It is not just the austere structure it occupies that makes the hotel unusual – The Daniel is also challenging the ’standard hotel format’. Instead of a conventional reception desk, the reception area is located in the hotel’s private shop that stocks exceptional items for discerning travelers whilst also providing facilities for checking in and out. It also houses a eclectic bakery that provides an atmospheric place for guests to enjoy their breakfasts and passersby to indulge in some delicious Austrian baked goods. In keeping with the architecture the reception area is furnished with vintage furniture, including pieces from a a 1960s fashion boutique, upholstered with bold patterned fabric, as well as contemporary pieces like the Donna Wilson chairs and more industrial pallet coffee tables.

Bedrooms are more reserved and pared back. The interior design makes full use of the architectural fabric of the building, contrasting exposed concrete ceilings with light walls and large timber panels. Furniture is kept to a minimum, save for the odd hamock; as is colour, with only a few deep green accents. The rooms, although not very Viennese, embody the calm, elegant atmosphere of the city.

(Images via Yatzer)

Large, bright letters at the entrance set the tone for the Thai restaurant that sits behind a modest shopfront. The space combines the simple furniture and finishes you’d expect from a canteen with more unusual touches like the organic wall illustrations, allowing the space to be playful but not overwhelmingly so. Rough brick and plasterboard walls provide the perfect backdrop for collections of items you might find a home, such as mirrors and colourful cupboards, arranged in unconventional ways, giving the space a pleasant, haphazard atmosphere.

(Images via Dezeen)

Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has designed a sculptural interior for the coffee chain to sit inside plain box-shaped structure. Timber posts criss-cross to create a geometric web that lines the entire space. In typical Japanese fashion the rest of the space is left relatively bare with unassuming furniture and a zig-zag banquette – all in greys, blacks and untreated OSB. The minimalist approach to furniture complements the sculptural nature of the timber installation; providing an impressive, but not overwhelming interior.

(Images via Contemporist)

The space is much more exciting than the Starbucks that we are are used to, and manages to feel more personal and inviting. Walls feature antique Delft tiles whilst benches, tables and an impressive ceiling feature are made of re-purposed Dutch oak. These distinct features, along with a mix of old-school furniture gives the space a charming, characterful atmosphere.

(Images via Trendland)

(Images via weheart)

(Images via Dezeen)

Apart from the textured surfaces, the design was approached with restraint and the resulting spaces seem appropriately quiet and poetic. The overall design manages to have a strong identity of its own while subtly referencing the site’s turbulent background.

(Images via Yatzer)

Film and images by Mike Roelofs.

The architect said about the design: “We put most of our effort to make our work invisible at first sight. Our interior should be a background allowing enjoy good wine and meal here and now.”

The first step in the renovation was removing any superfluous building elements so that only the original 19th century structure remained. Bottle-shaped shutters were added that pivot open to reveal the stripped back interior that has been modestly furnished with design classics and simple, elegant fittings. Wine bottles are stacked high in a steel rod framework that creates simple geometric patterns on the walls. Dimly lit, bare light bulbs create an intimate atmosphere where the original intention of the space is allowed to quietly reveal itself.

Photography by AI Photography.

Stephen Williams says: “We wanted to create a web of meaning with interrelating signs and symbols referring to seafaring and harbour life. A place where old and new stories come to life. It all began from the poems of Joachim Ringelnatz with the fictitious sailor Kuttel Daddeldu, a good soul who’s deeply rooted in the seafaring life, but also coarse and a little cheeky.”

The design team drew a parallel between the guests of the hotel (‘nomads’) and sailors (‘maritime nomads’). Markus Stoll, the brand storyteller, interviewed 25 international sailors in the Seaman’s Club Duckdalben in Hamburg as part of the team’s design research. He went on to adapt their stories into semi-fictional accounts that guided the concept development of the hotel and were later illustrated by Jindrich Novotny.

The ground floor consists of a lobby, restaurant, bar and shop  and is intended for use by guests and non-guests alike, continuing the lively, inclusive atmosphere of the new quarter that is being developed.

Heimat Küche + Bar takes its name from the German word for home, taking its inspiration from seafarers longing for home. The space, however, however has an industrial, shipyard aesthetic. The chaotic space is filled with ’shipping’ furniture such as warehouse shelves and rough wooden boxes, in addition to a selection of furnishings that were chosen by Connie Kotte to complete the warehouse aesthetic.

The shipyard aesthetic is continued into the conference room that sits in a shipping container donated by Hapag-Lloyd. The container wall is movable and can be hoisted up to allow access to the space or to join the conference room with the restaurant.

(Images via Dezeen)