Hotel Astoria

The hotel forms an island in an area with an industrial character. Despite individual newer buildings, the district is characterised by the perimeter block structure from the 19th century. The new building follows the outline of the old building. The geometry of the L-shaped building and the six-storey volume create a spatial articulation between the inner courtyard and the street space. The broken corner on the façade facing Eigerplatz widens the perspective and emphasises the main entrance.

The concrete/brick façade, which is crowned by a metal mansard hipped roof, lends the building an elegant character and echoes the materials and proportions of the buildings typical of the neighbourhood. The filter masonry, which was placed in front of the glazing, creates a relief within the façade and enables a unique play of shadows in the interior thanks to the open butt joints. The structure of the building is articulated by the rhythm of the horizontal and vertical concrete elements.

The public part of the ground floor with the hotel entrance and bar opens out onto Zieglerstrasse. The hotel rooms are arranged in the south wing of the ground floor and on the upper floors along the north, east and south façades. They are accessed via corridors that offer an open view of the outdoor spaces. Access to the floors is via a staircase and the lifts, which are located at the intersection of the corridors.

The design of the interior refers to swimming in the River Aare, which was recognised as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage site in 2017. The counter in the reception area is designed as a rock and serves as both a bar and reception. A terrazzo floor made of pebbles covers the entire ground floor, bordered by concrete walls and columns. The surfaces in the guest rooms are covered with simple, high-quality materials. Wood and concrete alternate to create a warm atmosphere. The theme of the River Aare is also reflected in the rooms. The green ceiling reflects like a water surface, the shower shines like a lantern. The motif of the red handrail is repeated in the cloakroom furniture. The furniture in the interior is reduced to a minimum.

The hotel continues the urban metamorphosis of the Mattenhof neighbourhood, which began with the recently completed redesign of Eigerplatz. The new building integrates well into the existing urban fabric and is intended to lend a new dynamic to the future development of the neighbourhood.