“From the beginning we had to give ourselves over to the project and the history of the buildings, embracing the surprises and nuances that presented at every turn. Responding to and respecting the past, the attitude was simply to find joy and excitement in creating ways to incorporate these unique discoveries into the design.”
Steve Henry, Principal, BAMO
Location
Madrid, Spain
Project Type
Historic Adaptive Reuse, Hotel
Design Architect
Estudio Lamela
Local Architect
BG Arquitectura
Lighting Designer
Bouyea & Associates
Art Consultant
Paloma Fernández-Iriondo Art Projects and Consulting
Purchasing Agent
Proffetional
Photographer
Ricardo Labougle
Elegant, classical, and contemporary describe the hotel as a whole. Three signature spaces, the lobby, the Royal Suite and the Function level all rely heavily on the reuse of historical elements, whether patterned stone floors, ornately carved stone portal elements, rich wood shutters, carved doors, 19th century brass Cremona fittings. The luxury suites are all individually designed and each one has the feel of grand Madrid apartment, with a strong residential feel that mixed contemporary and historical elements.
Colors are sophisticated and very tightly coordinated. We practiced a restrained use of color for the interior palette, so as not to distract or compete with the rich visual experience looking outward. The complex palette reflects a color sensibility unique to Spain, pulled from the muted tones of the dry landscape (we found that the earth tones in Spain are quite different from other parts of the world), the natural pigments of Goya paintings, and the saturated olive greens, saffrons, and golds observed in Spanish high fashion.