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Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert
Hotel Gilbert

BWM Designers & Architects have fully refurbished the well-known ViennArt Hotel in Breite Gasse in Vienna. Now reopened the hotel boasts an entirely new look as well as a new name. With its Scandinavian flair and abundant greenery, the Gilbert, as it is now called, aims to attract locals as well as international guests and position itself as a dynamic hub in the trendy Spittelberg quarter of Vienna.

The long-established ViennArt Hotel in the middle of the trendy quarter around Vienna’s Spittelberg will reopen in early 2021 under its new name, Hotel Gilbert. In line with its slogan – “truly your hotel” – it has not only been fully refurbished, but also extended to include a rooftop terrace and a sauna and gym area, thereby enhancing its attractiveness. “Our idea was to create a hotel that would appeal to us as the target audience,” explains Erich Bernard of BWM Designers & Architects. By skilfully blending the various interior areas, BWM has succeeded in creating an extremely familiar atmosphere that befits a family-run hotel and sets it apart from corporate hotels. “Everything should be aesthetically pleasing and of high quality, but never forced,” Bernard adds. “Rather, it should be as casual and relaxed as possible.”

Erich Bernard
Scandinavian design served as our role model, both in the nature references and in the pared-back factory design of the kitchen.
Erich Bernard

Floral splendour  

The building with the living façade now has two entrances: one serves as the main entrance and leads directly to the reception; the other leads into the “&flora” café and brasserie, which prides itself on its inviting atmosphere both during the day and in the evenings. As its name suggests, plants play a large role in “&flora” and create an atmosphere reminiscent of a florist’s shop. The large windows provide a generous view of the tables and seating on the pavement in front of the café. Black wire mesh separates the “&flora” from the hotel’s central, glass-roofed atrium, bringing to mind a diamond-mesh fence and reinforcing the garden-like atmosphere.

Central atrium

The atrium is the heart of the hotel. Various elements and different types of parquet flooring divide it into different zones, without however obstructing the view through to the restaurant area and the open kitchen at the far end of the building. An indoor garden with a blue-tiled floor stretches across the width of the atrium and serves as something of a filter, and a drinking-water fountain enhances the fresh garden ambience. Behind it is a fireplace that adds an element of cosiness, while reinforcing – in conjunction with the fountain, the abundant greenery and the daylight entering the space through the glass roof – the overall nature theme.

Fluid transitions

Continuing on towards the breakfast/restaurant area, guests pass by an 8m-long double-sided settee that is positioned in the direction of motion, before reaching the dining area with an open kitchen. “The open kitchen gives guests the opportunity to be a part of the live cooking action. And the fluid transitions allow them to eat their breakfast or other meals anywhere in the foyer,” BWM project manager Ingrid Schmid explains, adding that the hotel shop follows the same principle in that it is also decentralised and spread out across all areas.

Scandinavian flair 

Black and white elements characterise the kitchen and restaurant areas. They include a tiled floor that clearly sets itself apart from the wooden floor of the atrium, and chairs, table legs, supports and shelves made of black steel that is interrupted by discreet oak elements. “Scandinavian design served as our role model, both in the nature references and in the pared-back factory design of the kitchen,” says Erich Bernard. The friendly atmosphere appeals to hotel guests and locals alike.

Viennese wickerwork

A gallery encircles the atrium on the first floor and provides access to the conference and meeting rooms as well as the co-working space. The dark colour scheme in the hallways leading to the 56 hotel rooms was a conscious design decision. “In a way, that was also inspired by Scandinavia, where darker corridors have been found to promote a sense of calm and deceleration, and guests are more likely to take their time,” Erich Bernard explains. And the completely refurbished rooms and bathrooms also make use of classic design elements, without “falling into the vintage trap”, as Bernard puts it. BWM decided to avoid blatant Vienna references in the rooms. The traditional Viennese wickerwork that is associated with classic café chairs is the only nod to the Austrian capital; it is featured on cupboard doors and headboards and subtly reminds guests that they are in Vienna.

Task
Redesign of a hotel including all common areas and 56 rooms

Status
Completion 12/2021

Area
Nettonutzfläche: 2250 m²

Client
Austrotel HotelbetriebsgesmbH

BWM Team
Erich Bernard, Ingrid Schmid, Lena Hainzinger, Ismail Berkel, Michele Sabini, Nadja Cvrcek, Gabriele Bruner

Image credit
BWM Designers & Architects/ Michael Königshofer
BWM Designers & Architects /Gregor Hofbauer

Participants

Interior Design
BWM Designers & Architects

Brand strategy and Branding
moodley brand identity

Building construction/ architecture
Eidenböck Architekten

Carpenter
Riedl Messe-/Laden- & Objektbau GmbH / Rudolf Bachhuber GmbH & Co. KG

F&B concept
Baysics

Facade greenery
Green4Cities/ Simma Zimmermann Landschaftsarchitektinnen

Awards

Longlist!

10 August 2022

Longlist!

The Hotel Gilbert has made it to the longlist of the dezeen awards in the category "Hotel and short-stay interior" – we are happy!

Winner!

19 May 2022

Winner!

We are pleased to announce that in the LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2021 our project Hotel Gilbert has been awarded as winner in the „Hotel-Boutique” category.

Press

20 December 2023

The Good Life

Mega city Vienna. Nella città ideale

PDF

31 October 2023

IDEAT

Ran ans reiche Erbe

PDF

30 October 2023

VOGUE

Vienna, guida artistica alla città che è molto più di Sissi

Link PDF

22 September 2023

Harpers Bazaar

Gli indirizzi per un weekend a Vienna, tra classico e contemporaneo

Link PDF

6 July 2023

ahgz

Buffet neu gedacht

Link PDF

19 June 2023

Hotel & Design

Frühstücksbuffet neu interpretiert

PDF

12 May 2023

trend PREMIUM

Bettgeschichten

PDF

21 November 2022

Falstaff Living

Rückkehr ins Flauschige

PDF

16 November 2022

Kurier Magazin

Lust auf Wien

PDF

24 October 2022

Hotel & Design

Die grüne Wohlfühloase

PDF

17 October 2022

architektur.aktuell

Forming New Tourism… Erich Bernard

Link PDF

10 October 2022

Falstaff Living

Hotelimmobilien: jetzt erst recht!

Link PDF

7 October 2022

Gastro

Hotel Gilbert steht im Zeichen von Grün | Neubau auf dem legendären Straubingerplatz in Bad Gastein

PDF

12 August 2022

Falstaff Rezepte

So ein grüner Sommer!

PDF

27 July 2022

Monocle

Vienna – the well-connected capital

PDF

20 July 2022

H.O.M.E

Auf geht´s, Austria

PDF

21 June 2022

Baunetz Wissen

Hotel Gilbert in Wien

Link

4 June 2022

Die Presse 2er Linie

Stadthotels

PDF

26 May 2022

fotocultmagazin.com

Kaiserlicher Glanz, innovativer Luxus und nachhaltiger Lifestyle

Link

7 May 2022

Falstaff Magazin Online

Hotel Confidential - "Gilbert" in der Wiener Innenstadt

PDF

26 April 2022

Gourmetro

Zu Gast bei Parvin Razavi

PDF

22 April 2022

Falstaff Living

Hotel Confidential

PDF

20 April 2022

A la Carte

Mise en place

PDF

6 April 2022

Die Lobby

Vienna Calling

PDF

4 April 2022

Better Life Magazin

Türen auf!

PDF

24 March 2022

Aurum

New in Town

PDF

18 March 2022

Die Presse Schaufenster

Lokal-Kolorit

Link PDF

8 March 2022

Tophotel

Indoor- und Fassadenbegrünung: Die Zeichen stehen auf Grün

Link

7 March 2022

Le Monde

Objectifs Vienne

PDF

28 February 2022

Hotel+Technik

Die Zeichen stehen auf Grün

Link PDF

14 February 2022

ÖGZ

Flower-Power mit skandinavischem Touch

PDF

31 January 2022

hospitalitydesign

The Hotel Gilbert Is Unveiled in Vienna

Link PDF

25 January 2022

ahgz

Hotel ViennArt wird zu Gilbert

Link PDF

6 November 2021

Kurier Wien

Das grüne Gilbert vom Spittelberg

PDF

21 September 2021

gastroportal.at

Die Architektur wird grüner

PDF

20 September 2021

gastroportal.at

Innovative Architektur

PDF

15 September 2021

Gasto

Innovative Architecture

PDF

27 August 2021

ÖGZ

Hotelfassade als Pionierprojekt

PDF

25 July 2021

Österreich

Hotel Gilbert wird Neubau mit begrünter Fassade kühlen

PDF

27 February 2021

DerStandard

Touristen könnten zurückkehren, nicht aber Frühstücksbuffets

Link PDF

24 September 2020

immobranche.at

Gilbert!

Link

10 September 2020

Kurier

Das "Gilbert“: Neustart für ein altbekanntes Hotel in Wien

Link

9 September 2020

Leadersnet.at

Hotel "Gilbert" eröffnet neu in Wien

Link