A 20-sm hotel room does not provide the biggest canvas to try and create a unique and luxurious experience for guests, but that is all the space Morphosis had when redesigning a series of rooms for the House of Architects at 7132 Hotel in Vals, Switzerland.
The Los Angeles- and New York-based firm, after careful examination of the space, determined the customization of every aspect of the room was the best way to produce the bespoke, luxurious space they sought. Everything in each of the rooms, including the lighting, bed, furniture, and shower and wash basin, was custom-designed for the space.
The hotel itself is surrounded by alpine rock, earth, and greenery, and it is from these elements that the inspiration for the redesigned rooms was drawn.
Each room is wrapped in locally sourced natural materials; differing veins of Valser stone that varies in color, cut, and texture, or striations of oak sourced directly from the surrounding Graubünden forests. The result of these materials is a room that feels completely connected to the beautiful surrounding landscape.
The focal point of each room is a cold-formed, cast glass shower piece that is designed by Morphosis and fabricated by Circursa in Barcelona. The shower and wash basin, which has the appearance of a cryogenic pod seen in inestimable science fiction movies, acts as a nice juxtaposition to the abundant natural materials found in the room.
Morphosis redesigned 20 rooms for the hotel, 10 wrapped in stone and 10 in wood.
Photo: Morphosis Architects
Photo: Copyright Global Image Creation – 7132 Hotel, Vals.
Photo: Copyright Global Image Creation – 7132 Hotel, Vals.
Photo: Morphosis Architects.
Photo: Morphosis Architects.
Photo: Copyright Global Image Creation – 7132 Hotel, Vals.
Photo: Copyright Global Image Creation – 7132 Hotel, Vals.
Related Stories
| May 25, 2011
Hotel offers water beds on a grand scale
A semi-submerged resort hotel is the newest project from Giancarlo Zema, a Rome-based architect known for his organic maritime designs. The hotel spans one kilometer and has both land and sea portions.
| May 20, 2011
Hotels taking bath out of the bathroom
Bathtubs are disappearing from many hotels across the country as chains use the freed-up space to install ever more luxurious showers, according to a recent USAToday report. Of course, we reported on this move--and 6 other hospitality trends--back in 2006 in our special report "The Inn Things: Seven Radical New Trends in Hotel Design."
| May 18, 2011
Design diversity celebrated at Orange County club
The Orange County, Calif., firm NKDDI designed the 22,000-sf Luna Lounge & Nightclub in Pomona, Calif., to be a high-end multipurpose event space that can transition from restaurant to lounge to nightclub to music venue.
| May 10, 2011
Dinner is now served…atop the Lincoln Memorial?
Take a look at the temporary restaurant sitting atop Brussels’ historic Arc de Triomphe-Triomfboog. The Cube, by Electrolux, offers 18 diners a spectacular view of the Parc du Cinquantenair, and is one of two structures traveling across Europe, making stops at famous landmarks in Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and Russia. What do you think about one of these 60-tonne structures being placed on a U.S. memorial?
| Apr 13, 2011
Southern Illinois park pavilion earns LEED Platinum
Erin’s Pavilion, a welcome and visitors center at the 80-acre Edwin Watts Southwind Park in Springfield, Ill., earned LEED Platinum. The new 16,000-sf facility, a joint project between local firm Walton and Associates Architects and the sustainability consulting firm Vertegy, based in St. Louis, serves as a community center and special needs education center, and is named for Erin Elzea, who struggled with disabilities during her life.
| Mar 17, 2011
Hospitality industry turns to HTS Texas for ‘do not disturb’ air conditioned comfort
Large resort hotels and hospitality properties throughout the Southwest have been working with local contractors, engineers and HTS Texas for the latest innovations in quiet heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The company has completed 12+ projects throughout Texas and the Southwestern U.S. over the past 18 to 24 months, and is currently working on six more hotel projects throughout the region.
| Mar 11, 2011
Holiday Inn reworked for Downtown Disney Resort
The Orlando, Fla., office of VOA Associates completed a comprehensive interior and exterior renovation of the 14-story Holiday Inn in the Downtown Disney Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The $25 million project involved rehabbing the hotel’s 332 guest rooms, atrium, swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center, and administrative spaces.