material.
With the primary objective of reorganizing the space to make it more functional, IHP made the most of the large area that was available to create many more open zones, updating the interiors to give a sensation of spaciousness.
The challenge was a vast 360º remodel that gives the hotel an attractive, contemporary image that will remain, even as time goes by. To achieve this, IHP brought in its interior design and equipment, architecture and engineering teams for the facilities.

An architectural plaza invites guests into the hotel, through a forest of trees made of steel, topped with a foliage of green crystal. This bright and airy structure with great visual impact covers the majority of the plaza.

HI-MACS®, the star of the huge lobby
From the central plaza, guests enter directly into a warm, harmonious setting that evokes nature in the form of a green wall.

The main floor is designed to highlight the fluidity of the space and to orient the hotel’s clientele. This is a spacious, open and well-organized area where clarity and efficiency are necessary in attending to the public.
The view of the main lobby is made of six large HI-MACS® pillars with backlit rhomboid patterns that portray a geometric abstraction of the trunks of the trees and their leaves. These epic structures in the form of asymmetrical prisms are the focal point of the lobby and make up the backbone of the hotel.

With the aim of giving the hotel an updated, contemporary image, three straight structures with diffuse underlighting were chosen for the majestic reception desks, made even more attractive by the presence of three large “smokestacks” hanging from the ceiling above and illuminated at the base, spreading warmth throughout the reception area. All of these elements are made of HI-MACS®, in Alpine White, in contrast to the back part of the desk, which is printed crystal.
A new side entrance for groups was also created, where a large trapezoidal structure lit from within, likewise produced in acrylic stone, delimits the space between the staircase and the ramp.
In its lighter tones, natural acrylic stone possesses a notable translucence when backlit, for luminous effects with a high visual impact, coming directly through the material.

“HI-MACS® gave us the ability to create impactful elements, while still being a material that is neutral, long-lasting and easy to maintain – all of which were characteristics that the client required”, asserts Paolo Mauri.
Being in a public space in constant contact with guests, the material’s durability was a key aspect, and HI-MACS® has a long service life and is easy to maintain. Likewise, its non-porous surface makes it totally hygienic, easy to clean and pleasant to the touch.
The Alpine White colour, one of the most emblematic shades of HI-MACS®, fits in perfectly with the original marble flooring, which was retained, creating an elegant space full of personality.
“The choice of acrylic stone was a step forward. We moved from a classic, traditional, material like marble to an innovative one with many different esthetic possibilities,” explains the project’s designer.

A bar with personality

On the same main floor are the bar, another spectacular area in the Novotel Madrid Center, and the restaurant.
The actual bar is six meters (20 feet) long, in a single steel piece that marks the edge of the lobby. The front of the bar, covered in backlit Alpine White HI-MACS®, is changeable and, combined with the large video wall, lets the hotel vary its atmosphere. The result is a dynamic, chameleon-like space that plays a leading role in the life of the hotel, with a modern, clean and welcoming design.

Spacious, flexible conference rooms

The Novotel Madrid Center is the only hotel in downtown Madrid to offer some 3,000 m2 (32,000 sq ft) for conferences. With the aim of increasing the versatility of the lower floor, the original fixed wall has been replaced with moveable partitions that make it possible to rearrange the spaces to suit the needs of the moment, resulting in absolute flexibility.
The dark wood finishes and stone-coloured acoustical panels reduce the reverberations of sound. The ceiling panels house warm and discreet lighting.

Invitingly comfortable rooms

The rooms at the Novotel Madrid Center combine modernism and elegance, technology and full equipment. Simple, straight lines invite guests to relax, with warm and pleasant lighting.

Also in the space, timeless aesthetics were applied, playing with natural, beige and brown tones, with discreet touches of colour.
The bathrooms mainly consist of a dramatic over-sized shower, sufficient to suit every need.

In the rest of the hotel, earthy colours like browns and greys play with the two absolute tones of white and black. The white, some of which is supplied by elements made of HI-MACS®, is the “backdrop” and the common denominator for the hotel, while the black acts as the link between the main floor and the lower floor, for an enhanced feeling of elegance. In a bright space, lighting is crucial when it comes to creating moods. In this case, the choice was made to use LED lighting throughout the facilities.
The result is a complete renovation of the hotel that plays with natural shapes and improves the experience of the different spaces.

For IHP, “working with HI-MACS® has been an entirely positive experience, it’s a material with which we can work with complete peace of mind, because it guarantees excellent results. Even the client had not even hoped for such great results, in terms of design, options and solutions.”
Although the building’s remodel is not yet complete, the hotel has already reopened. The first part of the alterations took place with the hotel open. During the second phase, it was closed to work on all of the common areas, and now the rooms are being completed, after which the last two floors and the rooftop terrace will begin. More meeting areas, as well as fitness and wellness spaces, and an outdoor swimming pool, chillout terrace and bar will find a new home there.

PROJECT REFERENCES
Project: Novotel Madrid Center – formerly Hotel Convención
Proposal: Late 2013
Work dates: Early 2015 - Late 2016
Reopening: November 2015
Project management: International Hospitality Projects (IHP) - ihp-group.com
Section managers: Architecture - Helena Montes, Engineering - Juan Mazón, Interior design and equipment - Paolo Mauri
Builder: Sacyr
Material: HI-MACS® Alpine White S028 - www.himacs.eu
HI-MACS® distributor in Spain: Gabarró Hermanos
Photo credits: ©Jesús Granada