Polish studio Aure Studio has designed the interior of the common areas. The Mercure Hotel in Tallinn is decorated with motifs referring to the natural world. The whole project was photographed by the Mood Authors team.
This is a unique place in many ways. The hotel is located near the picturesque Ülemiste Lake, which is linked to an important legend for Tallinn. The guardian of the lake, who lives in the depths, walks out onto the cobbled streets in the evenings. He asks passers-by the question, “Is the city finished yet?”. The answer cannot be yes! If someone answers: “Yes, completed”, the old man will stir up the waters of the lake to engulf the historic castle. Perhaps it is precisely to avoid risking doom that Tallinners continue to develop, improve and beautify their city. This is also evidenced by the recent renovation of the hotel we are looking at today
Visual relaxation
The Mercure Tallinn Hotel has a very modern form with a distinct industrial touch. The cubic volume features large parts of raw-looking concrete and large-format glazing. The style of the building harmonises with the business nature of the journeys made by most of the guests staying here. – However, business is no longer associated with something stiff and cold,” points out arch. Martyna Wojtasik, founder of the Aure studio. – That is why we wanted to warm up the interiors and create a cosier atmosphere than before
The studio specialises in designing hotels, and the Tallinn Mercure is already the third project created in cooperation with the Accor chain – the largest in Europe. Previous experience has given confidence that the Polish studio will cope brilliantly with difficult challenges. What were they? It was necessary to meet the brand’s requirements regarding the class of solutions used and the associated level of comfort. At the same time, the investor’s budget had to be adhered to. Above all, the work had to be planned and carried out in such a way that the refurbishment could be carried out in stages while the facility was still in operation. Today, the perfect harmony of the interiors speaks of the technical challenges successfully overcome
Closer to nature
Estonians have a very special bond with nature. Extremely lush nature – animate and inanimate – seems to be a phenomenon bigger than the country itself, and a very mysterious one at that. There is no shortage of dense black forests, treacherous wetlands, waterfalls hidden in the mountains and underground rivers. It is no wonder, then, that the designers at Aure turned to the nearby lake for inspiration. The legend of the guardian of the waters, Ülemiste, suggested to them the colour range of the water and the colour palette of the earth, but in a darker, moody way. They also reached for natural materials, including wood, leather, metal and fine fabrics
The half-real, half-fantastic underwater world is alluded to in furniture and lamps with organic shapes, sculptural nenufar tables and jewellery handles on cabinets and drawers. Original glass artwork plays an important role in creating the atmosphere of the interior. Both were created by Tricity artist Edyta Barańska (Barańska Design). In the foyer, you can see a multi-element composition inspired by a school of fish. In the restaurant, on the other hand, a large three-dimensional bas-relief has been hung, in which we see a sheet of water
The richness of the textures is also worth noting. – It gives us a special pleasure to work with it, because it allows us to tell the story of the interior in a more subtle way and to nuance it in such a way that it keeps the guests occupied for a long time ,” emphasises Martyna Wojtasik. – My greatest joy is choosing fabrics. This is a subject which is often neglected, whereas deliberate and decisive juxtapositions of textures elevate the interior design to a higher level, add three-dimensionality and allow the interior to feel more intensely,” adds the architect. – The simplest piece of furniture in the right fabric can look like a million dollars,” she suggests
Playing with light
Perhaps the most characteristic element of the hotel’s interior design is the use of daylight as a design element. This excellent solution was born out of a vital need. – Although we all feel comfortable in rooms with plenty of light, the developer identified the regulation of daylight among the key usage guidelines. There was too much of it coming through the glass walls! On sunny days, the sun would dazzle visitors and employees ,” recalls the architect
The rhythmically arranged openwork panels designed by Aure, alternating with transparent curtains, not only removed the former problem, but also introduced a completely new aesthetic quality. – In doing so, we were able to achieve a play of chiaroscuro that changes throughout the day. Thanks to this, the interior looks completely different at any time of day and can even surprise you with the effect,” smiles Martyna Wojtasik. A flaw in the interior has been skilfully transformed into its greatest asset
Every detail is valuable
Aure Studio was responsible for the interior renovation of the entire hotel. From the design to the author’s supervision to the coordination of orders – made in Poland and delivered to Estonia of many key elements of furnishings and décor, including carpentry, free-standing furniture or the aforementioned works of art. An excellent grasp of the Polish market has also made it possible to deftly combine luxury items with more affordable ones, so that the result is a composition that is stunning in its beauty – but within budget. In the hotel, we can see, for example, how the Verpan designer chairs sit side by side with economical models from the Polish brand Paged, made especially for this project in the striking upholstery of the Villa Nova brand. This is a beautiful representation of Poland abroad!
Interior design: Aure Studio, www.aurestudio.pl
Photos: Mood Authors, www.moodauthors.com
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