The hotel burned down shortly after the second world war, and after the fall of the Berlin wall the site was bought by German investors with the intention of rebuilding the Adlon in its original location, the Pariser Platz with a unique view onto the Brandenburg Gate.
   

 

The cruciform plan of the Entrance Hall was created to enhance the axial design of the building. The Hall is a double height galleried space surmounted by a shallow dome. The tunnel-like vaulted passages leading into the centre of the hall were introduced to exaggerate the height of the central space and to form intimate, almost domestic-scale, areas to house the reception and bar to either side. The coffered vaulting was used as this style of ceiling appeared in the old hotel hall.

The stained glass dome of the Entrance Hall is based on a painted ceiling design of 1824/26 by Carl Friedrich Schinkel for the Tea Salon of Freidrich Wilhelm IV at the Berliner Schloss and is supported on spandrels covered in 24 carat gold mosaic.

The 3.5m high fountain of stone, bronze and faux bronze is a reduced scale copy of a fountain that stood in the internal courtyard of the old hotel.




 

Operated by the Kempinski Hotel Group, the Adlon's re-birth was the subject of a design competition. Two practices were selected from 6 leading teams internationally. AB Living Designs of Sweden were commission for the guest rooms, suites, and fitness centre and Ezra Attia Associates from the UK handled the public areas.

The design brief for the public areas was to create an hotel interior in the tradition of the Grand Hotels of the past but which was not a recreation of the former Hotel Adlon or in a pastiche period style.

The wintergarden
The old Hotel Adlon had a fine winter garden with black and white chequer-patterned floor and barrel-vaulted glazed roof. The two double-height winter gardens of the new hotel were not designed to imitate the original but certain elements such as the floor and the slightly art-deco style hanging lights allude to it.

The library
Opening from the restaurant the Library is the first of a series of private dining rooms. It is panelled in Walnut with shelves lined with antique books. The shallow vaulted ceiling is painted in the style of Tiepolo - the former Hotel Adlon had a similar ceiling decoration.

Of the 336 rooms and suites, 2 are presidential suites, 35 Adlon suites and 2 rooms are for handicapped people. 40 of the suites feature living and working areas designed for long-term stays.
   

 

 







 

The brief for the suites was to create a home of a dollar millionaire living in New York in 1930 - The Art Deco Suite, and to create a home of a family living in Berlin 1910-1920 - The Classical Suite. Living Designs winning idea was not only to base the design on the Hotel Adlon's former grandeur and beauty but adjust it to the new millennium. 'Modern/Classic' was the selected theme as well as a timeless design.

Business as usual
Business rooms and business suites and planned for efficient working and comfort. Desks are by windows for natural daylight and bookcases house fax machine, personal safe, TV, video, loudspeakers, bar, newspapers and books. Bedroom and living room are separated by a wall with a TV cabinet in the middle. The bedroom has another bookcase with books, loudspeakers and storage space. By the window a make-up table.

All controls are operated from a bedside panel - lights, air conditioning, curtains and 'occupied' sign on the entrance door.

Bathrooms can be entered from both the suite hallway and from the bedroom. Each room has a separate toilet for visiting guests.

Elegant and exquisite
Floors and door frames configured from limestone, floors and doors veneered with special woods. Rooms are furnished with elegant cherry and myrtle wood furniture as well as exquisite fabrics, and artworks. Every item in the rooms and the suites are special designs by AB Living Designs for the Adlon.

In-room amenities include electronic key card system to turn on the lights, air conditioning and music simply by opening the door. Non smoking rooms, special 'allergic' rooms with hypoallergenic pillows, fabrics, etc. Portable phones that guests can carry with them and receive calls anywhere in the hotel. Super-quiet fax machines with voicemail; satellite television; personal safe; minibar; exercise equipment upon request; personalised stationery and business cards on request.

Development Team:

Designers:
AB Living Design - Sweden
Ezra Attia Associates - UK

Photographer:
Gerd Spans, The Good Life GmbH

 
   
© Copyright Hotel Designs 2007