Radisson Blu Style Hotel by MKV Design

In this project, MKV Design converted a former bank building on Herrengasse in the heart of old Vienna into a luxury boutique hotel, the Radisson Blu Style Hotel. The building is a fine example of Austrian Jugendstil, designed in 1925 by a student of Otto Wagner and was protected by the historical preservation office. MKV drew inspiration from the history of the property and its location to create a unique and very comfortable hotel, quite unlike any other hotel in Vienna at the time. While the interior design draws on reference to the secession and Jugendstil period, it is far from a mere replica.
The interior plan revolves around the atrium of the hotel. On the ground floor, the oval space acts as the heart of the building, unifying all public areas around it. The space is designed with transparency in mind, using large openings towards the other public areas, and achieving optical connections across the entire floor. The strongest statement in the lobby is the back-lit, specially commissioned glass floor that changes color throughout the day. Its radiating pattern draws guests into the core of the hotel and then “discharges” them into the rooms around the lobby.
The restaurant has an Italian style with understated elegance. Flowing sheer curtains are lit with an amber light during the day and flooded with red light during the evening to dramatic effect. The Bar is designed in different zones that relate to various activities. There is a wine cellar and, at one end of the room, a working fireplace adds cosines for chilly winter nights. The guestrooms vary in size and shape but all share the same attributes of luxury and comfort. Warm tones and tactile natural fabrics are welcoming to the eye and the touch.