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Das Stue Hotel: Berlin, Germany

Ashley Pringle

        In 1844 King Wilhelm IV kindly donated wild animals to the Zoologischer Garten in Berlin, Germany. Many years later, in 1940, the Royal Danish Embassy was opened right next door to the zoo. During this time, the Embassy was used as one of Adolf Hitler’s capital-building projects. The Embassy was sold in 1978, soon to become a luxury boutique hotel. It was later named Das Stue which in Danish means “the living room.” Architecture firm Axthelm Rolvien Architeken has recently done a full interior renovation as well as a minor renovation to the exterior face of the structure. With an eclectic use of materials, Axthelm Rolvien along with Studio Urquiola re-imagined this 170 year old building into a FUN-ctional hotel.

             As you walk into the building you find yourself at the front reception room. Your eye is immediately drawn to the unique fabric ceiling mural by Patricia Urquiola. The fabric is made out of 100% cotton, which is a sustainable resource. The flooring is concrete, yet another great material as far as sustainability goes. A large rug by J&T BCN centers the room and draws your eye further into the space. This rug is made out of wool fibers in texture simply named “balls.” Although this is yet another sustainable material, I personally do not think this is an appropriate material to use in this particular space due to high foot traffic. This will have to be replaced every couple of years and it will also be costly to maintain. Overall, this reception area is still smartly done with great use of eco-friendly resources.

            Another space that has been wonderfully renovated is the Das Stue lobby. This space was done entirely by Studio Urquiola, as well as all other public spaces throughout the hotel. The lobby is another long, vertical space. The focal point is a large bronze crocodile sculpture in the center of the room. Beneath this sculpture is the same J&T BCN wool fiber rug in a grey marled color. For this particular space I think the rug is appropriate since it lies underneath the art sculpture, where there will not be high volumes of foot traffic. The main flooring in completely refurbished original granite flooring in light and dark grey tones. This is a great material that is strong enough to last for many, many years. Wall treatments are refurbished original travertine. Travertine is a sedimentary rock that has been used in architecture for hundreds of years. It is also very frequently used in modern architecture as well. Many, if not all, of the materials in the lobby area are strong long lasting materials that will stand the test of time. It is a huge financial plus as well since the designers were able to refurbish the existing materials.

            Last we have the guest rooms at the Das Stue hotel. Sleek and modern, the guest rooms aren’t your typical chain hotel design. The white cerused oak built-in headboard rises from floor to ceiling, even extending onto the ceiling above the bed. Cerused oak has been used since the 16^th century and was popular during the art deco era as well. Today, nontoxic waxes are used to create this effect. The head board is a beautiful custom made piece by Virato. The flooring used is an oak matte natural finish. The dark wood flooring gives the space great contrast and will also hold up to the large amount of foot traffic these rooms will be experiencing. I think this space has a nice variety of materials that will not only be comfortable, but functional as well.

            Overall, Das Stue is a truly unique hotel. Renovations were handled in a very sophisticated manner, creating a visually pleasing environment. Materials ranged from many factors including: sustainability, comfort, and practicality. Minimal décor was used in order to keep the main focus on the incredible views in each room. And still, the design team did a great job as far as trying to keep a lot of the structure and materials that have been in the space for over a hundred years. The Das Stue hotel will continue to impress visitors from all around the world; it will continue to do so for another 170 years!

WORKS CITED

http://www.interiordesign.net/projects/detail/1662-please-dont-feed-the-animals-das-stue-hotel/

http://www.interiordesign.net/articles/detail/35537-please-dont-feed-the-animals-resources/

http://www.jordi-mas.com/

http://www.what-is-travertine.com/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2009/07/object-lesson-limed-oak-cerused-oak-shelter-furniture-.html